Opinion

The recent article on Sahr Fania by Drew Penner (Los Gatan, Nov. 2-8) was wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing the story of a Los Gatan who does not fill the profile that is often told about “important” people in other Los Gatos publications. Please...

Hello, fellow Los Gatos residents and visitors, We have a wonderful town. But dog owners who do not pick up their dog’s droppings (poop), please do not leave it on our sidewalks. Unhealthy, unkind, just wrong. So many of you do pick up after their pets...

Urban planning thrives on informed decision-making. However, the increasing influence of game theory—a branch of mathematics that studies strategic interactions—can be a recipe for disaster in the messy world of governance. While game theory offers insights in some areas, relying largely on its models...

The Community Health and Senior Service Commission (CHSSC) is implementing year one of the road map to improve the lives of older adults in Los Gatos. As CHSSC’s chairperson, my position presumably affords me some latitude to “tongue in cheek,” think outside the box and...

Simitian’s gratitude Thank you for the opportunity to serve in public office for more than 40 years at five different levels: as a local school board member, city council member and mayor, county supervisor, state assemblymember and state senator. At the end of next month, by...

I learned from a panel discussion held on Dec. 14 at the Los Gatos Town Hall, that mental health care is riddled with gaps, leaving many individuals struggling to access the services they need.  From a shortage of qualified providers, to inadequate insurance coverage, to...

Community Alliance: Appointment process was politically driven Leadership requires vision, competence, and integrity—qualities seemingly lacking in former mayor Maria Ristow and Vice Mayor Rob Moore. Their actions during the Planning Commission appointment process show a troubling pattern of prioritizing politics over the community’s needs. The Planning...

Four Town officials—Town Manager Laurel Prevetti and former mayors Maria Ristow and Rob Rennie, along with Councilmember Rob Moore—have been responsible for the failure to get the Housing Element passed, despite five attempts. Ristow recently said the three of them should be recognized for...

Volunteers know it is difficult to accomplish change. When I sought along with several others to get a Restorative Justice program implemented at a Los Gatos school, I initially encountered great enthusiasm for the idea. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm was followed by inaction on the...

News cycles spin with relentless negativity, bombarding us with stories of conflict, division and environmental woes. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of problems the world faces. Sometimes, the most tempting response is to bury our heads in the sand, hoping the...