Although Los Gatos carries the image of a quaint and friendly small town, it is at the same time gaining recognition in some unusual circles.
One evening last week, the Prowler was listening to radio station KRTY (which, incidentally, still names both San Jose and Los Gatos in some of its station IDs) when a community news-brief feature came on.
Preferring music to chitchat, this cat almost punched another button on the radio, then heard the DJ talking about the parking situation around these parts. Town Manager Dave Knapp's name came up; then in a few moments Knapp himself came across the airwaves, discussing the pros and cons of the pay-for-parking issue. Usually the closest Los Gatos comes to radio presence is when traffic reports warn of backups on this stretch of Highway 17.
Speaking of local public figures, Steve Blanton's name is literally cropping up everywhere, now that he's in the running for the District 1 county supervisor's seat.
Last week the Prowler stopped by a convenience store in south San Jose to pick up some cat chow. A group of unsavories hanging around the parking lot looked as though they were practicing their aim with water balloons. Turns out their target was one of Blanton's fluorescent campaign signs, stuck challengingly high on a nearby pole.
Even nonlocal folk seem to know and love the Town of The Cats. A friend last week asked the Prowler for advice on entertaining an out-of-town cousin. This cat offered the usual South Bay attractions: beaches, museums, parks, a certain huge mall and a certain huge and mysterious house.
Next day, the friend called back to say thanks for all the ideas--but her cousin decided to wander and shop around downtown Los Gatos, then spend the evening drinking kamikazes and giggling at men in a local bar.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, January 22, 1997.
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