But then, there was the new. The Los Gatos Community Pool opened with great fanfare in June, and the first ever Los Gatos Art Fest Plein Air Competition was a huge success in October.

And, of course, there were the events that made news.

The town watched as former Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department detective Randy Bishop and Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge William Danser were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in a ticket-fixing scandal.

The year ended with the announcement by the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department that an arrest was made in the Jeanine Harms case. Though a body has not yet been located, architect Maurice Xavier Nasmeh has been arrested in what is now considered a case of murder.

Then there was the sad tale of Los Gatos native Tara Eichinger-Berendes and her husband of 10 days, Josh Berendes. The young couple was involved in a major automobile accident on June 1 that left Tara in a coma. But this story had a happy ending when Tara awoke from her coma and is now on the road to recovery.

The town approved an expansion of the controversial Sobrato facility; plans are under way for a new skate park; longtime Los Gatan and local police officer Duino Giordano retired; Steve Glickman was re-elected and Barbara Spector elected to the Los Gatos Town Council; Mike Wasserman became the town's new mayor with Diane McNutt named the vice mayor; Curtis Wright is the mayor and Mark Brodsky the vice mayor of Monte Sereno; and the Toll House Hotel, Fisher Middle School and Louise Van Meter School all went through major renovations.

It was quite a year.

— Dick Sparrer

January

Los Gatos became the third municipality to bow out of the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority, following Sunnyvale and Cupertino. The town council voted 4-1 on Jan. 5 to withdraw from the agency, which was formed in 1998, due to concerns about rising costs and future stability.

After shaky 2001 and 2002 holiday seasons, merchants reported that business was returning back to downtown Los Gatos and other commercial areas in the town. An increase in consumer confidence, increased marketing by the Chamber of Commerce and a loss of interest in San Jose's Santana Row shopping center were all credited for the increase.

The Los Gatos Town Council discussed park-use issues in front of a packed house Jan. 20. Residents filled the council chambers and asked the council to build a skateboard park and more soccer fields in town.

At the same meeting, the council voted 3-2 to approve a modification in Sobrato Development Companies' plans for a mixed-use residential and business complex on Winchester Boulevard. The original plan called for 135 apartments and a 288,000-square foot research building, and was approved by the council in 2002. The new plans bumped the number of apartments up to 290 and the research square footage down to 120,000.

The San Jose Water Co. reopened the Los Gatos Creek Trail ahead of schedule after three months of partial closure. The company had closed the trail from Main Street to Lexington Reservoir in order to install a 42-inch water main.

Planning commissioners voted unanimously to deny an application for a medical facility in the "North 40," Los Gatos' only significant undeveloped area. Though no specific plan has been adopted, commissioners were unsure the development fit with the town's draft guidelines for the area.

The Chart House restaurant at 115 N. Santa Cruz Ave. closed its doors rather suddenly after 27 years in the location. Landry's Restaurants, which owns the Chart House chain, said declining revenues prompted the closure. Oddly, tables inside the restaurant remained set after the closure.

Los Gatos resident Steven Lee was arrested Jan. 27 for allegedly robbing a San Jose bank. He was believed to be responsible for 27 other bank robberies in Santa Clara County, including three in Los Gatos.

February

The Los Gatos Town Council approved new hillside development standards. New developments were limited to 6,000 square feet and 25 percent visibility. Despite developer Joe McCarthy's desire for ongoing projects to be exempt from the new standards, the council decided that the standards would apply to all projects that had not received site and architecture approval at the time of the decision.

Cheerleaders from Los Gatos High School performed for a larger audience than usual Feb. 8. The 12-member spirit squad and five song leaders were invited to take part in the halftime show at the National Football League Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

In the State of the Town address delivered Feb. 9, Mayor Steve Glickman assured community members that Los Gatos would make it through the bleak economic period. He encouraged them to stimulate business in the town and identified three goals for himself throughout the year: to maintain fiscal stability, "market" the town and focus on youth.

The Los Gatos Union School District decided to charge Lakeside Joint School District for each student it sends to Raymond J. Fisher Middle School. Lakeside, a small mountain district, has too few students to operate its own middle school. The Los Gatos district chose to end an arrangement through which Lakeside students go to Fisher at no cost because its funding method changed.

The Los Gatos Planning Commission voted 6-1 to deny an application for a Cold Stone Creamery in the old Swenson's ice cream parlor location at Lyndon Plaza. Commissioners said they were worried that franchises were becoming too prevalent, and a second Cold Stone was not needed (one already existed at the corner of Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Boulevard). Commissioner Jeanne Drexel said the commission didn't "want to make Los Gatos a mall."

The town council passed a resolution Feb. 17 to support the League of California Cities' efforts to end state "takeaways" of local property tax revenue.

Cyclist James Dein, 53, of Palo Alto was killed Feb. 19 when a San Jose man allegedly struck Dein and riding partner Ted Aberg, 65, on Highway 9 before leaving the scene. The driver, David Anthony Espino, turned himself into police the next day and was booked on charges of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony hit and run, a misdemeanor hit and run and probation violation.

March

A 2001 Chevrolet Impala belonging to the FBI was found burning in a residential area of Los Gatos March 1. The vehicle was reportedly stolen from the parking lot of Pinnacle Fitness on Los Gatos Boulevard, where an on-duty FBI agent had been working out. Two firearms were allegedly stolen from the vehicle.

Representatives for online DVD rental service Netflix asked a surprised town council to allow a 40,000-square foot increase in commercial space at the planned Sobrato development on Winchester Boulevard. Company officials said the 120,000-square feet allotted for commercial space would not be enough to accommodate the growing company, currently housed on University Avenue.

The Under 21 Club, a group founded by local high school students under the "Alive ... and Loving Life" initiative, held its first official event March 14 at the Los Gatos Bar and Grill. Students from at least five local schools attended the restaurant and bar for a night of alcohol-free dancing and recreation.

Randy Bishop, a former Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department detective, entered a no contest plea to charges of obstructing justice March 15. Bishop, who moonlit as a security guard at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, allegedly tried to dismiss traffic tickets for local sports stars. Bishop's charges were connected to similar ones against Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge William Danser, who was accused of using his court to hand out lenient sentences in drunken-driving convictions.

The stretch of Nicholson Avenue west of Massol Avenue known as "Cat's Hill" was repaved, just weeks before the 30th annual Cat's Hill Criterium bicycle race. Local cyclists spearheaded a fundraiser to repay the town for fixing the road, which had become notorious for its potholes and other surface problems.

Los Gatos joined nearly 40 other California cities in suing the state government. The suit alleged that the state's plan to borrow sales tax revenue from cities in order to fund a recently approved $15 million bond measure was illegal.

The Los Gatos Town Council overturned the planning commission's decision to deny a medical development in the North 40, and allowed for the possibility of a retail component in the future.

On March 21, 42-year-old Gina Loveday was killed when a car struck her on Highway 9 in Saratoga. Loveday, a Saratoga resident who formerly lived in Los Gatos, was walking her dog at the time of the 8:30 p.m. accident. The driver apparently did not see her and did not initially realize he had struck her and the dog.

April

Capt. Duino Giordano of the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department ended more than 34 years of service when he retired April 1. He also ended a family tradition—at least one member of his family had worked for the town since 1957.

The Los Gatos Community Development Department increased fees for planning and building services. According to town officials, the increase was made to appropriately compensate for the amount of time and effort the town spends on such projects.

The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center on Oka Road was demolished April 1 to make room for a new campus. New classrooms, preschool facilities, an art gallery, a café, a lounge, a performing arts venue and a gymnasium are scheduled to open at the site sometime in 2005.

The planning commission's previous denial of a Cold Stone Creamery in Lyndon Plaza was overturned by the town council April 5. Though the council members were pleased that the commission had denied what was seen as a policy issue that was out of its scope of powers, the council voted unanimously in favor of the application. Councilman Joe Pirzynski said he was "absolutely offended that we might describe this downtown as a mall."

In the wake of two fatal accidents on the road, Monte Sereno residents JoAnne Peth and Lana Malloy formed a committee dedicated to improving pedestrian and bicycle safety along Highway 9. Citizens for Highway 9 Safety lobbies for local and state agencies with interests in the road to make safety improvements. Additionally, the city of Monte Sereno took the lead in applying for grant funding from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to make safety improvements along Highway 9. Mayor Erin Garner said the city would "hold Caltrans' feet to the fire" on the issue.

Both the Los Gatos Town Council and Planning Commission voted to approve Netflix's request for more square footage at the Sobrato development on Winchester Boulevard. Though council and commission members raised questions about building height, the visibility of a proposed sign and other issues, the modification passed with a 4-1 vote from the council and 5-1 from the commission.

Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District board members expressed concern after the Soccer Club of Los Gatos kicked off fundraising for new soccer facilities at Los Gatos High School prior to any approval from the district. Neighbors also voiced concerns about noise and traffic.

The Los Gatos Planning Commission recommended regulating personal-service businesses such as hair and nail salons by requiring them to obtain conditional-use permits. At the time of the recommendation, a moratorium on such businesses existed.

Former county Judge William Danser was convicted on several counts of obstructing justice for fixing more than 30 traffic violation and drunk-driving tickets.

May

The town council voted 3-2 to end personal-service ban in a May 3 meeting, but followed the planning commission's recommendation to require use permits. The council did not exempt Village Lane businesses from the regulation, as recommended. Many business owners expressed disappointment with the council's action.

Los Gatos resident Vic Collord, a trail advocate some say was partly responsible for the creation of the Los Gatos Creek Trail, died May 10 at the age of 82.

The town council approved a budget that included more than $800,000 in expenditure reductions and revenue enhancements of about $700,000 for the 2004­05 fiscal year. To address an expected shortfall between $1.5 million and $3.2 million, the budget called for the elimination of two parking control officers and reduced library hours, among other reductions. The council did request that town staff explore restoring some funding cuts to the library, A Place for Teens and the Los Gatos Museum Association.

The next night, the council approved a $5 million capital-improvement budget that included improvements to town-owned buildings, parks, trails and streets during the next five years.

Twin 17-year-old brothers Kyle and Kevin Bakken inadvertently caught a suspected serial arsonist May 22. The brothers confronted and detained a man who allegedly stole Kyle's backpack from his truck at Blossom Hill Park. When police arrived at the scene, they realized that materials from inside the backpack had just been ignited on nearby Hillbrook Drive. The man, 24-year-old Brett Cowan, later admitted to starting a fire May 20 in Blossom Hill Park, and police believed he might have started another recent blaze.

Less than a week later, police arrested Los Gatos resident Peter Gunning in connection with a series of arsons, vandalism and threatening phone calls directed at St. Mary's Church on Bean Avenue. Gunning, 43, attended St. Mary's School in his youth.

Joann and Leon Milburn were named the Seniors of Distinction at a ceremony hosted by The Terraces of Los Gatos and co-sponsored by the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. The Milburns were recognized for their contributions to hillside safety, disaster response, the Museums of Los Gatos and other volunteer efforts.

June

Los Gatos native Tara Eichinger-Berendes and her husband of 10 days Josh Berendes survived a major automobile accident June 1 on a Utah Highway. They were en route to their new Colorado home just 10 days after their Monte Sereno wedding when another vehicle lost control, crossed the highway median and slammed into their SUV. Though she remained in a coma after the accident, the 20-year-old woman may have been saved because of the efforts of witnesses who helped extinguish fires and move her vehicle away from the other flaming car.

The Monte Sereno City Council discussed the implementation of further improvements to the intersection of Winchester Boulevard and Daves Avenue. A stoplight was installed at the intersection in 2002, and city officials said they wanted to move forward with a second phase that called for studying the feasibility of closing one of the two northbound Winchester lanes. Los Gatos officials have not agreed that the second phase is necessary.

Planning commissioners approved La Rinconada Country Club's plans to remodel its facility in northern Los Gatos and increase its membership limit from 451 to 481. The planned renovation also includes drainage improvements and the installation of a sidewalk along Wedgewood Avenue.

New playground equipment was installed at the Good Neighbor Park in Redwood Estates. The park was one of two that had been built decades earlier and deteriorated over time. A grant from First 5 Santa Clara County and other community donations helped fund the new equipment.

The Los Gatos Department of Motor Vehicles office closed for renovations to the 32-year-old building's ceiling, interior lights, flooring, phone and computer cables, and ventilation, heating and air-conditioning system. The closure was scheduled to last about four months.

Local residents and officials met in Monte Sereno June 17 to discuss safety problems and solutions on Highway 9. Residents aired complaints about unsafe portions of the road, while officials from the California Department of Transportation, city governments and other agencies listened and offered to come up with a timeline of action items.

A five-year project culminated June 19 with the opening of a community pool at Los Gatos High School. The pool was funded through a collaborative effort between the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District, the town of Los Gatos, the Los Gatos­Saratoga Community Education and Recreation organization and several other community organizations. The Valley Foundation donated a large portion of the $2.6 million needed for the project.

Marie Tallman, Opera House marketing vice president and former Toll House Hotel general manager, was named as the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year. Former Chamber president Greg Stowers said Tallman was "continually unselfish" in offering facilities and support to the business community.

Los Gatos hired Randy Tsuda as its new assistant director of community development. Tsuda previously worked for city planning departments in Mountain View, Danville and Campbell.

Customers of "Barber Bob" Siirila, led by 9-year-old Daniel Mosko, pulled together to raise funds for the Downing Center Barber Shop employee. Siirila was diagnosed with a liver disease nearly four years before, and had been on a liver transplant waiting list since. One relatively small bake sale raised $2,200.

Raymond J. Fisher Middle School Principal Ken Lawrence-Emanuel bid farewell to the school on June 30 after three years in the position. Lawrence-Emanuel said he wanted to work closer to his home in the Watsonville area.

July

Reports that a green liquid—initially feared to be antifreeze—had been flowing through the Los Gatos Creek were investigated by town and county officials. The liquid was found to be harmless food coloring, which the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Department was using to test storm-drain water flow.

At the town's July 4 celebration, Los Gatos Mayor Steve Glickman became the center of a controversy when he declined to read the names of local soldiers serving in the Middle East. Glickman said representatives of the Operation Yellow Ribbon committee approached the town about reading the names too late in the celebration's planning stages to be included. He said he and the event's planners decided not to include the name reading because of concerns about the list being inaccurate or incomplete, as well as his desire to avoid making a political statement. After being approached by Monte Sereno Vice Mayor Curtis Wright, Glickman agreed to a compromise. At the ceremony, Glickman gave a general tribute to the service men and women. He later read the names at the Los Gatos Rotary Club's tent, but families still felt slighted.

On July 20, the town of Los Gatos and Indigo Architects held a design workshop in a parking lot on Miles Avenue that had been identified as a possible site for a skate park. The workshop was attended by town officials and approximately 15 skateboarders. After listening to a presentation from architect Bruce Playle, the skateboarders created design suggestions using paper and pencil, chalk, sand and clay.

A 14-year-old girl—whose name was withheld at her parents' request—was arrested outside the Watergirl Surf Shop on E. Main Street. A clerk at the store said she recognized the girl from a previous visit, during which she suspected the girl had stolen a skirt. According to police, two plainclothes police officers and two patrolling officers arrived and arrested the girl. She was taken to the station and questioned for one hour by another officer, and her parents were not contacted until after she was questioned and released without charges because police say she did not request that they be contacted.

Former county Superior Court Judge William Danser and former Los Gatos police Detective Randy Bishop were sentenced July 26 to 90 days of jail time, 400 hours of community service and $1,200 in fines for their involvement in a ticket-fixing scandal. Sentencing Judge William Kelsay said he was "mystified" by the men's apparent abuse of power.

Los Gatos resident Dan Doore, CEO of the Community Hospital of Los Gatos, stepped up to serve as the president of the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce. Doore, a longtime member of the Chamber, said some of his goals were retaining businesses, helping business people realize the benefits of Chamber membership and keeping a strong relationship with the town.

On July 22, the West Valley­Mission Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to place a $235 million bond measure on the Nov. 2 election ballot for much-needed repairs and improvements to the West Valley College campus. A similar bond measure failed to pass in 2002 because funds could have been used for athletic facilities.

The Los Gatos Planning Commission approved plans for a new burger-based restaurant to operate from the old Swenson's ice cream parlor location in Lyndon Plaza. Main Street Burgers would occupy half of the site, while a previously-approved Cold Stone Creamery would take the other half. The owners of the Willow Street restaurant several doors down would operate the new business.

August

Los Gatos Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove had planned to retire after 16 years of service when her term was up in November. The town council split up the town clerk's duties earlier in the year because it said the town could not expect to have someone as qualified as her run for what had become a full-time post. Cosgrove disapproved of the council's decision, and announced that she would run for another term.

City council elections in Monte Sereno were cancelled when council members Erin Garner and David Baxter were the only candidates to file for office. On Aug. 17, the council voted simply to reappoint Garner and Baxter.

Dr. Philip Hartley replaced interim leader Bob Jensen as president of West Valley College Aug. 9. Hartley was previously the executive vice president and assistant superintendent of College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.

Henry Castaniada signed a three-year contract as the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District's new superintendent, replacing recently retired Mary Ellen Johnson.

The Los Gatos Town Council learned that the $125,000 they had budgeted for the construction of a much-anticipated skate park would be nowhere near enough. Bruce Playle of Indigo Architects presented sketches and design estimates of nearly $775,000 at an Aug. 16 council meeting.

The Outhouse reopened newly renovated facilities just in time for Los Gatos High School's freshman orientation. Grants and donations allowed for new carpeting, paint and other modifications to the 10-year-old building. A Place For Teens had also recently started a partnership with Los Gatos­Saratoga Community Education and Recreation staff for additional programming and supervision of The Outhouse.

The latest attempt at annexing an unincorporated county "pocket" of homes failed Aug. 31. Only 37 percent of voters in the 31 homes on Lilac Lane and Oleander Drive voted in favor of annexation. Many residents said they preferred the more relaxed county building and planning standards.

September

Volunteers with the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Program, including Los Gatos residents Leon Milburn and Jan Villemare, were deployed to Florida to assist victims of several hurricanes that ravaged coastal areas. Milburn spent three weeks there training volunteers to use a new software program that assisted in interviewing disaster victims

Some locals were frightened this month by an increase in coyotes in residential areas. Several reports were made by residents who had found animal body parts in their yards. Others reported pets missing.

Safety improvements to Highway 9 continued as town officials made some headway in securing permits from the California Department of Transportation, thanks in part to a successful grassroots citizens' campaign. The first such improvement was made near the end of August—a pedestrian median at Highway 9 and Massol Avenue.

A public hearing was held on Sept. 9 to discuss a proposed 18-month, $26 million project to repair a deteriorating pipe in the James J. Leniham Dam, and to get feedback from the community on the matter. The Santa Clara Valley Water District said the pipe had been installed in 1952, and that since 1989 numerous bulges had been discovered and repaired.

Gruesome news hit the town when a Los Gatos man was charged with stabbing and beating his wife to death. Andrea Smith, 52, was found dead on Sept. 5 in the couple's Cleland Avenue apartment after neighbors called police to report a disturbance. She had sustained blunt-trauma and stab wounds. Police also found 58-year-old Larry Louis Saltarelli inside, alive but suffering from apparently self-inflicted injuries. Saltarelli was arrested and formally charged with homicide Sept. 9.

Local communities saw the emergence of the brand new Saratoga­Monte Sereno Community Foundation. Saratoga resident Lori Fox was appointed the organization's first president.

Los Gatos postal workers received a scare on Sept. 14 when they were hit with what appeared to be exposure to a chemical. Employees in a mail-sorting room at the Santa Cruz Avenue location reported smelling some sort of chemical odor at around 11 a.m. Several employees reported a metallic taste in their mouths, and some reported white blotches on their skin and shortness of breath. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene, and S. Santa Cruz Avenue south of Main Street and the Town Plaza were closed down to the public for about five hours, while firefighters decontaminated affected people. Four employees and one customer were taken to the hospital, and one employee drove to the hospital before emergency crews arrived. Hazardous materials crews and FBI investigators combed the post office, but came up without answers, stating that although something had definitely been there, whatever it was had dissipated. The post office was re-opened to employees at 4 p.m. that day, and to the public the next morning.

A town council meeting was held to decide the fate of one of the town's oldest structures—the Roberts Road Bridge. The nearly 90-year-old bridge has been deteriorating as a result of high floodwater in the Los Gatos Creek below it, said Parks and Public Works Director John Curtis. Curtis presented three options to the council: close the bridge to traffic, repair and rehabilitate it or replace it with a new bridge that conforms to current state standards. The council voted unanimously to close the bridge to vehicles and make any necessary repairs to keep it standing.

October

Thirty-two artists participated in the first ever Los Gatos Art Fest Plein Air Competition. The artists painted various locations they chose themselves around Los Gatos. All of the paintings were displayed, some with the paint still wet, and a silent auction was held, with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting the program for future years.

Peggy Conaway, head librarian at the Los Gatos Public Library, became a published author when Images of America: Los Gatos, was released. The book, filled with more than 200 historical images of the town, was published in connection with the "Hooked on Los Gatos: The Los Gatos History Project," a program headed by Laura Bajuk, executive director of the Museums of Los Gatos.

The start of the 2004­05 school year marked the 20th anniversary of CASA, a Los Gatos umbrella organization founded in 1984 by longtime resident Joanne Rodgers and former Los Gatan Janet Anderson. In a community effort, the group strives to change attitudes toward drug and alcohol use through education, parent networking, peers helping peers and positive alternative activities.

Concerns surfaced among parents as two elementary schools faced renovations—Blossom Hill and Daves Avenue. Parents of Blossom Hill children were notified that portable classrooms would be built for grades 2­5, and that kindergarten and first grade would be housed in extra classrooms at Van Meter. At the same time, Daves Avenue would be housed at Athenour Elementary in the Union School District in San Jose for two years. The projects were estimated to cost $4 million, and district representatives assured parents they would do their best to accommodate difficult family situations, such as by busing students, at the district's expense, from Los Gatos to San Jose.

Los Gatos residents finally saw traffic-calming measures that had been in the works for quite some time get approved. On Oct. 18, the town council unanimously approved two plans to cut back traffic where Wraight and Woodland avenues intersect with Highway 9. In the first phase, a permanent center median will be installed at the "triangle" of Highway 9, Wraight Avenue and Woodland Avenue.

The Los Gatos "Alive ... and Loving Life" program received the League of California Cities' Helen Putnam Award at its annual conference in Long Beach. The Award for Excellence, within the public safety category, was formally presented to the town at its Oct. 18 council meeting. "Alive ... and Loving Life" focuses on drug- and alcohol-abuse resistance, police-youth relationships, parenting and positive recreational activities.

Three Los Gatos students were honored as Youth Park Citizens of the Year in an Oct. 23 ceremony, the 25th annual ceremony of its kind—Lauren Radonich, Pat Gaudet and Negin Saei.

Raymond J. Fisher Middle School celebrated its brand new look in a grand re-opening celebration. The school had just completed many months of construction and modernization. A festive party was held in the school's multi-purpose room, with performances by the choir, refreshments and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Student Council President Allie Evans, newly appointed Principal Lisa Fraser, Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Mary Ann Park and district board member Dorothy Rouse.

November

The Los Gatos Town Council approved a draft community benefit agreement with Sobrato Development about its Winchester Boulevard mixed-use project. One of the main conditions of the agreement as previously written was that Sobrato would provide shuttle service between the project and Campbell's light rail station.

Election results came in on Nov. 3. Steve Glickman was re-elected and Barbara Spector elected to the town council and Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove won her position. In the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union School District, Rosemary Rossi and incumbent Dr. Lorrie Wernick won the tight race, and, in the Los Gatos Union School District, Chris Miller and Karen Sanders Noe won the two open spots.

Investment adviser Michael Kane was named the new planning commissioner by the town council on Nov. 1, to replace the soon-to-be-vacant seat of Jeanne Drexel.

The Tollhouse Hotel in Los Gatos celebrated its new facilities in a pre-grand re-opening celebration on Nov. 9, which helped raise money for the Los Gatos High School Theater Improvement Project. Nationally renowned "Painter of Light" Thomas Kinkade, a Los Gatos resident, unveiled a new painting of Los Gatos High School at the festivities, and donated some of the proceeds of the sale of the prints to TIP and the Los Gatos Morning Rotary Club. The Tollhouse, which opened in the early 1980s, recently added 25 rooms, remodeled its façade and underwent major renovations and remodeling, totaling around $2 million.

Many residents of a mobile home park in Los Gatos were given the opportunity to become homeowners. The Los Gatos Planning Commission approved owner Green Valley Corporation's application for a 70-lot subdivision. Representatives of Green Valley said they will make not only the homes available for sale, but also the land the homes sit on.

Mike Wasserman was officially appointed as the mayor of Los Gatos at a Nov. 15 meeting of the town council. Wasserman, who served as vice mayor of Los Gatos in 2004, was nominated by outgoing Mayor Steve Glickman at the meeting. Diane McNutt was named the vice mayor.

The town of Los Gatos moved one step closer to getting its proposed skate park on Miles Avenue. During a Nov. 16 council meeting, Monte Sereno council members unanimously approved contributing $100,000 from the city's Proposition 40 per capita grant funds for the skate park.

In the Monte Sereno City Council meeting on Nov. 16, it was discussed whether to annex 98 acres of unincorporated Santa Clara County pockets of land into the city.

A special tribute to Eric Quesada, the Los Gatos High School senior who was killed in a tragic automobile accident over Thanksgiving weekend in 2002, was completed this month. The addictive prevention services branch of EMQ Children and Family Services partnered with Eric's close friend Andrew Quillin and other Los Gatos High students to create a 25-minute video called Eye Q: The Story of Eric Quesada.

December

The town kicked off the holiday season early this month in its traditional way. The annual Los Gatos Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony took place on Dec. 3 in the Town Plaza.

A neighborly dispute put the tiny city of Monte Sereno on the map. Alan Aerts, a resident who has long given extensive contributions to charity, is known for his extravagant holiday displays—with more than 75,000 lights, amplified sound, goodies handed out to children and a Toys for Tots collection—in front of his home on Danielle Place. When neighbors Le and Susan Nguyen complained about the heavy traffic and noise, the Monte Sereno City Council passed a special events ordinance last year requiring a permit for such a display. So this year, Aerts decided to put up a single decoration—a statue of The Grinch, with his long finger pointed right at the Nguyen's house.

Danielle Surdin, economic development coordinator for the city of Saratoga since 2001, left her position in order to fill that of economic vitality manager of the town of Los Gatos.

Town Manager Debra Figone responded to Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove's public arguments over the separation of the town clerk position and its duties. The council had separated those roles in 2001 when Cosgrove announced her intention to retire after the November 2004 election. The council's actions angered Cosgrove, who said that the elected position needs to be full-time. Figone said that while Cosgrove was able to perform the duties of a clerk administrator, the town could not expect future elected clerks to be able to do so. MarLynn Rasmussen, a former councilwoman who recently served as the senior deputy clerk, has been appointed to the clerk administrator position.

Monte Sereno City Council members unanimously elected Curtis Wright as the new mayor and Mark Brodsky to the position of vice mayor.

The town mourned the death of 72-year-old Shirley Henderson. Henderson had long co-owned The Antiquarium at the corner of University Avenue and Main Street with her daughter, Denise Harr.

Many Bay Area children would have a happy Christmas thanks to Los Gatos residents Stephen and Leanne Troy, who kicked off their yearly charitable toy-buying spree at the Blossom Hill Road Toys 'R' Us on Dec. 7.

Los Gatos planning commissioners approved a conditional use permit for the proposed skate park on Miles Avenue. The permit was granted with a list of recommended conditions: the facility will be owned and operated by the town; the hours of operation must be within 9 a.m. to sunset during summer, weekends and holidays, and 3 p.m. to sunset when schools are in session; the park will be a multi-use skate facility—bicycles will not be allowed; the town must explore and implement as appropriate methods to provide safety for skaters going to the facility; the town must monitor sound levels on the site and on Miles and Edelen avenues, and implement mitigation measures if necessary; and staff must hold a neighborhood meeting within one year of the park's opening to determine if further review of the use permit is necessary. The commission also recommended that the council consider prohibiting skateboarding on Miles Avenue near the park.

Los Gatos police arrested architect Maurice Xavier Nasmeh on Dec. 16 for the murder of Los Gatos resident Jeanine Harms. Harms was last seen with Nasmeh on July 27, 2001, at Jiffy Market in Los Gatos, after spending the evening at two Campbell bars. Los Gatos Police Chief Scott Seaman said that trace evidence found in Harms' home, on a rug of hers that was later turned over to the police, and evidence found in Nasmeh's vehicle, linked him to the disappearance. Police are still seeking information about where her body might be.

A Place for Teens and its facility, The Outhouse, celebrated 10 years of offering a safe, substance-free environment and fun activity programs for local teens.