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From our May issue
Shelley Bates,
writing as Shelley Adina, is the launch author for Hachette Faith
Words’ new line of young-adult fiction with her book
All About Us
series. Beginning with
It’s All About Us,
on shelves in May, these novels follow the lives of five girls at
the fictional Spencer Academy in San Francisco. Listening to their
hearts, and keeping their faith, they deal with cliques, classes,
and crushes.
Clint Smith,
LGHS Class of 1998 and son of
Kerry and
Teri Smith, married his sweetheart,
Nicole Charvez.
Clint and Nikki graduated from Westmed College and Clint graduated
from the San Jose Fire Department Recruit Academy. Nikki is a
paramedic for AMR. Clint was hired last year by San Jose Fire
Department as a paramedic/firefighter. He was one of 28 recruits
chosen for the academy from 4000 applicants. He is currently “on the
route” until May when he will be assigned a permanent station.
Clint’s father Kerry retired from SJFD nine years ago making Clint’s
graduation especially meaningful.
Manuel Austin,
former resident of Wrights Road, will be inducted into the Los Gatos
High School Hall of Fame early in May. In high school, he was a
two-time all-Central Coast Section wide receiver and CCS Player of
the Year as a senior in 1995. He accepted a scholarship to the
University of Washington where he was an outstanding player.
C.T. English eighth-graders
Jake Bevans, Jimmy
Eisner, Morgan Ellis, Max Friday, Marc Gessler, and
Zahir Kureshi played in the National Junior Basketball
League during the regular season on divisional teams. All-Stars were
Jake Bevans, Max
Friday, and
Zahir Kureshi. They won the California state tournament
5-0 and played at the nationals in Anaheim in April.
Kent Keyser
was welcomed back by his wife,
Kristy, and
two sons, Kyle
and Scott
after climbing Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro on March 7. Kent and four
friends from the area spent eight days scaling the 19,340-foot peak
and summited Uhuru Peak on February 29.
Mike and Peggy Sullivan announced
the marriage of their daughter, April Sullivan to
Brian Williams on February 23. The reception took
place at the Hyatt Grand Manchester. They reside in San Diego.
Lisa Sullivan, April’s younger sister, is an animal
science major at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is a senior and in
the top 10 percent of her class. She is currently an intern at the
St. Louis Zoo in the Endangered Species Research Center and
Veterinary Hospital. She works in the endocrinology lab running
radioimmunoassay to track hormone cycles of female zoo animals. She
will return to Cal Poly in September to finish her senior year. Both
girls graduated from Loma Prieta and C.T. English Middle schools.
Texas Christian University freshman and 2007 LGHS graduate, Tom
Sutherland, 19, made an impressive American Le Mans
Series debut at the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Sutherland, driving with Panoz Team PTG teammates Tommy Milner and
Joey Hand, drove the #21 Panoz Esperante to a ninth-place finish in
the GT2 class race.
On
the LGHS boy’s volleyball teams, seven of the twelve varsity players
are from the mountains and five mountain boys are on junior varsity.
The varsity players are
Jeff Barnett, Stephen
Hight, Ryan Magnin, Beau Barron, Derek Nilsen, Trevor Rowell,
and Storm Slivkoff.
The junior varsity team includes
Connor Bui, Derek
Powers, Ian Rajczi, Tony Scott, and
Sam Whiteley. The JV
coach is mountain resident
Mary (Groat) McDowell.
The varsity team is a top-five team in CCS and should do well in the
playoffs. The JV team is expected to win the league championship.
Keturah Robison
attended Loma Prieta Elementary School and the Independent Study
Program through eighth grade. She attended high school at Coast
Redwood Charter School and Cabrillo Community College. She graduated
at age 16. She spent a year full time at Cabrillo and then
transferred to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville,
majoring in classical piano performance. She was named to the
national dean’s list for her academic achievements. The Independent
Scholar Laureate Program invited Keturah to join their delegation of
music for a two-week tour of Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, and Venice,
in May. She will be studying various aspects of music in each city.
In July, Keturah will join the UNF Chorale for the World Symposium
for Chorale Music in Copenhagen.
Tessa Davis, Emily
McCord, Katie McGrath, and
Lisa Meehan
are performing in the Children’s Musical Theater San Jose’s
production of
Mulan. It runs the first weekend of May at the Montgomery
Theater in downtown San Jose.
Roth Rind
and Jensen Fabris
are performing in CMTSJ’s production of
Into the Woods,
which runs for two weekends after the close of
Mulan.
Collette (Froelich)
Phelps performed along with her husband
James in
Ragtime,
the marquee production for CMTSJ.
Loma Prieta and CTE schools hosted two all-girls
recreation-league-basketball teams this year. We had 23 third-
through sixth-graders on the teams, some veterans and some new to
the sport. The coaches and assistant coaches were parents and
students in our community. The teams played ten high-energy games
and won most of them. More important, everyone learned some new
skills, got lots of exercise, and had fun. The Knicks, coached by
Jessie Quirke
and Kevin Matlock,
included Lindsey
Avoy, Kathryn Farley, Camille Fowler, Montana Fowler, Kelly Matlock,
Nikki Maruya, Tianna McBurney-Lin, Maddie Pearce, Shasta Smith,
Sarah Sterry, and
Nikita Tovey.
The Spurs, coached by
Summer, Sierra,
and Jeff Vance,
included Hannah
Blevins, Sophie Colbran-Patterson, Madeline Colombo, Aly Dembry,
Kyra Jeffery,
Morgan McKinney,
McKenna Morrison, Maggie Niemann, Cheyenne Nir, Jessica Ricksecker,
Ashleen Quirke, and
Cali Vance.
Mountain sculptor
Kenneth Johnson won first place in 3-D sculpture at the
Los Gatos Art Association 2008 open-juried show for his new work
“Bye Bye Black Bird.” Kenneth will show his diverse bronze
sculptures at the Saratoga Rotary Art Show, held at West Valley
College on Sunday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
LGHS mountain students are participating in spring sports. Among the
varsity students are
Evan Davis,
Kelly Davis,
Johnny De
Salvo, Wes Heeter, Jordan Kestler, Dan Lyons, Carson Nestler,
Kelsey Shyba,
and Dylan Viskochil.
On the JV teams are
Joey DeSalvo, Nikko Faraj, Shelby Glenn, Grady Kestler, Laurianne
Kidd, Jim McBurney-Lin, Rebecca Nixon, Kendra Roberts, Stephanie
Soucy, Robbie Temmerman, and
Tim Truong.
When driving past Loma Prieta School you will see a large wooden
sign with a replica of Smokey Bear. The sign was made by
Johnny DeSalvo
for his Eagle Scout Community project. He and his brother Joey
worked to contain a neighbor’s fire last summer until the Loma
Prieta Volunteer Firefighters arrived. DeSalvo’s fire sign informs
the public about the risk level of fire.
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Genoa Fox
Jeff Powell
Genoa Fox was born here in our neighborhood. She is one of our
happiest and friendliest volunteers, always willing to help with
anything, and enthusiastic about everything. She joined the
department in 2003 after retiring from many years of volunteer work
with Theatre in the Mountains. She was looking for some other way to
give back to the community. Joining Fire and Rescue gave her the
opportunity to practice her newly acquired EMT skills.
Genoa’s most memorable call was working in the helicopter landing
zone for medical aid in the Soquel Demonstration State Forest. At
some point, the landing zone was moved, and the pilot offered to let
Genoa ride along to the new location. Once there, everything went
well, but she had no ride home as the volunteer engine hadn’t been
sent to the new landing zone, and the paid engine had no empty
seats. Fortunately, a ranger was able to get her back to Burrell
Station and her car, with an extra tour of the demo forest.
Genoa says, “The coolest part was definitely the helicopter ride. It
was my childhood dream coming true getting to fly over the Santa
Cruz Mountains, and it was my lucky day that I had brought a camera
along. Otherwise, I don’t think anyone would believe my story.”
Genoa enjoys supporting her neighbors and being a part of the
volunteer fire family. She tells me that working with the department
is a great way to spend her free time. Not that she has much free
time to spend. She’s taking classes at a local community college
studying travel nursing. She does a lot of traveling, particularly
to South America where she can practice her Spanish and dance
skills.
With her warm and friendly personality, Genoa is great to have on
the team. She goes to any kind of call, pulls her weight, and
lightens everyone’s mood in the process
Mr. Strudley’s Exit Interview
Lisa Sgarlato
It is with heavy sighs and melancholy
infused with happiness for him that Lexington Elementary says
goodbye to its beloved Mr. Raf Strudley. After 37 years in
education, Strudley has decided to retire. Out of those 37 years, 35
of them have been with the Los Gatos Union School District, the last
10 years as principal at Lexington, where he has raised this school
from the edge of extinction with a real possibility of closing its
doors to the top-performing school in the district through the
introduction of its fabulous international baccalaureate program.
How did you get started
in education? I just fell into it. I was actually
studying to be an engineer at Chico State University, when I
volunteered to tutor migrant children and fell in love with
teaching. I changed my major to geography and stayed for a teaching
credential. I eventually received a master’s in counseling and
administration at Santa Clara University. I got my first teaching
job at Lexington in 1971, and it was here that I met my wife. After
ten years, I transferred to Fisher to teach math and history. I was
thrilled to come back to Lexington after many years to finish my
career as principal, a truly unique opportunity.
Over the 37 years that
you have been in public education, what are the biggest changes
you’ve seen? There has been a tremendous emphasis on
standardization, student performance (STAR testing), as well as
curricular accountability, i.e., teachers being responsible to cover
all of the grade-level standards required by law. It leads schools
to teach to the test, which I don’t believe is best for a child’s
education. This is why I love the IB program, because education is
integrated and focused on the total growth of the developing child.
Your proudest
accomplishment? The
most significant is the recognition that the school earned as a
California Distinguished School, because it was a validation of all
the work that all of us have been doing. Second, there was our
authorization as an IB-PYP World School.
What was your best
single day? My
first day of teaching. I remember that first class like it was
yesterday. I remember going home in total amazement and being blown
away by the mere fact that I was earning money for doing something
that I loved so much. I have felt that way ever since. Everyone
should be so blessed to look forward to their Mondays.
Retirement plans?
My wife retired a year ago, which is the biggest reason why I am
retiring now. We are planning on having a lot of fun together. We
plan to travel, with our first trip to the UK and Ireland in June.
We have our first grandchild coming in May which is really exciting.
And I’m definitely planning a trip during the beginning of the next
school year, so I’m not tempted to come back. I also plan on getting
back to some political activism. (He loves a good political
discussion and often yearns for his college days in the late ‘60s).
And I’m looking forward to spending time in my woodworking shop (a
hobby of many years).
What will you miss the
most? I will miss the kids; I’ll miss their humor. I
won’t miss the meetings and the nonsense of dealing with the
California state budget and how every time we move forward, they
pull the rug out from under our kids. I will miss my staff and
watching the teachers make such incredible progress. I will miss
this phenomenal mountain community and how the parents have pulled
together to support our achievements. It has been a great collective
effort with the Home and School Club, the teachers, and the
district. I really feel blessed to have been a part of it.
Plan to attend Principal Strudley’s retirement party on Friday, May
30, 7 to 10 p.m. at the Redwood Estates Pavilion. For more
information, email lisasg@verizon.net.
From our April issue
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
Kendra Mann and Sammi Ridgway were members of the LGHS junior
varsity soccer team. They finished the season in first place with a
league record of nine wins, two loses, and one tie. Both girls were
named to the First Team All-League honors.
Bobby Markowitz, principal landscape architect of Earthcraft
Landscape Design, participated in a Santa Cruz television program on
harvesting rainwater. He recently traveled to Australia, a world
leader in rainwater technology, where he shared information with
Australian experts.
Fans of Gemma Halliday will welcome her latest book, Alibi in
High Heels. Her next book should be out in 2009.
A n t h o n y Rumasuglia, an eight-year-old third-grader at Loma
Prieta School and the son of Pauline and John Rumasuglia, received
his black belt in tae kwon do from the Academy of Martial Arts in
Los Gatos in February. He began training three years ago. To receive
his black belt, he had to write an essay on becoming a black belt,
complete a three-hour physical conditioning test, and complete a
curriculum portion of the test that included thirteen power forms,
weapons forms (staff and sai) sparring, and board breaking.
Trent Edwards was named South Bay Sports Person for 2007. Edwards
had the rare opportunity of becoming the Bills starting quarterback
as a rookie.
Among the cyclists racing in the Tour of California was Jackson
Stewart, a member of Team BMC. Jackson is the son of Steve Stewart.
LGHS seniors Breanna Denicola, Max Peters, and Pilar Svendsen
participated in this year’s Mock Trial. For the first time in the
history of the school, the Mock Trial team achieved semi-finalist
status.
Los Gatos High School students under the direction of Roth Rind
presented Elton John’s and Tim Rice’s Aida early in March. Mountain
students and parents who made the production possible included Laura
Black, Cordtsy Gallie, Chelsea Kevan, Miranda Kibel, Sam Livoni,
Michelle Livoni, Kimberly McCord, and Ashley Rind. Denise Lesea,
former MNN photographer and longtime mountain resident, was
photographer for Aida. Choreographer KT Peterson directed The Odd
Couple for Theatre in the Mountains a few years ago.
Jensen Fabris, daughter of Joe and Lori Fabris, was a member of
the Childen’s Musical Theater Jekyll and Hyde cast in March. Jensen
played the title role in the Theatre in the Mountains production of
Annie Get your Gun.
Judy Bingman, former teacher and band director at Los Gatos High
School, is leading a very active retirement lifestyle. She is an
excellent musician who plays alto saxophone and is a soloist.
Bingman is also an excellent photographer. She recently returned
from her fourth trip to photograph polar bears. Her favorite print,
shot on this latest trip, is of a mother polar bear and her
triplets. To see her photography, visit Gallery Saratoga. An
artist’s reception will be held April 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. Gallery
Saratoga is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Silver Mountain hosted a wine-and-food feast on March 8. The
event was offered at the Loma Public Education Fund Gala last
October. Fifteen mountain residents and friends enjoyed the culinary
talents of Craig Ponkey and Marky Carr as well as a winery tour led
by Jerold O’Brien.
Norlyn Wade, mountain artist, has been selected for an art
exhibition at Filoli. The exhibit is entitled “Native California”
and runs from Tuesday, April 5, through Sunday, May 4, in the
visitor center. Meet the artists day will be Saturday, April 12,
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Meet Volunteer Randy
Weeton
Jeff Powell
Randy Weeton brings a lot to the role of
volunteer firefighter. Randy moved to the
mountains in mid-2001 and joined the
department about one year later. Wildland
fires were what brought Randy to us, but
since he’s spent more time in the department,
he’s enjoyed all kinds of calls.
When asked what his favorite fire
department activity is, he said “driving the
big red trucks with flashing lights has a
certain appeal.” But more seriously, he enjoys
helping the community any way he can. As
a firefighter that may mean working on fires,
accidents, medical responses, teaching kids
about safety, and even helping rescue cats
stuck in chimneys.
Due to a recent job change, Randy is off
the hill more, but lives close to the station,
so he’s quick to respond when he’s home. He
often has the engine out and warming up as
the other volunteers arrive to take the call.
Responding to over 200 calls a year, Randy
keeps busy with the fire department. He is also
a CPR instructor and the new president of the
fire department, taking over from Kay Nealis,
who handed that job to him in January. Add
in working as a computer consultant, raising
two boys, volunteering with the Loma Prieta
Community Foundation, and participating
in various adrenaline-based hobbies (snow
skiing, jet skiing, sailing, etc.), and Randy
has a very busy life.
Obituary
Susan Jane Knipe
June 11, 1944 to January 15,
2008
Susan Jane Knipe was born on June 11, 1944 in Long
Beach, California. She passed away January
15, 2008 in Spokane Valley, Washington. She suffered
a subdural hematoma due to a fall.
Susie devoted thirty years of her life to teaching
students in second to sixth grades in
Campbell Union School District, Oak Grove School
District, and Lakeside School where she
retired after twenty-five years of service.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Elizabeth
Bundy Schneider, and her father,
Robert Edward Schneider. She is survived by her
three children: Danielle (Hengel) Silva,
Brent Hengel, and Jeremy Knipe; her grandchildren,
Jarron, Brooklyn and Peyton Silva; Trace
and Hunter Hengel; her twin brother, Michael E.
Schneider; her sister, Judith A. Landis;
and her beloved dogs, Cinnamon and Shadow. Susie
enjoyed spending time with her dogs,
gardening, reading, traveling, and camping.
Memorial services were held March 8 at Benito and
Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel in
Santa Cruz. Cards may be sent to Lakeside School,
19621 Black Road, Los Gatos, 95033,
and they will be forwarded to her children. Include
Susie’s name in the lower left corner of
the envelope.
From our March issue
A book by Jennifer LaForce
My Soul.
Reflections on Africa, America and Adonai
Else Sinsigalli
There is a jewel on our mountain. Some of us with young
children know Jennifer LaForce as a refuge, a beautiful soul who cares for
our children in her home with Only Kindness Child Care. Now our dear
Jennifer is also an author. A mother, friend, and neighbor has a story to
share.
I received her book as a gift and I treasure the intimate
and truthful tone of her story. In her book, Jennifer shares her quest for
connection and universal understanding along with her courage to seek, see,
and experience the world. The beauty of Jennifer’s tale is the gentle
honesty with which it is written. She says what we feel, but cannot always
find the words to express. While experiencing her journey, we somehow
understand a part of ourselves.
Her style is vivid and alive. I was so struck by her
description of the sleeping king I considered packing my bags for safari.
"In my clearest dream, I see a lion asleep. God, is he
gorgeous -absolutely full-grown and even in his sleep the muscles tremble
beneath his skin. His fur is inches long and soft as Kimmy’s baby cheek but
resilient as old leather, the color, of course, genuine gold making the gold
in my wedding ring look pale and foolish. His breathing is deep, constant,
and slow. His claw curves gently under a resting paw. He sleeps on his
stomach, leaning to the right side so his body makes a soft curve, and even
in his sleep he beckons to me...Come lie here. Your head where my shoulders
get lost in my mane, your body along my side, your legs curled up into the
angle made of my hind legs and body. Come lie here, and you will be safe.’"
Beckoning, isn’t it?
For those of you who know Jennifer through her outreach,
consider her story a way to discover why it is you are so drawn to her
friendship. For those of you who have not crossed paths with Jennifer, you
may just see yourself in one of her quests or realizations. We can celebrate
our local author who looks inside herself to show the sweetness of love and
the depth of the connected soul.
If you are interested in her book, call Jennifer LaForce
at 408-353-2872.
Jennifer LaForce
Jennifer grew up in the Summit area. After graduating
from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, she joined the Peace Corps
and spent many years in Botswana. Visiting the countries of Southern Africa
—Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Republic of South Africa, Zambia—led Jennifer on a
chase for a reconciliation between the concepts of justice and mercy.
Well-rooted in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California, Jennifer and
her son JP, look out the same old window searching for the adventure of
everyday.
Mountain Resident Is an Inspiring Leader of the Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour
Karl Laucher
As general manager of one of California’s most successful
one-day cycling adventures, the Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour, Santa Cruz
Mountains resident Michael Hudick can tell an inspiring story of working
with large numbers of dedicated volunteers representing the Almaden Cycle
Touring Club.
With over seven years at the helm, Hudick has helped to
provide peak recreational experiences for nearly 15,000 riders, covering
more than 146,000 miles on each Tierra Bella Tour day. The 29 th
annual Tierra Bella is just on the horizon, starting and ending at Gavilan
College in Gilroy on April 19.
Hudick, 67, became a serious cyclist in the quest for
fitness and social contact only after retiring from IBM in 1995 as an
engineering manager. He still works a few days a week as a financial planner
and an active member of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Financial Planning
Association.
Michael says he got more than he bargained for by joining
the ACTC. The wide variety of daily rides gets the game rolling, and the
social opportunities serve a broad spectrum of personality traits. He is
most impressed by the can-do and will-do attitude of the ACTC membership.
"This club has a lot of involved, competent people," he said. "That’s why I
volunteer for this club."
An event like the Tierra Bella takes a mountain of work
to prepare. Hudick says he puts in four to six hours a week on logistics
beginning about six months ahead. By the time the last Tierra Bella rider is
finished, and the books are closed, more than 200 volunteers have been on
the job. No wonder this event usually sells out two months in advance.
He has been called "an inspiring leader" and "a master of
delegation" by a member of his Tierra Bella team. Those attributes are worth
gold in Silicon Valley, but Michael Hudick no doubt would say he feels he
has been well-rewarded for his talents.
For more information on the ACTC and the Tierra Bella, go
to www.ACTC.org.
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire And Rescue
Meet the Volunteer: John Haak
Jeff Powell
John Haak is known to many residents in the Santa Cruz
Mountains as pastor of Mountain Bible Church since 1982. In addition, John
is a volunteer captain of Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue (LPVFR) and
a great example of how to help your neighborhood.
John’s father came to California in 1949 to mine gold,
exactly 100 years after the first forty-niners came west with that same
goal. Eventually he settled in the central valley and raised a family. John
moved to San Jose to study at San Jose Bible College. He started his work
life in the Loma Prieta area as a carpenter, but then the pastor’s role
opened up at Mountain Bible Church, and he’s been there ever since.
John and his wife Kim moved here in 1981. Just a few
years later, they took a CPR class offered by the department, and he
realized his job would allow him to respond to incidents during the daytime.
He joined the department in 1985, completed his training, and started
responding. His very first call was the 15,000-acre Lexington fire, and it
kept him busy for five days straight. During that time, he was part of a
crew that saved a house at the corner of Loma Prieta and Mt Bache.
There have been many calls in John’s career. After all,
he’s been responding for 22 years. John says his most memorable call was the
birth of a child. Other vivid memories come from the 1989 earthquake. Over
twenty injured people were flown out of our area on helicopters after that
event, and there were so many fires and damaged structures that emergency
personnel couldn’t get to them all. In 1989, just a month before the quake,
John was recognized for his efforts with the EMT Volunteer of the Year award
in Santa Cruz County.
He has also been on the other side. Shortly after he
joined the department, Kim was hit by a car and seriously injured. Members
of the department and the community helped John and his family through that
time. He still remembers how much that care mattered.
In his role as pastor, John has performed over 100
marriages and 90 funeral services here in the mountains. In addition, he and
others from his church have assisted in projects in Guatemala and Bolivia,
building homes and schools to break the cycle of poverty.
Beyond his work at
Mountain Bible Church and LPVFR, John plays guitar, has been a Little League
coach, and loves baseball and baseball history. The members of his church
even gave him a trip to Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Speaking personally, I’ve
been on calls with John. He’s always calm, leads by example, and
communicates clearly. He also gives good feedback. He is a valuable part of
the LPVFR team and a good friend. He says he likes the high quality of
volunteers he works with in the department. I think he has some influence on
the people who join.
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
Former C.T. English Middle School math teacher
Cecilia
Anderson has joined the math
department at Los Gatos High School.
Karen Geyer ,
former speech therapist at Loma Prieta School, is now the new speech
therapist at LGHS.
Among the talented members of the San Jose Youth
Symphony’s Philharmonic Orchestra is mountain student
Grady Kestler,
a junior and a violinist who has been
a member for two years. The students practice from September through early
June. Every two years the orchestra goes on tour. In 2007, the orchestra
toured in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Austria.
Presentation Center
on Bear Creek Road was awarded a "Green
Building Oscar" by California Interfaith Power & Light. The Center has made
significant strides to conserve energy. Tours are available.
Anne-Marie Green ,
daughter of
Norm
and
Karen Green,
is a senior at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She made Dean’s
List for fall 2007 semester at the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts.
Anne-Marie graduated from Loma Prieta, C.T. English Middle School, and LGHS.
Members of Paw de Chat, an LGHS dance team, include
mountain students
Shan McBurney-Lin,
Sophia Rumasuglia, Stephanie Silva,
and
Samantha Tack.
Victor Gonzalez ,
a senior at LGHS, is a wrestler on the powerful high school team.
Madelaine Gustafson ,
LGHS junior, is a member of a synchronized swimming team.
Kristin Snook ,
a junior at LGHS, is a member of the Los Gatos Rowing Club that practices on
Lexington Reservoir. She is a member of the varsity girls team. Her coach
Derek Byrnes describes her as "the best rower he has ever seen for her
height and weight." Realtor
Karen Izzo
is an adult member of the Los Gatos
Rowing Club.
In January, LGHS students held a Thursday Night Live
concert. Among the students were these mountain residents:
DJ Brandt, Evan
Davis, Stephen Hight, Erika Hight, Michael Gardener, Nick Hernandez, Grady
Kestler, Jordan Kestler, and
Tor
Mcilroy.
Evin Wieser
was
featured in the January issue of Boys Life (scouting magazine), that
features scouts for achieving their goals. Evin has spent a few years on a
shark research project.
Lynn Shannon
is
a volunteer on the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2010
board. The ISEF signed Google to lend its name and $2 million in support.
Mountain couple
Steve
and
Gayle Shank
were one of three couples featured in
the February 12 issue of the
Los Gatos Weekly-Times.
They
met in their sophomore year at Los Gatos High School in an English class.
Gayle asked Steve to the Sadie Hawkins dance in April 1964. They went steady
in high school and were married after graduating from Cal Poly-San Luis
Obispo.
Mark and
Rebecca Smith
are delighted to announce a new
arrival to their family. James Robert was born on January 30. He weighed 6
pounds 12 ounces, and was 20 1/2 inches long. James has an older brother,
Edward, who recently turned two-years-old. The Smiths live on Radonich Road.
From our February issue
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
A mountain resident since 1927,
Fred Walter
will reach another milestone when he celebrates his 102nd
birthday February 6. One of Fred’s many contributions to mountain history
was his service as school trustee for Summit School, and in 1950 as a
trustee of the newly formed Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School
District. The support by that school board secured the right of Loma Prieta
children to attend Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High Schools. Mail your
birthday greetings to Fred at 21518 Madrone Drive, Los Gatos, CA 95033.
Dyana Leland ,
who attended Loma, CTE, and Los Gatos High schools, married
Mike Feldmeyer
in July 2006 near Ventura. They have lived in Santa Barbara where Mike
graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography in December 2007. Dyana has
been working for the Mental Health division of Santa Barbara County. They
will relocate to the Sacramento area this year, where Mike will pursue
underwater photography (see www.flashoflightphoto.com for updates and
samples of his work). Dyana hopes to pursue a career in her degree subject,
environmental policy, with the State of California.
Matt Leland ,
a graduate of Loma, CTE, and Los Gatos High schools, married his longtime
sweetheart, Andriel Dickerson,
in October 2006. A formal wedding was delayed while they relocated to
Placerville and gave birth to Tyler
in May 2007. Tyler is the first grandchild of
Pat
and
Jim Burnham.
Jim has been retired for three years and Pat hopes to join him soon. They
will spend a lot of time traveling north or
enjoying the laughter and chaos of having the empty nest full again when the
children, spouses, and grandchild come for visits. The wedding took place
October 14, 2007 in a lovely iris garden in Placerville. Matt is working for
a PG&E sub-contractor in the Sierras, locating trees that threaten power
lines and marking them for removal (he was very busy in January). Andriel is
finishing her degree in education while raising Tyler and working at
a local daycare center.
Talented young musicians
Nick Brodine,
Stefan Montana,
and Tay Brodine
are in a local rock band called CAUTION. They have released their first CD.
All three sing. Nick (age eleven) plays drums; Stefan (age eleven) plays
guitar; and Tay (age eight) plays guitar. You may order their new CD online
for $5 at http://Kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00ZXI5Q5, or call 408-353-2226.
Adam Hickok ,
son of Howard
and
Sandra Hickok,
has been chosen to represent the San Jose State Mechanical Engineering
Department in India. The Global Technology Initiative’s mission is to give
students a global perspective with a focus on technology and business
developments in the Asia Pacific region. It will provide San Jose State
University engineering students a global perspective for engineering and
entrepreneurship in the enterprise-value chain and prepare them for a
successful career in this globalization era. Donors to the initiative are
business leaders in the high-technology industry with strong business ties
to Silicon Valley.
Burrell School Vineyards
February is Sweethearts’ Month
Laura Ness
If you peek inside the old red schoolhouse at Burrell
School Vineyards, you might spy a blackboard with some frilly white
valentine hearts. One reads "Elena and Jeremy," another "Anne and Dave – the
originals!" Owners and winemakers Anne and Dave Moulton celebrated their
fortieth wedding anniversary last June with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to
Italy.It was the longest vacation the couple had ever taken.
They met in high school, and attended Foothill College
and San Jose State University together, before starting a family. They
raised their two daughters in the old schoolhouse.
They planted their first vines in 1990. To celebrate
their anniversary, they made a special wine to share with their wine-club
members. The spicy, complex zinfandel/syrah blend "High School Sweetheart"
combines two of the winery’s most intense wines into a signature statement.
The silky, smooth syrah (Anne), pairs well with the often feisty and
ebullient zinfandel (Dave). Give your special sweetheart a bottle of this
wonderful wine. Better still, pair a bottle or two with a box of zinfandel
chocolates for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Meet the Volunteer: Kay Nealis
Jeff Powell
This month we introduce Kay Nealis. Kay might seem like
an unlikely member of our local fire department, but she’s important to us,
and a great example of how volunteering works. She’s owned and operated a
popular delicatessen in Menlo Park for 30 years, and lived on the hill for
22 years. Several years ago she decided to get an EMT certificate, just to
be ready to help those around her. Then she told Jaci Viskochil she had her
EMT certificate, and the rest is history.
When Kay joined the department in 2002, she didn’t think
she’d be working fire calls. She joined to make use of her training to help
the community. Eventually, though, she wound up on her first fire, and that
changed her mind. Now she’ll go on any call she can.
Her family history reflects fire and medical careers. Her
father was a doctor and one grandfather was a firefighter .
Kay is president of our department. It’s an official
title that mostly means she tries to keep the rest of us in line at meetings
(a thankless and difficult task). Her smiling personality and ready wit help
her do the job.
When she’s not at work ─with
us or at her deli─she
travels extensively and is an avid poker player. She’s also completely at
home snuggled up on the couch, reading a good book.
From our January issue
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
The Mountain Art Guild members added a new feature to
their annual "On & Off the Wall" art show at the Santa Cruz Mountains Art
Center in Ben Lomond. Non-members who received a postcard were invited to
bring the postcard to enter a drawing for a $150 certificate for artwork
from the artist of their choice. This year’s winner was
Linda Belleville,
who lives on Loma Prieta Avenue.
Scott Drew
traveled
to Central America on a medical-service mission. He is a 2003 graduate of
Los Gatos High School and son of Las Cumbres residents
John
and
Theresa Drew.
Scott graduated from Texas Christian University December 2007, with a degree
in biology and chemistry. Immediately following graduation, he and fourteen
pre-med students from around the United States journeyed to rural villages
in Costa Rica to provide basic medical services, vaccinations, and needed
medicines. Students delivered medical care alongside local doctors and
service workers under the auspices of Good Samaritan Missions, a non-profit
humanitarian organization founded in 1995. Missions are funded by
sponsorships. Each participant needed to raise approximately $2000 for their
team’s mission, in addition to paying for their own transportation and
travel fees.
Dan Lyons ,
a senior and member of the Los Gatos High School water polo team, was
selected to participate in the CCS Division-1-All-Star-water-polo game held
Saturday, October 1, at Sacred High School in Atherton. Dan helped the
Division-1 team beat Division 2 for the championship 8-5.
Members of the West Valley water-polo club team are
Johnny DeSalvo, Joey DeSalvo, Wes
Heeter, Dan Lyons,
and
Dylan Viskochil.
The team will travel to Orlando, Florida, in January 2008, to compete in
national water polo events.
The Los Gatos High School water-polo team held an awards
banquet in December. The Los Gatos varsity team came in fourth in their
division. Evan Davis
was named most inspirational team player.
Johnny DeSalvo
was named best defensive player.
Matt Gassman
was selected all-league honorable mention.
Dan Lyons
was named most valuable player, first team all-league, and high scorer.
O
Obituary
Bill Denues
May 21, 1929 to December 11, 2007
Bill was born in the small town of Olive Hill, Kentucky.
His family moved west to Seattle, Washington, and then to San Jose,
California. Bill went to Abraham Lincoln High School in San Jose. He played
trumpet in the school orchestra where he first met Jeanne, who was playing
string bass. Years later, while attending San Jose State University, they
met again and Bill proposed. She said yes. He joined the Air Force and was
sent to Korea. Bill and Jeanne were married after he returned from Korea.
They settled in San Jose and began their family. Bill and Jeanne celebrated
their 54th wedding anniversary on November 22, Thanksgiving Day, this year.
Bill chose barbering as a profession because he always
liked the feel of the fun and camaraderie of the small town shops he had
been used to. He began his first official barbering job on the day before
his first son was born in 1955. Early in 1970 he built a new shop in the
developing Pruneyard Center in Campbell, California. He owned and operated
the Men’s Room Hairstyling Shop in that location for 30 years.
Bill purchased land in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1957.
He and his family moved into their newly constructed home on Summit Road in
1964. Bill and Jeanne raised their three children, Jerry, Guy, and Tracy,
there.
Longtime ties and friendships developed throughout the
community and the mountain truly became his home. One group that Bill
enjoyed immensely was the coffee club. It was during one of those morning
gatherings with like-minded individuals that the idea of the gazebo came up.
What could be done at the Loma playfield to make it more usable as a park? A
little more coffee and a little more discussion and pretty soon the wheels
were turning. Bill talked with the Pruneyard management and obtained
permission to have the gazebo donated to our mountain community. That and a
whole lot of work from many more folks got us the structure we see today.
Bill suffered a severe stroke in January 2000, and had
battled the effects ever since. Mountain friends and neighbors have been
incredible in their support and encouragement as his condition continually
changed. Again, special thanks to the coffee group (aka: the old farts club)
for picking him up over and over and including him in their sessions even
when he couldn’t remember their names.
A celebration of his life was held Saturday, December 15
at Mountain Bible Church where Bill had been part of an even larger extended
family. It was great to see so many friendly faces. Thanks to all of you
from the Denues.
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Meet the Volunteer: Brian Miguel
Jeff Powell
This month’s volunteer in the spotlight is Brian Miguel.
Brian joined Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue (LPVFR) about eight
months ago. He’s lived in the area all his life, and he enjoys the chance to
give back to the community. His favorite activities with LPVFR so far have
been our monthly Saturday sessions where he has participated in auto
extrication and low-angle rescue training.
Brian says he’s wanted to be a firefighter since he was a
child, and he’s working towards that goal now. He currently works on an
ambulance in Cupertino in addition to being a member of LPVFR. You might
also find him wakeboarding, four-wheeling, hunting, or traveling. During the
last year he’s been to Costa Rica, Thailand, and Japan, and he’s got
additional trips planned for 2008.
If you get the chance, tell Brian you appreciate his
efforts.
Do you know someone who should be recognized for an achievement? Email
Marlene Wiley at News@mnn.net.
From our December issue
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
The Los Gatos High School boys water- polo team finished
fourth overall in league finals, qualifying the team to advance to CCS
Division 1 competition. Twelve mountain boys participated on the
twenty-three member squad. The mountain boys are
Evan Davis, Joey DeSalvo, John DeSalvo, JP Faraj, Matt Gassman, Ben
Granas, Wes Heeter, Grady Kestler, Jordan Kestler, Dan Lyons, Mike Masterman,
and
Dylan Viskochil.
Frosh/Soph mountain team members are
Nico Faraj, Adam Gouldsberry, Michael Homer, Doug McLeod,
and
Robbie Temmerman.
Additional members of the cross country teams at Los
Gatos High School are freshmen
Jensen Fabris, Cody Hansen, Kenny Jatho, Joseph Kaupert,
and
Griffin Pryce.
Early in November, the boys and girls teams won the De Anza division
competition with mountain students
Michael Johnson
and
Kaela Townsend
winning the boys and girls races. The boys team finished second at CCS,
qualifying for state. The girls team finished fifth, and Kaela Townsend was
the one Los Gatos girl to qualify for state. The second Los Gatos girl was
Erin Fabris,
who finshed 16th, only six places from making state.
Cheryl Bencala ,
local mountain resident and occupational therapist, will take a medical team
to India in February 2008. The team will provide medical and dental care for
about three to four thousand people of a remote village north of Delhi. This
year they are focusing on prescription glasses. If you can donate any
prescription glasses, please email Cheryl at CBenacala@yahoo.com.
Ariel Lacey ,
15, a sophomore at Los Gatos High School, entered three pieces of gourd art
and one watercolor painting in the Santa Cruz County Fair junior (age 15-17)
fine arts competition in August. She won second place and a check for $25
for her "Gold Finch Bird House" gourd, third place for her "Close to
Borderline" watercolor painting, and an honorable mention for her "Owl
Gourd."
Julian Lacey ,
13, won first place and a $400 prize at the St. Mary’s Fair Talent Show on
October 13. Julian performed a hip-hop and break-dancing number called Hats,
which was choreographed for him by his teacher and mentor ReMinD.
Jamie Lenihan ,
a fourth-grader at Lakeside School, was one of five recipients of the Los
Gatos Youth Park Youth Citizens of the Year in October. Jamie was the
youngest recipient and is involved in several activities including Girl
Scouts, 4-H Club, student council, and Girls on the Run.
Kierstin Bates,
daughter of
David
and
Karen Bates,
and
Wayne Stickney,
were married August 4 at
Maison du Lac. Kierstin is a graduate of
Loma Prieta, CTE, Los Gatos High School, and the University of California,
Santa Barbara. Wayne received his BA and MS degrees from California State
University, Long Beach. He is currently completing his doctorate at
Pepperdine University. The couple honeymooned in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and
will live in Long Beach, California.
Wayne Heimsoth
received the Hiram Award from Masonic chapter 561. He was rewarded for his
support of the lodge, serving many years as president and treasurer.
Among the elite athletes of Los Gatos High School
selected for the Los Gatos Athletic Hall of Fame is
Manny Austin.
He played baseball, basketball, track and field, and football. He played
football four years and was on the varsity team three years. Manny won local
and league honors and was named MVP of the league as a senior.
Lance Lougée
has returned home from firefighting in southern California.
Sandra Hickok
was also deployed by the Red Cross to help those who had been forced to
leave their homes.
Outstanding high school students recognized for
leadership and service to their school won the Wildcat Service Award. The
mountain students recognized were
Alec Brasier,
Lisa Furlo,
and
Joy Harris.
Kayla Kauffman ,
a sophomore, is a member of the Los Gatos High School cheerleading team.
For several years,
Christina Lopp
and
Gay Kraeger
have taught hundreds of students the skills for keeping their personal
watercolor journaling booklet. Recently they made a CD about journaling that
is available at their website: http://www.watercolorjournaling.com/shop.htm.
Villa del Monte Winery
proudly announces that all six of the wines they submitted to the 2007 Los
Angeles Cellarmasters 34th Annual Amateur Winemaking Competition won gold,
silver, and bronze awards.
John Overstreet
and
Neil Perrelli
thank
Craig Wells
for his wisdom,
Eddie Guenneville
for his excellent grapes, and Dragoncrest for a collaborative beginning.
Kevon Chambers ,
son of
Ken Chambers
and
Shannon Edwards,
attends Orchard School which recently participated in the Oreo Cookie
Contest. The students from Orchard School placed second nationally. Part of
their experience was an all-expense paid trip to New York City with their
parents.
Patti Hughes
was recently honored by the Los Gatos Town Council and the Los Gatos
Community Foundation. The Town Council presented Hughes with a commendation
award for her work in creating an academic program that increased the number
of LGHS graduates pursuing higher education from 68% to 98% as well as being
awarded the national "Distinguished Teacher Award" by President George H. W.
Bush. The Los Gatos Community Foundation presented her with a 2007 "Thumbs
Up" Award in recognition of her many years of dedication to LGHS and Los
Gatos. Patti is an Emeritus Board Member of the Los Gatos Community
Foundation, and is active on the Town Beautification Committee. She also
serves as a docent for the Los Gatos Museum Association and is a member of
the Loma Prieta Club.
Jana McBurney-Lin’s
book,
My Half of the Sky,
garnered another award, the 2005 Short Fiction Competition sponsored by
Byline Magazine.
Barry Hill
and
Antonella Dewell
represented our mountain area at the New York City Marathon.
The Fifth Annual Big Sur Half Marathon was popular with
local athletes. Linda Hopkins
and
Lynn Shannon
have walked in this event five times. CTE teacher
Maureen Worden
and
Carol Laird
also participated.
Lisa (Wiley)
Woelfel,
and Jill (Wiley) Frakes,
daughters of Neil and Marlene Wiley, ran the event.
Kelly Costansa
represented the Summit Whole Body Fitness Club.
The Run Forrest Run 5K in Monterey drew Loma and CTE
parent and student runners, including top row left to right:
Mark Slater, Daniel Lanovaz,
and Paul Hooper,
and front row, left to right: Lucy
Slater, Caice Lanovaz, Lewis Campbell, Vickie Hooper,
and
Gigi Hooper.
Christy Koons,
daughter of
Suzanne Overstreet
and stepdaughter of
John Overstreet,
was vet for a day at Wilson Veterinary Clinic on Veterans Day. Dr. Ian Stone
and staff welcomed her as she observed procedures and participated in
routine activities, including dog walking and X-ray viewing. Of special note
were the X-rays of her dog, Dusty, before and after leg surgery. Christy
received a name tag for her green scrubs, a T-shirt, and a memorable
experience.
A Moment in Time Serena Dudas Elizabeth Park
We are given moments every day. With free will, we have
the right to do what we want with them. A fifth-grade student attending Loma
Prieta Elementary, Serena Dudas, did something with that moment.
The 2007 C.T. English Middle School track season began as
usual. Athletic Director Cathy Vance and Head Coach Diana Vanry rallied
middle-school runners to the new year. Because of the district’s small size,
the coaches signed up a few fifth-grade runners. One new runner was Serena
Dudas.
As a fifth grader, she had a handicap running against
older runners, but this didn’t faze her. Throughout the five-meet season she
ran her 1.5-mile event and won every race.
A sixth-grader from E.D.S. was close on her heels every
race. Courtney Colan placed second, but not without a fight. Both runners
pushed each other throughout the season. At the West Valley meet on October
11, Dudas and Colan ran hard and placed first and second, just like every
other meet. Dudas ran a personal best of 10:22.
A week later the runners faced off at the October 18
Silicon Valley Championships. It was the final meet. To add to the
intensity, Cupertino-based schools were invited, including private schools
such as Harker and St. Andrews. During the final race, Dudas and Colan were
first and second. Colan tripped on Dudas’ shoe and stumbled to the ground.
Dudas was given a moment. She chose. She stopped, picked
up her competitor as the other runners ran by, and then continued to run.
Despite helping her competitor, she won the mile-and-a-half race. Colan
crossed the finish line fifth. Dudas came in first with a personal best of
10:08.
She was a winner—twice. She ran a powerful race, but in a
special moment she demonstrated a rare level of sportsmanship.
Serena Dudas has been invited to attend the Junior
Olympics and is currently in training. Whatever happens, we know she is a
winner.
Do you know someone who should be recognized for an
achievement? Email Marlene Wiley at News@mnn.net.
From our October issue
Locals in
the News
Marlene Wiley
Lucas Stephen Charles Illges
was born April 29 to
Justin
and
Tammy Illges.
He weighed seven pounds, fourteen ounces, and was 19-inches long. Justin is
the son of
Ray
and
Sharon Illges
of Upper Zayante Road. Justin is a graduate of Lakeside Elementary School
and Los Gatos High School.
Matt Ellis ,
a 2007 graduate at Los Gatos High and a 2003 CTE graduate, will attend San
Jose State this fall with the intention of playing baseball, as well as
studying for a business degree. He signed up with San Jose State University
head baseball coach Sam Piraro. Matt is the son of
Mark
and
Mona Ellis.
He was an outfielder at Los Gatos High School. The two-time first-team
All-Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division player batted .365
with two home runs and 19 RBI in 2007. In 2006, he set the school record for
most RBIs in a season with 28. Matt was chosen for his ability to play right
field because of his powerful arm, said Piraro.
Local horse woman,
Tara Foley,
placed first in the Summer College Bound Invitational horse show held in
Newberry, Florida. She took first place in the Huntseat Equitation Over
Fences.
The owners of Summit
Center grocery store, Darrell and Karen Osborn, were recently
featured on the San Jose Mercury News website. The Osborns purchased
the store from previous owners Don and Rose Marie Jeske in
1976. The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed the store building that the
Osborn’s rebuilt into a larger, modern store. They celebrated the new store
with a grand opening February 14, 1992. The Osborn’s three daughters also
work in the store.
Former mountain resident
and CTE graduate, Gemma Halliday has written a third book featuring
Maddie, an L.A. shoe designer in Undercover in High Heels, now
available in local book stores. Halliday with five other "fantastic,
humorous, romantic, mystery writers" have a new website called Killer
Fiction.
CTE eighth-grader
Evin
Wieser is a semi-finalist in the 2007 Discovery Channel Young Scientist
Challenge. Evin’s project was about sharks, a fish that he has studied for a
few years. He spent a year studying sharks in the Farallon Islands, Hawaii,
and South Australia. For his study, Evin built an electrical device that
emits 107 pulses a minute, a sound mimicking the heartbeat of an elephant
seal. Evin is planning to become a shark researcher.
Fran Edwards,
CTE language arts teacher, is the mother of Trent Edwards, the number
two quarterback with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.
The highest award in cub
scouting is the Arrow of Light Award. These mountain students won this
award: Tommy Backer, Cayce Hopkins, Adam Jeffery, Sean Starkie, Evan
Tostado, and Sean Wieser.
On September 1 and 2, a
twenty-four-hour bike race called Adrenaline at Laguna Seca was held. Team
captain Bob Temmerman, Brad Bening, Rick Sutherland, Letitia and Mike
Davis, and Ron Cook participated. The team placed fifth among the
other teams. They raced on a 13.5 mile mountain bike course in relay for 24
hours. The racers are members of the Mountain Bike and Martini Club.
In the 33 rd
annual
Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game held this past summer, David
Martini, son of Alan and Ann Martini, caught four passes.
One was a touchdown that helped the North win 24 to 21 in the annual
competition among the best high school football players in the area.
Keavon Chambers,
son of Ken Chambers and Shannon Edwards, is a student at
Orchard School. Keavon is one of a group of students named "The Wild
Orchards" who performed a circus-theme skit that was entered in the Oreo
Cookie Jingle contest. The skit was selected as one of the five semi-finalists.ß
Nabisco will fly the students and parents to New York City to perform their
jingle live in Times Square. See the skit on www.oreo.com or www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du1bxo7F794.
Charlie and Robbie
Norman recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
Cecilia Anderson,
who resigned from CT English at the end of the 2006-2007 school year, was
named as one of Santa Clara County’s Teachers of the Year 2007. This teacher
recognition event was sponsored by the Santa Clara County Office of
Education, Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union, National Semiconductor
Foundation, the Sixth District PTA, and the Santa Clara County School Boards
Association.
From our September issue
Among the actors with the Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose in
Charlotte’s Web was Nicole Liddle, daughter of
Mike
and
Lisa Liddle.
Nicole attends Hillbrook School.
Entering his senior year at Los Gatos High School,
Colin Quirke
spent most of the summer competing in shotput and discus events in Europe.
With dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland, Colin competed for
Ireland during the summer. He broke the Irish National Youth Records for
shot put with a throw of 19.13 meters and the discus with a throw of 52.80
meters. He also won the national under-23 age-group title and was selected
to compete in the World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic. At
the world championships Colin finished eighth in the finals and set a new
national record of 19.33 meters with the 5 kg shot. His father
Paul Quirke
is a former Olympic shot-putter for Team Ireland. Father and son train at
the Los Gatos Athletic Club. He returned to the United States in time to
participate in the Los Gatos High School football summer training sessions.
Jana McBurney-Lin
is scheduled to talk about her book
My Half of the Sky
at the Evergreen Branch Library of the San Jose City Library on September 15
at 3 p.m. The program also features a Vietnamese storyteller and an icecream
social. Jana is collecting books to ship to the Book Palace in Hangzhou,
China, for expatriates and people learning English. Jana will also pick up
your books. Call her at 408-353-1961.
Katie Saunders ,
a 2007 graduate of Los Gatos High School and the daughter of
Jan
and
Gary Saunders,
received two scholarships to Sonoma State University—the President’s
Scholarship and the Forrest W. and Ida J. Benson Scholarship. She plans to
pursue a career in recreation management.
Nick
and
Alicia Hoffman
welcomed a daughter,
Ashlyn Nicole,
on May 25. She weighed seven pounds, twelve ounces, and was twenty-inches
long. Her big brother Nathan is two years old. Nick is a graduate of Loma
Prieta, CTE (1993), and Los Gatos High School (1997). The family lives in
Morgan Hill.
John Overstreet ,
mountain resident, presented a lecture "Making Wine in the Santa Cruz
Mountains" on August 3 to a group of international-graduate students at
Stanford. A wine tasting followed the presentation. Suzanne, his wife,
teaches in the English for Foreign Students program at Stanford. The
Overstreets with their partners
Neil
and
Joyce Perrelli,
also mountain residents, have begun a wine-making venture named after their
neighborhood, "Villa del Monte."
Vince
and
Jonalyn Busam
welcomed their first child,
Devin
Vincent Busam,
born July 12. Devin
weighed nine pounds, eight-and-a-half ounces and was twenty-one-inches long.
Vince is the son of Vince
and
Jennifer Busam.
He is a graduate of Loma Prieta, C. T. English Middle School, and Los Gatos
High School. The family lives in Los Angeles.
Katie Kane
is the president of the Women’s Council of Realtors. She is with Alain Pinel
Realtors in Los Gatos. WCR recently held a fashion show with proceeds
benefiting several charities such as Community Solutions, American Cancer
Society, and Hospice of the Valley.
Lindsay Russell ,
niece of Barnes
and
Terry Parker,
participated in the Arizona Junior Rodeo Association finals in Globe,
Arizona. Lindsay, 17 years old, took first place in the 16 to 18 age group
as All-Around Cowgirl for the year. She also placed first in poles and
barrel racing in her age group.
Tom Sutherland,
a recent graduate of Los Gatos High School, will be a freshman at Texas
Christian University this fall. He recently drove in the San Jose Grand Prix
on a 1.5- mile circuit hitting speeds of over 150 miles- per-hour on Almaden
Avenue and through downtown San Jose. During the race a number of accidents
happened, and Sutherland’s car suffered damage, including loss of the
right-wing flap. He was gaining in the race, but the accidents and debris on
the road took there toll on his car. His right-rear tire had been punctured
and was slowly losing air. In spite of this problem, Tom finished the race
in 13th
place.
Ariadne Rowe ,
daughter of Andrew
and
Christina Rowe,
is a recent fifth-grade graduate of Lakeside Elementary School. Ariadne was
honored April at a state-wide awards ceremony for gifted children held by
The Johns Hopkins University for Talented Youth (CTY). She was invited to
this awards ceremony because of her exceptional performance on a rigorous,
above-grade-level test given to second- through eighth-grade talent search
participants.
Joseph Delaney ,
son of Jay
and
Christina Delaney,
graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in May with a degree
in chemical biology. He recently was awarded a grant from the NIH to do some
research in Bethesda, Maryland and is now doing research at the National
Naval Medical Center. When he was a senior in college, he traveled to India
to study for a semester at the University of Hyderabad.
Danielle Joesten ,
daugher of Steve
and
Karen Joesten,
graduated
magna cum laude from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, on
May 11. She earned a double major in political science and international
relations and a double minor in business and French with a Certificate in
Leadership. She has accepted a job working for Senator Patty Murray in her
Spokane office. Danielle was valedictorian of the Class of 1999 at C.T.
English Middle School and an honor graduate of the Class of 2003 at Los
Gatos High School.
Skyland Mountain Run
Local Winners
Jennifer Busam
5K Race.
In the 14 and under age group, Jon Impey was first and Dana Tovey second in
the male category. Alexandria Gallizioli placed first and Devon O’Regan
second in the female category. Other mountain winners were Dane Sawyer
(15-19), and Erin Fabris (15-19), Amy Goldsbury (20-29), and Jane Patrick
(30-39).
Winners 10K Race.
Winners of the 10K race were Michael Homer (14 and under), Christina Homer
(15-19), Adam Dallas (20-29), Sarah Beauchamp (30-39), George Bruder
(40-49), Sharon Reiss Miller (40-49), and Susan Smarr (50-69).
From our August issue
Locals in the News Marlene Wiley
Michael Lopp ,
long-time mountain resident and Loma Prieta and C.T. English Middle schools
graduate, recently published a book based on his many years of experience
working in Silicon Valley.
Managing Humans
is not your traditional management book. It is a series of humorous essays
on dealing with dysfunctional but bright engineers and power-hungry
engineering managers, all of whom are in an incredible hurry. The book is
available at local bookstores.
Anne-Marie Green ,
a graduate of Loma Prieta School, C.T. English Middle School, and LGHS
graduate in 2004, is the daughter of
Norm
and
Karen Green.
She is a senior majoring in English and Spanish at Loyola Marymount
University in Los Angeles and has been placed on the Dean’s List for the
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts.
Reeta Banerjee,
co-valedictorian of the Los Gatos High School Class of 2007, lives with her
parents on Bear Creek Way. She was featured by the
Los Gatos Weekly-Times in the special graduation section. Her
academic accomplishments are excellent. Her school activities included being
chairman of the youth commission, a member of the speech and debate team,
and co-editor of
El Gato, the weekly school newspaper. She plans to study journalism
at UC Berkeley.
Bricklin Foley ,
son of
Ric
and
Patti Foley
and a 2003 graduate of C.T. English Middle School, graduated from Archbishop
Mitty High School in June.
The Los Gatos Rowing Club Women’s Varsity Lightweight 8
team won the national championship trophy at the competition in Cincinnati,
Ohio this past June. The team rowed for three days and won their heats all
three days. They crossed the finish line in 7:16.21. The team included
mountain students
Lindsay Collishaw
and
Kristin Snook.
Local landscape contractor and owner of Pacific Ground
Cover and Nursery in Santa Cruz
Tish O’Reilly
offers mountain residents this advice for our forested property. She
advocates the TLC approach: thin, limb, and clean. Especially in this dry
year, Tish’s advice published in the
Santa Cruz Sentienal, is important to follow.
Five young women are being sponsored by the Los
Gatos-Saratoga branch of the American Association of University Women to
attend the summer Tech Trek Science Camp for Girls at Stanford University.
Two of the girls— Michaella
Montana
and
Madeline Smedt—are
from C.T. English Middle School. They will learn about math and science
careers.
Jana McBurney-Lin ’s
book
My Half of the Sky has won several book awards: August 2006 Pick of
the Month by the American Booksellers Association, received a Notable
Mention in the Eric Hoffer Award for Best New Fiction, and is a 2006
Finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year awards.
Among the sports available to boys at Los Gatos High
School is the recent addition of the team sport of mountain bike riding. The
Wildcats Mountain Bike team recently completed its third season. The team
participated in the "big boys" Nor-Cal League’s Division I for the first
time. The team finished sixth overall and took third place as a team at the
Grant Ranch competition. Mountain bikers are
Jordan Kestler, Matt Colbran-Patterson, Ceili Wasson,
and
Ben Wild.
You can access information and photographs of the team at http://www.lghs.net/clubs/mountainbikephotogallery/boggsmtn5-20-07/pages/_NAT6653.htm
Wayne Heimsoth
recently received the Cornerstone Award from the San Jose Pyramid No. 9,
Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots. The award recognizes community
contributions to Masonry.
Gus Soucy ,
son of Phil
and
Jennifer Soucy,
earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in Boy Scouts, on
June 3. He completed over 325 requirements to earn this achievement. Gus’
leadership project was to refurbish a playhouse donated to the Loma Prieta
School District. His fellow scouts Chris Maddox, Mason McAuliffe, Andrew McCutchen,
and Ben Wild,
and his father Phil Soucy,
helped with the project. Gus also thanked
Eric Hagedorn
who donated much of the wood needed for the project.
The Northern California Junior Lacrosse championship was
held in May in San Francisco. Gus
Soucy
is a midfielder for the West Valley Redhawks JV Lacrosse team. The Redhawks
had a great season and earned the silver medal for Northern California, only
losing the gold medal game by a single goal.
Joshua Kleiner
of Highland Way graduated June 16 from the University of California, Santa
Barbara, with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering. Josh is
traveling in Europe and India this summer. His brother
Gabriel
is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley.
Tom Sutherland ,
2007 graduate of Los Gatos High School and the son of
Rick
and
Lanie Sutherland,
is preparing for college. He will attend Texas Christian University. He
drove in the San Jose Grand Prix. In the last few months, Sutherland and his
team have completed races held in Las Vegas, Long Beach, Houston, Portland,
Cleveland, Quebec, Toronto, and Edmonton.
Several Santa Cruz Mountain wineries competed in
competitions this year. At the West Coast competition,
Burrell School Vineyards
won bronze for their 2004 Estate Merlot, the silver for their 2004 Estate
Pichon Cabernet Franc, and silver for their Estate Pichon Syrah.
Loma Prieta Winery
won a gold for their 2004 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir, and gold for
their 2004 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon.
At the Los Angeles International competition,
Thomas Fogarty Winery
won gold for their 2005 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains; and gold for their
2005 Lexington Santa Cruz Mountains.
At the San Diego International,
Silver Mountain Winery
won silver for their Tondre’s (Bordeaux Blend) and a bronze for their 2001
Alloy (Bordeaux Blend).
At the Dallas Morning News,
Silver Mountain Winery
won gold for their 2004 Tondre’s Grapefields Pinot Noir.
At Riverside International,
Silver Mountain Winery
won the Chairman’s Award/Unanimous Gold for their 2004 Tondre’s Grapefields
Pinot Noir, and silver for their 2004 Miller Hill Pinot Noir.
From our July issue
Locals in the News
Marlene Wiley
Erica Bencala ,
daughter of Dennis
and Cheryl Bencala,
will wed Brett Bannan,
son of Charlie
and
Shar Bannan
of Los Gatos, July 14. Erica is a graduate of Loma Prieta Elementary School,
Valley Christian High School, and San Jose State University. The wedding
will be held at Mission Santa Clara.
Samantha Orcutt ,
daughter of Jim
and
Lisa Orcutt,
is a seventh-grade student at Fisher Middle School and she attended
Lexington School. Samantha was recently honored at a state-wide awards
ceremony for gifted children held by The Johns Hopkins University Center for
Talented Youth (CTY). She was invited to this awards ceremony because of her
exceptional performance on a rigorous, above-grade-level test given to
second- through eighth-grade talent-search participants.
Colin Quirke ,
a junior at Los Gatos High School and a graduate of C.T. English Middle
School, recently participated in the Central Coast Sectional (CCS) boys
track-and-field championships. He entered the competition as the top-ranked
shot putter. His first throw set a personal-best heave of 61-feet, 10-inches
to beat the defending champion from Archbishop Mitty High School. In the
state finals, Colin earned third place in the shot- putt competition. Colin
was one of four from LGHS to qualify for state in five events, a LGHS
record. The LGHS team placed sixth as a team at the state meet.
Ethan James Goss ,
son of Scott
and Cathy Goss,
was born May 31. He weighed seven pounds, two ounces and was twenty-inches
long. Scott is the son of Betty Kairis, stepson of
Vic Kairis,
and son of Jim Goss.
Scott graduated from C.T. English Middle School and Los Gatos High School.
Erica Goss
was the 2007 winner of the first Edwin Markham Prize for poetry,
recently awarded by Reed, San Jose State University’s literary
magazine. Erica also received the Dorrit Sibley Award in May, given by the
English Department of San Jose State University, in honor of her
achievements in writing and the study of poetry, and Phelan Award in the
free-verse category. Erica will receive her Master of Fine Arts degree
in creative writing from San Jose State University this summer.
Colleen Marie Cornelius ,
daughter of Robert
Cornelius and
Wendy Williamson
of Los Gatos, will marry Erik Alden Beeson, the
son of Rik
and Susan Beeson
of Santa Cruz, on June 30, at the Mountain Bible Church. Colleen graduated
from Los Gatos High School in 2002 and from West Valley College with honors
in film studies in 2005. She works as a nanny in Los Gatos. Erik graduated
from Cabrillo College in 2003 and he graduated from UCSC in 2005 with a
degree in computer science.
James Furlo ,
son of Guy
and Dawn Furlo,
residents of Chemeketa Park, graduated from Willamette University in Salem,
Oregon, on May 13. He received a Master of Business Administration degree.
He has accepted a job with Hewlett Packard in Corvallis, Oregon. James
graduated from Los Gatos High School in 2002.
Sara Dal Porto ,
a 1999 graduate of CTE and a 2003 graduate of Los Gatos High School,
graduated magna cum laude in May from Duke University. She is the
daughter of Mary
and Jim Dal Porto
of Skyland. She received a bachelor of rrts degree in public policy with a
minor in economics and a certificate in markets and management. In 2003,
Sara was the recipient of the Loma Prieta Club’s academic scholarship.
Caitlin Pryce ,
daughter of Tani and Dean Pryce and a Los Gatos High School junior, is the
concertmaster for the Los Gatos High School orchestra. She received the
National School Orchestra Award recognizing her excellence in playing and
contributions to the ensemble. The NSOA is the highest honor for a member of
a high school orchestra.
Augustin (August) Gerald Sanders
was born on May 31 to Paul
and Laura Villemaire
Sanders of Visalia. He
weighed ten pounds, six ounces, and was 22-inches long. August is the first
grandchild of Jerry and Jan Villemaire, twenty-nine year residents of Call
of the Wild Road. Laura is a supervising RD-MPH at Tulare County Health
Services. Paul is a regional manager at K. Hovnanian Homes.
Cayce Hopkins ,
daughter of Linda
and Dale Hopkins,
is a fifth-grader at Loma Prieta Elementary School. At the Silicon Valley
Track and Field Championship held May 23, Cayce placed fifth in the long
jump against fifth- and sixth-grade boys from 21 junior high and middle
schools.
David Martini
was named to the North all-star
football team that will meet the South team in the 32nd Silicon
Valley Youth Classic Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on July 18.
Tree houses are not just for children.
Suzanne Cristallo
and the Binell
Family—Rich, Chigly |