@ l o s g ata n n o r t h 40 p l a n s p4
v o l . 4, n o . 6 : o c t o b e r 16-22, 2024 : l o s g a t a n . c o m
: b l u m ’ s c o l u m n p12 : rental protections p16 : ny times crossword puzzle p17 Photo by James Rokop
137TH ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE GRAPES AT TESTAROSSA Tradition started year Tesla secured a patent for induction motor Laur a Ness, Contributor
On Oct. 9, Testarossa staff, supporters and many Novitiate alumni and their caregivers gathered around a bin of La Rinconada pinot noir clusters for the 137th Blessing of the Grapes held at the historic Novitiate property in Los Gatos. You know it better as Testarossa Winery, the brand that’s made its home there for well over two decades now. But there was a time when it was a newly founded school for young men with a fondness for Latin, the Bible, Jesuit teachings, hard work, and a desire to follow the path to priesthood. Testarossa proprietor, Rob Jensen, who graduated from Santa Clara University, reminded the crowd that the first recorded harvest at the Novitiate was Oct. 11, 1888, and noted that Testarossa is still flying a flag with 38 stars, just like the one flown back then. What was happening in the world in 1888? The two presidential candidates of the day were debating tariffs: how nov➝ Annual Blessing, 8
ARTISTRY IN MOTION Janneke Dirven, an artistic swimmer from Los Gatos, is making quite the splash as a freshman at Ohio State, which has one of the top programs for the athletes pursuing the sport. Read Emanuel Lee’s profile on P14.
RIFT BETWEEN SHS MUSIC AND DISTRICT WIDENS Axed concerto competition added to list of grievances Anthon y Luo, Contributor
On Oct. 2, Saratoga High School music director Jason Shiuan announced the cancellation of the school’s annual concerto competition. The decision was the
latest in a series of adjustments affecting the school’s music department—and Saratoga Music Boosters (SMB), the parent-run nonprofit founded in 1972 that supports it. International trips and the March ensemble festival have been axed for the upcoming year. SMB’s annual cookie dough fundraiser and pancake break-
fast, and the school’s lunchtime Falcon Choir, have faced new advertising restrictions. These changes arrived after a rift opened up a couple years back between Shiuan and fellow music director Michael Boitz on one side, and Los Gatos-Saratoga Union School ➝ Saratoga HS, 10
Subscribe to receive Los Gatan home delivery every week.
LGSubs.com