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vol . 2, no. 13 : november 30-December 6, 2022 : losgatan.com
Planning commission p4 : turkey bowl p10 : uPcoming events p14 : ny times crossworD Puzzle p17 Raul Ebio
MANY SCHOOLS UNPREPARED FOR EMERGENCY TEEN OVERDOSES
Henry Reyes, George Shannon to lead off Dec. 3 celebration
Los Gatos High School provides naloxone for treatment
Judy Peterson, Reporter
Wearing his trademark Stetson hat, George Shannon grabs a doughnut in the Billy Jones “Wildcat” Railroad workroom, jawing with the many volunteers who keep the Oak Meadow Park attraction safe for children. Shannon says he’s been a railroad volunteer for 20 years but people who know him well say it’s way more than that. No matter—the 85-year-old Shannon is a railroad regular who says, “We’re just a bunch of guys who are interested in trains. We re-built all the trucks that are under each rail car, which took several years, and we built the No. 6 car from scratch.” A Los Gatos resident since
Hana Beach, Bay City News
Los Gatos High School Principal Kevin Buchanan felt helpless on the third day of the 2021 school year. It wasn't the typical first-week-back chaos. Instead, Buchanan was sitting on the ground, cradling the body of a student—watching their face turn white, their body clammy, and their breaths become more and more shallow. The student was experiencing an opioid-induced overdose. “There was nothing I could do other than try to keep them awake until the paramedics arrived,” Buchanan said. Although this Los Gatos High School student survived the crisis, many students do not. In 2021 alone, 36 teenagers died from opioid-related overdoses in the Bay Area, and according to the California Department of Public Health, 224 teenagers statewide have overdosed fatally in the past two years. Today, Los Gatos High School has naloxone hydrochloride in its health center. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a nasal spray that can block opioid ab➝ Overdoses, 8
PARADE’S GRAND MARSHALS ARE COMMUNITY ICONS
➝ Marshals, 14
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PEAKING Los Gatos High sophomore Aydon Stefanopoulos crosses the finish line in fifth place with a PR of 15 minutes, 14.17 seconds in the CIF State Championship Division II race on Nov. 26 at Woodward Park in Fresno. For the full story, turn to page 10.
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