@losgatan
vol . 5 , no. 49 : august 5-11 , 2026 : losgatan.com
music in the park p4 : more than motherhood p8 : police blotter p13 : girls volleyball p14 Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
LOCAL STABLE DENIES BEING UNDER COUNTY INVESTIGATION
SCMWA reduces firstyear projections as 1% assessment kicks-in
The troubled boarding facility was previously at the center of animal cruelty criminal case
Drew Penner, Editor
On July 30, around 170 people gathered at Testarossa’s shaded patio a few minutes from downtown Los Gatos as part of an event meant to shine a light on Santa Cruz Mountain wines. David Dockendorf, assistant winemaker at Martin Ranch in Gilroy, was coolly handling pour duties—the line never seemed to end, as attendees shifted back and forth between stations. “You never know what kind of attendance you’re gonna get,” he said, noting sometimes people are primarily focused on drinking, while other times— like at this one—grape aficionados are hoping to learn more about the liquid itself. “Love it.” Debbie Gerow, a woman in her 60s from Menlo Park is one such student of the grape. She arrived with a contingent of four from her wine-drinking group. “How are all the wineries doing down there?” she asked Dockendorf.
Drew Penner, Editor
Bear Creek Stables, a horse boarding facility that was recently at the center of a criminal animal-cruelty case, is now being probed by the County for possible code violations. But in an interview with the Los Gatan this week, the property owner, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), denied the ongoing investigation. The Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development started looking into the 19100 Bear Creek Rd. property on July 8, according to an email obtained by the Los Gatan. Friends of Bear Creek Stables, the new nonprofit operator (aka “concessionaire”) of the location, made a splash earlier this year when it announced the location would be reopening to the public. Public programs were stopped around the time the prior manager, Chaparral Country Corporation, was prosecuted for animal cruelty. However, an official complaint contends Midpen, a public agency, isn’t even allowed to offer new public programming at Bear Creek Stables, because it hasn’t conducted needed upgrades and remains out of compliance with regulations. On July 28, Code Enforcement Program Manager Darrell ➝ Stables, 10
WINERIES AIM TO OVERCOME SALES SLUMP, CANADIAN COLD SHOULDER
➝ SCMWA, 6
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BELT IT OUT Jessica Johnson headlined the July 29 Jazz on the Plazz concert, following an opening set by the San Jose High School Jazz All-Stars. For info about upcoming events, turn to P4.
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