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vol . 4, no. 27 : March 5-11 , 2025 : losgatan.com
undersea exploration p9 : girls basketball p10 : nytimes crossword puzzle p11 : blood drive p12 Faizi Samadani/ Los Gatan
A VISIT TO THE PIZZERIA ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN “Tony” Hwang on kindness to strangers, cannabis sales and North Korean flags
Parham Pourahmad, 14, says you have to be patient to get the shot
Faizi Samadani, Contributor
The Highway 17 trek back and forth “over the hill” between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz— with its rush-hour chaos and treacherous turns on rainy days—is a route many are all too familiar with. At the summit lies a reddish structure that has been seen by thousands (if not millions) of locals and tourists—and yet, many have never pulled over to see what lies inside. And now, the owner of the enigmatic business, called Kambu Pizza, says he’s putting it up for sale after three-and-ahalf decades. “All types of people stop here,” says Daniel “Tony” Hwang, reflecting on the tourists from Germany, Poland, France, Australia, the Baltic region—and beyond— who’ve stopped in over the years. “Everyone knows me as Tony— because I wanted a relatable name, and it’s easy for people.” Local residents may best recognize this as the business that has been the subject of much ➝ Summit Pizza, 8
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT’S PIX NET WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY ACCOLADES Ar adhita Singh, Intern
Parham Pourahmad stands in the hills of Ed Levin County Park in Milpitas, waiting for the perfect moment to snap a bird of prey in its natural habitat. Suddenly, a Cooper’s hawk swoops down. It begins to claw apart a squirrel. Pourahmad aims his Sigma 150-600mm lens and presses the shutter-release button on his Nikon D3500 to capture the brilliant scene. “It was pretty surreal,” he ➝ Wildlife, 6
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‘MOUNTAIN MAN’ Daniel Hwang says he’s looking to retire after 35 years in business at the Highway 17 summit.
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