Per.se.ver.ance Noun
Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, opposition (which can include a global pandemic, fires, a Black Lives Matter nationwide movement, global warming, the MeToo and a complicated presidential election.
synonyms: tenacity, resolve, determination, grit, staying power, patience, endurance, stamina
I will start with the good news, our Covid Summer is coming to its end. A new season is upon us and even better this year is almost over.
When we posted those bright green signs all over town in early April, we really believed “We Got This LG” meant we were going to get through that next month or so. Not in my craziest dystopian dreams, did I think that in September we would still be in the midst of a pandemic and even more.
A psychologist once told me it was beneficial to one’s overall health to practice a gratitude exercise every morning upon waking. Forget that! These days I wake up and the first thought that comes to mind is “What could possibly happen today and did anything terrible happen while I was asleep”. My next thought – PERSEVERENCE and then we must persevere.
Cheers to our Los Gatos business community, I am so impressed with your grit and with your willingness to try new ways to work, to our restaurants who have created such an inviting outdoor dining experience for all who come into town, to those people working in the medical professions who continue to see patients and keep us healthy, to those people who work in the grocery stores, dry cleaners, real estate offices and so many others. You are all keeping the Town alive and vibrant.
We have to give an extra thank you to our county firefighters, and to first responders who have come from other states, working day and night to save what they can of our beloved redwood trees and the Santa Cruz mountains. Our hearts go out to our Boulder Creek and mountain neighbors who have lost everything. Somehow, we are going to persevere.
I would also like to thank our Police Department – police officers have one of the most difficult jobs right now. While we will surely be analyzing the department's spending and practices, we must recognize that our police officers work hard doing what they were trained to do in order to keep us safe.
Our hearts go out to those who have felt the realities of social injustice because of their color, their sexual orientation, their religion or their own personal situations. We have some work to do. Join us for the Town’s first Inclusive Community Workshop on September 8. The topic is police practices and reforms.
We will persevere and this is why I know we will… Los Gatans look out for each other. We always have. We are a town that cares. We shop in our local shops and support our local restaurants every step of the way. We will vote in this upcoming election and we will fight for what we believe.
Engage in the process. Your local Chamber of Commerce is standing with you and supporting you.
Please check out our new Vote LG page. We want to be your election resource. Our information is accurate and up to date. While we do not endorse specific candidates, we are eager to learn about their vision for Los Gatos. Plan to attend our Candidate Forum on September 30 at 7pm via Zoom. We will ask questions of each candidate regarding economic and community vitality. Stay tuned for details.
Join us for our next Virtual Mixer on September 17. The Chamber is still a great way to network with your community and meet new people.
There is no better place than our website to find the latest Covid-19 and Fire Resources. We update both of those pages daily.
Get inspired with us this holiday season. Los Gatos is going to Light Up and we want you to be part of it. Details will follow in the next few weeks, but if you want to help, call me direct at 408-335-6618.
We still Got This LG – it's taking a little longer than we planned - but We Will Persevere!
Sincerely,
Catherine Somers
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Blueprint for a Safer Economy
New Tiered System for COVID County Classification
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On August 28 Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a statewide, stringent and slow plan for living with COVID-19 for the long haul.
The Blueprint builds on lessons learned from the first six months of the disease – and the new scientific understanding that has been collected – to create a new system for regulating movement and COVID-19 transmissions. It includes:
- At least 21 days to expand activities beyond the initial tier to ensure California better limits the spread of the virus;
- Mandatory metrics – case rates and test positivity – to measure how widespread COVID-19 is in each county and guide what is allowed;
- A uniform state framework, with four categories instead of 58 different sets of rules;
- A more nuanced way of allowing activity: Instead of open vs. closed, sectors can be partially opened and progressively add to their operations as disease transmission decreases; and
- A new process for tightening back up again quickly when conditions worsen.
Based on recent data, each county will fall into one of four colored tiers – Purple (Widespread), Red (Substantial), Orange (Moderate) and Yellow (Minimal) – based on how prevalent COVID-19 is in each county and the extent of community spread. That color will indicate how sectors can operate.
Currently Santa Clara County falls into the Purple tier. In this tier, hair salons and barbershops may be open, as well as indoor malls (at 25% capacity).
Click Here to see what activities are allowed in our County and the rest of California.
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We want to be your source for election information! We've created a VOTE LG page on our website. Visit this page to see all the propositions, measures and our local candidates, as well as information on:
- Registering to Vote
- Election Timeline
- Ways to return your ballot
- Candidate forums & interviews
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Support our Los Gatos businesses! |
Don't forget about our local merchants and restaurants! COVID-19 has made doing business very difficult, but it is now compounded by the fires and bad air quality. It is very safe to visit your favorite stores in-person, but you can also support Los Gatos businesses by shopping online and ordering take-out. Please help keep our businesses afloat - Shop Local! |
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Los Gatos Restaurants & Frontline Foods feed our Firefighters |
Our army of volunteers is taking action during another crises to support local restaurants and feed our first responders! Frontline Foods and our Los Gatos restaurants are feeding gourmet, protein-packed meals to our firefighters. If you’d like to help us continue, please donate directly to Frontline Foods/World Central Kitchen.
A group of Los Gatos citizens, organized by Kristina Taroni, are coordinating the restaurants and Frontline Foods. They are 100% volunteer driven. 100% of your donation is tax-deductible and benefit our local restaurants.
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Would you like to show your support for the Chamber and the community? Friends of the Chamber is a membership category we've created for community members who do not own businesses, but would like to support the Chamber in our efforts to be a catalyst, convener and a champion for a stronger community. Anyone who has donated $100 or more to our "Support the Chamber" effort is an automatic Friend. If you'd like to become a Friend of the Chamber click here to donate or click the Join Now button on our website. Those who donate $50 or more receive a "Friends of the Chamber" sticker, pictured above.
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This event is free to attend, but we invite you to make a donation upon registration. Your contribution will help us continue to provide resources to you and your business. |
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Virtual Mixer
September 17 at 4:30pm
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Join us via Zoom for a Virtual Networking Mixer! We are looking forward to introducing some of our newest members. One of our greatest strengths as a Chamber of Commerce is connecting the business community. We can still connect and network - even though we can't do it in person! Join us for a virtual mixer on Thursday, September 17!
Limited to 20 registrants.
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Community Workshop #1: Police Practices & Reforms
September 8, 2020
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The Workshop will be facilitated by the Honorable LaDoris Cordell, an American retired judge of the Superior Court of California and former Independent Police Auditor for the City of San Jose. Judge Cordell is an advocate for improving transparency into charges of police misconduct. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and was the first lawyer to open a law practice in East Palo Alto, a low-income community of color. Judge Cordell was appointed Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the Stanford Law School, where she helped develop a program to increase minority recruitment. She was the first female African-American judge in Northern California and the first female African-American Superior Court judge in Santa Clara County, California
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The Town of Los Gatos is hosting a series of Community Workshops to address issues of racial and social injustice and discuss how Los Gatos can be more welcoming for all. The first workshop is regarding Police Department Practices and Potential Reforms. A panel including the Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Chief of Police will be available to listen, learn, respond to questions, discuss policy options, and identify specific next steps.
Zoom meeting link:
Password: 908590
To join by phone: (636) 651-0008 or Toll Free (877) 336-1839; Conference Code: 969184
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For questions or comments prior to the meeting, please email:
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Los Gatos Together 2020 Mask |
NEW COLORS! Stop by our office for a fun Los Gatos Together 2020 mask. Thanks to Kristina Taroni of Number One Broadway for having them made! $14 (navy, black, gray, pink)
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Town of Los Gatos Community Grant |
For over 25 years, The Town of Los Gatos has been providing grants of Town general fund monies to projects and organizations that directly benefit the community and residents of Los Gatos.
Are you a Los Gatos resident or student that has an innovative idea and the drive to improve your community? The Town of Los Gatos is offering competitive grants of $1,500 each to assist in launching your idea!
Are you a nonprofit organization dedicated to community work for the residents of Los Gatos? The Town is offering competitive one-time grants up to $7,500 to help you with a new idea for a project, service, or event. Apply for grant funding in the areas of: human services, arts, education, events, and community vitality.
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Digital Marketing Workshops |
While you are sheltering in place, now is a great time to learn about digital marketing. Sofya Elperin-Smirvov is an expert in small business marketing. Sofya offers digital marketing training, consulting and full marketing management. She is an expert in paid search ads, email marketing, social media, content creation, website optimization and all digital and traditional marketing channels.
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League of Women Voters
Candidate Forum
September 14
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Concerts Live Streamed from the from 6:00- 7:00 PM every Wednesday throughout the summer.
Live Stream links:
Wednesday, September 9 - TONY LINDSAY W/ JANICE MAXIE REED & DESZON CLAIBORNE - Summer Streaming Series Finale!
Sponsored by:
El Camino Health, Lexus of Stevens Creek, John & Timi Sobrato Charitable Fund
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2020 Census
Shape Your Future
Respond before the door knock! Beginning in August, census workers will start knocking on doors of all homes that have not responded yet. Complete your census now!
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Be counted! Make sure Santa Clara County and California receives our fair share of federal funds.
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Maybe you've noticed these green signs around town? The Chamber and the Town are embarking on a Protect Los Gatos campaign, reminding people to social distance and wear a mask. We've placed signs around town: on A-frames, in store windows and on pop-up patios. Please keep us all safe!
If you'd like a sign, stop by the Chamber office and pick one up.
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Town of Los Gatos website |
The Town of Los Gatos has compiled a very comprehensive page of Covid-19 messages and resources. It outlines how all the Town departments are functioning throughout this crisis. In addition, it has resources for businesses and individuals, as well as ways you can volunteer. |
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For the latest updates, please visit Santa Clara County Public Health. |
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Need information from one of our past newsletters? Click below for the last 3-4 months (before that email us).
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COMMUNITY IMPACT PARTNERS |
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