Category: Saratoga News

By Khalida Sarwari West Valley College has plans to transform its aging planetarium into a state-of-the-art facility, thanks to a $3.5 million donation from the Jean and E. Floyd Kvamme Foundation. The donation, which marks the largest gift the college has received in its 48-year history, will go toward the construction of a new 33-foot dome, digital planetarium projector and theater seating. The remainder is expected to be allocated to building a museum of science Read More …

By Khalida Sarwari The world may remember Vince Garrod as a prominent member of the Saratoga community, but for his daughter, Christina Cagliostro, he was also a man of wisdom. That’s what she will miss the most about him. Garrod, 94, died on Dec. 30. Along with other members of his family, Garrod operated the Garrod Farms, a wine and horse ranch in Saratoga’s hills that the family owned since the early 1890s. Vince Garrod Read More …

By Khalida Sarwari Saratoga’s effort to update its decades-old safety element in the city’s General Plan is progressing thanks to a $175,000 state grant, city officials said this week. RBF Consulting has been working on the project since it was awarded a contract by the city last May. A team of RBF representatives is expected to make a presentation to the planning commission on Jan. 8 to give commissioners a preview of the updated element. Read More …

By Khalida Sarwari Newly appointed Saratoga Mayor Jill Hunter loves history so much she made the subject her major in college. Her fondness for history is reflected in the things she loves most about the city she’s lived in for 31 years–from its hills and trees to the quaint downtown. Now that she’s taken the helm, Hunter wants to maintain the historic qualities of Saratoga. “I’m a preservationist,” Hunter said. “I love the history of Read More …