Montalvo closure
Montalvo Arts Center is closing to the public for construction from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5. No cars, pedestrians or cyclists will be allowed to enter the grounds. However, people who are attending ticketed events at Montalvo will not be affected.
Saratoga alumni in Hollywood
Saratoga High School alumna Mikaela Burton was recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as an up-and-coming Hollywood executive this year.
Burton was included in the news outlet’s “Next Gen 2025: 35 Rising Hollywood Executives Under 35.” She is a programming executive on the domestic team at Apple. She oversees the creative development of several major TV projects, including “Shrinking” and “Pluribus.” She evaluates pitches for new shows, supports the strongest concepts, read scripts, provides creative notes and helps guide projects throughout the process to make it to the screen.
“It’s a wonderful acknowledgment and truly reaffirms the work I do,” Burton said in a release from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District. “This industry is incredibly competitive and demanding, but I get to collaborate with some of the most talented people in the world. I feel very grateful.”
Burton was one of the first students in the Media Arts Program at Saratoga High School. She aspired to be a TV and film executive and created short films and music videos and participated in theater while she was a student.
After graduating from Saratoga High School, Burton majored in creative producing at Chapman University. She interned at Paramount, AMC, Sony and “The Late Late Show.” In her early career, she held positions at Paradigm Talent Agency and Lionsgate. She has been at Apple for the last eight years.
She encouraged current high school students to take advantage to all the opportunities available to them.
“Take advantage of this time to hone your skills,” Burton said. “Immerse yourself in everything. Watch Sundance films, pay attention to who writes them, study French New Wave, watch Scorsese. What you absorb today will shape your creative voice tomorrow. Your taste and perspective is your value.”
Bond measure spending
Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District will be refinancing a decade-old bond that could save local taxpayers around $1.2 million.
The money comes from the District’s 2014 Measure E, Series B bonds. The ballot measure allowed the school district to increase its debt by $99 million through issuing general obligation bonds in that amount, according to Ballotpedia. The revenue from the tax was used for maintenance work, equipment and classroom updates and construction of new classroom buildings.
The financing costs will be paid from bond proceeds rather than the general fund, the school district said in its newsletter. Although projected to save taxpayers about $1.2 million over the life of the bonds, the school district said these savings are still subject to market conditions and will be finalized when the bonds are sold. They expect the earliest opportunity to lock in rates in early 2026.
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth will be providing specialized legal services for the school district to finish the refinancing and support any future bond measures.