Yan Zhao named Saratoga mayor for second time

Belal Aftab selected as vice mayor.

Zhao named mayor

The Saratoga City Council selected Yan Zhao as mayor and Belal Aftab as vice mayor at the city’s annual council reorganization on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Saratoga Civic Theater.

Zhao was elected to the Saratoga City Council in 2018 and served as mayor in 2021. Aftab was elected to the city council in 2022. Prior to his election, he served on Saratoga’s Traffic Safety Commission for five years.

During the reorganization, the city council and community recognized this year’s mayor, Kookie Fitzsimmons, and thanked her for her service.

Blacksmith exhibit

“Strike While the Iron is Hot,” an exhibit showcasing the life of a Saratoga blacksmith and its impact on the community, is on display through the end of February at the Saratoga History Museum. The exhibit features photos and tools of the trade.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a new building has been added to Saratoga Historical Park at 20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. The McWilliams Blacksmith Exhibit will be open weekends and includes films of the tasks a blacksmith handled.

The museum is open Fridays and Sundays, 1-4 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit saratogahistory.com or call 408-867-4311.

SHS therapy dog

The board of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District approved a contract with Paws-to-Share to bring a therapy dog to Saratoga High School’s Wellness Center. The contract is being funded by the Saratoga High School Foundation.

The Los Gatos Wellness Center currently hosts a therapy dog for students as part of Paws-to-Share via a donation from the Los Gatos Lions Club.