West Valley Community Services sets Chefs of Compassion for March 27

Chefs of Compassion

Tickets are on sale for the 15th annual Chefs of Compassion: Cooking for a Cause gala on March 27. The fundraiser benefits West Valley Community Services (WVCS), a nonprofit whose programs support low-income and homeless individuals and families in Cupertino, Los Gatos, Saratoga and West San Jose.

The evening features top Bay Area chefs competing to create a multi-course meal using ingredients found in the WVCS pantry, where clients receive food. A panel of professional judges chooses the winner; there’s also a people’s choice award.

Tickets are $185 at https://bit.ly/3MlBudQ.

‘Unlikely’ book talk

The Cupertino Library Adult Book Discussion Group will talk about the novel “Unlikely Animals” by Annie Hartnett, a Silicon Valley Reads selection, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in room 201B of the library.

The novel follows  Emma Starling, who returns to her small New Hampshire hometown to be with her father, diagnosed with a rare brain illness that causes hallucinations.

Grand jury

Civic-minded residents can apply for service on the 2026-27 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury, a cornerstone of government transparency, accountability and public oversight.

The Civil Grand Jury is an independent investigatory body convened annually to examine the operations of county and city government, school districts, special districts and other local public agencies. Under the court’s direction, grand jurors are empowered to review records, evaluate government programs, inspect detention facilities and issue findings and recommendations that promote ethical, efficient and transparent governance.

Applications, due by Friday, March 27, and informational materials including the Civil Grand Jury brochure are available at https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/CGJ#recruitment. For more information, contact Britney Huelbig, deputy court manager for the Civil Grand Jury, at 408-882-2721 or CGJ@scscourt.org.