January, 1999 editor: Larry Ames

There is so much we want to tell you about that our January Newsletter has taken us longer than usual to compile and has consequently turned into a February edition! I will make my letter brief, enabling you to get to the fun part quicker – all the information and news we have collected for you.

Our fall activities were one success after another, thanks to many helping hands. Nature provided us with a perfect October day for our Meridian Ave. planting, and we all went home exhausted and happy. There is nothing like a day of good people and good deeds to satisfy the soul! On October 28th, the Board hosted the Mayor and Sheriff’s Forum at our Fall General Meeting. The candidates provided smart answers to smart questions, and the food was delicious. Then, in November, the neighborhood appeal to City Council concerning the Willow Street stop sign was passed unanimously. Everything went well that night, Patsy Neher had organized the neighbors, we all sat together, and Juliette Nail (whose mother died at that intersection) gave a touching testimony to the need for a safer crossing. Thank you to all the neighbors who came out that night, and to Michelle McGurk and to Councilmember Fiscalini who spoke on our behalf.

The issues and projects which the Board has been working on are spelled out on the pages that follow. Pay special attention to those areas where you can become involved. WGNA needs to continue to bring in fresh volunteers and new leaders if we are to stay effective, energetic, and enthusiastic!

Once again, WGNA is looking for a few good people who are willing to serve on the Board of Directors. Our by-laws require that officers of the Association (President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) must be members for one year prior to the May election date. Four directors are also elected (with another 2 - 4 members appointed by the incoming President), and there are no minimum time requirements on their memberships.

As per the annual procedure, a five-member nominating committee, elected the previous year, receives short written paragraphs from members interested in serving on the Board of Directors. This committee also actively recruits persons they think might be interested in serving. They then present a slate of recommended officers and directors to the membership for consideration. All persons who have submitted their names to the committee will be able to have their names included on the ballot whether they are on the slate or not. The ballots will be mailed to the membership in a newsletter several weeks before the May General Meeting. Members may choose to vote by mail or in person at the General Meeting.

If you would like to be considered for a position, please submit to WGNA, by March 15th, a short paragraph about yourself including any qualities, interests or community involvement that you think are pertinent. Remember to include your phone number so that you can be contacted. Members can also help the Association by suggesting names of other members who, with a little encouragement, might decide to volunteer their name for consideration. If you have any questions or suggestions, be sure to contact us at 294-WGNA or at www.wgna.net, and we will get back to you pronto.

Do you have a new neighbor? Or are you interested in becoming more involved in Willow Glen? If so, the WGNA membership committee would like to speak with you. One of the WGNA goals for '99 is to increase membership and member involvement. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of previous residents, Willow Glen has become a wonderful community. However, it's up to us, the current residents, to continue that tradition and to keep Willow Glen a vibrant, safe, and beautiful place to call home.

There are many ways that you can become involved; e.g., sign up for a beautification project or graffiti paint outs, or become a historical volunteer. Becoming involved in a neighborhood improvement project can be a very rewarding experience. The membership committee invites you to call the WGNA hotline (408-294-WGNA) and make a commitment today.

We know that there are many Association members who, given the opportunity, would welcome the chance to become more involved in WGNA. Below we have listed just some of the areas that you might find interesting and fun:

1. Updating WGNA’s "Historical Guide to the Homes of Willow Glen": This is a popular booklet, compiled in 1992, which outlines walking tours through several old Willow Glen areas. An addendum was created in 1996, and much of the work is on disc. Working on this project would include some computer editing and overseeing the printing of a new edition. The goal is to have the new booklets available on Founders’ Day, 1999. (Founders’ Day is held the second weekend in September and WGNA traditionally conducts historical walks on that day.)

2. Acting as a WGNA representative to the monthly meetings of United Neighborhoods: Tiralisa Kaplow has been acting as the only representative to this countywide organization for some time now. United Neighborhoods is composed of representatives from many sectors of our county and it discusses issues pertaining to neighborhoods at large. If several other WGNA members would step forward, we could have a delegation that would rotate responsibilities. This is a good way to get to know other activists in our valley and to keep up on what is happening.

3. Helping with the Newsletter preparation: Some of you have checked this area on your membership form and it sure helps! After a Newsletter is printed, it has to be stapled, labeled, sorted, counted, and brought to the main post office to be mailed (650 copies). At times there will be special mailings as well. Volunteering to help with any of these chores will place you on our "favorite people list" for at least four months!

4. Volunteering to act as a block or area captain: We have talked about this idea before and several members came forward. It is a very simple and easy way to help create community. We are willing to supply you with membership forms that explain what our organization is about, and you can then distribute the forms to your block or in your area. This concept could develop to where area representatives might be willing to pass out flyers concerning an upcoming forum or a pertinent neighborhood issue.

5. Monitoring a WGNA sponsored e-mail list: Please read the article on pages 3-4. We have one member who is willing to share the responsibility with one or two more folks. This would be a great way to become involved and to find out what is happening in the neighborhood! We estimate 10 minutes a day, several times a week.

6. Helping with graffiti abatement: For years, one WGNA member has worked tirelessly to coordinate the monthly Sunday morning efforts to stamp out graffiti. Now it is time to pass the torch. Many WGNA members have expressed concerns about graffiti, and a number have volunteered to help with paint-outs; Contempo Realty, Orchard Supply Hardware, and individual members have donated funds and supplies; and experts agree that frequent paint-outs by numerous individuals responsible for small areas (i.e., nearby bus benches or lamp posts) work best. Now all we need is a new coordinator. Please help!

7. Coordinating neighborhood tree-planting programs in Willow Glen: Would you be interested in bringing focus to a Willow Glen tree planting effort? Last year, WGNA worked with Our City Forest and, as a result, numerous streets in our area filled in bare spots that had appeared over the years. There are city beautification grants that we’ll help you apply for, and Our City Forest has the expertise needed for creating shade canopies, the signature of Willow Glen neighborhoods. What we need are one or more persons to step forward and focus on this worthwhile cause. The support is there, we just need the leaders!

8. Attending the monthly WGNA boardmeetings: By setting aside the second Wednesday of the month – 7:00 PM, at the United Methodist Church, Newport and Minnesota – you will experience firsthand the issues and information that boardmembers receive at our meetings. Representatives from Councilmember Fiscalini’s staff and County Supervisor Alvarado’s staff are regulars at our meetings. Timely matters relating to our neighborhood, whether they be local or city issues, are often discussed. We welcome visitors, and we post our agendas on our web site (www.wgna.net) at least several days before a meeting. Come join us, we like the company!

In November, the WGNA board discussed how we might best honor outgoing Mayor Susan Hammer. She has served our city for eight years as mayor, and, during that time, has worked hard to involve neighborhood representatives in the decision making process by including community liaisons on task forces and committees. She has also addressed neighborhood issues such as programs for youth, safety, and park improvements. We recognize the hand she extended to us and wish to express appreciation for her efforts.

Mayor Hammer’s aides suggested that the Mayor would prefer a gift to a charity which she respected, rather than receiving a plaque or award. Several worthy local nonprofits were mentioned. After exploring possibilities, the Board voted to send a donation to SPEAK-UP!, a leadership program for girls in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. This program has been active at Willow Glen Middle School and provides local female youth with the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge instrumental to personal and professional success. Through an innovative approach, SPEAK-UP! seeks to cultivate and sustain the self-esteem and leadership potential of girls at an important developmental stage. Several Willow Glen residents sit on the SPEAK-UP! board of directors, Kimberly Mulcahy, Joe Guerra, Laurie Abate, and Jill Cameron Schumb. Our Councilmember, Frank Fiscalini, is a boardmember, as well.

We thank Mayor Hammer for eight years of dedicated service to our city and for her recognition of the neighborhoods that we call home. The Board hopes that our donation, on behalf of WGNA, will aid SPEAK-UP! volunteers in the good works that they continue to do, both locally and countywide. The program costs a little over $100 per student and we encourage our members to sponsor additional scholarships so that more young women can take advantage of this opportunity. Donations can be sent to:

San Jose, CA 95125.

At WGNA’s January boardmeeting, member Barbara Vroman presented the idea of a WGNA-sponsored e-mail list for the Willow Glen neighborhood. The Campus Community Neighborhood Association has sponsored such a list for approximately 3 years, and residents there have found it to be a positive tool that helps neighbors to meet and communicate with one another. Barbara showed us example e-mails from CCNA, including requests for leads on good alarm system companies, warnings of recent car thefts, introductions of new members to the neighborhood, announcements of free avocados, etc., etc. A neighborhood e-mail list might be used to report missing pets, warn neighbors of prowlers, share ideas on gardening, discuss a Willow Glen issue, find those with similar interests. The Board found Barbara’s proposal exciting and Larry Ames, Lynn Repetsky, and Helen Solinski offered to serve on a subcommittee to help investigate the technicalities of a WGNA e-mail list.

One important requirement will be to find one or two people willing to share the job of monitoring the e-mail with Barbara. This would involve breaking down the duty of checking the list on a daily basis to make sure entries are appropriate. For example, one person might check the list on Mondays and Tuesday, another might check it on Wednesdays and Thursdays, etc. If plans fall into place and the board gives the idea a green light, the rules will be simple; requiring basic manners and requesting that entries be local in nature. Call us soon at 294-WGNA or contact Kris at kriswgsj@aol.com.

An e-mail list could be one more way to create community, to bring us closer together!

t the WGNA fall general meeting, we informed our members that NASCOP, the city photo radar program, would be reinstated on targeted Willow Glen streets. The program has been in a process of review during the past year. Statistics show a decline in speeding and accidents on those streets where photo radar was in effect. The Department of Streets and Traffic has stated, "NASCOP is designed to address concerns of San Jose residents regarding speeding and safety on local neighborhood streets and to serve as an adjunct to regular police enforcement."

The streets are chosen carefully. They must be two lane streets with 25-30 mph speed limits and locations which have documented speed problems. The official written concurrence of a neighborhood association or other organized group (like a school site council), or a petition signed by over 50% of the neighborhood households in a given area, is required to instate the program. Speed and accident data are assessed on a on-going basis, and signs are posted in hopes that motorists will be cautious. The intent of the program is to modify driver behavior. Remember that it is often local residents who are caught – so please heed the signs and stay within the speed limit. The children, pets, and pedestrians of Willow Glen will thank you!

Note: We have been informed that WGNA can only request additional streets for NASCOP monitoring if those streets are approved at a general meeting and if a pattern of speeding is established through the Department of Streets and Traffic. The streets originally submitted by WGNA on the advice of our members proved to be on target, and we want to continue this record of success.

FROM THE STATE:

Subcontractor’s liens: From State Assemblyman Honda’s office - A state constitutional amendment is being proposed concerning subcontractor or mechanic liens. Recently an elderly woman’s plight was brought to the attention of Mike Honda’s office. She had paid a contractor in full who had remodeled her house but, when he failed to pay a subcontractor, the subcontractor was able to still demand payment from the woman (thus requiring the woman to pay twice). At the present time, this is legal. Assemblyman Honda’s office feels that an unfairness exists and that open debate is needed concerning this issue. As with any law, there are complexities and repercussions involved. For example, one reason people do not have to pay on a daily basis for materials and labor provided by subcontractors, is because liens exist. The liens provide security for labor and subcontractors to finish a job. At the same time, it does seem fair that once a job is completed and a contractor paid in full, no further obligation on the part of the homeowner is needed. As these points are sorted out in the legislature, WGNA urges all those involved in home remodeling or building to be aware of the law, check out contractors carefully, and give Assemblyman Honda’s office a call with comments or questions concerning this issue. They would like to hear from you. Contact Mike Honda at 408/269-6500.

FROM THE COUNTY:

Fairgrounds Revitalization Project: Date: Thursday, Feb. 11th. Time: 7:00 p.m., Location: Turf Club – County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd. (Main Entrance on Tully Road). Contact: 408/299-2040.

Supervisor Blanca Alvarado invites the Willow Glen community to a meeting to discuss the Fairgrounds Revitalization Project. A parking and traffic planning session will take place and residents are encouraged to attend and provide input. The Fairgrounds are a large piece of public land, and public discussion is needed and requested to ensure a project that best reflects the wishes of county residents.

Violence Prevention Council Action Plan: Date: Tuesday, Feb. 23rd. Time: 7:00 p.m. and March 23rd. Time: to be announced. Location: County Supervisors Chamber, Mission Street. Contact: 408/885-4226 or 408/299-2040.

For over a year and a half the County Public Health Department has been developing a comprehensive plan which addresses violence in Santa Clara County. In late October, the Violence Prevention Council, composed of a wide spectrum of community leaders, presented a Violence Prevention Strategy to the Board of Supervisors. Areas targeted for specific action include domestic, youth, alcohol, and firearm related violence. Two separate meetings to consider proposals involving firearms and alcohol have been set. Recommendations to reduce and prevent gun violence – requiring trigger locks, comprehensive firearm registration, etc. – will be considered on February 23rd, 7:00 p.m. Those relating to alcohol related violence – zoning ordinances, location of alcohol sales, alcohol taxes, advertising, etc. – will be considered on March 23rd, time to be announced. If these are issues of concern to you, the County Supervisors would appreciate hearing from you.

FROM THE CITY:

Branch Library Facilities Master Plan: The third and final workshop to receive public comment in preparing a master plan for San Jose’s branch libraries will be held on February 25th. Several WGNA members have been attending these important meetings where future plans for our neighborhood libraries are being formulated. Previous workshops have been worthwhile and professionally conducted. Issues of priority services, space allotment, remodeling vs. rebuilding, parking, etc. have been discussed. Focus groups are broken down into branch affiliation and Willow Glen has been well represented. If you value our libraries, make a point of attending this final upcoming meeting. Date: Feb. 25th. Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m. Location: Cypress Senior Center, 403 S. Cypress Ave., near Stevens Creek Blvd. Contact: 408/277-4822.

Civic Center Relocation: The project to move the San Jose Civic Center to Santa Clara Street between 4th and 5th Streets is moving ahead. Measure I, passed by over 60% of the voters in 1996, allows the City to relocate City Hall, providing the funds used do not create an additional financial burden upon the City budget. Richard Meier (internationally known architect and creator of the Getty Museum of Art in Los Angeles) has been selected to design the building. The City is preparing to hold several public meetings to present the urban plan to the people of San Jose and to receive their comments before drawings begin. These meetings to be announced in the Mercury News and throughout San Jose, will be held in the later part of February. City Halls, more than any other buildings, need to reflect the character of the people they service. Watch for the announcements of these dates so that Willow Glen is well represented.

Safety on Willow Street: Thanks to a group of very diligent residents, the WGNA Board, and Councilmember Fiscalini and staff, we now have a new stop sign at Willow and Camino Ramon. Comments have been overwhelmingly positive. New sidewalks are being poured along the park and when they are finished, the crosswalks will be moved to the corner. This will give pedestrians the added protection of a stop sign. As always, we still caution everyone to look both ways and be careful when stepping out into the street!

The Garden Theater: In the fall, the Planning Department notified the owner of the Garden Theater building that conditions of his building’s permits had not been met and that compliance was needed. Conditions included lighting factors that affected neighbors, garbage location, installation of a tire grate, and the building of an access road through an open lot onto Willow Street. Eight years ago these conditions were built into the permit in order to protect neighbors from the development. Unfortunately, the owner at the time (not the present owner) ignored the legal requirements and the City did not follow up to make sure compliance had taken place. At the present time, the owner has addressed the lighting issue and attorneys representing the Garden Theater and the owners of the open lot are working on the easement issue. Michelle McGurk, Chief of Staff for Councilmember Fiscalini, is meeting with the neighbors to facilitate the process. A hearing is tentatively scheduled for late February.

Leigh Avenue is to become bicycle-friendly. Planners from San Jose, Campbell, and Santa Clara County, work with area residents in three meetings over the past several months. The consensus plan is for a bike lane/bike route to connect the existing bike lanes at Curtner to the Los Gatos Creek Trail. To minimize the loss of on-street parking, it will be only a bike route on the somewhat narrow sections of Leigh, but even that will be an improvement over current conditions.

FROM THE COMMUNITY:

Join a Walking Club: Willow Glen resident, Beth Hermer called WGNA asking if we knew of a walking club in Willow Glen. We do not. . . .but why not start one?! Beth is interested in the Curtner and Lincoln Avenue area but will consider other areas as well. So pull out those athletic shoes and contact Beth by e-mail atbhermer @expandable.com, or contact WGNA.

The Role Model Program: A rewarding short-term volunteer opportunity is available through the Role Model Program, created by Mayor Ron Gonzales. The Program is seeking professional, adult volunteers to participate in the highly successful Community Classroom Visit Program. Volunteers will present to local middle school classrooms a special curriculum entitled "Dare to Dream", designed to empower students to achieve academic excellence and personal responsibility. A four hour commitment is asked and training is provided. Please call 408/246-0433 for further information.

Our City Forest: Volunteers are needed for tree planting, tree care, and environmental education programs. Opportunities range from several hours a month to leadership positions requiring 4 to 8 hours a week with a year commitment. The important work of replenishing and expanding our urban forest depends upon generous residents willing to give of their precious time. Call 408/99-TREES for more information.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail is nearly complete up to Meridian! About all that’s missing is the pavement on the trail, and that is only awaiting a sufficiently long dry spell. Once open, the Water District lands that we helped restore will be open to the public, creating a new openspace greenway in Willow Glen.

To help welcome the trail to Willow Glen, WGNA is donating a water fountain to the project. It is to be placed on the trail by the Blackford school trailhead and bridge. (We had a little bit of funds left over from our creek restoration project: this seems a most appropriate way to get the most use from it.)

From Meridian, the trail is to cross the street at a new, pedestrian-activated crosswalk and then head back south to Willow Street. There it becomes the existing bike lane to Lincoln. Lincoln is to be restriped in a couple years up to Coe, and an off-road trail is to be built from there to downtown. The city is presently doing the engineering studies, property surveys, and soil evaluations. This last piece will not be easy or cheap, but it will be much appreciated and utilized, and it should not take all that many more years.

he financial status of the Association is good. The majority of membership dues are used for the following: printing and mailing of the newsletters, maintaining a phone message center, a reasonable monthly room rental fee to United Methodist Church, hospitality at our general meetings (food and beverages), a P.O. Box, and miscellaneous expenses. As we have stated in previous Newsletters, there is some Creek Trail money remaining which we used for the Meridian planting, and the Creek Trail water fountain will also be purchased with these funds.

Thanks in large part to member donations (along with some WGNA cost-cutting), we presently have approximately $3,000 in excess of our budget. The Board would like to return this to the neighborhood in the form of some community enhancement. A public art project, like the mural painted at Paul Moore Park, is an example of what might work; tree plantings are another. If you have a suggestion, the Board would like to hear from you as soon as possible. Contact us at 408/294-WGNA or www.wgna.net.

"It was the smallest of houses, it’s now the biggest of houses." –the lament of many area residents when describing the "remodeling" of a nearby house. Willow Glen is enjoying a building boom, which is healthy up to a point. We are all pleased that residents take pride in their homes and want to maintain and improve them. Lately, however, some of the additions or rebuilds have gotten out-of-hand. WGNA recognizes that this is a tricky subject: we don’t want to see the character of the neighborhood impacted by giant colossi replacing the quaint bungalows, but we also recognize the rights of landowners to the use of their property, and we certainly wouldn’t want codes and standards so precise that they specify the size and shape of the windows or the color of the housepaint.

WGNA has been working with the city council and the planning department on this issue for the past year. We have made them aware of the problems, and they are working to fix them. City building standards were recently modified to encourage high density in the new developments to reduce urban sprawl. Currently there is one code for the entire city: they are working to develop different standards for different areas, to allow the denser developments in the new areas while, at the same time, preserving the character of existing neighborhoods.

It’s hard (impossible?) to mandate courtesy and responsibility, but it sure would be nice if those contemplating extensive remodels would consult with the nearby residents, and try to have their designs fit in with the community. The people next door are your neighbors – and you will want to remain on good terms with them, rather than building an addition that looks down on their backyards or into their bedroom windows. You want to live in our community because of its character and charm, so please don’t destroy it in the process!

he Santa Clara Valley Water District has a special program for volunteers to help elderly or disabled neighbors with sandbagging in times of flooding. Please contact the SCVWD at 408/265-2607 x2349 and offer to help. (As always, sandbags can be picked up at 445 Willow St., along the Guadalupe River near freeway 87.)

Free Service of Restraining Orders for Domestic Violence Victims: In 1997, I worked with the Sheriff so that we could become the first county in the state to have sheriff deputies serve domestic violence restraining orders, free of charge. The Sheriff and the Family Court joined together to ensure that victims of domestic violence in the county could rely on the sheriff deputies to find their batterers and serve them with court orders to stay away. Domestic violence victims do not have to put family members or friends at risk for the service of the orders, nor do they have to worry about the $75 to $100 fee. For more information about this service, contact the Family Court Information Clinic at (408) 299-8567.

Highlights of Supervisor Alvarado’s "State of the County" Initiatives: A year ago, I delivered my State of the County Address which highlighted our common purpose of offering a Chance for Every Child. I am proud to report that we’ve made amazing strides with our initiatives.

One of the initiatives that I undertook as chairperson – the Early Childhood Development Collaborative – is well on its way to ensuring an early childhood development continuum-of-care for children prenatal to 12 years of age. During this past year, we have established a collaborative that is comprised of over 50 representatives of schools, community-based organizations (CBOs), parenting groups, government agencies, child care providers, and other stakeholders. On February 11, the Children and Families Committee, which I chair, will be discussing the implementation of Proposition 10 in this county, and how this will affect our ability to provide Early Childhood Development programs.

My second initiative is the establishment of a Community Learning Assessment Center (CLAC), which will offer an early and uniform diagnosis of learning differences. The Center will be a parent-friendly and culturally-competent operation, run by a partnership of the County, CBOs, and schools. Research shows that as many as 60% of first time and 80% of second time juvenile offenders have learning disabilities. Consistent with the Board’s emphasis on prevention, funding has been secured so that we can get programs underway by the end of the calendar year. During my State of the County Address, I talked about possibilities, stretching our limits so that every child could have the chance to love, learn, and lead. We are on our way to seeing the fruits of our labor.

For more information, please contact my office at 299-2040.

Do you Have Roof Rats in Your Neighborhood or Yard? Many do. Once you get over the shock, you can contact the Vector Control of Santa Clara County for a publication called "What you Can Do to Control Rats?" First off, they suggest you host a block meeting with your neighbors to get rid of rats on the whole block: the Vector Control District can arrange a speaker or visual aids, flyers and brochures to your efforts.

The major problem species in our county is the roof rat (Rattus rattus). They feed on fruits, nuts, snails, vegetables, ivy and pet food. They live in homes, and in Algerian ivy, palms, yuccas, pampas grass, honey suckle, blackberries, junipers, star jasmine, lumber and wood piles commonly found in residential areas. They will enter buildings if given the opportunity and often uses utility lines and fences as runways. You can notice them outside at dusk, when they scurry between plants and the roof.

Rats and their fleas are capable of transmitting a variety of diseases including Leptospirosis and Salmonellosis, and even the bubonic plague (although there haven’t been any recent reports of the plague, but the potential remains as the rat population increases).

Recognizing rat activity: Be alert for the following signs of their activity:

• Damaged, scooped out, gnawed or partially eaten walnuts, oranges, avocados and other fruits.
• Broken snail shells under bushes on fences or in storage sheds.
• Signs of gnawing on plastic wood or rubber materials.
• Greasy rub marks caused by oily fur.
• Droppings on fence tops.
• Gnawing sounds in walls or attics.

Control is dependent on environmental management and sanitation, supplemented by wise use of rodenticides.

Harvest fruits and produce as it becomes ripe, picking up on a daily basis. Never leave uneaten pet food out over night. Keep palms, yucca, ivy and other heavy shrubbery well trimmed and away from the house, trees and utility poles. Eliminate any standing water. Store wood at least 18" off the ground and 12" away from walls and fences Do not plant or allow groundcovers over 10" tall –mow the ivy annually.

To avoid rats entering your house: check and repair screens in foundation vents; around piping or wire entrances; spaces between heavy roof shakes; attic vents; and around vent pipes.

Trapping is recommended indoors: poison could cause rats to die in inaccessible locations where they would smell, and poison is hazardous to children and pets. Rat traps are larger than mousetraps, and several should be set to maximize effectiveness. Bait can include: peanut butter, nutmeats, pieces of apples, moistened oatmeal and candy. Traps should be put where rats frequently go, and pairs should be placed in opposite directions.

If rodenticides are used, note whether material slow acting or an acute anti-coagulant. Most rodenticides are the chronic type which require several consecutive feedings to reach lethal levels and therefore the supply must be replenished immediately. For more information and to receive the brochure call Vector Control at 408/299-2050.

Joe Guerra who attended WGNA Boardmeetings as Chief of Staff for Councilmember Fiscalini. For years Joe faithfully kept us updated and carried our concerns back to the district office. He leaves to become budget and land use advisor to Mayor Gonzales.

J. Michael Gonzales and the following volunteers who made our Meridian Avenue Tree Planting a great success: Maryanne Mills, Peggy Janicki, Sal Barbera, Sandra Beckerdite, Lynn Repetsky, Helen Solinski, Phil Rossignol, Peggy Rossignol, Patsy Neher, Larry Ames, Kris Cunningham, Michele Kelly, Lynn Kelly, Monica Johnston, Tiralisa Kaplow, Alfredo Gonzalez, Michele Snock, John Gibbs, and Grace Conley.

Bruce Kosanovic who showed up the morning of the planting with two dozen donuts. Bruce wanted to be a part of our effort but had to go to a good friend’s wedding that day. The donuts supplied that much needed energy as we dug into soil that hadn’t been worked in decades!

Papa John’s Pizza, Manhattan Bagels, A-1 Rentals, and Pete’s Coffee for donating foods and services to our tree planting.

Tony and Paulette Ornellas for an unbelievable Christmas lights display and for offering their beautiful home for the WGNA board holiday party. Thanks also go to members Bill and Jan Nicolosi, Robin and Steve Denton, and all block captains who continue to make sure the Willow Glen Christmas Tree Tradition lives on.

Mayor Ron Gonzales for appointing a Neighborhood Assistance Coordinator, Guiselle Nunez, to act as a liaison between the Mayor’s office and the neighborhoods.

If you renew your membership before the expiration date, you’ll get the full year’s worth of newsletters, uninterrupted, and you’ll also save us the postage on the reminder notice. We do appreciate your membership; also, it’s heartening to read the little notes of support with the renewals: the comments on successfully hosting a block Christmas party, the regrets on leaving the area, the joys of living in Willow Glen. Thanks!

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