Willow Glen Neighborhood Association
P. O. Box 7706,
San Jose CA 95150
408/294-WGNA
www.WGNA.net
October 2008 editor: Helen Solinski
Fall General Meeting
Thursday, October 16, 7 PM
Willow Glen Baptist Church
(on Minnesota at Hicks)
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· Councilmember Judy Chirco (D9)
· Fire Chief Darryl van Raesfeld
· San Jose’s “Futurist” Kim Walesh
and San Jose’s “Envision 2040”
General Plan Update
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We are having interesting and informative speakers at our Fall General Meeting:
We welcome Councilmember Judy Chirco, who represents District 9, including the southern portions of Willow Glen. One of the hot topics in her district has been the long response times for fire protection / emergency services. The solution is to construct a fire station (to be called “Station 37”) to serve the region, as was approved by the voters when they passed a bond measure in 2002. The early plans for Station 37 have raised number of issues: traffic congestion; noise; can it be located on park land; and will another fire station have to be closed to pay for this one? While some of these questions still have be resolved (one of them by the voters this November), at least the last question has been answered: Councilmember Chirco, together with Councilmember Oliverio and Mayor Reed, wrote an ordinance, adopted by the Council, that restored the endangered Station 6 and also established a public review process for any future fire station closure or relocation plans. (Councilmember Oliverio can’t make our Fall meeting, but we hope to invite him to future meetings.)
We welcome Darryl van Raesfeld, the recently appointed Fire Chief. The San Jose Fire Department has been working to improve protection and emergency services across the city. They are using an algorithm to model the response times in every part of the city, and they use the results to determine how to allocate resources and where to build additional stations.
And we welcome Kim Walesh, San Jose’s “futurist.” (We had originally scheduled for her to speak at next spring’s General Meeting, as we had hoped to have a candidates’ forum for the County Supervisorial race, but the candidates’ schedules were not conducive, and we’re pleased that Kim was agreeable to speaking now instead.) Ms. Walesh is one of the planners who are working on San Jose’s General Plan Update, entitled “Envision 2040.” As the name suggests, this is a long-range plan for the City, and involves trying to predict what the needs of the residents will be some thirty years in the future. The plan is an extension of the current “San Jose 2020” plan, which in turn was based on the “Horizon 2000” plan from the early 1980’s. (And WGNA Boardmembers were actively involved with each of them!) By the way, both Councilmembers Chirco and Oliverio serve on the Envision 2040 Task Force.
How did that old song go? “Summertime and the livin’ is easy”? Ha! – there was no rest this summer for the WGNA Board: seems like we’ve been working overtime, what with the numerous high-density projects in development in and around Willow Glen; the proposal to close and sell Fire Station 6 on Cherry at Minnesota; and parks, trails, and the shape of Willow Glen and all of San Jose being discussed and planned.
In addition to the Envision 2040 General Plan Update Meetings, San Jose has also been holding Working Group meetings on the Three-Creeks (WG Spur) Trail and on updates to “the Greenprint” (San Jose Park’s strategic long-range planning document), all with WGNA representation.
Early next year, San Jose is instituting a new Commission, designed to be “of the neighborhoods, for the neighborhoods.” After a complex selection process this summer, two WGNA Boardmembers (Hugh Graham and I) were selected to help represent Districts 9 and 6, respectively.
And there’s the aforementioned nearby high-density developments, and the website, and the Willow Glen Business District, and Traffic Calming, and …
To try to deal with all of this, the WGNA Board is working to set up “subcommittees” that can examine and digest details of the various issues during the time between the monthly Board meetings, with the hope of both expediting the monthly meetings and improving the response time. The subcommittees presently established:
· Bylaws and Procedures
· Budget
· Business Liaison
· eList Moderation
· “Green” issues (Parks, Trails, Habitat, etc.)
· History
· Nomination
· Planning and Land Use
· Public Safety and Transportation
· Rules (agenda-setting), and
· Technology (website and eList format).
If you are interested in finding out more about these subcommittees, and perhaps volunteering to help, please check the www.wgna.net website.
The City Staff, Planners, and the Public are working on the General Plan Update, “Envision 2040”, which will set policy, design guidelines, and zoning based on predictions of what the City will need thirty-some years in the future. So it’s fair to ask, what is the track record: how well have past planners been able to predict that far in the future? Well, while recently cleaning out an old desk, I happened to come across this: a newspaper article by Ray Hebert of the Los Angeles Times News Service, dated Friday, July 25, 1975. (No, they didn’t predict flying cars, but they did mention household robots (wrong!) and also Internet shopping – years before the World Wide Web existed!)
What life will be like by year 2000
Mass transit the key
LOS ANGELES — By 1983 cars will be banned from the central cores of most large cities.
In 20 years commuters, at least, may not have to worry about cars at all. By then they will have their choice of free public transportation — buses or rapid transit systems — in California’s major cities.
In 25 years air pollution will be less than half the problem it is now.
These are some of the trends a group of experts has forecast in transportation and for other phases of society for the remainder of the 20th century and into the first few years of the 21st century.
Transit plan
The California Department of Transportation asked for their views as an aid in preparing the state Transportation Plan which will be submitted to the Legislature early next year. The forecasts — a sort of consensus of the experts’ views of the future — will be used by CalTrans to tailor the statewide transportation plan to changing needs and values.
The idea of the futures study was to identify significant developments that are likely to occur in the next 30 years. The futurists pinpointed 263 trends and events in a variety of areas ranging from transportation of people and goods to science and technology, communications and international affairs.
Taking part in the futures research were 46 experts in transportation, city planning, energy, law, industry and education.
The answer
The study foresees major changes that will not only have an impact on transportation but will also redirect the way people live, play and work.
The experts, the report says, gave the greatest attention to mass transportation in their study of different types of moving people and goods. But they gave only passing attention to highways and virtually none to sea and air transportation.
“They appear to view mass transportation as a near-term solution to both the energy and environmental problems,” the report says. “They also are quite hopeful that energy availability will increase and pollution levels will decrease over the next 30 years.”
In the transportation field, the experts agree that such facilities as moving sidewalks, people movers and personal rapid transit systems will be introduced in the early 1980s.
Good, rapid public transportation will be available in all parts of California about the same time — a period that also will see active government participation in building mass transit systems in California’s major metropolitan areas.
The experts also predict that advanced rapid transit systems, such as monorails and air-cushion vehicles, will start appearing in many cities in the late 1980s.
By the year 2000, the demand for public mass transit will be three times what it is today, and there also will be nearly three times as many people opposed to the construction of new freeways.
Work at home
Significantly, about 50 per cent more people will be using public transportation by 1995, but fewer people will be commuting to work by then. Electronic communication, allowing people to work and shop at home, will replace about one of four of the trips people make today.
By the early 1980s, the study shows, intercity rail passenger service will improve on a par with European levels.
But while there will be more than three times as many people using public transportation in California’s cities by 1995, there will also be more people walking and bicycling to work.
The futurists predict there will be a 40 per cent increase in bicycle use by 1995 and a doubling of the walk-to-work and bicycle-to-work forces between 1985 and 1995.
In addition, fewer trucks will be on the highways, with a corresponding increase in the railroads carrying long-haul goods.
More play
Looking at other changing values, the futurists tried to measure changing attitudes toward the quality of life in California. They agree that fewer people will be satisfied with what the state has to offer by 1995 and disenchantment will grow even more by the year 2005.
The experts foresee an increase in the amount of time people spend on recreational and intellectual pursuits. Furthermore, there will be an increase in the percentage of people who are of working age but who work less than full time.
Other forecasts include:
—Within 10 years California motorists will be able to buy battery-operated cars as competitive substitutes for today’s gas burners.
—Coal gasification will be an economically viable source of fuel beginning in the late 1970s.
—The first commercial breeder reactor will be operating in California in the late 1980s.
—A trend will be established toward “technological restoration,” which the study described as the rediscovery and re-creation of such things as the village, the sidewalk and bike- ways.
—And, versatile household robots will be available starting in the late 1980s.
Institutions change
Institutions, the experts agree, also will change. Some forecasts in this field — and others — include:
—Governmental agencies will be created specifically to control land use, starting in the late 1970s.
—The quality of decision making and planning in the public sector will improve significantly in the 1980s.
—The degree of urban decay in California cities will nearly double by 1995.
—Large-scale ocean mining off California’s coast will get under way by the late 1980s.
—California’s first commercial solar power plant will be installed by the late 1980s.
—Spending to protect and restore the environment will continue its upward spiral,
—General introduction of electronic mail starting in the early 1980s.
—A drop in the average retirement age to 60 by 1985 and to 59 by the year 2005.
—A decrease in the average length of the workweek to 35 hours by 1985, 33 hours by 1995 and 30 hours by the year 2005.
—Introduction of instant polling of public opinion starting in the early 1980s.
—A gradual decrease in the influence of the highway lobby to one-third its present impact by the year 2005.
—Adoption of ordinances by most major California cities limiting their population sometime after the year 2010.
—A gradual decrease in the percentage of single-family houses in California.
—A doubling of citizen involvement in community planning by 1995.
—A gradual increase in the amount of leisure time available to the average Californian, with nearly 50 per cent more available by the year 2005.
—An increase in the average number of weeks of annual vacation time with the number climbing to five in 1995 and six in the year 2005.
—Legislation establishing a minimum guaranteed annual income starting in the early 1980s.
As this is the first newsletter since the May balloting, we need to officially report that a quorum of the WGNA membership voted, and the (uncontested) slate of candidates was elected. Your vote of support is most appreciated! – it enables us to work with developers, elected officials, and staff, as the officially elected representatives of the community. Thank you!
There have been a couple changes since May: both Chris Piekarski and Charley Luckhardt have had to leave the Board due to the time demands of private life. And Nell Aiello has stepped up to be Treasurer, with Acting Treasurer Ed Rast resuming the position of Elected Boardmember.
We have a couple vacancies on the Board: if you would like to get involved in the community, please feel free to contact me (President@wgna.net) or the Nominating Committee (nominations@wgna.net) for more information.
In the last newsletter, we asked you to let us know how you felt about development in the Midtown area (just north of Willow Glen, around Race and San Carlos).
The results of the three survey questions:
Question 1: What would you like to see at the VTA site in Midtown at San Carlos and Sunol in the way of shops?
· 12 said “None. If shops are built there, they would compete with Valley Fair, Santana Row, and Lincoln Ave.”
· 36 said “Some: enough for the daily shopping of the local residents: a coffee shop, video store, and a Kwik-E-Mart for local residents”, and
· 28 said “Lots: make another Santana Row: make it a destination worth going to.”
Question 2: How much housing should be built on the VTA Midtown site?
· 44 said “Very little if any: the traffic in the area is already bad!”
· 27 said “Fairly dense: make it at the same density (3-4-5 stories) as the nearby development by KB Homes at the old Del Monte cannery, also like that at Saddle Rack south of the Midtown McDonalds,” and
· only 7 said “Tall and very dense: the plan for three 12-story towers: the more residents in the area means more riders on the Light Rail system. It’s time for San Jose to ‘grow up’!”
Question 3: If/when either the plaza with shops or the high-density housing development is built there, how would you get there?
· 9 voted for “Light Rail – it goes straight there.”
· 23 voted for “I like my car: they’d better have lots of free parking!”
· 27 said “Walk/bike/roller-skate: it’s near the Los Gatos Creek Trail, there hopefully will be bike-lanes and broad sidewalks, and it’s cheaper than riding the Light Rail and more environmentally responsible than driving,” and
· 24 said “Why would I bother to go there?”
Thank you for voting! We have used, and will continue to use, this data when dealing with staff and developers in the Midtown area.
San Jose’s population has grown by leaps and bounds and the city has provided more housing—including both market rate and affordable housing—in Santa Clara County and the Bay Area than any other municipality. Once a city filled with orchards, San Jose is now a sprawling suburb and still growing. Although you may see open space in the city, much of it was zoned for housing 10-20 years ago and just hasn’t been built on yet.
When it comes to San Jose being compensated for parks, there is a significant monetary difference between market rate and affordable housing. Currently, San Jose receives park fees when building market rate housing. This money can go to improving an existing park in the area of the new development, or it can purchase land close by (if there is any available to purchase), or the park fee could allow for a donation of land to be used for a new park or trail.
On the other hand, affordable housing is exempt from park fees. The thought behind the exemption was that the development could be “even more affordable.” For several years, the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) came to the rescue and paid the park fees ($43.4 million) on behalf of the affordable housing developers. However, that well ran dry September 2005.
The city of San Jose has a housing department funded mostly by the RDA and a small amount of federal money. Approximately 20% of the RDA budget must go to affordable housing according to state law. This year, the RDA will give the housing department $38 million for affordable housing, compared to $30 million in 2007. These RDA funds are then bonded out by the housing department to raise more funds.
The housing department has a $9.7 million personnel budget to staff 83 people to provide funding and technical assistance for the construction of new affordable housing and home buyer assistance. Also, they provide direct and indirect assistance to the homeless and those at risk of homelessness, and services that secure housing and related services. Finally, they lobby for state and federal money and, alarming to me, they lobby the San Jose city planning department for land conversions from industrial to affordable housing. Currently, the city will allow affordable housing on land that is zoned for industry or commercial (our tax base), but not market rate housing.
The housing department and affordable housing advocates are on a quest to build as many units possible in San Jose. The financial markets are in the dumps when it comes to financing market rate housing. This allows affordable housing to rise to the top because of its ability to move forward and be built today.
In my opinion, I believe affordable housing should pay park fees or preserve land on site of the development for a park. If the city continues to exempt affordable housing builders from park fees, then we will be creating problematic neighborhoods. For example, in my own district I have the Richmond/Menker neighborhood. This area is packed with apartments and no place for kids to play, so they play in the street. It is not just my district; District 1, off of Winchester, or District 10, off of Blossom Hill, and countless areas of greater downtown have too many people without enough open space.
We should fund park land acquisition out of the housing department budget and/or developers should pay the park fees. As a hypothetical example, let’s say the council wants to approve 3,000 affordable units in a year with no land/money for parks. Then the City of San Jose should scale down to 2400 units that have parks—quality vs. quantity.
If San Jose is serious about providing good homes to folks who cannot afford market rate, then we should be building affordable communities that have a quality of life and are not just providing shelter. The race to sainthood for the city on how many affordable units can be built might have a nice PR ring, but I believe that without parks attached to these projects, neighborhoods will suffer.
Poor people need parks as well as market rate people. With new residents, our current parks will become overused. San Jose should focus on the quality of developments and their amenities instead of meeting some housing quota suggested by people who do not live in San Jose.
Do you think that affordable housing should be built on land that is zoned for commercial or industrial uses? Do you think that the council should stop approving new affordable developments until we figure out a way to pay for parks?
I always dread the presidential election season, but this year, my anxiety is far greater than years past. The stakes seem to be higher. Both major platforms seem to be carrying a lot of “emotional baggage.” Many of us are deeply concerned that our chosen candidate may not win the election. I think all this political drama has made us battle-worn and edgy. Yet, another significant concern is what the effects of this election and election fatigue will do to the unity of our country, and yes, to our community.
In years past, I would energetically debate with members of the opposite party (MOPs). I was up to the challenge of trying to convince them that they were voting for their candidates for the “wrong” reasons. I felt justified in considering them nice people and casual friends, but too different from me to embrace as close friends.
In recent times, I’ve developed friendships with people, whom I deeply respect and who share many of the same values I do, but who are also MOPs. Usually, I’d be dumbfounded when I found out. For instance, a while back my husband and I entertained some friends, whom we always assumed were of “our party.” When the talk turned to politics, we were all surprised when our differing political affiliations came out. Not only was there an elephant in the room, but a donkey, too. I think we all wondered how could these friends we have so much in common with be of the “other” persuasion.
More recently, I’ve come to appreciate that for most of us, our political affiliations, (even down to local politics), are based on certain ideals that we embrace from our party’s or candidates’ platform. Furthermore, it’s not always such a cut-and-dried affiliation. We may find ourselves liking some of the other party’s ideals (and even some of their candidates.) Ironically, some of us may have more in common with MOPs than we do with some members of our own party.
I think in our politically active, diverse and community-minded Willow Glen, we typically exercise the freedom to vote for and promote the candidates that best represents our ideals. But wouldn’t it be great if we all recognize that in order to preserve our communities, we need to respect the MOPs in our neighborhood and in our lives. Even more, we would truly be “liberal minded” if we try to understand and value those who happen to have dissimilar ideals and who vote differently from ourselves.
On October 26, 2008, The Metro Silicon Valley Marathon returns for its eleventh running, with thousands of participants and spectators alike descending upon the technology capital of the world to compete in one of the most popular running events on the West Coast. Under management by Evolve Sports, LLC, the producers of The Mavericks Surf Contest®, The Metro Silicon Valley Marathon offers new and seasoned runners the chance to compete in a Marathon, a Half Marathon, the 5K Run/Walk presented by The Community Newspapers, and the Silicon Valley Kids Races.
The Metro Silicon Valley Marathon course will once again start in downtown San Jose on Almaden Blvd. near Park Ave. and take off heading south. The course makes its way through the heart of Willow Glen and funnels onto the Los Gatos Creek Trail for an amazingly scenic, traffic-free journey to beautiful Vasona Lake Park. The course continues on the Creek Trail across the Old Town Bridge for a short loop in Los Gatos and back to the Creek Trail where runners retrace their steps towards downtown San Jose. The Creek Trail is an asphalt bike/pedestrian trail making the whole course 100% paved. The finish line is the lawn of Discovery Meadow – the perfect location for the post-race celebration, awards ceremony and a live concert.
The Silicon Valley 5K Run/Walk takes place on a flat, fast course providing a great opportunity for the whole family to compete! This run/walk has been set for a Halloween theme on October 26, 2008, as the race will feature costume contests, prizes for all ages, and a tremendous post-race celebration. After the 5k there will even be races for kids. If you can walk, you can race at the MSVM festival of races. Register for any event for a full day of fun and activity.
For more information, go to www.svmarathon.com.
What is the flu shot? The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. It contains three influenza viruses. The three vaccine strains – one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus – are representative of the influenza vaccine strains recommended for that year. Viruses for the flu shot are grown in eggs.
Who should get a flu shot? In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications. During flu seasons when vaccine supplies are limited or delayed, the ACIP makes recommendations regarding priority groups for vaccination.
People who should get vaccinated each year are:
1. Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
2. Pregnant women
3. People 50 years of age and older
4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5. People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
6. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
a. Health care workers
b. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
c. Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
Who should not get a flu shot? Talk with a doctor before getting a flu shot if you:
1. Have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu shot or
2. Have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).
If you are sick with a fever when you go to get your flu shot, you should talk to your doctor or nurse about getting your shot at a later date. However, you can get a flu shot at the same time you have a respiratory illness without fever or if you have another mild illness.
How effective is the flu shot? With the flu shot, when the “match” between vaccine and circulating strains is close, the vaccine prevents influenza in about 70%-90% of healthy persons younger than age 65 years. Among elderly persons living outside chronic-care facilities (such as nursing homes) and those persons with long-term (chronic) medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), the flu shot is 30%-70% effective in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza. Among elderly nursing home residents, the flu shot is most effective in preventing severe illness, secondary complications, and deaths related to the flu. In this population, the shot can be 50%-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu.
Can the flu shot give me the flu? No, the flu shot cannot cause flu illness. The three influenza viruses contained in the flu vaccine are each inactivated (killed), which means they cannot cause infection. Flu vaccine manufacturers kill the viruses used in the vaccine during the process of making vaccine, and batches of flu vaccine are tested to make sure they are safe. In randomized, blinded studies, where some people got flu shots and others got saltwater shots, the only differences in symptoms was increased soreness in the arm and redness at the injection site among people who got the flu shot. There were no differences in terms of body aches, fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat.
When is the flu vaccine available? The flu vaccine is generally offered between September and mid-November, which is typically before the late-fall to early winter start of flu season. However, getting a flu shot even later in the flu season may still protect you. It takes up to two weeks to build immunity following a flu shot.
SJSU Welcomes New President
There is plenty of excitement at San José State University this fall – with record-breaking enrollment of more than 32,000 students, including 3,800 freshmen, 50 new tenure-track faculty members, and a new president, Dr. Jon Whitmore and his wife, Jennifer.
President Whitmore, replacing Don W. Kassing who retired in June, previously served for five years as president of Texas Tech University. Prior to Texas Tech, Whitmore served as provost and professor of theatre arts at the University of Iowa. They have two children who are currently attending the University of Iowa where they grew up.
President Whitmore is proud to say that, like many of the students at SJSU, he is a first-generation college graduate. “My parents’ support, and the fact that tuition was then $300 were what made college possible for me.” He received master’s and bachelor’s degrees in speech from the University of Washington. Later, he received his Ph.D. in theatre history from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
He and Jennifer were attracted to the university’s heritage, its diversity, and its national reputation for high quality bachelor’s and master’s programs. They were impressed with how the university has risen to a new level of statewide and national recognition.
“We’re delighted to be in this urban setting in Silicon Valley, in a growing state, on the Pacific Rim,” said Whitmore. “It is a fabulous location for a university. I believe there are many more positive connections we can make as an anchor institution in this vibrant region. I’d like to see us deepen our engagement with Silicon Valley and the city of San José as both learning and research environments”, he added.
Other priorities named by the president include: focusing on student success to help our students graduate in a timely way; exploring green technology; and enhancing information technology.
Monument to César E. Chávez Dedicated
As the culmination of a community-wide effort to honor the legendary human rights activist César E. Chávez, the stunning 22-foot high Arch of Dignity, Equality and Justice monument was recently dedicated. Hundreds of university and community members gathered along the Chávez, Plaza (formerly South Seventh Street) for the ceremony, which featured Mayor Chuck Reed, labor leader Dolores Huerta, members of the Chavez family and noted artist, Judith F. Baca.
The memorial arch signifies the university’s commitment to Chávez’s ideals of dignity, equality and justice. It is a lasting tribute to a heroic man and his extraordinary legacy. It also stands as a testimony to the universal principles and values that Chávez held dear, and will inspire future generations to commit to those same ideals.
President Whitmore in his remarks at the event, said, “San José State University is a campus where social justice is not just a phrase – it lives. What better place, then, to bring honor and attention to César Chávez, a man who made improving the lives of others his central and abiding life work? As people walk our campus, visit the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, stand in front of the Smith-Carlos sculpture, and as they come under this arch, we hope that they all may be enlightened and inspired by these remarkable examples, today and for generations to come.”
Visit a rendering of the monument under “Current Public Art Projects” at www.chavez.ucla.edu/jb_bio.html.
Students Help Save City Trees
Real problems, real solutions. That’s what the Gary J. Sbona Honors Program at SJSU’s College of Business is all about. So when the city of San José approached the college with a problem, students produced a solution.
San José is home to more than a million trees on public and private property, but the personnel assigned to care for them sit in various departments throughout City Hall. To resolve this dilemma, students created a virtual department of tree care. It’s a one-stop shop online that makes it easier for residents to get tree information in a timely manner, something vital to those seeking to save trees, or remove problematic ones.
The San José City Council recently commended students Rick Dexter, Chienfei Connie Chen and Kiran Sharma for their work, which includes the ability to apply for permits online. A Google Earth map pinpointing significant trees provides everyone with a fresh perspective on these civic treasures. Perhaps the best part for the students was the professional experience they gained teaching themselves to use software needed to complete the project, according to faculty advisor Jeanne Sawyer.
Check out the Web site at www.sanjoseca.gov/tree.
Classes Without Quizzes
The SJSU Alumni Association will present a variety of fun and engaging classes for community members, led by university faculty, on Saturday, October 4, from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Choose from many topics, such as: how vacation can improve your life and well-being; preparing for tax reform; retirement 101; the power of play and how it can lead to personal growth and development; why diets don’t work; and international manners, serving with style. There will also be activities for teens and children. All classes and activities are free. After the last class session at 12:30 p.m., there will be a free barbecue lunch at the barbecue pit area on Seventh Street across from the Event Center. Check out the classes at www.sjsu.edu/homcoming/.
For more about San José State University, see www.sjsu.edu.
As we all know, Willow Glen is a beautiful area to live in. What none of us want is the excessive traffic that comes by those traveling to the various points of destination within our community. Those of us on the south end of Newport Avenue, between Malone and Curtner, have petitioned the Department of Transportation to investigate the high speed of traffic on Newport. This stretch of road is essentially a straight shot from one end to the other, with no stop signs or means to slow traffic. Whether it is traffic going to Willow Glen Middle or High Schools, or just traffic avoiding Cottle or Lincoln, speeds can approach 50 mph, as told to me by my CHP neighbor. Five years ago when we moved to the area, I asked the DOT to perform a study and was told the Newport Avenue did not meet the threshold to do any traffic calming. Thanks to Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio and his active involvement in getting the City to adopt new thresholds for traffic calming, we will hopefully see some positive results. We don’t expect traffic to completely go away, nor do we expect that everyone will slow down. But if we can get a good majority of the traffic to slow down on Newport, we will have been successful. So watch out for the traffic cops on Newport. We don’t know exactly what the city will propose, but hopefully it will result in positive actions for all of our neighbors.
Books For Treats, the Willow Glen-based program that encourages residents to give gently read books to your trick-or-treaters instead of candy, needs your help. At www.BooksForTreats.org you can download a free kit that walks you through how you can get books and sort them by grade level. We’ve even supplied signs and book marks you can print out.
Volunteer needs:
· Fri., Oct. 31, 9:00-noon, 2:30-5:30 – Lincoln Ave. Garden Theater portico. Set up and staff Books For Treats table on Halloween during Lincoln Ave. trick-or-treating. We’ll be giving books from 10:00-12:00 for pre-school children, and 3:00-5:00 for grades K-6, until supplies are depleted. We need to set up tables, banners, and books from 9:00-10, and then at the end of the day we need to clean up and pack up. We have been told Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio will help us pass out books.
Other needs:
· If you have sources of gently read children’s books, especially from baby through second grade, please contact them and see if they will donate. You can either email me directly for a drop-off point near Minnesota and Newport, or drop off at Siena Bistro or Willow Glen Yoga.
· If you have a way to distribute Books For Treats promotional bookmarks, let us know and we’ll get some to you.
· If you’d like to make a monetary contribution to support our web hosting, bookmark printing, etc. let us know and we’ll tell you where to send the check or PayPal us.
And of course, we hope you are gathering books to give to your own trick-or-treaters. You can get the word out by telling your neighbors, friends and coworkers about the concept of Books For Treats and encouraging them to go to www.BooksForTreats.org to download their free kit walking them through how to give books to their trick-or-treaters. Encourage them to register on the site to get updates as this program evolves.
Books For Treats continues to grow. We hear from more people starting the concept in their own area. Denise from Portland, OR has organized Books For Treats there, and we’ve heard from others around the country who doing Books For Treats in their area as well.
“Feed kids’ minds, not their cavities. Give them brain candy.”
If you have an old-style (“traditional”) television and antenna, it will cease to work as of this coming February, because, by Government Mandate, the TV stations will stop broadcasting “analog” signals and will all convert to “digital” format.
To ease the pain on the consumer, the Government is offering a $40 rebate towards the purchase of the $60 converter box for each owner of an analog TV that uses an antenna (up to two rebates per household). Go to www.DTV2009.gov for information and a simple application form.
I recently got my converter, and it is truly amazing how well my old TV works now!
In a buyers market, the competition is steep. Short sales and bank owned sales (REO’s) drive the prices down. Here are some tips to help you stand out from the crowd and get your property sold.
1) Curb appeal is a must! Get that grass greened up and trimmed (and keep it that way). Power wash the front and back. Tune up the paint with a fresh coat on the trim or a whole paint job (your realtor should have a good painter- mine typically costs between $1700-$2700). Get color into the front yard - say “come inside” with flowers! Trim big bushes and trees, you want to see the house. Bring the canopy of the trees up so you can see the house. Here is my article about how to improve curb appeal: http://www.ehow.com /how_4484181_have-great-curb-appeal.html
2) Clear and clean. Clear out anything extra in your home. Pictures, books, games (yes, all that extra furniture that you are holding for your sister - time to give it back to her or store it off site). Less is more within reason. Then it is time to clean! Hire someone if you have to. The house has to sparkle. From the baseboards to the crown molding. Buyers will be looking closely at the details of your home and have a hard time picturing living there if they see pet hair on the floor, a messy refrigerator or bathroom (Yes, buyers will sometimes look in the fridge!).
3) Consider staging the house. Even if you only have one room that needs work or just need a few accessories. Talk with your REALTOR® and be open about changing your artwork and color schemes on your bedding. When a home is staged it sells faster and for more money! I have seen buyers walk into a staged home and say things like, “I could live here” and “can they sell all the furniture with the house?” I have had a home that was vacant and sat on market for 3 months. When the seller allowed me to have it staged, that same house sold within 30 days!
4) Chose a realtor who knows Willow Glen. I recommend interviewing a few to find the right fit for your family. Once you hire a good realtor, remember, he or she is there to SELL your house not to list it. You did your due diligence to find a good realtor, so heed their advice if you want it sold.
5) If you do not have the benefit of a great location, the only pulls you have are price and condition. Do all that you can to upgrade your home. You may have heard that you do not get all your money back when doing a remodel. That may be true. However, the speed of sale is another way to look at Return On Investment (ROI). If your house has been upgraded, say, you put in some granite counters for $10K while you may not be advised to add $10K to the price, you will likely sell the house FASTER and that translates into one or more less mortgage payments!
The SJ Auxiliary benefiting the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is presenting their 36th Annual Pumpkin Patch Boutique, Sat Oct 11, 9 -3 PM at the First Congregational Church, corner of Leigh and Hamilton.
Lunch is being served from 11-1:30 for $10; Admission is $2.
My son won’t eat anything healthy, but loves the pumpkin bread recipe. So here it is, for all you Mom’s that can’t get their child to eat anything but waffles and peanut butter!
Ingredients:
1-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup shortening
1-1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup canned mashed pumpkin
1/3 cup juice or water
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preparation:
Grease and flour a 9´5´3-inch loaf pan. Into a bowl or onto wax paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a mixing bowl cream shortening and sugar; beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin. Stir in dry ingredients in 4 additions, alternating with the juice or water. Do not over beat. Fold in chopped walnuts. Turn into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool right-side-up on wire rack.