Robbery update

Updates on yesterday's robbery.

Gardner Community Center Youth Programming

Councilmember Liccardo would like to convene a meeting to discuss the Gardner Community Center and youth programming at the center for the next several months. The meeting will be at 6:30 this Wednesday, June 30, immediately after the grand re-opening celebration for Biebrach Pool. The weather should be nice, so we will more than likely have an outdoor meeting just outside the pool area.

Biebrach Pool Re-Opening

Press Release from San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services:

Sparkle Swim School to Host Splash Down Event
New Community Partner Celebrates the Opening of Biebrach Pool

San José, CA– San Jose’s new community partner; Sparkle Swim School, will celebrate the opening of the Biebrach Pool with a Splash Down event on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 6pm - 7pm, W. Virginia St & Delmas Ave. Gardner community members and city residents are encouraged to join the fun.

Sparkle Swim School offers Recreational Swim and Swim Lessons Monday through Saturday for all ages, from water babies to adults at affordable rates. This pool site joins the City’s five other sites; Camden, Fair Swim Center, Mayfair and Rotary Ryland pools as well as Almaden Lake, in offering aquatic recreation this summer. The opening of Biebrach Pool was made possible by sponsorship from Council District 3 and the San Jose Parks Foundation in collaboration with local non-profit operator, Sparkle Swim School.

Event: Sparkle Swim School Splash Down
When: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 6pm – 7pm
Where: Biebrach Pool, W. Virginia St & Delmas Ave.,
Featured Speaker: Councilmember Sam Liccardo


More Information:
For more information on the Splash Down event contact Alison Brown at 535-3579 or Alison.Brown@sanjoseca.gov.
For more information on the more information on the City of San Jose Aquatics program, contact Dan Wax at 535-3576 or dan.wax@sanjoseca.gov.
For more information on recreational swimming and swim lessons at Biebrach Pool please contact Sparkle Swim School, 408-332-3623, info@sparkleswimschool.com or visit www.sparkleswimschool.com

Police calls in the neighborhood

Another tool is available to track the police calls or stops in the area. This data does not include all crime, since many reports are filed via phone or internet, but you can set up alerts to know more about what's happening in the area.

Local home invasion robbery

A nearby family was the victim of an early-morning home invasion robbery. Read the details and keep your homes locked.

Be careful at Bird and Willow

Because the street construction project is not quite finished, the lane markers have not been replaced on Willow as you approach Bird Avenue. This means that the left turn lane (to turn on to Bird) is not marked and the two lanes that travel straight are not marked. On several occasions, three lanes of cars have traveled straight ahead (after the light turns green) and within 50 feet are narrowed to one lane, causing a confusing and dangerous situation. Hopefully, the lane markers will be replaced soon, but in the interim, use a great deal of caution and a good dose of yielding at that intersection to prevent an accident.

Volunteers needed: July 4 flier delivery

We are looking for help to deliver fliers for the noontime July 4 potluck in Fuller Park. If you can help deliver fliers by Friday, call Bill at 408-893-6684 or email bill@networds.com.

Local Burglary

You can use crimereports.com to keep tabs on local incidents. There's a report of a burglary last Tuesday near Willow and Prevost. Check out more information.

The weather is heating up so be prepared

The summer heat is here, so it's a good time to review the very useful information from the San Jose Fire Department about fire prevention and other safety issues. There's information on child car seats, senior safety, wildfire awareness, smoke detectors, and more. Check it out at http://www.sjfd.org/PubEd/index_pubed.asp.

Three Arrested in Connection with Willow Glen and South San Jose Home Burglaries

Because of great work by alert neighbors, three people have been arrested for various property crimes, including possession of stolen property. Check out the good news at http://www.sjpd. org/inews/ viewPressRelease .asp?ID=395

Repairs underway on Willow Street

If you haven't already noticed, repairs are underway on Willow Street from Lelong Avenue to Lincoln Avenue. The project to rebuild Willow Street is part of the Economic Recovery Projects.

Watch for detours and uneven pavement!

Don't forget to water young trees...

News from Our City Forest:

Please, water young trees! Summer heat waves can be fatal.

Newly planted and young trees are especially at risk! During the dry season:

• Water with 5-10 gallons at least twice a week
• Soil should be moist but not over-saturated
• Add mulch around the base, but NOT touching the trunk

Learn more about tree care & watering on the Our City Forest web site!

Questions? Contact OCF today at (408) 998-7337 x118.

Mercury news article: High-speed rail route

Today's Mercury News had an article about the high-speed rail project and removing the neighborhood route from the Environmental Impact Report.

HSR: Neighborhood route no longer being considered!

Congratulations Greater Gardner--the neighborhoods of North Willow Glen, Gardner, and Gregory Plaza!

High Speed Rail staff released their choice for routes through San Jose Thursday morning at 9 am. The board is expected to approve the recommendations at about noon on Thursday.

The only route that will be analyzed in the EIR is 87-280.

The Fuller Park alignment has been dropped.  They plan no High Speed Rail trains on the current alignment. This means by 2015 there will be just UPRR, a few Caltrains (about 6 per day), and some Ace trains that will park at Tamien.

Here's why High Speed Rail staff recommended no Greater Gardner alignment--

"..because of potential impacts to the neighborhoods including community cohesion, noise/vibration, impacts on Fuller Park and displacement of a nonprofit (house of worship). The recommended alternative (SR-87/I-280) would minimize impacts by utilizing the existing freeway corridors for much of the approach to the station and would move the alignment away from the Greater Gardner neighborhood. "

This phenomenal outcome came about--

--Thanks to the Greater Gardner team that wrote the 55-pages of scoping questions one year ago that brought forward the problems of High Speed Rail through Gardner.

--Thanks to the Greater Gardner community members who attended meeting after meeting and made their positions clear.

--Thanks to Greater Gardner neighborhood groups and leaders for writing the formal letters, meeting with Councilmembers, writing and meeting with State Legislators, Congresspersons and their staff.

--Thanks to the Greater Gardner community members who gave a comprehensive coordinated presentation at May's High Speed Rail Board meeting. They received special acknowledgment from members of the Board as well as newspaper coverage.

--Thanks to the community members who took HSRA staff on tours of the community, who coordinated the meetings at the Gardner center, who left fliers at neighbors' doors, who translated for their neighbors, who brought neighbors in their cars.

--Thanks especially to the Henry Servin--a member of the San Jose Department of Transportation.  He designed the 280-87 alternative.  Send Henry a thank-you note.   Henry.Servin@ sanjoseca. gov

The North Willow Glen, Gardner, and Gregory Plaza neighborhoods will need to remain vigilant about design of the 87-280 alignment and to make sure that no one changes their mind about using the existing railroad right of way.  As with everything in life, nothing is final until it is final. In this case, until the tracks are laid it won't be final. But we can be sure that things are looking better for Greater Gardner than they were!