"Historical San Jose" photography contest

The Historic Landmarks Commission of San Jose is holding the first "Historical San Jose" photography contest.

Photo Categories

• Residential
• Non-residential Buildings
• Landscapes / Streetscapes

Contestant Levels

• Student (up to age 19)
• Adult

Winning entries will be displayed electronically on Civic Center Television and on monitors at City Hall.

Entries must be emailed by May 1st, 2010

Reception: May18th from 5:30 pm to 7:00pm in the Rotunda Mezzanine at City Hall.

For more information: http://www.historicalsjcontest2010.smugmug.com/

North Willow Glen in the Mercury News

North Willow Glen neighbors were featured in the Mercury News on Friday as they spoke to the High Speed Rail Authority about the Greater Gardner neighborhood. Check it out: http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news

Mercury News article: High-speed rail? Build it, but ...

Article about the High-Speed Rail Authority meeting in San Jose this week:
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14847661

Government reform town hall coming up

From Assemblymember Beall's office:

TAMING THE BEAST: REFORMING CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT

 If California’s state government undergoes reform, what changes will be made? How will those changes affect our lives? Will California’s massive problems actually be solved?

As the Legislature’s leadership puts forward a package of reforms, Assemblymember Jim Beall is sponsoring a town hall to examine and discuss the gargantuan task of overhauling a sprawling government that serves 38 million people and regulates the world’s eighth biggest economy.

Guest speaker Thad Kousser, a University of California-San Diego political science professor and a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institute will review the government reform initiatives circulating and being discussed in Sacramento. He will also review the results of a multi-lingual poll that ask Californians what they think are the problems and solutions to our biggest challenges.

Kousser is a recognized authority on state government and California constitutional reform.

GOVERNMENT REFORM TOWN HALL

6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 8
Willow Glen Community and Senior Center
2175 Lincoln Ave., San Jose

2010-2011 Community Budget Meeting Schedule

Mayor Reed and the San José City Council will be holding community meetings in each district over the next several weeks to seek input from residents about potential cuts in services and programs as well as changes in service delivery. The community budget meetings offer an opportunity for residents throughout San José to learn more about the budget and share their ideas and concerns. The meetings are open to the public, held in the evenings to make it easy for residents to participate. They will be held in March and April throughout San José. You may attend any of the locations/times.

http://www.sanjoseca.gov/mayor/goals/budget/PDF/2010_2011BudgetSchedule_s.pdf

High-Speed Rail Authority looking for your feedback

The HSRA has published an online survey to collect feedback on their web site and how you want to receive information about high-speed rail. The survey is at http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/262357/california-high-speed-rail-questionairre-web OR http://tinyurl.com/yev5q68

Mar 23 NWGNA meeting and flier distribution

We need help getting the word out for our upcoming neighborhood meeting on Tuesday Mar. 23 at the Word of Faith Church, 873 Delmas Ave (at the corner of Fuller). The meeting will run from 6:30 to 8:00 and will include NWGNA outlook for 2010, high-speed rail update, and a special guest speaker from the master gardener program.

If you can help drop off fliers at local homes, let us know.

-Fuller (between Gregory and Prevost) - 86 homes
-Warren, Shepherd, and Snyder - 61 homes
-Fisk, Willis, Brooks, and Marshall - 71 homes
-Bird (both east and west sides) - 64 homes
-Hull (between Bird and Prevost) - 71 homes
-Spencer and Delmas (between Willow and Fuller) - 108 homes
-Atlanta and Coe - 105 homes
-Willow from Bird including Bird and Willow apartments to Minnesota, Prevost, and the apartments at Prevost and Willow - 64 homes

Please let us know how you can help! Please call Bill at 408-893-6684.

High-Speed Rail Simulations

High-Speed Rail released the three simulations shown at the meeting last week. You can find them at the CHSRA web site in the library under SJ to Merced or go to the Shasta Hanchett web site.

1. Fuller Park/Gardner Alignment. Check out the height of the wall at Bird Avenue near Fuller.
2. 280/87 with simple posts.
3. 280/87 with iconic bridges also a fancier Diridon station.

Shasta Hanchett site: http://tinyurl.com/yhystqd
OR
CA High-Speed Rail site: http://tinyurl.com/yhn3h6g - look under Alternatives Analysis, March 2.

Meeting Minutes Available from March 2 HSR Presentation

The minutes from the March 2, 2010 High-Speed Rail meeting are are available on the North Willow Glen Yahoo! Groups List, under the "Files" section, http://tinyurl.com/ydul67f.

Bocce! Horseshoes! Oh, my!

North Willow Glen's Fuller Park has both a bocce court and a horseshoe pit, with lighting coming in the future for both areas. Enjoy this space - it came into being with a lot of hard work by your neighbors working with the city, so be sure to not miss it! The bocce is between Bird and Delmas and the horseshoe area is between Delmas and Prevost.

http://playspacefinder.kaboom.org/playspaces/4816-fuller-avenue-park/photos/7451

Greater Gardner SNI Meeting Minutes Available

The minutes from the March 3, 2010 Greater Gardner Strong Neighborhoods Initiative meeting are available on the North Willow Glen Yahoo! Groups List, under the "Files" section, http://tinyurl.com/y9n2hgp

Background information for HSR meeting on Tuesday

Information about this week's high-speed rail meeting from Jean Dresden:

On Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., High Speed Rail plans to present a bunch of workshops on various topics. We know for sure that tunneling will be one of the topics. Here are some handouts that might help you create questions.  Be sure to ask why other places with wet soil can build a tunnel and HSR has been saying they can't. Also be sure to ask whether they are selecting the *best* underground alignment to analyze.

(If the links don't work, please cut and paste into your browser.)

COWI   Simple talk with great photos that explain tunneling. Examples from around the world.
http://www.cowi.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/cowi/en/menu/02.%20Services/03.%20Transport/5.%20Tunnels/Other%20file%20types/021-1700-020e-05a_low.pdf

LOVAT   Tons of short Tunnel Boring Machine articles from around the world put into a company newsletter. Easy reading.
http://www.lovat.com/MS/MS1/page.php?p=29

An index to projects involving Herrenknecht  tunnel boring equipment. Follow the links to see details on any one project or go to the Herrenknecht main site to learn about tunnel boring. Lots of transit tunnels. Interesting.
http://www.tunnelmachines.com/herrenknecht/index.htm

Rapid Excavation Tunnel Conference Pages 10-21 short descriptions of projects around the world that were described at conference, including how BART will come down West Santa Clara Street.  They had another conference in 2009, too.
http://www.retc.org/attendees/retc2007Mailer.pdf

Greater Gardner SNI Coalition Meeting Wednesday

The Greater Gardner Coalition is meeting Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the Gardner Community Center, 520 West Virginia Street (near Bird).

Agenda items include:

• Special Use Permit, Mortuary
• Board of Directors elections
• Community Reports

High-Speed Rail Meeting on Tuesday: More Details

South of Diridon Station to Tamien Station Alternatives Analysis Community Workshop

Attend a community workshop hosted by the San Jose to Merced Section of the California High-Speed Train (HST) System.
Learn more about the HST alternatives being considered for San Jose including information on the tunnel options being evaluated.
Share your thoughts on the alternatives being evaluated with a panel of local leaders.
 
San Jose
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Gardner Community Center
520 West Virginia Street

Meeting Format
• Interactive Open House: View maps, learn more about tunneling technologies and talk with members of the project development team
• Presentation: Project staff will discuss the above and below ground alignment alternatives and design options for the south of Diridon Station area
• Panel Discussion/Q & A: Local, regional and community representatives will join High-Speed Rail Authority staff to respond to questions and discuss community issues

To make a request for special accommodations, please email highspeedrail@circlepoint.com or call 1-800-881-5799 at least 72 hours in advance.

For more information, please call 1-800-881-5799, or visit www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov

Neighborhood Watch Meeting: Great Turnout!

Big thanks to the more than 30 residents who attended the neighborhood watch meeting at Gardner Community Center last night. Even bigger thanks to Liz Ortiz for the City of San Jose and the San Jose Police Department for their help and great information.