Downtown Willow Glen Trick-or-Treat

The trick-or-treat tradition continues in downtown Willow Glen. The event will be held on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 on Lincoln Avenue between Minnesota and Willow. Books For Treats will be located in front of the Garden Theater (1165 Lincoln Ave).

PLEASE NOTE NEW TIMES AND SESSIONS:
11am-12:30pm:
Session #1: Toddlers, Preschoolers, & Kids in Strollers: 

3pm-4:30pm:
Session #2: School-Aged Kids in Costume

Read more about this annual fun event.

North Willow Glen Holiday Tree Lane

For many years, in early December, the streets of Willow Glen begin to light up with the sparkle of miniature evergreens. We would like to invite you to join in this tradition. We have set up a way for you to order a tree for your yard.

If you are interested in having a tree in your yard, and do not already have one for this purpose, please read below for more details.

• Orders need to be received by Friday, November 2, 2012. 
• Rebar available if requested. This is used for anchoring the tree in your yard.
• We are expecting delivery of the trees to the neighborhood Sunday, December 2nd.
• You will have to set up the tree on your own.
• You are responsible for putting on your own lights. A very old tradition is to use the large colored lights and to put one white light at the top of the tree.
• Trees will be available for pick up at the Shukait’s house (1023 Bird Ave) on Sun., Dec. 2nd between 10:00am and 5:00pm.

* * * This year, again, we are also offering 22” Noble fir and Cedar wreaths decorated with pinecones. The wreaths will be $15 each. * * *

Fliers are being delivered to your door, but you can also download the order form and deliver it with a check made payable to: Pam Shukait or send via PayPal to pshukait@me.com. (Trees will be from Enchanted Forest Christmas Trees.)

Call Pam with any questions: 408-297-4388.

Did you lose this dog?

This dog was found yesterday at Coe and Lincoln and has been moved to the San Jose Animal Care & Services on Monterey Highway.

Local credit card skimming case

Barnes & Noble is reporting that thieves tampered with in-store PIN pads at 63 of its stores and may have had their credit or debit card information stolen. The nearby Stevens Creek Boulevard store is included in the list of affected locations.

From the B&N press release:

As a precaution, customers and employees who have swiped their cards at any of the Barnes & Noble stores with affected PIN pads should take the following steps: 

Debit Card Users:

• Change the PIN numbers on their debit cards
• Review their accounts for unauthorized transactions
• Notify their banks immediately if they discover any unauthorized purchases or withdrawals 

Credit Card Users:

• Review their statements for any unauthorized transactions
• Notify their card-issuing banks if they discover any unauthorized purchases or cash advances

For additional information and updates, visit the Barnes & Noble website at www.barnesandnobleinc.com. Customers may also call 1-888-471-7809, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, with questions.

Supervisor Ken Yeager's Oct. 18 newsletter

Topics for this newsletter include:

• Air Resources Board works to ease gas prices
• County strives to make voting more convenient
• Hospitals around the nation follow VMC's lead
• County to phase out Styrofoam in government operations
• HIV planning council seeks volunteers
• Tax preparation program for families in need seeks volunteers
• Emergency Medical Services strategic planning meetings
• Calendar of Events

If you would like to receive this newsletter by email, write to jim.weston@bos.sccgov.org with the subject line "add me to your list."

Did you lose two little dogs?

Last night around 5:00, two light-colored miniature dogs without collars or tags were found and Bird and Fuller. If they are yours, they are now at the Monterey Road animal shelter, 408-794-7297.

Did you lose this kitty?

This dark gray cat has started frequenting 969 Delmas. See residents of that house if it belongs to you.

New dialing procedures starting Oct. 20

To ensure adequate supply of telephone numbers for homes and businesses, the California Public Utilities Commission is introducing a new 669 area code. Starting October 20, it will be mandatory to dial 1 + area code + phone number to make calls, even from a 408 number to another 408 number.

From the CPUC web site:

Residents and businesses with telephone numbers within the 408 area code will retain their current telephone number(s) and area code. Consumers requesting new or additional telephone numbers (or telecommunications services) may be assigned telephone numbers with either the new 669 area code or the original 408 area code, depending on available telephone number inventory. Consumers will still be able to dial three digits to reach 911, 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 and 811.

Be sure to notify alarm providers, reprogram speed dials and call forwarding, and update any promotional materials with your phone number to include the area code.

Supervisor Ken Yeager's Sept. 27 Newsletter

Topics for this newsletter include:

• Registering to vote is easier than ever
• County receives grant to help place shelter animals
• VTA launches improved services to meet rising ridership demand
• Yeager joins neighborhood groups at National Night Out
• Caltrain expands service starting October 1
• Mandatory 11-digit dialing goes into effect October 20
• Calendar of Events

If you would like to receive this newsletter by email, write to jim.weston@bos.sccgov.org with the subject line "add me to your list."

September Meeting Recap

Thanks to all those who came out for our meeting under the stars and before an apropos backdrop.

We kicked off the meeting with the election of the 2013 NWGNA board. We have seen participation increase over the past few years and as a result, previous to the elections, the Board made some changes to the bylaws that slightly increased the size of the board. Our prior position known as Secretary/Treasurer changed to two individual positions and the Board Member positions increased from five to six. Taken together, this creates a total of eleven seats. This will do nicely should an inter-neighborhood association soccer league magically materialize. So without further ado, here is your current lineup.

President: Harvey Darnell
Vice President: Bill Rankin
Treasurer: Sheila Hunter
Secretary: Mary Pizzo
Past President: Chris Davis
Board Members (6): Alison England, Dan Erceg, Lila Kakuk, Barbara Keegan, Mark Lloyd, Vacant

We've worked with Vacant for a couple of years not long ago and s/he rarely showed up to meetings or really did anything tangible, so if you have an interest in replacing Vacant, we have an interest in having you do so. This is a chance to work with some good people doing some good things so contact us at board@nwgna.org to learn more. There will also be opportunities to participate on individual projects such as the Garage Sale, Party in the Park, Beautification Days, or Holiday Decoration Contest/Party outside of formal board membership.

After the elections we moved quickly to our guest speaker Marian Lee, Caltrain Modernization Program Executive Officer. Ms. Lee answered many of our questions and was able to elaborate on many of the details of Caltrain's move to electric trains and their compatibility with High Speed Rail (HSR). Here are a few bullet points from Ms. Lee.

- Caltrain and HSR plan to share tracks from SF to Diridon Station where HSR tracks will diverge and reconnect at Tamien Station, however electrification will be implemented all the way to Tamien. Ms. Lee will get back to us with how Caltrain will operate with respect to trains operating south of Tamien to Morgan Hill and Gilroy. These trains must use diesel so the concept is to use diesel trains as a shuttle to a station, then transfer to electric service. Which station is the question.
- Without the addition of passing tracks (none of which are being considered in North Willow Glen) they expect to reach a maximum of six Caltrain trains and two HSR trains per hour during peak times. Additional passing tracks could increase HSR by two more trains per hour while maintaining the 6 Caltrain trains.
- Implementation will begin with an upgraded train signaling system which will allow for more efficient coordination of trains in the system
- UPRR will continue to operate on the tracks and will continue to do so with diesel-fueled trains, as will Amtrak. The time window that UPRR will be allowed to operate will continue to be 12-5am, however mid-day and evening UPRR access will be halted.
- The total investment to Caltrain Modernization is $1.5B with $705M coming from HSR funds. Those funds are solely for Caltrain Modernization (thought the signaling will be shared) and not for use to create a four-track system.
- The new signal system will be completed in 2015. The completed electrification system is scheduled to be up and running in 2019. The addition of HSR is scheduled for completion in 2029
- The first 1-2 years will consist of environmental review and design. Ms. Lee vowed that Caltrain will conduct more public hearings than required by law, including venues in San Jose. Participants including NWGNA officers requested prior access to the designs in order to work with Caltrain to produce the best initial document possible.
- Years 3-4 are for construction. The work hours will be determined in the environmental reports above, so we should have some advance notice. The work will be done in stages so our area will be affected for only a portion of that period. To clarify something said at a previous meeting, the pole spacing for the catenary wires will be 150' or more. Ms. Lee will get back to us with a better idea of that. No track or tie improvements are planned for our section.
- While the new rolling stock will be lighter and able to accelerate faster, the top speed of 79 MPH will not change, though it should be noted that the slow speeds through our neighborhood will also not increase either as they must slow down for the sharp turns and station approach.

There were a few questions, some listed above, that Ms. Lee will answer for us after doing a bit of research. I will communicate those in the coming days.

So that's it in a (rather large) nutshell.

Update: Some funds for the Caltrain Modernization were recently released.

San Jose Trails: Have your say -today-

San Jose Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services wants your input on San Jose trails. Today is the last day to give input, so go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SanJoseTrails and let them know how you use our local trails. Read more about all of the nearby trails including our very own Three Creeks Trail.

Produce Share on Sunday

Don't forget the produce share on Sunday, in Hummingbird Park, corner of Fisk and Bird, from 1:00 to 3:00. If you have something to share (plants, veggies, fruits, goodies made from your garden, etc.), come on by and drop it off. You don't need to offer anything to receive something great -- the goal is to keep great food from going to waste.

Any requests/offers for this week's produce share?

What kind of plants or produce would you like to see at the share this Sunday? Do you need lemons, greens, or tomatoes? What can you offer to bring to share with others? Got extra fruit, vegetables or plants? Let us know.

Friends & Neighbors Meeting - Caltrain & Elections

SEPTEMBER 25
6:30-8:00 PM
WORD OF FAITH CHURCH
DELMAS & FULLER

ELECTRIFICATION
What does Caltrain electrification mean for our neighborhood? With the next step in the Environmental Impact Report due in January, this may be our best and last chance to find out while there is still time to influence the process. We will welcome Caltrain Chief Planner, Marian Lee and Community Relations Officer Tasha Bartholomew to fill us in regarding construction and other issues.

ELECTION
NWGNA officers and board members will be elected at this meeting. Everyone within our borders has a vote and is eligible to hold one of the following positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Board Member. Serving on the board is a rewarding way to connect with your neighborhood. If you have any questions about elections or the role of officers and board members, please contact us at board@nwgna.org.

UPCOMING EVENT
Holiday Decoration Contest Kickoff Party
Date & Time TBD
Location: 562 Fisk Ave

Produce Share on Sunday

Don't forget the produce share on Sunday, in Hummingbird Park, corner of Fisk and Bird, from 1:00 to 3:00. If you have something to share (plants, veggies, fruits, goodies made from your garden, etc.), come on by and drop it off. You don't need to offer anything to receive something great -- the goal is to keep great food from going to waste.