San Jose to get bike sharing system

Image Credit: Stephen Reese via Flickr

From the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD):

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is announcing that it has signed a contract with Alta Bicycle Share to deploy and operate a regional bike-sharing system pilot program that is expected to launch by August 2013. The regional bike-sharing system will run along the Peninsula transportation corridor in the cities of San Francisco, Redwood City, Mountain View, Palo Alto and San Jose.

The first phase of the program will deploy a fleet of approximately 700 bicycles and 70 kiosk stations and is anticipated launch in August 2013. The San Jose program will center around CalTrain stations. 

Read more at the BAAQMD web site:
http://www.baaqmd.gov/Divisions/Strategic-Incentives/Alternative-Transportation/Bike-Share-Pilot.aspx

Coyote Valley Family Farm Feast, May 11

From the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority:

Join us for a fun, outdoor festival with plenty of food, entertainment and activities in the beautiful 348-acre Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. It is a green, zero-waste event with free admission and parking.

The Family Farm Feast will feature the bounty of local agriculture paired with farm-to-table restaurants including The Table (San Jose) and Michelin star Chef Salvatore Calisi's restaurant Odeum (Morgan Hill). As a special treat, we are working with acclaimed author and green cuisine consultant, Chef Laura Stec, who is pairing chefs and local growers to develop delicious, healthy dishes for the feast! Small, medium and large plates of food will be available at reasonable cost.

Register for this free event at http://familyfarmfeast.eventbrite.com/

Sponsored by the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, The Museums of Los Gatos Sponsored by Bay Area Parent

Help find a home for the Orchard Supply cats

As you probably know, the OSH on San Carlos is closing and rebuilding a new store on the same site. Because of these changes, the employees have received word that they must get rid of their nursery cats. These cats have been roaming the garden nursery for about ten years and they are loved by employees and customers. If you know of resources for trapping and finding homes for these four semi-feral cats, please contact Valerie Jackson at the San Carlos OSH, evenings and Saturdays at 408-297-7173.

Schedule set for Whole Foods on The Alameda

Read about the beginning of construction for the new Whole Foods store on The Alameda.

Have you seen Pepper?

After two nights missing, Pepper's family is still searching for her. Please call Dave at 408-286-3935 if you see her.

Pizarro: Freeway graffiti raises the question, 'Who's Tommy?'

Read a bit about the nearby graffiti on the train bridge crossing Highway 280 in the Mercury News.

Lost elder dog

From a family in the neighborhood: "Our elderly (16) terrier-Aussie mix has gone astray. About 21 lbs, knee-high, grey-white-tan, no tail. Pointy ears, spindly legs. Name is Pepper, but she is now pretty much deaf and quite poor of sight. The area is WG Way, Bird Ave, Creek Drive, and the Gaudalupe River but may be more extensive. She may have been gone for a few hours. She has a black+patterned collar and is chipped. Looks younger than her years."

Call Dave at 408-286-3935 if you see her.

Amber Alert: missing infant in San Jose

Please read about and spread the word about an Amber Alert that has been issued this morning by the San Jose Police. They are looking for a 2006 white Jeep Liberty, license plate 6BWK440.

NWGNA Garage Sale May 18!

Save the date! We'll do it up a lot like last year, with a few improvements. Stay tuned for details.

Dog found - Warren & Snyder

This little guy was found at Snyder and Warren a few minutes ago. If he's yours, please leave a comment here with your phone and we will connect you with the helpful neighbors who picked him up.

The Best and Worst Cities for Jobs this Spring

San Jose is on Forbes' list. Where do you think it ended up? Click to find out.

Supervisor Ken Yeager's March 7 newsletter

Topics for this newsletter include:

• County plans special election to replace Shirakawa 
• Gun buyback event a huge success 
• Community celebrates the opening of the Bascom Library 
• New legislation will help ensure CalTrain electrification

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."

Daylight Saving Time Starts: Change Your Clocks

Daylight Saving Time officially begins Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. Spring is right around corner!

It's a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors, too. Fire Departments encourage it since Daylight Saving Time provides a convenient reminder. Keep yourselves safe!

Please help save neighborhood CAP grants

Neighborhoods throughout San Jose need your help by Thursday, March 17. 

Neighborhood associations city-wide depend upon small Community Action & Pride Grants (CAP Grants) to help keep San Jose safe, clean, and engaged. Many neighborhood groups would flounder and disappear without their small CAP grants.

Last year, you helped save CAP grants for neighborhood associations throughout San Jose. Please take a quick moment to submit an online petition to remind the Mayor and City Council to save CAP grants through June 2014.

The deadline for the petition is Thursday, March 17 because Mayor Reed will issue his budget message on March 18.

Last year, 200 San Jose residents responded and helped ensure that CAP Grants continued to help neighborhoods. To see what CAP grants help support, watch the short "Safe and Strong Neighborhood" video from the mayor's recent Gang and Crime Prevention Summit.

More information can be found at http://bit.ly/WA8g62.

I-280 restriping this week, Bird Ave project soon

From Gary Richards, Roadshow columnist in the Mercury News about I-280's faded lane markers:

Crews will be striping this section of freeway beginning Monday with work taking about two weeks.

And, about Bird Avenue between Willow and Minnesota:

The San Jose Water Co. is currently designing a water main replacement project on Bird between Willow Street and Minnesota Avenue and on Cristina Avenue between Bird and Minnesota. This work could be completed in July. Then the city will sweep in and install sanitary and storm sewer lines, and replace most of the pavement on Bird between Minnesota and Cristina.