Tom Clifton: Fluid Flow: Neighborhood News

All the kings horses...

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:35:33 GMT

Sign of the times
Originally uploaded by Tom Clifton.

Wow! Measure A failed 58% No, 42% Yes. This when the proponents out spent the opponents 100 to 1.

While I would like to think that it was my lawn sign that made the difference, I know that it was "You want to raise our sales tax to the highest in the state? I think not!" sentiment that did this measure in.

Measure A 2006 was an attempt to rebuild the BART to San Jose egg. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group over sold BART to San Jose in 2000. When the valley's economy crashed in 2001 it became clear that there was no way to complete BART (let alone opperate it) and all of the other promised transit improvements with the funds from the 2000 sales tax increase, more money was needed.

Learning that a special quarter cent transit tax would not get the needed 2/3's majority, the BART proponents made a deal with the County. Put a general half cent tax on the ballot, let us take half of it for BART, and we will make sure that it gets passed by the needed 50%+1 majority.

Until I saw the election results last night, I assumed that the approach was going to work. Just about everyone endorsed the measure. I figured that it was a done deal. It must have been a kick to the gut for them when Measure A 2006 failed big time.

It will be interesting to see how they try to revive BART to San Jose now.

There is a new weblog in Town

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 23:08:05 GMT

A few days ago San Jose Inside made its debut. It is a new weblog providing a voice for former Mayor Tom McEnery and Mayor Gonzales' former Chief of Staff Jude Barry.

After four days, McEnery has trashed the city government and enlisted the Jim Cunneen, from Chamber of Commerce to call for the ouster of one council member.

Unfortunately, there is nothing new here. This blog mimics the San Jose Mercury News as the voice of big business in the silicon valley. Gosh, haven't we heard this?

We need blogs from the neighborhoods. We need blogging about the increase in petty crime, about the potholes that don't get fixed, about the cars that race through our neighborhoods. Blogging the news that isn't reported.

The men of wealth in the city have found a new outlet to spout their views. Unfortunately it is just more noise. So, the signal from the neighborhoods is lost again.

Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens - Calendar Listings

Wed, 12 Jan 2005 16:49:33 GMT

Beyond Rakes - A Garden Tool Workshop

Saturday, January 29

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

$12.00 members/$15.00 non-members

Instructor: Master Gardeners

Maybe you have too many tools, or not enough, OR maybe you never seem to have the right tool - whatever the case, the Master Gardeners will provide you with all the information you need to have the right tools for the type of gardening you are involved in. Join us to see what tools are in their sheds and how to keep your tools in great shape.

A River Connects it All - the Guadalupe River Park Trails

Wednesday, February 2

6:00 - 7:30 PM

Free!

Instructor: Dennis Korabiak, Program Manager, San Jose Redevelopment Agency

The Guadalupe River Park Trails will be completed and open for use this summer, spanning from near 280 by the Children's Discovery Museum to 800 near the airport. Along the trails are nooks and crannies to discover that range from public art to a children's carousel. Dennis will describe the park amenities, the signage plan and have you eager and ready to traverse this great park!

The Native Americans of the Guadalupe River

Wednesday, February 9

6:30 - 8:30 PM

Free!

Instructor: Mark Hylkema, Santa Cruz District Archaeologist, California Department of Park and Recreation

The coastal Native Americans from Soledad and Monterey to Livermore and San Francisco are collectively called the Ohlone, but are a diverse group of people that encompassed more than 50 triblets, each with their own language variations and traditions. Join Mark to find out more about the local Native Americans and their customs, as well as how they used the abundant resources that surrounded them..

All events will be held at the Guadalupe Garden Center, located at 715 Spring Street. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early by sending a check to: Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, 50 West San Fernando Street, Suite 1100, San Jose, CA 95113. Visa and MasterCard are also accepted via phone or mail. Refunds for the events will only be made if the event is cancelled or if there is a waiting list. For more information please visit http://www.grpg.org/ or contact Kary Wilson, the Education Coordinator, at education@grpg.org or 408-298-7657.

Seed Funding for Community News

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 22:25:20 GMT

New Voices Wanted in Citizen Journalism. New Voices, a "pioneering program to seed innovative citizen media ventures around the country," has some money available for promising new ventures. Details here.

[Dan Gillmor on Grassroots Journalism] This would be a good opportunity to build on the neighborhood news sites that are slowly cropping up. So far the biggest hurdle seems to be time and volunteer interest. Perhaps a little money could help in the process. Can you imagine San Jose neighborhoods sharing their concerns, notes, and calendars with each other in real time. You wouldn't have to wait for the next UNSCC or DNLF meeting, you could get the information on your neighborhood's website now. If someone wants to jump on this, I can help with technical details.

Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens: Volunteers Needed

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 20:03:17 GMT

Volunteer Coffees Are you looking for new activities, or the opportunity to give something back to your community in 2005? The new year is going to be an exciting one for the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, and we invite you to become involved! Come learn about the variety of volunteer opportunities we have available at one of two one-hour Volunteer Coffees to be held on Tuesday, January 25. One presentation will begin at 11:00 am and the other at 7:00 pm. Both will take place at the Garden Center, 715 Spring Street. These Coffees will be informal gatherings where prospective volunteers will be given an overview of the park's history, design, and development, and specific information on volunteer opportunities. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Lucy Perez, at lperez@grpg.org or 408-298-7657 with questions or to let us know you plan to attend.

Healthy Streets for Healthy People

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 19:59:54 GMT

Healthy Streets for Healthy People Best Practices in Retrofitting Our Best and Worst Streets Dan Burden Wednesday, January 5, 2005 6:00pm The Little Fox Theatre , Downtown Redwood City $10.00 fee payable at door NO RSVP REQUIRED Bicycle and pedestrian expert DAN BURDEN will be speaking at "The Forum at Redwood City: A Continuing Conversation on City Design" on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2005, from 6:00 - 7:45pm! Don't miss this exciting discussion on Healthy Streets for Healthy People - Best Practices in Retrofitting Our Best and Worst Streets. Please join us for a provocative presentation on how to bring back full and vital health to our neighborhood and town center streets.

Paint-a-thon this Saturday, October 23

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:13:36 GMT

Join the UNC and SUN to help paint a house on Margaret between 7th and 8th St. The woman who owns and lives in this house is 95 and the house is badly in needs of paint and repairs. Members of the Los Gatos Rotary Club have spent a day doing carpentry repairs. The prep work will be done and we will finish up and paint the trim. We are working with Neighborhood Housing Services Silicon Valley on this event. There will be a barbecue for all volunteers sponsored by State Farm Insurance. Volunteer registration is from 8:00 to 10:00 am at Lowell Elementary School at 6th and Reed St.

Guadalupe River Park & Gardens Grand Opening

Tue, 14 Sep 2004 19:05:13 GMT

On Wednesday, September 29, 2004 the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens will kick off a year of grand opening celebrations for the long-awaited Guadalupe River Park & Gardens. It's Time to Blow our Horn!, a reception at the Versailles Courtyard, Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth Street, from 5:30 - 7:00 pm, will honor Chris Panopulos, the first President of the Friends of Guadalupe River Park back in 1987, and acknowledge his recent grant of $73,500 to support park programs. The public is invited to join in the celebration. The Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens are also using this event as an opportunity to locate all of those people who have volunteered or worked on the park project over the last three decades, and invite them to participate in opening celebrations throughout 2005. If you have a friend or family member who contributed in some way, even years ago, please call the Friends with his or her current contact information. Tickets for It's Time to Blow our Horn are $25 each, payable to Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens. For information on how to purchase a ticket, or to provide the names of past project supporters, visit www.grpg.org or call 408-277-5998.

Volunteers Needed - Pruning in the Heritage Rose Garden

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 19:04:05 GMT

FREE ICE CREAM SUNDAE DAY IN THE GARDENS! Now that we have your attention, we need your help. Over 3,700 varieties of roses in the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden have been blooming like crazy. Now we face the daunting task of deadheading to keep the roses blooming for months to come. Please join us in the garden on Tuesday, July 13 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Bring your clippers if you have some, and our volunteer experts will show you how it's done to ensure continued bloom in the garden all the way into the Fall! After deadheading, join us for a free ice cream sundae at the Garden Center. It will be an enjoyable and rewarding way to spend a summer evening. To sign-up or for more information, contact Lucy Perez at 408-298-7657 or visit our website, http://www.grpg.org/ Special note: Similar pruning efforts are scheduled for the following dates, with the same time and same place; AUGUST 10, SEPTEMBER 14, 2004.

Finally, mainstream movies in downtown

Thu, 17 Jun 2004 21:40:08 GMT

Downtown San Jose multiplex re-opens. But its screens will finally be lit up again, thanks to its long-time neighbor across the street, the Camera Cinemas, along with a $2.5 million loan from the San Jose Redevelopment ... [San Jose, CA - Topix.net] 5 years after United Artists sneaked out of town one Saturday night, the old UA 6 movie theater is reborn as Camera Cinema 12. Even though it is nice to have mainstream movies playing again downtown and the Camera Cinema folks are locals who are not likely to leave, I will miss the old UA 6. In its last two years of operation, the UA 6 was the only theater in the south bay where you could see first run movies without waiting in line. Michele and I saw the Star Wars episode 1 with 6 other people in theater. Best of luck to Camera Cinemas and their new multiplex.

Park Groundbreaking

Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:00:41 GMT

On Saturday, Michele, Syrah, and I went to the groundbreaking ceremony for O'Donnel's Garden Park at 6th and William Sts. in San Jose. This Park has long been a dream of the South University Neighborhood and the University Neighborhoods Coalition (UNC). As president of the UNC, I am incredibly pleased that we helped realize this dream. Hats off to the many volunteers and City staff who made this happen. And special thanks to Lisa and Sue for shepherding this project.

Friends of Coyote Creek again

Tue, 08 Jun 2004 06:57:12 GMT

I got involved with the Friends of Coyote Creek (Friends) a few months ago. They are doing something amazing. Not only are they cleaning up a neglected riparian habitat, but they are also getting people excited by taking them out on the creek and showing them what a jewel (though trashed) we have running through our backyard. Last month the Friends put on a major restoration effort over a weekend where over 120 volunteers worked in the creek to remove a major raft of floating trash. The details of the clean up are now online. I am proud to say that ES Designs is providing hosting and consulting services to the Friends. I love working with people who make a difference.

Music in the Weeds

Tue, 18 May 2004 21:39:44 GMT

Music in the Weeds This grassroots event on June 5th from 8AM-2PM will bring awareness and volunteerism to the construction of Selma Olinder Park along the Coyote Creek watershed just south of Olinder Elementary School. You'll hear free original music performed by members of the West Coast Songwriters Association as well as the music of Mexico and the dancing of Tahiti. Hot food, drinks and kid's activities will be available as well as the opportunity to learn more about our efforts to get this park built before our kids get too old to enjoy it! Please come by, bring your family and a blanket or a lawn chair for a day of empowerment and community. As an added bonus, those arriving between 8-10AM and volunteering their time to help clean-up the trees (no experience required) on our proposed parkland will receive a free lunch.

San Jose Budget Public Hearings

Fri, 14 May 2004 19:04:08 GMT

You are invited to attend one of the two public hearings on the 2004-2005 proposed operating, capital, and Redevelopment Agency budgets for the City of San Jose: Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 7:00pm, City Hall Council Chambers
Monday, June 14, 2004, 7:00pm, City Hall Council Chambers These meetings are held specifically for public comment and will provide the best opportunity for you to express your concerns and views regarding the proposed City budget. All speakers are limited to two minutes, so it's very important to prepare your comments ahead of time and to be as clear and as brief as possible.

San JosÈ Municipal Rose Garden Re-dedication

Fri, 07 May 2004 17:29:08 GMT

Councilmember Ken Yeager will re-dedicate the 11 acre San José Municipal Rose Garden in celebration of its major renovations. A rose planting ceremony will officially mark the completion of the project. When: Saturday, May 15, 2004 (The original dedication was held on Saturday, May 15, 1937.)
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Where: San José Municipal Rose Garden
Naglee and Dana Avenues Who: Councilmember Ken Yeager, District 6 Background: Since May 15, 1937, the San José Municipal Rose Garden has welcomed visitors seeking a quiet retreat for reflection or a scenic place to play. On May 20, 2003 San José City Council approved a $2.084 million renovation project for the park. District 6 Councilmember Ken Yeager said, "The Municipal Rose Garden is one of San José's true treasures. The effort to preserve and showcase this popular park contributes to building stronger community ties and neighborhood identity. As a city, it is important to reinvest in the parks that are cornerstones of our neighborhoods." According to Steve Roemer, Parks Manager, "some very important features of the Rose Garden's overall concept were completed, based on an approved master plan for the park." Elements of the improvements include a formal, central pathway/service road, renovated restrooms, a new maintenance facility, perimeter ornamental fencing, security lighting and additional interior park pathways. The project was designed in-house, in association with Sanchez Weston Miles Architects. The construction project was awarded to Robert A. Bothman, Inc., and was completed in nine months. On May 3, the Rose Garden served as a beautiful setting for the Pat Tillman memorial service. The park graciously welcomed 3,000 guests who came to pay their respects.

San Jose Peace Chorale

Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:35:44 GMT

The 16th Annual Spring Concert of the San Jose Peace Chorale will be held Sunday, May 16th at 4:00pm at the Campbell United Methodist Church 1675 Winchester Blvd (at Hamilton) Donation: $12 advance, $15 at the door/$10 students & seniors/ Children under 12 free Following the performance light refreshments will be served.

Garden Festival & Plant Sale

Thu, 22 Apr 2004 18:02:13 GMT

Spring is in the air and it's time to celebrate Spring in Guadalupe Gardens! Join us on Saturday, April 24, from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm for plant sales, gardening information, books on gardening and local history, solar energy information, and free children's activities that will educate as well as entertain. Spring in Guadalupe Gardens will be held in Columbus Park in Guadalupe Gardens, at the intersection of Spring and Taylor streets in San Jose. There is no admission charge and plenty of free parking. The festival will feature:

Plant Sales - featuring tomatoes and peppers from the Master Gardeners, roses and perennials
Garden Accessories - garden art, stepping stones, antique seed packets
Alternative Energy and Solar Cooking Demonstrations
Books on local gardening ideas and Santa Clara Valley history
Electric Car
Tours of Guadalupe Gardens - Heritage Rose Garden, Historic Orchard, Recycled Water Garden and more
Free Professional Garden Advice
Heritage Rose Garden in Full-Bloom
Compost Bin Sale
Trail Information
Free Compost Give-Away
Kid's Korner featuring educational games and activities -plant seeds, make a bird feeder, blow giant bubbles, become a Water Wizard

For more info, call Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, at 408-298-7657 or visit www.grpg.org

Composting Workshop

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 06:32:11 GMT

Worms are not only for fishing - leaves are not only for raking! Let Phil Cornish, Master Composter, educate you on the ways in which worms and your leaves can work to amend your garden soil. The workshop will cover items such as: what can be composted, the various methods of composting, and how to use the finished product. We will also discuss worm composting, or vermicomposting, and help you choose which methods works best for you. When:
Wednesday, May 5 2004
6:00 to 8:00 PM Where:
Guadalupe Garden Center, located at 715 Spring Street in San Jose.

Gardening For Wildlife Workshop

Mon, 12 Apr 2004 17:48:12 GMT

Got animal magnetism? Santa Clara County residents are encouraged to learn how to attract birds and other wildlife to their gardens by attending a FREE Gardening for Wildlife workshop. The workshop will be held at the Mayfair Community Center, located at 2039 Kammerer Avenue in San Jose, from 10 AM to 1 PM on Saturday, May 1, 2004. Featured speaker, local landscape architect and Gardening with Natives Coordinator, Stephanie Morris, will describe gardening for wildlife using California native plants that attract birds, hummingbirds, butterflies and native bees to gardens. Additional speakers include Michael Pulhamus of Master Composters who will conduct a live worm bin demonstration and Freddie Howell of the Wild Bird Center in Los Gatos. Ms. Howell will discuss the best methods of attracting birds with bird feeders and seeds. Due to space limitations, reservations are required. For more information, or to make reservations, call (408) 298-7657 or send an email to education@grpg.org. Sponsored by Watershed Watch, Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, U.C. Cooperative Extension, Master Composters and Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste.

Children's After School Water Workshops

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 16:33:05 GMT

Kids - join the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens for a wet adventure into the exploration of water! Get involved in several hands-on activities including: making green cleaning kits, river water testing and creating pollution soup! The workshops will be held on three consecutive Thursdays, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, each with a different theme relating to the watershed. Sign up for one or all of the following days: April 29th - From Dinosaur Pee to Your Kitchen Sink - Where does our Water come from? May 6th - Pesticides, Erosion & Trash ~ Oh, My! - Water Pollution and Prevention May 13th - There's a River in San Jose? - Exploration of the Guadalupe River The cost to attend the workshop is $5.00 per child per class and is for children between the ages of 7 and 10. For more information or to sign-up, please contact Kary Wilson, Education Coordinator, at education@grpg.org or 408-298-7657. Sponsored by a grant from the City of San Jose Environmental Services Department's Youth Watershed Education Grants.

San Jose District 3 Budget Meeting

Wed, 17 Mar 2004 23:21:31 GMT

A District Three Neighborhood Leader Meeting to discuss the 2004-05 City and Redevelopment Agency budgets as well as Community Development Block Grants: Saturday, March 27th from 8:30 am - 11:00 am at the new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
2nd floor (Room Number TBD) More information to follow this week If you have any questions, please contact Laura Lam at 277-2388 or at laura.lam@sanjoseca.gov

Draft EIR for Proposed BART extension

Tue, 16 Mar 2004 18:56:04 GMT

VTA Releases Draft Environmental Document for the Proposed BART Extension to Milpitas, San Jose and Santa Clara San Jose- The Federal Transit Administration has authorized Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the BART Extension to Milpitas, San Jose and Santa Clara. The Draft EIS/EIR is available for public review beginning March 16, 2004 for a 60-day period The report is available as dozens of PDF files. It looks like I am going to spend the day downloading the report and putting it on a CD. I am going to be working on my neighborhood associations comments. This should be fun...

SCIENCE/MATH COMPETITION AT SJSU

Mon, 15 Mar 2004 19:31:59 GMT

More than 500 students from the San José area are expected to participate in the MESA Day 2004 science and math project competition on Saturday, Mar. 20. The MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) Schools Program, an academic and enrichment program that helps pre-college students to excel in math and science, prepares and motivates educationally-disadvantaged students to successfully pursue college-preparatory coursework, says Frances Hidalgo-Segura, director of the program. MESA also promotes skills for careers in math and science fields and helps students develop professional and leadership skills, she adds. See http://www.sjsumesa.org.

Local News with RSS

Mon, 15 Mar 2004 16:33:40 GMT

San Jose, CA - Topix.net. News on San Jose, CA from Topix.net [San Jose, CA - Topix.net] I found this site from a San Jose Mercury News story this morning. The Mercury News story pointed out how tough it will be for Topix.net to break into the local news market that is dominated by the Mercury News and local television. The story failed to mention, however, that Topix.net provides an RSS feed for your local news. This feature alone is an improvement over the Mercury News. Now, I don't have to scan multiple pages and sections to find local news. It will be interesting to see how Topix.net does with breaking news. I have found most of the local news sources make it difficult to find breaking news stories. If I can get these stories in hourly updates, it will be a tremendous source of news for me.

San Jose WiFi Hotspot opening

Thu, 11 Mar 2004 20:08:48 GMT

I went to the wi-fi hotspot opening at the Circle of Palms in downtown San Jose. I took my Newton and SkyLine card to check it out. I was hoping to post from there, but Newtscape wasn't able to handle the sign-up page. I was able to get to an agreement page, but didn't make it further. I might try again with my laptop, but I would rather not lug it around. I am pretty certain that I was the only one there with a Newton.