PLANE CRASHES IN EAST FOOTHILLS

From the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office

On November 20, 2006 at approximately 1:06 P.M., Santa Clara County Deputies responded to the area of Metcalf Road and San Felipe Road in unincorporated San Jose on a report of a possible plane crash.
The pilot, a 46-year-old man from San Jose, was on a leisure flight in his private plane when he began to experience mechanical problems. He notified the control tower of his situation and began to prepare for an emergency landing. He began to circle over the area in an attempt to locate a safe place to land. While circling he heard a loud noise and the engine failed. The pilot acted quickly and located a small pasture to land his plane. During the landing, the small plane’s landing gear struck a rock and flipped onto its top.
The pilot was able to exit the plane under his own power safely. He contacted a near-by plane via a two-way radio and informed a fellow pilot of his situation. He began to walk northbound towards San Felipe Road while his fellow pilot contacted 911. The San Jose Fire Department located the pilot walking in the area and evaluated his medical condition. San Jose Fire Department Personnel medically cleared the pilot at the scene.
The National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) was contacted and will complete an independent investigation of the incident.

"LONG HAIR" EXPERIENCE FOR LICK MUSICIANS

By Judy Thompson

Last week about fifty James Lick High School music students hopped aboard a city bus for an unusual destination in downtown San Jose. Along with their teacher, Tomoko Nakajima, and volunteer chaperones, they set out for the famous, much ballyhooed, extravagantly renovated California Theatre on First Street. What was the big draw? A rock concert perhaps? An educational film?
How about a special full length midday matinee production of the opera, The Barber of Seville, presented by Opera San Jose for a theater full of middle and high schoolers? Kids descended on the ornate theater from every direction. Some arrived in school buses. The Lick students good-naturedly hoofed the several blocks from the First and Santa Clara Street bus stop arriving just in time to be seated as the pit orchestra struck up the overture.
Does this sound like a dynamite combination – a theater full of teenagers expected to sit still for a looooong musical story with a decidedly goofy plot? Well, you would have been wonderfully surprised at the polite demeanor and mature audience manners of the Lick students – and the rest of the young theater-goers!
The Barber of Seville (written by Rossini in 1816) is sung in Italian although the setting is Seville, Spain. Mercifully, there were English supertitles. After the performance, I heard some Lick students mentioning the similarities between the Italian they heard and the Spanish they know. Good listening!
The English translations threw some arcane vocabulary words at these youngsters. Who knew that Figaro the Barber was a factotum? This Latin version of Jack-of-all-trades didn’t faze this young audience. They were rapt as they experienced the drawn-out comedy even through some of its repetitive passages.
After the performance, Ms. Nakajima counted noses outside the theater and off we paraded to the eastbound bus stop on Santa Clara Street. I heard no carping about the highbrow musical experience. I think James Lick music students are mature enough that they thought the opera was pretty darned cool!

LIFE AFTER NNV

By Elizabeth Driedger

This is just a reminder to folks interested in continuing the AlumRock Neighborhood Coalition that we will be meeting up at the "NextSteps after NNV" meeting called by Gustavo Gonzalez this Monday night, (11/20) at the Roberto Cruz library from 6 to 7 pm.
A couple of weeks ago some members of the ARNNE e-list responded to the post about keeping the Alum Rock Neighborhood Coalition (ARNC) alive as it was recently announced in the last issue of the NNV that its members were putting away their paint brushes and hedge clippers for the last time. The consensus on the e-list was to meet up at the NextSteps meeting. A former lead member of the ARNC has indicated that he will be attending and can give us background on the structure and history of the organization. We will also discuss any new ideas for the organization's future.
Here are few of the quality of life issues for Alum Rock (from specific to general) that come to my mind:
-Litter along Alum Rock Ave and McKee Road
-Savemart shopping carts strewn along McKee Road
-Food/Garbage amassing in the Savemart parking lot
-Infrequent street sweeping on even just the major streets (e.g. AlumRock, McKee Rd, Capitol Ave, White Rd, Story Rd, Jackson, etc.)
-Grafitti/Vandalism (e.g. the abandoned La Bodega)
-Unchecked Development/High Density Development/Lack of neighborhood parks
-Protection/Preservation of Historical Landmarks/Buildings
- or maybe even something like an AR Historical Walk with signs for the landmarks/buildings/historical sites that once were
-City of San Jose Annexation of Unincorporated Pockets/SJRDA Plans
-Having a forum that connects with the already great programs that have recently come into place in the AR area as well as with City of San Jose, local business owners and residents.

Do you have similar concerns and/or wishes? Would you like to have more of a voice about what's impacting your neighborhood? Do you have a few hours of time you are willing to volunteer for your community?Are you interested in rolling up your sleeves and seeing how things can improve when like minded individuals work together? Or how about meeting other people in your community and making friends with people you might never have had the chance to get to know in your corner ofAlum Rock? If you have concerns about the quality of life in Alum Rock and are willing to get involved, I strongly encourage you to come. Please feel free to send me an email to babette1057@yahoo.com if you'd like to express your ideas about ARNC between now and tomorrow evening. I'll print them out and bring them to the meeting. I'll have a sign with ARNC on it to help with any one wanting to gather to talk specifically about the ARNC tonight. Also please feel free to send me an email if you are interested but are not able to come to tonight's meeting. Look forward to seeing you there.

Elizabeth Driedger
Alum Rock and Capitol Ave neighborhood resident

MORE EAST FOOTHILLS OPEN SPACE PROTECTED

The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) added a key link to its chain of protected lands in the East Foothills of San Jose with the purchase of 233 acres on November 16, 2006. The cost was $2,050,000.
The acquisition, along upper Penitencia Creek east of Alum Rock Park, features steep, oak-covered hillsides and is home to many plants and animals common to the east foothills. Sparing the land from development will help OSA achieve its open space goals of protecting hillsides and watersheds, preserving important habitat for protected species, and providing outdoor recreation.
“Acquiring this property will ensure that the scenic views enjoyed for years by visitors to Alum Rock Park remain intact. It will also expand on City of San Jose’s efforts to protect critical waterways for steelhead trout in the east foothills,” said OSA general manager Patrick Congdon.
OSA currently owns 1,389 acres in the east foothills. Since the opening in 2002 of OSA’s Boccardo Trail adjoining the northern edge of Alum Rock Park, the Authority has been working to expand public access to its holdings in the region. Studies are currently underway, with the help of a $50,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to site a staging area on Sierra Road. This would enable visitors to reach OSA trails as well as a proposed alignment for the Bay Area Ridge Trail, a 500-mile-long regional trail envisioned to circle the entire Bay Area when completed.

FIND OUT MORE:
www.OpenSpaceAuthority.org

ALUM ROCK YOUTH CENTER ROCKIN'

Ed. note: The following correspondence was provided by Alum Rock Youth Center Advisory Team Member Tanya Freudenberger. Thanks Tanya!

Dear Team Members:

At our advisory committee meeting of the Alum Rock Youth Center last night, we received some information that might be of interest to you and you might want to share with others:

The Giving Tree activity at the Alum Rock Youth Center will probably be held on Friday, December 15. If you know any family that has children who need gifts from the Giving Tree, please send the (a) name (b) age (c) gender of each child to Danny Perez at the Youth Center by e-mail (Danny.Perez@sanjoseca.gov or call him at 251-5757) no later than Friday, December 8. If you want to confirm the date of the activity, please follow up with Danny

The Viejitos Car Club is sponsoring its 4th Annual Toy Drive on Saturday, November 25 at the Alum Rock Youth Center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, please contact the group at: https://webmail.cbs.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.viejitoscarclub.com.

The Advisory Committee is recruiting new members for 2007. As you well know, Council District 5 has the lowest income population in the City with the largest number of children and largest population of working poor. Out of ten youth centers in the City of San Jose, our Alum Rock Youth Center is third in generating income from fee classes. Why? Because this highly understaffed Center has a great relationship with the community and regularly gets out into the schools and neighborhoods to promote its programs. Why? Because the Alum Rock School District has been highly supportive in communicating activities at the Center to our families. Why? Because the Advisory Committee has continually promoted good will through fund raising efforts which provide money for scholarships, equipment and field trips (for which the City no longer provides financial support). Please encourage community members in your "entourage" to join the Advisory Committee. We meet only once a month for an hour and host three very enjoyable fund raisers a year (remember the comedy show? the pancake breakfast? the Halloween Haunted House?). They can contact me (509-0316) or Ed Solis (Ed.Solis@sanjoseca.gov or 251-2850).

Tanya

EAST FOOTHILLS FAMILY FEATURED ON CBS "EARLY SHOW"

By Darlene Tenes

Okay, so this is the story behind the story... I went on to the CBS News website about a week ago for something completely unrelated and a saw a link asking to share "your kitchen memories." I wrote a quick letter and attached a picture. The story was fresh in my mind after having just shared it with some teenagers I mentor. Within two hours a producer called and asked for pictures of my Aunt's kitchen which I thought was bizarre because at the time I didn't even know it was a contest to win a new kitchen. A CBS crew came by last Wednesday to tape the Sanchez (my mother's maiden name) women making tamales and sharing our memories of our beloved abuelita, Mama Luz. Read the original letter below, then on Friday go online to vote so my Auntie Carol can get a new kitchen!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/earlyshow/series/kitchen/main501123.shtml

Here is Darlene's touching letter about food and family, tradition and tragedy:

Dear Early Show,

The women in our family — aunts, cousins, grandmas — still gather in a warm kitchen at the break of dawn in an assembly line, laughing and gossiping, while busily spreading and filling hojas (corn husks) to make hundreds of our Christmas tamales. And although invited, the men curiously never materialize until later in the day when it's time to try our tasty creations. It is an all-day process with a role for every person, no matter what the age. These special love-laced tamales are served at our annual Sanchez Family Christmas Party. When we were young this event was traditionally held on Christmas Eve but as everyone grew older, got married, had more kids and were split between the in-laws, we decided to change the date to the first weekend in December so our "immediate family" (50-60 family members) could attend. In 1992 when the party started to wind down about midnight, our abuelita and family matriarch, Luz Gonzales (better known as "Mama Luz") and our step-grandfather left for home. Mama Luz & Gus were a very active and dare I say feisty couple in their mid-80's who never sat still — fishing, cooking, gardening, canning, crocheting and dancing. We received a phone call from their neighbor at 6 a.m. informing us their house was on fire. Phone calls were placed in a hurry and we all raced down to the scene. Cars were parked haphazardly all throughout the street with family members from in and out of town. It was unclear for quite some time whether they had gotten out or not, when we were finally told that both had died in the fire. We were devastated. My Auntie Carol, who was in her late 60's at the time, remarked. "I'm not anyone’s daughter anymore." On the other hand we felt very fortunate that we had all been together as a family in a festive environment the night before they passed away. A closed-casket funeral was held with over 1000 people attending. Mama Luz had retired from her cannery job 20 years earlier. Everyone at that funeral was there neither because she was a high-powered or wealthy woman nor because they worked with her but because she affected their lives with her kind ways and love. I looked around at all those people and thought, "This is a successful person." Being together as a family for our tamale-making days and Sanchez Family Christmas parties means more to us now than ever because you never know when it will be the last time you see someone. — Darlene Sanchez-Tenes of San Jose, Calif.

ALUM ROCK VILLAGE LIGHTS UP FOR HOLIDAYS

Imagine driving home on a cold winter's night and being greeted by warmth and a colorful glow coming from our own Alum Rock Village. That's what to expect this holiday season as the village lights up for the holidays! Village merchants will be decked out with lights to brighten up the long winter nights. Please plan to attend a special village lighting ceremony on Thursday, November 30th at 5:00 pm. City Councilmember Nora Campos is organizing the event which will bring together our community for a night of holiday cheer. The James Lick High School choir and band will provide music and carols and yours truly will Emcee a short ceremony marking this significant occasion. The village has had its ups and downs over the decades but this definately marks an upswing. Hopefully, there will be more positive news in the near future about new tenants moving in. And don't forget to patronize the existing village shops and services this holiday season. Tell your neighbors and plan to attend. See you there!

COMMUNITY SAYS "THANK YOU" TO ALLAN AND JUDY THOMPSON

The Community Room at the Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Library was filled with music, food, friends and words of appreciation for Allan and Judy Thompson who are stepping down as publishers of the New Neighborhood Voice.
The potluck gathering was attended by about 50 people from the Alum Rock and East Foothills area. Edie Pricolo and Tanya Freudenberger organized the classy event which featured a song from James Lick Music Director Tomoko Nakajima, official commendations from San Jose City Councilmember Nora Campos and California State Assemblymember Joe Coto, and a mild "roast" of the Thompsons from friends, neighbors and New Neighborhood Voice contributors.

The Thompsons have put the last issue of the New Neighborhood Voice to bed. For the last few years now, they have been overwhelmed by the amount of time and effort required to cover news events and publish the website. "We certainly understand their need to hand the baton over to others. Over the years, this community has been the benefactor of their generosity of time, energy, connections and pure resourcefulness," said Freudenberger and Pricolo in a recent email message about the Thompson's retirement from the web publishing world. The NNV will be missed, but this blog, The Neighborhood View and the Alum Rock Neighborhood Network E-list (ARNNE) are two of the most recent efforts undertaken to provide a community news link. If you would like to subscribe to ARNNE, please send an email to:

alumrockneighborhoodnetwork-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

ALLAN AND JUDY THOMPSON APPRECIATION POTLUCK

From Tanya Freudenberger & Edie Pricolo
On Sunday, November 12 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Roberto Cruz/Alum Rock Library Community Room, we are going to show Allan and Judy Thompson just what we think of them!!
In partnership with the Library, a few friends of Judy & Allan and Schuster Es. Thompson invite you to share a joyful farewell potluck and roast to two of the most delightful people on the hill. You are invited to bring yourself, your family, your friends - and of course your food - to the party. It's pretty much a happy family event except the part when Allan puts on the lampshade and dances on the bar (oops, sorry wrong party).
As you have heard (or you could be in denial about this), the Thompsons are putting the New Neighborhood Voice to bed … permanently with this edition. For some time now, they have been overwhelmed by the effort required to cover the increasing need for this community to be heard. We certainly understand their need to hand the baton over to others. Over the years, this community has been the benefactor of their generosity of time, energy, connections and pure resourcefulness. There's not enough money in the world to repay them, so why don't we pay them with love on November 12!
During the "official" ceremony at 3:30 p.m., you are encouraged to share your witty comments about Judy and Allan and NNV -- all of which we know will be offered in the spirit of the appreciation and affection that we have for them. Our community family has relied on their reporting for its one and only source of decent, positive local news for the past four years -- and we will surely miss the special Thompson touch with the retirement of the New Neighborhood Voice.
SUPER IMPORTANT: Please send an e-mail message if you can come. We need to make sure we have enough cold drinks, food and seating for everyone.
Tanya Freudenberger & Edie Pricolooldhippie1747@sbcglobal.net or phone Edie at (408) 258-6753

HUGE FIRE DESTROYS BERRYESSA HOME

A Berryessa family of 3 lost their home and two cars Thursday morning in a devastating house fire.
San Jose Fire Captain David Huseman was driving to work at 5:30 am, when flames from the fire momentarily took his eyes off the road on Highway 680. Huseman exited the freeway and drove to 2220 Belthorn Court where flames were already taking over the two-story house, and threatening a neighboring home.
Other neighbors had already called 911, but Huseman radioed in a second alarm to keep the fire from spreading to other homes. Huseman also woke up the residents of the neighboring home to evacuate them, according to Fire Captain Jose Guerrero.
The family in the burning house had been awakened by the smoke and flames and managed to escape unharmed. The fire was so intense, it also destroyed two cars in the driveway.
Damage was estimated at 700-thousand dollars. The cause of the fire is under investigation but it is believed to have started in the garage. The Red Cross is temporarily sheltering the family.
You can watch a dramatic clip of the fire here:
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=17796@kpix.dayport.com

MAN FATALLY STABBED NEAR QUICK STOP MARKET

Tragedy has come to our Alum Rock Village.
A 45 year old man is dead, and a 15-year old, believed to be the man's son, is hospitalized with serious injuries after a stabbing near the Alum Rock Quick Stop market late Halloween night.
San Jose Police Sgt. Nick Muyo said officers responded to reports that an injured man was at the Quik Stop on Stewart and Alum Rock avenues around 12:14 a.m. today and found the man and the boy wounded in the parking lot.
Police don't know if the man and his son knew their attackers or some how got into a fight with others.
The store's owner, Bob Tabakon, said there had been some sort of scuffle near the pay phones that face Alum Rock.
That pay phone area has long been a place that seems to attract loitering.
Throughout the day today, regulars who had heard the news stopped by the store.
``You guys are part of the community,'' one man told Tabakon as the pair shook hands according to the San Jose Mercury News. ``I am glad you're OK.''
That Quick Stop is used by many of us to quickly pick up some items on the way home, so it's sad and a bit scary to see violence has struck there. Let's see if we can try to do something about possibly removing those pay phones and maybe seal off that narrow walkway between the Quick Stop building and the other buildings in the village. That spot seems to be a constant blight in an otherwise vibrant commercial area.
Anyone with information about this case should call San Jose Police department's homicide unit at (408) 277-5283.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! kids celebrate at Linda Vista

Hundreds of Linda Vista students dressed up for the school's annual Halloween Parade through the classrooms. There were ghosts, goblins, princesses, witches, supermen and darth vaders. Principal Paddie Douglas joined in the fun as a gypsy...but we hope she doesn't wander too far from Linda Vista!

GANG PREVENTION TRAINING COMES TO ALUM ROCK YOUTH CENTER

Please join the City of San José’s Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force in partnership with California Youth Outreach at a special gang prevention forum at the Alum Rock Youth Center.

Parents will increase their knowledge in the following:
--Have a greater understanding of the nature of the gang lifestyle and the most common reasons why gangs exist.
--Detecting gang presence by learning to identify paraphernalia and behaviors associated with gangs.
--Why youth join gangs, how they are recruited, and the different levels of involvement.
--Where to get information on community resources and get help.

PLACE: Alum Rock Youth Center
137 N. White Rd.
San José, CA 95127
DATE: Wednesday, November 15, 2006
TIME: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Children’s activities will be provided for 6-12 years old.
Food & Refreshments Provided

For more information, contact
Esther G. Mota at (408) 277-2741.

HAUNTED HOUSE IN EAST FOOTHILLS!

BOO! Halloween night is coming soon and there's a great and scary haunted house to visit right here in the East Foothills. Once again, St. John Vianney is hosting a haunted house that will give visitors a fright or two and plenty of Halloween fun. It's hard to tell who has more fun at this haunted house: the people putting it on, or the visitors who walk through! The house is open from 5 pm to 10 pm through Halloween night and it's a great, and safe place to spend the evening. Admission is only $2.00 and it benefits the SJV Youth Ministry. Also, be sure to watch out for trick or treaters and slow down when driving through the neighborhoods.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reminds parents and children to walk with awareness and be seen this Halloween. Because the daylight-saving time change occurs two days before Halloween, children will be trick-or-treating in the dark, when it’s harder for drivers to see them.
"A common misconception is that the biggest danger is the candy, when the reality is, the biggest concern is vehicles," said CHP Capt. Lott, commander of the Redwood City Area office.
Statistically, October 31st is the most dangerous day of the year for children to walk. Last Halloween in California, nearly half of all the pedestrians killed and injured in collisions were children.
"Parents should remind children about basic pedestrian safety – walk on sidewalks or paths, cross at the corner or at a crosswalk, obey traffic signals, check for traffic before crossing the street and stay with parents or a group," said Lott. She also advises parents to outfit children with flashlights and in costumes that are bright or with reflective tape, making them more visible.

JAMES LICK HOMECOMING: WELCOME BACK COMETS!

Several hundred James Lick High School students, families and alums gathered at the school's great new football stadium to watch the Comets take on the Overfelt Royals at the 2006 Homecoming game. Unfortunately for the Comets, Overfelt's potent offense dominated the play, scoring 3 touchdowns by halftime to lead 21 to 0. The Royals went on to win the game 43-6.
Under warm and sunny skies, James Lick Principal Bill Rice led the ceremonies at halftime that included the crowing of the 2006 Homecoming King and Queen and the dedication of the stadium in honor of all James Lick graduates. Mr. Rice said the stadium will now be known as "James Lick Memorial Stadium."
With its synthetic turf and rubberized track, the stadium is now a first class athletic facility. The View has also learned that lights will be added to the stadium next year to facilitate night games for the first time in Lick's 55 year history.
The new athletic facilities are just part of what's exciting about James Lick High School. The school is definately on the move again. Major landscaping changes and a facelift of the administration wing have created a more inviting campus. On the inside, a new media magnet program and a new emphasis on academic achievement are pushing Lick upward. Plus, there was a lot of evidence of a surging school spirit at James Lick High School. Full disclosure: I was in the JLHS Class of '79!

GO COMETS!

ALUM ROCK FARMERS MARKET HAPPENINGS

FROM THE PACIFIC COAST FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION:
Dear Friends of the Alum Rock Village Farmers' Market,
Your Alum Rock Village Farmers' Market is your best source for farm-fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables and this Sunday - October 29 - the market will feature two cooking demonstrations to show you how to make the most of the season's best produce.At 10:15 welcome special guest chef Nora Campos, Councilmember for District 5, as she prepares a quick and simple recipe using fresh California-grown apples.And at 11:15, firefighters from San Jose Fire Station #2 will demonstrate their 2-alarm Salsa, made from fresh farmers' market ingredients.Councilmember Campos will also help to announce some exciting news about the future of the Alum Rock Farmers' Market. You won't want to miss it!

ALUM ROCK TO LOSE PARK ENTRANCE

A meeting with the City is planned for Thursday to inform neighbors about proposed permanent changes to the entrance to Alum Rock Park.
The purpose of the meeting is to explain to us why the City’s plan to possibly stabilize the Crothers/Alum Rock landslide will be abandoned. The letter we received says that they no longer believe that they can get permits to reroute a portion of the creek to work on the toe of the landslide at Penitencia Creek (which would halt the erosion there). For several years, this has been the plan and it has been the only concession which the City was willing to make. Why would the plan suddenly not be feasible when just a few months ago it was in the works.
The meeting will be at the new Alum Rock Roberto Cruz library at 5:30 this coming Thursday, July 20th. During previous neighborhood meetings, we have become aware just how important restoring the old (upper) entrance into Alum Rock Park is to people in our area. Due to the landslide, Alum Rock Park has effectively become a Berryessa park since one has to access it via Penitencia Creek Road.

CITY COUNCIL GIVES NOD TO 14 HOMES, PARK, STREET IMPROVEMENTS

The San Jose City Council approved a plan to build 14 homes plus a half-acre park on the Fleming Avenue property now occupied by The Lord's Baptist Church early Wednesday morning. The unanimous approval, led by East Side councilmember Nora Campos, came at the very end of an exhausting 5 hour meeting that went well past midnight. Once again, Fleming neighbors made a strong showing and voiced their concerns of over-development and unbearable traffic.
The 14 home/park proposal was clearly a compromise measure forged by Campos after numerous meetings with neighbors and the developer, Braddock and Logan. But considering the fact the original plan was to build 21 homes on the lot, it can be considered a major victory for neighbors.
Just before the meeting, Campos issued a four-page memo to the council stating her preference for the home/park idea, plus a long list of traffic calming measures that will begin to take shape this summer. The calming measures include:

-new speed limit signs by August 2006

-upgrade existing crosswalks at Fleming and Mahoney to school crosswalks by July 2006

-conduct a study looking at a possible four-way stop at Fleming and Neves Way

-deploy traffic radar trailer to various locations on Fleming

-work with SJ Police to increase speed enforcement on Fleming

-study appropriateness of the current speed limit by September 2006

-install wheelchair access ramps at Fleming/Story/Marchant court

-resurface pavement on Fleming near Fleming court

-continue work with Caltrans to address traffic back up on Fleming by improving signal timing at Alum Rock intersection

While some neighbors were disappointed that any homes were approved for the lot, the plan softens the blow that more traffic will bring. It does give Fleming some badly needed attention, and an open space that could serve as a neighborhood meeting place and break up what would have been wall-to wall homes on the narrow lot.

The proposed park will be located near the Fleming Avenue entrance to the new development. It will be built by the City and would be designed based on feedback from the community.

FLEMING PLAN GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL

Please plan to attend Tuesday night's City Hall meeting in which the development on Fleming Avenue will be voted on by the full City Council. Council members will be voting on a proposal to build 14 homes on the site of The Lord's Baptist Church. The council will be presented with two alternatives: 14 homes with a small green space or "pocket park" or 14 homes with no public green space, just homes.

Several neighbors have voiced concerns about having a park in the neighborhood due to possible problems with undesirables. That's a valid concern, but I think the benefits of a park outweigh the negatives. The strongest reason for a park, in my opinion, is that having it will pave the way for traffic calming measures on Fleming. Traffic and safety have been our number one concern since day one. The park will give the powers that be, an edge in demanding that traffic issues be dealt with quickly.

On the aesthetic side, I think having a small green space will break up what would be wall to wall homes on that side of Fleming. I would prefer that the number of homes be cut down to 10, but under the current plan, that appears to be unlikely. Another reason is that a park would give our neighborhood a focal point to help define our neck of the woods. Plus, it would be nice to have a place where neighbors could meet and discuss issues. We hope to keep the momentum of our collective efforts going after this proposal is voted on. There will surely be more developments on the way, and we need to keep fighting for our rights to a safe neighborhood.

ALUM ROCK VILLAGE FARMERS' MARKET OPENS

Hundreds of our neighbors turned out for the grand opening of the new Alum Rock Village Farmers' Market at James Lick High School. San Jose City Councilmember Nora Campos and her staff helped usher in this colorful new outdoor market specializing in the freshest organic fruits and vegetables, flowers, crafts and of course, kettle corn! It was the first of its kind event in our area, complete with the festive sounds of Mariachi Mexicanisimo. Many of our neighbors have been missing the once popular produce stand at McKee and Toyon, which closed down a few years ago. This is a great alternative and a fun place to walk and mingle with friends and neighbors. The Farmers' Market will be open every Sunday morning from now until November, so come out and support this great new asset in our neighborhood!