SAM'S CORNER

Sam’s Prescription for a Fun and Safe 4th: We’re Opening the Pools!

We learned recently that the City had planned to close our neighborhood pools for the holiday this Saturday, July 4th to save costs.   In these tough times, of course, we know that many families will look for fun options close to home for the holiday, so we jumped into action to scrounge up some contributions previously made by Hewlett Packard to the City (as part of the deal that the City negotiated over the naming of the HP Arena) toward our pools. 

As a result, we’ll keep the pools open on the Fourth!  City lifeguards will open the Ryland Pool (a wading pool for children, at North 1st and Fox Streets in the Vendome neighborhood, near the Japantown/Ayer light rail stop) and the Biebrach Pool (at Virginia and Delmas in the Gardner neighborhood, near the Virginia light rail stop) from 1 to 5 pm this Saturday, July 4th.  Bring your kids and join the neighborhood for some safe fun – a small entry fee of a $1.00 per person will be charged.

Thanks to the 13th Street Neighborhood Advisory Council and the Friends of Ryland Pool for helping to coordinate this effort, and especially to County Supervisor George Shirakawa, who graciously donated $5,000 of his office funds for swim lesson scholarships that will help more of our kids learn how to swim this summer.  To learn more about the available activities through the City’s Aquatics program, please click here.
 
Out of the Pool and Into the Downtown…
Of course, there will be a lot more swimming around the Downtown for the Fourth than water-winged youngsters.   As our newsletter describes below, the weekend will feature a Blues festival at Poor House Bistro, fireworks at Municipal Stadium after the Giants game, the Naglee Park block party at William Street Park, and the Rose, White, and Blue parade on The Alameda.  Even before the Fourth, music will fill downtown air: on Thursday, the San Jose Downtown Association’s weekly Music in the Park series resumes at 5:30 p.m. with the appearance of the top-selling 70’s rock band, the Tubes, in Cesar Chavez Park. Friday evening, AP Stumps’ Rockin’ on the Patio Summer Series features Sage, the winning group in KFOX’s “Last Band Standing” contest, playing on West Santa Clara Street near San Pedro Square. 

We all regret that the drop of private and public financial support has forced the suspension of the America Festival fireworks show this year.  Of course, we’ll work to find creative ways to bring the America Festival back to the downtown in 2010.  In the meantime, we’ve got a great Independence weekend ahead, and much to enjoy– please do!

Sincerely,

Sam Liccardo

Contact Us
P: (408) 535-4903
E: district3@sanjoseca.gov
W: www.sanjoseca.gov/district3

D3 Staff
Sam Liccardo, Councilmember
Ragan Henninger, Chief of Staff
Roma Dawson, Policy Director
Ruth Cueto, Council Assistant
Fred Buzo, Council Assistant
Rhonda Hadnot, Exec. Assistant

Safe Firework Practices for San José
The City of San José welcomes the 4th of July celebration with a gentle reminder that all fireworks are illegal in San José. Only a licensed pyrotechnician with a permit is allowed to use fireworks.

San José Fire Chief, Darryl Von Raesfeld urges the outreach of firework education. “Fireworks cause hundreds of severe injuries in the United States and ignite thousands of fires in California every year. With our current drought conditions, the potential for a major fire incident is incredibly high.”

The ban on fireworks includes bottle rockets, roman candles, firecrackers and sparklers, which are given to younger children. San José Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Chief, David Schoonover said, “Sparklers can reach over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. They account for 50 percent of firework-related injuries to children under the age 5 and 10 percent of overall firework injuries.

If you see illegal fireworks in your neighborhood, please call the Police Department Emergency Dispatch at 911, or (408) 277-8911. For other non-emergencies situations, you may call 311 or (408) 277-8900.

Keeping Seniors Safe in the Heat
When the temperatures appeared to head north of 96 degrees last weekend, the City of San José announced the temporary opening of its "Cooling Centers" throughout the city, to help seniors and vulnerable community members avoid the heat. 

When the excessive heat returns, call the District 3 Council office at 535-4903, or check the City's Web site at www.sanjoseca.gov for information about air-conditioned locations near your loved ones — typically, the City will open the Roosevelt Community Center at 901 East Santa Clara Street, and Willows Community Center at 2175 Lincoln Avenue, from noon to 8 p.m. on those days. 

VTA Service Changes Effective July 13
Changes to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) service schedule on major bus and light rail will be implemented July 13. Some bus or light rail services will have extensive changes to service hours, frequency and routing. For more information, please contact the VTA Customer Service by phone at 408.321.2300 or by e-mail: customer.service@vta.org, or visit their web site by clicking here.

Fireworks with San José Giants
Thanks to the San José Giants - in partnership with the City of San José, San José State University and Comcast - Fourth of July revelers can watch an expanded Giants fireworks show for free on Saturday.

The show will take place after the Giants' 6:30 p.m. game against the Modesto Nuts at Municipal Stadium. The public is invited to watch the fireworks from San José State's East Field, next to Spartan Stadium on 10th and Alma streets, or at Kelley Park on Alma and Senter Road. Parking will be available for $8 at Municipal Stadium, Bud Winter Field, Kelley Park and San José State's Seventh Street garage. You can bring blankets or chairs, but please leave coolers at home and alcohol is prohibited.

Comcast, which kicked in additional funding to expand the show, also will be broadcasting the game and fireworks on Comcast Hometown Network (Ch. 104).
For special coupons for the July 4th game, please click here.

Poor House Bistro Red, White & Blues Festival  
This weekend, downtown’s Poor House Bistro, a New Orleans-style eatery, will celebrate our nation’s birth and the restaurant’s fourth anniversary with a weekend of musical fireworks including blues, jazz and food.  The “Poor House Bistro’s Red, White, & Blues 4th on the 4th Anniversary and Independence Day Community Celebration,” featuring San José’s own King of the Blues, Chris Cain, and Bay Area Blues Legend, Ron Thompson and so much more, including a New Orleans Street Padrade!  So come on down to the Poor House Bistro for a special free admission New Orleans style Fourth of July weekend of musical fireworks in San José! A schedule of events is below or for more detailed information, please click here.

FRIDAY, JULY 3
Delta Guitar Blues Legend ROBERT LOWERY       5:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.

San Jose’s King of the Blues CHRIS CAIN             7:15 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
    
SATURDAY, JULY 4
San Jose’s Cajun/New Orleans Band THE GATORS    12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

New Orleans Street Parade                         4:30 p.m.
Bring your horn, drum, tambourine, umbrella, and handkerchief and the best part of that number “When the Saints go Marching in.” The parade starts in downtown San José Diridon train station and proceeds through the front gate of the Poor House Bistro.                   

RON THOMPSON & THE RESISTORS          6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 5
New Orleans Jazz Brunch (Sponsored by the San Jose Jazz Society)
JP & THE RYTHMN CHASERS               11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Rose, White & Blue Parade
The Alameda Business Association (ABA) is hosting the Second Annual Rose, White and Blue 4th of July Parade (R,W&B Parade). Inspired by historic parades on The Alameda (such as the "Rose Carnival" beginning in 1896 and the "Fiesta de Las Roses" in the ’20s and ’30s), the R,W&B Parade was chosen as an appropriate event to celebrate the neighborhood, city, and country. The Parade begins at 10 a.m. starting at West San Carlos and Shasta Ave and winds through the charming and historic streets of the Shasta/Hanchett Neighborhood, ending at the festival area located near Hanchett and The Alameda. After the parade, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., enjoy a festival with a jump-house for children, a dance floor, band, food and carnival booths. For more information on the Rose, White & Blue Festival, please click here.

Naglee Park Parade & Block Party
Naglee Park residents will be celebrating with an old fashioned neighborhood parade, bake-off and block party. The day long celebration begins at 8:30a.m. with a Coyote Creek Fun Race along Selma Olinder Park, Coyote Creek and Happy Hallow with  1 mile, 2 mile or 4.5 mile course options. Then, decorated bikes, wagons, cars or anything that moves will take part in the neighborhood parade, with a special feature of new babies born since last Fourth of July.  The day culminates with a picnic, potluck and barbeque with music provided by two local Naglee Park neighborhood bands. For details on the Naglee Park festivities, please click here.

A New Library To Come
The Educational Park Branch Library had its last day of business on June 20, the same day of its groundbreaking ceremony for its replacement facility.

The Educational Park Branch Library, built in 1976, holds a unique position serving as both an educational center for the adjacent high school and a resource for the community. This branch is the first of two library branches that get underway this year in San José — falling under the $212 million library branch bond measure, which was approved by voters in 2000. The bond funds for the construction of six new branches, and expanding 14 branches.

During Construction, residents are encouraged to patronize three neighboring branches:

• Berryessa, 3355 Noble Ave., 408.808.3050
• Dr. Roberto Cruz, Alum Rock, 3090 Alum Rock Ave., 408.808.3090
• Joyce Ellington, 491 Empire St., 408.808.3043

The new Educational Park Branch Library will house an Internet café, a community living room with fireplace, a technology space, a teen room, study areas and a community room that will accommodate 70 persons.
For more information, please click here.

American Red Cross Offers Safety tips for Water Activities
According to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on water-related injuries, the drowning rate in the United States averages nine per day with a quarter of fatal drownings involving children 14 and younger. This is why the Red Cross recommends swimming in areas supervised by a lifeguard, or designating an adult to maintain constant supervision of children around water — no matter how well they swim, or how shallow the water.

The Red Cross is urging your family to stay safe this summer with these tips:

• Learn to swim well.  Contact the Silicon Valley Chapter for information on local facilities that are authorized to teach the American Red Cross “Learn to Swim” program — nearly 2 million people learn to swim each year with Red Cross programs; nearly 20,000 in just Silicon Valley.
• Never leave children unattended near water — not even for a moment! Adults should practice “reach supervision,” which means to always be within arm’s length when a young child is near water.  For older children, even adults, who are not strong swimmers, practice constant supervision and make sure they wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) whenever in or around the water.
• Know how to respond to an emergency. You should know how to tell if a swimmer is in distress or is drowning and how and when to call for emergency help.  You should also learn how to help someone in trouble in water while keeping safe yourself.  Do not create a situation where you become a victim as well. Enroll in the Red Cross water safety, first aid and CPR courses to learn what to do.
• Keep lifesaving gear handy. Always have on hand a ring buoy, life jacket, rope, pole or other object that can be used to help a person in trouble. Remember to have a first-aid kit, cordless phone and emergency contact information by the pool.
• Know when it’s too dangerous. If you, or someone you are swimming with, appear to be too cold, too far from safety, been exposed to too much sun, or had too much strenuous activity, it is time to head for shore or signal for help.
• Eliminate temptation. Backyard pools should have self-closing, self-latching gates that remain locked when the pool is not being used. Kiddie pools should be emptied and toys removed immediately after use. Empty water pails and buckets so small children cannot fall in and drown.
• Know what you’re getting into. Check local tides, currents and other conditions, which could be dangerous before entering open bodies of water.

For more information on American Red Cross Learn to Swim, water safety, first aid and CPR classes contact the Silicon Valley Chapter at 1-877-727-6771 or visit www.siliconvalley-redcross.org.

New Neighborhoods Commission to Hold First Meeting
Members of the new Neighborhoods Commission will hold its first meeting on July 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall, wing rooms 118-119. The commissioners were seated by the City Council and nominees were elected in their Council Districts through neighborhood caucuses. This is a two-year pilot project proposed by the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative’s Project Advisory Committee. For more information, please contact Ernest Guzman at 408.723.4114.

Safeway Opens Store in Downtown High-rise
The eagerly awaited retail store, Safeway, is opening their new urban store — the Market — in the ground floor space at The 88 high-rise (2nd & San Fernando St) on August 27th.  The day beginns with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. The event is open to businesspeople and residents.

The store will be open to the public on August 27th after 2 p.m. The Market will provide a range of groceries alongside high-quality-prepared and specialty foods.

Transforming Your Community Through Dance
Every day (minus Thursday)
National Hispanic University (14271 Story Rd)
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Free

This summer, the National Hispanic University is offering free ballroom dancing lessons and team-building skills. If you are interested in the program, please contact Adrian Flores at 925.766.8136.

Founders Day Fandango
Sunday, July 26th, 12 - 6pm
Peralta Adobe
Free

History San José invites the community to the celebration of the 232nd anniversary of the founding of El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe (San José’s founding). This family friendly event includes hands on activities along with traditional singing and dancing. For more information, click here.