The Eden Examiner

June 2000

Presidents Message
Carl Shoemaker

Our speaker this month is Leslie Keedy, arborist who will talk about trees. Our City Forest, a private organization, is offering our neighborhood a wide variety of trees free. While we have a lot of trees already, there are places where we could plant a few more. Trees give our neighborhood character.

Please don't overlook the opportunities for summer activities for children through teenagers in our community. Moreland Discovery School, 801 Hibiscus Lane just off Williams Road near Blackford High School, has some 40 classes for children on basketball, crafts, drawing, gymnastics, Japanese, nature science, soccer, etc. Starbird Community Center has some 30 classes for children of all ages on ballet/tap dancing, gymnastics, cheerleading, piano keyboard, tennis, karate, etc. There is a fee for the courses with registration in June.

Destruction and construction at Town and Country is now scheduled to start in June. Expect to see a lot of action there soon.

Destruction and construction of a new West Valley Library is also planned. We will have a speaker tell us about it at our August 8 meeting.

Graffiti

On Saturday morning May 19, Horace Nevarez and I attended a Special Spring Forum on graffiti. Over 100 attended. Mayor Gonzales made an appearance to emphasize the importance he places on eliminating graffiti in San Jose. Graffiti may be the start of territory stakeouts by gangs. Then fights, crime and drug sales follow. Graffiti costs Santa Clara County about $10 million/year and the state about $500 million/year.

Last year, about 350 taggers were identified in San Jose resulting in an overall graffiti reduction of about 40%. While most will not do any more tagging there is a new crop of taggers every year. Usually, taggers are between 12 and 19 years old and they do their work between the hours of midnight to 3:00 am. When caught, they are required to clean up the graffiti and they lose their driver's license for a year. If they are too young to drive, their license will be delayed for a year. It is important to clean up graffiti and identify the tagger as soon as possible to discourage more mischief later. About 1350 volunteers have signed up for adopt-a-block to keep graffiti off their block. Four thousand are needed.

We do not have a lot of graffiti. There is a small amount on Williams Road and on the wall along Payne Ave. Horace and I will clean up the graffiti on Williams Road. Bob Leverett will paint over some incompletely removed graffiti on Payne Ave. I have not seen any on Eden Ave lately. The graffiti should first be photographed for later use. For small amounts, we have solvents and paint. For larger amounts, the city has a truck which can quickly spray over the graffiti. If you see some new graffiti, please report it on the hot line or to us as soon as possible.

SFO Noise
One Person’s Opinion

Re-routing the Big Sur and Woodside traverse to the Bay is a blatant attempt by the FAA and SFO to appease the vocal and privileged communities of Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Los Altos and Palo Alto. Moving the peninsula traverse south to over Santa Clara County is equal to moving a highway from their neighborhood to ours, except this highway is in the sky.

The existing flight paths to SFO already results in significant over flights of Santa Clara County and during inclement weather the roar of jets on approach to SFO is deafening. San Mateo County residence should accept the burden of SFO and not force it upon their neighbors.

It is all too apparent in reviewing the concerns of or neighbors to the north, that the FAA's contention of minimal noise impact created by the peninsula overflight is untrue and the method by which this change is being made is without concern or regard for those who will most be effected by it.

Erik Hansen, Sunnyvale Resident

For more information, go to:  http://www.sjmayor.org

Writers Wanted

Would you like to express an idea or opinion about activities in the neighborhood? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Just send me a disk with your message or call the hotline for an email address.

Need a New Washing Machine?

The Santa Clara Valley Water District, with PG & E and the San Jose/ Santa Clara Water pollution Control Plant, are offering a pair of rebates on certain energy and water-efficient models of washing machines.

You can save money on your water and energy bills, reduce detergent costs, and help the environment by switching to a water-efficient, front-loading clothes washer. You'll get help, with a rebate of up to $150 from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the San Jose /Santa Clara Water pollution Control Plant, and PG & E.

This limited time offer runs until June 30, 2000. Applications must be postmarked by July 14, 2000. For more information, see your local appliance retailer, or visit the SCVWD website at www.scvwd.dst.ca.us/wtrcnsrv/wtrcpge.htm

The Santa Clara County Vector Control District will give you useful tips for ridding your house and yard of annoying insects. They'll also come out to spray the public property around your house. Call 299-2050 for help.

Underground Utilities

The California Legislature has instructed the California Public Utilities Commission to study ways to amend, revise, and improve the rules for replacing overhead electric and communications facilities with underground facilities. Their report is due by January 1, 2001.

If you'd like to have underground utilities in this neighborhood, make yourself heard.

Email: public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
or write to:
Public Advisor's Office
CPUC
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102

Summer Picnic

No fire truck rides! One of the high lights of our summer picnics has always been the fire truck ride. Unfortunately for us, the people who provided the rides in the past can't do it this year. We're all disappointed, but we're hoping we can provide some different fun for the young and the young-at-heart.

This year we're going to provide supplies for decorating bikes, trikes, and other riding toys. Then we can parade around the block showing off our artistic results.

If you have other ideas for children's activities and you're willing to help put them together, let us know. This is a family event & we encourage as much participation as possible.

Membership 2000

This month, we have had six renewals. They were Lee & Susan Carlton, Mary Ann Henderson, Lionel & Joanne Kulmann (new), Charles & Kathleen Perry, John & Virginia Pyke and Ed and Marie Roy. That brings our total to 344. But we are missing an additional 136 who have not renewed. You have a chance to sign up or renew at the picnic. ENA will continue to urge you to support this great organization.

Thanks to those who have renewed and helped us with additional donations.Mario Vazquez 248-2918

Help in the Garden

Carl Shoemaker has spent many hours keeping the neighborhood garden in tip top shape. The time has come to have someone else assume those responsibilities. Can you help? If so, please call the hot line.

New West Valley Branch Library

Join Councilwoman Linda LeZotte, library staff, and the project architect for a progress report and plan review.

Thursday, June 22
7 to 8:30 p.m.
West Valley Branch Library
(1235 San Tomas Aquino Rd.)

Traffic Committee

We’re meeting once again on Thursday, June 15th at 7:00. Please join us if you can. Call the hotline for the address.