We at Metroblogging San José write about what’s happening in the greater South Bay area. If you take a look at our blogroll - bottom of the page - you will notice that we link to several local neighborhood and community sites. A visit to them will take you back to the days of chit-chat over the garden fence.
Northside Neighborhood Association
Willow Glen 2.0 is proclaiming: Help Your Neighbor Day.
Do you have a local neighborhood-community site or blog?
From the group's July 13 performance at the San Jose Obon Festival.
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Hi everyone!
I’m Sarah, a new author for the San Jose Metblog. I’m very excited to contribute and to start off, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself (it’ll be short - I promise!)
- Journalism was my first love. I studied Journalism at SJSU, graduated with a degree in the fabulous subject in 2005, worked for local weekly newspapers for two years, then decided to leave the business. Not because I didn’t love reporting, but because I figured I should get out while I still had the choice. Anyone who’d like to have a conversation about the current state of Journalism in the Bay Area is absolutely welcome to leave a comment and let me know. :)
- I’m currently back at SJSU in the teaching credential program to be a high school English teacher. Yes, I left a poverty-inducing career where getting laid off is a possibility, to enter another poverty-inducing career that is also in danger financially. But what isn’t these days?
- And last, I love photography. I take photos around San Jose all the time, so I’m making it a mission to bring photos to each of my entries, starting with this one!
OK, enough about me. What I really want to tell you all about is the Spirit of Japantown Festival that is planned for next Saturday, Oct. 4. As a Japantown resident, I love telling people how much I love it here and how they should come by and check out some of the delicious food. Sushi Maru is my personal favorite, but Japantown has lots to offer.
The Spirit of Japantown Festival will go from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the heart of Japantown (Jackson and Fifth streets) and will be packed with activities for people of all ages. Shoppers will enjoy the Main Street full of Japanese fine arts, crafts, food for sale, as well as wares from other local merchants. Festival-goers will be able to enjoy entertainment that ranges from a hula to bellydancing on the Main Stage (Jackson Street between Third and Fourth streets), as well as Martial Arts demonstrations, free Anime movies, and other activities for kids. The San Jose Taiko group is scheduled to perform on the Main Stage, and I have to say they are a must-see. I’ve watched the group perform at the last two San Jose Obon Festivals and they are phenomenal.
While there is usually plenty of street parking in the area, during festivals, the streets fill up fast. However, those who are lightrail savvy will be interested to know that the Japantown/Ayer stop is just a few blocks away from the action. The stop is on First street near Jackson, so just a quick walk and riders can be in the heart of the action.
So if you’re interested, I’m sending you a personal invitation to my neighborhood to enjoy all it has to offer. See you at the festival!
For more information about the Spirit of Japantown Festival, visit their website.
Last Saturday a pedestrian was struck down in the crosswalk on Pine at Hicks. This afternoon a red-light-runner caused this mess at the same intersection. As bad as the rolled van looked, the occupants did not seem seriously injured.
San Jose District 6 City Council member Pierluigi Oliverio (blue shirt) arrived at the scene. He was talking of ways to make the streets of Willow Glen safer - - possibly red-light violators could be caught on camera.
Just after nine this morning on my way to the bank, I could see fire Engine 6 up ahead at the intersection of Pine and Hicks. Paramedics were working on someone down on the ground.
A gentleman walking with his wife (in pink) was hit in the crosswalk, when a woman driving a white Toyota made a left turn from Hicks on to Pine. The gentleman, bleeding profusely from a head wound, was taken to the hospital via ambulance.
While driving south on 280 between 85 and Apple’s main campus I noticed a humongous white plastic looking object on the left side of the freeway. What could it be? — A utility pole? A transmission tower? Would it soon be seeking signs from Martians?
This is what I have discovered:
Once upon a time, (two decades ago) the city of Cupertino was busy getting ready to connect Mary Ave. This would be accomplished with a car overpass spanning 280. Earthen ramps were readied on both sides. Then the city began to hear that the residents living near Stevens Creek were raising concerns. What impact would the traffic have on their neighborhood? The work was halted.
Fast-forward to 2008 and we find that the city of Cupertino is once again attempting to traverse 280. This time it will be with a Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge. For reference: walkers and bicyclists will be able to move from the area of De Anza College to Homestead High School with ease.
I’m not sure of the details, but the fire department was out at two locations just two blocks away from each other this afternoon. First I saw them at 11th and Jackson Streets, apparently mopping up after a fire in an RV parked in the street. Then at 13th Street they were cleaning up after another incident, although I didn’t see any damaged building or vehicle.
Inadvertently contributing to the celebration of National Library Week, as noted by my fellow Metblogs San Jose cohort, Gary Wiens, I figured now would be a good time to share the status of the demolition of Santa Teresa Branch of the San Jose Public Library.
In 1984, I was 12 years old, and clearly remember the opening of the Santa Teresa library–a bright, shiny facility located on International Circle, by the Kaiser Santa Teresa Hospital. Covering nearly 14,000 sq ft., it was the haven for working on many school projects. It was a surprise for me to see the library being torn down, before I had a chance to dig up some facts about the demolition.
The $13.6 million dollar Santa Teresa Library reconstruction project began with the its closing in late 2007, with demolition beginning in March of this year. The expected opening date for the new facility is June of 2009. The Branch Library Bond Measure, of which Santa Teresa is the 15th project, was approved by voters in 2000, which provides $212 million dollars over 10 years for new and upgraded libraries in San Jose. This new library is designed by STUDIOS Architecture in San Francisco, and is managed by BRCO Constructors of Loomis, CA.
Notable changes to the new library which, will be built on the same spot on International Circle, include an increase of computers from 13 to 33-40; seating increased from 48 to 122-156; group study and storytelling areas (previously lacking in the old library) ranging from 20-39 seats; and an increase in parking of roughly 20 more spaces. source: SJLibrary.org
More pictures of the demolition (click to zoom):
images: Eric Rice, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Google Maps, STUDIOS Architecture
We have all heard the scandalous slogan “What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” which is intended to shock and tantalize. I’m wondering, will we soon be hearing “What happens in Campbell Stays in Campbell?” I don’t believe Campbell, like Vallejo, is on the verge of bankruptcy; so desperate for tax revenue that any type of business will do. So what’s going on?
First the Cardiff Lounge made the attempt to go from a bar filled with crusty dirty old guys leering at a lingerie fashion show to a trendy bar filled with better dressed (striped shirts?) dirty old guys leering at a lingerie fashion show. Then we hear about Hooters plan to take over the old Spoons. But it doesn’t stop there. Next door to Rasputin Music is the new “Foxy Avenue Clips”. This new shop staffed by provocatively dressed women is there only to provide services geared toward men!
All kidding and wondering aside, “Foxy Avenue Clips” is a class act. This cool barber - grooming shop has been designed for real men. A private place to have their greying/balding hair discreetly and professionally attended to.
Foxy Avenue Clips
1810 South Bascom in Campbell
(408) 371-CLIPS
(408) 371-2547
According to this morning’s edition of the San Jose Mercury News, San Jose’s City Hall is now at peace after the “Little Saigon” fiasco. With that resolved, it also brings Ly Tong’s fasting to an end.
What happened? Apparently Vice Mayor Cortese’s earlier recommendation of private funding for signs along the area was heeded by councilman Sam Liccardo, along with Mayor Chuck Reed (Yay Dave! — I live in his district). What doesn’t appear to be clear from the article was whether Councilwoman Madison Nguyen was involved in drafting the proposal.
For now, it appears the city will be distancing itself from the issue.
The approach makes sense — why this was not done before things got out of control is a bit curious. Gauging various stories on the issue, most link the issue’s escalation to a lack of leadership by Mayor Chuck Reed. Whether that’s true or not is not for me to say… but something went wrong.
The path that the supporters of “Little Saigon” took is still a bit puzzling to me. The only thing I can think of is the emotions representative of a people who were displaced from their homes due to Communism led them to this path. There were those who strongly opposed any formal discussion of renaming this section of Silicon Valley real estate, while there were also those who were willing to pursue some recognition and preservation of their culture in a country they now call their home. I think this might be key to the whole thing. Yes… despite what naysayers may think, this is their home, just as the Italians, Irish, Chinese, Japanese and a countless number of immigrants made the good old U S of A their home. I think it’s probably fair to say that the same criticisms of the Vietnamese community can be equally extended to every immigrant group in American history.
Was this necessarily the right path? While it all seems a bit extreme, only time and history will tell. Also, despite the seeming polarization of the community, not to mention anyone who had something to say about the issue, I think we should consider what this means for everyone, not just the Vietnamese community.
What does this all mean? Well, thanks to some great professors I had in college many moons ago, and my involvement in my own community, I learned that mono-cultures breed fear and intolerance towards anyone that doesn’t blend in. In food speak, the reality is that our country is not a melting pot (I like to say fondue), it’s really a nice stew, where almost every ingredient is still recognizable. While not as refined as a fondue, each ingredient in it’s lumpy goodness is bathed in a thick gravy that suspends each ingredient uniquely, but in a single recipe to create a stew. That’s pretty much America - each culture is still uniquely identified but each is American.
What have we learned from this? In the end, probably nothing as politics goes.
However, as citizens, I think it’s easy to forget that we create the communities we live in… not some bureaucrat that said the right things to get voted into office. Maybe we should all create a little passion of our own to build the communities and the homes we want…
As my wife told me a long time ago, home is where we live, love and play… and that could be anywhere.
What’s in a name? Unfortunately for the Vietnamese American community here in San Jose ‘a name’ has become a conduit for division. By favoring the name “Saigon Business District”, Councilwoman Madison Nguyen has come under suspicion. She has been accused of having a (not so) hidden agenda. Was she only acting on behalf of her constituents when she became involved with the Vietnam Town Plaza?
The name “Little Saigon” has been used without controversy in San Francisco, Orange County, and Houston. Viet émigrés have worked hard to make this area of San Jose not only a successful business district, but also a symbol of freedom. Why did this become an issue only in San Jose? What harm did Mayor Chuck Reed and the Council imagine? If we follow the politics, or the money, will we find an answer? Let us hope that this vexatious situation will be resolved with a diplomatic solution.
