We have some new additions to the RGNA board. It is my pleasure to introduce our newest board members who were elected at the RGNA Annual Meeting on May 23rd. They are Jannelle Dennis, Louie Guzman, Juan Hurtado, Stephanie Lykam, and Beryl Spalding.
But this is not the only good news! The RGNA is growing! Currently, we have 221 members, which is a significant increase from the 124 members we had last year. Also, we now represent approximately one third of the homes in the neighborhood. Your 1999-2000 board was extremely active, both inside and outside the neighborhood, and we will continue to keep that momentum going through the 2000-2001 term.
One reason for our success is our members, like Gene Sylvia, who retired from the board this year. The board would like to thank Gene for his hard work, his spirit of community, his contributions to the neighborhood, and most of all, his friendship.
It is an honor to serve as President on one of the finest Neighborhoods Associations in San Jose. Please feel free to contact the association if we can be of service. Along with all the officers and board members, I thank you for your membership and participation.
There is still time to get your home accoustically tested! Don't miss this opportunity! Do you need an application? Contact C. Kell-Smith & Associates at 1-888-807-6200, toll-free. The tests take about two hours during a weekday.
On Tuesday, August 1st, neighborhoods throughout San Jose are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the "17th Annual National Night Out" (NNO) crime and drug prevention event. National Night Out, which is sponsered by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association, will involve 9,500 communities from all 50 states.
From 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1st, residents in neighborhoods throughout San Jose and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on their outside lights, and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police. The RGNA will be hosting an Ice Cream Social at Bachrodt Elementary School. Also, members from the San Jose Police Department and the San Jose Crime Prevention Unit will be visting the event throughout the night.
On August 1st, we invite neighbors in the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood to join us to "Give Crime and Drugs A Going Away Party."
WELCOME NEW NEIGHBORS!
Welcome to Steven White and Lucille Sinclair, who with their 5 children, moved to Keoncrest Ave. in February. They have been a couple for seven years and will be married in June! Steve is a Communications Technician and enjoys playing basketball, dominos and working on cars. The two older boys, Daryl and Steven, attend Bachrodt School while Jeremy, David and A-Janae keep Lucille busy at home. Lucille somehow finds time to make beautiful special occasion gift baskets and memory photo albums. If you are looking for that special gift, Lucille may have your answer. Welcome!
Please welcome to Rosemary St. the Potter Family - Kevin, Laurie, John and Alicia - of Kansas City, Mo. Laurie's transfer to San Jose by her PR Firm, where she is the Director of Mass Media, began their family's journey here. Kevin works as a Business Manager for the East Palo Alto School District, John is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Alicia is enrolling as a Jr. at Lincoln High and eager to find some babysitting jobs in the neighborhood. The family has two furry members of the canine persuasion: King and Allie. Welcome!
GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Congratulations to Domenic and Mary Surico, 44 year residents of Forrestal Ave., as they celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary, July 1st. They met in the Spring of 1950 during Mary's vacation with family in Italy. Domenic and Mary married in Pompeii, Italy and honeymooned on the famous Isle of Capri. Their daughter Carmela, married to neighbor Patrick Koeplin, is planning a special celebration at her home in Woodinville, WA. We join Carm and Pat, their four grandchildren, family and friends in wishing Mary and Dom a very Happy Golden Wedding Anniversary !
- - - - - -
If you are new to the neighborhood, expecting a baby, getting married, graduating from high school or college or have any information you would like to share, please call 441-RGNA and leave a message. We would like to include it in the Newsletter.
President
Joseph Fota
Vice President
Holly Lewerenz
Treasurer
Donna Weinman
Secretary
Sue Valladao
Directors
Janelle Dennis
Louie Guzman
Juan Hurtado
Ben Langedyk
Stephanie Lykam
Melanie Maruca
Beryl Spalding
The Senior Handbook 2000 is THE informational reference booklet for every senior in Santa Clara County. This handbook contains all the local services, agencies and contacts that are important to you, neatly compiled into one easy to read booklet.
If you have not picked up a copy of this year's Senior Handbook, and would like one for your household, please let us know. Call 441-RGNA (441-7462) and leave your name, address and telephone number on the RGNA Message Center.
Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association Members will receive a complimentary copy if you call the Message Center to request one. Non-members will be asked to pay $3.00 for this booklet.
If you are a homeowner or renter age 62 or older, or blind or disabled and have less than $33,933 in total household income, you will qualify for a once a year refund from the State of California.
A portion of the amount paid by property owners and renters for property taxes will be refunded. Volunteers trained by the State Franchise Tax Board will be at many Community and Senior Centers from May 15th through August 31st to help applicants fill out the necessary forms.
For more information, call your nearest center or the State Franchise Tax Board at 1-(800) 852-5711. This rebate is not automatic. You must apply! So tell your friends, neighbors and relatives about this little-publicized rebate.
If you did not file for your property tax or renters rebate for Tax Year 1998, you still have until June 30th to submit your form.
WANTED: good, used, portable sewing machine. Call Liz at 453-8565.
Over the next few months, you will see significant changes at Skyport Plaza, as we continue with the demolition of the abandoned structures, and begin constructing the foundations for the planned buildings.
Devcon Construction started demolition at Skyport Plaza, leaving large piles of concrete and rebar covering much of the site. We are currently separating the concrete from the rebar in order to recycle each. In mid-May, we began crushing the concrete from 100 Skyport. This recycled concrete will be used as base rock for Skyport Plaza, reducing landfill volume from demolition, and taking the place of manufactured base rock aggregate.
Construction of the foundations will follow grading of the site, which is scheduled for completion in early July. The soil underlying the site at Skyport Plaza is a clayey fluvial type soil with only moderate strength and is relatively compressible. Therefore, we will be utilizing a driven pile foundation system to support the buildings. Indicator piles to test the strength of the soil will begin in early June and will be completed within one week. The remainder of the piles will start in early July and continue for approximately three weeks.
Unfortunately, pile driving does create some noise, so we apologize ahead of time for any inconvenience that this may cause, and we will try to minimize the amount of time required to complete the pile driving. Following the underground work, we will pour foundations. This will take place during the final week of July, and will last through August. After the foundations, we will erect structural steel for the buildings, starting in mid-September, and continuing through early November. By September of next year, we plan to have completed much of Skyport Plaza.
- Slade Carlton, Spieker Properties
Back in February, the RGNA and Councilmember Cindy Chavez offered 30 free trees to residents of the neighborhood. On March 18th Antonio Carmona, Vicente Hernandez, Justiniano Alfaro and Augustin Garcia from One Source Landscaping, the Tree Amigos, and residents of the neighborhood planted 18 new Crape Myrtles throughout our neighborhood.
The RGNA would like to thank Councilmember Cindy Chavez and her staff for securing the trees for the neighborhood, Leslie Keedy from Our City Forests, and Spieker Properties, who arranged the services of One Source Landscaping.
If you missed out on the trees, we will be requesting trees again, so watch your newsletter.
Because of near collisions and complaints, San Jose Streets and Traffic will be replacing the yield signs at Rosemary and Santa Paula with stop signs.
Thank you to the 1999-2000 RGNA Board Members
At the Annual General Membership Meeting on May 23rd, you elected the new Board of Directors for the 2000-2001 term. I want to acknowledge the efforts of the 1999-2000 Board. It has been my extreme pleasure to work with this group during my first year in office. Our relationship has been a positive one and I hope to build upon it with the new board members as we continue to address the challenges facing our neighborhoods.
Spieker Properties
One such recent issue was the Spieker Properties Development Project. Faced with the prospect of such a large development so close to a residential neighborhood we had to make assurances that our neighborhood would stand to benefit from this project. As a result of the discussions that were held between my office and Spieker Properties, the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood will benefit in the following ways:
- $30,000 annually, for three years, to improve sidewalks, gutters and street lighting
- a 1.3 acre park
- a community room to be used by the RGNA which will be located in the new housing
development
- gateway entrances to the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood
Though this effort proved successful, other neighborhood challenges remain. One challenge we have is to strengthen not just the infrastructure of our neighborhood, but to also build its capacity to be self-sustaining. This will require the active participation of many of the residents in the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood working in partnership with the City. The City offers services that can assist residents. These services range from home improvement grants, community grants to help beautify the neighborhood as well as programs offered through the Parks and Recreation department.
And though the City, with its myriad of services and programs, can be an invaluable ally in the community, it is ultimately through the efforts initiated by neighbors that positive change occurs. Neighbors who take on the challenge of both taking ownership of a situation and then organizing support from fellow neighbors are at the heart of every successful campaign.
Working together we can bring about positive change, we can make a difference in making our streets safer, our neighborhoods cleaner, and our City more responsive to the needs of this community. This newsletter is an excellent vehicle to bridge the disconnect that has become all too prevalent in our hectic lifestyles. Rather than retreat into one's home after a particularly stressful day, I urge you to get involved in your neighborhood association, attend the meetings, join a committee to help tackle a problem, or just go for the sense of community that belonging to an association brings.
District Thee Community Celebration
I would like to invite the association's active participation in an event I will be having in the fall. To celebrate the diversity and history of our neighborhoods, I am planning a first-ever City Council District Three community celebration. This event will be held in late September. I would like to have this become a new tradition for our community and I am inviting all of our neighborhood associations to help make this a family-oriented festive event. If you would like to serve on this planning committee, please contact my office. I invite you to attend our first meeting on Saturday, June 17 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The location will be announced in a flyer sent to each neighborhood association President.
Thank you for your support! We have 221 members! Thank you! Here are our newest members:
FORRESTAL
Amy Barron
Greg Dorenkamp
Lisa Dorenkamp
Dennis Ebertowski
Teri Ebertowski
Ann Scimeca
David Toschi
Martha Toschi
Lisa Van den Bogaerde
ARNOLD AVE.
Dee Conti
Dolores Foley
Hazel Golden
Kevin Kelley
Cici Martinez
Luis Martinez
Kevin Sotherden
Nickolas Sotherden
Vicki Sotherden
Liz Wakley
N. SAN PEDRO ST.
William Boyd
Esperanza Cadenas
Jose Cadenas
Angela Campbell
Shirley Cantua
Glenn Grigg
Judy McQuay
Gabriel Medina
Gloria Medina
Rudolph Medina
Rudy Medina
Stella Medina
Greg Ott
Art Rangel
Beryl Spalding
Sarah Spalding
Dick Winingar
Jay Winingar
ROSEMARY
Alicia Potter
John Potter
Kevin Potter
Laurie Potter
FERRARI AVE.
Manual George
Lena George
Juan Hurtado
Marjorie Thorson
KEONCREST AVE.
Janelle Dennis
Lilian Dennis
Louise Ercolini
Florence Harris
Hedley Harris
Henrietta Selvera
Patricia Wilker
SANTA PAULA AVE.
Anita Campos
Nacho Campos
Abby Gallegos
Christine Gallegos
Noah Gallegos
Stephanie Lykam
James Manaland
Jean Pagach
John Pagach
Edgar Thorson
Margaret Thorson
Felix Vasquez
Regine Vasquez
SAN JUAN AVE.
Patti Bossert
Charlie Chew
Tom Fujishin
Virginia Fujishin
Rebecca Moore
Wayne Moore
Recycling is every second Saturday of the month. We collect newspapers (sorry, no telephone books or magazines), CRV aluminum cans, plastic soda bottles and cardboard.
** June 10th **
Joseph Fota
1437 N. Sal Pedro St.
** July 8th **
Ingrid Krantz
1251 Keoncrest
Want to help? Just leave your name and number on the Message Center, 441-RGNA.
What a great day for a neighborhood yard sale. Sunshine, blue skies, bargains, and bargain hunters all came together on Saturday, April 29th. This year, approximately 72 homes participated in the first of two neighborhood yard sales, the next one being Saturday, August 26th. By the swarm of people that descended onto the neighborhood, it appeared that the extra advertising on the web and in local neighborhood associations' newsletters helped.
Thanks go out to Liz Moscato, Cindy Fota, Melanie Maruca, Sue Valladao and RGNA Youth Volunteers Erica Valladao and Daniel Valladao. Also, a big thank you to everyone who sold and paid their $2.00. The money we collected paid for advertising in the San Jose Mercury News, the Potpourri's PennySaver circular, and paper for signs and flyers.
Some residents have suggested having only one Yard Sale a year. Should the Yard Sale be held only once a year? If once is enough, what month would you prefer? The RGNA wants to know what you think. Please contact the Message Center at 441-RGNA or email us rgnaweb@hotmail. com and let us know your thoughts.
This voluntary survey is being done to help the (RGNA) Board understand the desires of our Neighborhood Seniors in the areas of community activities and interests. The Neighborhood Association will eventually have use of a community room once the new housing development parcel of the Spieker Property Development is completed adjacent to Sonora Ave. At that time we will be able to offer a place to hold community get-togethers and activity socials.
In the mean time, are you interested in doing small block type get-togethers in your home? Call the Message Center at 441-RGNA with information and details of what you would like to do.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this. Please complete and return by Friday, June 16th.
Are you interested in getting together socially with your senior neighbors?
How often would you like to see activities available - weekly, every two weeks, monthly?
What day and time of the week is best for you? Please list three preferences.
1st choice: 2nd choice: 3rd choice:
Would you need transportation (and/or) assistance to the activity?
What are your interests & hobbies?
What types of activities would you like to see offered?
Would you be willing to lead a how-to instructional session in your favorite hobby or activity?
Are you interested in a meal or potluck type activity? Bake sale?
Would you like to have an Arts and Crafts Faire to display and sell your arts, handicrafts and hand made items or goodies?
Name: _________________________________ Phone : ___________________________
Please send OR drop off your completed survey to Melanie Maruca, 1312 Forrestal Ave.
This year, RGNA members and non-members took the opprotunity to voice their concerns about the neighborhood on the membership form. The top five concerns, listed in order, are below:
1. Speeding In The Neighborhood
The posted speed limit for the neighborhood is 25 mph. With the closing of the driveway leading to Spieker Properties from Sonora Ave., some of the "cut-thru" traffic has stopped. Unfortunately, the majority of speeding seems to be caused by people who live in the neighborhood. So what to do? Call Traffic Enforement at 277-4341 to file a complaint. The more times you and your neighbors call, the better the response.
2. Dog Litter
This is just plain rude and inconsiderate! If your dog makes a mess, clean it up. Bachrodt Elementary School has already posted signs to remind residents that dogs are not allowed on school property at any time and that violators will be cited. According Monica Gallego of SJ Crime Prevention Unit, dog litter on private property is handled by Animal Control at 727-6529. If a dog is loose and a disturbance is called in, then an officer can cite the owner for violation of the animal law which states that dogs must be walked on a leash.
3. Legal/Illegal Parking
The majority of complaints about parking came from Keoncrest Ave. Parking is already tight in the neighborhood, then add to it restaurant parking, apartment overflow parking, houses with more than two cars, school parking, and airport parking, you end up with an intolerable situation. The answer may reside in permit parking. The RGNA would like to know what you think about permit parking, you can call the Message Center at 441-RGNA or email us at rgnaweb@hotmail.com. As for illegally parked cars, call 311. Over a period of time, enough calls about illegally parked cars will have the police routinely patrolling the neighborhood.
4. A Grocery Store
Many of you long time residents may remember how convenient it was to shop for groceries when Parkview GEM was open. Now, to shop at a major grocery store we trek to PW and Safeway. So why, with all the construction, aren't we getting a super market? Councilmember Cindy Chavez has met with representatives of Safeway and Albertson's in hopes of attracting them to the neighborhood. Unfortunately, both stores maintain the position that even with the expected growth in our area, there just are not enough people to support one of their stores.
5. Trash From The School Blows Through The Neighborhood
The principal at Bachrodt Elementary School, Ms. Carolina Bejarano, has been contacted. She understands the situation and will try to remedy the problem.
The second annual RGNA Easter Egg Hunt was a lot of fun! Thank you to everyone that helped make this event happen: Cindy Fota, Joseph Fota, Nicolas Fota, Vita Fota, Alex Lewerenz, Dan Lewerenz, Holly Lewerenz, Melanie Maruca, Liz Moscato, Dan Valladao, Jen Valladao and Sue Valladao.
Also, a big thank you to Long's at Valley Fair and Safeway at Valley Fair for their donations to the hunt!
This is to communicate to the neighborhood the upcoming construction activities on Route 87/ Guadalupe Parkway near the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood. From May 30 until June 3, crews will be placing K-rail along southbound Route 87 toward the Guadalupe River from Airport Parkway to just north of Interstate 880. This work is scheduled from 11:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. each morning, except Friday when the work begins at midnight, and should cause minimal noise for the neighborhood.
Pile Driving for the temporary bridge over Interstate 880 will begin the first couple of weeks in June. This activity should take only one week and will occur during daytime hours. Although little vibration should be felt, residents at the southern end of Rosemary Gardens may hear the pile driving hammer.
Earth moving equipment and vibratory rollers are beginning to establish foundations for the temporary bridge over Interstate 880 and for the connection of the second detour road to the first one behind Rosemary Gardens. The equipment is moving and compacting earth along the highway from the I-880 over crossing up to Ferrari Avenue. This activity is scheduled to continue during daytime hours until the end of June.
Trucks have begun hauling dirt for the freeway embankments around the future Skyport Drive interchange. These trucks are using freeways to access the area and are limited to daytime hours. There should be no neighborhood traffic impact, but travelers are cautioned to allow extra time when visiting the San Jose International Airport to pick up or drop off passengers.
Further Information: Throughout the project, you can find updated construction and traffic information at: http://www.route87.org or by calling the Route 87 Freeway Project 24-hour recorded information hotline (408) 232-0229 where you can hear about construction and/or leave a message.
- Lauren Wonder, Cal Trans Public Information Officer
PATRIOTIC POKE CAKE
2 baked 9-inch round white cake layers, cooled
2 cups boiling water, divided
1 small pkg. JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any red flavor
1 small pkg. JELL-O Brand Berry Blue Flavor
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Bake two 9-inch round white cake layers. Cool. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals. Stir 1 cup of the boiling water into red and Berry Blue gelatin in separate bowls 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Carefully pour red gelatin over 1 cake layer and Berry Blue gelatin over second cake layer. Refrigerate 3 hrs. Dip 1 cake pan in warm water 10 seconds; unmold onto serving plate. Spread with about 1 cup of the whipped topping. Unmold second cake layer; carefully place on first cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh fruit, if desired. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.
RED, WHITE & BLUE JELLO
4 cups boiling water
1 pkg (8 serving Jello-O Brand, any red flavor
1 pkg (8 serving Jello-O Brand, Berry Blue flavor
2 cups cold water
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
Stir 2 cups boiling water into each flavor of gelatin in separate bowls 2 min. or until completely dissolved. Stir 1 cup cold water into each bowl. Pour into separate 13" x 9" pans. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Cut into 1/2' cubes. Fill pudding dish and top with cool whip.
ALL AMERICAN TRIFLE
2 (12oz.) containers Cool Whip, thawed
1 large package vanilla instant pudding
1 whole angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes
Sliced fresh strawberries and blueberries
Slivered almonds
Prepare instant pudding according to package directions. Layer ingredients as follows from bottom of trifle bowl to top; 1/3 Cool Whip, 1/2 of cake cubes, 1/2 of pudding, strawberries, 1/3 Cool Whip, cake cubes, pudding, blueberries, remaining Cool Whip, and top with slivered almonds.
Please be considerate of other residents. When parking in front of someone else's home, please move your car so that the street sweeper can clean. Street sweeping happens on the first Tuesday of every month. The next two street sweeping days are June 6th and July 4th. Please have your cars off the street between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
On May 2nd, the FAA held public hearings regarding the the proposed re-routing of tens of thousands of additional San Francisco-bound flights over San Jose and other Silicon Valley neighborhoods. Mayor Ron Gonzales is asking for your support in fighting this plan.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have issued a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) outlining new aircraft flight patterns that would result in re-routing hundreds of SFO-bound flights each day to fly over the City of San Jose and other Silicon Valley communities.
The City of San Jose has asked the FAA to reject this plan and start a new study addressing the concerns of San Jose and other South Bay communities. The City has concerns with the FAA/SFO plan in three major areas:
1. The FAA/SFO proposal itself would result in re-routing hundreds of additional SFO-bound flights each over San Jose and other Silicon Valley communities, with a potential of more than 200,000 additional flights a year. We believe this could result in significant adverse environmental impacts.
2. The FAA environmental assessment fails to analyze the significant impacts on San Jose and Silicon Valley that could result from changing SFO air traffic patterns, such as noise, safety, and air quality. The FAA's own policies require a full environmental analysis, not an abbreviated environmental assessment, because the proposal involves major federal action that could be controversial on environmental grounds.
3. The process used by the FAA failed to consult with San Jose International Airport and other regional airports in the preparation of the proposal. It also failed to use adequate public notice of the proposal or to reach out to South Bay communities with an opportunity for genuine public participation.
Add your voice to the opposition. Write a letter to President Clinton, Vice-President Gore, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, and our Congressional delegation. Letters should postmarked befor the July 7th deadline.
The Federal Aviation Agency must reject this plan until it has conducted a complete evaluation of its impacts on our community.
If you have any questions please call Guisselle Nunez or Jim Webb on the Mayor's staff immediately at (408) 277-4237. Their website www.sjmayor.org/426faa.html can provide you with additional information.
Federal Aviation Administration
Administrator Jane Garvey
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20591
Phone: (202) 267-3111
Fax: (202) 267-5047
President of the United States
Hon. Bill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President of the United States
Hon. Al Gore
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
vicepresident@whitehouse.gov
United States Senate
Hon. Dianne Feinstein
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
senator@feinstein.senate.gov
Hon. Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 956-6701
senator@boxer.senate.gov
Congressional Representatives
Hon. Zoe Lofgren
318 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3072
Fax: (202) 225-3336
zoe@lofgren.house.gov
Congressional Representatives
Hon. Tom Campbell
2442 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2631
Fax: (202) 225-6788
campbell@mail-house.giv
Hon. Pete Stark
239 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5065
Fax: (202) 226-3805
petemaildirect@stark-house.gov
Hon. Anna Eshoo
205 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8105
Fax: (202) 225-8890
annagram@mail.house.gov
Hon. Ellen Tauscher
1239 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-1880
Fax: (202) 225-5914
ellen.tauscher@mail.house.gov
Hon. Sam Farr
1221 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2861
Fax: (202) 225-6791
samfarr@mail.house.gov