This is it. This is my last president's letter. It's been an interesting four years, mostly fun, but always interesting.
Naturally, I would like to thank the board for their support and help throughout the years. Also, special thanks to our RGNA volunteers, without them we would not have enjoyed the amount of success we had with all of our events and projects, from dishing out ice cream to delivering this newsletter. You could not ask for a better group of volunteers.
Next, I would like to thank our newsletter editor (and my wife) Cindy who has been the editor of our newsletter for over six years. On limited funds, she has managed to take our neighborhood newsletter to a point where the majority of the neighborhood actually reads it and other neighborhoods use it as template for their newsletters.
I would also like to acknowledge the unsung heroes of our neighborhood. These are the people that you don't read about in the newsletter. They are the seniors in our neighborhood that watch our homes while we work, or the neighbor who stays at home and watches our children so both parents can work, the neighbor that cooks meals for our sick or checks on the elderly, the people that drive their neighbors to the grocery store or to a doctor's appointment, and to the nurses in our neighborhood that volunteer their services to other residents.
Finally, I would like to thank those of you that stopped to say hello, chatted with me, and who smiled and waved as I was busy with neighborhood activities. You are the ones that made this job worthwhile.
Peace, Joseph
Tuesday, May 27th
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Media Center, Bachrodt Elementary School
Interested in being a board member? Call the Message Center at 441-RGNA.
Put on your Easter Bonnet
with all the frills upon it.
Come out to greet
and get a treat
from the Easter Bunny
as he comes hopping
down your street.
Saturday, April 12th
10:00 to 2:00
Pictures available for a $3 fee!
If it rains, this event will be cancelled.
- Make some extra money!
- Sell your own items in your own yard!
- Let RGNA do the advertising for you!
Saturday, May 3rd
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
As in the past, $2 will be collected from each participating house on the day of the sale, to help defray the cost of advertising.
Finally, after months of anticipation, the construction of the Rosemary Gardens Park is drawing to completion. According to Sue Eakins, Council Assistant to Council member Cindy Chavez, the park should be completed by May 1st. To celebrate, the RGNA will be hosting a small get together on Thursday, May 8th at 6:30 p.m. at our new park.
The RGNA would like to thank Sue Eakins for all her work in orchestrating the planning of the park, her monitoring of its progress, and her patience in dealing with the developer, the community and the parks department.
One of the features of our new park is a Bocce court. Is it Bocce, Bocci or Lawn Bowling? Actually, all three terminologies are correct. Bocce is singular meaning one ball while Bocci is plural meaning two or more balls. Lawn Bowling is a loosely termed American name for the game of Bocce Ball.
Bocce is a game played with 8 large balls, 4 of one color, 4 of another color and one small target ball called the "Pallino" or "Jack." Players try to place their Bocce Balls nearer to the target jack than their opponent or displace the opponent's Bocce Ball and so improve the position of their Bocce Ball in relation to the Jack. Simply put, it's a game played with wooden balls on a long narrow court.
This is a great way for everyone, friends, families, children, and seniors to get out and enjoy our new park. If you can roll a ball, you can play Bocce.
Where can you find Bocce Balls? Big 5 Sporting Goods carries an assortment. They have small plastic Bocce balls for children, medium resin constructed ones for general use, and the professional set for the serious player.
On May 8th, at the park dedication ceremony, the Rosemary Gardens Bocce Ball Club sign-up sheet will be available.
90 Skyport Drive
Offers daily events from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
(Sign up now to participate)
Monday: Chess or checkers
Tuesday: Musical Instruments
(Neighborhood resident Mark Ruffing has been known to play there)
Wednesday: Poetry Readings
Thursday: Bring your own game
Friday: Stand-up comedy
Saturday: Card games
Sunday: Kid's story readings
Spring cleaning came early this year. On February 22nd, residents in the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood managed to dispose of:
5 bins of rubbish
4 bins of metal
1 bin of tires and refrigerators
1 flatbed truck full of tvs, computers, etc.
21 car batteries
The RGNA would like to thank Council member Cindy Chavez and staff member Laura Lam for their efforts in helping the RGNA secure this event.
Finally, the RGNA would like to thank all the residents who helped their neighbors that were unable to dispose of articles themselves.
Subway Sandwiches
1100 N. First Street, Suite E
(next to Juicy Burger and Pizza Lover)
10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. M-F
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat & Sun
Shagun Indian Cuisine
50 Skyport Drive, Suite 20
(next to UME Chinese Food)
M-F 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Greetings Neighbors!
What a pleasure it is to be part of the neighborhood. Joseph Fota has graciously allowed us to participate in your annual garage sale in May. In return, Bachrodt Academy welcomes you to our Annual Multicultural Faire. Come join us on May 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.. We will feature Aztec dancers, mariachis, ethnic food, and lots and lots of entertainment.
In May, we will have cause to celebrate after devoting many days to STAR testing. In the meantime, we are diligently working at bolstering our student's reading and math skills. Siemens is graciously sending employees who are interested in tutoring children in reading for 45 minutes a week. If you would like to be part of Friday's Bachrodt Buddies, please call us at 535-6211. As the principal, I know what a powerful influence your presence can make in the life of a child.
We welcome you to our school!
I am also writing to ask for your support on the upcoming election on June 3rd. Bachrodt Elementary will be your polling station. Please vote "YES" on Measure A. With your support, we will retain our counselor, night custodian, music/art teachers and support staff. Our students, teachers and families thank you for your support. - Maria Arias Evans Principal, Bachrodt Elementary School
RGNA Message Center
RGNA Mail
RGNA Website
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Airport Fumes
Airport Noise
Acoustical Treatment Program
Animal Control
Code Enforcement
Crime Prevention / Neighborhood Watch
Graffiti Hotline
Household Hazardous Waste
Poison Control Center
Sewer Leaks / Tree or Street Repair
Shopping Cart Pickup
Sidewalk Repair
Signs and Markings
Transportation, Dept. of
Traffic Enforcement
Vehicle Abatement
Don't forget to set your clocks ahead. Daylight savings time starts Sunday, April 6th.
Below is the list of people that have paid their 2003 membership dues. Thank you!
FORRESTAL AVE.
Arellano, Carlos and Joan
Belluomini, James
Burgess, Barbara
de Sousa, Tina
Gomez, Adolfo and Ernestina
Guancione, Tony and Rosalie
Hoffman, Bonita
Kelley, Reg
Krchmar, Carolyn
Lowe, Anthony
Manalad, James
Maruca, Melanie
Richardson, Paul
Sahines, Sophie
Smith, Agnes
Toschi, Martha and David
FERRARI AVE.
Bado, Russell and Lisa
Del Real, Joyce
Kirk, Susan
Magee, Dorothy
N. SAN PEDRO ST.
Basulto, Maria and Guadalupe
Boyd, Linda
Cantua, Shirley
Fields, Bonnie and Ransom
Foster, Jim
Fota, Joseph and Cindy
Fota, Vita
Fujimoto, Bob and Linda
George, Jim
Grigg, Glenn
O'Connor, Michelle
Okagaki, Janet
Rangel, Art and Anna
Silva, Dale
Sivi, Scott
Strouse, Tiffany
Winingar, Dick and Jeanette
KEONCREST AVE.
Brenner, Kay
Clymer, Ray and Mary
Elliott, Helen
Garduno, Monica and Philip
Gayles, Rok and Rose
Harris, Hedley and Florence
Harvey, Ken and Stephanie
Hayashi, Mits and June
Hioki, Shig and Emilie
Morimoto, Tadashi
Ramsey, Clarence and Jeanette
Rangel, Maria
Rice, Jaret and Jennifer
Sylvia, Lillian
Wilker, Patricia
Yamauchi, Mits and Jean
ARNOLD AVE.
Brunsdon, Alison
Deitschman, Tracy
Foley, Dolores
Fuentes, Marc
Geissberger, Dave
Golden, Hazel
Kawabata, Yukio and Teiko
Kinghorn, James
Langedyk, Ben and Mildred
Martinez, Luis and Cici
Osorio, Rachel
Padgett, Gary and Rebecca
Parra, Kat
Romero, Marie and Basil
Steen, Ken and Lucille
Sukup, Olga
Trembley, Mary
Ulery, Tracey and Todd
Vaughn, Rochelle and Larry
Wharton, Roger
ROSEMARY ST.
Eick, Stephanie
Woodhouse, Dori
SANTA PAULA AVE.
Amaro, Margaret
Avilla, Mary
Barrera, Jesse and Lupe
Bettencourt, Maria
Boman, Bud and Barbara
Bova, Mary
Campos, Ignacio and Anita
Christianson, Peter
Cox, Leland
Ercoline, Leo and Anne
Gaff, Renee
Guzman, Albert and Gloria
Hoppe, Melinda
Inouye, Richard and Eleanor
Kojima, Eva
Lykam, Stephanie
Masuda, Tom and Helen
McEntire, Norma
Moreno, Kathy and Max
Moreno, Mary
Moscato, Liz
Otani, Shig and Sets
Pagach, Jean and John
Prunty, James
Rivera, Carol
Saenz, Ralph and Lupe
Saffarnezhad, Bianca
Sunday, Rosalie
Tokushige, Vic and Peggy
Van Natta, Eugene
Visico, Levine and Stephanie
SAN JUAN AVE.
Alvarez, Serena
Bernal, Cathy
Bossert, Patti
Chew, Charlie
Fukuda, Atsuo and Nancy
Irvin, Lamar
Keagle, Carolyn
Medina, Kate and Luis
Perez, Esther
Rosas, Henry
Salzman, Noah
Vyas, Raj and Asha
VTA Light Rail Station Platforms along the Santa Teresa to Baypointe line are being retrofitted to accommodate new low floor light rail vehicles. Construction has begun to retrofit the light rail stations from Japantown/Ayer to Tasman.
All stations between Japantown/Ayer and Tasman will be taken out of service in small groups at a time between March 2003 and August 2003. Once each station has been retrofitted, the station will return to regular service.
Below is an approximate schedule for the light rail station closures:
| STATION | Remove From Service | Return To Service |
| Japantown/Ayer | March 3, 2003 | Mid-May 2003 |
| Gish | March 3, 2003 | Mid-May 2003 |
| Metro/Airport | March 3, 2003 | Mid-May 2003 |
| Karina | March 30, 2003 | Mid-June 2003 |
| Component | March 30, 2003 | Mid-June 2003 |
| Bonaventura | Mid-May 2003 | Late July 2003 |
| Orchard | Mid-May 2003 | Late July 2003 |
| River Oaks | Mid-June 2003 | Late August 2003 |
| Tasman | Mid-June 2003 | Late August 2003 |
| Civic Center | Mid-August 2003 | Late August 2003 |
What started off as a gray morning turned out to be a perfect night for star gazing. Jupiter and its moons and Saturn and its rings were just some of celestial views residents of the neighborhood and the children from Bachrodt Elementary School were able to see. To round off the RGNA/Bachrodt Star Party, residents and students were treated to cookies from the RGNA and Hot Caramel Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate from our neighborhood coffee house, It's A Grind.
The RGNA and Principal Evans would like to thank Bob Havner, Gary Mitchell, Gordon Reed, and Jim Van Nuland from the San Jose Astronomical Association for bringing their telescopes and answering a multitude of questions.
Are you frustrated with the deluge of coupons, catalogs, prize offers, and pre-approved credit card applications in your mailbox?
The amount of time the average American spends opening junk mail over the course of his or her life is 8 months, according to the Consumer Research Institute.
Bulk mail destroys 62 million trees a year in the United States, which translates to a tree and a half per American family.
Anytime you buy a car, purchase merchandise from a catalog, subscribe to a magazine or dial a toll-free number, your name is sold to mail order companies.
A group of local organizations teamed up to help you reduce your amount of unsolicited mail. The County of Santa Clara Integrated Waste Management Program, San Jose State University's Recycling Hotline, and local cities developed a Junk Mail Reduction Kit. This kit provides six simple ways to reduce junk mail and help you take control of your mailbox.
TIPS TO REDUCE JUNK MAIL:
1. Fill out and mail the postcards provided in the kit.
2. Call the following numbers to request your name be taken off their list:
Credit Card Offers - Equifax/Trans Union/Novus/Experian 1-888-567-8688
Sweepstakes - Publisher's Clearinghouse 1-800-645-9242
Shopping Flyers - Advo 1-510-489-6577
PennySaver/Potpourri 1-800-479-4795
3. Call the number on the catalog and tell the representative you want to be taken off its list.
4. When you buy from a catalog over the phone or online, make sure to let the company know: "DO NOT SELL MY NAME."
5. Write on the bottom of checks and mail orders: "DO NOT SELL MY NAME."
6. Don't use Change of Address cards supplied by the Post Office. Instead, send out your own postcards.
To request the Junk Mail Kit, call the recycling hotline at 1-800-533-8414 or visit www.ReduceWaste.org to download the kit.
- Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado
This Spring, Bachrodt Elementary School will be having its 3rd Annual Multicultural Festival. It will be held on Friday, May 30, 2003. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end by 2:00 p.m. All parents, staff, and community members are invited to join the celebration. We will have entertainment, food booths, and carnival games. We will also have a Multicultural Art Gallery featuring art work from the students.
We are also looking for volunteers to help on the day of the festival. If you are interested in volunteering or want to know more about the festival, contact Kevin Farmer or Rebecca Garcia at (408) 535-6211. Your support will be greatly appreciated. So remember to stop by and spend a pleasant afternoon at Bachrodt Elementary School.
- Kevin Farmer
FRUIT AND NUT SALAD
1 large red apple, sliced thinly
1 large pear, sliced thinly
1 large orange, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup chopped pecans
lettuce leaves
In a large bowl, combine sliced fruit. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, and honey; blend well. Pour oil mixture over the fruit, tossing to coat well. Arrange fruit on 6 lettuce lined salad dishes; sprinkle each with a heaping teaspoon of pecans.
WARM PEACH AND PROSCUITTO SALAD
4-6 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto
1 pound peaches (about 3), at room temperature, peeled and cut into eight wedges
Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cups loosely packed arugula
Cut the prosciutto slices in half crosswise and arrange in a fan on 4 dinner plates. Stretch plastic wrap tightly around each plate and refrigerate until needed. To save space, the plates can be stacked.
Place the peaches in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides and the butter has turned light brown. Add the bay leaf, thyme, peaches, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss for 1 minute.
Add arugula and toss. Divide evenly among the 4 plates and serve immediately.
SEVEN LAYER SALAD
1 head lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 (10 oz.) package frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
12 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white sugar
4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In a large glass bowl layer the lettuce followed by the peas, green pepper, bacon, cauliflower and celery.
In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and the sugar. Spread mixture over salad. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and chill for at least 8 to 12 hours before serving.
RUBY RED LAYERED SALAD
(3 oz.) package raspberry flavored gelatin mix
2 cups boiling water
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
1 pint sour cream
1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 1 cup hot water. Add frozen raspberries, and stir until well mixed. Pour into a glass bowl. Refrigerate until almost firm, about 30 to 60 minutes. Spread sour cream over firm gelatin. Refrigerate.
Dissolve cherry gelatin in 1 cup hot water. Stir in crushed pineapple and cranberry sauce. Chill until partially set, about 20 to 40 minutes. Spoon cherry gelatin mixture over sour cream layer. Chill until firm, another hour or two.
April 12, 2003 and May 10, 2003
It's A Grind Coffee House
90 Skyport Drive (behind Gold's Gym)
We need drivers and crew helpers.
If you would like to help with the recycle drive, please show up at 8:00 a.m. at It's a Grind (90 Skyport Drive) for refreshments. You will be given instructions and teamed up with another volunteer.
Recycle drive proceeds are now directed to the neighborhood association's general operating fund. These monies help to pay for the neighborhood newsletter, the message center, paper and copying costs, the neighborhood picnic and future projects.
Remember to place your aluminum cans, newspaper and plastic bottles out on the 2nd Saturday of the month (April 12th and May 10th) for pick-up.
Like a day in the park? Entry fees reduced!
The San Jose City Council just extended (for another year) the pilot program reducing regional park entry fees for seniors, veterans, and the disabled. So head out, enjoy, and save $3.00 for entry at: Alum Rock, Almaden Lake, Kelly and Lake Cunningham Parks!
Homeowners Assistance for Property Taxes
Homeowning seniors, the disabled and low- income residents (under $37,119) may be eligible for help with up to 139% of their property taxes paid. Ask for Form 9000 for more information
New Requirement: health practitioners must have gerontology training
State Senator Alquist sponsored the bill that was enacted this year reflecting and respecting the crucial nature of this special training.
For more information about these or other Senior programs, contact the Senior Citizens Commission, (408) 277-4561.
- Information provided by Francis Schwab, City of San Jose Senior Citizen Commissioner
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YARD 'N' GARDEN
o trim, mow, blow
o hedge trimming
o weeding as needed
FREE ESTIMATES
David Chrisman, Owner
1341 Santa Paula Ave.
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 441-7377
(408) 828-8895
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Coldwell Banker
Residential Brokerage
- I live in Rosemary Gardens.
- I am familiar with the neighborhood.
- I am close by and ready to help!
Barbara Boman, REALTOR
1045 Willow Street
San Jose, CA 95125
Office (408) 491-1600
Direct Line (408) 891-9627
Fax (408) 280-1233
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It's A Grind
Coffee House
Life's A Grind Without Our Coffee!
90 Skyport Drive
Suite 130
San Jose, CA 95110
Tel: (408) 451-9724
Fax: (801) 601-0600
nmehta@itsagrind.com