Excellence can be measured in many ways and one of those is academics.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage for the third year will award 11 students from 46 public high schools a $2,000 scholarship through its Path to Excellence scholarship program. The students will be selected from high schools throughout Santa Clara County.

Final selections will be made by a committee that includes representatives from the business community, area high schools and colleges, and the leadership team of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Silicon Valley.

The scholarships will be granted to the winners upon enrollment in an accredited four-year university of their choice.

The scholarship program is a partnership with local high schools. Principals and faculty at each school will nominate three graduating seniors with excellent records and who have demonstrated an involvement in their communities.

For more information regarding the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Silicon Valley Path to Excellence Scholarship Program, contact Nina Yamaguchi at 408.252.1133 or via e-mail at nyamaguchi@cbnorcal.com.

County puts focus on
health, environment

Health care services and maintaining the environment are among the priorities for Santa Clara County in the upcoming year, it was announced Jan. 27.

In the annual State of the County address, Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Liz Kniss cited the county's addition of health care clinics in Gilroy and Milpitas as examples of commitment to increasing health care access.

Spending nearly one-third of its $3 billion budget on health services, the county has also rebuilt the Fair Oaks clinic in Sunnyvale.

Kniss said her plans also include the adoption of a health and wellness resolution to promote healthier eating choices at workplaces in an attempt to reduce deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Also emphasized was the importance of "green'' building standards and methods to address the issue of electronic waste.

"Electronic waste contains chemicals that need to be disposed of properly, and is perhaps the most pressing solid waste issue facing us today,'' Kniss said. "By building on county efforts currently under way to manage household hazardous waste, we will be tackling an issue that is of our era.''

The county is facing a $127 million shortfall for the 2006 fiscal year, and Kniss said the board would work to "balance the budget now and into the future.''

The county is entering a fourth year of general-fund deficits that have resulted in $652 million in budget reductions.

PG&E offers to help
keep customers warm

Now that winter weather has set in, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is reminding Bay Area residents that several programs are available to help those in need heat their homes.

PG&E offers programs to help customers manage bills, as well as rebate programs for natural gas appliances and assistance for low-income, disabled and senior citizens.

The CARE program provides a 20 percent discount to low-income customers. Energy Partners provides free weatherization measures and energy-efficient appliances to reduce gas and electricity usage. FERA offers lower rates to families with low to middle incomes. REACH helps low-income customers during unplanned hardships. Medical Baseline gives customers with specific medical conditions the lowest possible rate.

Information on the programs is available on the company's Web site at www.pge.com.