Perhaps the most notable change to the community landscape was the one that didn't happen.

What sports enthusiasts anticipated would a banner year for more field space ended with less practice areas and plans for a sports complex back at square one. The McKean sports complex appeared to be a done deal at the end of 2004 when the council approved the project. A neighborhood lawsuit halted the city's plans to build multiple soccer fields and a half-dozen baseball and softball diamonds on 35 acres at Caglia Ranch in 2005.

Councilwoman Nancy Pyle spent her first months in office trying to locate alternative locations for more playing fields, but the prospect of adding more turf seemed as distant ever.

The only residents who seemed to enjoy expanded park usage in 2005 were Almaden canines. The city opened a dog area at Fontana Park in October.

Development woes weren't limited to park space.

Fear of urban sprawl prompted San Jose city officials to attempt to halt extended water service to a 50-unit housing development in South Almaden Valley in March.

The same battle seemed to play out in historic New Almaden. The construction of a 6,200-square-foot home on Cinnabar Hills Road and work on a historic home escalated into lawsuits and stop-work orders as neighbors fought to preserve the area.

Development plans outweighed sentiment in one neighborhood.

The owners of Almaden Feed & Fuel begin the process of shutting down the historic restaurant and bar to build 14-single family homes on the 1.24-acre site between Almaden Expressway and Almaden Road. The building once served as a stage stop between San Jose and the quicksilver mines.

The announcement was good news to some neighbors, who complained that bar patrons were too loud.

Parents also celebrated a victory. Families involved in local schools breathed a sigh of relief when the San Jose Unified School District chose not to close any Almaden valley schools. Castillero had been a candidate for closure.

No one knows what 2006 will bring, but things could take a turn for those battling urban sprawl in the Coyote Valley if Mayor Ron Gonzales is removed from his position on the Coyote Valley Task Force next month.

The city council is considering Gonzales' removal as a punishment for his role in the NorCal Waste Systems garbage contract that has already resulted in his censure this month.

Some have expressed concern that under Gonzales' persuasion the plan to develop Coyote Valley would be put on the fast track with no environmental protections in place.

Whatever the headlines may be in 2006, neighbors undoubtedly will continue to fight for what they believe is best for their community ­ something that has made Almaden Valley one of San Jose's most coveted neighborhoods.

JANUARY

Missing files

Nancy Pyle starts her new job as District 10 councilwoman after longtime Councilwoman Pat Dando leaves office, taking many of her files with her.

As a result, Pyle's first weeks in office are filled with confusion and concern as she and Dando try to determine whether the files should have been left with the city. One of Pyle's new goals was to create a clear policy that describes exactly what departing council members are to do with their files, some of which could be considered public records.

Seceding parents

Parents upset about the possible closing of Randol Elementary School initiate a campaign to secede from the San Jose Unified School District and form the South Valley School District. The parents want to include Almaden Valley and Blossom Valley schools in the new district, both affected by Randol's closure. As part of the campaign, parents begin collecting the 9,000 signatures required to secede.

P2P-Xchange

Almaden parent Sue Datta starts a website designed for parents to exchange information regarding activities in which Almaden children may participate. The site includes information from parents in Almaden about music classes, sports activities, movie and book reviews and more. Datta and the other parents also raise money for the victims of the tsunami that hit Indonesia in December 2004.

FEBRUARY

School closures

The San Jose Unified School District approves a recommendation to close Randol and Allen elementary schools. The board outlines a plan to shuttle students to Steinbeck Elementary as a result. With enrollment down, the board agrees to close the schools in order to help the district save money after announcing an estimated $9 million to $11 million shortfall in the 2005-2006 school year.

Dando and Schwarzenegger

After leaving the city council, Pat Dando sets her sights on state-level politics and becomes Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's director of local government affairs. Her job is to work with city and county officials on the governor's behalf.

PAC

The old performing arts center at Pioneer High School comes down in February to make way for a new one. The performing arts department, headed by Steve Dini, holds a "Wrecking Ball" before the demolition to raise money for the new center. Attendees wear yellow hard hats while they bid on silent auction items and sang songs from past shows. The new PAC is scheduled for completion in January.

State of the City

Mayor Ron Gonzales makes his seventh State of the City speech on Feb. 9, surprising some with his suggestion that the city deserves a professional baseball team. Residents have mixed reactions, but city leaders say a professional sports team will beef up revenues and create a sports stadium task force charged with determining the best site to build a ballpark. The Diridon Station bordering Park Avenue becomes a targeted location in following months.

MARCH

New AVCA officers

The Almaden Valley Community Association's new officers run their first meeting March 14. They are president Lee Dimmitt, vice president Ray Strong, secretary Carol Hallett, treasurer Gary Soule and director Art Boudreault. The positions have a two-year term.

Boudreault took Councilwoman Nancy Pyle's position on the board. The first item of discussion--a breakaway school district.

City budget problems

Mayor Ron Gonzales announces that the city will face the same budget issues that it endured the previous year. With a $57 million deficit, the city expects a decrease in revenues and an increase in the demands for money from the state. He called the city's experience "the toughest budget cycle we have seen."

Water service to SAVUR

The Great Oaks Water Company receives permission from the California Public Utilities Commission to deliver water to 50 homes in the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve. Many of the homes requested the service and others didn't object to being included. The city of San Jose and the Local Agency Formation Commission protest the approval because of the possibility of the water being a catalyst for too much urban growth. Officials claim they did not know of the application to extend services until it was already approved.

LAFCO is a state-mandated local agency that regulates how and when cities can push their boundaries into open-space areas such as the urban reserve. It exists to limit urban sprawl in favor of regulated development. LAFCO sent a letter to the Public Utilities Commission, requesting that the agency reverse the application.

APRIL

Pyle's first 100 days

After 100 days in office, District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle is well aware of the issues she wants to address. Among them are the city's policy on what council members are supposed to do with their files when the leave office; how to bring more sports fields to the valley; and how to address coyote problems. Pyle launches a District 10 website to better communicate news to constituents.

School bus fares

The San Jose Unified School District decides students should have to pay $300 to ride the bus during the school year as part of the district's attempt to chip away at an expected $9 million to $11 million shortfall. The board also decides to decrease the number of routes offered, making some students walk further from their homes to the school.

MAY

Coyotes may return

A mountain lion that was shot near the San Jose­Los Gatos border on April 26 may have been a relief to the community, but it may have also been a relief to local coyotes. Santa Clara County Vector Control speculates the mountain lion may have been keeping the pesky coyotes away from the Villas, and now that it is gone, the coyotes may return.

Birthday donations

Two girls from Almaden ask for money, food and clothing donations for their birthdays. Katie Williams, a third-grader at Guadalupe, collects nearly $500 to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank and the American Red Cross.

At Graystone, first-grader Alexis Kovalik decides she wants to send care packages to a platoon of marines that includes her teacher's boyfriend, Tyler Barnett, who helped in Elizabeth McVey's classroom before he was deployed to Kuwait. He also went on to serve in Iraq.

Alexis collects six grocery bags of toiletries and supplies that aren't readily available overseas.

Small business help

With small business owners in mind, Mayor Ron Gonzales introduces an initiative to simplify the building permit process.

The Small Business Ambassador Program assigns a single contact at city hall to help businesses through the permit and development review process.

Council votes against raises

The San Jose City Council votes against giving its members raises, which were recommended by an independent commission authorized by the city charter.

The commission recommended that the council members' salaries be increased by $9,000 a year beginning next year--from their current $75,000 annually to $84,000 in fiscal 2006--and another $3,360 the following year to $87,360 in fiscal 2007. The commission also recommends boosting the mayor's salary from $105,000 to $117,600 next year and to $122,304 the following year.

JUNE

Bret Harte secretary

After being on the run for several weeks, Barbara Price, former Bret Harte Middle School secretary, surrenders to police to answer charges of embezzling nearly $483,000 from the San Jose Unified School District. She is accused of stealing the amount during a seven-year period by forging administrators' signatures on checks made out to herself, according to police reports.

She appears in court and her bail is raised from $300,000 to $500,000. Price remains in jail awaiting a court hearing.

Unwined

Two Almaden couples open the first wine shop and bar in the Almaden Valley: UnWined. The bar has locals waiting for it to open as it sets up shop next to Elements in the Via Valiente shopping center. Along with a retail area, the bar boasts two liquid crystal display screens and a plasma television for sports and the Food Network.

Soccer fields

Councilwoman Nancy Pyle begins the hunt for another site for a sports complex after lawsuits are filed against the one planned for the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve over water supply concerns. Residents say the fields could threaten the water table in the area.

Daniella

Daniella Polar, who grew up in Almaden, joins Nancy Pyle's staff as community relations coordinator.

JULY

Top 10

The U.S. Census Bureau announces that San Jose has crept into the position of the 10th largest city in the United States, beating out Detroit by about 4,000. According to census figures, San Jose's population has increased by 6,713 since 2005, while Detroit's has slipped by 11,204. Mayor Ron Gonzales says the title will help showcase the features of San Jose to the rest of the world.

Park improvement

The first of two phases of improvements to Almaden Lake Park are completed. The park now has bocce ball courts, a covered picnic area and a water playground for the little ones. A timeline for the second phase has yet to be determined, but the proposal includes an amphitheater along the lake's shore.

City hall move

Councilwoman Nancy Pyle and her staff move into their office in the new, $348 million city hall on July 18. The office is located on the 18th floor of the new city hall tower in downtown San Jose.

AVAC Fundraiser

The Almaden Valley Athletic Club hosts a fundraiser for the Pat Tillman Foundation to raise money for the Leadership Through Action program that began at Arizona State University in the fall. The event, which was held at the club and featured dancing and food, raised thousands for the foundation. The foundation is currently working on bringing the Leadership Through Action program to a Bay Area university. Tillman, a Leland High School graduate and professional football player for the Arizona Cardinals, was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan while on duty with the U.S. Army in 2004.

AUGUST

Pot Posse

An early morning bust on a marijuana farm results in a shootout, leaving one suspect wounded and killing another on the run from various law enforcement agencies who collaborated on the investigation. More than 200,000 marijuana plants, estimated to be valued at $80 million, were found in a remote area near Camden Avenue and Hicks Road. Despite the amount of marijuana found and violence used to protect it, many Almaden residents were not surprised by the incident.

Dando joins chamber

Pat Dando leaves her position as director of local government affairs with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to head the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce . She replaces Jim Cunneen, another Almaden resident who headed the chamber for four years.

Eric Crane

Councilwoman Nancy Pyle hires the last member of her office team, Eric Crane, a recent UC-Santa Cruz graduate. He serves as the communications aide to Pyle, which involves compiling the monthly newsletter called "Nancy's News," fielding constituent phone calls and emails and maintaining the district's website.

Backpack brothers

The Greer brothers were at it again this year collecting monetary and in-kind donations from Fortune 500 companies to put together backpacks for underprivileged children. Ben, 16, Alex, 14, and Zachary, 11, stuffed about 600 backpacks with age-appropriate supplies. The backpacks are distributed at InnVision's Georgia Travis Center on Commercial Street in San Jose.

SEPTEMBER

West Nile

Residents are on guard for the West Nile virus. The Santa Clara County Vector Control District sprays insecticide twice in south San Jose in September. County officials said the insecticide used would not pose a danger to residents' health. Additionally, Almaden residents do their part in reporting dead birds to vector control, seeing 24 dead birds in August and the beginning part of September. Russ Parman, vector control's assistant manager, said birds that are "dry and crusty," run over by cars or covered with ants are usually not helpful to the agency testing for the virus. "The fresher, the better," Parman said.

Smoking ban proposed

The Tobacco-Free Collaborative group approaches the parks and recreation commission to try to initiate a ban on smoking in public parks in San Jose. The Tobacco-Free Collaborative group comprises the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society and other agencies. While California does not allow smoking within 25 feet of playgrounds or tot lot areas, the group wants the ban to cover more. Public hearings were held in August and September where the commission listened to mixed opinions on the ban.

OCTOBER

Dog park

Almaden canine lovers can now let their dogs run free without fear of getting fined. A dog area at Fontana Park opens in October, two years after residents approached city leaders for a dedicated area. The park has two fenced-off areas, one for large dogs and one for smaller dogs.

Tennis wins

The Leland girls tennis team closes out a perfect 12-0 season in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

Pat Dando Center

The San Jose City Council approves the name Pat Dando Hoffman/Via Monte Community Center for the new neighborhood facility in the Almaden Strong Neighborhood Initiative area. Residents were in favor of giving the naming honor to their former representative because they said she was instrumental making the Hoffman/Via Monte area an SNI, making it eligible to receive redevelopment resources from the city to eliminate blight. The new center is slated to open in May at the Almaden Hills United Methodist Church, replacing the current facility called the Ark.

Gas station ban lifted

The city council votes to allow San Jose gas stations to sell food and alcohol, repealing a 1985 ban. Many gas station owners and representatives from oil companies supported the change, saying the repeal would allow them to upgrade their facilities and supplement their sales by constructing a mini mart at the station.

NOVEMBER

Cell troubles

Neighbors on Oakglen Way are surprised and annoyed when Cingular crews begin digging a large hole in Fontana Park and Meridian Aveune. Recent changes to the city's zoning code allow San Jose city administrators to give permission to construct certain types of antennas without consulting the surrounding neighborhoods.

Wild pigs

Graystone Lane neighbors receive visits from a group of hungry pigs in search of worms. Ray Avina's lawn is dug up two nights in a row by wild pigs, which he thinks were in search of food.

Neighbors on Graystone Lane are no strangers to wildlife, as they have encountered coyotes, foxes and deer as well.

The Department of Fish and Game suggests Avina set traps for the pigs, but then said he can do what he wishes with them. He suggests a wild pig barbecue.

Smoking ban denied

A suggested ban on smoking in public parks is denied by the San Jose Parks and Recreation Commission, which instead suggests an educational campaign against smoking in parks.

The resulting compromise allows the recreation department to ban smoking at large city events, such as Christmas in the Park, or at parks where a large number of children play.

Night vigil

San Jose police officers, family and friends of Jeffrey Fontana gather for an evening vigil to honor the officer who was shot and killed in Almaden four years ago. More than 250 people walked the short distance from Calle Almaden Court, where Fontana was killed, to the memorial made in his name at Fontana Park.

The man accused of shooting Fontana had yet to go to trial.

Pedestrian killed

After a woman is killed while crossing Blossom Hill Road near Dartmouth Middle School, city crews install flashing beacons at the crosswalk to alert drivers to pedestrians. Beacons were scheduled to be installed at 13 other sites in San Jose as part of the Safe Street Initiative.

Prop. 75 fails

All of the propositions Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger placed on the November special election ballot fail. Almaden teachers rallied for votes against Proposition 74 specifically, which would have extended the amount of time teachers would have to wait to receive tenure. Proposition 75 would have restricted political contributions from members of public-employee unions, and Proposition 76 would have limited state spending to the previous year's expenditures, plus the previous three years' average revenue growth.

Polo crowns

Leland's boys and girls polo teams capture the Blossom Valley Athletic League championships.

Ballpark purchase

The redevelopment agency approves the $5.7 million purchase of Stephens Meat Products, which is part of the 13-acre site near Diridon Station that city officials think is just right for a ballpark. The agency also approves spending another $700,000 for feasibility studies and a report on the environmental effect of a stadium.

DECEMBER

The city council approves a pilot program, which will allow residents to build secondary units on their properties. The program will last for a year or allow 100 secondary units to be built, whichever comes first. The units, often referred to as "granny units," must fit into lot size and parking requirements, as well as the normal building requirements. The program will begin in January.

Division crown

The Pioneer Mustangs beat Leigh in a 50-6 win that gives them a share of the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division Championship.

Feed & Fuel end

Owners of the Almaden Feed & Fuel begin the process of shutting down the historic restaurant and bar to build 14-single family homes on the 1.24-acre site between Almaden Expressway and Almaden Road.

City manager quits

San Jose City Manager Del Borgsdorf announces his retirement Dec. 20, one week after city council members demanded a formal apology from him regarding the Norcal Waste Systems contract that resulted in the mayor's censure Dec. 13. In a letter, Borgsdorf said his retirement was "not about recent events."