Almaden Resident
Cover Story
Photograph by Vicki Thompson
Top cyclists who participated in the inaugural Amgen Tour of California, which included portions of Almaden Valley
2006
The Year in Review
By Linda Taaffe
When 2006 arrived, it appeared as if the next 12 months would continue to be a waiting game--with few surprises--in Almaden Valley. Sports enthusiasts were still waiting to learn the status of the long-hoped-for sports fields at McKean Road. Families waited for loved ones to return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. The tug-of-war between those trying to preserve the rural character of parts of Almaden and those wanting change looked as if it would continue unabated. At city hall, it appeared that the mayor would remain in office without further reprimand for his involvement in the Norcal Waste Systems contract scandal.
Surprises were on the horizon, however. As weeks passed, 2006 brought some big changes.
The biggest surprise brought an end to the uncertainty surrounding sports fields in the valley. Sports enthusiasts got unwelcome news in October when the San Jose Unified School District announced that it would not lease or sell its McKean Road site to the city to develop a sports complex. Though that may have not been what some residents were hoping to hear, the decision lit a fire under the council's feet. Councilwoman Nancy Pyle pushed for a proposal to identify ways to utilize more city space for sports usage. The study was set to begin by the end of 2006. Parks received another boost when the council agreed to raise developer fees to generate more money for their development and upkeep.
The development battle also took a surprising turn. Those fighting to protect the area's rural atmosphere celebrated some victories. The Sobrato Development Co. listened to neighborhood concerns and scaled back a housing proposal targeted for Guadalupe Mines Road. Affordable housing in Coyote Valley made a 180-degree turnaround in May when the task force mandated that more units be included in the plan. Pyle ended the year with a request to put a building moratorium in place, if necessary, to stop development near the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve until a growth assessment is conducted.
The future of the historic Feed & Fuel restaurant got a first, second and then a third lease on life. After releasing numerous studies--and opinions--to determine if the building should be saved from the wrecking ball, the historic landmarks commission in December recommended that the site be saved.
At city hall, council members launched reforms in response to Mayor Ron Gonzales' public scandals. He left his position on the Coyote Task Force. Gonzales ignored the council's request for his resignation, but residents didn't have to wait long for him to leave city hall. His term ended and he attended his last city council meeting in December.
Whatever the headlines may be in 2007, 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.
--Linda Taaffe, editor
A new beginning for sports fields in Almaden
The San Jose Unified School District Board of Education squashed any hope of building a McKean Road sports complex. After months of silence and a pending lawsuit, the district announced in October that it had no intention of selling or leasing the land to the city of San Jose to use for a sports complex. Such a plan was not financially feasible, spokeswoman Karen Fuqua said.
The board made the announcement after receiving numerous letters about limited field space in Almaden Valley due to renovations at several of its campuses, including Pioneer High School, Bret Harte and Castillero middle schools and Williams Elementary School.
In response to the district's announcement, Councilwoman Nancy Pyle requested that the city manager authorize as much as $165,000 to hire an outside consultant to complete a community sports field master plan by the end of 2006. The plan, which the council approved, will look at ways the city could partner with local school and sports groups to utilize more city space for sports use.
The council also removed language from the General Plan put in place in 2004 that would have allowed a sports complex to move forward at the McKean site.
Plans for a sports complex had been in the works since 2004.The city set aside
$2 million and changed the site's zoning in preparation for the project. Plans were put on hold after the Committee for Green Foothills and the South Almaden Valley Rural Alliance filed a lawsuit against the city for approving a plan without sufficient environmental documentation. The district's announcement ended any hopes of a sports complex at that site.
Feed & Fuel adds another chapter to its history
The battle to save Almaden Valley's historic Feed & Fuel restaurant and bar played out for most of the year. At the end of December, the former stage stop's future remains unclear.
The bar quietly closed its doors May 29 following a public campaign to save the building. The last day was filled with memories and tears, but also with hope from some dedicated patrons who were still fighting the property owners, who want to develop housing on the site at the corner of Almaden Expressway and Almaden Road.
Owner Jon Carson contracted an archeological investigator to conduct a historic report before moving forward with plans to demolish the building. The report concluded the structure did not qualify as a city landmark, according to the city of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory criteria. According to the report, Feed & Fuel was a structure of merit, but there was no requirement to save it.
Local history buffs dug out more information on the building and asked that the historical landmarks commission reconsider the building's significance.
Based on the new information, the commission recommended the former bar be restored and reused.
The city decided another historical analysis was needed and issued another report. The new report, like the first one, found the building to be worthy of a "structure of merit" designation, but not a city landmark candidate. The new report actually placed the building lower on the continuum than did the first. While the report still didn't rank Feed & Fuel as a landmark, commissioners decided there was enough evidence of the building's place in local history to recommend saving it.
The planning commission is slated to consider this recommendation in January. Almaden builds community
After more than two years without a neighborhood library or community center, Almaden Valley got both--under one roof. The Almaden Branch Library and Community Center opened May 13 in a new 64,740-square-foot, two-story building. What began as a move to combine operations under one roof to save money has turned into an unprecedented partnership among the library system, recreation department and the community.
Co-managed by San Jose Public Library and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, the $17.5 million joint facility, approved by voters in 2000, became the first of its kind in San Jose. One side of the building features a gymnasium, fitness center and classrooms; the other boasts a library with a fireplace and technology room among its amenities.
According to Cathy Noonan, recreation supervisor at the community center, attendance steadily increased the first three months after opening day, averaging between 3,500 and 4,000 visitors each day.
The Almaden Library and Community Center offers a little something for everyone, she said.
"We've had a fabulous response from the community, and we're attracting populations that we didn't see lots of participation from in the past," Noonan said. "Our adult classes were the first to sell out, and we usually have a hard time getting adult participation in classes."
In recent weeks, the community center kicked-off the first city-sponsored concert series for youth in Almaden.
The Year in Review
Accolades and milestones
Business is in full bloom
Local businessman Kren Rasmussen celebrated 20 years in the flower industry in 2006. He and his family opened Bloomster's together in Almaden Valley, where Rasmussen grew up. When Bloomster's opened its doors, the Rasmussens thought it would be a simple, family-owned flower shop. They were wrong. Today, the shop is recognized throughout the Bay Area and holds top florist honors in San Jose. Rasmussen's designs are in high demand at hotels, fundraisers and a wide range of social events.
IBM celebrates 20th
IBM's 20th anniversary celebration on May 31 made clear that just because few people see the high-tech campus headquarters--atop a scenic hill on Harry Road--doesn't mean nothing is going on inside. The open lab anniversary tour demonstrated many of the company's different research labs, including physics, organic chemistry and data storage. Among the company's latest projects revealed at the celebration was its joint venture with the health-care industry to use technology to track the spread of disease worldwide.
Athletic club turns 30
Almaden Valley Athletic Club, a longtime community gathering place for locals, celebrated its 30th anniversary in June. Opened in 1976 by the Shank and Theiring families, the club quickly became known for its family-friendly atmosphere, cutting-edge programs and community outreach. The club was among the first to use Life Cycle bicycles to train and certify pilates instructors and to step forward to donate to the Pat Tillman Foundation. Owner Joe Shank said the club has 10,000 family members.
Thrift shop hits $1 million
After nearly 13 years in the Almaden Valley, the Unicorn Thrift Shop reached the $1 million mark in donations to EMQ Children and Family Services in March. Proceeds from the nonprofit store go toward supporting EMQ, a private provider of children's mental health and social services.
'Father of the Year'
In June, longtime Almaden Valley resident William "Bill" Del Biaggio Jr., who is known for his philanthropic efforts in the community, was recognized for his work in an even more specialized field--parenting. Del Biaggio, co-founder of Heritage Bank of Commerce, was honored as one of the 2006 Fathers of the Year by the Silicon Valley Father's Day Council.
World War II POW honored
Sixty-one years after being released from a war camp, Almaden Valley resident M. Herschel Higgins was honored. The San Jose City Council commemorated the local man in November for his service in World War II and his experience as a prisoner of war. Higgins served as an Army Air Corps fighter pilot with the 351st Bomber Group. Higgins was shot down behind enemy lines, captured and transferred to a German POW camp. He was freed April 29, 1945.
Leland High School is 40
Leland High kicked off celebrations for its 40th anniversary at the end of 2006. Since its founding, Leland has maintained a tradition of excellence.
'Million-dollar man' honored
Almaden Valley resident Marc Rebboah was honored as a distinguished volunteer fundraiser at the 2006 Silicon Valley Philanthropy Day awards celebration on Nov. 17 for leading a $11.5 million fundraising campaign at his alma mater Bellarmine College Preparatory.
"When you believe in something, it's not selling. You just have to be very passionate and very sincere. I have no issue in asking people for $10,000 to $1 million," Rebboah said.
Watching weather
After tracking rainfall and the weather in his Almaden Valley back yard for the past 20 years, amateur weatherman Arsen Muger joined NBC 11 affiliate KNTV as a WeatherPlus Meteorologist in March. Muger's average high and low temperatures for Almaden were reported daily for the station. According to Muger's reports, Almaden receives more rain on average than downtown San Jose and is typically 10 degrees warmer in the summer than other parts of the city and 10 degrees colder in the winter.
Almaden featured in book
After spending much of their adult lives uncovering and recording the faces and names from New Almaden's past, history enthusiasts Mike Boulland and Art Boudreault turned their work into a book, New Almaden. The history-buffs-turned-authors released their history book, which is part of the Images of America series published by Arcadia Publishing, at the New Almaden Mining Museum and the Almaden Community Center in July.
Paying tribute
Sumner scholarship set up
Almaden Valley resident Benjamin Sumner was fondly remembered by neighborhood friends, as well as those at Bellarmine College Preparatory, his alma mater. Sumner, 20, died March 28 after colliding with a tree while skiing at Northstar at Tahoe in Lake Tahoe. He was the second Bellarmine student involved in a fatal accident on the ski slopes in the early part of the year.
Neighbors set up a scholarship in his memory.
Community pays tribute to Pat Tillman with inaugural run
More than 3,000 runners showed up in Almaden Valley on April 30 to participate in Pat's Run in honor Pat Tillman, the Leland High graduate and NFL Arizona Cardinal football player who died in Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army. The 4.2-mile inaugural run began on the football field at Leland, where Tillman once played.
Community remembers Pioneer's 'gentle giant' at vigil
More than 150 mourners from the community overflowed the sidewalk on the northeast corner of Almaden Expressway and Camden Avenue to pay tribute to Marcus Keppert, a 15-year-old freshman at Pioneer High School who was struck and killed by a motorist as he crossed Almaden Expressway on May 6.
Standing more than 6 feet tall, Keppert was known as the "Gentle Giant."
World War II prisoner of war honored
An estimated 200 mourners overflowed St. Timothy's Lutheran Church on Camden Avenue on Dec.16 to pay tribute to longtime Almaden Valley resident John Edward Buecheler, a former Army Air Corps pilot and POW survivor. Buecheler, 85, died Dec. 5 after a short illness. For the ceremony, Sen. Dianne Feinstein gave Beucheler's family the American flag flown over the White House on Dec. 10 in honor of his service to his country.
McKay leaves legacy
of local history
San Jose historian Leonard McKay's death left a large void in the community. The San Jose native died Oct. 17 after dedicating most of his life to preserving local history.
"Leonard had an encyclopedic knowledge of San Jose," said Tom McEnery, former mayor of San Jose and a close friend.
Fontana case on hold
for five years
On the fifth anniversary of San Jose Police Officer Jeffrey Fontana's death, hundreds of community members gathered for a candlelight vigil in Almaden Valley at the park named in his honor. The community continues to wait for the conviction of the man who killed Fontana in the line of duty. Not only has the case not gone to trial, there isn't a scheduled trial date.
Nature and the Valley
Snow blankets the
mountains
Mt. Umunhum glistened with snow above the Almaden Valley after a March storm brought snow to the mountains surrounding San Jose as well as sleet to the valley floor.
Reservoirs overflow from rain
Unusually heavy rainfall caused more than half of Santa Clara Valley's 10 reservoirs to overflow in April and washed debris onto the Almaden Lake Beach.
Nesting birds keep
water levels low
The Santa Clara Valley Water District halted plans to raise the water level for swimmers at Almaden Lake Park during the summer season after discovering killdeer and mockingbirds nesting on the gravel bar just north of Coleman Road bridge. Both birds are on the wildlife protected list.
Almaden breaks
heat records
Almaden Valley recorded its hottest July since 1985 when area temperatures reached triple digits seven consecutive days, peaking at 110 degrees on July 22 and 23. At night, temperatures never dropped below 74 degrees.
Poor water quality
shuts down lake
Poor water quality shut down Almaden Lake Park to swimmers indefinitely July 12. Park officials attributed the poor water quality to the prolonged heat wave and the fact that Santa Clara Valley Water District employees purposely kept water levels low to protect nesting killdeer and mockingbirds.
Hundreds lose power
Almaden Valley residents were among the 41,000 South Bay customers who found themselves without electricity for as many as five days after several transformers failed during the heat wave. Residents slept outside, sat in their swimming pools and spent the afternoons in the temperature-controlled Almaden Community Center to stay cool.
Heroic gestures
Door malfunction saves duo
Emergency crews credited a malfunctioning doorbell for saving the lives of two Almaden Valley women after an early morning fire devastated a home on Hampton Road on July 29. The women awoke to the sound of the doorbell ringing at around 1 a.m. They called 911 and heard the bell again before smelling smoke.
Teen chases intruder
Armed with only his karate bo staff, 14-year-old karate black belt Anthony Dipple chased an intruder from his Almaden Valley home on Aug. 15. Anthony, who was home alone with his brother, heard the family dog barking, the back door open and shut and someone rustling through the silverware drawer. Following his instincts, he grabbed his bo staff and chased the intruder out the door.
Cong Thanh Do returns home
The Vietnamese government released Almaden Valley resident Cong Thanh Do on Sept. 21 after imprisoning him for more than a month without any formal charges. He arrived at San Francisco International Airport on the evening of Sept. 21. The San Jose City Council presented him with a commendation on Oct. 3. Do, a member of the People's Democratic Party of Vietnam, was arrested while on vacation in Vietnam for publishing his beliefs on the Internet.
Miscellaneous happenings
Water upgrades at plant
The Santa Clara Valley Water District upgraded its water treatment plant to purify the water with ozone instead of chlorine. When asked about the taste of their water, residents said they hadn't noticed anything different, except for the appearance.
Aliens land at Almaden Lake
Almaden Lake got a permanent addition in May. The Santa Clara Valley Water District installed a solar aerator, called the SolarBee, in the lake to manage mercury levels in the water, which became polluted during the quicksilver mining era. The installation marked the first time that the district chose to permanently place such a device in one location.
Food bank donations drop
The annual Letter Carriers Food Drive was hit hard with donor fatigue following numerous natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, during the previous year. Organizers said giving was "really, really down" for the event that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. In Almaden, donations for the May event were just 6,427 pounds, down from 10,565 in 2005.
Retirements and appointments
Pyle joins Coyote
Councilwoman Nancy Pyle took a seat on the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force on Jan. 10 after Mayor Ron Gonzales' unexpectedly announced in a memo just moments before the start of the regular meeting that he had voluntarily removed himself from all city committees. In the memo, Gonzales recommended Pyle fill his position as co-chairman on the task force, which he had led with co-chair and Councilman Forrest Williams for the past four years.
Mail carrier says goodbye
After 20 years of delivering letters, bills and circulars to 450 Almaden households, postal carrier Paul Yamada hung up his mailbag in August. His route covered the most ground of any in Almaden Valley. The carrier ended his career without ever being attacked by any dogs.
Almaden's Davis joins YWCA
Rob Davis, San Jose police chief and Almaden Valley resident, joined the board of directors for the YWCA of Silicon Valley. In this role, Davis is responsible for raising awareness and funds for the organization, along with 23 other board members. The organization didn't allow men on its board until 2004--more than 50 years after its founding.
Nursery changes hands
Almaden Nursery, known almost as much nationally as it is locally in the gardening industry, changed ownership in June after being operated by the same family for 31 years. General manager Matt Lepow purchased the business from owner Eric Wilder.
Dolores Carr wins DA seat
Almaden Valley resident Dolores Carr won the Santa Clara County District Attorney race. With 60 percent of the vote, or nearly 70,000 more votes than her opponent Karen Sinunu, Carr became the county's first female district attorney.
New youth commissioner
Almaden Valley resident Pardis Khosrvi, 15, was sworn in as the District 10 youth commissioner on March 21. The Pioneer High School sophomore launched the first teen concert series at the Almaden Community Center.
Simonds principal retires
Linda Kakes retired from the San Jose Unified School District after nearly 40 years. After serving in several positions at the district, she spent the last three years of her career as principal at Simonds Elementary School. Kakes reported for her last day in June.
Growth and housing projects
Coyote gets affordable
What appeared to be a grim outlook for affordable housing in Coyote Valley made a 180-degree turnaround in May when the Coyote Valley Task Force presented a proposal to designate more land in the 7,000-acre development as affordable. The plan, which called for 5,000 housing units to be affordable, came two months after consulting firm Economic and Planning Systems suggested that in order for the project to be financially feasible, homes would have to be $660,000 each, with only 15 percent of the units designated as affordable. The development of Coyote Valley remained in the planning phases throughout 2006 as task force members continued incorporating smart-growth principles--from high-density housing to pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods and mixed-use development--in the development proposal slated just south of Almaden Valley. The new community is slated to include 25,000 homes and 50,000 jobs.
Country club members asked to sell
In August, the 400 proprietary members at Almaden Golf and Country Club were asked to consider an offer by Pacific Standard Homes to purchase and develop a portion of the property for an active adult community. Part of the preliminary agreement included offering full equity members $200,000 for their memberships, which were valued at $50,000. In October, members voted against selling the club to the private developer.
No reservoir development
During an appeal hearing on Dec. 5, San Jose City Council members unanimously said no to a proposal to subdivide a 684-acre parcel adjacent to the south Almaden Valley Urban Reserve into 16 40-acre plots. The decision upheld San Jose Planning Director Joseph Horwedel's denial. Councilwoman Nancy Pyle called the development proposal inconsistent with San Jose's long-term growth strategy and requested the city conduct a growth assessment of the area that the council could use to determine if new restraints, including a possible building moratorium, were needed to protect the open space area.
Developer backs off plans
Sobrato Development Co. backed off a housing proposal slated for a 16-acre parcel off Guadalupe Mines Road after neighbors expressed opposition to the project. In March, Sobrato agreed to a plan for medium-low-density housing, or up to eight units per acre as opposed to 16 as originally proposed.
City hall happenings
Grand Prix gets $4 million
The San Jose City Council approved a $4 million subsidy to the San Jose Grand Prix on Jan. 10 by a vote of 8-3. Councilmen Ken Yeager, Chuck Reed and Dave Cortese voted against the subsidy.
Mayor indicted
San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and Joe Guerra, his budget aide, were indicted on June 22 by a grand jury and arrested on charges of felony bribery, felony conspiracy to cheat and defraud, felony misappropriation of public money and other charges in conjunction with the city's $11.25 million subsidy to Norcal Waste Systems. Eight San Jose City Council members, including Nancy Pyle, formally requested Gonzales resign, but he refused. Gonzales and Guerra entered not-guilty pleas at a court appearance on July 27. A trial date was set for May 14, 2007. Gonzales attended his last council meeting as mayor in December.
'Misconduct' ordinance vote
The San Jose City Council voted 10-1 to draft an ordinance that would remove council members for willful misconduct. Mayor Ron Gonzales voted against the move.
City dumps Norcal
San Jose said no to Norcal, voting not to extend the indicted company's trash hauling contract. Instead, the city chose to award the contract to two smaller companies--Garden City Sanitation and California Waste Solutions.
Fundraising disclosures
San Jose City Council approved a new amendment requiring lobbyists to disclose which city officials they fundraise for, the amount they raise, the names of contributors and how much each contributes and on which date, as well as any contributions received from third parties.
Stronger landmark policy
San Jose City Council members voted to approve an updated policy to strengthen protection for historic landmarks. Councilman Chuck Reed was the sole vote against it.
Developers to pay higher fees
Developers learned they will have to pay higher fees to help San Jose increase its parkland beginning in February. In a unanimous vote that elicited applause from the audience, the San Jose City Council approved adjustments to the fees developers pay for parks. Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League members were among those who showed up in numbers to support the fee increase. The league collected 1,500 signatures from league parents who supported the fee increases. The fees were bumped from 70 percent of 2001 land values to reflect 100 percent of 2005 values. In Almaden, developer fees were set to increase from $31.50 per square foot to $45 per square foot.
Council must report spending
The San Jose City Council voted to require council members to report on a quarterly basis any time spent on services unrelated to council duties and any extra earned income.
City gives Rep $2 million
The San Jose City Council approved a $2 million loan to San Jose Repertory Theatre. The loan is to be spread out over five years and has to be paid back in full after 10 years.
Chuck Reed wins mayoral race
Councilman Chuck Reed won the mayoral race in November.
