Almaden Resident

News

News briefs

E-waste event
aids mental
health group

Residents can help Almaden Valley Counseling Service while getting rid of their electronic waste.

The Almaden Valley Counseling Service is sponsoring an e-waste event Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the OfficeMax parking lot at the intersection of Blossom Hill Road and Almaden Expressway.

Computers, monitors, keyboards, VCRs, fax machines, telephones, televisions, DVD players and radios are all accepted.

Funds help Almaden Valley Counseling Service, which offers affordable mental health counseling.

For more information, contact Almaden Valley Counseling Service at 408.997. 02200 or visit www.avcounseling.org.

Poll workers
are needed for
the elections

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters need more than 1,000 volunteers to serve as election officers in the Feb. 5 presidential primary election.

Any California registered voter can work and be paid a minimum of $95. Training is provided and experience is not necessary.

There is a critical need for more than 100 Spanish bilingual election officers, who can earn an extra stipend for their bilingual skills.

Bilingual election officers must be fluent in English and either Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese or Tagalog.

Students who are at least 16, have a minimum 2.5 grade point average and receive consent from their schools and parents or guardians can participate in the student election officer program. Student have the same responsibilities and receive a stipend.

For more information, call 408.299.7655.

Residents urged
to prepare for
more wet weather

Sandbags are being offered to San Jose residents who want to protect their homes from flooding during storms. The Santa Clara Valley Water District is distributing free sandbags to city residents from its warehouse at 5905 Winfield Blvd. The water district is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Debris and fallen tree limbs in storm drains are common causes of flooding, and district representatives are asking residents who notice drain problems to call its watershed hotline at 408.265.2607, ext. 2378.

More shelters for
homeless open
during winter

Several San Jose agencies are pledging to provide beds for people in need of a warm place to stay this winter. The city manager's office reports that the Emergency Housing Consortium--a network of Silicon Valley shelters--filled the Boccardo Reception Center in November and opened National Guard armories in Sunnyvale and Gilroy for Santa Clara County residents in need. The San Jose Family Shelter at 1590 Las Plumas Ave. provides daytime activities, and InnVision, a Willow Glen-based homeless advocacy group, is giving blankets to those who choose not to stay in shelters. For more information on the Emergency Housing Consortium, visit www.ehclifebuilders.org.

Children's group
says enrollment
time is January

A Santa Clara County children's health and education group is reminding parents that January is time for kindergarten enrollment. Representatives from First 5 Santa Clara County, a taxpayer-funded children's organization, says that pupils who will turn 5 before Dec. 2, 2008, should enroll now and use the next eight months to prepare for school. Families who start early "can secure a spot in kindergarten this fall and enter class ready to learn," said Erin Kang, a spokeswoman for First 5 Santa Clara County.

For more tips and information, visit www.first5kids.org.