A public hearing on the conditional use permit application by St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church for its annual three-day festival is set for 6 p.m. April 27.

The hearing is with the San Jose Planning Commission and will be in the city council chambers, room 205 of San Jose City Hall, 801 N. First St.

Now in its 34th year, the Greek Food & Cultural Festival has been operating without a permit since 1999, when the one issued in 1994 expired. The expiration went unnoticed by the city and the church until late 2004.

At a neighborhood meeting on Feb. 15, homeowners with property adjacent to the church and festival grounds at 1260 Davis St. asked that their concerns about parking, sales of hard alcohol, garbage pickup, noise and police control be addressed in the new permit.

If the commission approves the permit and neighbors still object, they can appeal it to the city council.

Guadalupe Gardens
holding spring fest

The annual Spring in Guadalupe Gardens festival and plant sale takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23.

The event will include garden art, plants, gardening advisors, information on alternative energy sources and local history.

There will also be docent-led tours of the gardens.

The Kid's Korner will feature free activities designed to be both fun and educational.

The festival takes place at the corner of Spring and Taylor streets and there is no charge for admittance. For additional information, visit www.grpg.org or call 408.298.7657.

Group wants you to
take a deep breath

The monthly meeting of the Better Breathers Club takes place at 1:30 p.m. April 25 at the office of the American Lung Association of Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, 1469 Park Ave.

The meeting is both a resource and support group for people suffering from lung disease and their family members.

The San Jose group meets on the last Monday of each month. For additional information, call 408.998.5864.

SHPNA's quarterly
meeting on April 26

The Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association holds its quarterly meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on April 26 at Hoover Community Center.

Agenda items include a report on retail development along The Alameda, a report from the San Jose Police Department and discussion of upcoming events celebrating the group's 20th anniversary. Additionally, there will be a preview of the city's 2005-06 budget, with a discussion on priorities and how the process works.

Hoover Community Center is at 1677 Park Ave., at Naglee Avenue. For additional information, visit www.shpna.org.

Pre-pharaoh period
on lecture agenda

A lecture on "Egypt Before the Pharaohs: the Pre-dynastic Period" will be given at 6:15 p.m. April 23 at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.

Museum curator Lisa Schwappach-Shirriff will discuss the formative years of ancient Egyptian culture during a period of egalitarian farming communities. Trade with Mesopotamia, class differences and warfare led to a dynastic rule and a united empire.

The lecture is $9 for the general public, $7 for seniors and students and $5 for children ages 5 to 10 in the Planetarium. For additional information, call 408.947.3636.