The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Public Servants: Frank Fiscalini chats with 3-year-old Bryan Urenda and 5-year-old Rosalyn Funes at a Willow Glen event in February as Susan Hammer looks away. In January, Hammer appointed Fiscalini as her right-hand man in the city's Redevelopment Agency.

1997: The Year in Review

News of the Avenue dominated the pages of The Resident in '97

While the rest of Willow Glen slept, Lincoln Avenue sprang to life in 1997, witnessing store openings, closures and controversies. With the recent opening of a mini-mall at the site of the old Electrical Appliance building, trendy chain stores decided Lincoln Avenue was the place to be. The jury is still deciding the imprint Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee and Tea and Jamba Juice will leave on the Avenue. But there is no question their presence will create change.

Willow Glen Billiards and Brew has already created change, playing host to the movers and shakers of Silicon Valley while attempting to keep peace with its neighbors. The upscale pool hall has begged questions that must soon be answered: Will the Avenue muster up solutions to parking and noise problems? Will residents maintain their rights as high-powered businesses move onto the Avenue? Does Willow Glen want a nightlife?

While the Avenue grew, the association designed to bring business to the area pared down its offerings. The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association eliminated the second day of the Founders Day celebration and consolidated three of its summertime events into one. It also found itself embroiled in controversy, after The Resident reported that the organization failed to report a nearly $10,000 discrepency in beverage sales after the 1996 Founders Day event.

Nineteen ninety-seven was the year of Lincoln Avenue, a once-sleepy street that played host to changes that will forever impact the entire neighborhood.

Photograph by Aaron Suozzi

Rising Waters: Tony Sacco stopped at the Alma Avenue bridge to take a look at the quickly filling Guadalupe River in January 1997.

January

Redevelopment Agency appointment: Mayor Susan Hammer appointed District 6 City Councilmember Frank Fiscalini vice chairman of San Jose's Redevelopment Agency and the Finance Committee that funds it. As second in command at both of these posts Fiscalini became an important adviser for downtown San Jose's redevelopment in 1997. Over the year, he took leadership roles on several projects, including selecting a new site for city hall.

Rizos becomes WGBPA manager: In late January, the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association board selected Demetri Rizos to replace Mary McLane as the association's manager. Rizos, co-owner of Bill's Cafe and former president of WGBPA, complimented McLane in the January article for her meticulous record-keeping.

Camino Ramon wins award: Camino Ramon homeowners won second prize in the San Jose Beautiful Home Improvement contest for outstanding holiday lights. For the past 50 years, neighbors along Camino Ramon have set up symmetrical rows of lighted Christmas trees that illuminate the neighborhood and draw spectators from throughout the county. For the past 10 years, Camino Ramon has not been alone in decking out the neighborhood--now hundreds of other Willow Glen streets also participate, making the area a favorite drive-by destination of holiday light enthusiasts.

Three food chains confirm move: After months of speculation, Peet's Coffee and Tea and Noah's Bagels confirmed in late January that they were planning to move into the new mini-mall that was later erected at the site of the old Electrical Appliance building. In the same week, the New Jersey-based bagel chain Manhattan Bagel announced its plans to join the community. All three shops made good on their plans: Manhattan Bagel opened in September, and Noah's and Peet's opened in December.

February

Parking problems in the Glen: Following the announcement that Peet's Coffee & Tea and Noah's Bagels planned to move into Willow Glen, merchants debated a longstanding, seemingly unsolvable downtown Willow Glen issue: parking. This time, the controversy centered on whether coffee and bagel shops should get the same parking break awarded to retail stores. According to city code, retail stores need to provide five times less parking than restaurants. When the Daily Squeeze and the Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Company moved onto Lincoln Avenue, they both secured retail classifications; merchants wondered if Peet's Coffee and Tea and Noah's Bagels would be labeled the same. Senior planner Carol Hamilton said the new stores would be labeled retail but would have to acquire as much parking as do restaurants in order to lessen the impact on nearby residential streets. "We have used as much flexibility and creativity as we can to allow the revitalization of Lincoln Avenue while having as little impact on the residents as possible," Hamilton explained.

Residents take window retailer to court: At least three Willow Glen residents took Anthony Langone, the owner of a Lincoln Avenue window retail shop, to court for allegedly failing to complete work already paid for. Reasearch revealed that Langone was operating Trans-West Home Improvement with no state contractor's license and that he had numerous legal claims against him. After the article ran in the Willow Glen Resident, two other Willow Glen residents called with similar tales of being duped.

March

Booksin builds new playground: Around the same time that dangerously hot metal slides and splintered wooden playground structures made their way into news across the country, Booksin Elementary School installed a brand-new playground with plastic equipment. A schoolwide penny drive raised $3,200 for the playground, and the city of San Jose's District 6, under the guidance of councilmember Frank Fiscalini, pitched in the additional $8,250.

Planners approve shopping center: On March 12, the Planning Department approved the blueprints for the retail shopping center on Lincoln Avenue that would later house Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee and Tea and Jamba Juice. Planners gave developer Alex Byer direction to change the designs to add more emphasis to individual storefronts.

Paper earns young journalists award: Schallenberger Elementary School third-graders earned first place in the Adobe Dream Team Contest when judges voted their newspaper, The Daily Owl, the best in the K-5 desktop publishing category.

"We were just thrilled," said Jill Prober, the learning resources specialist at Schallenberger.

Parents accuse SJUSD of insensitivity: Several parents with special-needs students in the San Jose Unified School District came forward with claims that their children were not being appropriately placed or evaluated in a timely manner. Federal education law requires that school districts take care of special-needs students either by providing them with a viable program or by finding an outside establishment that suits their needs. Four parents said the district placed their children inappropriately since there was no existing program that met their needs. The district's special education director, Jackie Blackwell, defended San Jose Unified, saying the district follows the law. When school started in September, Blackwell had retired and was replaced by a new special education director.

April

Coach arrested on porn charges: Lincoln Glen Little League coach Danny Goddard was arrested for possession of child pornography after San Jose police officers searched his home and found sexually explicit pictures of juveniles. Goddard was also charged with intent to distribute the material, because of the large number of pictures found in his Willow Glen home. No connection was found between the pornography and the children on the little league team.

On Aug. 26, Goddard was found guilty of possession of pornography and was sentenced to 10 months in jail, fined $600 and placed on three years' probation. The court also forbade Goddard to live, work or volunteer with children under 18 years of age and to own or operate a personal home computer. "It's an appropriate sentence," Deputy District Attorney Randy Hey said.

Because of the incident, Lincoln Glen Little League president Keith Dorsa pledged to conduct even more extensive background checks on coaches and team managers.

Man killed on Delmas Avenue: Twenty-seven-year-old Clarence E. Nave died on the porch of a Dorothy Avenue home while seeking aid after a stabbing attack. He was stabbed by Jeffrey Allan Baker during a fight in front of the Delmas Avenue home where Baker was living. Nave fled from Baker after the altercation and ran nearly a quarter of a mile before he staggered through the unlocked door of Susan Carothers' Dorothy Avenue home. Baker was arrested early the next morning, at which time he admitted to stabbing Nave. Baker has not yet been sentenced. His next court date is Jan. 16, 1998.

River Glen gets new playground: River Glen Elementary School installed a colorful plastic playground to replace the existing 30-year-old structure that, according to Principal Cecelia Barrie, was "not very much fun." The River Glen parent's club, HABLA (Helping Advance Biliteracy and Linguistic Achievement), raised money through various fundraisers and secured matching funds through District 6 Councilmember Frank Fiscalini's matching-fund program.

Teacher guilty of battery on student: A jury found Willow Glen Middle School teacher Mark Carter guilty of battery against one of his 12-year-old female students. During court testimony, the girl revealed that Carter, her swim coach, massaged her back while carrying on a sexual conversation as she kept time for her teammates by the side of the pool. Carter asked her if she was a virgin or had ever performed oral sex on her boyfriend. Shortly after the conversation, Carter was accussed of grabbing and pushing the girl's boyfriend, another middle school student. On June 12, Carter was sentenced to 120 days in jail and two years of formal probation.

Residents protest Challenger School: Nearly 100 residents met with District 9 Councilmember John Diquisto after hearing that a private school planned to open in a shopping center near the corner of Meridian and Foxworthy avenues. Neighbors gathered to express concern that Challenger School would impact traffic, safety and parking. Residents demanded that Diquisito represent his constituents and oppose the project. Diquisto was never given a chance to take a stand on the project, however, since the school utilized a loophole in city code that allowed it to move in without the neighborhood's support. The school has been operating in Willow Glen since September, with few complaints from neighbors.

May

Merchants fight shoplifting: A group of Lincoln Avenue residents banded together in response to a shoplifting epidemic that resurfaced in downtown Willow Glen. The episodes cost some merchants, including Dodads, Casa Casa, Past and Presents and Panache, as much as $120 in missing merchandise. The owners agreed to call each other if they noticed a shoplifter or missing merchandise. Dodad's owner Cathi Karnes showed the other merchants a video which revealed some of the thieves on camera. Retail owners say working together beats calling the police, who will only respond if the merchant apprehends the culprits with the unpaid-for-merchandise outside the store.

People's Pants leaves Lincoln: People's Pants, the men and women's clothing store that had been a landmark in Willow Glen since 1972, closed its doors in June after losing its lease. Owner Bernie Levine said revenues had been sliding since Baskin-Robbins moved to a more lucrative location on Willow Street. Today, the storefront is still vacant, despite the fact that People's Pants has been gone for eight months.

Glenite honored by mayor: Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president Kris Cunningham was honored by Mayor Susan Hammer as one of Silicon Valley's Women of Achievement. Cunningham has long been an active participant and volunteer in the Willow Glen community. She has taken lead roles in Founders Day, the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, the San Jose Unified School District and several Willow Glen parent-teacher associations.

Two new members elected to association: The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's annual election ushered Paulette Ornellas and Dick Schwartz onto the board. They were voted in by approximately 50 of the association's 500 paid members. Typically, only a small fraction of the membership votes, board members said. Board members also elected former vice president Kris Cunningham as president. Cunningham later appointed board members Lynn Repetsky and J. Michael Gonzales to the board.

Photograph by R. W. Bradford

Sweet Thinking: Dolce Spazio owner Michael Orlando announced he would open an Italian ice cream store in June.

June

Landmark comes tumbling down: After standing vacant for more than two years, the old Electrical Appliance building on Lincoln Avenue was leveled to make way for a much anticipated mini-shopping center. "It's sort of been an ugly eyesore on the Avenue," said WGBPA manager Demetri Rizos. "I know a lot of people are very curious about what's going in there."

Residents found out soon enough. At demolition time, Noah's Bagels and Jamba Juice had signed leases; Peet's Coffee & Tea, Petroglyph and Mio Vicino soon followed. Residents surmised the concentration of chain stores would dramatically change the Avenue--some said for the better, others said for the worse.

"If they want to turn Lincoln Avenue into a strip mall, they're off to a good start," Linda Hyatt, owner of the Ginger Cat, said in a later story. "When rents get extraordinarily high, mom-and-pop stores cannot function."

Daily Squeeze suddenly closes: After two years on Lincoln Avenue, the Daily Squeeze Juicing Company suddenly closed down in the first week of June--at the beginning of what should have been the store's busiest season. Owner Scot Asher said his newly opened Cupertino location was mostly to blame. "We weren't doing the business we had anticipated in either location," Asher said. "Willow Glen held its own, but was unfortunately supporting our other store." Asher closed the Cupertino location one week before locking up the Willow Glen store on a Sunday, leaving a "goodbye" note on the door.

A disappointed Asher said he would have liked to have seen the impact Jamba Juice would have on his shop. "I'd be happy to take my chances against them," he said. "I believe we've had a loyal customer base."

A full-service tea salon, the Tea Totaler, is slated to open in the spot.

Cyclists get a new bike lane: City officials added a bike lane to Willow Street in the middle of June, a move that aided cyclists but frustrated business owners who lost coveted parking spaces.

The $8,000 to $10,000 project would help the bikers that travel the connector route, which links the route 87 bike path with downtown. "A bike lane really does enhance safety for the bicyclist," coordinator Jo Ann Collins said.

Dolce Spazio opens on Lincoln Avenue: The owner of a popular Los Gatos gelato shop announced in the beginning of June he would open a second shop in Willow Glen. He did, in October, after seriously revamping the site in a business complex at 1213 Lincoln Ave. Owner Mike Orlando, a Willow Glen resident, said he had wanted to open in the area since 1987, when he first got the idea to open a dessert cafe. "I see great opportunity. I love the charm of Willow Glen," he said.

Street dance draws 30,000 participants: The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association hosted the third annual street dance June 28, drawing an estimated crowd of 30,000, according to manager Demetri Rizos. Participants danced on the blocked off Lincoln Avenue to the sounds of the Joe Sharino Band, while business owners capitalized on the event by staying open late or putting up booths. "It's pandemonium," Dave Bertucelli, owner of La Villa Deli, said of the event.

Despite the chaos, the event went off without a hitch, according to Kathy McDonald, president of WGBPA. "It went perfectly. We had not a single error," she said.

July

Athletic club owner's assets seized: The Foxworthy Athletic Club on Hamilton Avenue shut down July 9 after its owner's assets were seized by the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Chester Billingsley was forced to sell all five of his clubs, including the Meridian Athletic Club on Hamilton, because he failed to make good on a $1.2 million loan from Heller First Capital Corporation. "What I do is start or find a good business opportunity, make it a winner and then turn it over to someone," Billingsley said of the upheaval. "In this particular case it was sort of a stumble, but the end result is the same."

Billiard parlor opens its doors: After more than a year of working with the city of San Jose and nearby residents to gain approval to open a billiard parlor on Lincoln Avenue, the owners of Willow Glen Billiards and Brew finally opened their doors in the beginning of July. "We did everything we said we were going to do," co-owner John Karamanos said. "They can see we are people of our word." Neighbors feared the opening of the upscale pool hall would have a negative effect on parking and noise on their streets, most of which sit behind and adjacent to the establishment.

"It just enhances the neighborhood," Rob Francis, owner of Aqui Cal-Mex Grill said. "I'm sure it'll affect the Avenue in a positive way."

Sunday portion of Founders Day axed: In a controversial decision, members of the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association decided July 8 to get rid of the Sunday portion of Founders Day. Board members opted to keep the Saturday portion of the event, including the parade and the street dance, but said they didn't have enough money to support the Sunday wine and arts fair and car show. "The expenses to put on the event itself have been rising and the kind of revenue we anticipate won't cover the expenses," explained Demetri Rizos, manager of WGBPA .

The business community mourned the loss of the 17-year-old tradition. "It's too bad," Judie Block, co-owner of the Daisy Patch, said. "We've always looked forward to it and enjoyed the day. I think it will be a loss to the community."

August

Robberies disturb area residents: Throughout June and July, 17 Willow Glen homes were burglarized, creating concern among area residents. One victim, Chris Kuhar, said the thief or thieves stole mostly electronic equipment, including a VCR, microwave, boombox, stereo, camera, cordless phone and answering machine. Kuhar warned his neighbors, though his heads-up proved ineffective: televisions, VCRs, computers, jewelry and, in one instance, a car were also taken from other homes.

"Based on the evidence that we have, there's no way of determining if these crimes were committed by the same person," San Jose Police spokesman John Carrillo said.

In 1996, 56 homes in Willow Glen were robbed, while 3,300 burglaries took place throughout San Jose.

Artist accepted in top national show: Watercolor artist Ruth Morrow's painting "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem" was accepted into the annual show of the National Watercolor Society.

"So many artists try for this show and never get in," Morrow said. "To get in is just indescribable. It still doesn't seem real to me."

The National Watercolor Society is one of two major exhibiting watercolor societies in the country. Each year it receives 1,500 entries and only 80 to 100 are accepted for its annual show. "It's the equivalent, I guess, of being on Broadway," Morrow explained.

Longtime eyesores slated for renovation: The owners of two properties that had long housed vacant buildings announced plans in mid-August to reconstruct the sites into retail stores.

Developer Scott Kuschel said that the Willow Glen Beauty College, near the corner of Willow Street and Lincoln Avenue, would be rebuilt into Jade, a full-service beauty salon. At the time, he said the store would open in December. In December, he postponed the opening to spring.

The old Tasso's site, once a popular restaurant, stood vacant at the corner of Willow Street and Meridian Avenue for nearly three years. Owners of the site announced in August the building would be demolished in November, making way for retail stores. While the owners made good on their promise to raze the establishment, they still haven't divulged which retailers are eyeing the spot. The new building will have room for up to three restaurants or retail stores, developers said.

WGNA approves Willow traffic study: After more than 25 residents flocked to a mid-August WGNA meeting to protest big-rigs on Willow Street, the association agreed to ask the city to conduct a traffic study on the street. Residents complained that their homes rattled as the trucks rumbled by and requested the street be restricted to vehicles under five tons.

When the city undertook the study in the fall, surveyors found that trucks weren't the problem: In one 12-hour sampling, just 18 large trucks were spotted rolling down Willow. But a fatal accident near Bramhall Park in October, which killed 55-year-old Mary Nail, prompted the city to consider the overall safety of the well-traversed road.

"We want the street to be safer, and we want cars to slow down," one nearby resident said at a WGNA meeting following the accident. The city agreed to look into putting up a stop sign on Willow Street at Camino Ramon--the intersection where Nail was killed.

Photograph by Hillary Schalit

Pollination Station: Bill Maryott kept his iris garden blooming on his one-acre Bird Avenue lot for nearly 20 years. Maryott sold his garden to the Santa Clara Development Company in October. The land is currently being developed into 12 single-family homes.

September

Homeless set up camp in the Glen: With the onset of fall, homeless encampments began springing up around Willow Glen--beneath the bridge at Lincoln and Coe avenues, behind Willow Glen Beauty College and along the railroad tracks at Lona Avenue. Residents, along with the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, told District 6 about the problem. District 6 administrators promptly handed the problem over to the San Jose Police Department. The police department dispatched the city's homeless coordinator to the sites, and he gave the camp-dwellers 72 hours to clear out. He forwarded the homeless individuals to other services, including shelters and meal providers.

Action Day Nursery receives high honor: Action Day Nursery, a Lincoln Avenue preschool, earned an accreditation from the National Association for Education of Young Children for creating an environment with high child-care standards. Action Day is among the 5 percent of early-childhood programs nationwide that have earned this honor.

The nursery, which serves children 18 months to 5 years old, earned the award after a yearlong study that included on-site visits, classroom observations and a review of information collected from parents, teachers and administrators. "They've always had high standards," one parent commented.

Bird Avenue loses iris garden: Bill Maryott, the owner of Maryott's Iris Garden, decided to sell his land and move south, ending a more than 40-year tradition of iris growing on the one-acre plot on Bird Avenue.

The Santa Clara Development Company is currently in the process of erecting 12 single-family homes on the historic site.

Maryott and his manager, Marilyn Harlow, pulled up thousands of bulbs from the ground and will replant them next season on a new, larger five-acre plot in Corralitos. Maryott will continue to sell his much-prized flowers, but this time through a catalog. During his time in Willow Glen, Maryott invented at least 100 new strains of irises, including "Oktoberfest," "Sunny Bubbles" and "Pure as Gold." Before Maryott took over the land in 1978, it was owned by the Rees sisters, who developed the forefather of the modern-day iris. "The iris garden on Bird Avenue has kind of been an institution," Harlow said.

Residents celebrate Founders Day: More than 25,000 residents headed down to Lincoln Avenue to celebrate the 16th annual Founders Day, not hampered by the news earlier in the year that the celebration would be just a one-evening event. The parade boasted its largest turnout, with 1,200 residents participating. Willow Glen Elementary School alumna Maybelle Dolen Digges, 90, lead the revelers, which included 800 Willow Glen alumni, down the street. The alumni later gathered to celebrate their school's 100th birthday. "It brings tears to your eyes," one 1948 graduate said. "I've seen four people I haven't seen in years."

Meanwhile, the rest of the community danced to the sounds of the Joe Sharino Band, bought food from vendors lining the streets and in some cases treated themselves to diamond rings. "I've had a couple of $2,000 sales," Louis Masciarelli, owner of the Diamond Vault, said. "These festivals really make a difference."

Photograph by Chuck Savadelis, Cake Decoration by Dick's Bakery

10 Years Young: The Willow Glen Resident celebrated its birthday on Oct. 28.

October

San Jose Unified kids do well on SAT: San Jose Unified School District students outscored kids throughout the state on their Scholastic Aptitude Tests, according to the results of the 1997 test. District students scored on average 23 points higher than other kids in the state in math and 16 points higher in language. The state average for math is 537; for verbal, it's 496. "We have fundamentally changed the way we teach mathematics, and it is showing in all of our standardized tests," San Jose Unified Superintendent Linda Murray said.

La Villa turns 50: La Villa Delicatessen celebrated its 50th birthday in the beginning of October, giving residents a chance to express their feelings about the deli, its owners, and, of course, its famous ravioli. "They have the best ravioli you've had in your life. They melt in your mouth," WGBPA president Kathy McDonald said. The store is one of the oldest on Lincoln Avenue and is one of the few traditional Italian delis left in San Jose. It was founded in 1947 by Anne and Frank Giacomelli, who opened the market because, they said, the only place to buy Italian groceries was in downtown San Jose.

Dave Bertucelli, who purchased the shop 10 years ago, opened its storeside parking lot to the public for an all-day festival with food samplings, giveaways and a raffle to celebrate the anniversary.

The Resident turns 10: Oct. 28 marked the Willow Glen Resident's 10th year. To commemorate the occasion, the paper took a look at its history and the most important headlines of the decade.

The paper was founded in the fall of 1987 by Joe Guerra, a real estate agent and community activist. He was convinced the area would support an advertising vehicle targeted at Willow Glen, despite the fact that two other papers started in the mid-'80s had failed miserably.

Originally, the business community considered introducing an advertising circular similar to the Potpourri, but when Guerra took on the job, he tackled it full bore. The first issue, published on Oct. 28, 1987, included city, crime and school coverage, as well as a letters page and editorial. The paper, bought by Metro in 1992, strives to continue to provide the type of coverage Guerra had originally envisioned.

November

WGBPA failed to report discrepancy: The Resident discovered in early November that the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association had failed to report or investigate a $10,000 discrepancy in its financial records after the 1996 Founders Day. The association also used incorrect figures on a grant application submitted to the Office of Cultural Affairs, the organization that helped fund Founders Day 1997.

When former business manager Mary McLane tallied up the results of Founders Day 1996, she said she found the association should have made up to $10,000 more from drink sales than the actual amount that was deposited. At the time of the November report, The Resident had obtained documents that corroborated McLane's figures.

When McLane brought the news to board members involved in the fair, they decided to cover up the inconsistency, rather than report or investigate it. Later, when the new business manager, Demetri Rizos, had to provide figures from the 1996 Founders Day on a grant application for the 1997 event, he didn't have accurate figures to use. Instead, he and McLane fudged the report, stating the amount of money that was made was $10,000 more than what was actually deposited.

As a result of the debacle, Rizos said he and fellow board members kept tighter controls on money at the 1997 fair. Still, to this day, no one knows why there was a $10,000 mismatch.

Planners table pool hall's 2 a.m. request: On Nov. 19, planners tabled a request by the owners of Willow Glen Billiards and Brew to stay open past midnight and asked that they resubmit the request in July, after the pub had been open a full year.

At the Planning Commission meeting, several residents from Meredith Avenue came forward with complaints about noise, parking and traffic, saying these would only worsen if the pub were to extend its hours.

Pub owners said they couldn't wait until July to resubmit an application, because of the amount of money they lose as a result of the midnight closing. "Right now, we're getting only an hour of good business; it's going to kill us," owner John Karamanos said.

December

Trees illuminate front yards: More than 1,000 residents participated in the tradition of symmetrically placing and lighting trees in their front yards, the most to date. The tradition started more than 50 years ago on Camino Ramon when a group of neighbors gathered together to decorate their street. Each year the tradition grows larger.

This holiday season, the streets of Willow Glen were packed with slow-moving cars, as people drove from all over the Bay Area to see the spectacular lights.

Past and Presents closes: After more than eight years in business together, the owners of Past and Presents decided to call it quits. A new store, called Comforts of Willow Glen, will move into the hole left at the Lincoln Avenue site in March.

While in business, Sandi Lopez and Marie Valen ran Past and Presents single-handedly, never hiring an employee. "Business was doing well; it's just that life is too short. We want to get on to other things," Valen explained.

The new store owners said Comforts is going to sell "anything that pertains to making a house a home."

Retailers may have to cool their grills: In response to complaints from nearby residents about restaurants barbecuing on Lincoln Avenue, the city of San Jose's code enforcement department is making chefs turn off their grills. Several restaurants on Lincoln, including La Villa Delicatessen, the Plaza Inn and Willow Glen Billiards and Brew, barbecue menu items. They will have to come up with an alternative method until they obtain the proper permits from the city of San Jose. "The permit would address some of the issues that come up, like smoke that blows into the residences," one city planner said.

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