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Speak Out
Playgroups are great for moms and kids
I was so pleased to read your article about Las Madres playgroups ("Mothers Helping Mothers," Feb. 9). I was especially happy that it was featured on the front page.
My oldest son and I joined Willow Glen Las Madres '93 when he was five months old. The children are all turning 7 this year, and although we no longer plan events for them, we still have a reunion for the moms. At our most recent moms' night out reunion, we had 17 in attendance. We still provide support for one another, though the subjects of discussion have shifted from potty training and preschool selection to elementary school concerns, sports and other extracurricular activities.
Our book club has been meeting for five-and-a-half years and many of us still get together to scrap-book. On any given day, I may call a friend from Las Madres for carpooling; get fundraising ideas from another; go to a Pampered Chef party at still another's. A health concern may come up and I can call a Las Madres friend who went through something similar and ask for advice.
I had the most wonderful opportunities to meet friends, grow as a parent and provide enriching activities for my child. I strongly recommend Las Madres to any mother with a child under the age of 5 (which is when most groups shift to inactive status). I believe membership in this group is absolutely the best thing one can do for one's child and for one's self.
Heather R.-A. Lerner
past-president, Las Madres '93 Carolyn Avenue
Preservation of our neighborhoods is not an easy task
In response to J. Michael Gonzales' letter (SpeakOut, Feb. 9), I feel the need to sound off and at the same time to get educated.
On the one hand he states the neighborhood association has not officially taken a stance on Longs until a traffic study is completed, and on the other he is calling Longs a "monster business." From his letter I derive that as president of the association he is anti-Longs moving in so why should the association wait until a traffic study is completed to take an official stance? I believe very much that any traffic study is going to reveal what most already know about this situation. Those immediate neighborhoods and Lincoln Avenue are definitely going to be impacted with more traffic, noise, parking and pedestrian problems! How much no one knows until Longs is actually in place.
He does well to provide us with what Longs is attempting to propose with its expansion. I, however, disagree with one of the reasons of concern from neighborhood residents. If Longs does move in and does undersell small businesses, so what? This is called the free business enterprise system we have in America and I do not think it a valid reason to focus on in the association's dispute. After all, don't we proclaim Willow Glen's downtown allure to the uniqueness of its shops? If they are truly unique (and they are) I do not believe there should be any real concern from these businesses other than from the liquor store up the street. Then again, I do not own a small business on the Avenue so my concerns are less than those that do.
In Michael's closing argument, I couldn't agree more with him. If Longs doesn't move in today then what will in the future? The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association must ponder this question closely. Only a 9-5 office-type business would be a win-win situation. All efforts should be made to preserve the integrity of the neighborhoods first and then focus on the impact Longs would cause on the downtown businesses. This will not be an easy task.
Steve Denton
Camino Pablo
Robertsville didn't ask for what it's getting
The Broadway Continuation High School is under construction at John Muir Middle School, against the wishes of the Robertsville community. A judge wouldn't even prevent construction until the lawsuit for a writ of mandate could be heard. Another judge confirmed that decision. Never mind the law. None of the elected city fathers in San Jose would stand up to protect the community. The people, though, spoke loud and clear.
For whom is this construction? Whom does it benefit? What citizen of Robertsville asked for it? Whose children will attend it? Whose children will attend John Muir now, for that matter? Whose neighborhood is diminished by it? What is a neighborhood, anyway, and will San Jose ever create a sense of community? The San Jose Unified School District runs Robertsville, lock, stock and barrel. It is a stereotypical bureaucracy.
It is clear now that Robertsville's residents will rise early in the morning and trudge off to work long days and pay usurious taxes not for their children, not to improve their community's beauty, not to lessen traffic congestion, not to increase their investment in homes, churches and education, not to improve the quality of life around them, but to provide those things for others.
Silicon Valley needs to know a real community is people, not fantasies on a computer screen. As all assets, it needs protection, care and maintenance. The people define it. While our governmental bodies are eager for us to give up the two-thirds approval for taxes, they have shown they will serve whom they please, when they please and as they please. Forewarned is forearmed.
W. H. Kremer
Bryan Avenue
Keep Willow Glen 'pleasant, personal'
I just read the opinion page and the letter written by J. Michael Gonzales ("Longs on Avenue is 'monster business,'" SpeakOut, Feb. 9).
He suggested the idea of, rather than have Longs Drugs occupy the American Savings building, moving the Willow Glen Library there. I love that idea! This would solve the space problems they now have and the building is a very attractive one. It would be a shame to demolish all that lovely marble (or is it fake marble? Doesn't matter because it's attractive anyway) for a drug store. Having a second level would be a plus for the library--they could use it for offices, computer stations, community meetings, etc.
Sure, we could use a drug store on Lincoln Avenue, but let it be a smaller one (sort of like Lawrence's Pharmacy used to be). There's no need to have a huge conglomeration complete with liquor and food as well as other drug store things. We already have one of those on the corner of Almaden and Koch and another one on Bird at Willow.
If we have to have a chain store, perhaps Longs could make this one a mini-drug store with the pharmacy and basic necessities.
Let's keep Willow Glen personal and pleasant--we like it that way.
Sue Evans
Dean Avenue
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
