Around The Glen

Business association social mixer Feb. 21

The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association will hold a social mixer for its members Feb. 21 at the Adobe Hall, 1352 Lincoln Ave., above Vin Santo Ristorante, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Members of the business association include all business and property owners on Lincoln Avenue between Minnesota and Coe avenues. Newly elected President Cara Finn hopes the event will encourage people, who may not realize they are association members, to meet each other and become involved.

The association will also hold its regular general membership meetings on the last Tuesday of each month at the Bay View Bank, 1099 Lincoln Ave., from 8 to 9 a.m. The first meeting will be Feb. 26.

The business association uses Business Improvement District funds from Lincoln Avenue businesses, as well as other city funds, to attract people to the business area and promote its businesses.

--Kate Carter

Night for District 9 council candidates

The Ninth District Community Action Committee and the League of Women Voters are holding a San Jose District 9 candidate's night Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Chimes, 1447 Bryan Ave.

The event will give residents in District 9 the opportunity to ask questions of contenders Chris Hemingway and Judy Chirco and hear their responses to recent issues in the community, including the Hacienda Gardens development proposal and residential rehabilitation homes.

--Kate Carter

MediCal is now open to parents

The federal government Jan. 25 approved a waiver allowing parents to receive federally funded medical coverage that was previously only available to children.

About 300,000 parents in families earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level will be included in the state's Medi-Cal program without costing taxpayers or the government more money, said Maya Esparza, spokeswoman for Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who represents parts of Willow Glen. Esparza said much of the federal funds are underused, and by making them available to parents, more families will likely take advantage of the program.

Santa Clara County, as part of its Children's Health Initiative, also offers health insurance to children in families earning up to 250 percent of the poverty level through its Healthy Families program, and to children in families earning up to 300 percent of the poverty level through its Healthy Kids program. The county is considering expanding those programs to parents, as well.

California is the sixth state to receive the waiver, recommended by Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and approved by President Bush.

--Kate Carter

S.C. County disposing of private pesticides

Santa Clara County's residents and small businesses can dispose of products containing pesticides that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently determined to be harmful to women and children.

The county's Household Hazardous Waste Program will receive products containing chloropyrifos, also known as Dursban and Lorsban, which can no longer be retailed. Items containing chloropyrifos include a variety of pet collars and pest control products.

The program will also receive products containing Diazinon. The EPA is phasing out retail sales of indoor products with the pesticide by the end of the year, and outdoor products by the end of 2004. Items containing Diazinon include a variety of pest control products.

For more information about the county's disposal program, call 408.299.7300 or visit www.hhw.org.

--Kate Carter

Women's association offering scholarships

The San Jose branch of the American Association of University Women is offering $2,000 scholarships to three female high school seniors and community college students.

Students in the San Jose Unified School District, Campbell Union High School District, Eastside Union High School District, Milpitas Unified School District, Evergreen Valley College or San Jose Community College may participate in a writing contest for the scholarships March 2 at 9 a.m. at the Willow Glen High School Media Center, 2001 Cottle Ave.

Applications for the contest are due by Feb. 25. For more information call Judy Ohland, 408.264.6117, or Edie Kerr, 408.378.5872.

--Kate Carter

Willow Glen crime featured on 'America's Most Wanted'

Fox Network Television's America's Most Wanted program will feature the still-unsolved case of a sexual assault on a 7-year-old Gardner Academy student.

The crime, which San Jose police suspect was committed by the same person as in similar crimes in San Mateo County and Southern California, occurred last April near the intersection of the Guadalupe River and McLellan Avenue, just east of Willow Glen. The episode will air in the next three or four weeks, police spokesman Sgt. Steve Dixon said.

Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male, 35-45 years old, 5 feet, 7 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a chubby build, dark wavy hair, a mustache and a growth of beard. They also say he is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Last summer, San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales announced a $10,000 reward for information about the San Jose incident. The reward is still available. To provide information on the case, call 408.277.4102. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 408.947.STOP.

--Kate Carter

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