Around The Glen

General Meeting on Lincoln Avenue

City officials, Willow Glen business and property owners and residents will meet March 21 at 7 p.m. at Willow Glen Elementary School, 1425 Lincoln Ave., to develop a strategy for improving Lincoln Avenue.

The meeting is the second involving the whole community in the city redevelopment agency's efforts to create a master plan for the business district. Officials are encouraging people to come and share ideas about how the area could be improved and what is working and should be maintained.

For more information, call Kenyon Price at the redevelopment agency at 408.794.1000.

--Kate Carter

WG's InnVision agency merges with UMPA

Willow Glen-based nonprofit agency InnVision--The Way Home merged with Urban Ministry of Palo Alto March 4 to create a more coordinated organization serving the homeless and very poor.

The two organizations will operate with a joint $6 million budget and save 88 percent of costs, with the savings going toward client services. InnVision serves 11,000 individuals each year at 11 sites; with the urban ministry, more than 13,000 could be served.

The ministry will operate as a division of InnVision and continue its existing programs.

--Kate Carter

Senior Housing Tea

The Village at Willow Glen, a new housing development for low-income seniors, will host an afternoon tea for prospective residents to meet current residents March 20 at 2 p.m.

The complex, located at 440 Willow Glen Way, off Almaden Road, offers 150 one-bedroom apartments for between $705 and $790 per month, as well as a computer center, fitness room, library, crafts room and media theater. The development also offers van service to nearby locations requested by residents.

The Village at Willow Glen opened in January, although finishing touches are just being completed. It currently houses 30 residents.

For more information about the complex and the tea event, call Related Management Company at 408.267.7252.

--Kate Carter

WGBPA discuss budget

The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association will be discussing the budget it must submit to the city in April at its upcoming general meeting, March 26, 8 to 9 a.m. at Bay View Bank, 1099 Lincoln Ave.

The meeting is an opportunity for all members of the association, including all business and property owners along Lincoln Avenue between Minnesota and Coe avenues, to provide input about the general ways the association should spend its money. The association uses businesses' Business Improvement District money for activities and programs along the avenue.

For more information, email president Cara Finn at wgbpaprez@hotmail.com, or leave a message at the association's office, 408.298.2100.

--Kate Carter

'Reading Rainbow'

Public television children's program, Reading Rainbow, KTEH Silicon Valley Public Television and other PBS stations around the country are holding the eighth annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest.

Children in kindergarten through third grade can enter stories they have written and illustrated to compete in local contests, with winners advancing to a national competition. Each participant will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton. National first place winners will receive a computer and printer, VCR and 10 videos and books from Reading Rainbow. Second place winners will receive a VCR and the videos and books. In addition, each winner's school and public library will also receive the videos and books.

Entry forms are available on the KTEH website, www.kteh.org, or by calling 408.795.5400. Entries are due by March 25.

--Kate Carter

Game Transportation

The Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority is providing transportation to and from the Compaq Center, formerly the San Jose Arena, for the NCAA Basketball Western Regional Men's Championship Tournament March 20-23.

The Compaq Center Shuttle will run from the Santa Clara and Paseo de San Antonio light rail stations, as well as downtown hotels, to the center March 20 beginning at 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for the championship's open practice. March 21, it will also run two hours prior to the first game, every five minutes until 30 minutes after tip-off and for 30 minutes after the end of the second game. March 23, it will run two hours prior to the game, every five minutes until 30 minutes after tip-off and for 30 minutes after the end of the game.

The Downtown Area Shuttle runs to the San Jose Diridon Station March 20, every 10 minutes from 6:15 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. March 21, every 10 minutes from 6:15 a.m. until 30 minutes after the end of the second game. March 23, every 10 minutes from two hours before the game until 30 minutes after the game.

--Kate Carter

Around the Glen

Carl Heintze: Remembering infantrymen

Cafe Primavera under new management, changes name to Siena, A Mediterranean Bistro

Sports Briefs

High school sports

High school softball

Siehl earns honors at Charlie Miguel Tournament