The Willow Glen Resident Photograph by Skye Dunlap Iron Man: After manufacturing fruit-dehydration equipment for 53 years at his shop on Autumn Street, Willow Glen resident George Garbarino retired. 1998: The Year in Review Happening Around the Glen Hopeful developments competed with murder, suicide and road rage in '98 January Homeowner Fined $4,000 for Illegal Remodel Willow Glen homeowner Greg Schatzel was fined $4,032 on Jan. 22 for remodeling portions of his home without the appropriate permits. Schatzel insisted that no such violations occurred. "It's just untrue and ridiculous," he said. "You don't need a permit to remodel a kitchen." However, according to the city, Schatzel lacked permits for 18 different home-improvement efforts--from new bay doors in the dining room to missing smoke detectors to a hood vent in the kitchen that opens into the attic. Schatzel claimed he did seek help from the city but never got an adequate response. "I guess I'm frustrated with the bureaucracy," he said. Appeals board commissioner Anastasia Steinberg had a different take. "You're talking about somebody who violated a permit regulation and did this without good faith. The restructuring of homes is something Mr. Schatzel does for a living." Goodwill Employees Charged With Embezzling $26 Million The former manager of Goodwill's Willow Glen store and four of her family members were charged with embezzling $26 million from the company over a period of 20 years. On Oct. 26, each of the defendants pleaded no contest and was sentenced to prison. Linda Faye Marcil, who apparently led the theft circuit, received the most time: four years. "[We] are becoming more and more outraged at what we are finding," said Hugh Barnett, president of Goodwill. "The millions of dollars that these people stole from Goodwill would have been used to benefit the thousands that pass through our program. Our civil action is just one of several measures to close the book on this horrible chapter in Goodwill of Santa Clara County's history." February City Council approves Group Homes Ordinance After months of meetings and debate, the San Jose City Council approved a group homes ordinance allowing certain group homes in neighborhoods but only if the residents qualified as disabled. And all group homes, the ordinance stipulated, needed to apply for certification from either the city, county or state. Michelle McGurk, aide to Councilman Frank Fiscalini, said that of Willow Glen's 15 group homes, five are county-certified and eligible to accept court-referred residents. Kris Cunningham, Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president, said she was concerned about the homes that house court-referred residents. "It is only normal for people to be concerned that as our jails become overcrowded, the referral facility will be used," Cunningham said. "Many of these people have extreme antisocial behaviors. How bad does someone have to be for a judge to say, 'You can't go into a facility'?" Man Found Dead in Creek The body of Eric Nelson Lund was found floating among the tree branches and debris in the murky waters of Los Gatos Creek at the corner of Lincoln and Coe avenues. Lund did not die by drowning, the Santa Clara County coroner's report stated. Lund had been shot in the head and dumped in the river. San Jose search and rescue workers spent four hours working to fish the body out of the creek as residents gathered around the river's edge with morbid curiosity. Lund's last known address was in Los Gatos. Ralph Serpe joins the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association Ralph Serpe joined the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association board of directors after the resignation of Donna Jones. Serpe, who has lived in Willow Glen with his partner Tom Kushner for five years, was the first openly gay board member of the neighborhood group. During his years as executive director of the Billy DeFrank Gay and Lesbian Center, Serpe watched membership jump from 300 to 1,200 in a few years. In October, Serpe resigned from his position citing personal reasons. May Fiscalini Endorses Mayoral Candidate Ron Gonzales After passing up the chance to run for mayor, Councilmember Frank Fiscalini endorsed the person he considered to be the next-best candidate--Ron Gonzales. "Ron has both private sector and government experience to bring to this role. He's been there and done that," Fiscalini said. "That's important, because if you haven't been there and done that, you can't take a year or so to learn on the job." Opposed to negative campaigning, Fiscalini refused to say anything about candidate Pat Dando. Susan Hammer stood with Gonzales as he received Fiscalini's endorsement. "One of the things I like best about Ron is his wife, Alvina," Hammer joked. In November, Gonzales triumphed in the mayoral race against Pat Dando. Margaret Harding and Patsy Neher Join WGNA Board It was luckless timing: the elections for the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's board of directors fell on the same night as the mayoral debate in Willow Glen. Nevertheless, 89 people paused to fill out ballots for the neighborhood leaders. When the votes were tallied, the group had two new board members, Margaret Harding and Patsy Neher. Kris Cunningham was voted in for a second term as president, with J. Michael Gonzales and Ralph Serpe as her vice presidents. Lynn Repetsky was elected secretary, Harding treasurer and Neher, Tiralisa Kaplow, Larry Ames and John Gibbs as regular board members. June Cooley ran for a seat on the board but was not elected. June WGNA Celebrates 25th Birthday The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association celebrated its 25th anniversary with a party thrown by founder Becky Worsham. Worsham launched the neighborhood group in 1973 in opposition to a city traffic project that would have widened Pine Avenue and turned Cherry Avenue into a thoroughfare. The group successfully lobbied against the plan and stopped the city project. Since its inception the neighborhood association has watched the City Council and made itself available to neighbors with concerns about the community. It helped block the expansion of the Meridian Avenue post office and helped further the political careers of such local notables as Councilwoman Nancy Ianni and Joe Guerra. Photograph by Skye Dunlap Before His Time: Oscar Perez poses for his eighth-grade portrait. Fourteen-Year-Old Boy Stabbed to Death June 13 was a lazy, sunny Saturday that drew many dog-walkers and window-shoppers out to wander the streets of Willow Glen. The following day, San Jose police said they hoped one of those people could give information about a brutal stabbing on the corner of Willow Street and Settle Avenue that left a 14-year-old San Jose boy dead. The boy, Oscar Perez, was taken to Valley Medical Center after being stabbed multiple times, and died at 7:17 p.m. It was the day before his 15th birthday. Perez had briefly been a student in the San Jose Unified School District. Police said Perez was walking with a girl westbound along Willow Street when the two began to argue with a group of five to eight Hispanic males and females in their late teens or early 20s who were driving by in a smaller white vehicle. The group in the vehicle caught up with Oscar at Willow and Settle, where he was stabbed numerous times. The suspects fled. Children's Music Teacher Charged With Molestation A freelance music teacher who taught at several San Jose schools and gave private lessons in the area was charged in Santa Clara County Municipal Court with 16 felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior. Michael Wesley Briseno, 36, who taught at Willow Glen Elementary School from November 1997 to March 1998, was accused of sexually molesting three boys between the ages of 10 and 14 in his San Jose apartment on the 600 block of S. Seventh Street. Briseno faced 11 counts of lewd and lascivious behavior and other charges and faced a maximum of 32 years and five months in prison. Community Turns Out for Family of Murdered Boy Nearly 100 people gathered in the parking lot on the corner of Willow Street and Settle Avenue where Oscar Perez was stabbed to death on June 13. Chalked birthday messages and flowers covered the sidewalk, and a nearby palm tree bore Oscar's photograph. "No neighborhood has a wall around it," Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president Kris Cunningham said to the crowd. Family members wore black pants and white T-shirts that read, "You will be in our hearts." Cunningham vowed to keep a close eye on the children in her neighborhood and urged other residents to do the same. "We are here to help protect one another's children," she said. "We should know that there's someone looking out for them." July Two Men Arrested for the Murder of Teenage Boy Police arrested two men on charges of killing Oscar Perez. Gregorio Perez Martinez, 19, and Saul Hernandez Martinez, 21, of San Jose, were arrested at the Santa Clara County Jail, where they were both already in custody on charges stemming from an auto burglary unconnected to the Perez murder. Investigators said they believed the suspects stabbed Perez because they mistook him for a rival gang member. On Nov. 13, both suspects pleaded not guilty to charges of murder. The matter will proceed to trial in 1999. Brother of Murdered Boy Commits Suicide In a tragic sequel to the incident which had shaken Willow Glen, 14-year-old David Perez, Oscar Perez's brother, was found dead July 12 from what appeared to be a suicide. Perez hanged himself at the Adolescent Residential Treatment Center, an inpatient facility in San Jose for disturbed children. Family members said Perez was being treated there for attention deficit disorder. According to the coroner's report, two of the center's day staff members found him hanging in his closet by a noose made from towels. August Teenager's Life Ends Tragically On Aug. 27, 19-year-old Brian Brickley jumped from the top of an elementary school building just blocks from his home, tragically ending his life. A graduate of Bellarmine College Preparatory, he was one week from starting his second year at San Jose State University and on the threshold of his adult life. "He could have blossomed," his father, Gerald Brickley, said, shaking his head sadly. On Sept. 1, more than 2,000 people attended a memorial service at St. Christopher's Church, where Brian had spent his first eight years of school. The night before, nearly 500 people attended a rosary service at the Lima Family Mortuary in Willow Glen. September Residents Demand Compliance by the Garden Theater At the Planning Commission's Sept. 23 meeting, more than 20 Willow Glen residents stormed the chambers, angrily questioning how it was that nearly a decade had gone by and a local businessman's permit violations had been ignored. "We don't understand why the city, who agreed to all these conditions in April 1989, is not holding up to it," said Willow Glen resident Peggy Rossignol. The city had given former property owner Richard Alley permits to operate restaurants and retail shops inside the Garden Theater nine years earlier, on the condition that he take certain actions to protect neighbors from bright lights, smelly trash and a congested parking lot. Several of the promised actions were never taken. "I'm not only disappointed," said Bruce Campisi, echoing the sentiment of his neighbors, "I'm disgusted." The commission didn't hear the matter until 10 p.m., three hours after the meeting started. At that time, planner Carol Hamilton gently told the audience the matter would have to be rescheduled for Nov. 4. Many neighbors opted to speak anyway. "We've waited nine years for this to take place," Kathy Shanley fumed. "We've waited three hours tonight. And now you're telling us to go home?" Willow Glen Bagels Drops Out of Sight At the end of September, Willow Glen Bagels closed its doors. Building owner Danny Mouradas--whose family operated the Willowette Bakery that first held that spot--speculates that the business went under because of the steep competition on the Avenue. For approximately four years, Willow Glen Bagels was the only bagel shop on the Avenue, but in the last year and a half, two chain bagel stores, Manhattan Bagel and Noah's Bagels, have opened up. It's not yet known what business will move into the vacated location. October Doin' Time: Officer Michael Amaral, a Willow Glen resident, keeps time for the oldies band FlashBack. Radio Avenue Development Finally Approved A Radio Avenue housing development that had been trying to get off the ground for four years cleared its first hurdle. On Oct. 14, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning permit, the first permit necessary to move the project forward. The City Council appeared likely to approve the permit. From there, developer Bob Schwenke said, "It's a piece of cake." The move follows a four-year battle between Schwenke and Radio Avenue neighbors to find a project both can live with. In 1994, Schwenke had proposed replacing two rundown buildings on a half-acre Radio Avenue cul-de-sac with six new homes. The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and Radio Avenue neighbors fiercely opposed the project and prevailed when the City Council denied Schwenke's request for a general plan change to allow for higher-density housing. Schwenke returned with more land, acquired from a neighbor, and a new proposal for fewer homes. Neighbors sent him back to the drawing board, arguing that the density was still too high. A project he returned with in July proposed six homes on .82 acres of land. For the first time, neighbors approved. November The Glen Pours Drinks Until 2 a.m. Nine months after the Planning Commission approved the Glen's trial six-month conditional-use permit for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the Glen poured drinks until 2 a.m. It was a long- awaited moment, held up as the owners struggled to obtain the new permits needed to stay open late. "You have to go through and modify all the permits. Unfortunately, all these things didn't happen overnight. It's a long process," co-owner John Karamanos said. Kragen Auto Parts Relocates to Lincoln and Willow Kragen Auto Parts, which had operated on the corner of Lincoln and Meredith for 10 years, drove two blocks up Lincoln Avenue and relocated in the spot formerly occupied by People's Pants. Around the same time, Babe's Pizza made known its plans to leave the center where Kragen had just moved and find a new place to open for business. "I'm happy for Kragen and I'm sure they'll bring lots of activity to the center. I just have different business philosophies with the landlord," said Babe's owner, George Castonguay. Garden Theater Loses Its Permits When attorneys for Garden Theater owner Luis Tsigarus returned to the Planning Commission Nov. 4 without fulfilling the demands made at a Sept. 23 Planning Commission meeting, commissioners revoked the theater's conditional-use permit, reissuing a temporary one with specific, timed demands. The owner was given 70 days to obtain traffic easements, install tire grates, shade bright lights and secure the property's trash bins. The issuance came after more than an hour of heated public testimony between angry neighbors and attorneys representing Tsigarus. Exasperated neighbors took turns reiterating that the conditions should have been addressed nearly a decade ago. Brother and Sister Buy Sharky's Bar Brother and sister Mark Mazzola and Gloria Stoddard purchased Sharky's Bar from former owner Fran Crozier. They also leased the front restaurant space previously occupied by the White Dove Cafe, and very briefly by the Weeping Willow. Because of their long history in Willow Glen, Mazzola and Stoddard think their business will boom. He has tended bar in Willow Glen for the past 20 years, and she has cut hair locally for at least as long. "He knows the men and I know the women," Stoddard laughed. City Council Grants Stop Sign for Willow Street After twice being denied a stop sign at the corner of Willow Street and Camino Ramon, members of the group Willow Glen Neighbors Interested in a Safer Willow Street got their sign. On Nov. 17, the San Jose City Council quickly approved the group's request. The stop sign fight began 14 months earlier when Willow Glen resident Patsy Neher and other neighbors complained to the neighborhood association about large trucks rumbling down Willow Street. Three weeks later, 55-year-old Mary Nail was struck and killed by a car while crossing Willow Street on her way to Willow Street Park. The tragedy impelled neighbors to take further action. December Photograph by Skye Dunlap And She's Off: Willow Glen resident Janet Heckbert, a 27-year veteran of the Special Olympics, says she enjoys the competitive aspect of the games. Joe Guerra Moves into the Mayor's Office After swimming through the small town politics of Willow Glen for nearly a decade, District 6 chief-of-staff Joe Guerra abandoned his post for the big leagues. Guerra announced that in January 1999, he will move to a new desk at City Hall as budget and policy director for Mayor Ron Gonzales. The man born and raised in Willow Glen will oversee the Redevelopment Agency, housing, economic development and land-use issues--several of the most pressing concerns facing San Jose. When Guerra stepped down from his chief-of-staff position with District 6, Michelle McGurk jumped in to fill his shoes. The 31-year-old now handles land-use matters and issues that arise with the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association. Helen Solinski Joins WGNA In early December, Helen Solinski earned the latest spot on the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association board. Garbage was her introduction to the neighborhood group. Earlier in the year, she solicited the WGNA's help to stop garbage dumping and donation pillaging at a Salvation Army trailer near the corner of Lincoln and Curtner avenues. She succeeded. The property owner has since hired a security guard, and the Salvation Army began more frequent pickups. Now Solinski awaits more problems in need of solving. Willow Glen Homeowner Sues San Jose An irate Willow Glen homeowner, Greg Schatzel, filed a lawsuit against the city of San Jose and its Willow Glen code enforcers for trespassing on his property and violating his civil rights. The civil suit came after city officials cited Schatzel for 18 code violations that amounted to a $4,000 fine. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, December 30, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.