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August 721 2002
Willow Glen, California Since 1992 |
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Around the Glen
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Streetlights retrofitted on Lincoln Ave.
Pedestrians may notice Lincoln Avenue is
brighter at night.
The San Jose Department of Transportation
(DOT) has retrofitted 25 lights on five
street lamps north of Willow Street,
replacing the current 10-watt sodium
lightbulbs with new fluorescent fixtures and
lamps.
"The sodium lightbulbs are made in England,"
said Tony Ortiz, the DOT's streetlight
maintenance supervisor. "They are more
expensive. And it takes about six months to
acquire them. Fluorescent lights are more
affordable, and the supply is greater in the
United States."
According to Ortiz, this is an independent
project to maintain the decorative lighting
on Lincoln Avenue.
The DOT cannot perform all the retrofits at
once because of time and resource
constraints. But it will continue
retrofitting about 10 street lamps per week
until it finishes replacing all 110 on the
avenue. The cost for labor and materials is
about $6,600.
Casa Casa, Nancy B consolidate this month
As of Aug. 13, Nancy B and Casa Casa will be
known simply as Casa Casa.
"It's just a convenience issue for our
customers," said Katie Goforth, one of Casa
Casa's owners. "In the past two years, we are
realizing that we can offer different designs
from one location."
Goforth and her family opened Casa Casa 10
years ago at 1355 Lincoln Ave. They started
their second home-furnishings store, Nancy B,
at 1395 Lincoln Ave. in August of 2000.
While Casa Casa focuses on accessories for
the home, Nancy B offers design and
furnishing consulting services for customers.
"The services customers got from Nancy B are
available at Casa Casa now," Goforth
explained. "We just put things together."
There will be a consolidation sale beginning
Aug. 23 at Nancy B.
Antique shop has replaced Dodads
An antique gift store is now located at 1310
Lincoln Ave., where Dodads, a knickknack
shop, used to stand.
The new shop, which is called Season in the
Glen, opened Aug. 1. Its owners, Julio and
Irma Garcia, said they started the business
because they have been collecting artwork for
years.
"This is going to be something unique in
Willow Glen," said Julio Garcia, 58.
"Eventually, we want to convert the shop into
a gallery and invite emerging artists to show
their works."
The store is divided into four major
sections: candles, china, gardening
decorations and handblown glass.
Irma Garcia, 56, said the business has been
slow but is expected to pick up next month.
"The holidays are coming and children are
going back to school," said Irma, a retired
nutritionist. "I hope more people will shop
here in the coming month."
The Willow Glen couple, which also owns the
Spanish restaurant Picasso's in downtown San
Jose, said the new shop will allow them to
meet more people from different walks of
life.
"We like to meet people," Julio said. "That's
why we are into this business.
Opera signer is new school choir director
Melodious music will soon prevail at Willow
Glen High and Middle schools.
After months of searching, the two schools
finally found a new choir director.
The new vocal music instructor, opera singer
Andrew Eisenmann, will teach two choirs in
the high school and two in the middle school.
He is also planning to start a jazz choir at
the high school and a show choir at the
middle school.
"I hope none of the students taking choir
expect to get an easy A, because they will be
very unhappy," said Eisenmann, 37. "The only
way to be good is to work tirelessly, with
long hours of practice."
Besides choir, Eisenmann will also teach a
music appreciation class in the high school.
He said that although his music training
focused on classical music, the musicians he
will introduce in class will not just be
"dead whites."
Eisenmann taught music for four years before
earning a master's degree in opera singing
from San Jose State University. The
baritone has performed extensively at venues
throughout Europe and the United States,
including Carnegie Hall. His latest
performance, as Enrico in Lucia di
Lammermoor with L'Opera Piccolo in
Chicago was selected by Chicago Sun
Times as one of the top 10 classical
performances of 2001.
Despite his successful career, Eisenmann has
decided to teach again.
WGHS construction upsets residents
On a recent Saturday at 7 a.m., instead of
sleeping in, residents near Willow Glen High
School (WGHS) were abruptly awakened by the
hammering of construction workers.
"I know they need to get their job done, but
7 o'clock on a Saturday morning is just too
early," said Steven Cohen, who lives right
across from the high school on Cottle Avenue.
According to Cohen, workers once unloaded
heavy equipment at 3 a.m. He has complained
to the San Jose Unified School District
several times but the situation hasn't
improved.
WGHS Principal Elaine Farace said she was
unaware that the construction was disturbing
the neighbors.
"I know the construction workers have been
very aware of neighbors," Farace said. "But
if there is a problem, people should call the
school. If they don't get a satisfactory
answer, they can call me."
The school's construction project, which
began on July 22, involves paving,
landscaping and installing a new sprinkler
system. The workers have been working on the
weekends, trying to finish all work before
the school starts Aug. 28.
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