The San Jose Medical Center unexpectedly announced on Sept. 8 that it will close in 90 days. Set to close on Dec. 8, the hospital will become the sixth California hospital to say goodbye to healthcare in 2004 as a result of mounting financial deficits.

With a rising number of uninsured patients in California and escalating wage and benefit costs for healthcare workers, the San Jose Medical Center lost $16.3 million in 2003, according to public filings. The closure of the hospital will result in the loss of at least 450 jobs and no a hospital in downtown San Jose.

In response to the announced closure, the Regional Medical Center of San Jose will seek to establish an ACS-verified Level II Trauma Center and will convert its current prenatal clinic to an Urgent Care Center.

It's the checkered flag
all the way to the show

The Central County Occupational Center's benefit car show has car lovers revving their engines.

The center seeks exhibitors to show off their wheels in benefit of the SkillsUSA Club. A $10 tax-deductible exhibition fee is required. Participants will receive a free barbecue meal, and hamburgers and hotdogs will be available for purchase.

SkillsUSA is a national organization that works with high school and college students enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations. Through leadership and teamwork experience, the organization aims to foster self-confidence, professional attitudes and communication skills in the students it serves.

To exhibit a car, contact Steve Johnson at 408.732.6480. For more information on Central County Occupational Center or SkillsUSA, contact Michelle Alaimo at 408.723.6464.

New life begins for a
classic San Jose theater

Mayor Ron Gonzales will join the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and Team San Jose to unveil the newly renovated California Theatre. The former Fox California Theater was the first movie house in the area. Now it has been transformed into a performing arts facility and film house.

The renovated and expanded performing arts center can accommodate an audience of 1,119 and adds 61,253 square feet of theater space to downtown San Jose. The total cost for the restoration was $75 million, which was split between the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and Packard Humanities Foundation. Both Opera San José and Symphony Silicon Valley will make the California Theatre their home.

On Sept. 18, Opera San José will open its debut season with the performance of W.A. Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Symphony Silicon Valley will host its gala opening the weekend of Oct. 9­10, featuring classical works from films played in the theater during its heyday.

For more information or to tour the facility, contact Stewart Slater with Team San Jose, 408.887.0707.

Going green is all the
rage and healthy too

The American Institute of Architects Santa Clara Valley Chapter will host a green-building fair on Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the San Jose Convention Center.

The institute organized the green-building fair in response to the multitude of green-building product shows in the area. Featuring seminars and vendors, the fair will provide experience and knowledge of green design for South Bay residents, professionals and contractors.

Admission to the exhibit floor is free. Seminars are $15 for institute members and $20 for nonmembers. Seminar preregistration is required. For more information or to register, contact the American Institute of Architects Santa Clara Valley Chapter at info@aiascv.org.

City gives amnesty to
pet owners, no late fee

Thanks to the San Jose City Council, an estimated 2,000 procrastinating pet owners now have from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 to license their pets without late fees or getting cited for not doing it sooner.

The council voted for the amnesty on Aug. 31 and also designated that higher fees for unaltered pets will start once the amnesty ends; paying earlier saves dog owners $18 and cat owners $6 per pet.

The end of the 45-day amnesty will coincide with the opening of the city's new animal shelter at 2750 S. Monterey Highway.

The council also voted to clarify the maximum number of dogs and cats permitted per "dwelling unit." Five animals in total will now be allowed, with no more than three adult dogs allowed. The previous law allowed for only one dog and one cat.

Group helping older
foster kids wins grant

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has approved a loan of $250,000 to the Unity Care Group's transitional housing program for youth who grow out of the foster care system at the age of 21. The project is sponsored by the Unity Care Group.

The loan comes from the county's affordable-housing fund and will benefit children who leave foster care between the ages of 18 and 21 without a formal connection to families and with minimal skills for living on their own.

Unity Care's transitional housing program helps these homeless, dependent young adults get affordable and stable housing while they are taught independent living skills. Unity Care offers two transitional housing settings: group transitional housing and shared housing. Members of Foster Agencies Coming Together, Group Home Providers Collaborative, the department of probation and the department of social services refer young adults to Unity Care's transitional housing program.

Holiday theater trip in
New York announced

The American Musical Theatre of San Jose has announced its 25th annual New York Theatre Yuletide Tour itinerary for this year.

This season, the trip's special highlights will include a "meet the artist" session for a personal insight into the New York theater world; brunch at the Rainbow Room Ballroom atop Rockefeller Center; a week at the historic Waldorf Astoria; and three top new musical theater hits, including Avenue Q—the off-Broadway sensation that surprised the industry by winning three 2004 Tony Awards, including the coveted Best Musical—and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams. A third show will be selected from other new Broadway openings. This year's New York trip coincides with the lighting of the gigantic Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, Nov. 27­Dec. 3.

For more details contact AMTSJ Director Emeritus Michael Mastrocola at 408.293.5909 or 831.659.0151 or email msmastrocola@sbcglobal.net.