After Albertsons received the go-ahead from the San Jose Planning Commission last July to build a bigger more modern store, the Minnesota Avenue supermarket is now thinking that less is more.

The store originally planned to replace its existing 23,237-square-foot store with a 32,196-square-foot building. To accommodate this renovation some of the smaller shops would have had to leave.

But at the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association meeting on Feb. 9, board member Matt Hall said Albertsons has postponed tearing down the store and is discussing an interior remodel in the existing building instead. "Everything is up in the air," he said.

That decision, however, comes too late for The Medicine Shoppe, the long-time independent pharmacy that leased space next to Albertsons. The store was forced to close during in the planning process, Hall said. Now it appears the shop could have stayed.

—Alicia Upano

Second annual massage
marathon to help poor

Most marathon's require footwork, but in Ana Navia case it's her hands that lead the way.

This is the second year that the La Concha Spa massage therapist has decided to offer her skills for free and it's all for a good cause—Answering the Cry of the Poor Foundation.

On March 13 for 12 continuous hours—from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.—Navia will perform individual massages to help the poor in the Philippines. And like last year's event she will be donating her time on her birthday. All the fees and tips collected during the marathon event will be donated to ANCOP International to help children attend school, families construct homes and toward community development in some of the poorest areas in the Philippines.

La Concha Spa is located at 1042 Lincoln Ave. For more information about the event or to schedule an appointment contact the spa at 408.286.8612.

—Moryt Milo

Phone-a-thon is over and it raises $10,000

To benefit local schools, the Willow Glen Middle and High School Foundation phoned a few friends.

On Feb. 2, the foundation held its fifth annual phone-a-thon fundraiser. Volunteers contacted community members, neighbors and friends to raise money for the schools' academic programs. And this year Willow Glen High School teacher Patricia Bolanos helped the foundation reach out to the Latino community by organizing a Spanish-speaking group of volunteers.

When all the donations were tallied, the foundation brought in $10,000. The money will be used to fund the robotics program at both schools, scholarships for high-school seniors, educational travel opportunities for the middle school and the career fair at the high school.

—Meghan O'Hare

Nonprofit offers college
scholarships to women

The San Jose Branch of American Association of University Women located on Minnesota Avenue in Willow Glen wants women to get ahead.

The nonprofit is offering scholarships to women residing in Campbell, San Jose, Santa Clara and Milpitas who have completed two full years at an accredited college or university and who are enrolled in a four year institution. Women reentering higher education may also apply after an absence of two years.

The number and amount of scholarship awards will depend upon the funds available. In 2004, three scholarships were awarded in the amounts of $750, $1,000, and $1,500.

Grants are awarded following an application process and an interview with local scholarship committee members. For more information call 408.294.2430. The AAUW is located at 1165 Minnesota Ave.

—Moryt Milo

A penny for UNICEF
means tsunami relief

Atria Willow Glen Retirement Community has come up with a good way to make use of all those loose pennies—donate them to the UNICEF tsunami fund.

Jeff Bishop, the retirement community's life director, says all those pennies will start to add up if Willow Glen residents pitch in and drop them off. The drive, which is raising money for tsunami victims, will be ongoing until Feb 28 at 8 p.m. Contributors can stop by the retirement community any time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily and drop their donations in a jar.

Atria Willow Glen is located at 1660 Gaton Drive. For more information call 408.266.1660.

—Moryt Milo

C'est Bon café removes sign from downtown

Things are not looking good for C'est Bon.

Sitting vacant on the corner of Lincoln and Broadway avenues for months, the C'est Bon sign has been removed and the cafe has been disbanded, according to Willow Glen Neighborhood Association second vice president Ellen Santomauro.

Vic Santini had hoped to open a Mediterranean cafe in the building at 1057 Lincoln Ave., but lacked the proper permits.

Santini's parents own the building, which was the former Hairquarters Salon. His mother moved to the garage and continued operating her business, while her son remodeled the building so he could open a cafe. But Santa Clara County Environmental Health specialist Greg Labrador told Santini that he could not open until all his permits were approved. And the family was also told to "cease and desist" running the salon out of the garage and moved the salon back into the main building, Santomauro said.

Although there are still issues as to whether the business is operating properly under its conditional use permit, Santomauro expressed satisfaction over the recent events. "We definitely made huge strides in not allowing C'est Bon to open," she told the neighborhood association at its Feb. 9 meeting.

—Alicia Upano

Underground garage
monitored by Eagles

The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association discussed the proposed La Concha Spa construction near Coe and Lincoln avenues on Feb 9. The project has been received positively by neighborhood and includes plans for an underground parking structure.

During a prior community meeting several residents voiced concerns about security issues that could arise in the underground parking area.

Now La Concha neighbor, Fraternal Order of Eagles, has indicated that its members will utilize the underground parking facilities and supervise the garage with security cameras, according to Willow Glen Neighborhood Association second vice president Ellen Santomauro.

—Alicia Upano