The San Jose planning department recently made public notification easier.

In September, the city began offering an email subscription service, where residents can receive updates on developments and permit applications via email. Residents can sign up to receive updates by council district or by Strong Neighborhoods Initiative (SNI) area. Willow Glen is mostly within District 6, with sections of the community in District 3 and 9. The Greater Gardner SNI area is located in North Willow Glen, which is District 3.

The city hopes the new service will encourage residents to follow development activity in their communities and participate in the planning process.

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president Ed Rast said the service is an outgrowth of the Public Outreach Policy Focus Group, which is made up of neighborhood leaders who wanted to improve the notification process.

To subscribe to the service, visit www.sjpermits.org/permits/permits/general/emailform.asp.

Church, resident
team up after Katrina

Willow Glen resident Kelly Burnett is coordinating a relief effort with the First Unitarian Church of San Jose and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

The congregants will be collecting lightweight items for Hurricane Katrina victims including powdered infant formula, diapers, hygiene products, batteries and medicine.

"We see ourselves as connected through the interconnected web of existence," Burnett said. "We wanted to reach out and offer assistance to those in need."

The church is also asking for small monetary donations along with the items to cover shipping costs, said the Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones.

Jones said the congregation began focusing on the effort after Jyaphia Rodger, a congregation member of the Unitarian Church of New Orleans, arrived after the Katrina disaster.

"She gave a face to the disaster," Jones said.

With hands-on experience helping Rodger, the congregation knew what was immediately necessary.

"With Hurricane Rita here, we really need to keep moving," Burnett said.

This is an ongoing effort along with other work, including sponsoring families from New Orleans.

The church's first shipment of goods goes out to Louisiana Sept. 28. Items can be dropped off on Sundays at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, 160 North Third St., between 12:30-2 p.m. or at Kelly Burnett's residence, 1323 Mildred Ave., between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Center Stage donates
to aid animal rescue

A Willow Glen community-owned theater company, Center Stage Productions, is donating a dollar from each ticket sale from its October proceeds to the Hurricane Katrina animal rescue efforts.

Its main stage show, Sylvia will open Oct. 7 and run through Oct. 22.

The show, a comedy about a man, his wife, a dog named Sylvia and her effect on their marriage is the company's second main stage show of the year.

It made sense to the cast as well as the directors and artistic council to use the performance as a way to raise money for the pets in New Orleans, since the story is focused around a pet, said Director Linda Miyahira.

"All the actors and staff have pets and feel for the pet owners in New Orleans," Miyahira said.

In addition to the dollar donations, the theater group will donate half of the proceeds from its Oct. 22 evening show to Companion Animal Rescue Efforts, a local organization.

Tickets can be purchased at the Center for Spiritual Living, 1195 Clark St., or by calling 408.294.1828 ext.116.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors 65 and older. Tickets for the Opening Night Gala on Oct. 7 are available for $20.

Girl Scout Troop 741
aids hurricane effort

The nine girls in Girl Scout Junior Troop 741 collected $382 after putting together a bake sale outside Starbucks in downtown Willow Glen on Sept. 18.

The money was used to purchase supplies for families caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The troop brought 14 duffel bags, 23 backpacks that were filled with paper and pens, toothbrushes and toothpaste. All the items will be sent to Houston and Louisiana to aid adults and children.

Troop leader Tamee Niekamp said, "All the girls are feeling a sense of helping, not just in the community, but where help is needed."

Niekamp said the community didn't hesitate to give. People gave $5 and $20 bills. She also said Starbucks immediately gave the troop the OK to set up in front of the store.

City council keeps
campaign laws intact

San Jose Council City voted 9-2 at its Sept. 20 meeting to leave the city campaign laws intact. The council voted in favor of a proposal by District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle and District 2 Councilman Forrest Williams that would not limit the hours an employee at any organization can volunteer on political campaigns while still getting paid at work. Pyle said changing the laws would take away citizens' right to participate in the political process.

District 4 Councilman Chuck Reed wanted to limit the hours and voted against the proposed change. District 8 Councilman Dave Cortese also voted no.

City takes position
on same-sex marriage

The San Jose City Council has taken a favorable position on a state bill that would recognize marriages between gay and lesbian couples. The council voted 9-2 to pass a resolution urging Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign an assembly bill that defines marriage as a civil contract between two people instead of a civil contract between a man and a woman. Almost 30 community members spoke on the issue.

"We seldom have as much emotion in our speakers as we did today," said District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager, who proposed the resolution. Yeager is the city's first openly gay council member.

Yeager said that it still "takes courage in San Jose" for someone to publicly acknowledge that he or she is in a same-sex relationship.

San Jose District 4 Councilman Chuck Reed and Mayor Ron Gonzales voted against the resolution, saying that while they support civil rights and gay marriage, they wanted to follow state law. They cited Proposition 22, passed in 2000, a state proposition that only recognizes a marriage between a man and woman in California.

"Today's vote is symbolic," Gonzales said. "Cities like San Jose don't have a role in defining marriage. The voters have spoken."

Zero-emission bus
part of road rally

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, is participating in the Road Rally at San José State University on Sept. 30.

The Road Rally will focus on three hydrogen fueling stations already in place around the Bay Area and three additional stations to be added by 2006.

Information about hydrogen technology and the zero emission bus program can be found on Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at San José State University, Paseo de Cesar E. Chavez.

During the month of September, the zero-emission buses will operate as an extra service on VTA bus lines 22, 62, 71 and 102. The buses will run on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.