District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager will host a community meeting to introduce the neighborhood to Bill Sherry, the new director of the San Jose Aiport, and Jonnie Banks, the new airport ombudswoman, on Nov. 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the Willows Senior Center, 2175 Lincoln Ave.

Yeager said the meeting is an excellent opportunity for members of the Willow Glen area to bring up issues concerning the airport such as noise and traffic.

SJUSD has annual
parent workshops

The San Jose Unified School District invites elementary, middle and high school parents to its annual all-day Parent Leadership Conference on Nov. 5, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The conference will be held in both English and Spanish.

The program includes keynote speakers, lunch and a variety of workshops. Parents can participate in workshops on dealing with challenging children, how to be a better role model and effective volunteer, how to keep children drug free, how to prepare children for college and emergency preparedness at school and at home.

A Latin American folklorico group will provide lunchtime entertainment. The conference will conclude with a performance by Estetica, Lincoln High School's choral group.

To R.S.V.P., call 408.535.6493. The conference takes place in the San Jose district office, 855 Lenzen Ave.

Hervey Lane project
includes 18 homes

The Hervey Lane development project that includes 18 new homes on 3.34 acres was unanimously approved by San Jose City Council on Oct. 18.

Pine Brothers Construction will build 2,100-square-foot homes on the vacant railroad embankment behind Hervey Lane.

Although the developers initially wanted to construct 19 to 20 homes, they reduced the number to 18 in order to add a small park on the corner of Hervey Lane and Minnesota Avenue.

According to Greg Pinn, vice president of land development, the homes will be Craftsman-style, and will be diverse enough to fit in with the surrounding neighborhood.

One Willow Glen resident at the meeting said he was concerned that the development could worsen flood conditions by diverting floodwater from Ross Creek into surrounding neighborhoods, but District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager assured the man that this was not an issue.

Other Willow Glen residents expressed their support for the project. One longtime Hervey Lane resident told the council, "I have lived in the neighborhood for 18 years and that area has been an eyesore. The development will be a tremendous addition to the area and great for the neighborhood."

Best air quality in
more than a decade

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced that the 2005 summer smog season, ending the first week of October, had its best air quality year since the program was implemented in 1991.

This year there was only one Spare the Air advisory issued. This is the lowest number of Spare the Air days.

On Spare the Air days, Bay Area residents are encouraged to avoid using lawnmowers and to drive as little as possible to reduce the number of fossil fuels burned. Some schools also suspend athletic activities or conduct them indoors to keep children from breathing harmful emissions. Regional transit agencies also offered free morning commutes to cut down on drivers when an advisory is issued.

Century 21 raises
$10,000 for center

CENTURY 21 Champion raised more than $10,000 for the Bill Wilson Center at its 13th annual golf tournament on Oct. 4 at the Cinnabar Hills Golf Course.

Most of the proceeds came from the sale of raffle tickets and mulligans sold to the more than 110 golfers who participated. Additional dollars came from a putting contest, live auction and post-tournament dinner.

Prizes and sponsorship money were donated by company affiliates.

The Bill Wilson Center is a non-profit community-based agency serving youth and families with 11 different programs including counseling, housing, education and advocacy.