After being up less than a year, the Plaza Drive heritage street sign at the corner of Coe Avenue and Plaza Drive was broken by a tow truck maneuvering onto the curb to remove an abandoned truck.

Neighbors witnessed the incident but could not remember the name of the tow company, and no one has come forward to accept responsibility, said Mike Borbely, president of the Palm Haven restoration committee.

Borbely said the driver took the broken pieces with him, leaving no evidence at the scene.

"The sign sits behind the curb to avoid this kind of problem," Borbely said. Unfortunately, in this particular instance the sign was still in harm's way.

It will cost approximately $600 to replace the sign, Borbely said.

"What we're doing now is working with the manufacturer to modify the sign so it won't resist and break."

Replacement may take a few months.

Relay for Life readies
for April fundraiser

Willow Glen Relay for Life is gearing up for its annual American Cancer Society 24-hour event. The fundraiser is designed to honor cancer survivors, increase cancer awareness and raise money for cancer research and programs.

A Relay for Life kickoff will take place Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 1036 Lincoln Ave. The one-hour meeting will include information about the event, an opportunity to hear from cancer survivors and information about the local American Cancer Society support system. Refreshments will be served.

"Last year the Willow Glen Relay For Life raised $65,000, which went directly to local American Cancer Society programs. We want to raise more than $80,000 this year and hope that we can get as many local residents involved as possible," said Linda Baxter, volunteer event chairwoman.

Relay for Life is scheduled for
April 29 to 30 at Willow Glen High School, 2001 Cottle Ave.

For more information, contact Jess Herrera, manager of community development for the American Cancer Society, at 408.688.0108 or jess.herrera@cancer.org.

Violent crimes down
along with homicides

At the Gardner Advisory Council's meeting on Jan. 25, the San Jose Police Department reported that for the 2004-05 fiscal year, violent crimes in the "Sam" district were down by 18 percent, homicides down 11 percent. Stolen vehicles bucked the trend and were up 8 percent. Officers also reported that there was a slight increase in gang activity.

This Sam district includes the Greater Gardner area, Willow Glen and the boundaries of Highway 87, Interstate 280, and Highway 17 off Hamilton to Pine avenues.

Troop 233 celebrates
its 50th anniversary

Boy Scout Troop 233, based out of the Methodist church on Minnesota and Newport avenues, celebrates its 50th anniversary on March 2 from 6:45 to 9 p.m.

The troop is looking for alumni, memories, pictures, uniforms and scout items from the past.

Anyone who was a member or participated in troop events during the last 50 years is asked to contact the troop.

Troop 233 has 35 members. This year, eight boys have completed the requirements for their Eagle Scout award, making the total number of Troop 233 boys throughout the years achieving this rank just over 100.

The troop meets every Thursday from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information, contact senior patrol leader Nancy Nylund at 408.295. 7947 or at n.nylund@sbcglobal.net.

Willow Street Pizza
aids WGHS fundraiser

The Willow Glen High School Associated Student Body will have a Willow Street Pizza night every month starting in February as part of Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza's "Giving Back" fundraising program.

The first fundraiser will take place Feb. 27 at Willow Street Pizza, 1072 Willow St. Diners can eat in or get takeout.

Diners need to bring a copy of the fundraiser flier for school credit. The ASB will receive 20 percent of purchases made by school supporters, including drinks.

For more information, or to obtain a copy of the flier, contact Debbie Bishop at wghsvolunteer@sbcglobal.com or at 408.266.1351.

Coyote Valley Task
Force meets Feb. 13

The Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force is scheduled to hold a meeting on Feb. 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at San Jose City Hall in wing rooms W118, 119 and 120. The meeting is open to the public. The task force will consider the environmental impacts of the project, as well as agricultural mitigation measures.

Task force meetings will be held twice a month, with monthly study sessions given at city council meetings. All meetings are open to the public. To see meeting times and agendas visit http://sanjoseca.gov/coyotevalley

Hacienda teacher gets
youth watershed grant

Hacienda Environmental Science Magnet School's first-grade teacher Patricia Kishi is the recipient of San Jose's Youth Watershed Education Grant.

Through her grant-writing efforts, Hacienda first-graders will be "Trekking Through Our Watershed," from Hacienda's garden beds to the tidal marshlands in Alviso and Newark.

"I'm just glad that the first-graders will have the opportunity to have these hands-on experiences, and they'll be able to go to the different sites in recognition of water conservation," Kishi said. "It's important for the kids that live so close to the wetlands to experience these habitats and realize how they affect the bay and its inhabitants."

School district will
pay for new tile roof

After some confusion as to who would pay for the tile roof on the new building at Willow Glen Elementary School, the district has assured the school that it will be responsible for costs.

"The district has always intended to include it in its budget if it could afford it," said San Jose Unified School District director of construction Ty Williams. "Although we are over budget, we have made a commitment to the community to include this element because it is part of the architecture."

There were questions about the roof throughout the design process because instead of a standard shingle roof, the community wanted one that would blend in with the area. So a tile roof was approved as part of the final design. However, its added weight, which will require reinforcement of the building, resulted in extra costs.

The district has met over the past few months with a school committee to work out the tile roof issue. There was discussion about potential fundraising in the event the district was unable to cover the expenses.

The committee included Willow Glen Elementary School PTA president Alexandra Hoppe, school principal Dale D'Anna and other school parents and staff. According to Williams, the new roof will cost between $50,000 and $60,000.

"We feel confident that we can afford the roof," he said.

Williams did acknowledge that the new school building is over budget by approximately $200,000, but he said the district has agreed to move forward with the bidding process.

The cost of the project has gone up due to a 20 percent increase in materials and labor over the last two years, Williams added.

To compensate for this increase, the district plans to look at alternative project cuts that will not affect the "functionality or appearance" of the building, Williams said.