Willow Glen Resident

News

News Briefs

Bridge replacement
project on schedule

As part of the Willow Glen Way Bridge replacement project, pile-driving work began on July 25 and is expected to end by Aug. 4. Pile-driving work involves pounding a 30-foot pipe into the ground.

The project has been running smoothly, according to Nelson Gonzales, Santa Clara Valley Water District project manager.

"It's really not that loud," Gonzales said. "We're monitoring the noise and we're monitoring the vibration."

After the pile-driving work is completed, the project will go into its bridge-construction phase through December, with street improvements continuing through March. The district expects to reopen the bridge in March.

The project, partially funded by a voter-approved Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan, is working to widen the bridge to improve the flow of flood waters under the bridge, smooth out vehicle traffic and provide safer pedestrian pathways.

The bridge replacement is part of the countywide Upper Guadelupe River Flood Protection Project, which was designed to protect homes, land and businesses near the Guadalupe River.

Traveling to airport just got a lot easier

Travelers heading south on Interstate 880 now have a permanent route to the San Jose airport. They no longer have to detour onto Airport Avenue. A highway project to widen and improve routes to and from the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport crossed a milestone July 28. An improved ramp from I-880 south, equipped with a two-lane exit and a new and reconfigured traffic light, opened at 5 a.m. During construction, traffic from I-880 south was detoured onto Airport Boulevard in order to access Coleman Avenue.

The work is part of the $81 million I-880/Coleman Avenue Interchange Project that aims to alleviate traffic difficulties to and from the airport. A large part of the project involves building an underground tunnel onto south I-880 beneath Coleman Avenue, said VTA spokesperson Brandi Hall. The tunnel is near completion and is expected to open in September. The project will also widen existing ramps.

Billy DeFrank has its
annual park event

The Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center hosts its fourth annual "OUT in the Park" on Aug. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. at Vasona Park, Los Gatos.

Members, friends, children and dogs on leashes are welcome to attend this barbecue and activity day.

Tickets are $9 to $20 on a sliding scale and free to children under 12. For information or reservations, call Sondra Moore at 408.293.3040, ext. 112.

Sunshine Task Force seeks community input

San Jose's Sunshine Reform Task Force is reaching out to the community for ideas on how to shape up city hall.

The task force was created in April to review proposed sunshine reforms relating to public access to information, enhancing neighborhood participation and government accountability. The committee is comprised of 15 members, including North Willow Glen resident Ed Rast and Willow Glen resident Virginia Holtz. Both are neighborhood leaders.

Currently the task force is reviewing 26 proposals referred by the San Jose City Council and is open to suggestions from the community. Residents are encouraged to submit ideas to the task force before Aug. 31 by sending an email to Sunshine_ Reform_Task_Force@sanjoseca.gov.

For more information on the task force, visit www.sanjoseca.gov or call 408.535.8119.

SJPD homicide unit launches website

The San Jose Police Department Homicide Unit launched a new website July 20 that enables residents to view unsolved cases online from their homes at www.sjpdhomicide.com. The site is among the first of this kind to be hosted by a California law enforcement agency.

Police Chief Rob Davis calls the site a prime example of how improved technology can be used to help police and the community assist each other to fight crime.

There are 206 cold and unsolved homicide cases in San Jose dating back to 1962 listed on the site. Each includes a synopsis of what happened.

A map enables users to click on specific areas of San Jose to find unsolved cases.

There have been 15 homicides in San Jose this year. The San Jose Police Department is recognized for solving a higher-than-average percent of cases than other departments nationwide. San Jose reported a 93 percent solve rate last year compared to 64 percent nationwide.

Water Board asks people to conserve

With this month's high temperatures, the California State Water Board is encouraging individuals to conserve water as a way to conserve power. Individuals can free up electricity for such appliances as air conditioners by minimizing lawn watering, laundry or dishwashing.

Individuals are especially urged to conserve water during the day when power demands peak. The water board advises residents to water plants during the cool part of the day, especially in the morning. According to the water board, every gallon of water used requires power to supply it.

At the same time, the regional heat wave has set record power demands this month, and high levels of electricity use are expected to continue. "Every gallon of water we save before 6 p.m. means there is additional electricity available and conservation reduces the strain on California's electric grid," said Yakout Mansour, head of a nonprofit electric power operator.