Willow Glen Resident

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News Briefs

Willow Glen Park
name is approved

The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a new name for the 0.7-acre park under construction at Curci and St. Elizabeth drives on Sept. 26. The open space has been dubbed Willow Glen Park.

Pinn Brothers development company is developing the site.

The park should be ready in 18 to 24 months, said John Moniz, project manager for Pinn Brothers. It will have benches, a small playground and garden landscaping.

Randi Kinman, a city parks advocate and president of the Burbank Del Monte Neighborhood Advisory Committee, said, "It's a small park, but I think the design process and the amenities are going to be really nice."

Pinn Brothers is building the park as part of its 46-unit housing project directly adjacent to the site. The city requires any new housing development either to dedicate land for parks or pay in lieu fees to a city park trust fund.

"Dirt is good," said Helen Chapman, chairwoman of the San Jose Parks Commission. "We want land for parks, not just the fees."

Weinerschnitzel is
robbed on Meridian

Weinerschnitzel near the intersection of Meridian and Fruitdale avenues was robbed Sept. 26.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., a man entered the rear door to the restaurant and robbed an employee who was counting money from the cash register, said restaurant manager Ali Mottaghi.

"It all happened in the span of a few minutes," he said.

The employee handed the man an undisclosed amount of cash and the individual fled the scene, according Mottaghi.

The man was wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt over his head at the time of the robbery, and no weapon was seen during the incident, according to the police log.

Traffic-calming set
for Lincoln-Willow

The city will be funding traffic signal improvements to calm traffic and increase pedestrian safety in Willow Glen.

Improvements will be made to traffic signals at the Lincoln Avenue-Willow Street intersection, as well as the Leigh Avenue-Stokes Street intersection.

Modifications at Lincoln and Willow include a dedicated left-turn signal to enhance the safety for drivers turning left onto Lincoln, said Laura Wells, division manager with the San Jose Department of Transportation.

New video vehicular detection devices will also be installed. Countdown pedestrian indicators, sensors that stop traffic to allow ambulances through and sidewalk ramps for wheelchairs and strollers will be improved. Construction should begin next summer.

For more information, contact Adolfo Alvarez at 408.535.8496 or adolfo.alvarez@sanjoseca.gov.

International Gift
Faire has returned

The 18th annual International Gift Faire takes place Oct. 13-14 at the Lincoln Glen Church Fellowship Hall, 2700 Booksin Ave. The fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 13, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 14.

The fair will feature items from Ten Thousand Villages, the largest fair-trade organization in the United States. Crafts include folk art, pottery, jewelry, home décor and other handmade crafts from 30 developing countries.

All proceeds will benefit Ten Thousand Villages, which helps create jobs for up to 60,000 artisans from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

For more information, visit www.internationalgiftfaire.com, or call 408.264.1662.

Health Trust has
wellness events

The Health Trust is sponsoring two wellness conferences in October.

A Taking Control of Your Diabetes conference will be Oct. 7 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, and a conference focusing on women's health will be at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on Oct. 21.

The Oct. 7 event is open to people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, their family members and medical professionals. Along with a health fair, there will be one-on-one sessions with specialists and sessions in Spanish.

The event costs $35, although financial aid is available. For more information, visit www.tcoyd.org or call 800.998.2693.

The women's health event features health and fitness workshops, exhibits and screenings. The keynote speaker is actress Marlee Matlin, who won an Oscar for her role in Children of a Lesser God. Matlin also had a recurring role in The West Wing and is a health advocate.

The registration fee for the women's health conference is $75 and includes lunch. Proceeds will benefit Health Trust programs, including Campbell-based AIDS Services and Meals on Wheels, a countywide program.

For more information, visit www. healthtrust.org.

Giving Back Program
helps local schools

Willow Street Pizza "Giving Back Program" on Sept. 27 donated 20 percent of proceeds to Willow Glen High School.

Willow Glen High joined the program last year and will team up with Willow Street once a month. The next "Giving Back" event is scheduled for Oct. 25.

"Willow Street sends us the fliers to photocopy, the school distributes them, and then we go eat. It's that simple," said Melissa Foster, director of activities for Willow Glen High.

She added that the program is a great way to support a local establishment or school.

For more information, contact Nancy Pereyda, Willow Street Pizza's Giving Back coordinator, at 408.399.5501.

WGMS kicks off its
All-Stars program

Willow Glen Middle School kicked off the first year of its after-school all-stars program.

Every day, from 2 to 5 p.m., students can receive homework help, participate in creative arts programs and play sports.

The program began the first day of school with more than 80 students participating. There were 200 applicants, but the after-school program had to turn students away because of a staff shortage.

Kevin Blunt, the program's coordinator, said the activities help young students stay out of trouble after school. There is a three-hour window between the time school is over and when parents come home from work.

For more information about the program or to volunteer, contact Kitty Iwamoto at Willow Glen Middle School at 408.535.6277, ext. 207.