January 13, 2006

NEWS BRIEFS

Freedom Train to run on Martin Luther King Holiday Jan. 16

In addition to operating its regular weekday service on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Caltrain will run the annual Freedom Train, taking people to San Francisco for the holiday celebration there. The 21st annual Freedom Train is scheduled to depart the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station at 10:00 a.m., with stops at the Sunnyvale station (10:15 a.m.), Palo Alto (10:34 a.m.), and San Mateo (10:57 a.m.) before arriving in San Francisco at 11:25 a.m. Boarding in San Jose begins at 9:45 a.m., but Freedom Train passengers are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes early at all stations so they can find parking and get to the boarding platform in plenty of time for the train’s departure.

From the San Francisco Caltrain Station at Fourth and King Streets, Freedom Train passengers will take buses to the celebration at Civic Center, a change from in the past when participants marched to the center. The bus ride will be in honor of Rosa Parks and her famous bus ride.

Buses will be available to take people back to the train station after the Civic Center events. The Freedom Train is specially chartered by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Santa Clara Valley.

Tickets to ride the train cost $5 and only are available for advance purchase through the event sponsor, as well as from special ticket stands at the stations the morning of the Freedom Train.

Regular Caltrain tickets are not valid on the Freedom Train, but Freedom Train tickets will be honored on all southbound Caltrains after noon.

A celebration with refreshments is planned at 9:30 a.m. at the San Mateo Transit Center sponsored by the Mid-Peninsula Congregations of All Faiths. For information about that event, call the MLK Jr. Day Mid-Peninsula Celebration hotline at (650) 377-8708.

For information about the Freedom Train, go to www.mlkscv.org or call (408) 881-5464.

Volunteers needed for Partners in Reading Program

Do you enjoy reading and helping others? Consider a richly rewarding volunteer opportunity as a tutor in the adult literacy program, Partners in Reading. Work one-on-one or lead a small group with English-speaking adults, who read or write below a ninth-grade level, to achieve their learning goals. Sign up now for the January 18 orientation. Training will be on January 21 and 28. The fourteen hours of training, instructional materials, and on-going support are all provided free of charge. No experience necessary. However, there is a required commitment of two hours per week for six months. Call the San José Public Library at (408) 808-2361 more information and upcoming training dates.

Comprehensive Health in Early Care and Education Conference on Jan. 21

The 3rd Annual Comprehen-sive Health in Early Care and Education Conference will take place on Saturday, January 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the De Anza College Campus Center. Featured speakers will include Robert Coolman, MD, for the Developmental Pediatrician Center for Learning and Achievement at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The goal of the conference is to enhance the knowledge and practices of child care providers, students, and parents on a variety of child health-related topics. Workshops will be offered in English and Spanish For more information or to register for the one-day conference, contact Community Family Services at 408-275-0810

Thirty-fourth Annual Wildflower Show set for April 22-23 at Mission College

The 34th Annual Wildflower Show, the premier botanical and horticultural event of the South Bay and Peninsula, will take place at Mission College in Santa Clara over the weekend of April 22-23, 2006.

The Wildflower Show is a two-day expo showcasing the diversity and beauty of the wildflowers of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Over 400 species of wildflowers and native plants are displayed, each accurately labeled, many suitable for the home garden. Knowledgeable botanists and gardeners are on hand to answer questions. Books, posters, seeds, note cards, and other wildflower-related items are available for purchase. This year’s show will also offer free classes on native plant identification, wildflower gardening, and gardening with native plants.

Now in its 34th year, the Wildflower Show is a well-known and loved tradition in the South Bay and the Peninsula. Organized by the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society, this educational event is free and open to the public, and suitable for the entire family. Here one can learn about the breathtaking diversity of California’s native flora, and even pick up ideas for the home garden.

The venue is the Mission College Hospitality Manage-ment Building, conveniently accessible from the Great America Parkway exit off Highway 101 in Santa Clara. Parking is free in the designated lot. The Wildflower Show is sponsored by the Mission College Biology Department. For more information, go to www.cnps-scv.org or call (650) 691-9749.

Fowler Creek Park project delayed three months;
contract bidding set for Jan. 26

Concerns regarding various other sites by San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services have delayed progress on the development of Fowler Creek Park by three months.

The Fowler Creek Park development, a 12-acre undeveloped property bound by Cortona Drive and Michelangelo Drive in Evergreen, will soon be undergoing one of its most critical stages, according to Evelyn Velez-Rosario, Parks Manager of PRNS, with bids for construction set to open on Jan. 26.

From there, a contract for the construction of the park will be awarded on Feb. 28. Phase 1 of construction will then begin in April.

Despite the three-month delay, Velez-Rosario is hopeful some time will be made up, adding that PRNS “is hoping to regain some time in the construction phase.” Phase 1 completion is scheduled for June of 2007.

Beshoff Motors sponsors 20 years of Great Ballet on March 18

Beshoff Motorcars of San Jose is the event sponsor for a gala evening celebrating 20 years of Great Ballet in Silicon Valley, taking place on March 18 at the Imperial Ballroom at The Fairmont San Jose.

A gala evening celebrating 20 years of Great Ballet in Silicon Valley, honoring Artistic/Executive Director Dennis Nahat and the dancers of the Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley will take place Saturday, March 18 from 6:00 p.m. to Midnight at the Imperial Ballroom at The Fairmont Hotel in San Jose.

Beshoff Motorcars of San Jose is the event sponsor for the fourth year running.

Music and entertainment will be provided by Wayne Foster Entertainment of Beverly Hills, so wear your black tie and your dancing shoes. Live and silent auctions will also take place at this gala event.

Cost is $250 per person, with donor tables priced at $2,500 and sponsor tables at $3,500.

For more information, call Gala Reservations at (408) 288-2820 ext. 240 or email vkohl@earthlink.net. For any additional information, also visit www.balletsanjose.org.

Schoolhouse of Music and Arts Enrollment and Auditioning
for Children’s Chorus for Spring 2006 season is underway

The Schoolhouse of Music and Arts, located on 3571 Springbrook Avenue in San Jose, announces its classes in Piano, Voice, Guitar, Marimba, Early Music, and Children’s Art Expression. Enrollment and Auditioning for Children’s Chorus for its Spring 2006 Season is underway.

For more information, call (408) 274-3807 or email eleanor@theshoma.com.

Parkinson’s disease conditioning program offered at The Villages

Parkinson ’s disease is an incurable condition that claims the health of 60,000 new patients every year.

Mwezo Kudumu and Jane Kerr, who founded the Kujiweza Healing Arts Institute, a non-profit school dedicated to training instructors in natural healing exercises, have been awarded a start-up grant from the Parkinsonians Learning Lifelong Useful Skills (PLLUS) Foundation and the Los Gatos Rotary Club to develop Parkinson’s Exercise Programs (PEP) for support groups in Northern California.

The PEP will feature exercises designed to help Parkinsonians improve the quality of their health and slow the progression of the disease.

The program will be initiated with a 12-week conditioning program study for the members of The Villages Parkinson’s Support Group. All persons with Parkinson’s disease are urged to enroll in this class. Non-residents are also welcome.

Mwezo and Jane have over 30 years experience teaching ancient art healing exercises. Their classes provide a total body workout designed to help restore lost functions by improving cardiovascular fitness, coordination, dexterity, flexibility, strength, balance, gait and posture.

As part of their strategy for dealing with people that have movement, balance or pain challenges, participants can begin exercising seated on a chair and as they regain their ability, they can gradually move to performing exercises while standing.

The program will start February 6 at 2:30 p.m. in the Villages Golf and Country Club, Cribari Auditorium.

For information or to register by phone, call Jane at (408) 315-1179 or e-mail at JaneKerr@sjyogataichi.com or visit our website at www.sjyogataichi.com.

LGBT political groups to sponsor Santa Clara
County District Attorney candidate forum

Two venerable South Bay lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) political organizations - the Silicon Valley LGBT Democratic Club and the Log Cabin Republicans of Silicon Valley – will be co-hosting a moderated forum for the four announced candidates running for Santa Clara County District Attorney.

The candidate forum, scheduled for Monday, January 23, from 7 - 8:30 p.m., will be held in the ballroom of the Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center located at 938 The Alameda in San Jose. Moderated by Robert Greeley, a San Jose-based employment law attorney, the candidates will field a range of questions from the assembled audience.

Invited candidates include Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney Marc Buller, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Dolores Carr, former president of the Santa Clara County Government Attorney’s Association Jim Shore and Santa Clara County Chief Assistant District Attorney Karyn Sinunu.

In announcing the forum, Evan Low, President of the Silicon Valley LGBT Democratic Club said, “Our club members are honored to partner with the Log Cabin Republicans in providing a public forum for these well-qualified candidates to share their plans for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.”

“As the LGBT community cares deeply about the protection of civil rights, eliminating domestic violence and ensuring the vigorous prosecution of hate crimes, we look forward to learning more about these candidates,” said Low.

Refreshments will be provided and the general public is encouraged to attend.

Pleasant Hills Golf Course workshop set for Jan. 17

The city of San Jose, the office of Councilmember Dave Cortese and the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement will host a workshop regarding Pleasant Hills Golf Course.

The workshop will be held at August Boeger Junior High School, 1944 Flint Avenue in San Jose, beginning at 6:30 p.m. In this workshop, interested members will have the opportunity to work in groups and suggest design elements for the site

Interested participants must sign up in advance – the deadline for signing up is Monday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. Only one member per household may participate. For more information, call (408) 535-4908 or email graham.grossman@sanjoseca.gov