October 19, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

Soldier completes basic training

Army Reserve Pvt. Phouthasae Kaviyakone has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills.

His training also included military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

He is the son of Chanhtima Vongsaath of Rue Mirassou, in San Jose. Kaviyakone is a 2007 graduate of Evergreen Valley High School.

Memorial to ‘Father of Flight’ underway

	The memorial to J.J. Montgomery will be erected at Yerba Buena and San Felipe. The stylized wing will honor the achievements of a local aviation pioneer

Construction signs (above) describe the monument for J.J. Montgomery, a pioneer of flight whose tests were near Yerba Buena and San Felipe Roads.

An artist rendition of a wing (above, left) will stand on the corner of San Felipe and Yerba Buena. The project will be completed in December 2007.

Fire destroys Evergreen home

An Evergreen Valley home undergoing renovations was destroyed in a two-alarm blaze that took firefighters more than an hour to bring under control earlier this week, according to the San Jose Fire Captain Anthony Pianto. The single-story house at 3547 Chamberlain Drive was engulfed in smoke when firefighters arrived shortly before 4:30 a.m.

Local farmer donates prize pumpkin to school auction

Local Evergreen resident, Farmer Ken Masurat, donates his prize pumpkin to Kathryn R. Smith Elementary School for their fund raising auction. The pumpkin will be one of 75 that are auctioned off to raise funds for badly needed student programs at the Evergreen Elementary school . The fourth annual pumpkin auction, to be held Oct. 25 at the Silver Creek Country Club, has pumpkins that were donated by Lucky’s and have been creatively decorated by the children and staff at the school. In addition to the wonderful pumpkins, many local Realtors, lenders and title companies donate floral arrangements created by Bloomster’s to aid in the fund raising efforts. The Realtor group has fund-raised over $18,000 in previous years to aid one of the most financially-challenged schools in the district. Pictured (L to R) is Nick Radley, Principal of KR Smith, his daughter, and Ken Masurat.