December 14, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

Holiday garbage collection schedule

There is no garbage, recycling, or yard trimmings collection in San José on Christmas or New Year’s Day. Since both holidays fall on Tuesdays this season, collection will be one day later during the rest of that week. For example, regular Thursday collection will shift to Friday and regular Friday collection will shift to Saturday.

Collection times are from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, due to larger volumes of materials during the holidays, trucks may operate later than usual to complete routes.

The Customer Contact Center at (408) 535-3500 will be closed for Christmas on Dec. 24 and 25 and for New Year’s on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Extra garbage stickers
If you have more garbage than will fit into your garbage cart, that’s the time to purchase an Extra Garbage Sticker. Stickers are available in all libraries, Save Mart, Lucky, and Safeway stores in San José. Just place extra garbage in a 32-gallon plastic garbage bag labeled with an Extra Garbage Sticker on the curb near the garbage cart on your collection day.

Cooking grease
During this season of feasting, avoid clogging your kitchen drain with cooking grease. Instead, pour it into an empty, dry can. After the grease hardens, throw away the can in your garbage cart. Kitchen grease can clog sewer lines, resulting in back-ups and the need to call in a plumber.

Christmas tree recycling
After Christmas, natural and flocked trees will be collected at curbside from Dec. 26, 2007 to Feb. 1, 2008 on the same day as regular collection. To recycle Christmas trees, remove tinsel, decorations and the tree stand. Cut the trees into five-foot lengths and place them in the street about a foot from the curb.

It’s a wide, wide world

Winter and Christmas traditions vary throughout the world and shall be reflected in the 7 p.m. Christmas Eve program at Grace Church of Evergreen on Monday, Dec. 24.

Observance of Christmas at Grace shall reflect Evergreen’s multiple cultures and ways of celebrating the central story of the season.

Traditional reading by candlelight, blended with choir music and songs from many parts of the world, weave simple drama and color for the children, while prayers for peace and understanding, thanksgiving and a vision of hope for the future round out this celebration of joy. For further information, contact Pastor John Goldstein of Grace Church of Evergreen, 2650 Aborn Road at Kettmann, or call 408-274-1200. Email Gracelc@sbcglobal.net.

Emmanuel Baptist to host musical event

A special interfaith musical event will be held at Emmanuel Baptist Church on Saturday, Dec 15 from 7-9 p.m. Performance will include Isaac Hurtado and Mildred Byrd, along with several choirs. Admission is free, but a donation for Toys for Tots and Operation Share is requested. The church is located at 467 North White Road.

Firefighters collect Christmas toys

The Latino Firefighters Association of Northern California is collecting new unwrapped toys for specific local charity distribution. Recipients are selected only through the chosen charities. No individual requests are accepted. Several barrels are outside Fire Station 11 at The Villages for contributions. Checks can be written to “Los Bomberos Toy and Food Drive”.

The Program Coordinator is Albert Hernandez at (408) 623-5526.

Keep a Vial of Life in your refrigerator

What if you couldn’t communicate in a medical emergency? Without easy access to your medical information, you could lose crucial seconds needed to save your life.

Any of the 31 San Jose Fire Department stations will give you a free plastic cylinder Vial of Life. Put in the requested information, and keep the container on the top door shelf in your refrigerator. Ask also for the free refrigerator magnet, which indicates the needed information is available.

New Infiniti dealership in Evergreen

On Monday, Nov. 26, Ray Beshoff, dealer principal of Beshoff MotorCars, located at East Capitol and Tully, hosted a ceremony to break ground for a new Infiniti dealership to be constructed on a site opposite his existing Mercedes-Benz dealership.  The new dealership is scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. Pictured are: Vice-Mayor Dave Cortese; Cliff Dennett, Pinnacle Bank; Mark McCollum, general manager, Beshoff MotorCars; Ray Beshoff, dealer principal, Beshoff MotorCars; and Scott Fessenden,  regional VP, Infiniti. Others pictured are members of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, members of the Vietnamese community and various friends and employees of Beshoff MotorCars.