An open house informational event for SOFNA residents will be held by the city Tuesday, October 3rd in the City Council Chambers from 6 to 8 p.m. At this informal event maps and alternatives for the proposed project will be provided by the City. City staff will be on hand to answer general questions and gather neighborhood input about our streets and sidewalks. Our thanks to Rajeev Batra, the City Engineer for his work on this with the SOFNA Government Relations committee and our Board of Directors to set up this event for the SOFNA neighborhood. For more information contact Mike O’Halloran at mohallrn@aol.com or City Engineer Rajeev Batra at 615-3011.
Candidates for Mayor
Candidates for Council Seat #2
Candiates for Council Seat #5
Proposed Amendment to the City Charter
A change to the City Charter is being proposed on the November ballot to include a new section that would require binding arbitration of all unresolved disputes between union members of the Police and Fire Departments and the City. More information can be found at: www.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/city_gov/city_gov_current_issues.htm.
Candidates Forum
Two forums for candidates for City Council seats 2, 5 and Mayor will be broadcast live on municipal Cable Channel 15. The public is also invited to attend both events. For more information visit the City’s website at: www.ci.santa-clara.ca.us.
First Forum: Monday, October 16, 7-9:30 p.m.
Second Forum: Monday, November 6, 7 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, 1500 Warburton Avenue (free parking)
The first forum will be rebroadcast on municipal Cable Channel 15 as follows:
The last day to register to vote in the November 7 election is October 23. Registration cards are available at several Santa Clara city locations which includes the library, all fire stations, City Clerk’s office at City Hall, and the Registrar of Voters Office, 15555 Berger Drive, San Jose and the registrar’s website: www.sccvote.org.
Petitions
The petitions were submitted to the City on June 12th. The City Manager’s office has coordinated reviews by all appropriate departments.
City General Plan
Kevin Riley, Director of Planning is reviewing the request for the General Plan change. We have not heard from him at this point.
$50,000 City Study
The City has heard our concerns and interests. The City Council has budgeted approximately $50,000 to study improvements for our neighborhood infrastructure; streets, sidewalks and utilities. It’s important to emphasize that this money is dedicated to the study and review of possibilities and alternatives, not actual physical construction developments. The City has already begun to work on these studies and our now in communication with SOFNA representatives (The $50,000 is budgeted to cover costs over and above current staff and resources for specific cost estimates and detailed planning.
Mike O'Halloran
Approximately 80 neighbors attended the 2006 Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, August 1 at the home of Royanna Gazlay, 277 Bel Ayre Drive. Neighbors were asked to share their culinary delights for an evening potluck which included a wonderful assortment of main dishes, salads, desserts and beverages. Activities for the children included face painting, balloons, bubbles and a paintball shooting gallery operated by Eric Benovitz. Mayor Mahan, Council Member Dominic Caserta, Police Lieutenant Jim Buchanan and several police officers were also in attendance. Our local fire station No. 4 also sent over a fire truck which is always a treat for the children and adults as well. Thanks to everyone for their contributions.
Pictures of your neighbors from the National Night Out celebration have been posted on the Internet by Dubravko Babic at: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=61sbkn1.45m4u6f9&x=0&y=-hs1k4v
The second annual social event put on by the SOFNA Senior Aid committee was held on July 22, 2006, in the beautiful garden setting that is the backyard of Maria and Ted Coughlin. Keeping with the theme of honoring long-time residents, this year's attendees were encouraged to bring old photos of the neighborhood to share, and Thelma Sorich and Dick Tuttle did just that. Also, information packets on the Vial of Life program were provided by Bill Thornton who gave a short presentation on the program. Dinner consisted of three varieties of lasagnas and a wonderful selection of salads and desserts. Over thirty people joined us on a sweltering afternoon, but personal misters were provided by our thoughtful host and helped cool us off. Lovely background music was provided by Dick Tuttle on his guitar; if you haven't heard him play, you have missed something special.
Thank you to those who attended on such a hot afternoon. Special thanks to the following people: Maria and Ted for hosting again, all of you who brought food and/or made a donation, Bill Thornton for obtaining the Vials of Life, John Shores for helping set up and distributing flyers, Dave Albertalli for the colorful flyers, Joan and Emily Packer for helping distribute flyers, Dick Tuttle for providing music and photos, and Thelma Sorich for bringing photos. But the event wouldn't have taken place without the efforts of Debbie Benovitz and Maria Coughlin and their time, efforts, and compassion.
Have an idea for a senior event? Do you have a senior issue you would like to learn more about? If you would like to help in any way, call Corinne Celio at 249-9787, or e-mail ccmaya@comcast.net
The north end of Douglane Ave. will truly miss one of its long time residents. Myung-Ja Heikes' life was celebrated at graveside services and a luncheon on September 7; and what a life it was!
Born in what is now North Korea in 1926, Myung-Ja settled and raised her family in Seoul. Most of her forty years in Korea were in very difficult times, with the Japanese occupation and two devastating wars. Always industrious and astute, Myung-Ja struggled to care for her family in war torn Seoul. It is told that she would enter active battle fields in search of food for her family. Despite the hard times and being widowed, she had developed two successful businesses before meeting George Heikes, an internationally known geologist working in Korea and the first to find copper deposits in that country. George and Myung-Ja were married and settled at 112 Douglane in 1965, but didn't stay long the first time. They rented the house and went off to India for 7 years where George headed up a geological survey of the entire country for the Indian Government. And then they spent another stint in Australia before finally settling down on Douglane.
Working in electronics, Myung-Ja was successful in accumulating real estate and owned two other homes here in SOFNA. Devoted to her grandchildren, she achieved her goal of leaving each one of them a home. She was a constant and active gardener growing various vegetables and fruits in her yard, and most of all she was very independent in every way. A neighbor and friend for most of 40 years, Myung-Ja will always be held fondly in our memories.
Dick Tuttle and Family, 100 Douglane
Gus was well known and beloved by his family, friends and neighbors. Gus spent most of the last 20 years of his life walking a loop around Douglane, Cecil, Bel Ayre and Forest to complete a 5 mile walk each day. This aerobic and social activity kept him some ninety-plus years young. Gus passed away in his sleep at his home on Douglane on Sunday, September 24th.
Gus was the subject of our first “Meet Your Neighbor” feature. The story of his interesting life can be found in the newsletter archives in the July 2004 issue of the SOFNA news, at our website www.oocities.org/south_of_forest. Gus will be deeply missed by us all.
Cindy Baldanzi, president of FineLine Graphics in Santa Clara and our neighbor on Harold Ave, has been designing the layout and paying for the printing costs of our newsletter since it inception. We are grateful for Cindy’s outstanding support of our association, but we also understand the high costs of production that mount up over time. As a result, after this issue, you will recognize our SOFNA News Masthead, but it will now be printed on a different paper and only in black and white. Cindy wants to continue to donate design services to SOFNA but we will now be paying for material costs out of our bank account. Donations to pay for printing costs are appreciated. Checks should be made out to South of Forest Neighborhood Association and mailed or hand-delivered to John Shores - at 185 Tyler Ave, San Jose, CA 95117. We suggest $10 a year per household for your voluntary “subscription.” Contact board treasurer John Shores for more financial information. Thank you for your support in continuing this outstanding newsletter.
The print version of the SOFNA Newsletter
distributed to each home in the neighborhood
is generously sponsored by