Rosemary Gardens Neighborly
Content
MARCH-APRIL 2011
I
Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association
San Jose, California
I
Volume No. 2, Issue No. 2
NEIGHBORHOOD HOTLINE: (408) 426-4876
Safety questions directly addressed
[ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ]
R
E. PAUL BACA esidents attending the Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association annual meeting the night of March 2 had their questions answered by San Jose Police Department Sgt. Paul Cook. At the meeting, Cook noted that our neighborhood is not one known for crime. “Your neighborhood has proven to be a very classic, low-activity neighborhood,” he said. Residents voiced concerns about an increasing number of suspicious activities on N. First Street nearby. Cook responded, “The First Street corridor is an entirely different community from you folks here, just a block away.” Addressing the issue of thefts, including items such as bicycles or electronic equipment, Cook told residents that many people don’t think about it beforehand, but it is important to keep record of the items’ serial numbers. A resident asked why police do not send an officer to the home to take a report
BY
Community discussion
M
San Jose Police Sgt. Paul Cook held a Q-and-A session at the Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association annual meeting.
Photo by E. Paul Baca
of stolen goods. Cook explained that for such thefts, police take reports over the phone or on the Web. He stressed that it is important to file a report. “We would like to know where the crimes are occurring,” Cook said, “We have tried to become more efficient through the use of databases. One of those databases tells us what types of crimes are occurring in what area. If you file a report, cops are not going to come to your home for that, but then at least we are able to plug
that into our database and recognize where these types of crimes are occurring. We can use that to try to direct our resources.” Cook explained that having your serial number in the Stolen Property System database would allow police to identify and recover your stolen goods, should they be found. A resident asked if removing recyclables from the sidewalk cans was considered theft, wondering what residents could do about it.
See SAFETY | PAGE 2
Thanks for donations and members
RGNA would like to thank the following neighbors for their additional donation to Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association. Shig and Sets Otani John Basile The Santiago Family Pamela Alford Carol Rivera Rosalie Sunday Tom and Karen Mitchell Gregory & Heidi Wolcott Eva Kojima Helen Elliott Tracy Deitschman Norma McEntire, Lee Cox & Billy Mitchell Ray and Mary Clymer Tadashi Morimoto Mits & Jean Yamauchi Bonita Hoffman Maria Rangel Sophie Sahines Alma & Kathy Koeplin Peter Christianson Janet Okagaki
ore than 30 of our neighbors met at Bachrodt Academy for our Annual Meeting the night of March 2. The meeting included San Jose Police Sgt. Cook, who spoke about our low neighborhood crime, but also addressed growing concerns along the First Street corridor. Cook stressed the importance of filing police reports if there is a crime committed. By filing these reports, data can be gathered to see where more police support is needed. Bachrodt PTA board member, Heidi Wolcott, shared some of the upcoming school events, and the need for neighborhood volunteers to read to students and help out in classrooms. Tina Morrill, a neighborhood advocate from Vendome, shared information on an art project — painting utility boxes for neighborhoods (more information on Page 2). Mark Ruffing, a former Rosemary Gardens neighbor, and a housing department manager, spoke about how homeowners can get home improvements done with low interest, or zero interest loans. To round out the evening, District 3 Councilmember Sam Liccardo spoke about the city budget and challenges we face with Gov. Jerry Brown’s state budget proposal. He explained the on-going negotiations with Roem — the developer seeking to build a senior housing project on the property at
See PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
|
PAGE 2
2
I
MARCH-APRIL 2011
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
E. PAUL BACA Tina Morrill from Vendome Neighborhood Association is on the hunt for contributors and organizers for her latest community project dubbed, “The Art Box Project SJ.” Inspired by several photos and remarks published by a newspaper columnist, Morrill is leading an effort to raise funding and enlist volunteers to make this project happen for downtown San Jose neighborhoods. Morrill says the project goal is to “surprise the passer-by with a spot of whimsy where they least expect it.” Residents who are interested in contributing monetarily or voluntarily toward a Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood-themed utility box are encouraged to contact Morrill at facebook.com/pages/Art-BoxProject-SJ/138751916190793.
BY
Art project seeks contributors Safety: questions answered
Continued from Page 1
A grass-roots community effort is looking to raise funds toward an art project where artists paint neighborhood street electrical boxes. This box in Scotts Valley was painted by Santa Cruz artist Vanessa Stafford.
Photo by Lara Sprinkles
“There is a municipal code that prohibits taking recyclables out of the bins,” Cook said, “Unfortunately, that is one of the things we have recently decided we’re not going to respond to anymore because of diminished resources.” Cook explained that people removing the recyclables are not normally a danger to the public “My experience has been that they don’t interact with people in the homes, they don’t present a threat to you and your family,” he added, “If they presented a risk in any other aspect we would have a different attitude towards how to deal with them.” Some residents asked Cook whether neighbors should be concerned with abandoned or unkempt homes, and graffiti. Cook shared his policing
insight with residents. “There’s a concept called the broken windows theory,” he said. “It’s this idea that when you first have a deterioration in the appearance of a neighborhood, it’s a first step on a slippery slope where people come in and say, ‘Apparently no one cares about this neighborhood, I can set up shop and do various bad things and no one is going to bother me because no one cares.’” Cook responded with neighborhood advice. “Taking care of a neighborhood — painting over graffiti, not letting houses get that abandoned look, keeping lawns mowed, those are all part of creating what looks like a neighborhood that is lived in and cared for,” he said. “And that’s one of the best ways to keep petty criminals out of the neighborhood.”
[ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, CONTINUED ]
Meeting welcomes new member
Continued from Page 1
N. First and E. Rosemary streets. He sought our input from that, and addressed other neighborhood concerns. Also at the meeting, a new board member was elected, Kathleen Stahr. Thank you for joining the team. Charlie Chew, and myself, Stephanie Lykam, were re-elected for another two-year term. The RGNA 2011 Board includes: Lara Sprinkles, Liz Moscato, Jay Prunty, Ransom Fields, Charlie Chew, Kathleen Stahr and Stephanie Lykam. The board organizes many of the events, but could use your help. As a neighbor in Rosemary Gardens, you can support the association and the board in many ways: I Become a member and pay your membership fees.
Volunteer to distribute flyers and newsletters. I Save your beverage cans, plastic bottles and newspapers to donate to our recycle drives. I Volunteer to pick up recyclables the second Saturday of the month. I Volunteer to help at our events, including the annual picnic, ice cream social, yard sale and star parties. I Volunteer to head an event and share your creativity, time and talent. It takes all of us working together to keep Rosemary Gardens a friendly, clean and safe community to live in.
I
Thank you for your continued support,
S TEPHANIE L YKAM
RGNA BOARD PRESIDENT
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
MARCH-APRIL 2011
I
3
Students, PTA putting the ‘fun’ in fundraiser
S
What a difference!
Neighbors Monica and La’Keith Thomas have shared before (above) and after (below) photos of the new kitchen in their Forrestal Avenue home that they were able to do through a loan program received through the San Jose Department of Housing. To find out if you qualify for a grant, low interest or zero interest loan, call the department at (408) 535-3860. Eligibility requirements are available at: www.sjhousing.org/program/repairs.html.
tudents at Bachrodt are at ‘test rallies’, where students having a great spring se- win prizes for their giving their mester. After a busy month best effort. If you know any of February, filled with Bench- Bachrodt students in the neighmark testing, Valentine's activ- borhood, give them some enities and a week off school for couragement in April. On Saturday, May 14, we'll winter break, students are lookhave our annual May ing forward to the next Madness Carnival. few weeks. They are Please mark your calin the midst of their endars now and plan candy fund-raiser and to come and join the will enjoy a fun fun. There will be filled spirit week in food, lots of carnival March. At the end of games and entertainMarch, the school and ment for you to enjoy. surrounding community is invited to enjoy HEIDI WOLCOTT If you'd like to volVice President, unteer at this event, Bachrodt at Sonoma Bachrodt PTA please call the school Chicken Coop (90 Skyport Dr.) for dinner, between at 535-6211. We look forward to seeing 5 p.m. to closing. Anyone who brings the coupon (included in many of you at our upcoming this newsletter) to the restaurant events at Bachrodt. will help to raise money for the school. Please come join us. We’d also like to invite the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood to our school beautification day Saturday, March 26 at 9:30 a.m. This is a great way to get involved in our neighborhood by helping with projects Tuesday, March 22: at the school. No need to RSVP Dinner at Sonoma — just come over to the Chicken Coop, 90 Skyschool on March 26th and port Dr., 5 p.m. to closing you can pick a project.
Bachrodt activities at a glance
During the month of April, Bachrodt students will be hard at work focused on state standarized tests. Activities and events are kept to a minimum during this time so that students can “do their best on the test!” At the end of each week, students will enjoy some welcome relief
Saturday, March 26: School Beautification Day, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14: May Madness Carnival, 11 a.m. (9 a.m. if you want to volunteer!!)
Add the neighborhood to your social network!
Rosemary Gardens neighbors have a Facebook group and invite you to join! Go to facebook.com and search ‘Rosemary Gardens’ and begin socializing with your neighbors!
4
I
MARCH-APRIL 2011
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
S AVE T HE D ATE !
Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Neighborhood dates to remember
Mar. 24 Apr. 9 April 7 p.m. Board Meeting 8 a.m. Recycle Drive 7 p.m. Board Meeting
Location: Sonoma Chicken Coop, 90 Skyport Dr.
Spring Yard Sale
Saturday, April 30, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
$4.00 will be collected the day of the sale, this will help defray the cost of advertising. Tips for a successful yard sale:
Group items that are the same price. Keep pricing simple, like 25 cents, 50 cents or $1. Have bags available for people who purchase multiple items.
The RGNA Neighborhood Yard Sale is advertised by the association through local media and large signs posted in the area.
Volunteers: Meet at Rosemary Gardens Park at 8:00 a.m. Date will be determined at the March 24 meeting. Location: Sonoma Chicken Coop, 90 Skyline Dr.
April 30 May. 14
8 a.m.-4 p.m.RGNA Spring Yard Sale 8 a.m. Recycle Drive
More information is on the left of this page. Volunteers: Meet at Rosemary Gardens Park at 8 a.m.
TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! AIR, SEA, LAND OR RAIL! AAA Travel
Can you help the neighborhood?
RECYCLING VOLUNTEERS: We have a recycling fundraiser every 2nd Saturday of the month. Call the RGNA Hotline at (408) 426-4876 for more information. ADVERTISE: Advertising in our newsletter is a good way to get your business card sized message into neighborhood homes. It also helps us offset the rising cost of printing 500 newsletters. E-mail [email protected] or call Lara at (408) 621-5408. DISTRIBUTION: Volunteers distribute newsletters to over 400 homes in Rosemary Gardens. If you can help please contact Lara at (408) 621-5408 or e-mail [email protected].
Nisha Jabar - Vacation Specialist 39600 Balentine Dr. Newark, CA 94560 510-360-3262 [email protected] Call me about special offers for domestic or international travel!
RANSOM S. FIELDS
BSEE + MBA + Credential
Tutor – All Levels
Former High School Science Teacher Motivate Students To Achieve Their Best
[email protected]
Cell: 408-781-4328
help make
your family a
&
our world
Dispose of your medicine properly
Don’t flush or pour your expired or unused medicine down a toilet, sink or drain. Nearest drop-off location for Rosemary Gardens:
Office of the Sherriff, Santa Clara County - Main Lobby 55 W. Younger St., San Jose 95110
little safer
I
Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association
San Jose, California
I
Volume No. 2, Issue No. 2
NEIGHBORHOOD HOTLINE: (408) 426-4876
Safety questions directly addressed
[ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ]
R
E. PAUL BACA esidents attending the Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association annual meeting the night of March 2 had their questions answered by San Jose Police Department Sgt. Paul Cook. At the meeting, Cook noted that our neighborhood is not one known for crime. “Your neighborhood has proven to be a very classic, low-activity neighborhood,” he said. Residents voiced concerns about an increasing number of suspicious activities on N. First Street nearby. Cook responded, “The First Street corridor is an entirely different community from you folks here, just a block away.” Addressing the issue of thefts, including items such as bicycles or electronic equipment, Cook told residents that many people don’t think about it beforehand, but it is important to keep record of the items’ serial numbers. A resident asked why police do not send an officer to the home to take a report
BY
Community discussion
M
San Jose Police Sgt. Paul Cook held a Q-and-A session at the Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association annual meeting.
Photo by E. Paul Baca
of stolen goods. Cook explained that for such thefts, police take reports over the phone or on the Web. He stressed that it is important to file a report. “We would like to know where the crimes are occurring,” Cook said, “We have tried to become more efficient through the use of databases. One of those databases tells us what types of crimes are occurring in what area. If you file a report, cops are not going to come to your home for that, but then at least we are able to plug
that into our database and recognize where these types of crimes are occurring. We can use that to try to direct our resources.” Cook explained that having your serial number in the Stolen Property System database would allow police to identify and recover your stolen goods, should they be found. A resident asked if removing recyclables from the sidewalk cans was considered theft, wondering what residents could do about it.
See SAFETY | PAGE 2
Thanks for donations and members
RGNA would like to thank the following neighbors for their additional donation to Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association. Shig and Sets Otani John Basile The Santiago Family Pamela Alford Carol Rivera Rosalie Sunday Tom and Karen Mitchell Gregory & Heidi Wolcott Eva Kojima Helen Elliott Tracy Deitschman Norma McEntire, Lee Cox & Billy Mitchell Ray and Mary Clymer Tadashi Morimoto Mits & Jean Yamauchi Bonita Hoffman Maria Rangel Sophie Sahines Alma & Kathy Koeplin Peter Christianson Janet Okagaki
ore than 30 of our neighbors met at Bachrodt Academy for our Annual Meeting the night of March 2. The meeting included San Jose Police Sgt. Cook, who spoke about our low neighborhood crime, but also addressed growing concerns along the First Street corridor. Cook stressed the importance of filing police reports if there is a crime committed. By filing these reports, data can be gathered to see where more police support is needed. Bachrodt PTA board member, Heidi Wolcott, shared some of the upcoming school events, and the need for neighborhood volunteers to read to students and help out in classrooms. Tina Morrill, a neighborhood advocate from Vendome, shared information on an art project — painting utility boxes for neighborhoods (more information on Page 2). Mark Ruffing, a former Rosemary Gardens neighbor, and a housing department manager, spoke about how homeowners can get home improvements done with low interest, or zero interest loans. To round out the evening, District 3 Councilmember Sam Liccardo spoke about the city budget and challenges we face with Gov. Jerry Brown’s state budget proposal. He explained the on-going negotiations with Roem — the developer seeking to build a senior housing project on the property at
See PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
|
PAGE 2
2
I
MARCH-APRIL 2011
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
E. PAUL BACA Tina Morrill from Vendome Neighborhood Association is on the hunt for contributors and organizers for her latest community project dubbed, “The Art Box Project SJ.” Inspired by several photos and remarks published by a newspaper columnist, Morrill is leading an effort to raise funding and enlist volunteers to make this project happen for downtown San Jose neighborhoods. Morrill says the project goal is to “surprise the passer-by with a spot of whimsy where they least expect it.” Residents who are interested in contributing monetarily or voluntarily toward a Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood-themed utility box are encouraged to contact Morrill at facebook.com/pages/Art-BoxProject-SJ/138751916190793.
BY
Art project seeks contributors Safety: questions answered
Continued from Page 1
A grass-roots community effort is looking to raise funds toward an art project where artists paint neighborhood street electrical boxes. This box in Scotts Valley was painted by Santa Cruz artist Vanessa Stafford.
Photo by Lara Sprinkles
“There is a municipal code that prohibits taking recyclables out of the bins,” Cook said, “Unfortunately, that is one of the things we have recently decided we’re not going to respond to anymore because of diminished resources.” Cook explained that people removing the recyclables are not normally a danger to the public “My experience has been that they don’t interact with people in the homes, they don’t present a threat to you and your family,” he added, “If they presented a risk in any other aspect we would have a different attitude towards how to deal with them.” Some residents asked Cook whether neighbors should be concerned with abandoned or unkempt homes, and graffiti. Cook shared his policing
insight with residents. “There’s a concept called the broken windows theory,” he said. “It’s this idea that when you first have a deterioration in the appearance of a neighborhood, it’s a first step on a slippery slope where people come in and say, ‘Apparently no one cares about this neighborhood, I can set up shop and do various bad things and no one is going to bother me because no one cares.’” Cook responded with neighborhood advice. “Taking care of a neighborhood — painting over graffiti, not letting houses get that abandoned look, keeping lawns mowed, those are all part of creating what looks like a neighborhood that is lived in and cared for,” he said. “And that’s one of the best ways to keep petty criminals out of the neighborhood.”
[ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, CONTINUED ]
Meeting welcomes new member
Continued from Page 1
N. First and E. Rosemary streets. He sought our input from that, and addressed other neighborhood concerns. Also at the meeting, a new board member was elected, Kathleen Stahr. Thank you for joining the team. Charlie Chew, and myself, Stephanie Lykam, were re-elected for another two-year term. The RGNA 2011 Board includes: Lara Sprinkles, Liz Moscato, Jay Prunty, Ransom Fields, Charlie Chew, Kathleen Stahr and Stephanie Lykam. The board organizes many of the events, but could use your help. As a neighbor in Rosemary Gardens, you can support the association and the board in many ways: I Become a member and pay your membership fees.
Volunteer to distribute flyers and newsletters. I Save your beverage cans, plastic bottles and newspapers to donate to our recycle drives. I Volunteer to pick up recyclables the second Saturday of the month. I Volunteer to help at our events, including the annual picnic, ice cream social, yard sale and star parties. I Volunteer to head an event and share your creativity, time and talent. It takes all of us working together to keep Rosemary Gardens a friendly, clean and safe community to live in.
I
Thank you for your continued support,
S TEPHANIE L YKAM
RGNA BOARD PRESIDENT
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
MARCH-APRIL 2011
I
3
Students, PTA putting the ‘fun’ in fundraiser
S
What a difference!
Neighbors Monica and La’Keith Thomas have shared before (above) and after (below) photos of the new kitchen in their Forrestal Avenue home that they were able to do through a loan program received through the San Jose Department of Housing. To find out if you qualify for a grant, low interest or zero interest loan, call the department at (408) 535-3860. Eligibility requirements are available at: www.sjhousing.org/program/repairs.html.
tudents at Bachrodt are at ‘test rallies’, where students having a great spring se- win prizes for their giving their mester. After a busy month best effort. If you know any of February, filled with Bench- Bachrodt students in the neighmark testing, Valentine's activ- borhood, give them some enities and a week off school for couragement in April. On Saturday, May 14, we'll winter break, students are lookhave our annual May ing forward to the next Madness Carnival. few weeks. They are Please mark your calin the midst of their endars now and plan candy fund-raiser and to come and join the will enjoy a fun fun. There will be filled spirit week in food, lots of carnival March. At the end of games and entertainMarch, the school and ment for you to enjoy. surrounding community is invited to enjoy HEIDI WOLCOTT If you'd like to volVice President, unteer at this event, Bachrodt at Sonoma Bachrodt PTA please call the school Chicken Coop (90 Skyport Dr.) for dinner, between at 535-6211. We look forward to seeing 5 p.m. to closing. Anyone who brings the coupon (included in many of you at our upcoming this newsletter) to the restaurant events at Bachrodt. will help to raise money for the school. Please come join us. We’d also like to invite the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood to our school beautification day Saturday, March 26 at 9:30 a.m. This is a great way to get involved in our neighborhood by helping with projects Tuesday, March 22: at the school. No need to RSVP Dinner at Sonoma — just come over to the Chicken Coop, 90 Skyschool on March 26th and port Dr., 5 p.m. to closing you can pick a project.
Bachrodt activities at a glance
During the month of April, Bachrodt students will be hard at work focused on state standarized tests. Activities and events are kept to a minimum during this time so that students can “do their best on the test!” At the end of each week, students will enjoy some welcome relief
Saturday, March 26: School Beautification Day, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14: May Madness Carnival, 11 a.m. (9 a.m. if you want to volunteer!!)
Add the neighborhood to your social network!
Rosemary Gardens neighbors have a Facebook group and invite you to join! Go to facebook.com and search ‘Rosemary Gardens’ and begin socializing with your neighbors!
4
I
MARCH-APRIL 2011
ROSEMARY GARDENS NEIGHBORLY
S AVE T HE D ATE !
Rosemary Gardens Neighborhood Association
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Neighborhood dates to remember
Mar. 24 Apr. 9 April 7 p.m. Board Meeting 8 a.m. Recycle Drive 7 p.m. Board Meeting
Location: Sonoma Chicken Coop, 90 Skyport Dr.
Spring Yard Sale
Saturday, April 30, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
$4.00 will be collected the day of the sale, this will help defray the cost of advertising. Tips for a successful yard sale:
Group items that are the same price. Keep pricing simple, like 25 cents, 50 cents or $1. Have bags available for people who purchase multiple items.
The RGNA Neighborhood Yard Sale is advertised by the association through local media and large signs posted in the area.
Volunteers: Meet at Rosemary Gardens Park at 8:00 a.m. Date will be determined at the March 24 meeting. Location: Sonoma Chicken Coop, 90 Skyline Dr.
April 30 May. 14
8 a.m.-4 p.m.RGNA Spring Yard Sale 8 a.m. Recycle Drive
More information is on the left of this page. Volunteers: Meet at Rosemary Gardens Park at 8 a.m.
TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! AIR, SEA, LAND OR RAIL! AAA Travel
Can you help the neighborhood?
RECYCLING VOLUNTEERS: We have a recycling fundraiser every 2nd Saturday of the month. Call the RGNA Hotline at (408) 426-4876 for more information. ADVERTISE: Advertising in our newsletter is a good way to get your business card sized message into neighborhood homes. It also helps us offset the rising cost of printing 500 newsletters. E-mail [email protected] or call Lara at (408) 621-5408. DISTRIBUTION: Volunteers distribute newsletters to over 400 homes in Rosemary Gardens. If you can help please contact Lara at (408) 621-5408 or e-mail [email protected].
Nisha Jabar - Vacation Specialist 39600 Balentine Dr. Newark, CA 94560 510-360-3262 [email protected] Call me about special offers for domestic or international travel!
RANSOM S. FIELDS
BSEE + MBA + Credential
Tutor – All Levels
Former High School Science Teacher Motivate Students To Achieve Their Best
[email protected]
Cell: 408-781-4328
help make
your family a
&
our world
Dispose of your medicine properly
Don’t flush or pour your expired or unused medicine down a toilet, sink or drain. Nearest drop-off location for Rosemary Gardens:
Office of the Sherriff, Santa Clara County - Main Lobby 55 W. Younger St., San Jose 95110
little safer
