Dear Neighbor,

 

Last year, our budget season felt like the repeating scenes in the movie, "Ground Hog Day" - more deficits, more cuts. This year we have hope. We do not anticipate a deficit and in fact, for the first time in 10 years, we have a modest General Fund surplus of an estimated $10 million dollars. This is where we have the chance to decide what we value as a community and what our priorities will be.
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Save Money, Earn Rewards and Help San José Win!
 
San José is competing with 9 other cities to be named the Coolest City in California. You can help your city win - just by saving energy! Join Green Energy Match, our city program for saving energy. The program is free, and you'll earn rewards and prizes while you save energy.

• Save Money - reduce your energy bills
• Earn Rewards - coupons for BIG savings from local stores and prizes for energy savings
• Help San José Win - San José has joined a contest to be named the Coolest City in California

Go to www.greenenergymatch.com to sign up. Or call (800) 314-5997. This program is sponsored by the City of San José, Silicon Valley Energy Watch, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, WattzOn and Acterra.
 

Help Get Most Holy Trinity to Washington D.C.!

The work of the Food Justice Ministry is available for the world to see on Michelle Obama's Let's Move Faith and Communities Challenge website. You can help bring Most Holy Trinity (MHT) the visibility it deserves as winning would be a huge honor for San José State University, Most Holy Trinity Church and the Filipino, Samoan, Hispanic and Vietnamese communities involved in this campaign encouraging families to eat healthy. You can vote starting today and everyday until May 11th, 2012!

Learn More and Vote (To vote: set up an account or sign in through your Facebook account)
 

Job Opportunity for Youth Activities Supervisor

Community United San José is hiring a supervisor for youth activities at the Alma Youth Center. The person applying for this job should like to do physical activity, sports and enjoy working with youth ages 8-18 years old. Someone who is working with youth now and needs additional hours or someone who has experience working in youth centers would be preferred but not required. Training will be provided. This is a paid, part-time position, 3 hours a day from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., starting at five days a week with extended hours over the summer.

For more information, please contact Jan Nikitin at jan@communityunitedsj.org.

Calling All Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park Friends

Through the City of San José Public Art Program at Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park (LCRSP), Artist Stephen Glassman would like to keep you updated on what's happening with the project in his studio. Like his studio on Facebook page to keep in touch and share your ideas, photos and videos of you and your friends at the Skate Park.

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Special Jewish Film Festival Events

The Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival Promises new commitments to Jewish cinema in the South Bay and now in its 19th year, the San José Jewish Film Festival has been reinventing itself. Reflecting the growth of the region, as well as the year-after-year expansion of the Film Festival programming, the SJJFF changed its name to the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival (SVJFF). To learn more about the special film events coming up such as Dolphin Boy on May 20th and In Darkness on June 3rd, visit www.svjff.org.

New App for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
 

New app, PTSD Coach, was designed for veterans and military service members who have, or may have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This app provides users with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support and tools that can help users manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD. Tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies. This app can be used by people who are in treatment as well as those who are not. PTSD Coach was created by VA's National Center for PTSD and DoD's National Center for Telehealth & Technology.

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San José Receives State Funding to Assist First-time Homebuyers

The San José City Council approved the acceptance of Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods (BEGIN) funds from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in the amount of $5.5 million. The funds will be used to provide low-interest mortgage loans to approximately 65 low and moderate-income families in two targeted San José housing communities: Pepper Lane (Phase I) townhome development and Westmount Square single family/townhome development.

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Planning Commission Recruitment

Deadline: Friday May 11, 2012, by 5:00 p.m.

The San José City Council is accepting applications to fill up to four seats on the Planning Commission for terms ending June 30, 2016. Applicants to this Commission must have been both citizens of the United States and residents of the City of San José for one year preceding appointment, and additionally must be registered voters in the City of San José at the time of appointment.

The Planning Commission advises and makes recommendations to the City Council on all matters relating to the future physical development of the City with respect to land use and development zoning and subdivision regulations and the City's Capital Improvement Programs.

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Project 500 Squared Energy Efficiency Information Meetings
Every Saturday, May 5th - June 23rd, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Evergreen Community Center, 4860 San Felipe Road

Councilmember Herrera and local skaters meeting Artist Stephen Glassman in preparation for the public art project at Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park on 4/28.

Councilmember Herrera and Pastor Tim Wood, from the Evergreen Valley Church, during the Beautiful Day volunteer project in the Tully Ocala Cunningham King Neighborhood on 4/28.

Recipients of the Business Journal Women of Influence 2012: Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Julie Packard, Councilmember Rose Herrera and City of San José Budget Director Jennifer Maguire during the recognition reception at the Fairmont Hotel in San José on 4/27.

Councilmember Herrera high-fiving teams of the Evergreen Little League during their Opening Day at Chaboya Middle School on 4/22.

Councilmember Herrera with Pastor Jon Talbert and the Beautiful Day team as a proclamation declaring the Month of April 2012 as "National Volunteer Month" was presented in the City of San José on 4/17.

Councilmember Herrera welcoming dogs on a leash to Lake Cunningham Regional Park during the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on 4/14.

Councilmember Herrera presenting a check to Juanita Morales-Euresti of the San José Vet Center during the 7th Annual Veterans Resource Fair at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on 4/14.

Councilmember Herrera, Carl Guardino of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Congresspersons Honda and Lofgren, VTA Board of Directors and others at Groundbreaking for the Berryessa Extension on 4/12.

Councilmember Herrera, Our City Forest and Girl Scout and parent volunteers during the Estates neighborhood tree planting on 4/7.

Councilmember Herrera during the Neighborhood Cleanup at Cadwallader on 4/7.

Councilmember Herrera greeting egg hunters at the Evergreen Valley Church's annual Egg Hunt at Dove Hill Elementary School on 4/7.

Councilmember Herrera speaking with Boy Scout Troop 256 at the Latter Day Saints Church on McLaughlin Ave on 4/4.

View More Photos at the
 D8 Photo Gallery