Dear Neighbor,

  

San José and District 8 have had recent spikes in crime and we are working hard to address the problems. The question is not whether we have crime, its how we address it. San José is still one of the safest big cities in the state and the country according to our Police Chief Chris Moore. Periodic spikes in crime have occurred over the past few decades with the worst having happened in the 1980's, but San José has consistently identified the problems, worked on innovative solutions to combat the crime spikes, and led the nation in creative public safety programs.

 

Everyone agrees, we need more police officers. The way to bring back more officers is to implement pension reform. If we don't implement pension reform, we will continue to have layoffs and budget cuts, which still leaves the City of San José vulnerable to bankruptcy.

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408 Area Code Dialing Changes go Into Effect this October

Last October, the California Public Utilities Commission approved an all-services overlay that will add a new 669 area code to the same region as the existing 408 area code in order to provide additional phone numbers to meet increasing consumer demand. As a result, beginning October 20, 2012, you must dial the 408 area code plus seven digits for making local calls. After this date, if you do not use the new dialing procedures, your calls will not be completed and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again.

Beginning November 20, 2012, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers with the 669 area code. For more information, visit the PUC site.

Are you registered to vote?

It's hard to believe but in Santa Clara County there are approximately 1.1 million eligible voters but only about 755,000 are registered to vote. That's nearly 350,000 people who could be registered to vote but aren't.

Additionally, if you are part of the 70% of County voters who cast their ballots by mail, be sure to double check your ballot before mailing it. In the last election, nearly 2,000 Vote by Mail ballots arrived after Election Day and another 300 were not signed. Unfortunately, under California election law, those ballots could not be counted.

Important California Dates to Remember for the November Election
Monday, October 22nd - Last day to register to vote (must be postmarked by this deadline date)
Tuesday, October 30th - Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot by mail
Tuesday, November 6th - Election Day! - Polls are open 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Please visit the Registrar of Voters website for more information and check the Voter Registration Lookup page to make sure you are registered to vote.

PRNS Fall Leisure Classes - Register Today

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services is offering hundreds of leisure classes, programs, and activities, such as early childhood recreation, dance, music, health and fitness, gymnastics, theater, and many more! Stop by your local community center to pick up a community center brochure or visit www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/cag and find your perfect class today. Payment plans are available for some classes. To register, drop in at a community center near you during office hours or visit us online at www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/register. For more information, please contact the PRNS customer service helpline at (408) 793-5565.

CreaTV "Call for Entries" - Calling All Videomakers!

Deadline: October 22, 2012

CreaTV San José, a non-profit community media center, has issued the "Call for Entries" for the 2012 CreaTiVe Awards. Videomakers in the nine Bay Area counties plus Santa Cruz County are invited to enter the competition for a chance to win Adobe Creative Suite 6 valued at $1,900. Winners will be announced at The 2012 CreaTiVe Awards gala on January 5, 2013, at the California Theatre in San José.

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Community Meeting for New Southeast Branch Library and Fire Station No. 21

Thursday, October 11th, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Fire Station No. 21 Presentation: 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Library Presentation: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Councilmember Rose Herrera invites your participation at a community meeting to help plan the new Southeast Branch Library (to be located in the Evergreen Village Square) and Fire Station No. 21 (to be located on S. White Road across from Lake Cunningham).

For more information please call (408) 535-8450.

5th Annual Disability Awareness Day

Friday, October 12th, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

San José City Hall Rotunda and Plaza, 200 E. Santa Clara Street

Disability Awareness Day is a celebration of unity, inviting the entire community to participate while promoting awareness and appreciation of people with differing abilities. It also provides educational opportunities for the general public to understand the many barriers disabled people encounter in our society. Informational workshops will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and will feature a "Mental Health Matters" Panel Discussion. For workshop topics and registration details please visit: disabilityawarenessday-eivtefrnd.eventbrite.com.

The festivities and resource fair will begin at 10:00 a.m. with Para-Olympic sports demonstrations, live music, and over 70 vendor tables. MC's Sam Van Zandt and Lissa Kreisler from KBAY radio will kick off the lunch time program at noon, which will include special appearances by Chelsie Hill from the television show "Push Girls," Seventeen Magazine's Mia Schaikewitz, also from "Push Girls," and Ali Stroker from the "Glee Project 2." Be sure to stop by and try some delicious food from the food trucks!

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Vice Mayor Nguyen and Councilmembers Herrera and Liccardo during the 2nd Annual Mid Autumn Festival at History Park on 9/22.

Mayor Reed and Councilmember Herrera presenting a commendation to San José Action Sports (formally Save Our Skate Park) for their community support and fundraising efforts for the Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park during the Council meeting on 9/18.

Jessi Kaur of the Sikh Gurdwara - San José performing the invocation for the 9/18 Council meeting.

Chief Congestion Management Agency Officer John Ristow, Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen, Councilmember Rose Herrera, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, County Supervisor Dave Cortese, Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi, Councilmember Xavier Campos, and Congressman Mike Honda during the U.S. 101/Capitol Expressway/Yerba Buena Interchange Improvements Groundbreaking on 9/17. 

 Councilmember Herrera and Meadowfair neighborhood leaders during the Neighborhood Dumpster Day Cleanup in Meadowfair on 9/15.

Pastor Snyder of the Evergreen Valley Pentecostal Church performing the invocation for the 9/11 Council meeting.

View More Photos at the
 D8 Photo Gallery