Hi Neighbor,

During the holiday season, the surge in shopping, travel, and gatherings can lead to an increase in package theft, mail tampering, and home burglaries. By following these SJPD holiday safety tips, you can help keep your home and deliveries secure—and enjoy the holidays with peace of mind.

To protect your packages, many neighbors have found success using alternate delivery options like package lockers and in-store pickup. If you are sending out mail, dropping it off directly at the post office is a safer choice than leaving it in your mailbox.

It's also important to take steps to secure your home, even if you're only going out for a short period of time. Make sure all doors, windows, garages, and outdoor storage areas are locked before you leave your home. Using timer-controlled lights or leaving a car in the driveway can help make your home appear occupied.

And, as always, our neighborhoods are stronger when we look out for one another. So, if you'll be gone, consider asking a neighbor to grab your mail or keep an eye on your home.

From my family to yours, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!



P.S. Make sure to fill out the District 8 Community Survey by next Sunday!

It is my pleasure and privilege to serve as your City Councilmember,

Domingo Candelas

City of San José District 8

Learn more about our community work and accomplishments in my past newsletters from February 2023 onward, which provide a wealth of information including updates on legislation, community events, and important issues like the City budget, public safety, homelessness and more.

Please share this with your neighbors and let them know what's happening in my district. They can sign up by following this link.

Upcoming Events

District 8 Community Survey

Survey Link Here

Enlace de Encuesta (Español)

Survey Link (in Vietnamese)

We'd like to hear from you; filling out the survey will take no more than 5 minutes! Help my office improve our neighborhoods by giving us your feedback on the issues that matter most to you. Your response will help us ensure equity and inclusivity when planning our events and activations for the year!

 Help Us Plan Youth Skateboard & Bike Lessons at Lake Cunningham!

Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park is launching new Skateboard and Bike lesson programs — and we want your input!

The City of San José is planning two separate 7-week programs.

Before we schedule, we are asking families which days and times work best.

Scholarships are available to ensure all interested youth can participate.

 Location: Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park

 Each Program: 1.5 hours, once a week for 7 weeks

Share your preferences and help us shape these exciting new programs: https://forms.office.com/g/qSuH1quHXd?origin=lprLink

In Our Community

Tree Planting at Welch Park

Over 20 volunteers joined us for a beautiful day of tree planting with Our City Forest and the Welch Park Neighborhood Association! In the end, we planted 50 trees!

Dumpster Day

A big thank you to everyone who came out for our final Dumpster Day of the year! Your efforts to clear out unwanted items have helped keep our neighborhoods more beautiful for all. Looking forward to more Dumpster Days in 2026! Sign up for our Dumpster Day email list here.

Garden Beautification Day in Welch Park

We've had a lot of fun working with neighbors in Welch Park, building community together. What started as an illegal dumping hotspot is slowly transforming into a pollinator garden with the help of our students from Katherine Smith Elementary and families from the Welch Park neighborhood.

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Please help support our gardening efforts with TREBA's fundraiser! They have been an incredible partner throughout the entire transformation process!

Small Business Spotlight

Red Demon Tattoos Grand Opening

Red Demon Tattoos is more than a business. It embodies hard work and determination.

The owner, Vu Nguyen, found comfort and inspiration through drawing as a child, discovered tattooing in high school, and launched his professional career as an artist in 2003.

I'm proud to have them in District 8!

Visit District 8 Businesses for Your Holiday Needs!

District 8 is home to a diverse array of goods and services that will elevate your gatherings this holiday season.

The Tully Road Eastridge Business Association, Evergreen Village Square, and Evergreen Business Association all have cultivated a bustling environment with local staples and many mom-and-pop shops to choose from!

Exciting News!

 The Evergreen SJ Business Association has officially expanded its reach to include the fantastic businesses at Evergreen Village Square and the busy San Felipe & Yerba Buena shopping plaza!

As the second and newest business association formed in District 8, this expansion signifies another significant step toward strengthening our local business community and stimulating economic growth. 

District 8 Small Business Spotlight Suggestions

Fill out the form here!

City Hall Update

On November 4th, the City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new tobacco retailer, smoke shop, and smoking lounge permits.

The initial call for a temporary moratorium came earlier in the year. My colleagues, Councilmembers Ortiz, Campos, Cohen, Casey, and I presented a memo to the Rules & Open Government Committee because we recognize the harmful effects of tobacco in our communities.

We have seen a disproportionate number of smoke shops and tobacco retailers in East San Jose. Santa Clara County’s Latino Health Assessment found that the density of tobacco retailers was more than double in East San José than in the county overall. (6.7 retailer outlets per square mile compared to the county’s 3.0).

This moratorium will not negatively impact the existing businesses who are operating under the law. Rather, we intend to address the increase in unpermitted businesses who are profiteering from our community through illegal tobacco, cannabis, and firearms sales.

At the end of the day, profit should not come at the expense of our youth and vulnerable communities.

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Second, the Evergreen Branch Library will serve as an Overnight Warming Location (OWL) from late November through April. This is an important, safe space for many of our unhoused individuals who seek shelter during extreme weather conditions.

The OWL program provides overnight shelter, along with supportive services and helps connect people with housing and other resources. While we help our unhoused neighbors get through the challenges of winter, please reach out to my team if there are any other issues that come up because of this program. We will be hypervigilant of encampments in the area and work closely with staff to ensure that our neighbors are not affected.

Activating Our Neighborhoods

Building strong neighborhoods starts with you! Joining a neighborhood association not only builds community block by block, but it also brings critical information to the forefront as I draft policy and fight for dollars in the budget. As a councilmember, I rely on the eyes and ears of each resident, and your collective voices take shape in the form of neighborhood groups.

Here is a list of active neighborhood associations in District 8:



• Welch Park - Between Ocala Ave, King Rd & Tully Rd
• Norwood - Between Tully Rd, Ruby Ave, Norwood Ave & S White Rd
• Meadowfair - Between East Capitol, Aborn Rd, S King Rd & Rigoletto Dr
• Creekside - Between San Felipe Rd & Cadwallader Ave
• Brahms/Edgeview - Between Rigoletto Dr, S King Rd, Tully Rd & Quimby Rd
• Silver Oak Estates - Silver Oak St, Rachaella Lane & Carmella Ct
• Evergreen Leadership - Neighborhoods of Groesbeck, Hidden Glens, Pleasant Hills & Quimby
• Thompson Creek - E Capitol Expwy, Aborn Rd, White Rd & Quimby Rd
• Brigadoon - E Capitol Expwy, Aborn Rd, Nieman Blvd, Wendover Lane, Baronet Ct, Yerba Buena Road & Silver Creek Rd
• District 8 Community Roundtable - District-wide

If you would like to get involved in your neighborhood association, or you do not see your neighborhood listed and would like to activate your neighborhood, please reach out to sachin.radhakrishnan@sanjoseca.gov

VTA Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Update

ONGOING AND ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

1. NEW TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONFIGURATION OVERNIGHT GIRDER INSTALLATION: Northbound Capitol Expressway Two Left Turn Lanes Closed at Ocala Avenue

Both left turn lanes will be closed, from northbound Capitol Expressway to westbound Ocala Avenue, until mid-November. Follow detour signs.

2. TURN RESTRICTION: Southbound Capitol Expressway to Eastbound Ocala Avenue

One left-turn lane remains open until June 2026.

3. CIDH PILE DRILLING: S. Capitol Avenue between Wilbur Avenue and Capitol Expressway

Day Work

Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26

Cast-In-Drilled-Hole (CIDH) pile drilling activities are underway in the near S. Capitol Avenue Close to Highwood Drive. This activity is in the northern end of the project and includes installing soldier pile and steel plates for shoring.

4. PILE DRIVING: Story Road and Capitol Expressway

Day Work

Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26

Permanent pile driving is completed in the median. Crews will continue installing falsework in the median to construct the bridge. Construction may temporarily impact northbound and southbound traffic.

5. BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION: Story Road to Ocala Avenue

Day Work

Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26

Bridge construction in some sections, including rebar, sound barriers, station electrical, communications conduits, and other work to be conducted during the day.

6. FALSEWORK INSTALLATION: Northbound Capitol Expressway Overnight Work with Road Closures  

Falsework will be installed on northbound Capitol Expressway between Cunningham Avenue and Ocala Avenue, with crews working as follows: 

• Sunday night, November 23 through Monday morning, November 24
• Tuesday night, November 25 through Wednesday morning, November 26

Expect overnight lane closures and road closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM. Follow detour signs.

6. FALSEWORK REMOVAL: Cunningham Ave to Tully Road

Overnight Work with Road Closures

Southbound Capitol Expressway

Falsework will be removed on southbound Capitol Expressway between Cunningham Avenue and Tully Road, with crews working as follows: 

• Sunday night, November 23 through Monday morning, November 24
• Tuesday night, November 25 through Wednesday morning, November 26

Expect overnight lane closures and road closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM. Follow detour signs.

7. RETAINING WALLS, REBAR & CONCRETE POURING: South End

Day Work

Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26

Crews are working on retaining walls and pouring concrete at various locations where the light rail descends towards Eastridge Station. Other crews are working near the Eastridge Bus Transit Center area along Capitol Expressway to install conduits and pull boxes for future power connections.

This work may require intermittent, temporary lane closures.

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Any questions, comments, and concerns can be directed to the VTA Community Outreach Office at community.outreach@vta.org or (408) 321-7575. Please make sure to provide your name, address, a summary of your concern, and your phone number.

SAFETY REMINDERS

• Pay close attention to detour signs and lane closures
• Reduce speed through construction zones
• Avoid distractions such as mobile devices
• Use alternate routes when possible

DAY AND NIGHT WORK SCHEDULES

• Day crews work Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am through 5:00 pm

• Night crews work from Sunday night through Friday morning, from 10:00 pm through 7:00 am.

• Weekend day and night crews work as needed.

• Crew schedules and construction activities can change at any time.

*Construction activities can change at any time

City Services

To combat the rise of vehicles with expired registration, the City of San Jose has created a new team under the Department of Transportation that deals solely with citing and towing vehicles with expired registration for at least 1 year. Please be aware that they are currently completing their sweep of the city, citing and towing any vehicles that fit this criterion. 

To report vehicles with expired registration, please use the 311 app. 

If you are reporting a general vehicle concern, you can also use the 311 app. For DOT to cite or tow the vehicle, it must be one of these options highlighted and fit the requirements under each of the categories in the image below. DOT will conduct its investigation to determine if it meets the threshold to be cited or towed once you have filed a report. 

To learn more about free legal services through the Elevate Community Center, click here!

Announcements

San Jose Firefighters Fill the Boot

Help the San Jose Firefighters raise funds for burn survivors!

Donations can be made through the website or Venmo (@SanJoseFirefighters-Burn).

If you'd like to volunteer at the event, email billy.tyson@sjff.org or wbarone911@yahoo.org

Overfelt High School Holiday Fundraiser

This year, Overfelt High School will be using their Holiday Scholarship Fundraiser as an opportunity to bring the community together once again to Make Spirits Bright with three nights for our community to drive through (and walk-through) the C-wing and experience holiday joy.

You can join them on December 12th, 13th, and 14th from 6pm-9pm. Admission is free and donations will be accepted. All trees will be donated to Overfelt families at the end of the event. 

You can donate to scholarships online by sponsoring a tree for student groups to decorate. There are four levels of sponsorship. Each level helps provide decorated trees for families. 

You can also make a donation on PayPal Giving Fund Page or in person at the event.

Become an Advocate Volunteer

Working with children in foster care can be tough and demanding, but it's also very impactful. As an Advocate Volunteer, you have the ability to help a foster child overcome the effects of having experienced abuse, neglect and/or abandonment. This can completely alter the life trajectory of a child.

SHOW UP for a foster child! Learn how you can make a difference in a foster child's life by attending a virtual volunteer info session.