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Hi Neighbor,
Did you know that the San Jose Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) Department has a Volunteer Management Unit (VMU)? The VMU hosts FREE volunteer events throughout San Jose that anyone can participate in!
Volunteers with our Parks & Rec Department play a vital role in keeping our parks and trails safe and well-maintained so that everyone can continue to enjoy them! For those looking to make a real difference in their neighborhood, a community day will be held on Sunday, September 14th, at Evergreen Park. All ages are welcome for a day of service from 9:45am until 12:30pm. Additional details and registration info are available here!
If you're looking for a long-term volunteer opportunity, the Adopt-A-Park/Trail Program is for you! This option is perfect for service clubs, faith-based organizations, and neighborhood associations. To learn more about the service commitment and application process, visit the PRNS webpage.
By maintaining our public spaces, we have more opportunities for activation events, building stronger neighborhoods!
It is my pleasure and privilege to serve as your City Councilmember,
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Domingo Candelas
City of San José District 8
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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.
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Community Coffee
Eastridge Center
Friday, September 12
9:30am-11:00am
Meet with Councilmember Candelas and Supervisor Duong to share your ideas, questions and concerns over a cup of coffee.
Please arrive early as community members will meet on a first-come, first-serve basis
RSVP here!
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Movie Night in District 8
Friday, September 19
5pm-8pm
Meadowfair Park
There is ONE MORE opportunity left to participate in family-friendly activities at our local parks! Join us at Meadowfair Park for a movie night.
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Music & Movie in the Square
The Music in the Square Summer Series has come to an end with a performance by Cadillac Jack and the Norcal Academy of Performing Arts!
I want to thank every band that participated and our partners, Shapell Properties and the District 8 Community Roundtable, who helped make this happen! I look forward to hosting Music in the Square again next summer. Let us know which bands you'd like to see by filling out this form.
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EVC 50th Birthday Bash
Evergreen Valley College celebrated 50 years of educational excellence and student empowerment! Proud to have this amazing institution of higher education in my district!
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D8 Dumpster Days
The Norwood & Thompson Creek neighborhoods came out in full force for their Dumpster Day! We're working hard to keep our community clean, one Dumpster Day at a time!
Special shoutout to the Norwood Neighborhood Association for helping residents lift their items into the bins!
| | Small Business Spotlight | | |
Visit Le Boulanger in Evergreen!
Located in the plaza at the intersection of San Felipe Rd. & Yerba Buena Ave, Le Boulanger has been a staple for several years. They offer delicious sandwiches, salads, and soups, and a variety of breads baked fresh in-house!
Le Boulanger Evergreen recently renovated its entire store to offer a more welcoming and comfortable seating area for the community. It's a great place to work from home or study for a class!
During the upcoming holiday season, be sure to stop by for their seasonal treats! Want to embrace the upcoming transition to autumn? Try the Pumpkin Spice Latte crafted with their fresh syrup and pumpkin spice topping!
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District 8 Small Business Spotlight Suggestions
Fill out the form here!
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San José’s PA’LANTE (Moving Forward) Transit Project Approved by VTA Board of Directors
As a member of the VTA Board of Directors, I am proud to announce that the San Jose PA'LANTE project will receive $3.45 million in funding. This project hopes to bring an all-electric microtransit service to East San José, providing an anticipated 107 service hours per week with a target wait time of 15 minutes.
PA’LANTE received the full funding through Cycle 2 of the 2016 Measure B Innovative Transit Service Models Competitive Grant Program. The $3.45 million allocation is anticipated to fund PA’LANTE for 3 years, with the City of San José managing the program.
I am thrilled to see this microtransit service come to reality for East San José. While we have recently seen major progress on long-overdue transit investments, including the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector that is continuing to move along, this has not always been the case. This pilot program will serve the city’s working-class families and climate-conscious residents of all backgrounds, but especially our transit-dependent communities.
The PA’LANTE program service area is anticipated to cover approximately 11 square miles from Mabury Road south to Tully Road; Highway 101 east to White Road, and Senter Road from Story Road to Tully Road. This perimeter encompasses various community destinations, such as the BART Berryessa Station, Lake Cunningham Regional Park, the Mexican Heritage Plaza, Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, and San José Regional Medical Center, with many more destinations within immediate proximity, including Eastridge Center and the Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC).
| | Activating Our Neighborhoods | | |
I want to recognize 3 outstanding community members who have taken the initiative to keep their neighborhoods clean: Ame, Paola, and Wendy!
After noticing that discarded litter was building up throughout their neighborhood, they took the initiative to carry a trash bag and litter stick during their walks. The first time they did this, they emptied the trash bag 4 times! Now, Ame, Paola, and Wendy visit the Evergreen Village Square and Fowler Creek Park area to do their part in beautifying our public spaces.
Once we heard of their great work, my office supplied them with disposable gloves, heavy duty bags, and litter sticks! If you and your neighbors would like to make a difference in your community by doing the same as Ame, Paola, and Wendy, reach out to Sachin (sachin.radhakrishnan@sanjoseca.gov) on the D8 team.
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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:
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Welch Park - Between Ocala Ave., King Rd & Tully Rd.
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Norwood - Between Tully Rd, Ruby Ave, Norwood Ave & S. White Rd
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Meadowfair - Between East Capitol, Aborn Rd, S King Rd & Rigoletto Dr
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Creekside - Between San Felipe Rd & Cadwallader Ave
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Brahms/Edgeview - Between Rigoletto Dr, S King Rd, Tully Rd & Quimby Rd
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Silver Oak Estates - Silver Oak St, Rachaella Lane & Carmella Ct.
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Evergreen Leadership - Neighborhoods of Groesbeck, Hidden Glens, Pleasant Hills & Quimby
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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
• NEW TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONFIGURATION
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 October 31, 2025. Follow detour signs.
• TURN RESTRICTION
Southbound Capitol Expressway to Eastbound Ocala Avenue
One left-turn lane remains open until June 2026.
• FALSEWORK INSTALLATION
Northbound Capitol Expressway between Ocala Avenue and Story Road
Falsework will be installed on the northbound Capitol Expressway between Ocala Avenue and Story Road, with crews working as follows:
- Monday night, September 8 through Thursday morning, September 11
Expect overnight lane closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM Please follow detour signs.
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
| | Help keep our parks beautiful, healthy and safe. If you see any maintenance issues or other problems that are occurring in a San José park, please fill out the Park Concerns Form, call (408) 793-5510 or email Park.Concerns@sanjoseca.gov to report a concern. | | |
The City of San José is spreading the word about the 988 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline. This lifeline gives you free, confidential, and compassionate emotional support when you need help. Contacting 988 connects you to a trained counselor who is here for you, no matter what you are going through. If you are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, or thoughts of self-harm, reach out to 988.
Click here to learn more about the 988 lifeline.
| | To learn more about free legal services through the Elevate Community Center, click here! | | |
The City's Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs helps small businesses thrive by connecting them to important resources and tools.
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Disability Access Improvement Grants for Small Businesses
San José Small Business Owners: The City's Disability Access Improvement Grants program will support your responsibility to comply with the federal Americans with Disability Act and the California Building Code. The grant will help you pay for a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) report and to hire professionals to design and remove ADA barriers.
More information about qualifying for grant assistance can be found here.
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Evergreen Valley High School Dandiya
Join us for a night of Dandiya – a traditional Indian dance – along with food, Bollywood songs, multi-cultural booths, and more.
Tickets: Single: $22 | Kids (under 5): FREE | Groups 10+: $18 each | At the door: $25
Get your tickets here
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Call for Submissions: Sports-Themed Photographs for Display at City Hall
The Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs is seeking submissions of new or previously shot digital sports-themed photographs from San José photographers (both professional and non-professional) for temporary display between January - July, 2026 on monitors in public spaces in City Hall, in conjunction with major sports events that will be held in the area during that time. The deadline to submit is Monday, September 15, 2025.
Find detailed information about the project and how to apply here.
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Park Activation Grant
The third annual Neighborhoods Conference will take place on Saturday, October 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Hall Rotunda. This free event connects neighborhood leaders, City staff, and partner agencies to share resources, build community, and learn how to access City services that keep neighborhoods safe, clean, and engaged. Registration is open to all neighborhood leaders at http://bit.ly/sj-neighborhoods. Visit the Neighborhoods Conference webpage for more information, including descriptions for each workshop!
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Autumn Litter Harvest
On Saturday, October 25 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., neighborhoods and community groups across the city will come together for a citywide cleanup event. BeautifySJ will provide all the supplies—you just bring your community spirit! Want to host a cleanup site? Contact neighborhoodlitter@sanjoseca.gov to sign up and help keep San José beautiful.
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Project Foodbox for Medi-Cal Members
Click here to get more info!
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