Hi Neighbor,


August is here, which means a new school year and the resumption of City Council meetings for the new fiscal year!


I would like to wish all of our students, parents/guardians, and faculty an exciting school year filled with fun, community, and learning. My team and I are always available to support throughout the year. I urge everyone to practice extra caution and awareness when driving in school zones to ensure our students and community stay safe. Scroll to our 'Announcements' section to learn important safety tips during arrival and dismissal times.


Our City Council meetings will resume on Tuesday, August 12. As a reminder, the City of San José livestreams and uploads every Council meeting on YouTube.


Lastly, Indian Independence Day is on Friday, August 15! I invite you to join me at City Hall for the Indian Flag Raising Ceremony from 5:30-7:30pm. Cultural dances and light refreshments inside the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda will precede the ceremony. The City will also light the Tower orange, white, and green, in honor of the flag of India, on August 11-17, 2025, to commemorate the rich history and diversity of Indo-American heritage in San José.


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

Indian Flag Raising Ceremony

San Jose City Hall

Friday, August 15, 2025

5:30pm-7:30pm

Join us for the Indian flag-raising, cultural performances, and light refreshments

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!

Music in the Square

Every Friday @ Evergreen Village Square

June 6-August 29, 2025

6-8pm

Join us at the Evergreen Village Square for live entertainment and fun every Friday until August 29, where we will close out our summer series with a fun movie night!

Park Activations in District 8

Two opportunities left to participate in family-friendly activities this summer at our local parks!

In Your Community

Public Safety Night

Last week, we held our first-ever Public Safety Night! This special edition of Music in the Square connected nearly 200 residents to various public safety agencies and community organizations.

Thank you to the San Jose Police Department, San Jose Fire Department and Firefighters, District Attorney's Office, D8 CERT Team, and Independent Police Auditor's Office for tabling!

National Night Out

District 8 was home to 6 neighborhood block parties for this year's National Night Out! Glad to see many families building community while also connecting with City resources and our public safety agencies.

AIA's Indian Independence Day Celebration

Thousands of community members gathered at Discovery Meadow to celebrate India's 78th Independence Day with live music, food, and a flag raising ceremony!

Black August

The African Ancestry Museum & Educational Center held a night of culture, community, and collective action to honor the revolutionary legacy of Black August. Many folks came together to enjoy games, cultural dishes, and music!

Community Garage Sale

Neighbors in the Yerba Buena Villas came together to host a community-wide garage sale featuring a variety of items up for grabs and a very refreshing pool party!

Press Conference on the Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act

On July 31, I joined U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, law enforcement, and immigration advocates to announce the introduction of the Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act, new federal legislation to strengthen protections for undocumented immigrant survivors and witnesses of crimes who cooperate with law enforcement. 

This is a crucial step in maintaining trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement to ensure public safety.

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
  • 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 Future Closures*


ONGOING AND ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES


• NEW TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONFIGURATION 

Capitol Expressway and Ocala Avenue

Since July 2, there is only one left turn lane from southbound Capitol Expressway to eastbound Ocala Avenue. U-turns are still possible.


On August 19 crews will stripe the northbound Capitol Expressway roadway at the Ocala Avenue intersection, to prepare for the temporary traffic configuration where both left turn lanes will be closed, from northbound Capitol Expressway to westbound Ocala Avenue until the middle of November. Follow detour signs.


• FALSEWORK REMOVAL | Southbound Capitol Expressway| Between Cunningham Avenue and Tully Road - Overnight work and lane closure  

Falsework and rebar installation on southbound Capitol Expressway between Cunningham Avenue and Tully Road, as follows: 

  • Sunday night, August 10 through Friday morning, August 15


Expect overnight lane closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM during weekdays and from 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM on weekends. Please follow detour signs.


• DRAINAGE & SANITARY SYSTEMS

LANE CLOSURE | Northbound S. Capitol Avenue/Highwood Drive/Crossroads Shopping Center

Drainage work is currently underway during the day at S. Capitol Avenue near Highwood Drive, close to the Crossroads Shopping Center, as follows:

• Monday, August 11 through Wednesday, August 13


SIDEWALK CLOSURE – NO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS – FOLLOW DETOUR 

NO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS | Ocala Avenue Intersection 

The sidewalk located at the northeast corner of Capitol Expressway and Ocala Avenue is currently closed 24/7. To access the northbound Ocala BRT stop, pedestrians and bicyclists should detour via Ocala Avenue to South Capitol Avenue. Follow detour signs. 



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

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!

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Access for All Scholarship

The Happy Hollow Park & Zoo offers discounted rates for families receiving government assistance, such as Medical, food stamps, WIC, etc. Access for All provides four discounted tickets at $4 each. Guests can receive this discounted rate every time they visit HHPZ!

Learn more about the program here!

Local Businesses

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.

Announcements

EV Ride-and-Drive

Silicon Valley Clean Cities’ annual Ride-and-Drive event is a great opportunity that allows participants to test drive electric and alternately fueled vehicles. Electric vehicles are not only better for the environment but are generally more reliable than petroleum-fueled vehicles, run more smoothly and quietly, are very practical, easy to charge, and economical.

Register here!

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El evento anual “Ride-and-Drive” de Silicon Valley Clean Cities es una excelente oportunidad para que nuestra comunidad pruebe vehículos eléctricos y con combustibles alternativos. Los vehículos eléctricos no solo son mejores para el medio ambiente, sino también, más confiables que los vehículos que usan gasolina, funcionan de manera más suave y silenciosa, son muy prácticos, fáciles de cargar y económicos.

Registrese aqui!

Shape the Future of the San Jose Public Library with a Survey

San José Public Library (SJPL) and San José Public Library Foundation are embarking on an exciting journey that will shape the future of our library system. In the spirit of providing our residents with the best resources and services possible, we are developing a new Facilities and Customer Experience Plan. This plan will help guide improvements to our buildings and the services we offer over the next several years.

Click the link to the survey here

Become a Heat Ambassador

Summer is here, and so is the extreme heat that often comes with it. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department is launching the 2025 Extreme Heat Media Campaign to share vital resources and practical tips that help people protect themselves, their families, and their communities from heat-related illness this summer.

Want to get involved? Become a Heat Ambassador!

As a Heat Ambassador, you’ll receive a free digital toolkit with ready-to-share images and captions in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese for your social media and other communication channels.

It only takes a few minutes each week to participate, and your participation can make a meaningful difference in keeping our community safe. 

There is no cost to participate. Sign up today by completing the form at tinyurl.com/HeatSafeSCC

 For any questions, please contact: tonya.veitch@phd.sccgov.org 

Join the San Jose Police Department

SJPD is dedicated to providing public safety through community partnerships and 21st Century Policing practices.

Visit the San Jose Police Recruitment website by clicking here

Project Foodbox for Medi-Cal Members

Click here to get more info!

Open Space Authority Grant Program

The Open Space Authority Urban Grant Program is BACK! Funded by Measure T, this competitive grant program funds projects that bring nature to urban communities. Eligible applicants include local public agencies, schools and school districts, and nonprofits within the Open Space Authority's jurisdiction.

Full applications are due by 5pm PDT Tuesday, October 14, 2025. For more information, including Urban Grant Program guidelines and resources, please visit here!
District 8 Website

Office of Councilmember Domingo Candelas | 200 E. Santa Clara St. | San José, CA 95113 US

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