Hi Neighbors,

As we near the First Day of Summer, keep in mind that the Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Lake Cunningham is almost here!

Join us for a family-friendly event featuring food trucks, live music, kid-friendly activities, and a professional fireworks show that will light up the sky. Entry is FREE, with the event starting at 3pm. Important event information is down below! 

We see an increase in fireworks being set off in our neighborhoods around the Fourth of July. Every year, people get seriously and permanently injured because they underestimate the power of fireworks.

Keep our community safe by reporting illegal fireworks to 3-1-1. Please complete the form fully and include as much info as possible. For the City to investigate your report and potentially issue a warning or citation, you must be a logged-in user with a 3-1-1 account.

Celebrate responsibly by attending a professional and permitted fireworks display!

Lastly, this week, the City Council unanimously passed the Mayor's June Budget Message. See our City Hall Update below for the District 8 highlights.

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

Music in the Square

Every Friday @ Evergreen Village Square

June 6-August 29, 2025

6-8pm

Music in the Square is back for the summer!

Join us at the Evergreen Village Square for some live entertainment and fun every Friday, except for July 4th.

Park Activations in District 8

There will be multiple opportunities to participate in family-friendly activities this summer at our local parks!

Click the link to register!

In Your Community

Music in the Square Opening Night

Our Music in the Square Summer Series kicked off on June 6th with Eastside Funk! If you missed our opening night, we'll be at the Evergreen Village Square every Friday from 6-8pm until August 29th.

Bring your family and friends and enjoy the vibes!

Viva Calle

The Lake Cunningham Activity Hub for Viva Calle on June 8 was filled with hundreds of families and individuals looking to spend some quality time in their community! From resource booths to BMX bike shows at the Action Sports Park, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Commendation for Berton Keith

I was proud to present Berton Keith with a commendation recognizing his outstanding dedication to our community.

Berton exemplifies the meaning of a community leader through his ongoing efforts to beautify and maintain the public spaces near his home.

Evergreen Estates Dumpster Day

My office hosted a Dumpster Day in the Evergreen Estates neighborhood as part of our efforts to keep our community clean. Thank you to the neighbors who endured the hot weather that day to throw out their items! Click here to sign up for our Dumpster Day email list.

VE Art Studio Exhibition

The VE Art Studio had their annual art exhibition at the Evergreen Village Square on May 31. I had the honor of presenting certificates to our talented young artists, and I'll be showcasing a few standout pieces in my office soon!

Aborn Park Community Cleanup

During our community cleanup at Aborn Park, the volunteers and I pulled weeds, cleared litter, and gave the benches a fresh coat of paint.

City Hall Update

This week, the City Council unanimously approved the Mayor's budget message for the upcoming fiscal year. Throughout this budget season, I committed to hearing directly from District 8 residents on their priorities and concerns. I held budget meetings in various neighborhoods, including our successful Budget Breakfast back in February.

The June Budget Message for 2025-2026 included all of the Budget Documents that my office authored to help address district needs:

• $100,000 for the 2026 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Lake Cunningham

• $30,000 for targeted traffic safety improvements, such as centerlines, edge lines, and mini-roundabouts

• $25,000 for vibrancy improvements to the Evergreen Village Square, including safety flags for crosswalks, new trash cans, trees, and improved light fixtures on palm trees

• $10,000 to create artwork on utility boxes and pedestrian bridges, deterring vandalism and graffiti

• $10,000 to uplift community garden projects in the District

• $10,000 to the Evergreen Business Association to support membership expansion, marketing campaigns, and outreach efforts.

• $10,000 to advance equity by waiving fees for sports and recreation programs for youth, including but not limited to programs at Overfelt, Silver Creek, and Evergreen Valley High School.

In addition to our Budget Documents, the 2025-2026 Budget will include $748,00 for the temporary revival of the MED 30, a critical unit of our San Jose Fire Department. And, $1 million in one-time funding to support organizations, like the Rapid Response Network and SIREN, that provide critical resources to our immigrant community.

Lastly, as a strong advocate for the Responsible Landlord Engagement Initiative (RLEI), I am proud to announce that $250,000 has been allocated to fund the program for another year. RLEI helps mediate local disputes among neighbors by notifying negligent landlords of necessary improvements to improve neighborhood conditions, and by providing another avenue of resolution beyond contacting SJPD or Code Enforcement.

Activating Our Neighborhoods

Reach out to my office if you're interested in planning a National Night Out event in your neighborhood! We'd love to support you!

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 my team at sachin.

VTA Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Update

Ongoing and Future Closures*

ONGOING AND ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

• TEMPORARY SOUNDWALL | Capitol Avenue and Highwood Drive

Crews will install a temporary sound wall near the cul-de-sac on S. Capitol Avenue and Highwood Drive, in the northern part of the project, from Monday, June 30 through Thursday, July 3.

• STRIPING | Southbound Capitol Expressway

On Tuesday night, June 24 through Wednesday morning, June 25, crews will stripe the roadway on southbound Capitol Expressway, from 300 ft north of Ocala Avenue to 500 ft south of Ocala Avenue.

The new, temporary traffic configuration will provide one left turn lane from southbound Capitol Expressway to eastbound Ocala Avenue. U-turns will still be possible. Overnight work is from 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM.

Crews will return on July 31 to stripe the roadway on northbound Capitol Expressway at the Ocala Avenue intersection. The new, temporary traffic configuration will close both left turn lanes from northbound Capitol Expressway to westbound Ocala Avenue. Overnight work is from 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM.

•FALSEWORK REMOVAL | Northbound Capitol Expressway

Falsework removal is currently underway on northbound Capitol Expressway between Ocala Avenue and Story Road, with crews working as follows:

•   Sunday night, June 15 through Friday morning, June 21

•   Sunday night, June 29 through Friday morning, July 4

Expect overnight road closures from Ocala Avenue to Story Road (northbound) with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM and from 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM on weekends. Please follow detour signs. 

• FALSEWORK AND REBAR INSTALLATION | Southbound Capitol Expressway

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

•   Sunday night, June 8 through Saturday morning, June 14

•   Sunday night, June 15 through Saturday morning, June 21

•   Sunday night, June 22 through Saturday morning, June 28

•   Sunday night, June 29 through Friday morning, July 4

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 

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

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

•   Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 13

•   Monday, June 16 through Friday, June 20

•   Monday, June 23 through Friday, June 27

•   Monday, June 30 through Thursday, July 3

•   Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11

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

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

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

Resilience Corps is now hiring for the 2025-26 academic year! The program provides hands-on experience, monthly professional development, a competitive wage, and structured support to help eligible participants explore careers in education, technology, and public service.  

Applications are open now until July 3, 2025.  

Slam Jose! 

Registration: $250 per team, includes free Slam Jose! T-shirt for each player!

Registration closes on Tuesday, June 17th at 11:59am.

Games will be played outdoor courts on Park Avenue and South Market Street. The tournament will also include a dunk contest, 3 point shootout, knockout and free throw contests.

Make Music Day is a free, day-long music festival celebrating the first day of summer by spreading the joy of live music to neighborhoods throughout San Jose at community centers, parks, restaurants, museums, and more. Learn more by visiting this website

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.

Pre-applications for projects are due by 5pm PDT Thursday, June 26, 2025. Full applications are due by 5pm PDT Tuesday, October 14, 2025. For more information, including Urban Grant Program guidelines and resources, please visit here!