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Hi Neighbors,
Summer is right around the corner, and with it — new opportunities to enjoy family-friendly fun in District 8!
First up, Music in the Square is back! This free summer concert series will feature a local band every Friday from June 6-August 29. Join us at the Evergreen Village Square from 6pm-8pm. Kicking us off is crowd-favorite Eastside Funk, you won't want to miss it!
If you can’t make it to Evergreen Village Square, don’t worry. District 8 will have 10 Viva Parks activations this summer! These free events offer something for everyone, from movie nights under the stars to health and wellness resources, fun physical activities, and creative sessions like Paint the CitySJ. It’s the perfect way to reconnect with nature and your community all summer long.
Additionally, Viva Calle is coming to our district on Sunday, June 8th! Ride your bike all the way from Lake Cunningham to the Berryessa Library! Come out to support local vendors, enjoy free activities, and build community with your neighbors.
Do you prefer a more relaxed pace? The San Jose Public Library invites readers of all ages to have fun this summer by reading, learning, and growing their knowledge in our annual Summer Learning program.
Last but not least, be sure to save the date for our upcoming Fourth of July Fireworks Show at Lake Cunningham! Follow our Instagram to receive the latest details as we get closer to the event.
Wishing you a safe and fun-filled summer ahead!
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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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.
Have some suggestions for this year's entertainment? Fill out the form here!
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Pizza and Policy
Thursday, May 15, 2025
San José is launching pilot programs to enhance road safety by using speed safety and red-light cameras to reduce unsafe driving behaviors. Hear from Department of Transportation staff to learn how the pilot programs work, ask questions, and share your thoughts.
RSVP here!
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Viva Calle at Lake Cunningham!
This year’s route travels along White Road from Lake Cunningham Park to Berryessa Library, with activity hubs at Lake Cunningham, Alum Rock Village, and Berryessa Library. Come discover local businesses, enjoy free activities, and connect with the community!
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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!
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District 8 Internship
We encourage college, graduate students, and young professionals interested in community engagement, public service, policy research, and local government to apply!
For high school students interested in engaging with the District 8 community, join the Youth Council Committee by reaching out to district8@sanjoseca.gov
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Councilmember Candelas at the Farmers' Market
Evergreen Village Square
10am-12pm
Stop by and share your thoughts and questions with me at the Farmer's Market. Part of empowering our families and creating stronger neighborhoods is addressing your concerns and connecting you with the available resources!
We'll be taking a small break from the farmers' market, but stay tuned to see where we will be next!
No appointments are needed.
June 15, Sept. 21, Oct. 19 & Dec. 21
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Happy Mother's Day!
Today, we honor the amazing mothers who uplift their families and our community!
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Black April
We stand in solemn remembrance with our Vietnamese community to honor Black April, marking the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
We remember the pain, the loss, and the forced exodus of millions who fled their homeland in search of freedom
Let us never forget. Let us always remember. And let us move forward together, united in respect, resilience, and the shared promise of freedom.
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Evergreen Valley College Community Day
I was a proud sponsor of Evergreen Valley College's first-ever Community Day! With over 50 tabling partners and 200 attendees, this event brought much-needed energy to our community!
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American Red Cross Blood Drive
I rolled up my sleeve at the Red Cross Blood Drive at the Village Square Library, and I encourage you to do the same.
Donating is safe, simple, and could give someone a second chance at life.
Make your appointment at redcrossblood.org today and be a part of something life-saving.
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National Rebuilding Day
I had the privilege of joining Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley's two sites in District 8 for National Rebuilding Day in April. Rebuilding Day highlights the incredible efforts that a community can accomplish together.
For decades, this organization has been dedicated to repairing homes, revitalizing neighborhoods, and rebuilding lives, ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbors can live in safe and healthy homes. Thank you, Rebuilding Together, for your dedication to making our community stronger! It was an honor to present them with a commendation during our May 6th City Council meeting.
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Community Clean-up at Fernish Park
Over 40 volunteers joined us at Fernish Park to clear weeds from the park sign, clear grime from the fence around the playground structure, and take other beautification measures!
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Pedestrian Safety Improvements
The improvements to the pedestrian crosswalks on Aborn & Irwindale and Quimby & Marston were completed in early April!
Here's to a safer community!
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With June quickly approaching, budget season is in full swing with 3 study sessions occurring during the first few weeks of May. The first two sessions focused on 3 key City Service Areas: Community & Economic Development, Transportation & Aviation Services, and Environmental & Utility Services.
The next study session on May 12 will touch upon Neighborhood Services, Public Safety, and Strategic Support. I look forward to continuing the conversation with my Council colleagues, as well as City department leaders and their staff, on how to best meet the needs of our residents in the 2025-2026 budget.
Thank you to our neighbors who have attended the various town hall events my office has hosted over the past few months. Your input and participation in the budget process is appreciated.
| | 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:
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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 my team at district8@sanjoseca.gov
| | A proactive group of neighbors along Watkins Way came together for a Neighborhood Watch meeting with the San Jose Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit, leading to the installation of Neighborhood Watch signs! This is the type of work that can be achieved through a neighborhood association! | | VTA Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Update | | |
Ongoing and Future Closures*
ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
• ROAD CLOSURE | Northbound Capitol Expressway
Falsework removal continues on northbound Capitol Expressway between Ocala Avenue and Story Road, with crews working from Monday night, May 12, through Saturday morning, May 17, and again from Monday night, May 19, through Saturday morning, May 24. Expect overnight road closures 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.
• ROAD CLOSURE | Southbound Capitol Expressway
Falsework installation will occur on southbound Capitol Expressway between Cunningham Avenue and Tully Road from Sunday night, May 4 through Saturday morning, May 10, and again from Monday night, May 12 through Saturday morning, May 17. 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.
• DRAINAGE
ROAD CLOSURE | Northbound S. Capitol Avenue
Drainage work will occur overnight on northbound Capitol Expressway and northbound S. Capitol Avenue later in May. Expect overnight road closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM. Please follow detour signs.
• DRAINAGE
LANE CLOSURE | Southbound Capitol Expressway
Drainage work will occur overnight on southbound Capitol Expressway between Ocala Avenue and Cunningham Avenue, for the next four weeks, as follows:
- Sunday night, May 11, through Friday morning, May 16
- Sunday night, May 18, through Friday morning, May 23
Expect overnight road closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM. Please 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
| | 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!
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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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Summer Programs with PRNS
San José Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services is bringing the fun with camps, classes, and programs for youth ages 3–18. Whether your child loves sports, arts, science, or adventure, there’s something for everyone in your local community.
Check out the full lineup and register here today!
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Summer Learning with the San Jose Public Library
Students and families can get a cool head start on Summer Learning at San Jose Public Library (SJPL) and pre-register for our annual program from May 1-31. With a goal of reading either 8 books or 8 hours across 8 weeks from June 1 to July 31, participants of all ages can enjoy their favorite hot book titles and fun SJPL activities all summer long.
1. Youth who sign up during pre-registration will be entered into special prize drawings for SF Giants game tickets AND a $40 gift card to Hicklebee's bookstore in Willow Glen.
2. Adults who do the same will be entered into a special prize drawing for an Amazon Kindle Fire 7 e-reader tablet.
Once the program begins on June 1, all youth receive one free book for both signing up and completing the challenge, while adults will also receive fun giveaways for doing the same. For more information, please visit here!
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This bilingual celebration of identity, memory, and youth will be brought to life May 15-18 with poetry, movement, music, and heart. The show will be performed primarily in English, with supertitles in English and Spanish. Tickets are available for as little as $10, which makes this a great opportunity for the whole family to experience the power of live theater!
Buy your tickets here!
| | Mark your calendars and save the date for Juneteenth in the Streets! | | |
Building Open House & ADU Fair
Join us at San José City Hall for an evening of exploring all things related to building safety and ADUs! Whether you want to protect your home from disaster, learn about electrification, or are just curious about Accessory Dwelling Units, this event is for you. Learn from experts, meet vendors with preapproved ADU models, and get inspired for your next home improvement project. See you there!
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Project Foodbox for Medi-Cal Members
Click here to get more info!
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Summer Paid Work Experience For San Jose Youth Ages 14-18
Recruitment is now open for San José Works, a summer paid work experience program for San José youth ages 14-18. This year’s program will recruit more than 300 youth to work for employers like Roku, CreaTV, the Boys & Girls Club, and various City Council offices and departments. Interested youth can apply here. Mentors and employers are also needed, please submit a form here or contact Ruby Carrasco if you are interested.
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Hiring Teachers for the Summer!
The San José Public Library is hiring credentialed teachers to lead our Summer Digital Discovery Workshops 2025 — hands-on, interactive technology learning experiences for children ages 6–12.
Program runs: June 9 – August 1, 2025
Stipend: $2,200 for a full week of programming, Monday through Friday (Training included)
Lab activities include: iPads, robotics, intro to coding, and unplugged STEAM learning
Create: A fun, engaging, and inclusive environment for students
Interested? Apply today by completing the short application form
The deadline to apply is May 16.
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