Hi Neighbors,

I am pleased to announce that our Fourth of July celebration at Lake Cunningham Park was a success! Over 25,000 people joined us for a fun, family-friendly event that brought our community together for our nation’s birthday. 

I’m grateful to my team for pivoting from a fireworks show to a drone show in under 24 hours. We had a spectacular drone show alongside fantastic live performances and amazing food from local food trucks and vendors. I want to express my gratitude to all of those who volunteered to support the celebration and ensured everyone had a great time. 

Thank you to all of our community members who attended and kept the park clean and safe while treating our staff, volunteers, and other community members with respect. 

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 until August 29.

Park Activations in District 8

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

In Your Community

Fourth of July Celebration at Lake Cunningham

I couldn't have asked for a better Fourth of July celebration than this year's first-ever drone show in San Jose!

Super glad to have been joined by thousands of neighbors; we all enjoyed the food trucks, resource fair, and performances by Lokahi Polynesian Dance Group and Sonora San Jose.

Thank you to the sponsors, partners, and volunteers who made this event possible!

Community Soccer Clinic

This month, we partnered with the Welch Park Neighborhood Association and the San Jose Police Department to host a free soccer clinic! Neighbors of all ages joined us to sharpen their skills and talk to SJPD officers about issues that matter to them

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.

Crews will return on August 6 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. Work will be performed overnight.

•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, July 14 through Friday morning, July 18

•   Sunday night, July 20 through Friday morning, July 25

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| 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, July 27 , through Friday morning, August 1

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

•   Monday, July 14 through Friday, July 18

•   Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 25

•   Monday, July 28 through Wednesday, July 30

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

Get Ready for the Santa Clara County Fair! 

Join us for five fun-filled days at the Fairgrounds, starting July 30th. Experience thrilling rides, delicious food, and fantastic entertainment for all ages. Enjoy a variety of free live music across multiple genres and eras, along with local community performances. Watch children’s magic shows, see a live blacksmith at work, and be amazed by motorcycle stunt performances and an exhilarating water acrobat show. For those seeking an adrenaline rush, we will have wrestlers in action, and camel rides have been added to our pony ride experience!

Tickets are now available for purchase online and at the Main Entrance. For more information, please visit thefair.org.

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!