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Top Stories: Sept. 11, 2009

by Staff on Sep 11, 2009
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Plaque Spruces up Plaza
In the ten years since it was founded, no one knew quite what to do with East San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza. Progress was finally made Wednesday evening, when some 100 city officials and guests attended the unveiling of a mosaic plaque at the site. Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers Nora Campos and Sam Liccardo represented City Council. Apart from depictions of a California mission, Cesar Chavez, and the United Farm Workers, the plaque recognizes the contributions of Blanca Alvarado and the members of the Plaza's founding board.

The Plaza's steering board currently holds public meetings on the second Tuesday of every month to revisit the site's operating model. While the plan is to develop a community and cultural center there, the community is concerned about the business sustainability of the proposed model.
Read More at The Mercury News.


The Irish Are Coming!
A business incubator in San Jose's Linden Building will help a new generation of Irish immigrants make their mark on America. Dubbed the Irish Innovation Center, the facility will house as many as 35 Irish high tech firms hoping to launch a presence in the U.S. The Center will also help to coordinate a $100 million venture capital fund investing in Irish companies.

The Center was officially launched yesterday at the Irish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Among the participants at the event was former San Jose mayor Tom McEnery, a major backer of the project and an investor in the VC fund.
Read More at the Business Journal.


Going Hungry in Santa Clara County
Donations to food banks have increased. Food delivery systems are all in place. So why are poor families in Santa Clara County missing out on 148 million meals this year? That was the question posed by researchers at the Hunger Issues Forum at Santa Clara University this week.

One answer is that while donations to food banks have gone up, they have not kept pace with the growing number of people who turn to them to get that most basic commodity: food. Data released by the census data yesterday showed that the national poverty rate had increased by 0.7 percent last year, from 37.3 million people in 2007 to 39.8 million in 2008. California is particularly hard hit because of its high unemployment rate. The Associated Press Economic Stress Index rates California 14.41 (out of 100), considerably higher than the national average of 10.54.

Professor Drew Starbird of USC's Levy School of Business points out that feeding the hungry in Santa Clara County would cost about $330 million a year. While that may seem like a lot, especially in these hard times, he adds that it is less than the budget of his university. "We know how to solve this problem, absolutely," said Dr. John Cook, a forum attendee from Boston University who studies food insecurity. The question is, do we have the desire to really do something about it?”
Read More at KCBS.


Suspect Shot in San Jose Confrontation
An unidentified man was shot yesterday afternoon after threatening two Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies with a knife. The incident occurred at 400 block of Chilberg Court, where the deputies were attempting to serve a warrant. Further details of the incident have yet to be released, though the victim of the shooting was taken to hospital. The SJPD's homicide department is currently investigating the incident, in keeping with standard police department procedures.
Read More at The Mercury News.


School's a Breeze with New Air Conditioners
With temperatures reaching into the mid-90s during the day, students in some Alum Rock School District elementary schools are having a hard time concentrating on their studies. Ten of the schools still have no air conditioners, and while Measure G, passed last year, allocated $179 million to refurbish the schools and add air conditioning, it may still take a year or more until all the schools are equipped.

This year, two middle schools received brand new air conditioners, and the impact has been enormous. According to Orlando Ramos, Ph.D., of the Mathson Middle School, having 30+ kids in a classroom without air conditioning can raise the temperature indoors by as much as 10 degrees. As one teacher told her students, "You get tired when it's hot," and a 100º classroom is unquestionably hot.

Meanwhile, schools are doing what they can to keep their students cool. At the Cesar Chavez Elementary School, teachers brought a fan in to the kindergarten class. The school already has air conditioners, but they are old and dilapidated, and need to be replaced. Teachers are also insisting that the students drink plenty of water to help them stay hydrated. But unless the problem is solved quickly, the first two months of the school year will be sweaty at best. Read More at ABC 7.


San Jose Asks ‘Why Islam?’
As the nation marks the eighth anniversary of the events of 9/11, a new advertising campaign is San Jose is being launched to promote greater understanding of Islam. The campaign consists of billboards in English and Spanish, asking "What is Islam?" with a phone number for people to obtain free copies of the Quran and a toll free number for questions.

In addition to highway billboards, there are also bus stop posters and ads on public buses. The ads are slightly different, with the goal of positioning Islam within the context of the other two monotheistic religions: Judaism and Christianity. For example, a billboard on Highway 880 states that Islam follows the teachings of "Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad."

Ahmed Khaleel, 30, of Santa Clara, is the outreach coordinator of the local campaign. He explains that its goal is "to show the public that Muslims are hardworking, peace-loving family contributors." He says that the campaign began in New York in 2000, a year before 9/11, and adds that ironically, it founder, Tariq Amanullah, died in the World Trade Center on that day.
Read More at the Mercury News.



by Staff on Sep 11, 2009
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