I am so pleased with the design of our new Fire Station and the interior layout and amenities. It is truly a gem. It was designed by an architectural firm based in Oakland, Shah Kawasaki Architects. Alan Kawasaki is one of the principal architects. In the last few years this firm has designed eight local…
The Naglee Park community lost a longtime leader and friend with the passing of John Turner. John served as President of the Campus Community Association and dedicated countless hours to our neighborhood. The following obituary for John Turner was written by his wife, Judy Turner, was first published in the Mercury News and is republished…
Highlighting Writers in Naglee Park Lila Naimark Lila Naimark was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana to parents who were from Tennessee and also strict Pentecostals. These two factors continue to inform most of her writing. Retired from a 30-year high-tech career, Lila now enjoys her German shepherd, Valentina, photography, travel, her five grandchildren, and music from pretty much all…
The dream of bringing a Levitt Pavilion to San José is within reach. I attended a capital campaign event last night and left energized by the momentum behind this project and the level of commitment from people who believe that music builds community. Notably, we have a few Naglee Park neighbors deeply involved: Laura Wolford,…
I spend a lot of time thinking about homelessness and drug addiction. As a gay man, I see a subset of our gay culture where drug consumption is normalized—Like, of course you want to have “chem sex”! At the same time, I have seen some close friends and acquaintances descend into chaos and lose friends,…
I went for a walk in the neighborhood this morning. I was just planning to listen to a podcast and enjoy the fresh air. Instead, I ended up taking a bunch of photos of the neighborhood in bloom. I’ve tried to identify the plants as best I can. If you know these plants better than…
The illustration was made by Suhita Shirodkar in real-time during the fundraiser. She graciously allowed me to use it for this post. This morning I attended a fundraiser for Recovery Café San José. Every time, it touches me to the core. There’s something about their model, the way they want to help people that really…
Our trees are at risk of infestation and dying from the Invasive Shothole Borer (ISHB), a small beetle that when boring into a tree, introduces a fungus that can cause branch dieback and eventually death to the entire tree. There are many trees that are susceptible to infestation, but of particular interest to our neighborhood…
Looking for a stunning spring hike? Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve is an absolute must-see, especially the Bay Checkerspot trail. The Hike Bryan and I hiked the entire trail (about 5.4 miles) counter clockwise (steepest climb first, about 1000 feet). But the best part, which was absolutely stunning, was the Bay Checkerspot…
One of the great benefits of the CCA email list is how easily neighbors can ask for recommendations. Someone needs a plumber, a handyman, a dentist, or a landscaper, and within hours helpful replies start rolling in. Just as often, neighbors proactively share great experiences with local businesses they’ve discovered. Those conversations are incredibly valuable…
