Response to NNV’s November
Departure - Outspoken … and Sympathetic
New Eastside communication ideas brewing - please
share yours
“No! No! No! - you can’t quit!” was the most frequent response
to our announcement in last month’s newsletter that we would no longer publish
New Neighborhood Voice after the November edition. Fortunately for us, virtually
everyone avoided guilt-tripping us by going on to say or write, “But we
understand completely.” We are gratified that our readers appreciate how
time-consuming and challenging it has been for us to create NNV these last four
years.
Many folks thought we should consider simply producing a less-ambitious
newsletter. Or, doing only the on-line version – leaving just our hard-copy
readers in the lurch. Some thought we should continue doing as we have been
doing, but doing it less often. We had entertained ideas such as these for
several months and decided that once we stopped publishing, that would be IT.
And so it will be. There will be two more editions after this one. The October
edition will be dated Sunday, October 8th and the November (final) edition will
be Sunday, November 5th.
New Ideas for Communicating Post NNV?
There were several murmurings of possibilities for a
new publication to take NNV’s place. Some people spoke of neighborhood
committees which could spread out the work among many reporters, photographers,
website folks, etc. Some people like Andrea Flores Shelton had a concrete “next
step” ready to go. Please see her article below and give her your input. There
is a possibility (but just a possibility at this point) that one neighbor
might take upon himself something that would cover a good number of the niches
NNV fills.
It’s been just a few weeks since we made our swan song announcement, so
there’s still time for us to hope that more ideas will trickle (no, make that
pour) in. Keep in mind, there will be just those two final NNV’s for us to
introduce a successor publication to our subscribers and solicit their
readership. Now’s the time to remove your collective thinking caps and put your
ideas into action!
Click here to read more about our
plans in last month’s edition.
Let’s Find a Way to
Communicate!
Create an Alum Rock E-List Serve?
By Andrea Flores Shelton
With the impending sad demise of New Neighborhood Voice in November, an
important tool for communication will be lost, once again. So we don’t lose the
connection made for those who have subscribed to the NNV e-newsletter, how many
neighbors would be interested in joining a list serve where information,
concerns or questions can be shared via email? This is different from a
newsletter that comes to you over the web or in the mail. This would be emails,
one at a time, or through a daily digest. The content could be along the lines
of, “Anybody worried about the vandalism at Pala Middle and fire at Foothill
HS?” or “Community Meeting about development on McKee Road Coming!” Really, we
all depend on each other to know what is happening. The future of Alum Rock
Village, housing and retail development, schools, parks, you name it, there is a
lot happening and there won’t be an easy way to keep up-to-date, when NNV goes
away in two months.
An e-list is a great place to communicate with lower maintenance than NNV. I
do hope someone can carry the torch that Judy and Allan Thompson have held. NNV
is such an impressive piece of work and so important to our community.
Please contact me if you are interested in joining a list serve where
information, concerns, questions can be shared via email. I am not an expert in
this but with a little research, I should be able to pull it off. Any help in
making this quick and easy is appreciated. I am researching how the Willow Glen
Neighborhood Association and Campus Community Association (Naglee Park) host
their list serves, protocols, moderating, etc. Once I see if there is enough
interest in pulling an Alum Rock e-list together, I will let you all know what
is next.
Your neighbor on Keats Court,
Andrea Flores Shelton
(andrea-flores@sbcglobal.net)
Village Business Association
Adopts Logo
Plans underway for “Signature Event”
Clean Sidewalks for the Village?
Working with Paul Asper, the Redevelopment Agency’s graphic designer, the
members of the Alum Rock Village Business Association (ARVA) have chosen a logo.
The design features the rolling east foothills which form the Village’s lush
backdrop. The lettering font is jaunty in the association’s purple, green and
orange color scheme. The member business owners hope the design, along with the
association’s new “Shop the Rock” motto, will soon come to be readily
identifiable in our community.
At their August meeting, about fifteen members discussed plans for a special
event to welcome the community to become acquainted with Village shops. Watch
for details of festivities being planned for the first week of December.
Click here for the logo and "Shop the Rock."
Clean Sidewalks for the Village?
Knowing that the sidewalks of the Village need a good
cleaning, Eva Klinger of the San Jose Redevelopment Agency arranged for
Universal Sweeping Services to come and meet with ARVA members one morning late
in August. Universal’s David Sanchez and some ARVA members strolled along citing
debris and stains which need removing.
ARVA President Lisa Regua (of Teezers Hair Salon) explained to David that the
little business association has very limited funds to spend on power washing and
sweeping so they want to arrange one thorough cleaning (as thorough as they can
afford, actually) and then sort of wing it to see if they can afford follow-ups
in the future. David and his boss, Universal president Gina Vella, who arrived
mid-stroll, seemed happy to work with ARVA in the flexible manner necessary.
Gina proudly explained that Universal Sweeping Services is a San Jose rooted
company formed in 1958 by her dad and mom and it’s been in their family ever
since. Her mom shops at Peters Bakery!
On the corner in front of Rafiki’s closed coffee shop, a man named Henry
sells the Mercury News every morning to passersby. He noticed the little
entourage and volunteered that he has been selling papers on that corner for
five years or more and he also does what he can to keep things tidy. He
personally wipes down the newspaper boxes where he stacks his Mercs, he says. He
laments that the people who empty the waste can on that corner do a careless,
slipshod job and leave it a mess. Henry himself picks up the overflow debris and
puts it in the container, bless his heart.
If everyone cared as much as the Henrys and Lisa Reguas of this world, the
Village would be tidy and welcoming. About all we shoppers can do is to set a
good example for everyone by using the waste receptacles – and making a real
point to “Shop the Rock” so that the little businesses can afford regular
cleanings of our Village.
Click here
for photos from our stroll.
Rezoning Tully Road for
Dealership in Reid-Hillview Approach Area?
Wiser heads prevailed – thank heavens! But for how
long?
Beschoff Motors wanted to start up another auto dealership near Eastridge
Mall – this one would be located in Reid-Hillview Airport’s 31R Approach Area
along Tully Road on the same side of Tully as the World Savings building – which
should never have been allowed to be built there, as it happens.
The City of San Jose loves car dealerships because they bring in
oodles of tax revenue. So why not rezone that barren safety zone along the north
edge of the mall parking area? After all, hardly ever do planes land in that
little buffer!
At the City Council meeting on August 8th, a whole passel of citizens got up
to speak pro and con about the zoning change. As readers might guess, all the
airport folks and pilots in the area pointed out the dangerous folly of reducing
the margin for error. Raymond Beschoff, himself, and John Peterson, the general
manager of Eastridge, each got their two minutes to extol the economic virtues
of more auto dealerships in the area. People who don’t like the airport
encouraged the zoning change in hopes that one day the whole airport could be
supplanted by retail and housing. People who thought that the City had given
scant notice of the meeting and put up very small and inaccessible signs
informing citizens of it, suggested that perhaps the City was trying to keep
public input to a minimum. Altogether pretty much of the same old, same old.
Safety prevailed, however. The council voted 6 to 5 not to recommend
rezoning. Old airport hands think this a temporary situation, however. Powerful
landowners in the area want to build another mall on the airport land. County
Supervisor Blanca Alvarado would like to see the airport closed to protect her
constituents from noise and perceived danger. The City needs revenue. All these
factors portend more challenges to the integrity of Reid-Hillview.
“The County needs to acquire the entire property, through eminent domain if
necessary, and protect the safety zones around the airport. That’s the right
thing to do!” opines Alan Craig, a neighbor who pilots a plane out of RHV. It
wasn’t wasted on Alan that San Jose mayoral candidate, Councilmember Chuck Reed,
voted to oppose rezoning. Chuck’s opponent in the upcoming election, Vice Mayor
Cindy Chavez, was one of the five minority voters including Councilmembers
Campos, Yeager, Williams, and Cortese who voted for rezoning.
Frank Sweeney, a longtime pilot, summarized the situation this way: The
property proposed for rezoning is directly off the end of the east-side runway
at Reid Hillview in an area designated as a safety zone by the Federal Aviation
Administration and the Santa Clara County Airport Land use Commission. Click
here for a photo. Aircraft have
made emergency landings on this property in the past, with no injuries to the
aircraft occupants or to people on the ground. If the San Jose City Council
permits development of this property, an aircraft making an emergency landing
could go down there with possible loss of life because the property [would no
longer be] vacant. For public safety reasons, the property should remain clear
of buildings and other obstructions. It currently is appropriately zoned
agricultural, and should remain so. This is a terrible place to put anything but
row crops or weeds. Developing commercial or industrial uses on the property is
the equivalent of putting a Starbucks coffee shop in the median of Highway 101.
Sooner or later, someone will hit it. There is a viable land use alternative to
this unsafe proposal.
NNV Note: Frank’s “viable alternative” would
have the County lease out its property where the annual Christmas tree sales tent is
located every December (at the northwest corner of Capitol Expressway and Tully
Road) and allow construction in that non-critical location.
Notable Neighbors: Len and
Julie Ramirez
Local Emmy-winning TV news reporter, wife, live in -
and support - our community
Len Ramirez’ four year old son, Lucas, has a Superman suit. It wouldn’t be
surprising if Len had one hanging in his closet, too. TV-personality-handsome
Len and his beautiful wife, Julie, are both super heroes to their Fleming Avenue
neighborhood and to our greater Alum Rock community as well.
It was hard to know what to expect of an interview with someone who is a
professional communicator. Would CBS-Channel 5’s evening news reporter be glib
and shallow in person? Would he be self-focused and disdainful of an interview
with the editor of a small local newsletter? Readers will be happy to know that
San Jose native (and James Lick High School grad) Len Ramirez is as genuine and
deep as he is articulate and friendly. His roots are deep in Eastside soil and
he’s proud of it!
Len’s beloved dad, also named Leonard, passed away in 1999, but not before
instilling a well-developed commitment to community activism in Len. Leonard
Ramirez arose from a Mexican immigrant farmworker family and attended San Jose
State on the GI Bill following his military service. Latino college graduates
were a rare commodity in those days and Len speaks proudly of his dad majoring
in Administration of Justice and building a career in the juvenile justice
system. Len also says that his dad, along with Cesar Chavez, “helped organize
one of the first social services agencies on the Eastside called the Community
Service Organization (CSO) through his contacts at San Jose State. One of the
first things they did was get the mud streets paved and street lights installed
in the neighborhood near Capitol Avenue and 680.” This was the neighborhood
infamously nicknamed “Sal Si Puedes” (get out if you can) because of its
miserable conditions.
Len and Julie have become household names in their neighborhood recently
because they spearheaded the Fleming neighbors’ crusade to scale back a Braddock
& Logan housing development on the site of The Lord’s Baptist Church in the 100
block of Fleming. With the guidance of Len and Julie at the helm of their
excellent blog (www.eastfoothills.blogspot.com),
the neighbors were able to convince B & L and the City’s planning department to
limit the number of houses to fourteen and add a small park to the project for
the use of everyone in their park-deprived area. Although they weren’t able to
snuff out the development in toto (as would have been many people’s dream
conclusion) they felt their organized resistance won them some very significant
points.
NNV was aware of the Ramirezes’ bold efforts on limiting the housing
development, but we certainly didn’t know how extensively Len and Julie are
involved in community life and what wonderful advocates they are for public
education. We had supposed that a TV star wouldn’t find our local elementary
school, Linda Vista, sufficiently fashionable for his children. However, not
only do the Ramirezes’ two older children, Lenny (age 8) and Amanda (age 7)
thrive at Linda Vista, but Julie is also an energetic volunteer and PTA mom
there.
Both Julie and Len extol Linda Vista’s strengths. They take pride in pointing
out that the school has earned the California Distinguished School honor and
they like to recite its long list of special programs and events. When asked
what message Len would like to convey to the readers of NNV, rather than
pontificating on a “big picture” theme, he surprisingly said that he wished our
community would get to know Linda Vista better and generally “take ownership” of
our schools.
Len has often put his communications expertise to good use in Eastside high
schools. He’s about to do it again at James Lick. Len majored in journalism at
San Jose State and he has made a commitment to act as a mentor to students in
Lick’s revived Communications Magnet program which is set to begin this fall.
The school district is moving sophisticated equipment from Evergreen Valley High
School to James Lick to help ensure that Lick will regain the luster it enjoyed
when it hosted the program in past years. Len says that the program will include
video and editing and will present a “huge area for growth.” He is part of a
committee which is tapping local talents and resources to make the program fly.
Len and Julie are bi-lingual English/Spanish with Julie being the more fluent
of the two, according to Len. Julie is also a graduate of San Jose State even
though she’s a South Texas import. She says that she had to unlearn her Texas
brand of Spanish and learn to speak Spanish the way it’s spoken here. Now, she
says, her Texas family members think she talks funny! She used her bi-lingual
talents to work with challenged students in a high school homework center
program until she “retired” eight years ago to be a full time mom and community
volunteer. Education is still of paramount importance to Julie – for their own
three children and the children of the Eastside community.
This interview dispelled some negative perceptions about media luminaries and
allowed us to become acquainted with yet another outstanding Alum Rock family.
We have so many wonderful and caring folks making up our “village”!
Click here for a photo of Len and Julie.
New Neighborhood Voice Founding Sponsors
Understanding Bird Flu - Part
1 of 2
How to protect yourself and your family
By Neena Kirschner, Director of Infection Control,
Regional Medical Center of San Jose
What is avian influenza (bird flu)?
Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses.
These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the
viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However,
bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds,
including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Do bird flu viruses infect humans?
Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human
infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.
How are bird flu viruses different from human flu viruses?
There are many different subtypes of Type A flu viruses. These subtypes
differ because of certain proteins on the surface of the flu A virus (hemagglutinin
[HA] and neuraminidase [NA] proteins). There are 16 different HA subtypes and 9
different NA subtypes of flu A viruses. Many different combinations of HA and NA
proteins are possible. Each combination is a different subtype. All subtypes of
flu A viruses can be found in birds. However, when we talk about “bird flu”
viruses, we are referring to those flu A subtypes that continue to occur mainly
in birds. They do not usually infect humans, even though we know they can do so.
When we talk about “human flu viruses” we are referring to those subtypes that
occur widely in humans. There are only three known subtypes of human flu viruses
(H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2); it is likely that some genetic parts of current human
flu A viruses came from birds originally. Flu A viruses are constantly changing,
and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans.
What are the symptoms of bird flu in humans?
Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms
(fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia,
severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress), and other
severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of bird flu may depend
on which virus caused the infection.
How does bird flu spread?
Infected birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.
Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated
excretions or surfaces that are contaminated with excretions. It is believed
that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact with
infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.
How is bird flu in humans treated?
Studies suggest that the prescription medicines approved for human flu
viruses would work in preventing bird flu infection in humans. However, flu
viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these medications may not always
work.
What is the risk to humans from bird flu?
The risk from bird flu is generally low to most people because the viruses
occur mainly among birds and do not usually infect humans. However, during an
outbreak of bird flu among poultry (domesticated chicken, ducks, turkeys), there
is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces
that have been contaminated with excretions from infected birds. The current
outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) among poultry in Asia (see below) is an
example of a bird flu outbreak that has caused human infections and deaths. In
such situations, people should avoid contact with infected birds or contaminated
surfaces, and should be careful when handling and cooking poultry. For more
information about avian influenza and food safety issues, visit the
World Health
Organization website.
What is an avian influenza A (H5N1) virus?
Influenza A (H5N1) virus – also called “H5N1 virus” – is an influenza A
virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds. It was first isolated from birds
(terns) in South Africa in 1961. Like all bird flu viruses, H5N1 virus
circulates among birds worldwide, is very contagious among birds, and can be
deadly.
What is the H5N1 bird flu that has recently been reported in Asia?
Outbreaks of influenza H5N1 occurred among poultry in eight countries in
Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand, and
Vietnam) during late 2003 and early 2004. At that time, more than 100 million
birds in the affected countries either died from the disease or were killed in
order to try to control the outbreak. By March 2004, the outbreak was reported
to be under control.
Beginning in late June 2004, however, new deadly outbreaks of influenza H5N1
among poultry were reported by several countries in Asia (Cambodia, China,
Indonesia, Malaysia [first-time reports], Thailand, and Vietnam). It is believed
that these outbreaks are ongoing. Human infections of influenza A (H5N1) have
been reported in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
What is the risk to humans from the H5N1 virus in Asia?
The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first
case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in
poultry in Hong Kong. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people,
6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection
among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in
Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death
rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases
occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however,
it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.
So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and spread
has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have
the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could one
day be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another.
Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no
immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were
able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an “influenza
pandemic” (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict
when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching
the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility
that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.
How is infection with H5N1 virus in humans treated?
The H5N1 virus currently infecting birds in Asia that has caused human
illness and death is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral
medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications,
oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat flu caused by the H5N1
virus, though studies still need to be done to prove that they work.
Is there a vaccine to protect humans from H5N1 virus?
There currently is no vaccine to protect humans against the H5N1 virus that
is being seen in Asia. However, vaccine development efforts are under way.
Research studies to test a vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus began in
April 2005. (Researchers are also working on a vaccine against H9N2, another
bird flu virus subtype.) For more information about the H5N1 vaccine development
process, visit the
National
Institutes of Health website.
What is the risk to people in the United States from the H5N1 bird flu
outbreak in Asia?
The current risk to Americans from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia is
low. The strain of H5N1 virus found in Asia has not been found in the United
States. There have been no human cases of H5N1 flu in the United States. It is
possible that travelers returning from affected countries in Asia could be
infected. Since February 2004, medical and public health personnel have been
watching closely to find any such cases.
What does CDC recommend regarding the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia?
In February 2004, CDC provided U.S. health departments with recommendations
for enhanced surveillance (“detection”) in the U.S. of avian influenza A (H5N1).
Follow-up messages (Health Alert Network) were sent to the health departments on
August 12, 2004, and February 4, 2005, both reminding health departments about
how to detect (domestic surveillance), diagnose, and prevent the spread of avian
influenza A (H5N1). It also recommended measures for laboratory testing for H5N1
virus. CDC currently advises that travelers to countries in Asia with known
outbreaks of influenza A (H5N1) avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in
live food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces
from poultry or other animals.
Next month: What is the CDC doing to prepare for a possible H5N1 flu
pandemic? And how you can stay flu free.
State Approves $35.5 Million
County Mental Health Plan
Youths, adults, seniors and families
may all benefit
From Santa Clara County Supervisor Pete McHugh,
District 3
The State has recently approved the County’s major three-year plan to expand
mental health services for new and current consumers. The County’s plan follows
State guidelines established under the State’s new Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
that voters approved as Proposition 63 in November 2004. State approval means
that the County will receive approximately $35.5 million over the three-year
period that started in July 2005. The County will use these funds to implement
full service partnerships, improved service delivery systems, and greater
outreach efforts.
The initial plan will focus on individuals with
serious mental health problems in nine target groups. These groups include:
• Children up to age five who are at risk of
unhealthy emotional and behavioral development.
• Youth in the juvenile justice or the
foster care systems.
• Young adults 16-25 years of age who are
transitioning to independence from the juvenile justice or the foster care
systems.
• Adults 26-59 years of age who also
experience chronic homelessness, substance abuse and repeated jail time.
• Seniors whose mental health condition may
be worsened by aging, self-neglect, substance abuse, physical decline or other
life circumstances.
Full service partnerships provide comprehensive and integrated services that
include housing, employment support, and mental health treatment. The three-year
plan allocates almost $18.3 million to these partnerships. This level of funding
will provide full-services to 30 youths under age 15, 30 young adults
transitioning to independence, 253 adults and 25 seniors. These partnerships
will spend almost 30 percent of their funding on housing.
The County plan also calls for spending $3.9 million of the $18.3 million on
several specialized partnerships that serve all age groups. A housing
partnership that includes the County's Office of Affordable Housing will address
housing needs of the seriously mentally ill. A second partnership will provide
improved access to ongoing primary health care for the seriously mentally ill
who lack a primary care physician. A third one will ensure that all stakeholders
have access to ongoing education on new mental health strategies, including
efficient and superior access to education and employment opportunities for
consumers. For the fourth partnership, the County will participate with other
counties in an integrative Bay Area approach for those suffering from the
complex circumstances associated with torture.
The MHSA challenges counties to transform mental health services so that they
are easier to access, more effective and reduce the level of out-of-home and
institutional care. Consumers and their family members should be at the center
of the development, delivery, implementation, and evaluation of their treatment.
Treatment of children and youth should focus on helping them become more
resilient while adults should develop the skills and support systems for
independent living. The County plan allocates $14.2 million to achieve these
goals for mental health system redesign.
To improve access for un-served and underserved groups, the County plan
spends $3.1 million on four strategies. For youths transitioning to
independence, the County will establish a 24-hour youth drop-in center to
provide crisis intervention and non-stigmatizing access. For adults, there will
be a program to increase self-help resources and the involvement of family and
friends. Seniors and their families will have a mobile assessment and outreach
program to address their needs and a program of counseling support and
education.
The full plan and various summaries are available on the Mental Health
Department's website: www.sccmhd.org. I am
proud of the County's tremendous planning process that incorporated the concerns
and opinions of 10,000 individuals regarding service needs in the County. This
exceptional effort makes me confident that the County will achieve Proposition
63's vision that with effective treatment and support, recovery from mental
illness is achievable.
Pete McHugh
Supervisor, District Three
Santa Clara County
www.pmchugh.org
pmchugh@bos.sccgov.org
Ballet San Jose Slims Down -
Beefs Up
Company shortens name ... adds
dancers
By Lee Kopp, Director, Marketing & Publicity, Ballet
San Jose
Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley has officially shortened its name to Ballet
San Jose. Artistic/Executive Director Dennis Nahat and the Ballet Board of
Directors approved the name change at a recent Board meeting. "When we first
took on our rather long name in the fall of 2000, Silicon Valley was more
recognized nationally than was the city of San Jose," said Nahat. "But people
today are increasingly aware that San Jose is the heart and center of 'Silicon
Valley'. They 'know the way to San Jose' and we are proud to be a part of this
thriving hub of art and technology. And by the way ... 'Ballet San Jose' fits
rather nicely on the marquee."
In other Ballet San Jose news, Nahat has announced the signing of seven new
dancers to contracts. Ms. Yui Yonezawa and Ms. Akua Parker will become Company
Members when rehearsals begin in the fall. Ms. Amy Marie Briones, Mr. Jeremy
Kovitch and Ms. Mallory Welsh are new apprentices; and Ms. Sarah Stein (a San
Josean), Ms. Shannon Bynum (both of Ballet San Jose School) will be new
trainees.
Exciting New Company Members
Ms. Yui Yonezawa was the winner of the Senior Woman's Bronze Medal at the
VIII USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) this June in Jackson
Mississippi. Her presentation with Russian partner Georgi Smilevksi of Ben
Lida's "September" won wave reviews. Ms. Yonezawa, 19 years old, was born in
Tokyo, Japan. Her training was at Tsukamoto Ballet Studios. Honors include the
Bronze medal in the Japan International Ballet Competition, 2005 and the Gold
Medal, Varna International Ballet Competition, 2004. She was previously a
soloist with Tsukamoto Yoko Ballet Company. The USA IBC is held every four years
in Jackson, Mississippi. It is a 2-week, 3-round "Olympic style" competition.
This year 99 dancers from 24 countries competed out of hundreds of applicants.
Ms. Akua Parker, 27, from Kinston, North Carolina, previously danced with
Cincinnati Ballet (2005-06) and was a lead dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem
(2000-04). Her professional training was with Dance Theatre of Harlem and
Academy of the Dance, Wilmington, DE.
Eastside neighbor Dennis Nahat is still planning on adding additional dancers
later this summer. Ballet San Jose currently has 31 company members, 5
apprentices and 2 trainees under contract. The 2006-07 season begins November
16, with a new mounting of GISELLE, and runs through April 29. The complete
season includes 4 mainstage productions and THE NUTCRACKER performed at San Jose
Center for the Performing Arts, with an added children's program in May
presented at the California Theatre. For details visit
www.balletsanjose.org.
Click here for
photos of Yui Yonezawa and Akua Parker.
Click here for Section 2
of the September 2006 Newsletter
(This newsletter is in two sections to reduce the
download time for this page)
--------------------------- Contact and Subscription Information
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Copyright© 2006 by Judy Thompson, 16174 Highland Drive, San Jose, CA
95127
Phone: (408) 272-7008, E-mail: JudyET@NNVESJ.org
Fax: (408) 272-4040
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Updated 9/1/06.
