This week, I had the opportunity to present a commendation on behalf of the City to Superindendent Roxane Fuentes of the Berryessa Union School District. Dr. Fuentes was named Berryessa Citizen of the Year by the Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council in recognition of her tireless service and dedication to the youth of our community.

At this week's City Council meeting, the Council approved Mayor Liccardo's final budget message. The budget message serves as the foundation for the budget discussions culminating in the final approval of the budget in June. I'm proud to have been part of the team working with Mayor Sam Liccardo to focus the City’s priorities on six key areas, including homelessness, blight, public safety and environmental resiliency. During the council discussion, we also approved my memo asking the city to restore library hours to pre-pandemic levels, as well as other memos, including one that would increase the number of police officers available for walking beats in high need areas and for traffic enforcement.

I have decided to postpone my March 24th Budget Townhall and instead encourage constituents of District 4 to provide input by emailing our office and completing our Community Budget Survey. I look forward to your ideas and feedback.

I also encourage all of you to try the City's Interactive Budget Tool, which is in English available in both Spanish and Vietnamese. It's a great way to see of how we work to balance the City's budget.

After over 2 years of uncertainty, the members of the Westwinds Mobile Home Park community can breath a sigh of relief. The Nicholson Family Partnership, owners of the land, say they have no intention of displacing the roughly 1,600 residents that currently live there and are signing a long term lease agreement with a new operator. They are also in the process of finding a new management company that will oversee operations and security.

Spring is almost here! Welcome the Spring season with a morning full of fun activities and family memories. There will be an egg hunt for different age groups, a special prize for those who find the GOLDEN EGG, and children will be able to create season-themed arts & crafts.

Please register for any of the times below at any City of San José community center or online at www.sjregistration.com. Space is limited so register today!

Relief on overdue bills is here! Customers with past due balances on their energy bill will receive a credit between February and April to help reduce debt accrued during the pandemic. Read more about the CAPP credit here: www.SanJoseCleanEnergy.org/CAPP

For more help paying your bill, visit www.SanJoseCleanEnergy.org/Discount-Programs. You can also call SJCE at 833-432-2454 or email them at info@sanjosecleanenergy.org.

Saving energy can lead to saving money! Visit www.SanJoseCleanEnergy.org/Energy-Savings-Tips for ways to save energy without compromising comfort. 

This week at City Council, we recognized and celebrated the 150th anniversary of Alum Rock Park, the oldest municipal park in the state of California. It has been an integral part of our community and holds a special place in my family’s heart as well.

Nestled in a canyon in the Diablo Range, Alum Rock Park sits on 720 acres of and boasts over 13 miles of trails, including 6 miles of horse trails and 3 miles of bike trails. You can find detailed maps, along with more information about amenities, facilities and activities here.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is still serving 60% more people than they were pre-pandemic. They can't continue do this work without the community's support. If you're able to, please consider signing up to volunteer to ensure the 400,000 people relying on Second Harvest receive the food they need.

Volunteers sorting food in our warehouse are required to be fully vaccinated. A volunteer is considered to be fully vaccinated if they have received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the second dose of Moderna/Pfizer or other World Health Organization COVID approved vaccines at least two weeks before the date of the volunteering. Vaccination is not required to work at an outdoor distribution site or for home delivery volunteers. For more information, please see our Volunteer FAQs.

Apply today at https://tinyurl.com/RC2application to become a Resilience Corps Associate. No experience required!

Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests for Everyone: Every home in the U.S., regardless of their insurance status, is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. Orders ship in 7-12 days. Order free at-home tests at www.covidtests.gov.   

Avoid Fake COVID-19 Tests: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Division of Consumer and Business Education recently issued guidance on how to avoid purchasing fake COVID-19 tests. For more information, visit the FTC webpage. 

Guidance to COVID-19 Testing Options: With the high demand for COVID-19 testing locally, the County Public Health Department offers guidance on what kind of test to use, when a test is needed, and where you should and should not go to get tested. The testing options are a PCR test, typically administered in a clinic or drive-through operation, and an antigen test, which is available for home use. To help inform residents about the COVID-19 testing options, we encourage you to share these social media assets. 

Everyone 12 and older who is six months out from their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two months out from their Johnson & Johnson vaccine, is eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot. 

No Appointment Necessary for COVID-19 Vaccinations: The vaccine clinic locations listed below do not require advance appointments, however, capacity and wait times may vary. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made at www.sccfreevax.org.

Vaccinations are free, and no insurance or proof of immigration status is required. Anyone age five or older is eligible. Staff will be onsite to support language needs and disability access. Individuals seeking vaccination are encouraged to arrive at least one hour before closing time. Additional clinic dates and locations are added frequently, check www.sccfreevax.org for the most up-to-date information. For Santa Clara County locations outside of San José, visit the County’s vaccinations web page.

· Sun Pharmacy (2559 S. King Rd., San José 95122)

· Advance SJ Pharmacy (2331 Montpelier Dr., Suite A-10, San José 95116)

· Dan Hopner MD/Rom Romero PA (2060 Aborn Rd., Suite 100, San José 95121)

· Emma Prusch Park (647 S. King Rd., San José 95116)

· Bay Area Community Health (5504 Monterey Hwy., San José 95138)

· Bay Area Community Health (Rocketship Mosaic) (950 Owsley Ave., San José 95122)

· Bay Area Community Health (1855 Lucretia Ave., San José 95122)

· Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (101 North Bascom Ave., San José 95128)

· Story Road HUB (1775 Story Rd., San José 95122)

· Latino College Preparatory Academy (14271 Story Rd., San José 95127)

· Valley Medical Center/Valley Health Center East (1993 McKee Rd., San José 95116)

· Valley Water (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (5750 Almaden Expy., San José 95118)

· Bay Area Community Health - Monterey (5504 Monterey Hwy., San José 95138)

· Costco (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (2376 S. Evergreen Loop, San José 95122)

· SCC Office of Education (OptumServe) (1290 Ridder Park Dr., San José 95131)

· Santa Clara VTA (OptumServe) (2240 S. 7th St., San José 95112)

· Santa Clara VTA (OptumServe) (3331 North First St., San José 95134)

· Santa Clara VTA (OptumServe) (3990 Zanker Rd., San José 95134)

· County Fairgrounds, Parking Lot A (344 Tully Rd., San José 95111)

· Grand Century Mall (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (1111 Story Rd., San José 95122)