April 14, 2022

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Contact my office with your questions or comments by email at District4@sanjoseca.gov and visit our website at sanjoseca.gov/district4.

IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEK

Acknowledging the Indigenous Caretakers of Santa Clara County

We were joined this week by Quirina Luna Geary, Chairwoman and enrolled citizen of the Tamien Nation, the aboriginal tribe of Santa Clara Valley. Quirina has diligently worked for the last 26 years to revitalize her native language and co-authored several academic publications including a 600 page dictionary. She continues to collaborate with state and local agencies in an effort to preserve her Tamien ancestry, provide vital cultural resources and protect sacred lands.

She gave a powerful and impassioned invocation reminding us of the historical and continued injustices her people face. As our attention is firmly focused on Earth Day, we must remember that preserving cultures is as important as preserving the planet. You can view her invocation below.

Office Hours at the Berryessa Farmers' Market

Join me this Saturday, April 23rd between 9am and 12pm at the Berryessa Farmers' Market located at 1376 Piedmont Road. I'll be holding office hours and giving out goodies at the D4 stall. Come share with me any concerns may you have, improvements you would like to see in District 4, any questions you would like answered, or just for a quick chat--anything is welcome. As your councilmember, this is the perfect opportunity for me to hear directly from you, the residents of District 4. I hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

IN THIS EDITION

- TRASH PUNX FREE E-WASTE DISPOSAL EVENT

- FREE MATTRESS REMOVAL DIRECTLY FROM YOUR HOME

- ALVISO VACCINATION CLINIC

FREE E-WASTE RECYCLING EVENT

SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD, 2022

9 A.M. - 3 P.M.

THE TECH INTERACTIVE

LOCATION: The Tech Interactive at 201 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113 (MAP) *Look for The Trash Punx Tent (In front of The Tech Interactive *Outdoors)

WHAT TO RECYCLE: Please see the above listed in the graphic for what to recycle

PROCEDURE:

Place your EWaste in the trunk or back of your car prior to arriving
Stay in your car at all times
Our volunteers will take out your EWaste and recycle it in our bins
Enjoy the rest of the day knowing that your items will be recycled properly and not in landfills!

GET RID OF YOUR UNWANTED MATTRESS FOR FREE

Our friends at the Mattress Recycling Council work to make our earth a cleaner place. Their @byebyemattress program makes mattress recycling accessible to Californians at no-cost, resulting in millions of pounds of material diverted from the waste stream! Visit www.ByeByeMattress.com to learn more about what’s available near you

WORK2FUTURE META/FACEBOOK CAREER CONNECTIONS PROGRAM

EVENTS CELEBRATING THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF ALUM ROCK PARK

Alum Rock Park is celebrating 150 years! To celebrate its historic anniversary, Alum Rock Park is encouraging residents to enjoy the park’s nature and learn more about its history at special events planned through October 2022

All events are FREE, family-friendly and held on weekends! Event registration is required, and space is limited. Residents can learn more and register for events at this webpage.

THE BERRYESSA ART FESTIVAL IS BACK!

COVID 19 UPDATE

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. People over 50 or those with weakened immune systems can receive a second booster 4 months after they received the first booster.

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.

Vaccination Sites

· 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)

Testing Sites

· 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)

School Site Testing

Again, we encourage school staff and families to register for weekly school site testing, especially during this winter season. Schedules vary by site. Please contact your school to learn your weekly testing day. This registration process also provides permission for your students to be tested when they are considered a close contact for school exposure if response testing is available and helps expedite that process. As a reminder, if you are notified to pick up your child from school for exposure, please be sure to check them out from the office. Additional information for testing and isolation will be provided at that time.