d4sanjose.com • (408) 535-4904 • district4@sanjoseca.gov

VOTE! Election Day is March 5th

Send in or drop off your ballot today, or head to a Vote Center on or before March 5. Make your voice heard!

Participating in local elections is crucial for fostering a vibrant and responsive democracy. While national elections often dominate the spotlight, the outcomes of local elections have a direct and immediate impact on our daily lives. Local officials, ranging from mayors and city council members to school board representatives, make decisions that shape the quality of education, public services, infrastructure, and community well-being. By actively engaging in local elections, citizens can influence policies that directly affect their neighborhoods, schools, and local economies.

Don't Wait, VOTE Now!

The next big election is March 5th, but you don't have to wait for Election Day to vote! Check the ROV website for information on Early Voting, Voting by Mail, find a Vote Center near your home, work, or school. You don't have to go to a specific precinct polling place anymore, now you pick any Vote Center that's most convenient for you! 

The primary election is important because it's how voters decide which candidates will move on to the November General Election, but in primary races where there are only two candidates, the primary election actually decides the race and means the winner of that contest doesn't have to compete in the November General. Get more information about the upcoming March 5th Primary Election HERE.

Nonpartisan Offices

• City of San José Mayor and City Council Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
• Judge of the Superior Court, Offices 1-25
• Board of Supervisors, Districts 2, 3 and 5
• County Central Committee
• Democratic Party (AD 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29)
• Republican Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Peace & Freedom Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Green Party
• City Contest

Partisan Office

• United States President
• United States Senator
• United States Senator Partial/Unexpired Term
• United States Representative in Congress, Districts 16, 17, 18 and 19
• State Senator, Districts 13 and 15
• Member of the Assembly, Districts 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29

Save The Date • Berryessa Art Festival '24!

District 4's favorite event is just around the corner! The 47th Annual Berryessa Art Festival is happening Saturday, May 11th at Penitenica Creek Park, in the meadow behind Berryessa Community Center, from 10AM to 5PM. Spend the day shopping at booths filled with local vendors, artists, crafters, makers, and musicians!

For information on Vendor Booth Sign Ups, Volunteering, and more, email my staff!

Check out our video from last year's Berryessa Art Festival!

Planting More Trees in District 4 🌳

This week we planted 21 trees at Noble Park and Reach 2, pushing forward our 1,000 tree initiative in District 4! I take pride in the planting of over 750 trees, a crucial step towards environmental sustainability. Thank you to Our City Forest @ourcityforest and the 50 volunteers who joined us on this beautiful Saturday! To sign up for upcoming volunteer opportunities in District 4, visit my website.

On Earth Day 2022, my team and I set the ambitious goal of planting 1,000 trees in 1,000 days across our district. I’m excited to say we’re on track to meet that goal, having now planted 750 trees in District 4!

Read Across San Jose

It's Read Across San Jose Day! This year I've chosen to read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It's a great book because it really feels different each time I read it. Publshed in 1964, The Giving Tree has been the subject of conversation for generations about the relationship of the boy and the tree. Is it a metaphor for parenting, teaching, environmental stewardship? I think it's all of those, and that makes it one of the most interesting and useful children's books ever written.

Flickinger Park Litter Pick Up Event

Thank you Thy, and the rest of the D4 Youth Advisory Council for showing up on a beautiful, sunny day to help clean up Flickinger Park! Sign up to volunteer at our next clean up event by emailing Angela Pedrigal in my office.

D4 Clothing Drive

The clothing drive in late December and Early January was proposed by the District 4 Poverty Council due to a lack of clothes for low-income people in San Jose, particularly winter clothes necessary for keeping warm. In the upcoming winter months, homeless people in San Jose might be without clothes that will keep them warm. Partnering with the CityTeam San Jose shelter nad through the help of our members(Vienna Thai , Kristina Huffman, Harry Le, Genesis Arroyo, and Ojas Gandhi), we were able to host clothing drives at Piedmont and Independence High School that allowed for the student body and the school community to collectively contribute to a clothing drive for warm and necessary clothing! Thanks to all who supported this cause and helped out the low-income communities around District 4!

Irish Flag Raised At City Hall

This afternoon my Council colleagues and I welcomed a delegation from our beloved Sister City of Dublin, Ireland for the raising of their flag at City Hall!

Public Feedback Requested

Let us know your thoughts on the design concepts for King Road!

During the summer of 2023, more than 600 of your neighbors shared ideas about making the 6-mile street safer and more convenient for people who walk, bike, roll, ride public transit, or use a mobility aid.

We are ready to share these proposed improvements with you! 

Please comment on the first round of design concepts by March 15, 2024. Together, we can help make King Road safer for everyone.

https://bit.ly/king-road-project

Thank you and please share with your friends and neighbors, 

Wilson Tam

Transportation Planning Manager

wilson.tam@sanjoseca.gov

Cinequest 2024

Cinequest is BACK - In person March 7-17, 2024 in Downtown San José.

LINEUP AND TIX NOW LIVE!

Cinequest fuses innovation with the arts to empower great creations and to engage audiences, youth, artists, and innovators with these creations and with each other forging community, joy, and our future. Set in Silicon Valley, Cinequest's uniqueness, impact, and legacy result from applying this powerful integration of creativity, technology, and community to inspire and transform lives. Cinequest does this through the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, Maverick Studio, and Picture The Possibilitiesyouth creativity services.

KCCB iNaturalist Training, March 13th

The 5th installment of the Naturalist Training series will focus on

iNaturalist projects - how to create them, how to use them, and why! We will give examples of some of our favorite projects, and hopefully entice you to upgrade the way you use iNaturalist. Also, we will create a project together and add some observations!

Serpentine grasslands - Our main topic will be serpentine grasslands and the soil they form on. We will have a guest expert joining us for this section, Paul Heiple, who is a geologist and a plant expert. He will discuss the characteristics of serpentine soil and how only certain plants can grow on it, forming our serpentine grassland habitat that is home to many endemic plants.

Presenters

Merav Vonshak, PhD, is an ecologist and an entomologist. She has been involved in community science for over 10 years, organizing BioBlitz events, leading a road ecology team, and teaching. She has founded the BioBlitz.club and has been organizing public events for 5 years.

Paul Heiple is a champion of restoring local ecosystems. For over 20 years, he’s been building a legacy of stewardship by educating others about the natural world.

Co-hosted with BioBlitz Club

Register: https://240313-naturalist.eventbrite.com/?aff=cm

VTA / BART Extension Meeting

Calling all Artists!

The 2024 North San Jose / Alviso Art Show at the historic South Bay Yacht Club is open for FREE table space to display your best art!

Saturday March 30, 2024, 4pm-9pm

At the South Bay Yacht Club, 1491 Hope Street, San Jose / Alviso

Awesome FREE FOOD to all attendees, both to exhibitors as well as to Artists.

Sell art if you would like. No charge, though if you sell, we ask you to consider a tax-deductible donation to CompassPoint Mentorship, the 501(c)3 nonprofit host of the event.

Sign up for free table space online:

https://www.regathon.com/artshow

Help Us Plant Some Trees Feb. 24th!

Community Tree Planting at Noble Park & Penitencia Creek Trailhead

Saturday, February 24, 9AM-Noon Collete Drive in front of the Berryessa Branch Library.

Join us for for some tree planting fun as we add another 22 trees to the Noble Park and Penitencia Creek region! Planting trees is a rewarding way to give back to your community, all while helping our environment and adding shade and shelter for recreation and wildlife to enjoy!

Supplies will be provided. If you are interested in volunteering, please RSVP here.

Free Junk Pick Up!

We could all use a little extra space around the house this time of year, if you've got junk and clutter in your garage or yard, take advantage of this great FREE service from the City of San José! Make an appointment to get rid of old appliances and furniture, mattresses, and more. It's easy, just fill out a short form online, move your stuff to the curb, and a truck will come and take it all away!

Volunteer In Your Community

Volunteer Opportunities: 

If you are interested in volunteering, we are always in need of volunteers for a wide array of events that take place in District 4! Please consider helping out your community and joining us!

Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Angela Pedrigal, at angela.pedrigal@sanjoseca.gov for more information. 

Let's Be Friends!

Get the latest from me and my staff on Instagram, Nextdoor, Facebook, and Twitter.

We post everything from emergency notifications and district specific updates to council meeting breakdowns and inside looks at life at City Hall. Got recommendations for businesses, schools, or local heroes we might want to highlight? Send us a DM!

We welcome all your feedback as comments on our posts, direct messages in our inbox, phone calls to the office. Click the links above or the icons below to connect with us.

Nominate a District 4 Star!

Our annual District 4 Stars Gala is our way of honoring members of our community who've worked hard to make a positive impact in District 4. Small businesses, public servants, local leaders, and more. If you know someone you think is a Star in District 4, nominate them by clicking the button below.

Easily Access City Services

San Jose 311 is your gateway to City Services from vehicle blight abatement, graffiti removal, reporting fireworks, illegal dumping, pot holes, and more.

click here to get started.

Rebates up to 90% for Your Building Upgrades!

Through the San José Energy Efficient Business Program, your business can receive rebates when you make certain energy-saving upgrades. These significant rebates (80-90% off!) help make the projects more affordable, and when you combine the rebates with your lower monthly energy costs, the upgrades can quickly pay for themselves.

click here to get started.