to craft his budget message and focus the City’s priorities on the needs of our residents. Issues such as homelessness, blight, public safety and environmental stewardship are our primary focus.

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.

Want to learn how to better protect yourself, your family and your property from potential crime? Join us as at our 3rd Safe Neighbor event in District 4, held in partnership with the San Jose Police Department Crime Prevention Unit. We will also be joined by special guest Police Chief Anthony Mata.

We'll be focusing on a community effort to provide a more neighborhood-centric approach to public safety. The event will be held this Saturday, March 12th from 10:30AM-Noon at Brooktree Elementary School.

Public safety is a team effort. My goal is to work toward a partnership between law enforcement and the community in order to establish trust. Also, by giving the residents of our neighborhoods safety training, we can all look out for each other using the tools and knowledge that will create a safer city.

I look forward to seeing you at the event!

North East Medical Center is giving away free PPE and Rapid Test drive at a through event on Tuesday, March 15^th from 3:30-5:00 pm. Anyone can come and receive 4 rapid tests, 4 N95 masks, and 1 bottle of hand sanitizer. No registration needed.

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

The Health Trust is delivering more meals and critical services to meet the increased needs in our community. They have continued to adapt their services in order to keep our seniors and vulnerable neighbors safe and nourished in their own homes.

As a result, we are in desperate need for volunteers. You can volunteer as an individual or volunteer with a group of friends or coworkers – a fun way to give back to your community!

You're invited to join the East Side Education Foundation for safe and delicious meal. In light of the ongoing pandemic and county health orders, they're hosting another Grab-N-Go Crab Dinner on Saturday, March 19th.

For $75 a person, you'll get a feast with all the trimmings — including plenty of crab, sausage, pasta, and garlic bread. They're offering drive thru contactless pickup at the San José Scottish Rite Center from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

In case you can't get there in person, they'll have a live feed from the drive thru line so you can meet the students they serve and the volunteers who make their work possible! 100% of the proceeds from this event will support East San José students through college savings accounts, scholarships, mentoring, and career counseling.

Not hungry? You can always make a tax-deductible donation here.

They hope you'll join them for dinner on March 19th. Thank you in advance for supporting East Side student success!

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)