According to Cheryl Lee, Northside Library’s branch manager and program coordinator, it was a busy year for the library between August 2016 to August 2017. During this year, Northside Library had an estimated 340,000 checkouts and visits, 30,000 program attendees and 388 programs. To celebrate its three-year anniversary, Lee and the library staff organized the … Read more
On the morning of Aug. 13 at Franklin Square Mall, children of low-income families prepared for the new school year by picking up new backpacks and school supplies and getting haircuts at Bay Area Pay It Forward’s 4th Annual Backpack Drive. Evangelina Trujeque, Santa Clara resident and lead event organizer, shared the story behind how … Read more
At Santa Clara’s Whole Foods Market (at 2732 Augustine Dr. #1600) on July 28, a number of store patrons came dressed in tropical prints to recognize the supermarket’s first birthday celebration. Apparently they got the memo that the first 100 people to come to the store wearing Hawaiian attire during the evening would receive a … Read more
Back in April, brothers Bryon Tjanaka, 17, and Dylon Tjanaka, 15, ventured out of Santa Clara and traveled to Louisville, Kentucky with the robot they engineered to compete in the 2017 VEX Robotics World Championship. At the time of the competition, Bryon Tjanaka was a sophomore and Dylon Tjanaka was a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory. … Read more
When Robert “Robby” Putnam was three-years-old, he started doing martial arts because he loved watching the Ninja Turtles. In his later years, he got into gymnastics because he loved working with kids. Combining his interests in martial arts and gymnastics, Putnam now owns the Santa Clara based Gymrate (pronounced gym-RAH-tee), located upstairs in Airborne Gymnastics … Read more
Once upon a time, people believed a dragon or a monster was gobbling up the sun when the sky darkened during an eclipse. So people would “frighten the monster” by screaming and banging pots and pans together. Although this ritual seemed to end the eclipse, the cause of the eclipse obviously had nothing to do … Read more
Recently, Krystal Mao, 14, put her high soprano singing voice to good use while collaborating with her singing group to perform “If I Never Knew You” from Disney’s “Pocahontas.” Mao is part of the award-winning senior group with the Colorful Universe Children’s Performing Arts Troupe that is based in Santa Clara (5253 Stevens Creek Blvd., … Read more
Since April, Jennifer Kohler, director and costume designer-builder, had been exploring costume ideas on Pinterest for Roberta Jones Junior Theatre’s production of Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.,” playing July 25-27 at the Mission City Center for Performing Arts. Costumes for the rhinos and leopards were constructed from Styrofoam and luan (a thin wood). The hyena … Read more
The Greek term “opa” is an expression that alludes to a celebration or fun times. Such an outlet can be found at Santa Clara Square since Opa! Authentic Greek Cuisine’s seventh restaurant opened on June 1. In Opa’s dining room, Edison-style lights dangle from the chandeliers and beside the booths, the onyx wall holds a … Read more
When Kelly Steitz ordered a walker for her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, her daughter refused to use it. The equipment sat in their home unused. Years later, Steitz conjured up the idea to start a website where parents of special needs children can check out equipment that they need free of charge. Since its … Read more