White picket fences and steps leading up to wide porches are characteristic of older Santa Clara homes currently in photographs on display at the Santa Clara Senior Center. From now through the end of December, Gabriel Ibarra’s photographic exhibit “The Harrison Block, Washington St., Lafayette and Fremont St.” is open to the public. “Each year … Read more
Clarence Robert “Bob” Tower has created over 400 paintings, drawings, illustrations and other kinds of artwork. This artist, author and local historian keeps a glass cabinet containing hand-crafted items- stained glass art and a miniature horse and dog he carved over 80 years ago from pine wood and a jackknife. Some of this exquisite art … Read more
Kathy Watanabe was online when she first learned about Carry the Future (CTF), an organization currently gathering old and new baby carriers to be shipped to the Syrian refugees in Greece. She noticed that many neighboring cities had drop-off locations for baby carriers, but no drop-off locations were in Santa Clara yet. So she organized … Read more
Paul Sims gets a kick out of attending Maker Faire, a local festival recognizing creativity and innovation. He also enjoys making ice-cream with exotic flavors, such as black Russian and saffron cinnamon. In September, Sims joined the Santa Clara City Library as the new assistant city librarian, filling a position vacant for over five years. … Read more
‘Getting away’ was the theme of the latest Library essay contest. Not surprisingly, the participating teens’ individual passions are their escapes. Sofia Kritikopoulos wrote about running. Emma Mustovic wrote about books. Akshitha Venguideshe wrote about Venice. These winners and others were recognized at an awards ceremony on Oct. 28. The Santa Clara City Library gave … Read more
At the end of the Santa Clara City Council Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, Councilmember Lisa Gillmor read a short biography submitted by community member Kathy Watanabe: “Jenn will always be remembered for her faith in God, love of family, laughter, support and always being positive; even when she was diagnosed, she said, ‘smiles not … Read more
Retta Conley Robertson entered the AP class for parenting when her dyslexic daughter lost her Individualized Education Program (IEP), a benefit for special needs students, at the end of her kindergarten year. Observing her daughter’s struggles in subsequent years, Robertson transferred her to Belmont’s Charles Armstrong School, a private school for dyslexic children. At the … Read more
The first scene of Robert Jones Junior Theatre’s “Oliver!” depicts 19th century orphans lining up at the Workhouse dining hall singing the wistful “Food Glorious Food” as they take their bowls of gruel. Oliver dares to ask for seconds and is sentenced to labor at a funeral parlor. Refusing to tolerate abuse and insults aimed … Read more
They arrived in bright pink shirts, pink tutus, pink bow ties, pink face paint, pink socks, and pink fairy wings. Ten students, seven boys and three girls, from Santa Clara High School’s FHA-HERO (Future Homemakers of America- Home Economics Related Occupations) student organization gathered in San Jose on Oct. 31 to participate in American Cancer … Read more
In Hindi, “dhamaka” means “bang,” and the word can refer to a party thrown with a big bang. Northside Library pulled off such a feat with its Diwali Dhamaka Party on Nov. 7. The event dazzled over 1,500 visitors with a magic show, classical Indian dancing and music, storytelling, henna artistry, crafts, and a Bollywood … Read more