The sun, earth, and moon will combine for a prime time show on Wednesday … here’s hoping the weather will cooperate. The second total lunar eclipse in less than a year will be visible from 7:01 to 7:51 pm on Wednesday, February 20 — if the sky is clear enough. Forecasts currently call for cloudy skies with a chance of rain.

Astronomers advise eclipse-watchers to find a place with a clear view of the eastern skies. Tall trees, buildings or even local foothills could easily block the view of this low-lying eclipse.

And Fraknoi, who plans on watching it with his son, advises parents to tell youngsters what to expect if this is their first lunar eclipse. Even adults who are new to eclipse viewing should have realistic expectations in these BlackBerry-paced times.

“If you go out, be patient. This is not fireworks,” he said. “The moon changes slowly and you have to prepare your kids that it isn’t like Roadrunner cartoons where things happen very fast.”

WGx can think of some places that might be good viewing locations, including River Glen Park, or perhaps streets along nearby Communication Hill. Any other suggestions? … leave a comment …

The local media has made another stop in the Downtown WG business district.

The SJ Mercury published a story on Friday interviewing a variety of small businesses around the Valley, including current Casa Casa owners about the state of the local economy. The news isn’t all that great, but the extra publicity probably doesn’t hurt:

At the upscale Casa Casa furnishings and gift store on Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen, owners Ernie and Margie Pyer could sense the economy shifting by spring of last year. Good growth in 2006 was followed by a small but persistent downturn throughout the second half of 2007, including a “soft” holiday season.

“For us,” said Ernie Pyer, “it’s about people’s discretionary cash. First they put money aside for the college fund and pay the mortgage. Then they pay their other bills and buy gas. We get the last of the money that goes into the home and furnishing it.”

Pyer said 2008 has started off without any pickup in business, but that he has been able to count on a steady customer base for furniture sales. The clearest sign of a negative economy, he noted, is the decline of casual shoppers.

“The number of people moseying around is a lot less,” Pyer noted. “I think they’re just feeling that the ground underneath their feet is not as secure.”

Reporters also interviewed retailers from the Trade-A-Book store in Santa Clara and D&J Hobby & Crafts in Campbell, along with a few experts in the field. This follows two holiday season stories, one on ABC-7 (featuring Urban Sports, Sugar Magnolia, and Bella James) and the other a Metro article about small wine retailers (featuring WG’s WineStyles).

An in-depth WGx study has revealed that there are no Lions clubs in Willow Glen or the neighboring Cambrian area — Yet!

Some local Lions Club members sense an opportunity for residents and business people in the neighborhood to come together to serve their community … so they’ve started organizing a new club. Since other Lions Clubs based in nearby areas meet early in the morning or at lunch time, this one plans to meet once a month over dinner:

We are looking for folks with ideas on how to serve their communities, the energy and desire to get it done, and who want to have a great time with others who have the same goals. It is a great opportunity to help others, improve leadership and communications skills, and to bond with your neighbors. It’s an opportunity for something that many people find lacking nowadays. …

Come to one of our meetings and see what we are all about. We’d be happy to have you. We currently meet once a month on a Tuesday evening. Our next meeting is at the Denny’s on Hillsdale (near Almaden Expwy) at 7:00 PM, Feb 19.

Lion John Kelly
Region 2 Chair, District 4-C6

(more…)

“What?” you say … “I’ve still got all day!” OK, but in case you are still not prepared, WGx will be adding tips for finalizing your St. Valentine’s Day gifts throughout the day, from the obvious to the makeshift …

Drive-By Love: Like cherry and strawberry vendors in the Spring (and persimmons in the Fall), there are always a few “spontaneous” street corner candy florists on February 14. So far, corner stands are open northwest of the corner of Lincoln & San Carlos and in a driveway on Meridian just south of Willow.

Elva’s Coffee Stop hosted “Valentines in September” for singles! If you were lucky enough to meet someone, maybe you two should drop by today to update Elva and the gang.

WGx’ll keep you posted …

Traffic Advisory: The sun is out … and so are the construction crews.

Curtner Avenue east of Lincoln, Lincoln Avenue south of Malone, Hamilton Avenue at Meridian, Willow Street, Old Almaden Road at Malone … they’ve all been hit by construction lane reductions at some point today.

In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to name a major WG street that isn’t besieged by backhoes, orange roadwork signs, and reflective safety vests. And, surely the per capita SJPD presence is also up as a result.

Of course, the tractor at Almaden & Curtner still seems pretty lonely, quietly waiting for crews to return to build a new two-way ramp from the Expressway.

Word comes this week from Willow Glen Elementary that the school is exploring the possibility of offering a “Spanish Immersion” program, beginning with next year’s Kindergarten classes.

Willow Glen Elementary is exploring the opportunity of offering their entering kinder students the gift of bilingualism and biliteracy to incoming kinder students. If there is interest in this opportunity among the incoming kinder families, a two way immersion strand may begin at Willow Glen Elementary.

Two classes of bilingual immersion and three of English-only would be offered. This program would be expanded one grade level every year until they have a strand of K-5 Two-Way Immersion classrooms. As the immersion program continues, the traditional ALA bilingual program will gradually be replaced with this highly successful model. If you are interested or have questions and your child is starting kindergarten Fall 2008, please attend one of the informational meetings.

Meeting #1: Wednesday, February, 13 @ 9:30 am
Meeting #2: Wednesday, February, 13 @ 7:00 pm

Both are at Willow Glen Elementary School Cafeteria
Baby-sitting will be provided

Of course, WG’s own River Glen School already offers an extensive bilingual immersion program as an SJUSD magnet school, but the waitlist remains quite long for student enrollment.

It may not have been completely official, but WGx has determined that last week was in fact “Father-Daughter Week” in Willow Glen.

WGHS hosted its dad-daughter dance this past Wednesday night (Feb 6), and WG Elementary had a similar affair on Friday night (Feb 8). And this picture is from last night’s Girl Scouts Sweetheart Dance, the local service unit’s annual father-daughter event.

WGx doesn’t know how to explain the cosmic convergence, but it must be related to St. Valentine’s Day.

For those of you moms looking for equal time, WGHS hosts its Mother-Son Dance this week on Wednesday, February 13.

The “new” VTA changed its bus schedules last month, and this month they begin retrofitting Light Rail stations on the Guadalupe South line so that disabled riders can board without using ramps or lifts. Construction at WG’s Tamien Station begins this weekend, with a complete closure for southbound access:

Light-rail vehicles traveling south will not stop at the Tamien station Saturday and Sunday. But northbound trains will make their usual stop. …

Riders headed toward the Santa Teresa station can take the bus to the Curtner stop and then board a southbound light-rail train.

Service interruptions at Tamien will continue through weekends in May, but the station will remain open.

The following will be in effect as indicated, weather and conditions permitting.

What: Weekends only, southbound light rail trains will not stop at Tamien Light Rail Station. Southbound riders ending or beginning their trips at Tamien will need to utilize substitute bus service, called a “bus bridge.�

Where: The bus bridge will transport southbound passengers beginning their trip at Tamien from Tamien to Curtner Light Rail Station, where they will be able to board a southbound light rail train. Southbound passengers ending their trip at Tamien will board the bus bridge at Convention Center station for transport to Tamien Station. Southbound passengers beginning their trip at either Children’s Discovery Museum or Virginia stations will need to board a southbound train, travel past Tamien to Curtner Station and then take a northbound train back to Tamien.

When: From the beginning of service Saturday morning to the end of service Sunday night.

The entire retrofitting project runs through March 2009. The Curtner and Capitol stations will be closed late April through early July (reopening is planned before Independence Day), and most stations up and down the Santa Teresa line will be impacted along the way.

Sure, there are “Garage Sales” and “Estate Sales” in Willow Glen every weekend. But here’s one with a twist …

Garage Sale to Benefit American Cancer Society’s WG Relay for Life
Saturday, February 9, 2008 … 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Just behind Booksin Elementary School, San Jose…. HUGE Garage Sale. Items from several families …. to include:
2 gas dryers Kenmore, about 5yrs old, $25 each, White magic chef gas oven range. Excellent condition with papers! $100,
Pink Wingchair $25, (ok, it’s more of the 80’s mauve.) White wicker armoire, $100- white wicker desk, $50, wicker chair, $10, Amazing white hutch/sideboard with two glass doors on top, with some open shelving, and two cupboard doors below. Very shabby chic! $300, Outdoor teak dining table, seats 6+, $50, Grohe bar sink faucet and soap dispenser, NEW, $50,

Clothes, toys, lamps, you name it!!

All Proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Willow Glen Relay for Life, which is scheduled for May 17-18, 2008, on the WGHS track. Mark your calendars!

Don’t blame WGx … but we’ve got a Traffic Advisory for Lincoln Avenue this afternoon:

Crews are tearing up the right lane on the northbound side of Lincoln Avenue, between Malone and Curtner, in preparation for water service upgrades for several customers between Terra Bella and Malone. Traffic is reduced to one lane each way for safety during work hours.

The demolition zone is just a few feet from the newly cut-down stump that WGx mused about a few days ago. San Jose Department of Transportation crews trimmed the stump another few feet this morning, thanks to WGx reader Pierluigi Oliverio. Water crews say the storm damaged tree and the pipe replacement project are unrelated, despite their proximity.