Oh, Nevermind. … The USPS had announced earlier this month that the Philatelic Office at the Meridian Branch would be closing in mid-August. In an amazing bureaucratic about-face, they’ve changed their mind.

So the office remains open. The office has faced the chopping block before — even closing for real a few years ago — but has so far defied the odds by remaining open for stamp collecting enthusiasts.

So, why did they change their minds? Was there a vociferous public groundswell of opposition? Demonstrations? Major hobbyist revolt? Online Petition? Is there a lesson to be learned?

Staff at the regular Postal Counter don’t know exactly: “They just changed their mind.” …

Maybe those who worry about the closing of Fire Station #6 should figure out how the office was saved? The lessons may apply?

Well, if you still haven’t found a reason to visit Elva’s Coffee Stop (website by WGx), maybe this is your big chance. WG’s best Community-Involved Business is at it again this week, collecting coffee donations for troops stationed overseas.

Elva’s Operation Coffee & Cookies drive ends Sunday! Don’t miss out!

Elva and her crew have begun grinding coffee for the bags, with the lion share of the project set to wrap-up this weekend. The response has been so great, that Elva is worried her coffee grinders will conk out … thus the early start!

Legitimate door-to-door fundraisers can be hard to find these days, so WGx is happy to confirm that players from the WG High School Rams Football Team are selling their “Rams Season Pass” again this year.

The players typically work in small teams, usually wearing their jerseys when they come to your door. In exchange for a $20 donation, you get a coupon book that includes food discounts at Fresh Choice, Florentine Restaurants, Tlaquepaque, Mexico Lindo, and a few others.

You also get a handy 2008 Season Schedule, so you don’t miss the home games. For the record, the season starts September 6 (away against Santa Teresa HS) and the first home game is September 26 versus Del Mar.

In addition to smiling faces from teachers, students returning to school this week will also be welcomed back to school with an Excessive Heat Watch from the National Weather Service.

As of 12:00 noon Wednesday, it was already 84° F at Hacienda School Weather Station!

Near record heat expected Thursday across the East and South Bay.

Strong high pressure and light offshore winds will bring significant warming to the greater San Francisco Bay region today into Thursday. Temperatures will warm to several degrees above normal today with 80s near the coast and readings well into the 90s inland. By Thursday record or near record heat will be possible across most of the region. In particular the populated areas of the East and South Bay will experience some of the hottest temperatures on Thursday afternoon.

(more…)

It may be a shocking headline … but the enemy is us.

Following the tragic death of a middle school bike-rider last June – run over by a parent picking up her own child from the same school – this year’s school opening week comes with an urgent safety message: Slow down!

The full court press comes from many sources, including the SJ Mercury News, bicycle safety training from SJPD, this week’s WG Resident, and SJUSD Superintendent Don Iglesias. Iglesias used a prerecorded voicemail message to remind parents to slow down and be safe:

I want to ask you to make safety a high priority for your child and all the other children who attend your neighborhood school. School zones are busy and hectic particularly at beginning and end of the school day. Please model safe behavior, so that all of our kids can have a safe journey to and from school
… There’s nothing more precious than the life of our children.

Ever since Pierluigi Oliverio announced that the movie for his Second Annual District 6 Movie Night would be Disney’s Cars, WGx can’t help but notice there are quite a few “Mater” look-alikes around town.

You know Mater … the rusty but lovable tow truck from Radiator Springs, who takes Lightning McQueen tractor-tipping, and teaches him how to drive backwards, among other important life lessons.

Will the real ‘Mater’ please stand-up …

The movie night is this coming Friday, August 29, and Willow Street Park. … Maybe a guest appearance — or three — is in order. Anyone?

After months of dreaming of Zanotto’s … followed by promises from Tesco … followed by months of waiting … now we get months of construction …

As originally reported by via Twitter, Contractors have placed fences and added modular office space on the long-vacant Albertson’s grocery store on the corner of Bird & Minnesota/Alma, future site of Tesco’s Fresh & Easy.

The WG Resident has added a story online at the SJ mercury News website (not in today’s print edition), revealing that only one as-yet-unissued building permit stands in the way of actual construction on the site:

Brendan Wonnacott of Tesco’s Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market said renovations are scheduled to begin within a month at the Bird Avenue site.

Wonnacott said the site could open as early as next summer. The store is one of 18 that the chain plans to open in the Bay Area. News of the Willow Glen project moving forward came just after Tesco ended a three-month moratorium on opening any new stores in Southern California until the company could collect feedback from other Fresh and Easy locations.

… Plans are moving forward as scheduled, he added. San Jose building officials said earlier this month that the project was at a standstill in the building permit stage.

Edward Tolentino, San Jose’s chief building official, said all plans have been reviewed and the department is waiting on a special inspection form, which will name an inspector of welding and structural aspects of the building.

“We’ve been ready to issue it since June 2,” Tolentino said. “We are just waiting for that one piece of paper.”

Delays or otherwise, Summer 2009 remains the official target. We’ll see.

The WG Library hosted a Donors Reception Wednesday evening, thanking members of the community who had contributed to the SJ Library Foundation.

WGx was there too, and offers a sneak peek for everyone else!

The official Library Grand Opening is set for Saturday, August 23, at 11:00 am.

In an ironic development first “uncovered” by WGx, well-intentioned citizens across WG have been turned into criminals! … Either that or they are avoiding suspicion by canceling “Produce Exchanges” that had been planned between neighbors.

The growing – and suddenly illegal – trend of swapping backyard-grown fruits and and vegetables seemed like a good idea at the time, but is now under fire from the Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture: “Home gardeners within the quarantine zone are not allowed to move fresh produce or plants from their properties.” The non-fermented vegetable prohibition is the result of a quarantine in place to protect commercial farms from the Light Brown Apple Moth.

Just to make things more confusing, not all of the vegetable swapping options are verboten. Community gardens and school life labs are exempt from the sharing ban. Kevin O’Day from the County explains, via the WGNA eList:

… I think what may be a source of confusion on this topic are the provisions for those with plots at school or community gardens. These sites operate under a compliance agreement, are trapped and they receive a regulatory inspection on a 30-day cycle. Because of these safeguards, harvested produce is allowed to move freely out from the community gardens within the quarantine zone. This protocol is similar to that used for commercial growers with fields within the regulated area.

Thus, tonight’s exchange planned on Settle Avenue has been canceled.

And now the once-great idea will whither on the vine, along with some really great tasting tomatoes.

Hey, it’s a confusing headline … because traffic on Minnesota/Alma at Highway 87 could end up being equally snarled this Saturday.

The popular Assyrian Festival returns this year on Saturday, August 23, and … their neighbors at the Elks Lodge will be hosting an eWaste Drop-Off event on Saturday, too.

At least, that’s what all of the signs say. WGx scoured the Internet on your behalf, but couldn’t find any up-to-date online information for you. So, stay tuned … and stay clear if you don’t have any Assyrian-based eWaste to drop-off.