d4sanjose.com • (408) 535-4904 • district4@sanjoseca.gov

Piedmont Middle School Choir

Tuesday’s City Council Meeting was kicked off by the Piedmont Middle School Choir. Director Celeste Wilson accompanied two of her students, Kennedy and Mackenzie Sauao, as they introduced a video of their choir performing “You’re Welcome” from Disney’s hit film “Moana.” Ms. Wilson says she prefers to collaborate with her students, rather than simply directing, and that the students themselves did much of the arrangement and choreography!

New Sidewalk at Northwood Park Complete!

The new Northwood Park concrete pathway has been installed! PRNS is also expected to complete work on the irrigation adjustments in May. We're so happy to know the community can now enjoy an uninterrupted walking loop in the park without having to walk through dirt and mud!

Jim Stump Opens New Restaurant at SJC!

Chef Jim Stump has been a fixture in the South Bay culinary scene for decades. AP Stumps, Forthright Oyster Bar, The Table, Shepherd & Sims, The Vesper, and more, his contributions are endless. Now he’s launched yet another amazing venture, Jim Stump’s Taproom + Kitchen in the heart of Terminal B at SJC . Cheers to new adventures and congratulations, Jim!

Berryessa Art Festival

Berryessa Art Festival is less than 3 weeks away! An exciting array of vendors and artists will come together at the Berryessa Art Festival! With Mother's Day just the day after, it's your chance to find mom a one-of-a-kind gift all while supporting local makers, and the Berryessa School District.

Vendors Spotlight!

Knot your average booth! Come unravel unique and handmade creations by Illistine's Crochet Boutique at the Berryessa Art Festival! 

Bringing a colorful burst of Chicano Culture to the Berryessa Art Festival, Califlora Arts will get you feeling the vibes!

Latina owned My Sisters Closet Clothing hits the festival with a mission to empower all women, at home, at work, or out on the town!

Berryessa Art Festival Needs You! We're looking for volunteers to help make this 46th annual neighborhood event run smoothly! Click here to get started.

Showcasing local artists, crafters, artisans, musicians, and more, the Berryessa Art Festival is back! The community’s favorite tradition returns with food, drinks, entertainment, and shopping in the beautiful Penitencia Creek Park meadows behind the Berryessa Community Center.

Local artists and merchants can sign up for a vendor booth, volunteers can get on the roster, and businesses looking to sponsor the festival can do it all at BerryessaArtFestival.com

It's Time To Adopt a Cat or Dog!

This week my staff and I toured the San José Animal Care Center a full service no-kill animal shelter facility in Central San Jose. Currently housing over 300 animals waiting to be adopted, the SJACC is a truly incredible place. Stop by in person or check them out online and find the perfect new addition to your family today. We wish we could have taken so many of the dogs and cats home!

San José Animal Care Center

2750 Monterey Road • (408) 794-7297

Highlighting Environmental Stewardship throughout the Month of April

This week's spotlighted organization is San Jose Junk Pick Up

Did you know the City of San José will pick up your junk for free?

The City provides this free service to all residents free of charge. Getting rid of your junk is easy; just check out the list of accepted items, make your appointment, then set your junk out by the street and our team will come by to take it all away. This program is one of San Jose's best kept secrets, saving you a trip to the dump, while cleaning up the neighborhood!

Berryessa Farmers Market is Back!

This year the Berryessa Farmers Market will be held at Piedmont Middle School. It opens for the season on May 6 and will operate every Saturday from 9am - 1pm through November 18.

Volunteers Needed for Tree Planting on Arbor Day

We're planting trees at Cataldi Park on April 29th! Join Our City Forest in recognizing Arbor Day by planting about 30 trees at Cataldi Park in District 4. There will be a short ceremony to where I will be joined by, Mayor Mahan, and other guests. Then dozens of volunteers will get to work sprucing up the park and helping us achieve our goal of planting 1000 trees in the district.

Let's End Distracted Driving!

Each year over 3,000 people are killed in accidents caused by distracted drivers. April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month and the NHSTA and our office are offering these tips to make your drive safer for you and everyone else on the road.

Drive Responsibly

In 2021, distracted driving killed 3,522 people. April, which is national Distracted Driving Awareness Month, is a good time to regroup and take responsibility for the choices we make when we’re on the road. Follow these safety tips for a safe ride: 

• Need to send a text? Pull over and park your car in a safe location.
• Designate your passenger as your “designated texter” to respond to calls or messages.
• Do not scroll through apps while driving. Struggling not to text and drive? Put the cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of the vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

The Consequences

During a portion of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, from April 3 through 10, there was increased law enforcement on the roadways as part of the national paid media campaign U Drive. U Text. U Pay. This campaign reminds drivers of the deadly dangers and the legal consequences – including fines – of texting behind the wheel.

Take Action

• Remind your friends and family: If you’re in the driver’s seat, it’s the only thing you should be doing. No distractions. 
• If your driver is texting or otherwise distracted, tell them to stop and focus on the road.
• Ask your friends to join you in pledging not to drive distracted. You could save a life. Share your pledge on social media to spread the word — #JustDrive.

Which Issue Is Most Important To You?

Let's Be Friends!

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We post everything from emergency notifications and district specific updates to council meeting breakdowns and inside looks at life at City Hall. Got recommendations for businesses, schools, or local heroes we might want to highlight? Send us a DM!

We welcome all your feedback as comments on our posts, direct messages in our inbox, phone calls to the office. Click the links above or the icons below to connect with us.

We Need Volunteers!

Berryessa Art Festival is going to be incredible this year! Here in District 4 Council Office It's our first time running the festival and so far it's shaping up to be the biggest and best in years, we're super excited! Everything is in place, but we're only missing one thing: YOU! We need folks to help with everything from set-up to wine pouring, ticket taking to clean-up. If you'd like to help make this year's Berryessa Art Festival a huge hit, please sign up to volunteer!

click here to volunteer.

Rebates up to 90% for Your Building Upgrades!

Through the San José Energy Efficient Business Program, your business can receive rebates when you make certain energy-saving upgrades. These significant rebates (80-90% off!) help make the projects more affordable, and when you combine the rebates with your lower monthly energy costs, the upgrades can quickly pay for themselves.

click here to get started.

Who's making a big difference in our community? A great teacher, business owner, a police officer who goes beyond the call of duty. Maybe there's someone spending their free time organizing creek clean-ups or blanket drives for the unhoused... If you've got someone special in your neighborhood, let us know by nominating them to be a District Hero!