Ushering in the New Year
By Larry Sacks
On Saturday, January 14, the Bay Area offered more than its usual variety of activities. At Candlestick Park, the 49ers provided one type of activity, while the clear and mild weather afforded others a chance to play outside. And, miles or minutes away from those other Saturday afternoon options, many were taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy and indoor concert of Chinese and Taiwanese Music as part of the Chinese New Year Celebration at Central Park Library in Santa Clara.
The sounds of music filled the air of the Redwood Room as a near capacity crowd was treated to a very enjoyable performance of music that was both new and known. The Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra (FYCO) rivaled other notable youth concert groups by treating Santa Clarans to a dazzling performance.
FYCO performed musical numbers that were familiar to many in the crowd. While most of the songs FYCO performed were Chinese, two of the songs - Blue High Mountain and Day Flower - were Taiwanese. The music might have been familiar, but chances are, the names of the instruments were not. With instruments bearing names such as Sheng (mouth organ), Bangdi (Chinese flute), Qudi (Chinese flute), Daruan (smaller four-stringed guitar), Yangqin (dulcimer), Zhonghu (two-stringed violin), Pipa (four-stringed lute), Liuqin (treble lute), Suona (oboe/trumpet), Zheng (plucked string instrument), Zhongruan (larger four-stringed guitar), Guzhend (lap harp), Dizi (bamboo flute) and Erhu (two-stringed violin), there might have been a lack of familiarity among some of what type of sound they produced.
49ers Focus
By Robert Haugh
The Saints came marching into Candlestick Park, and were sent marching back to New Orleans for a long off-season as the 49ers defeated the Saints in a thrilling 36-32 win on Saturday, January 14.
Marching to an early 17-0 lead, the 49ers were in fine form early, though the Saints fired back
Seeds Scattered to Grow a Santa Clara Community Services
Part IV in a Series on the Homeless
by Diane Andrews
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...," read Teresa O'Neill, quoting Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities and contrasting those in Santa Clara County with high-paying jobs to those holding minimum-wage service jobs.
Milestone Events at Resurrection Lutheran Church
Fifty years ago, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA basketball game, West Side Story was the best picture winner at the Academy Awards, Andy Warhol’s famous Campbell’s Soup Cans premiered in Los Angeles...
200 Volunteers Spruce Up Ulistac Natural Area on Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
By Diane Andrews
Answering a community call to take up shovels, hoes, pick axes, and pruning shears, about 200 volunteers aged six to 75 turned out at Ulistac Natural Area on Lick Mill Boulevard in Santa Clara January 16, for a morning of service to honor the memory and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Unconditional Surrender at Pacific Gardens
By Diane Andrews
Unconditional surrender - it was a time of jubilation across America when Japan surrendered in 1945, ending WWII. Unconditional surrender—a white-uniformed nurse swept up in the spontaneous embrace of a sailor in the middle of New York City's Times Square on Victory over Japan Day August 14, 1945.
This Week's Letters
Santa Clara vs. Medical Marijuana Part 2
By Robert Haugh
With an injunction hearing scheduled for January 24, the City of Santa Clara is attempting to shut down Angel’s Care Collective, a popular medical marijuana dispensary located on Laurelwood Avenue.
Due to several zoning and code violations against Angel’s Care and allegedly over $100,000 in unpaid fines, the injunction order was filed against Angel’s Care by the City on December 8, 2011 in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
City Adopts Ordinance Prohibiting Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
At the August 16, 2011 City Council meeting, the Council adopted an ordinance (Ordinance No. 1888, resolution No. 11-7876) amending the zoning code to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries (MMD).
Suspicious Car Fires Caused by Ignited Christmas Trees
By Robert Haugh
In the early morning hours of Friday, January 6, the Santa Clara Fire Department responded to one of the rarest calls they’ve seen.
Within a 25-minute period, SCFD received four separate fire calls, with nine of ten Santa Clara Fire Stations responding simultaneously. What were thought to be house fires ended up being vehicle fires, "set intentionally using available combustible materials," according to SCFD Captain Dave Parker.
Five vehicles were damaged in four separate fires. One fire endangered a home, as a vehicle parked in a driveway had caught fire, igniting a fence. The fire was quickly extinguished by responding fire crews.
Parker adds that it’s "highly unusual" to see four fire calls come in simultaneously. Because the calls were potential house fires, nine of the ten Santa Clara fire stations responded with available rigs. Many of the units returned to their base swiftly after discovering the fires were vehicle-based.
Triton Begins Series on Symbolism
By Melissa McKenzie
Horns, moons and snakes weren’t always devious symbols and when looking at artistic expression, there are two ways to determine its meaning. The first is on a cultural level where symbol depicted will often have different meanings in various cultures. The second is on an elementary level. The elementary level is where the real symbolism is found. Such were the ideas stressed by the Triton Museum of Art’s Chief Curator Preston Metcalf on Thursday, January 12 during the kick off of the museum’s lecture series, the Hidden Symbols of Art.
The lecture, Symbols of the Feminine, was the first in the eight-week series. During Symbols of the Feminine, Metcalf explained to art enthusiasts how the feminine symbol is one of the most ancient and symbols of feminine influence are some of the most often used throughout history.
