November 8, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

Volunteers needed for bio-terrorism emergency preparedness exercise

For the first time, ordinary citizens have an opportunity to take an active volunteer role in Santa Clara County’s Golden Guardian exercise.

Volunteer Center Silicon Valley is recruiting 500 volunteers for this simulated bio-terrorism emergency exercise, which takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at San Jose Municipal Stadium from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Volunteers will role play concert attendees in this countywide evaluation exercise of police, fire and medical first responders.

Each year since 2004, the state of California Governor’s Office of Homeland Security has conducted the Golden Guardian statewide emergency preparedness exercise.

“The threat of a terrorist attack or natural disaster is an unfortunate reality in today’s world and an emergency plan for both is critical,” said VCSV Executive Director Tim Quigley. “But a plan is only useful if people are prepared to execute it, and this involves training and practice. We hope that members of our community recognize the importance of this, and will be eager to participate on Nov. 14.”

No experience is necessary for the Nov.14 exercise. The minimum age is 18. Volunteers will be trained before the exercise begins and lunch will be provided. Some standing for periods of time and some walking may be required and volunteers should be available for the entire duration of the activity. To volunteer, visit www.vcsv.us and click on “Volunteer” or call (408) 247-1126.

Our City Forest offers several new classes

Our City Forest has some new and exciting programs and opportunities for the community. Our City Forest is a nonprofit organization based in San Jose committed to building stronger and greener communities by planting and caring for the urban forest and most importantly by involving the community in caring for the urban forest. Some of the opportunities coming up are:

Tree Amigos classes beginning Nov. 28
Learn everything you ever needed to know about trees and become a prestigious Tree Amigo (trained volunteer).

Tree treks
Free tree tours through downtown San Jose on the third Saturday of every month, call to sign up. The first tour is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Needed: Volunteer Planet Teachers
The new Planet Tree education program is looking for volunteers interested in helping give presentations to classrooms K-12. Training will be provided.

And of course the free trees program—free trees for San Jose parks, schools, and neighborhoods. Apply for free trees now. Our City Forest will provide help in organizing planting projects, lessons on how to plant trees, and instructions on how to keep trees alive. Help is available for senior citizens and disabled residents.

For all info call 99-TREES (408-998-7337) or go online at OurCityForest.org or e-mail volunteer@ourcityforest.org

Amgen Tour seeking volunteers

Organizers for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California recently announced that volunteer opportunities for the professional cycling road race are now posted online at the official tour Web site, www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Volunteers are needed in San Jose during the Feb. 20 Stage 3 leg of the race. People can apply online for positions including course marshal, security, media relations and medical control.

The 2008 Amgen Tour of California is scheduled for Feb. 17-24. International cycling teams will race through 750 miles of scenic landscape from northern to southern California in an eight-day road race modeled after the Tour de France.

“Engaging the people of San Jose and Silicon Valley in this exciting world-class sporting event has helped ensure its continuing popularity and success. We are excited once again to host in downtown San Jose the exciting Stage 3 finish of the Amgen Tour of California for the third year in a row and provide a postcard of San Jose and the region to the rest of the world,” said Carl Guardino, co-chair, local organizing committee for the race.

More than 4,000 volunteers in communities throughout the state participated in last year’s second-annual race, making it seamless and successful from start to finish and establishing it as the largest sporting event in the state of California. In each of the host cities, as many as 350 local volunteers were recruited to help staff the race.

"Volunteers are vital to making a race of this caliber a success," said Kristin Bachochin, senior director of AEG Sports, presenters of the race. "Without the support of the communities we travel through, the Amgen Tour of California wouldn't be able to accommodate the more than 1.6 million fans and world-class roster of athletes that are part of the race."

The majority of volunteers are needed to serve as course marshals, providing support for the 75 professional course marshals that travel with the tour and support the local law enforcement authorities in each city. Course marshal volunteers have an opportunity to be on the race route, close to the cyclists, with responsibility for monitoring pedestrian traffic, barricades and street closures.

Volunteer positions for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California include:

* Course marshal

* Health Net Lifestyle Festival EXPO

* Media relations

* Medical control

* Security

* Site decoration/restoration

* Sweepstakes wurveyor

* Volunteer check-in

Volunteers must be over the age of 18 or accompanied by an adult. The online sign-up form offers volunteers the opportunity to rank their top-three job preferences, and every attempt is made to match volunteers to their area of interest.

*For further information on volunteering for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.AmgenTourofCalifornia.com/Tour/volunteer.

San Jose seeks community input on eliminating structural
deficit Community budget survey available online

The city of San Jose has released an online survey to collect suggestions and recommendations from the community on eliminating the city’s more than $100 million General Fund structural deficit. The survey can be accessed via the city’s Web site at www.sanjoseca.gov or by going directly to www.SanJoseBudgetSurvey.com. It will be available online until Friday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.

The survey is designed to solicit community views on budget strategies and service changes the city can implement to eliminate the deficit. All suggestions and recommendations will be evaluated for feasibility and financial return. Responses to the survey go directly to Management Partners, a consulting firm assisting San Jose with this effort.

In conjunction with the City Manager’s Office, Management Partners will compile the results of the survey and provide a summary of the responses to be considered by the City Council in early 2008. The survey is translated into both Spanish and Vietnamese and downloadable from the city’s Web site.

“The mayor and city council have made elimination of the city’s General Fund structural deficit a priority for the next three years,” says City Manager Debra Figone, “We want to put everything on the table for consideration, and this survey will allow San Jose residents to help set priorities for the city.”

Translated copies of the survey can be mailed to Management Partners, Attn: Emily Baker, 2107 N First St, Suite 470, San Jose, CA 95131 or faxed to (408) 453-6191. For questions about the survey or for technical assistance, contact Emily Baker of Management Partners at (408) 437-5400 or via e-mail at ebaker@managementpartners.com.

Chamber concerned about employers shouldering health care burden

The San Jose Silicon Valley (SJSV) Chamber of Commerce applauds the efforts of Democratic leaders, Speaker Fabian Núñez and Senate President pro tem Don Perata, in presenting an updated health care proposal, which is clearly a positive step forward in achieving comprehensive health care reform.

However, the chamber is concerned about the reintroduction of similar provisions to AB8 governing the cost sharing for employers. AB8 imposed unaffordable and unacceptable taxes on employers who already cover their employees with health insurance benefits. A provision requiring employers to pay twice for employee health coverage based on payroll is not good for business.

The chamber continues to support comprehensive reform that will make access to health care affordable to all Californians. The chamber maintains the critical importance of shared responsibility. It is the cornerstone of a sound and sustainable solution to the healthcare crisis. Business is willing to contribute to a plan that fairly distributes costs. However, the financing burden for health care reform can’t be solely on the backs of business.

“Comprehensive reform based on shared responsibility will benefit everyone, without placing the lion’s share of financial responsibility at the doorsteps of businesses,” says SJSV Chamber President and CEO Pat Dando. “Additionally, it puts more emphasis on preventive care and wellness, which the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber continues to advocate through its GoWell! Summits and continued community outreach.”

The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, consistent with its adopted policies regarding access to quality health care, endorses the following principles of the health care reform, including shared responsibility, prevention and wellness provisions, universal coverage for all Californians, guaranteed acceptance without regard to age or state of health, provider choice and individual mandate.

The SJSV Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit business association representing over 2,000 employers and a quarter-million employees throughout the greater Silicon Valley. For more information on the Chamber and the work of its Health Care Committee, visit www.sjchamber.com or contact Kymberli Brady at (408) 291-5265 or kymberlib@sjchamber.com.