Bill’s Backyard reopening
The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose is officially beginning its reopening process Sept. 26. For two weekends Bill’s Backyard, the large outdoor play area at the museum, will be open only to museum members, opening up to all residents on Oct. 9. Museum officials will cap visitors at a quarter of usual capacity in an effort to comply with countywide social distancing guidelines. Visitors will also have to register ahead of time at www.cdm.org and wear masks if they’re over 6 years old.
STEM masters
Two San Jose middle school students have been selected as finalists in the national Broadcom Masters competition, for which they submitted an original project showing their promise in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Anika Pallapothu, a student at The Harker School, submitted a project that uses artificial intelligence to help diagnose eye diseases caused by diabetes. Anish Bhethanabotla, a student at San Joaquin Miller School, was chosen for a project to develop goggles and other aids to help visually impaired people get around.
The students will advance to the next round of the competition, to take place in October.
Surveying San Jose
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t raise your voice. The City of San Jose has released several surveys seeking residents’ input on matters that affect everyday life in the city.
To weigh in on San Jose’s garbage and recycling services, visit bit.ly/RR-ENG-2020. To help the city root out problems with its urban tree management plan, take the survey at tinyurl.com/SJTreeSurvey.
Through Oct. 31, residents can give their thoughts on smoking in apartments and other multi-family properties via tinyurl.com/SJSmokingSurvey.
Pandemic assist
Shop with a Cop, a San Jose-based nonprofit made up of first responders, has lent a hand to area residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group has helped distribute food to residents via SHIP Kits and has given financial assistance to residents struggling to make ends meet.
Volunteers also delivered more than 5,000 books and 1,000 backpacks, along with other school supplies, to local kids. The nonprofit is seeking donations to help fund its efforts. To learn more or donate, visit www.shopwithacopsv.org.
Neighborhood Notes
WILLOW GLEN>>The San Jose Fire Department broke ground on a new fire station in Willow Glen earlier this month. The new station will stand next to the Willow Glen Community Center and is intended to bridge a critical gap in the city’s fire services.
ROSE GARDEN>> Model auditions for this year’s Bellarmine Mothers’ Guild Fashion Show, the annual event to raise funds for Bellarmine College Preparatory Academy student scholarships, will take place Sept. 27 at the school, 960 W. Hedding St. Several judges will oversee the auditions, including a professional modeling agent, a Disney Channel actress and a finalist from the hit reality show The Bachelor. Local high school senior girls are eligible to audition. For more information and to register for an audition, visit tinyurl.com/BCPModelCasting.
While Playful People Productions can’t stage shows as usual in the Hoover Theatre due to COVID-19 restrictions, the company is putting together a “radio play” of “Alice in Wonderland.” Children ages 8-12 who want to participate in the online production can sign up for classes in performance and behind-the-scenes theater skills. The Zoom-based classes are set for Sept. 29-Nov. 20; fees are $200-$375. Register from Sept. 25 to Oct. 11 at https://playfulpeople.org/fall-2020-offerings or call 408-878-5362.
