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HomeMy WebLinkAboutScene March 2019 - 03.01.2019SCENE A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO March 2019 Restoring the Wild Page 6 - 7 PLUS SCENE ANSWERS COYOTE SAFETY IN CUPERTINO Page 8 DISCOVER NEW BUSINESSES IN CUPERTINO Page 4 FARM FRESH EATS VISIT CUPERTINO’S FARMERS MARKETS Page 5 BE READY FREE EMERGENCY PREP WORKSHOPS RSVP to Ken at KennethE@cupertino.org or call 408-777-3176 2019 Schedule City Hall 10300 Torre Ave Cupertino, CA 95014 Mar. 23, 2019 8 am - 11 am Apr. 10, 2019 6 pm - 9 pm May 19, 2019 1 pm - 3 pm June 7, 2019 6 pm - 9 pm July 16, 2019 6 pm - 9 pm Are You Prepared? Learn simple, basic safety skills to keep your home and family safe! • When and how to turn off the gas • How to use a re extinguisher • What to do when phones don’t work • Earthquake emergency supplies • Medical aid for the rst ve minutes after event • Community Emergency Response information • What’s the City’s plan and what is your role cupertino.org/jobs Saturday, March 9, 2019 10am – 1pm Community Hall 10350 Torre Ave. The City of Cupertino is looking for enthusiastic part-time employees to join our team! Learn about the fun summer jobs the City of Cupertino has to offer. Workshops: Resume Basics - 10:30am Interviewing 101 - 11am This summer job is the missing pieceof your applicationThis summer job is the missing pieceof your application CONTENTS FEATURES 6 Into the Cupertino Wild How restoration efforts of Stevens Creek have brought back species to McClellan Ranch Preserve. 12 The Scene Answers …Learn how to respond correctly if you interact with a Coyote. IN S I D E 4 New Businesses in Cupertino Check out the new businesses that have come to Cupertino in the last few months. 8 Keeping Clean Water in Cupertino How Cupertino residents can help keep clean water in Cupertino. 5 Keeping it Farm Fresh Get your farm fresh eats at Cupertino’s Farmers Markets on Friday’s and Sunday’s. 9 Get in the Know …The Cuperti-know, that is! What’s going on around town in February? Find out. Questions or comments about The Scene? Contact staff at scene@cupertino.org. Page 3 Be Sure to Check Out These New Businesses in Town! Circle Fit 19701 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Portal Plaza Creamistry 10815 N Wolfe Road, Cupertino Village FLEX College Prep 10495 S De Anza Boulevard #A, McClellan Square Gentry Bar & Eatery Marriott Residence Inn, Main Street Cupertino Kumino China 19634 Stevens Creek Boulevard, The Marketplace Nanyang Kitchen 10893 N Wolfe Road, Cupertino Village Nosh Bagel 19700 Vallco Parkway, Nineteen800 Qin Tang Café 10271 Torre Avenue Rori Rice 19650 Stevens Creek Boulevard, The Marketplace Sweethoney Dessert 10815 N Wolfe Road, Cupertino Village Rori Rice Cricle Fit Coming Soon… Easterly Hunan Cuisine 10495 S De Anza Boulevard #B, McClellan Square Hot Lunch Saich Way Station Hyatt House Hotel 10380 Perimeter Road Ippudo Ramen Main Street Cupertino Pacific Catch Westcoast Fish House Main Street Cupertino Sizzling Lunch 10033 Saich Way, Saich Way Station Somi Somi Main Street Cupertino Stout Burgers & Beer 10088 N Wolfe Road, Nineteen800 Sul and Beans Main Street Cupertino Shop, dine, and explore Cupertino by visiting www.cupertino.org/shopanddine Page 4 Local Farmers Markets Your Community Gathering Place The Creekside Farmers’ Market is a great gathering place for the community, a place to enjoy time with neighbors and friends, and a local venue for finding wonderful fresh local produce each week, in a lovely park setting. Get some exercise and walk to the market each week and find some fantastic fresh eats! Beginning as the Vallco Farmers’ Market in 2000, PCFMA worked closely with the City of Cupertino to relocate the market to Creekside Park in April 2017. Operating every Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., year-round, rain or shine at 10455 Miller Avenue, Creekside Farmers’ Market invites the community to enjoy fresh and local fruits and vegetables and other products each week. Additional community partners include Creekside Community Church, which recognizes the market as valuable to the area and allows market patrons to use its parking lot every Friday. PCFMA partners with West Valley Community Services of Cupertino to gather produce each week for those in need. This spring the City of Cupertino will have an informational booth at the market to keep residents and visitors informed of events and happenings around Cupertino. New to the market is “Dragon Baby Seafood” with fresh fish, locally caught near Half Moon Bay. Their catch varies each week according to what they bring home. “Ken’s Top Notch” out of Fresno offers organic citrus this time of year, but will have sweet cherries and stone fruit later in the season. “Swank Farms” comes from Hollister with organic vegetables such as beets, carrots, broccoli, leafy greens, and more. Watch for their seasonal asparagus to arrive soon! “CMC Farms” of Fresno brings sweet and snackable dried fruits, like raisins, dried jujubes, and more. Also serving the Cupertino community is the West Coast Farmers Market Association (WCFMA) farmers market held every Sunday currently at The Oaks Shopping Center, located at 21275 Stevens Creek Boulevard. The Sunday market operates 9:00am to 1:00pm, year- round, rain or shine. Why visit your local farmers markets? You get the freshest produce available, delivered to you by local farmers who grew it. You can find varieties of produce you may not find at the supermarket. And you can enjoy the camaraderie of your neighbors and friends, talking to the farmers, and supporting your community. What better way to spend Friday and Sunday mornings? Stop by and see what’s new each week at your local farmers’ markets! Page 5 Monarch Caterpillar Restoring Native Species in the Stevens Creek Corridor Over the last 30 years, projects big and small have been bringing back native species in the Stevens Creek Corridor. While the Santa Clara Valley Water District, California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies provided funding and expertise to the big restoration projects, none of this would have happened without community support, and the many volunteers and nonprofit organizations that helped with restoration efforts. It all started long ago when Cupertino residents Nancy Hertert and Lonnie Toensfeldt had a vision of setting aside some of Cupertino’s agricultural land as a nature and rural preserve, first protecting McClellan Ranch in 1976. Later residents supported a bond measure to acquire the privately-owned Blackberry Farm Golf Course and Picnic Area and preserve it as public open space. Conserving these lands was an important first step, but because these acres and the creek that flows through them had been grazed, plowed, and planted with a variety of crops, more was needed to help the species still present, and to reintroduce some that had been forced out. When Cupertino City Council designated McClellan Ranch as a Nature and Rural Preserve, the meadows were no longer managed for agricultural purposes, but this did not mean the native plant life immediately returned. Local organizations including Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, and the Stevens and Permanente Creeks Watershed Council, along with scout and youth group volunteers worked to control invasive weeds, and plant native trees and shrubs. Stevens Creek supports four species of native fish: three-spine stickleback, California roach, Sacramento sucker, and Central Coast steelhead trout (on the threatened species list since 2006). Many problems contributed to low survival rates of the fish. Fortunately, with grant money from the state and support from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Cupertino was able undertake major restoration efforts. After extensive studies and modeling, hydrologists guided the construction of a channel that winds its way through an area that was formerly a large asphalt parking lot. Now fish have the improved habitat that includes pools, riffles, and several backwater channels that provide refuge when heavy rains create powerful currents in the main channel. The trees that were planted along the creek now stabilize the banks and shade the water, keeping it a suitable temperature for steelhead, a cold-water fish. Fish haven’t been the only native species to benefit from restoration efforts in the Stevens Creek Corridor. Spring through fall, the blooming natives attract a number of native bees, butterflies, and other insects. The native narrow-leaf milkweed planted over the last decade is now supporting monarch caterpillars, and the Yampah planted by and cared for Grassroots Ecology’s volunteers support anise swallowtail caterpillars. It is only since the restoration efforts that these butterfly species have been found breeding here. Some of the tiny native bees that forage for nectar and pollen among the flowers nest within the hollow stems of the native grasses. You needn’t be a bug or bird to enjoy the increasing diversity of plants and animals in the corridor. Students explore the restored meadow, creek, and riparian areas on field trips, and those of all ages can be delighted when they pause and appreciate the growing diversity of life in the Stevens Creek Corridor. Anise Swallowtail Butterfly Page 7 Keeping Clean Water in Cupertino The City of Cupertino’s Clean Water and Storm Drainage program provides essential community services. That includes storm drain inspection and cleaning, trash and litter reduction, construction oversight, and environmental education. These ser- vices are critical in sustaining a heathy environment, maintaining our aging infrastructure, and maximiz- ing groundwater recharge. A small portion of the above activities are funded by a fee of $12 per home—and related rates for non- residential properties—on your property tax bill. The fee has not been increased since it was implemented more than 25 years ago. And costs continue to rise. Last December, the City conducted a survey that was mailed to approximately 12,000 Cupertino property owners. The survey asked whether they would be willing to support a fee to fill the funding gap. The fee would create a sustainable, dedicated source of funding that would not have to compete with other general fund priorities. A new Clean Water and Storm Drainage Fee could also allow the City to begin to address some of the high-priority capital improvement projects identified in the recently completed Storm Drain Master Plan. Based on the survey results, the City Council has requested that a Fee Study be done, which will be presented to the City Council on March 5. At that time, the Council may decide whether to move forward with a new, proposed Clean Water and Storm Drainage Fee, which would require property- owner approval through a balloting process. Community meetings are being planned to educate the public about the program and the potential fee. If you would like to receive more information about this topic, including the time and place of the upcoming community meetings, visit cupertino.org/ enotification and sign up for “Clean Water and Storm Drainage” alerts. Page 8 Page 9 What’s going on around town? GET IN THE CUPERTI- know New Block Leader Training Learn how to connect neighbors and improve safety and communication in the neighbor hood. Wednesday, March 27 Sign up at communityrelations@cupertino.org Sustainability Essay Contest Grades 6-8 are invited to submit an essay expressing their concerns and ideas about sustainability in Cupertino. Winner gets $100! Submission Deadline: March 7 cupertino.org/essaycontest Big Bunny 5k Grab your family and friends and get energized for the Big Bunny 5K and Kids Fun Run. Register today at bigbunny5k.com Cupertino’s Compost Site Opens! On Friday, March 29, Cupertino residents can pick-up free bulk compost every Friday and Saturday at 12100 Stevens Canyon Rd, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. cupertino.org/compost COMMUNITY CALENDAR © TEENS Teen Center Closure Closed from Saturday, February 23 to Sunday March 17 The Cupertino Teen Center is getting a makeover! Visit us for a grand re- opening in March! © Spring Equinox Wed., March 20, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Cueprtino Teen Center Bring in the Spring with arts and crafts activities at the Teen Center! © Something on a Stick Day Thursday, March 28, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Cupertino Teen Center Come to the Teen Center on ‘Something on a Stick Day’ to try various snacks and treats on a stick! FAMILY-FRIENDLY West Coast Farmers Market Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Oaks Shopping Center Stop by the West Coast Farmers Market every Friday and Sunday in the Oaks Shopping Center parking lot. For more information visit www.wcfma.org. © Creekside Farmers Market Every Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Creekside Park, 10455 Miller Avenue Stop by the Creekside Farmers Market every Friday at Creekside Park in Cupertino. For more information visit, www.pcfma.org/visit/markets. © Home Composting Workshop Saturday, March 2, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Cupertino Senior Center, 21251 Stevens Creek Boulevard Learn to transform your food scraps and yard trimmings into nutrient-rich com- post for your garden! Register at ucanr. edu/compost. Cupertino residents that attend a compost workshop can re- ceive one free compost bin or worm bin. Email environmental@cupertino. org after you have completed a work- shop to claim your free bin. Block Leader Training Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Session One: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Session Two: 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road Learn how to connect neighbors and improve safety and communication in the neighborhood. To sign-up, contact: communityrelations@cupertino.org, or (408) 777-3331. © Compost Site Opens Friday, March 29, Every Friday and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 12100 Stevens Canyon Road across from Stevens Creek Reservoir dam parking lot. The City of Cupertino offers free bulk compost to all Cupertino residents at the City’s compost site. The compost is made from residential food scraps and yard waste collected from Cupertino’s organics recycling program. Compost site closes during rainy weather, call 408.777.1320 for status. © Shredding and Environmental Recycling Event Saturday, April 13, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. De Anza College, Parking Lot A Drop off confidential documents for shredding electronics, batteries, and fluorescent lights for recycling, or usable furniture or clothing for donation. Visit www.cupertino.org/environmentalday for full list of acceptable items. © Earth and Arbor Day Festival Saturday, April 13, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Cupertino Civic Center Plaza Take a yoga class, join our family- friendly bike ride, eat lunch from a food truck, watch live entertainment, and learn, craft, and play with over 75 local environmental organizations! © Big Bunny 5K Saturday, April 20, 8:00 a.m. Cupertino Civic Center Plaza Grab your family and friends and get energized for the Big Bunny 5K and Kids Fun Run. Register at bigbunny5k.com. CUPERTINO LIBRARY For more information on library programs, visit the Events section of the Cupertino Library’s website at sccl.org/cupertino . CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS: Children’s Garden Spring Opening Tuesday, March 5, 3:30 p.m. Cupertino Library Courtyard Our popular Children’s Garden is open for the spring! Visit us every Tuesday afternoon for seed planting parties, to explore our fairy and dinosaur gardens, and to try out our Plant Petting Zoo. © Make a Memory Frame Craft Wednesday, March 20, 4:00 p.m. Cupertino Library Story Room Children in grades 5-8 can create a memory frame! Bring copies of 5 favorite family photos and make a light up frame to display them. TEEN PROGRAMS Teen Writing Workshop Wednesday, March 13, 7:00 pm, Cupertino Library Story Room Kelly Loy Gilbert, the author of Silicon Valley Reads selection Picture Us In The Light, will share creative writing tips with teens. ADULT PROGRAMS VITA Volunteer Tax Help Sessions Sundays, March 10 – April 7, 1:30 p.m. Cupertino Library Story Room VITA Tax volunteers will be at Cupertino Library to help people file their 2018 tax returns. Please bring tax documents with you, and note that complex returns may need the services of a professional tax accountant. © Wellness: Getting to the Root Cause of Pain Sunday, March 24, 2:00 p.m. Cupertino Community Hall Li Yang, California board licensed acupuncturist, will discuss warning symptoms of pain in your body, and how to relieve pain with your own hands using simple techniques. Page 10 © COMMUNITY CALENDAR The Science and Technology of DNA Wednesday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. Cupertino Library Story Room Abbey Thompson, Outreach Director for Stanford Genetics, will talk about the basic function of DNA, how DNA testing has evolved and the role that DNA plays in solving crimes. SENIOR CENTER For more info on the Senior Center, or to sign up for classes or events, visit cupertino.org/senior or stop by 21251 Stevens Creek Boulevard. EVENTS & SOCIALS Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Tips from the Latest Research Wed., March 6, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Learn from the Alzheimer’s Association about research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement. © St. Patrick’s and March Birthday Bash Wednesday, March 13, 12:00 p.m. Join use for the Irish tradition of St. Patrick’s Day featuring Irish entertainment plus a full meal. Members with March birthdays will be honored. Vegetarian option available when registering. Preregistration required as space is limited. © Monday Night Basketball Social Monday, March 18, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Watch the Warriors take on the Spurs on our big screen while enjoying salad and hearty jambalaya for dinner. Preregistration required. © The Physical and Mental Benefits of Exercise Tuesday, March 26, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Join this workshop by Breathe California in learning ways to motivate yourself to move more and get the benefits and independence exercise can bring. CLASSES & PRESENTATIONS Flex Drop-in Passes Now introducing Flex passes for select fitness classes if space is available. Members can purchase Flex passes at the senior center front desk for $6 each. Look for the Flex pass logo on select classes. Flex passes are non-refundable. Please note: classes may be cancelled if minimum registration is not met. For members only. © Stay Active Fund The Stay Active Fund helps adults 50+ re- main active, engaged, and participat- ing at the Cupertino Senior Center. This fund provides assistance to offset the cost for senior center membership and registration for classes and events. The fund is available beginning in November through June 30, or until the fund is de- pleted. Please contact the senior center staff for more details. © iPad Beginning Tuesday, March 5 - April 16, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Come build your knowledge and learn the general iPad basics from Roz Schiros with the most recent iOS and handouts for each topic! © Age Well - Drive Smart Wednesday, March 6, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The CHP presents topics such as myths about older drivers, compensating for age-related changes, rules of the road, safe driving, and more. Receive a certificate upon completion. Members free, senior guests pay $5 day pass. Preregistration required. Sign up at the front desk. © Creativebug Wednesday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Topics include art and design, sewing, quilting, knitting, food and home, crafts for kids and more! Classes never expire and new classes from top artists are added daily. © iPad Intermediate Thursday, March 7 – April 18, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Do you know the locations and func- tions of your iPad’s hardware, how to use hand movements, and how to mul- titask? If so, you are ready for this class which covers photo editing, Split View, Slide Over, Video and Magnifier, Live Photos, Memories, Markup and more! SOCIAL SERVICES Housing Mon., March 4, 18, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Information on resources for senior housing options. Please call (408) 777- 3150 to make an appointment. © Blood Pressure Check Tue., March 5, 19,12:15p.m.-1:15p.m. Mon., March 11, 25 | 1:30p.m.-2:30p.m. Free blood pressure checks by volunteer nurse. Open to the public. © Senior Adult Legal Aid (SALA) Friday, March 1, 8, 15, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Provides free assistance to elders for basic legal matters in public benefits, long-term care, elder abuse, housing, consumer issues, incapacity planning, probate alternative, and simple wills. Must be 60 or older and live in Santa Clara County. Please call (408)777-3150 to make an appointment. © Health Insurance Counseling (HICAP) Monday, March 11, 25 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Consultation on Medicare and health insurance. Please call 408.777.3150 to make an appointment. © Case Management Program This program helps seniors obtain community resources enabling them to remain independent and safe in their home. Case Managers provide assessments to determine the needs for services; coordinate and ensure legal services are in place. Home visits can be provided to homebound seniors living in Cupertino. Free service, membership required. Drop-in Consultations with Case Managers are Wed., 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. or by appointment Mon.- Fri., 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Mandarin and Cantonese language appointments are available. Page 11 PRSRT-STD U.S. Postage PAID Cupertino, CA Permit No. 239 CUPERTINO SCENE Cupertino City Hall 10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 *******ECRWSSEDDM******* POSTAL CUSTOMER Q&A THE SCENE ANSWERS Have questions for staff? Send them to scene@cupertino.org or call (408) 777-3212. GOT COYOTES? You don’t have to head to a national park to see wild coyotes. They are present in Cupertino where they play an important role in our local ecosystem keeping gophers, ground squirrels, and rats in check. While they are considered a predator, they readily eat fruit when it is available. Like most wild animals, coyotes generally avoid contact with humans. While some residents love seeing these wild neighbors, others fear them. If you are afraid of them, don’t run. It is better to stand your ground, make eye contact and assert yourself by waving your arms or shouting as you step towards the coyote. With this simple hazing you can encourage coyotes to keep their distance from you. However, there are times when this hazing is not recommended. When coyotes have young in the area, they may do their best to scare you away with a “threat display”. They are especially likely to this when a dog is with you, as coyotes see dogs as a potential threat to them or their young. If this occurs, calmly and slowly leave the area. Don’t leave out dog or cat food, and clean up around barbecues and bird feeders. (Yes, coyotes sometimes eat bird seed.) Pick up fallen fruits such as apples, persimmons, and grapes. Don’t leave cats or small dogs outside unattended. Project Coyote is an organization that provides information to help you understand coyote behavior and helpful ideas on how to peacefully coexist with these important members of our environment. Check out their website at www.projectcoyote.org The Cupertino Scene is printed on 40% post-consumer waste recycled paper with soy ink. The newsletter is produced by a certified Bay Area Green Business and is recyclable. For information on becoming a certified Green Business, visit cupertino.org/GreenBiz.