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Redwood City E-News
Building a Great Community Together
Issue #39 ~ November, 2006
(Back to index of all issues)
IN THIS ISSUE:
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Latino Film Festival in Redwood City!
The City of Redwood City and the Latino Leadership Council are proud to host three spectacular nights of the renowned International Latino Film Festival – coming to Redwood City for the first time!
Mark your calendars for November 16, 17, & 18 and go online for information, movie descriptions, trailers, and tickets.
 A gala, red-carpet inaugural reception opens Redwood City's portion of the Festival, on Thursday, November 16th beginning at 5 pm in the beautifully-restored San Mateo County History Museum/Old County Courthouse. Join other film lovers and festival novices for Latino delicacies, wonderful beverages and an artistic stroll through the rotunda while enjoying live Latin American music, followed by that evening's opening film at the new Downtown Redwood City Century 20 Theatres. Then, the film festival continues during the evenings of Friday, November 17th and Saturday, November 18th.
And, a specially-priced All-Redwood City Festival Pass is available to see all six films showing in Redwood City, and attend the gala inaugural reception, for just $50. This pass is available only by phone at 415-392-4400.
Be a part of this milestone event in Downtown Redwood City and enjoy award winning Latino films from around the world on November 16, 17, & 18!
The 10th International Latino Film Festival is exhibiting a total of 85 films at seventeen venues from November 3rd through November 19th. The entire Festival spans nine Bay Area cities including San Francisco, San Jose San Rafael, Mill Valley, Larkspur, Oakland, Berkeley, Redwood City, and San Bruno.
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Deadline Approaching to Sign Up for Community Builders
The registration deadline is November 3rd for Redwood City’s third installment of its unique, renowned “Community Builders” speakers series. For two dates in November, one in January, and one in February, participants from the community of Redwood City will be engaged, enlightened, and inspired by some of the world’s premier thinkers and writers on the subject of community building.
Registration forms are available online , or by calling 780-7300. Space is limited, so interested community members are urged to register now.
The Redwood City Community Builders series features thought-provoking presentations by nationally and internationally known authors and speakers who literally wrote the book on community building. In its first two iterations, this program provided over 200 community members with the tools, skills, and inspiration to envision the community they’d like Redwood City to be, and to work effectively with their friends and neighbors, colleagues, fellow community-members, and the City to achieve that vision.
Here’s the lineup for Community Builders 2006-2007:
- Thursday, November 9, 2006 ~ Margaret Wheatley – Internationally acclaimed speaker and writer focusing on how to maintain our integrity and effectiveness in these chaotic times.
- Thursday, November 16, 2006 ~ Peter Block – Consultant, speaker, best selling author on bringing service and accountability to organizations and communities.
- Thursday, January 11, 2007 ~ Dr. John L. McKnight – Dr. McKnight is a dynamic author, speaker, and professor of Education and Social Policy.
- And…a special guest speaker on a date in February, to be announced
Go to www.redwoodcity.org/communitybuilders for more information.
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Grand Opening Celebration for New Children's Room at Library
The renovation of the Children’s Room of the Redwood City’s  Downtown Library is finished, and the community is invited to join the grand reopening on Saturday, November 4, 2006 from 10:15 am to 3:00 pm.
Festive events for children and families will take place throughout the day, along with refreshments and tours:
- 10:15 am: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
- 10:15 am – noon: Author/illustrator Gianna Marino offers autographed copies of her art and her book Zoopa: an Animal Alphabet - funds from the art sale benefit the Library’s Traveling Storytime program.
- 10:15 am – noon: Art in Action - engages children in an art project based on the art of Gianna Marino. In the Program Room.
- 11:00 am: The Reptile Lady - a fascinating presentation with real snakes and reptiles that is guaranteed to entertain all ages. In the Community Room.
- Noon- 2:00 pm. Lisa Atkinson - - singer, songwriter, and guitarist performing in the Community Room.
- 2:00 pm. Daffy Dave - Goofy magic and juggling by one of the library’s all-time favorite magicians. In the Children’s Room.
The Children’s Room was renovated to offer a vibrant and expanded space for children and families. It’s larger to hold more books and media, and allow for future growth of the collection. New displays give a livelier bookstore look-and-feel, while primary color walls, print fabrics, and beautifully-decorated columns punctuated with wonderful art lend a playful and inviting atmosphere to the whole area. The renovation was made possible with $100,000 from the city’s Capital Improvement Project budget and an $8,000 grant from the Friends of the Library to purchase new children’s books and materials.
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Sequoia High School Woodshop Open House
Sequoia High School in Redwood City will celebrate its new career technical education programs with the opening of a state-of–the-art Woodshop and Industrial Arts Center.
The Sequoia High School Education Foundation is partnering with the Sequoia High School Alumni Association in hosting an Open House  on Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school, 1201 Brewster Avenue, to showcase Sequoia’s new Woodshop, as well as the new Science and Technology wing.
Campus tours, and information regarding new curriculum goals will be available. Teachers and staff will be on hand to answer questions, and to welcome you to the high school. Sequoia families, alumni and members of the general public are welcome to this exciting event.
To learn more about Sequoia High School, visit www.sequoiahs.org.
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Police Department Sponsoring Gang Prevention Presentations
(Haga clic aqui para informaciòn en Español)
The Redwood City Police Department, the Redwood City School District, and the Redwood City Police Activities League (PAL) announce an opportunity for community members to gain a better understanding of the critical issues and topics of juvenile gang prevention at home and at school at two important Gang Prevention Presentations.
- English language presentation:
Wednesday November 15, 2006
- Spanish language presentation:
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Each presentation is from 6 to 8 pm in the Redwood City Police Activities League Community Center located at 3399 Bay Road in Redwood City. These workshops include a light dinner for all and childcare for children age 3-12 upstairs in the PAL Community Center.
Presenters will be Gang Prevention Experts, Sergeant Sean Hart, Redwood City Police Department and Manuel Velarde, Redwood City Police Department Juvenile Specialist. Participants will receive valuable information to help them recognize signs that indicate their child may be involved in gangs, and what to do about it.
The presenters will help participants to understand the diverse nature of gangs, the social, economic, and cultural problems they pose, the community harm they cause, and how families, police, schools, and the community can work together to help kids be safe and stay out of gangs, and to reduce gang presence in our neighborhoods.
Due to the limited available space, interested parents and community members are encouraged to reserve their space in this important and useful presentation. More information and reservations are available by calling Barbara Bonilla, Redwood City Police Activities League, at 650-780-7619, Diane Kizler, Redwood City School District, at 650-423-2274, or Manuel Velarde, Redwood City Police Department, at 650-780-7195.
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Downtown Precise Plan Draft EIR Available 11/7; Public Hearings Scheduled
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for Redwood City’s Draft Downtown Precise Plan will be available for public review and comment, beginning on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. This will mark the start of a 45-day public review period (closing December 22nd), during which the community is encouraged to provide comment on any aspect of the Draft Plan and Draft EIR. The DEIR will be available online, at City libraries, and at City Hall.
There will be two Planning Commission public hearings and the community is invited to attend and participate in the process of further defining and developing the DEIR and the Draft Plan.
- Tuesday, November 14, 2006
- Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Both public hearings begin at 7 pm and take place at City Hall, 1017 Middlefield Road in Redwood City.
This is all part of the ongoing City and community process to create a blueprint for the future of what Redwood City’s Downtown will be – that blueprint is the Downtown Precise Plan, which will set the course for creating and maintaining an exciting, active, and livable downtown community. It outlines our Downtown’s future housing, building design, landscaping, architectural styles, open space, and all other aspects of a prospective development.
As part of the development of the Downtown Precise Plan, a Draft EIR has been prepared, to identify and address any potentially significant environmental impacts that may be associated with future implementation of the Draft Plan.
This plan has been under development for several years, with numerous workshops, public hearings, and community meetings. The City’s web page dedicated to the Downtown Precise Plan is located at www.redwoodcity.org/preciseplan.
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Redwood City 2020 Awarded California Endowment Grant
Local collaborative Redwood City 2020 is proud to announce that it has been awarded a three-year, $394,565 grant from The California Endowment for its Integrated Health Services Initiative. This Initiative coordinates mental and physical health, family support, and non-academic support in order to improve youths’ well-being and academics.
Redwood City 2020 has five school-based centers located at Sequoia High School, Kennedy Middle School, Hoover K – 8, Fair Oaks Elementary School and Taft Elementary School. These five schools provide mental health, case management, parent involvement, family support, youth development and youth leadership, health care enrollment, education support and health education to thousands of youth and families each year. Recent evaluations have found that students receiving mental health services have significantly better standardized test scores then similar students not receiving the services. In addition, the students state taking positive steps to improve their own lives.
With funding provided by The California Endowment, other generous foundations and the City of Redwood City, County of San Mateo and Redwood City School District, Redwood City 2020 is able to hire and manage highly qualified culturally competent staff at each site to orchestrate non-academic support services in order to support youths overall social, emotional, physical and academic wellbeing. Coordinating these services with the school is essential to helping schools address social and emotional health.
Also, making service available at schools and hiring bilingual staff, Redwood City 2020 is eliminating transportation and language barriers. Services are available to all students and families in the schools and surrounding community members.
Redwood City 2020 is a remarkable community partnership, designed to support the success of all youth and families and to engage and strengthen the community. This collaboration is comprised of the City of Redwood City, the Redwood City Elementary School District, the Sequoia Union High School District, San Mateo County, Stanford University / John W. Gardner Center, Wells Fargo Bank, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and Kaiser Permanente.
For more information about Redwood City 2020 call 650-423-2217.
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Free WaterWise CD-ROM – A Gardening Encyclopedia On Your Computer!
A world of great gardening ideas, tips, and easy-to-use information is  just a mouse click away with Redwood City’s FREE WaterWise Gardening CD-ROM. It's custom made for Redwood City's unique landscapes, climate, and soil conditions - so it's perfect for YOUR garden and landscaping.
This wonderful and extremely useful CD is available to any Redwood City resident who wants to plan a beautiful, water-efficient landscape – from flower gardens to trellises, and from turf to trees, this CD offers everything the home gardener needs, right on the desktop for easy access.
The CD is available free by calling 780-7436, or can be requested online.
Among the great features on this free CD are:
- Garden Tours: Features many examples of water efficient gardens right here in the Redwood City area.
- Garden Gallery: Offers great examples of ornamental garden features, such as decks, patios, trellises, gates, gazebos, fences, walkways, and more ways to enhance a garden.
- Plant Database: Look up plants by type, size color or name, and view plant photos, and plant characteristics.
- Gardening Guide: A virtual encyclopedia of waterwise gardening design, maintenance and irrigation to maximize water-use efficiency.
- Truly Magnificent Photos: A great selection of high-quality pictures of countless plants, trees, groundcovers, gardens, landscaping, garden walkways, ornaments, and fixtures, shrubs, California native plants, and more!
Get yours today and put a virtual gardening encyclopedia on your desktop!
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