Music+Market 2009 Launches
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
by Dan Hugo
With Busta Groove opening the season with always-popular dance tunes blaring, it's time once again for the City of Sunnyvale to dust off the dance moves and come downtown to let them loose. If ever there was a time when fun and commerce need to join forces, this would be that time
In addition to the traditional Music+Market events scheduled for Wednesdays through the summer (watch the events pages here on Sunnyvale Rocks!), there will be a Jazz Series on Saturdays, rounding out a summer of good times and what are, at least for the short term, cool temperatures. Summer in Sunnyvale, bring it on!
Sunnyvale Rocks For Real This Time
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
by Dan Hugo
Much has gone on since the last update to SunnyvaleRocks.com, mostly good in the face of mostly not-great. With the slow-down of our local and larger economies, development of what will be Sunnyvale's community news outlet ground to a halt as spare change stopped flowing where bills and obligations did not. Good times are at hand.
Plans for this website and related sites include a push into podcasts and interviews of the people of Sunnyvale and surrounding areas, as well as the initial goal of providing a community-driven newspaper of sorts, built on the words, thoughts, and opinions of the people that make up this fine city. This continues to be the goal, and it's one that is now closer than ever to becoming a reality.
In the mean time, the chief editor, lone writer, solo photographer, and night security guard (yours truly) has completed the Leadership Sunnyvale program, as well as the SNAP program. To say that we (and that means me) are getting in touch with the city would be an understatement. We hope you will keep this in mind as this site and its related project blossom into view before and with you.
Happy Summer, Sunnyvale!
Site Update for January
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
by Dan Hugo
SunnyvaleRocks.com has had a lot of work done behind the scenes of late, and despite the lack of frequent updates, we are close to launching a real, live community news site where everyone in Sunnyvale (and beyond?) can post news about what is going on in their community, business, government, or just about anywhere else. If it is interesting to people in and around Sunnyvale-- and even if it might not be so interesting-- this is the place to post!
Currently underway is a sub-project to create a directory of all businesses operating in Sunnyvale. This includes our introductory population of small businesses selling at the weekly Farmers' Market in downtown Sunnyvale. Eventually this effort will expand to include any business in Sunnyvale, of course, as well as any business operated by someone of Sunnyvale. In other words, we want to promote you and our city. We live here, too!
Target Closes, New Target Date November
Saturday, January 3, 2009
by Dan Hugo
The Target store on Iowa Ave closed at 5pm so that they might begin to demolish the building to make way for... a new Target building. Due to be completed in November 2009-- just in time for what everyone on the planet hopes will be a better economy and shopping season-- the new store will be a single story built over an additional parking structure. The existing parking structure in front of the Target building will remain. The new store will be approximately 50,000 square feet. More details and photos over the next 10 months...
Goodwill Store Window Broken
Saturday, December 27, 2008
by Dan Hugo
Some time overnight a window was broken at the Goodwill store at the corner of Washington and Sunnyvale Ave. Employees at the store were certain nothing was taken and that it appeared to be an act of vandalism. Whether it was accidental or not was unclear. No one had stepped forward to claim responsibility for the act.
Otto Lee Sendoff Luncheon A Hit!
Monday, December 22, 2008
by Dan Hugo
Councilman Otto Lee, a member of the US Navy Reserves, is about to ship out to Iraq to take part in US Military action there. While he is planning to participate in the January 6, 2009 City Council meeting via a conference call, Councilman Lee is essentially on duty and bidding our fine city fare well for now.
Several of his friends, family, and everyday folks from Sunnyvale stopped by a sendoff luncheon from 11am - 2pm at the Heritage Park Museum. Various conversations and photo opportunities came and went througout the event and in the end there were many well-wishes for Otto and an assortment of interactions on various other topics as well.
Your SunnyvaleRocks editor and photographer was on hand to snap a few photos and get the lay of the land. We, too, wish Otto Lee the best of luck and safety during his time serving our country.
Downtown Sunnyvale Website(s)
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
by Dan Hugo
Whether you attended the Holiday Celebration or not, there are certainly plenty of pictures to be enjoyed, both here at SunnyvaleRocks and at the Sunnyvale Downtown Association website as well, where they have officially posted the photos with Santa Clause. See if you can spot yourself or someone you know amongst the masses!
In somewhat related news, another website for Downtown Sunnyvale has hit the internets, run by downtown developers Sand Hill Property Company. The site is a little light on content, but then the downtown site is a little light on roofing at this point, so who can blame them? Watch that spot to find out what is happening with the new live-work-place space downtown. Or, check back here and we'll do the leg work for you.
2008 Caltrain Holiday Train Pulls Into Station
Saturday, December 6, 2008
by Dan Hugo
It may have been late pulling in, but it was right on time to bring good cheer and some cargo space for toys to the Sunnyvale Caltrain Station. The train pulled in at about 7:50pm, approximately 30 minutes after the scheduled time but the crowd didn't appear to mind so much.
The train brings good cheer and family entertainment along the Caltrain route each year, featuring Santa and Mrs. Clause and other holiday characters along with a festively-decorated train and a flat car with live singers caroling. Toys are collected along the way for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots Program and the Salvation Army, with represenatives of those organizations riding on the train and also available on the train platform.
2008 Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration
Saturday, December 6, 2008
by Dan Hugo
Though the advertised starting time for the night's festivities was 4:30pm, things got under way a bit later than that, but in the end there was little in the way of disappointment on the faces of young and old alike as hundreds, perhaps thousands of Sunnyvale residents and friends filled Murphy Ave downtown to enjoy the fun on Saturday night.
As night fell and the crowd swelled, singers from Fremont and Homestead high schools graced the throng with soft carols while restaurants and businesses along Murphy enjoyed some full tables and happy customers. It was about 6:30pm when Mayor Anthony Spitaleri flipped the switch for the tree lighting part of the evening. Not for nothing, Mr. Mayor, but a large chunk of the crowd was there to see someone else entirely...
Santa Claus rolled in at the North end of Murphy Ave to check out the situation and was kind enough to stay and take some spontaneous photos with the kids (of all ages). Eventually he had to go, though, and shortly after the tree was lighted a bright red Sunnyvale fire engine turned onto Murphy from Washington carrying Jolly Old Saint Nick, who was engulfed by a crowd of kids and parents as he made his way to the thrown of photography.
SunnyvaleRocks.com Nears Launch
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
by Dan Hugo
In case you haven't heard-- and judging from the web traffic to the site, you haven't-- SunnyvaleRocks.com aims to be a community-drive newspaper that takes its content from the submissions of the people who live and/or work here in our fine city.
As we approach an alpha day, where the site is usable but still maybe not quite bug-free, SunnyvaleRocks is looking for a brave few to be early adopters, to try it out, to see what works and what doesn't, and to let some initial opinions fly. If you want a byline and a forum in which to express yourself, SunnyvaleRocks aims to be it, and we want you to help us get people involved.
If this is interesting to you, please drop us a line at IWantToTry@sunnyvalerocks.com and you will be notified as to how and when to warm up your keyboards. Thank you in advance... your editor, programmer, photographer, and marketing wizard.
The Dark Came Early This Halloween
Saturday, Nov 1, 2008
by Dan Hugo
At approximately 3:30pm the power in the Heritage District neighborhood north of Hendy Ave and west of Sunnyvale Ave lost power thanks to a damaged power pole that is what a PG&E worker called the main connection from the local switching station to the neighborhood. Halloween started early with this scare as Sunnyvale Fire was on the scene initially.
By approximately 6pm PG&E crews had determined that the power pole would need to be removed and replaced. Power would remain off until the lines could be properly secured and eventually reattached to a new or repaired pole. Initial estimates of a 5:30pm switch-back-on time were optimistic of course, but luckily the 12-hour estimate was quite the opposite-- unless you happened to be one of the PG&E crew members tasked with performing the repair, that is.
Crews arrived on scene and by 8:30pm were already preparing to remove the failed pole (or part of it). Luckily for neighborhood residents, the crew was able to secure the incoming lines to the pole after clearing them of the broken portion (seen in photos still in place and after it was removed) power was restored, some time shortly before 9pm.
Their work was not done, however, as the lines would still need to be secured to a new pole, which would need to be placed in approximately the same place as the broken pole. For extra credit, crews were facing light-to-moderate winds and the threat of rain. Luckily the rain only came in the form of droplets here and there, but the winds did make the task of erecting the new power pole no more simple a task.
Rain did begin to fall eventually, and as early as 8:30am the next morning trucks and crew were still on the site, resting from a long overnight undertaking. They were last seen securing the area at approximately 9am with rain falling and the broken pole still in place for now.
Since the SunnyvaleRocks computers were and uninterruptable power supplies were in the path of this power failure, we would like to express explicit thanks to the PG&E crew for toiling through the night and for restoring power early in the process. For those reading this, your reporter did express gratitude on behalf of the neighborhood to one of the crew. Thanks again, guys.
First Annual Howl'oween Pet Parade & Faire
Sunday, Oct 26, 2008
by Dan Hugo
The Pet Parade and Faire went off smashingly this morning as a small crowd of pets, kids, and families began to gather at the rally point (and nearby) at the same time various vendors were setting up their tents and wares at the Plaza del Sol parade end point for the Faire. It was just about 9am.
The parade itself kicked off around 10:10am give or take, with older and newer fire engines taking the lead and a whole bunch of feet and paws-- and even some hooves, wheels, and other forms of locomotion-- took up the rear. The parade moved north on Frances, east on Evelyn, south on Murphy Ave for the main display, west on Washington, and back to Frances where it disbanded for the rest of the events.
The Faire itself drew a tremendous crowd, with all manner of pet-related vendors, pet safety and animal control from the city, and of course pet owners and fans of same. The various contests were held at the center of the plaza with awards given out [winners will be included here once we get a list!].
In the mean time, there were many cameras snapping photos, still and moving, and your SunnyaleRocks staff of two was there as well. A gallery if the multimedia of the day is found on Flickr as always, and is viewable in a slideshow here [Adobe Flash required].
We'd like to give a shout out to our fellow small business entreprenuers here in Sunnyvale at Kelly Family Emporium, part of Kelly Family Enterprises and remind you [especially if you are holding a business card that drew you here] that you can get any of the photos we managed to snap, or any other photo or other artwork from the Pet Parade or the Faire, printed onto a fine t-shirt or other apparel, or onto various other items like coffee mugs, mouse pads, magnets, and the list goes on. Tell Penny and Scott we sent you!
Airship Ventures Arrives at Moffett Field
Saturday, Oct 25, 2008
by Dan Hugo
You've probably heard about it, maybe you saw it on the news or read about it in a newspaper. Perhaps you just looked up and noticed a large white blimp sliding through our airspace on Saturday. That was none other than the Airship Ventures blimp (or dirigible) arriving at Moffett Field, it's part-time home here in the Bay Area
The ship itself holds 12 people plus a crew of 2, is powered by 3 aircraft engines and is held aloft by helium gas. Those of us in attendence at the landing site noted that while the engines themselves were somewhat noisy while the ship was maneuvering, it was generally quiet and perhaps graceful as it moved through the air. From what one of the crew said, the ride inside is very quiet and pleasant.
Unfortunately, since Moffett is a restricted airfield, the general public is apparently not able to simply walk up to the ship and test the origin of the term "blimp" by giving it a quick flick with the fingers. However, should you be in the Salinas area some days of the week, you can visit the ship there and check it out from a closer vantage point. Though we recommend that you ask first.
Check out the video gallery-- posted on Flickr of course-- of the ship approaching Moffett, steering toward the mooring mast, and coming in for what looked like a fine landing [we at SunnyvaleRocks are not certified blimp drivers, though Airship Ventures is apparently hiring pilots...].
