Culture, science and a moonlit hike Parks aim for more cultural relevance When the waxing moon peered through the haze above at Santa Teresa County Park after days of hiding behind rainclouds, a tide of humanity began arriving as if pulled ashore by lunar gravity. Santa Clara County Parks interpreter Kelsi Ju was there to…
Welcome to the twilight zone “Birds really eat a tremendous lot. But — I … I — I don’t really know anything about birds. My hobby is stuffing things. You know — taxidermy.” Norman Bates, perfectly normal proprietor of the Bats Bates Motel, in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” In a clearing deep in the woods stands…
Day of boating left rehabilitation patient floating on air, too June 2 was a big day for rehabilitation patient Annamarie Moreno. Until that day, the 33-year-old mother of two had never been sailing. Easing up to the dock at Vasona Lake County Park after her voyage, her smile shined like the hot sun. The experience…
Park rangers have a range of duties Santa Clara County Park ranger Ali Famalett covers more than 10,000 acres in popular Calero and Almaden Quicksilver county parks. Although she has seasonal tasks that must be completed, she never knows what any given day will bring. “That’s one of the things I love about my job,” she…
Outing buoys spirits of hundreds living with spinal cord injury Hundreds of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) gathered at Vasona Lake County Park this summer for an unforgettable day of paddling, picnicking and playing. Put together by the Rehabilitation Center staff at Valley Medical Center, in coordination with the Santa…
Santa Clara County Vector Control lab: the scientists behind eradicating mosquitoes Ideally, summer is about freedom from homework, weekends at the lake and hanging out into the night, not mosquitoes. That’s why it’s also the season when Santa Clara County is most active protecting residents from the threat of the West Nile virus-carrying insects….
Most Santa Clara County offices closed for July 4th As residents anticipate fireworks, Santa Clara County offices mostly closed for Independence Day. Most offices of the County of Santa Clara will be closed Monday in observance of Independence Day. Normal business resumes Thursday, July 5. Most County workers will be joining other Americans in celebration of…
Earlier this year, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved funding for pioneering all-inclusive playground projects in each of the County’s five supervisorial districts. With accessible and secure slides, tree houses, carousels and swings, as well as playhouses and retreat spaces that encourage imaginary play and quiet time, all-inclusive playgrounds support recreation and…
This past Sunday, on April 22nd, Earth Day was celebrated by over 160 countries across the globe, all promising to be more conscious about how they treat our planet. Santa Clara County residents had a host of Earth Day activities to participate in, from a celebration of the County’s tree program in the Central Park…
Looking to get outside? The Santa Clara County Parks Department wants to make it easy for everyone to get outside by offering their second annual #PixInParks Challenge. What is the PixInParks Challenge? Carrie Grisenti, the Parks Outdoor Recreational Coordinator for the County Parks Department describes the PixInParks challenge: “It’s a really fun challenge where…
