West San Jose Resident

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Recent photographs of Silicon Valley are on display at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Italian photographer Gabriele Basilico has taken photos from San Jose City Hall's 17th-floor balcony and other places in Silicon Valley to capture the region's recent technology boom. Nearly 50 black-and-white and color photos will be presented from Basilico's time in the Bay Area in July 2007.

The exhibition will run to June 15, and more information is available at www.sfmoma.org.

Veteran officer
makes big save
in final patrol

San Jose police officer Paul Dini had a memorable experience on his last hours on the job--he helped save a life.

On Jan. 10 at about 1 p.m., Dini received a report that a man had climbed more than 100 feet on to a utility tower at the San Jose Fire Department training center at 255 S. Montgomery St. The man threatened to jump, and authorities lifted Dini in a fire department aerial "bucket" to talk to him.

After several hours of negotiation, Dini convinced him to come down from the tower. The man was taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for treatment and later booked into county jail for observation, according to the city manager's office.

A day later, Dini finished his last patrol and retired after 26 years of service. Express buses to
BART stations
are now rolling

The Valley Transportation Authority began its service changes on Jan. 14, lopping off some underused bus lines and adding new express lines and community bus routes.

Two new express lines run from San Jose Diridon Transit Center: The Express 181 goes to the Fremont BART station and the Express 168 runs to the Gilroy Transit Center. The Express 180 also goes from Diridon to the Great Mall in Milpitas. VTA officials say downtown San Jose riders should expect more frequent service on several lines, and there are a number of buses that now run every 15 minutes.

"The increased level of service and improved connections in the downtown area will make taking public transportation a more convenient and desirable alternative to driving," said San Jose Councilman Sam Liccardo, in a statement.

For more information and a map of the new system, visit www.vta.org or contact the VTA at 408.321.3200.