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County to Hold 2nd Gun Buyback on Unity Day

Guns and gang-related clothing and paraphernalia will be accepted on Saturday in San Jose.

Santa Clara County is planning a second gun buyback event this Saturday, following a highly successful buyback on March 2 that netted more than 1,100 firearms.

The collection event offers the same deal as the previous buyback—$100 for each handgun, shotgun and rifle and $200 for each assault weapon, said Michelle Pelayo-Osorio, spokeswoman for Supervisor Dave Cortese.

Cortese decided to use funds left over from the first buyback to have another one the same day as the third annual Unity Day celebration in East San Jose, where youths are encouraged to turn in street gang paraphernalia, Pelayo-Osorio said.

He will be joined at the buyback by Sheriff Laurie Smith and representatives from the San Jose Police Department and the district attorney's office.

The buyback event is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Reid-Hillview Airport at 2500 Cunningham Ave.

It will take place prior to the start of a Unity Day resource fair, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Most Holy Trinity Church at 2040 Nassau Drive.

As part of the Unity Day celebration, there will be 1.5-mile "peace walk" beginning at 11 a.m. at the church, followed by a noon "weapon and gang color turn-in," Pelayo-Osorio said.

The turn-in offers cash gift cards and sporting event tickets in exchange for gang-related gear as well as guns and other weapons, Pelayo-Osorio said.

"We collect a lot of knives and gang paraphernalia, belts, shirts, hats—anything that is gang-related," she said.

The turn-in will be followed by a presentation by the county Public Health Department on healthy eating.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. 

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Anne Ernst (Editor) April 3, 2013 at 12:59 pm
It's difficult to know what's going on in a kid's mind unless they feel confident enough to open upRead More and talk. And this program helps us adults to learn to listen differently.
Debbie Reiley April 3, 2013 at 03:50 am
I too was at this Challenge Day. It was my 6th. I first volunteered because I watched the programRead More on MTV "If You Really Knew Me" when my son was being severely bullied in middle school and saw the program was offered when he was a freshman in high school. My company strongly supports me volunteering for this and allows me to take the day off work to attend. I am continually humbled by what these teens share and saddened at what some of them have experienced in their short lives. This program is so valuable. I think every school should offer it and every parent should attend. It helps us to realize that we need to think twice before we judge or assume things about others when we know nothing about them. It is the volunteering opportunity that I look forward to participating in every year.
Anne Ernst (Editor) March 30, 2013 at 06:30 am
Carrie, Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it again.
Janice Chua March 28, 2013 at 06:45 pm
It was fun hosting you all at Bitter+Sweet, Anne!
Loy Oppus-Moe March 28, 2013 at 02:40 pm
A big "Thank You" to Anne, Pete, and 53 other professionals who opened up their companiesRead More and organizations to give our students hands-on experience of what life might look like for them post-high school. Job Shadowing brings relevance to education!