In an effort to crack down, officials from the the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors announced a new list of fireworks fines this July 4 for anyone who sells, buys and sets off fireworks on U.S. Independence Day.
Such actions include, for the first time, penalties for spectators, owners, and parents or guardians.
"When you set off those fireworks, you get a momentary burst, but the damage can last a lifetime," said Mike Callagy, the county's executive director.
"Every year, dogs and cats run away and never return home, children are burned, and houses and entire forests burn down. We ask everyone to stop and think about the consequences of their actions," she added.
Please note that all fireworks are illegal in unincorporated areas of San Mateo County, as well as all county and state parks and the Crystal Springs Basin, where wildfire risks are high despite heavy rains this year.
Violations of the county's fireworks ordinance carry fines of up to $2,000, including for discharging fireworks within 500 feet of humane societies or pet rescue shelters or consuming alcohol when cited for fireworks violations, among other situations.
Coming into 2023, first-time violators may be responsible for county costs to respond to violations of the fireworks ordinance.
The above includes “the cost of any medical treatment for any public safety personnel injured in response to the violation, and the cost of repairing any public safety equipment or property damage incurred in response to the violation.”
"Our safety advice is to go to professional shows to see them -- fireworks shows," said Cecile Juliette, public information officer for the San Mateo County Fire Department.
An estimated 11,500 fireworks-related injuries were caused across the United States in 2021, with nearly three in four occurring around the Fourth of July. Children under the age of 15 accounted for nearly three in 10 of all fireworks-related injuries that same year, according to the most recent statistics available.
“Members of our community have shared countless stories with me about how illegal fireworks activity around the Fourth of July impacts them by threatening their sense of safety and diminishing their quality of life,” said San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus.
"I want to assure those we serve that the Sheriff's Office hears their concerns and is taking action," he added.
The loud noise from unauthorized fireworks can cause particular distress to household pets, small children and people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Additionally, Fourth of July fireworks are one of the leading causes of pets running away each year.
To report illegal fireworks, complainants may call the Sheriff's Office's non-emergency number at 650-363-4911, extension 1, and may remain anonymous. If you need to report an emergency or a crime in progress, please call 911.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many countries to close or restrict their borders, the US was no exception. In 2021 alone, the tourism sector had losses of two trillion dollars, according to UN estimates. Currently, people have a need to travel, which is why tourism in the country is experiencing a rebound, however, there are various global factors that are limiting the trend from continuing.
Although tourism is expected to increase by 30 percent this summer, the sector will not fully recover until 2027, so it is necessary to ensure the conditions for the sector to continue to grow and reach the estimates.
This was stated by specialists in the field during a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services, where they pointed out that it is difficult to guarantee constant growth in tourism due to factors such as inflation, climate change, internal or external conflicts in countries, among others. However, all possibilities must be considered.
Dr. Frederic Dimanche, director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, explained that people are looking for new experiences and visiting their relatives after the pandemic, a fact that currently drives tourists, but external factors will be the limiting factors.
«With inflation, the cost of travel has increased dramatically, particularly air travel and the cost of hotels. It seems like everyone wants to make up for the funds they lost during the pandemic, and all those businesses are now trying to recoup some of what they lost.", he pointed out.
Traveling has become very expensive, however, necessity allows us to cover the cost, although it must be considered that we will not always have the financial solvency to do so and this will end up limiting many who are traveling today.
For her part, Cassandra Costello, executive vice president of the San Francisco Travel Association, mentioned that tourism is essential to the economy, which is why investments have been made in new programs to invite tourists.
He said there are also new places to discover new experiences, and work has been done to renovate parks, museums, open spaces and places that are attractive to those who want to get to know San Francisco.
"Like other cities in the United States, San Francisco is still struggling with some pandemic-related challenges, but it remains one of the safest cities, with crime down 7 percent," he said.
For Costello, the good news is that there is an increase in tourism in San Francisco, and tourists, for the most part, want to return to visit the city and its surroundings. However, work is still being done with great enthusiasm to achieve the expected increase.
James Altucher, podcaster and author of «New York is dead forever», He explained that the recovery of tourism is by no means guaranteed, since high travel costs are becoming a determining factor.
In the case of New York, he pointed out, it is affected by crime and population decline.
«Tourism has increased from 2020 to 2021, New York had 60 million tourists last year and it will surely increase more, but tourism has decreased since 2019, and if you do the math, it will recover in 2026-2027, it is not yet known. What we do know is that tourism is affected by crime rates, crimes, taxes, inflation and others.».
Finally, Iuliana Popa, PhD student at Conrad Hilton College of Global Hospitality, stressed that employees in the tourism sector were also affected by the pandemic, as most of them lost their jobs, forcing them to permanently change their workplace.
And now that tourism is to be reactivated, he said, it is difficult to hire personnel for this sector, since fear and anger are among the emotional effects that have caused job losses.
It is understood that the hotel and tourism industry is not responsible for external factors in the world, but it can improve working conditions that generate an environment of stability and security in the workplace, he explained.
«For companies in the hotel industry, it is impossible to control external factors such as the virus, but there are other immediate actions that they can take, for example, offering more competitive salaries, especially with inflation making everything more difficult for employees in the hotel industry.».
For experts, the increase in tourism after the pandemic is a current trend but not a permanent one, due to external factors such as the economic situation with inflation, climate change with extreme temperatures in various places, or internal and external conflicts in each country such as the war in Ukraine.
In light of this, they agreed that it is necessary for companies and governments to seek measures to boost tourism, support it with programs or campaigns that are attractive to tourists, while taking care of the employees in this sector, since they will be the ones who will provide the necessary impetus to continue with favorable numbers for world tourism.
This Sunday, June 25, San Francisco celebrated its 53rd annual Pride parade, one of the most important events in the country's celebrations, which raises awareness and fights for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, which was attended by an estimated 250,000 people.
Thus, residents and national and foreign visitors of all ages joined in the colorful celebration, in which flags, floats, necklaces, and fun costumes were the perfect addition.
The massive event was attended by San Francisco Mayor London Breed and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Unlike other places, attendees assured that they felt safe and supported to be able to demonstrate and be able to be what in other places can cost them attacks and attempts on their lives.
This was stated by some attendees to various media outlets.
After the parade, people stayed in the city centre to attend concerts, enjoy food and the various activities that took place around the celebration.
Organizers of the event said the celebration cost $3.3 million to keep free, so the work of volunteers to obtain donations was crucial. However, events like this one that celebrate diversity are necessary for the community.
"We're out, folks, far and wide to really not just celebrate Pride, but celebrate all the great things. The San Francisco things. People have tried again and again and again to tear our city down, but for us who are here, we know what we stand for, we know what our values are," Mayor London Breed said in a brief speech during the parade on Market Street.
Dressed in a colorful outfit and carrying a rainbow flag, she recalled that while in states like Texas, Florida or Tennessee members of any age in the LGBTQ+ community are attacked, San Francisco has achieved milestones in protecting their rights.
“Here in San Francisco, we show love, joy and pride… We know, this is an incredible city of inclusion, acceptance and hope for all the things that people look to around the world and wish they had,” he added.
San Mateo police have arrested a so-called "serial thief" after multiple robberies in the past week.
Police arrested Victor Bell, 29, of Daly City, on Saturday after two early-morning raids, the last of which was interrupted by residents.
At 7:30 a.m. on June 21, someone attempted to break into a residence in the 3000 block of Los Prados St. The suspect used a brick to break a window while attempting to gain entry.
The homeowner confronted the suspect, who subsequently fled the scene. The suspect was captured on surveillance footage.
At 6:10 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a similar incident in the 2700 block of S Norfolk St. The suspect threw a rock through the sliding glass window of an apartment, but fled when he realized the resident was home.
Police discovered that another apartment nearby had been accessed minutes earlier, and the suspect had entered through a slider, stealing some items from inside the apartment. The stolen items were later found discarded near the scene.
A photo of the suspect was obtained, which matched the description of the first suspect.
At 8:22 a.m., officers responded to another report of a residential burglary at an apartment located in the 1000 block of Park Pl.
The suspect was interrupted by residents as he was rummaging through the apartment and fled the scene. Officers arrived and obtained a description of the suspect, which matched the previous incidents. Surveillance footage was also obtained which confirmed the suspect's identity. Officers conducting a check of the area received information from a resident of a person matching the suspect's description running towards the Hillsdale Mall.
The suspect was later observed on a train platform between 31st and 28th Avenues. A perimeter was established and he was detained by multiple officers as he attempted to flee.
The man was identified as Victor Bell, who had two warrants for his arrest and was on probation for a previous robbery offense. A search of his person revealed possession of an unsheathed knife.
Bell was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery, attempted robbery, carrying a concealed knife or dagger and warrants.
San Mateo police say Bell is likely connected to similar incidents in Foster City and could be connected to others in San Mateo. Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Mateo Police Department at (650) 522-7700.
The city government plans to build five new affordable housing projects in San Francisco, creating 550 new homes for seniors, families and low-income people transitioning out of homelessness, Mayor London Breed's office announced Friday.
Construction could begin as early as 2026 and residents would move in by late 2028, depending on the availability of deficit funding.
Projects were announced in five neighborhoods: Bernal Heights, Sunset District, Potrero Hill, Alamo Square and Forest Hill. Each project will be developed by different groups in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), other city agencies and community partners.
MOHCD will fund the acquisition and pre-development of new projects. It will also support applications for future funding sources, including state and federal low-income housing tax credits, financing programs through the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and local pre-development loans.
These projects are a step toward the mayor's state-mandated plan to build 82,000 new homes in the city over the next eight years, according to Breed's office.
The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office reported collecting nearly 400 pounds of illegal fireworks during the county's first fireworks buyback event.
Held in the parking lot of 2500 Middlefield Road in Redwood City, the drive was a no-questions-asked opportunity for people to drop off fireworks of any kind for safe disposal.
The five-hour event was hosted by the sheriff's office and County Supervisor Warren Slocum's office. Depending on the weight, up to $75 in cash was paid out to people who turned in their fireworks.
The goal was to reduce the illegal use of fireworks throughout San Mateo County.
“The Fourth of July holiday is a great day to spend time with friends and family. It is also one of the busiest nights of the year for our patrol officers,” said San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus.
“Illegal fireworks pose serious risks to our community and have negative impacts on everyone’s quality of life. This buyback was intended to give people the opportunity to turn in their fireworks and help make everyone’s holiday safer. I want to thank Supervisor Slocum for his support in making this such a successful event,” he added.
The collected material included military-grade smoke grenades, M-80s, Ariel rockets and mortar-style fireworks. Sheriff's Office explosive ordnance disposal technicians were on scene in case of any unsafe circumstances.
With more than 98 percent of the ballots computed, a second electoral round in Guatemala is certain to choose who will be the next president of the Republic for the next 6 years, after no contestant has gathered 50 percent of the votes. votes plus 1.
The two candidates who managed to advance to the second round were the former first lady of the center right, Sandra Torres, with 15.78 percent of the computed votes exercised yesterday, Sunday, June 25, when the general elections were held.
The second to advance was a surprise for many, as he was not emerging as one of the favorites in terms of the Guatemalan voting intention. Thus, Bernardo Arevalo, from the leftist Movimiento Semilla party is placed with 11.80 percent of the votes computed.
According to the Preliminary Electoral Results, issued by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala, citizen participation in this Sunday's elections was 59.99 percent, who cast 5 million 499 thousand 963 valid votes.
The summary shows that, of the votes cast, 4 million 158 thousand 536 ‒75.61 percent‒ were valid, while 385 thousand 014 ‒7.0 percent‒ were blank, and 956 thousand 413 ‒17.38‒ were invalid.
In addition, they have specified that the count resulted in 63,408 invalid votes and 4,138 challenges.
It should be noted that the electoral authorities contemplate an abstentionism of 40 percent, where three million 667 thousand 394 of those registered to cast their votes did not.
However, civil and human rights organizations reported the problems that many had in accessing or being able to cast their vote peacefully.
The final fight begins
"We are going to win, against whoever," warned Sandra Torres Casanova, early Monday morning. The former first lady and who today heads the list for the second round of elections, scheduled for August 20, already knows the way; it is enough to remember that four years ago, in the 2019 elections, she succumbed in the second round to the current president, Alejandro Giammattei.
Previously, in 2015, Torres Casanova lost in the second round against comedian Jimmy Morales, president between 2016 and 2020.
Given this, Sandra Torres hopes that the third time will be the charm and manage to inhabit the famous Casa Crema.
The task will not be easy. Although he did not position himself as the second in line, yesterday's elections clearly showed that the leftist Bernardo Arévalo de León, known as "Uncle Bernie" and leader of the Semilla Movement, has gained great strength in the Central American country, using urban areas as his base of strength.
Some call him the anti-corruption deputy, and he has focused his campaign on the fight for justice and social awareness.
Arévalo de León is also no stranger to the country's highest office, as he is the son of Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, considered one of the best presidents in the history ‒1945-1951‒ of the Central American country.
The candidate is a deputy and head of the Semilla faction in Congress, where with only five parliamentarians they have sought to fight and oppose the ruling party.
"The phenomenon of clientelism and vote buying has spread throughout the country," said members of the Electoral Observatory, as part of a first report on the first round of the general elections in Guatemala, which will take place on June 25.
According to Mirador Electoral, in collaboration with the Prensa Comunitaria media network, elections are being held with no controls and no sanctions from electoral authorities, which creates an "environment of impunity, which is exploited by political parties."
As of 1:00 p.m. on Election Day, Mirador Electoral reported in a press conference that there were records of incidents in at least 12 municipalities located in 8 departments of Guatemala, in addition to "dozens of complaints," many of them filed with the public prosecutor's office and the Electoral Crimes Prosecutor's Office, an authority that had reported 117 complaints up to that point.
The main complaints, said Mirador Lectoral, are related to voter transport, a practice that is carried out most frequently in municipalities, where some candidates use "large amounts of money" to mobilize people from other localities.
The most serious case recorded by Mirador Electoral occurred in the municipality of San José del Golfo, in the department of Guatemala, where voting has not been carried out until 10:00 a.m. due to the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants of this town with the massive transport of people from other municipalities, presumably paid for this purpose.
Prensa Comunitaria and RUDA, in collaboration with Península 360 Press and Global Exchange, will continue to provide national and international coverage from Guatemala, as part of an effort by more than 15 community media outlets from Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Honduras.
The team has also been deployed to 13 departments and 4 municipalities. An effort of more than 100 people who on this election day are carrying the data that comes out of this electoral day in its first round.
The citizens of that municipality have not been able to exercise their vote, after 130 members of the Vote Receiving Board resigned from their posts.
Voting in the municipality of San José del Golfo was suspended after a series of incidents occurred on Saturday night. The Departmental Electoral Board (JED) of Guatemala said that a group of people forced them to get off the buses in which they were traveling to a training session.
After they got off the buses, the members in charge of delivering and receiving the ballots were doused with gasoline and threatened with being set on fire.
The events have already been reported to the National Civil Police (PNC). However, due to the lack of Voting Reception Boards (JRV), the four voting centers installed in that municipality did not open their doors so that citizens could elect their authorities.
The Departmental Electoral Board of Guatemala and the Municipal Electoral Board (JEM) of San José del Golfo indicated that they are “working with all legal and security mechanisms at their disposal to continue with a legitimate, orderly and efficient process.”
They also reported that, with the support of the PNC, they coordinated the transfer of electoral supplies to the Nito Palencia Basic Education Institute, so that it can operate as a voting center in that town.
They try to dialogue
However, upon arriving at the site, a group of residents blocked the entrance to the premises. According to the electoral authorities, they are holding talks with the protesters so that the registered voters of the municipality can cast their vote "safely."
In fact, outside the aforementioned educational center, riot police fired tear gas bombs at the protesters. Members of the Guatemalan Army even showed up at the scene.
Police have already arrested at least one person for the incidents. Separately, residents of San José del Golfo reported that people who are not from the municipality arrived in the town and said they were "carried away."
Read the note in its original version by giving Click here.
Although Guatemalan migrants are citizens who have made an enormous effort to reach the United States and have the necessary means to survive and send help to their families in Guatemala, they have become the most forgotten by the State and by the candidates for the presidency of Guatemala.
This was stated by Dr. Úrsula Roldán, academic and migration specialist in an interview for Community Press in collaboration with Peninsula 360 Press and Global Exchange, where he stated that only five of the 23 parties running for president on June 25 have made statements on the subject of migration.
In the context of the general elections in Guatemala, the expert explained that the Semilla Movement consulted academics on policies to be implemented with the migrant population, while parties such as Winaq, URNG and MLP approached migrant organizations, especially those of the indigenous population, in the United States.
"They were among the few parties that participated in the Presidential Forum organized by migrant organizations in that country, and they continue to generate processes to organize the migrant population in the United States," Roldán said, acknowledging that these parties are recognized as left-wing, center-left or progressive.
"We know that the CABAL party was also present at this presidential forum, but no one else was present after that," he said.
The doctor acknowledged that migrants, in addition to contributing to the country's economy and being one of the main sources of GDP, must be reciprocated with clear policies, not only towards the exercise of their Guatemalan citizenship in the United States, but also to be able to provide them with everything they need, such as the necessary documentation to be able to regularize their status in the medium term and to be able to exercise other types of rights in the American Union.
Dr. Ursula Roldán, migration specialist, during the live broadcast of the elections in Guatemala by Prensa Comunitaria, Global Exchange and Península 360 Press.
"It is important, and they should have the same rights as any citizen of this country. The State owes a lot to the migrant population," he added.
The specialist explained that the institutions of the Guatemalan State are extremely weak and are tainted by co-optation and corruption, a situation that does not escape the Guatemalan institutions established in the United States.
In this regard, he recalled that more than a year ago, the Guatemalan consulate in the city of Los Angeles was denounced for charging undue fees for passports, while there are also various complaints regarding the DPI (Personal Identification Document), which is essential for migrants to have any type of possibility of regularizing their status in the United States and also for any management they have to do, even from afar, in their country of origin.
He also stressed that there was a lot of demand from migrant organizations to establish a census, which ultimately did not turn out as planned, a much more numerical one.
«We have around 90 or 91 thousand people registered, we know that there are 800 thousand who have documentation in the US, but we know that there are many more than that. The last census that they just took out on remittances speaks of more than 1 million 500 thousand or 1 million 800 thousand; so it is always a small number that the consulates manage to reach given the distances and the little funding for the consulates in that country, in addition to their poor permanent relationship with the migrant population,» he explained.
In this regard, he said that the exercise of citizenship has to be a permanent relationship, where the needs of the migrant are met, one of which is documentation, and different problems that occur abroad such as the death of a family member, illness or imprisonment for a traffic violation, among many others.
"This is a permanent exercise in which public institutions have not had the capacity to have a presence close to the migrant population in that country."
After the end of Title 42 in the United States, he said that "unfortunately there are positive aspects, which could be regularization from the country of origin, and family reunification, and possibly the increase in work visas, without having to go to the United States, and avoiding that very dangerous trip. But there are other negative aspects such as the management of asylum and refuge that can put at risk the lives, not only of Guatemalans, but of all Central Americans and other countries that will be passing through the region."
Furthermore, he said, Guatemala would not have the possibility of contributing to the management of processing centers. "We have already seen the consequences in Mexico, many families stranded at the borders, in the cities of Mexico itself, surviving, because the states do not commit to providing work, housing, food, and the issue of requesting asylum cannot be addressed in a third country."
Although there is a possibility of processing the request for refuge and asylum from a third country, he said, it should be in those countries that have clear agreements and where there is collaboration on issues of survival while the migrants carry out their process.
"It is a risk for the country if this is established in Guatemala, the immigration processing centers that will also be established in Colombia, and it is said in other Latin American countries. The possibility that they process quickly and promptly, and that they can satisfy their demands is really low and puts at risk the lives of migrants who are fleeing due to some well-founded fear."
He added that deportation will continue to be a reality and "our country - Guatemala - is not prepared for the integration of these people who are leaving precisely because they do not have the conditions for employment and decent living conditions."
He also explained that reality could become more complicated, "we could become a third border. The United States already established one with Mexico, and now Mexico is establishing it with us, with the risk that people will be stranded without the conditions for survival."
«I don't think they - the candidates - are paying attention to this. Migrants are the last political issue in this country, and there are two perspectives: on the one hand, there is pressure from the United States to contain immigration, deportation. But, on the other hand, many are interested in continuing to have immigration to avoid the social demand for basic needs.»
Dr. Roldán pointed out that remittances support the economy and consumption in Guatemala, which is why there is a double standard when it comes to working towards more appropriate immigration regularization.
"A country in these conditions will only follow what the United States dictates and what benefits them in terms of impunity, and that is not what is wanted. What is sought is for the country to have the possibility, together with other countries in Central America and Mexico, to have a high-level negotiation to achieve regional immigration regularization and a possibility of regularization in the United States."
Although both political parties - Republican and Democrat - in the US have the issue of migration on their agenda, the specialist pointed out that the only thing they put on the political debate is whether the measures are much more restrictive or not, when they should focus on promoting immigration regularization.
Finally, he explained that there is concern on the part of migrants in the United States to have a link with their communities of origin and to be able to collaborate with their well-being and development, which is why they seek associative forms to be able to make contributions. However, he said that the State imposes limitations and bureaucratic processes so that the aid does not reach the places directly, but rather through the federal government.
This, he said, becomes a problem because migrants do not believe in the State as an intermediary, "because it has been seen that they have left a large part of the aid they send in warehouses. The government puts a series of obstacles in place to get the material to the communities."
«There is much to do. I do believe in local organisation of origin and destination. I believe that there are leaders who want to contribute to the country from the migrant population, but that we need to create those more direct links, avoiding the State for a long time, until we have one as it should be to create institutionality that allows that link without manipulation of resources.»
