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Weekly roundup of local news from April 29 to May 5, 2023

Peninsula 360 Press

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2023.05.06

Weekly roundup of local news from April 29 to May 5, 2023

The fifth month of the year has begun and we are getting closer to summer vacation. Various cities in the country celebrate and enjoy various events around May 5, an important date for the Mexican people, and one that has gained relevance in the American Union.

The Bay Area is no exception. The city of East Palo Alto is ready to celebrate this Sunday in style with its Cinco de Mayo Latin Festival.

While you prepare your best dance moves and tune your throat, here are the local news stories from April 29 to May 5 that you should know to stay up to date.

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A private security guard has been arrested after shooting and killing a 24-year-old woman outside a Walgreens on Market Street in San Francisco on Thursday night, April 25, local police said.

The suspect was identified as Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony, 33, who worked as a private security guard. He was arrested and booked into the San Francisco County Jail on a charge of murder.

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Next May 13 will be the last day that the residents of Redwood City will be able to decide on the final design for the renovation of Hoover Park, a park whose some of its amenities date back to 1966, so this new image of one of the representative places of the city is essential.

Residents can review and choose between two conceptual designs through an online survey that provides details of each option. It should be noted that the survey is in English and Spanish.

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A woman died after being hit by a vehicle in a fatal collision in San Jose on Monday morning, May 1.

This accident marks San Jose's 13th traffic death and the 10th pedestrian death this year in the city.

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A motorcycle driver died after a fatal motorcycle crash in Redwood City collided with a Toyota sedan on US Highway 101 Saturday night, prompting northbound lane closures.

The crash occurred on northbound U.S. Highway 101 just south of State Highway 92 at about 11:59 p.m., according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Art Montiel.

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The Orion alternative school in Redwood City has a full agenda this May, which among other events has prepared an exhibition to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month - Asian American and Pacific Islanders - in which participating students can win gift cards.

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The Redwood City Police Department (RCPD) is searching for a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run in Redwood City on March 31 on Veterans Boulevard.

In response, authorities have called on residents to come clean about the incident that occurred in the 1100 block of Veteran's Boulevard, near the intersection with Walnut, at 9:23 p.m. on March 31.

RCPD has very limited information on the suspect. They said they only know the suspect vehicle is a late 1990s Toyota or Honda Sedan that is gold or white in color. There is no description of the driver.

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On Monday, it was announced that JPMorgan Chase Bank has acquired First Republic Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), with the vast majority of its assets and assumed deposits and other liabilities.

As part of the purchase, JPMorgan Chase is assuming all deposits, insured and uninsured.

While San Francisco-based First Republic Bank was closed Monday by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, branches opened Monday, May 1, as usual, and customers continued to receive uninterrupted service, including digital and mobile banking capabilities. However, they now serve as just another JPMorgan Chase branch.

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Three East Bay men have been arrested in connection with robberies targeting AAPI — Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders — communities across the Bay Area, San Jose police said Monday.

The trio, suspected of a series of armed robberies between December and February, were identified as Joel Contreras Barrón, 26, of Antioch, Francisco Rincón, 28, of Richmond, and Juan Rodríguez Ramírez, 26, of Richmond.

Investigators say the men are linked to 13 robberies, five grand thefts and countless vehicle thefts in the region.

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City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz announced Wednesday the selection of Kristina A. Bell as the new Redwood City Police Chief, who will begin her new role on June 5.

Since 2020, Bell has served as Chief of Police Services for the City of San Carlos and as Captain of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

Bell has also held various positions within corrections, operations and support services within the County Sheriff's Office, rising through the ranks from Correctional Officer to Sheriff's Captain.

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The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, along with San Mateo County and the police departments of South San Francisco, San Bruno, Daly City, Colma, and Citizens for San Mateo County Gun Buyback, will be holding an anonymous gun buyback event this coming Saturday, May 6.

The event will be held in the parking lot of the North County Courthouse, located at 1050 Mission Road in South San Francisco, on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

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San Mateo police have arrested a man suspected of a shooting at a bar in the city in which one of the bullets grazed the leg of a male victim.

So, during the early morning hours of May 3, SMPD arrested Perez-Pinzon without incident near his residence in Redwood City, then booked him into the San Mateo County Jail for assault with a firearm, negligent discharge of a firearm, criminal threats, exhibition of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a parolee, and carrying a loaded firearm.

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At least 50 koi fish have been stolen from the Friendship Garden pond in San Jose, the city's parks, recreation and community services department said Wednesday, asking for help in determining where they are.

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The San Mateo County Executive's Office has launched a call for applications to find its next youth cultural ambassadors, and applicants have until the end of this May to apply.

To become a Cultural Ambassador, interested artists must be between the ages of 15-19, have a major in one or more artistic disciplines—e.g., literary, visual arts, theater, music, digital, etc.—, have experience in community events and projects or outreach, be able to serve as a Youth Cultural Ambassador for one year beginning in July 2023, and be a resident of San Mateo County.

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Everything is ready for this coming Sunday, May 7, to be held the Cinco de Mayo 2023 Latino Festival organized by the East Palo Alto Latino Committee, which will pay tribute to Mexican culture and commemorate the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army won over the troops of the Second French Empire.

Children, adults and seniors will be able to enjoy the free event that will take place at Bell Street Park, located on the corner of Bell Street and University Ave. in East Palo Alto.

The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a parade at the entrance of the elementary school located at the intersection of Clarke and Donohoe streets. Afterwards, attendees will be able to enjoy various events from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., including Mariachi, cultural presentations, folkloric dances, food, information and history, raffles, and lots of music, all in a family-friendly, alcohol- and tobacco-free environment.

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You may be interested in: Everything ready in East Palo Alto for the Latino Festival “Cinco de Mayo”

Is the child care crisis escalating?

Peninsula 360 Press

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2023.05.06

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By Karen D'Souza. EdSource. Bay City News.

Nearly 90 percent of brain growth occurs before children start kindergarten. That's why experts say high-quality care is so vital for young children. It's also why the current child care crisis is so troubling and why the administration is calling for a new policy. Biden is once again trying to tackle the problem on a national scale.

The childcare sector has certainly long been marked by a brutal economic tug-of-war.

Most families cannot afford the high cost of care, while many child care workers cannot survive on their wages. Note that child care for an infant in Alameda County costs around $20,000 a year in 2021, for example.

Now consider that the average child care worker makes about $13 an hour. Raising awareness of this situation is the goal of events like the upcoming Day Without Child Care, when many providers across the country will shut down and speak out about the issues.

“Child care is a textbook example of a broken market,” as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen put it. “The free market works well in many different sectors, but child care is not one of them. It doesn’t work for caregivers. It doesn’t work for parents. It doesn’t work for children. And because it doesn’t work for them, it doesn’t work for the country.”

The pandemic has deepened the preexisting child care crisis, shuttering nearly 16,000 child care centers and raising operating costs for those that remain in business. Inflation also means everything from masks to snacks costs more than before, experts say, while many workers have fled to higher-paying jobs at Starbucks and Target, putting even more strain on the system.

Amid the current crisis, the Biden administration initially proposed an ambitious plan for federally subsidized child care that was shot down in Congress. It is now pushing several smaller solutions, including requiring semiconductor manufacturers that are lining up to receive nearly $40 billion in new federal subsidies under CHIPS and the Science Act to provide child care for their workers.

“The pandemic … made even clearer how difficult it is for millions of working and middle-class families to care for their families,” Biden said last month. “It’s not just how important the care economy is to the entire economy, but when people have to leave the workforce or can’t enter it because of caregiving responsibilities, they can’t fully participate in the economy, and that drags down productivity and growth for the entire nation overall.”

Many praise this strategy for creating more affordable child care options by attracting corporations to provide coverage to their employees.

“Innovative ideas like the CHIPS Act are what we need to begin to address the child care crisis that has been generations in the making,” said Gina Fromer, president and CEO of Children's Council of San Francisco.

«Semiconductor industry groups and even top CEOs are supporting the program’s effort to link workforce development to child care, citing the need to re-engage the 2 million women who left the workforce during the pandemic to care for family members.»

Others, however, warn that tying child care to employment rather than treating it as a public good, like K-12 education, risks leaving millions of struggling families out of the loop. Think about health care. When you lose your job, you lose your coverage, too — and so do your children. These people say it should be the government’s role to oversee vital social infrastructure.

“Kudos for a creative idea, but isn’t the child care system complicated enough without now adding a health care-style system on top of that?” said Scott Moore, director of Kidango, a nonprofit that runs many Bay Area child care centers. “Another downside is shifting responsibility from government to businesses.”

Biden also recently issued an executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to make child care more affordable and accessible. White House officials have described it as the most sweeping effort of any president to streamline child care delivery.

However, some suggest that the strategy of privatizing some of the high costs of child care may prove to be a more practical step.

“Biden’s pressure on chipmakers to expand their own child care centers as they recruit new workers may prove more important,” said Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley. “The president could double down and push for similar provisions within the $1.2 trillion in infrastructure projects, which benefit a range of energy, bridge-building and construction companies — all of which employ parents with young children.”

While many child care advocates believe universal early education should be the gold standard, some suggest that economic and political complications may make it difficult to achieve that goal.

“Early education advocates must continue to push our local, state, and national leaders toward the ultimate goal of universal child care for all. That should be our ultimate goal, period,” Fromer said. “But, as with any large-scale socioeconomic change, it has been and will continue to be a long, hard battle to achieve. In the meantime, what may seem like short-term incremental steps have proven to be real solutions.”

Another key issue is how to lift child care workers out of poverty while also making care more accessible. The child care industry, a workforce with a significant number of women of color, has long suffered from poverty wages.

“Early childhood teachers work with children during their most formative years of development and growth,” Moore noted, “yet they are the lowest paid in a low-wage profession.”

Others caution that the bottom line is maintaining high quality of care. Simply expanding access to child care or lowering its costs is not enough to give children the head start they need in early childhood.

“One concern: We don’t want to expand the number of new child care spaces with static funding,” Fuller said. “This would erode teacher quality and increase class sizes in pre-K programs. The long-term benefits of child care only materialize with high-quality programs.”

Read the original note giving click here.

You may be interested in: San Mateo County Seeks Its Next Young Cultural Ambassadors

Everything ready in East Palo Alto for the Latino Festival “Cinco de Mayo”

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.05

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Everything ready in East Palo Alto for the Latino Festival “Cinco de Mayo”

Latino Festival Cinco de Mayo 2023 — Poster made by P360P

Everything is ready for the Cinco de Mayo 2023 Latin Festival organized by the East Palo Alto Latino Committee, which will pay tribute to Mexican culture and commemorate the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army won over the troops of the Second French Empire.

Music, food, folklore, and cultural performances will not be long in coming at an event that is made for everyone.

Children, adults and seniors will be able to enjoy the free event that will take place at Bell Street Park, located on the corner of Bell Street and University Ave. in East Palo Alto.

The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a parade at the entrance of the primary school located at the intersection of Clarke and Donohoe Streets.

After that, attendees could enjoy from 12:00 to 18:00 various events that include Mariachi, cultural presentations, folkloric dances, food, information and history, raffles, lots of music, all in a family atmosphere, free of alcohol and tobacco.

You may be interested in: Orion School in Redwood City prepares for various events this AAPI Heritage Month

WHO declares end of the COVID-19 pandemic, although it asks to continue maintaining precautions

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.05

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WHO declares end of the COVID-19 pandemic, although it asks to continue maintaining precautions

Twitter: World Health Organization (WHO)

The CEO of the World Health Organization ‒WHO‒, Dr. Tedros Adhanom, announced this Friday, May 5, 2023, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, after the Emergency Committee met for the fifteenth time on Thursday and recommended declaring the end of the public health emergency of international interest.

“It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” Dr Tedros said at a briefing this morning.

However, he clarified that the end of the pandemic does not mean that COVID-19 has ended as a threat to global health.

“Last week, COVID-19 claimed one life every three minutes, and those are just the deaths we know about,” he said. “As we speak, thousands of people around the world are fighting for their lives in intensive care units. And millions more continue to live with the debilitating effects of post-COVID-19 conditions.”

In this regard, Dr. Tedros pointed out that "this virus is here to stay" and continues to kill and mutate, so there is still a risk of new variants emerging that cause new increases in cases and deaths.

"The worst thing any country could do now is use this news as a reason to let down its guard, dismantle the systems it has built, or send the message to its people that COVID-19 is nothing to worry about," he stressed.

In this regard, he said that what this news means is that from now on countries can make the transition from emergency mode to managing COVID-19 along with other infectious diseases.

"I would like to stress that this is not a sudden decision. It is a decision that has been carefully considered for some time, planned and taken on the basis of careful analysis of the data," he said.

However, he said that, if necessary, he would not hesitate to convene another Emergency Committee if COVID-19 once again endangers the world.

"While this Emergency Committee will now cease its work, it has sent a clear message that countries should not cease theirs."

Dr Tedros explained that following the Committee's advice, he decided to use a provision of the International Health Regulations that has never been used before, to establish a Review Committee to develop long-term, standing recommendations for countries on how to manage COVID-19 on an ongoing basis.

In turn, he said that the WHO published this week the fourth edition of the Global Strategic Plan for Preparedness and Response to COVID-19, which outlines critical actions for countries in five main areas: collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures, and emergency coordination.

“For more than three years, the Emergency Committee’s experts have dedicated their time, experience and expertise not only to advise me on whether COVID-19 continues to represent a global health emergency, but also to advise on recommendations for countries,” she said. “In countries around the world, WHO has worked closely with governments to translate that guidance into policies and actions to save lives.”

“On one level, this is a moment of celebration,” Tedros said, noting that this moment has been reached thanks to the incredible skill and selfless dedication of health and care workers; the innovation of vaccine researchers and developers; the difficult decisions governments have had to make in the face of changing evidence; and the sacrifices we have all made as individuals, families and communities to keep ourselves and each other safe.

However, he said, “on another level, this is a moment of reflection,” as COVID-19 has left, and continues to leave, deep scars on the world. “Those scars should serve as a permanent reminder of the potential for new viruses to emerge, with devastating consequences.”

"As a global community, the suffering we have endured, the painful lessons we have learned, the investments we have made and the capabilities we have developed must not be wasted," he stressed.

Tedros Adhanom said that “one of the greatest tragedies of COVID-19 is that it didn’t have to be this way,” but we now have the tools and technologies to better prepare for pandemics, to detect them earlier, to respond to them faster and to mitigate their impact.

“But globally, lack of coordination, lack of equity and lack of solidarity meant that those tools were not used as effectively as they could have been. Lives were lost that should not have been. We must promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren that we will never make those mistakes again,” he stressed.

In his account, Tedros recalled that 1,221 days ago today, WHO learned of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, China, and on 30 January 2020, following the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations, declared a public health emergency of international concern due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, the highest level of alarm under international law.

At the time, outside of China there were fewer than 100 reported cases and no reported deaths. “In the 3 years since then, COVID-19 has turned our world upside down.”

Nearly 7 million deaths have been reported to the WHO, “but we know the death toll is several times higher – at least 20 million.”

She stressed that during the pandemic, health systems have been severely affected, and millions of people have been left without essential health services, including life-saving childhood vaccines.

“But COVID-19 has been much more than a health crisis. It has caused severe economic upheaval, wiping trillions off GDP, disrupting travel and trade, closing businesses and plunging millions into poverty,” he said. “It has caused massive social upheaval, with borders closed, movement restricted, schools shut and millions of people experiencing loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression.”

In this regard, he added that COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated political fault lines, within and between nations. It has eroded trust between people, governments and institutions, fueled by a torrent of misinformation and disinformation, as well as laying bare the world's searing inequalities, with the poorest and most vulnerable communities being the hardest hit and the last to receive access to vaccines and other tools.

Finally, for more than a year, the pandemic has been on a downward trend, with population immunity increasing from vaccination and infection, mortality declining and pressure on health systems easing. This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before, he noted.

You may be interested in: Myths about COVID-19 that persist among Bay Area youth

UC Santa Cruz condemns student celebration for Adolf Hitler's birthday

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.05

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UC Santa Cruz condemns student celebration for Adolf Hitler's birthday

The University of California at Santa Cruz condemned the celebration of Adolf Hitler's birthday by students, during which they sang the "Happy Birthday" song and ate cakes with Nazi symbols.

This incident, said Dr. Akirah Bradley-Armstrong, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Success at UC Santa Cruz in a letter to the student community, is part of two separate reports of anti-Semitism and hate on and near the Santa Cruz campus.

The first reported incident took place on campus last Thursday, April 20. A group of students reportedly gathered to celebrate Adolf Hitler’s birthday. “They sang happy birthday and ate cakes decorated with hateful and horrible symbols.”

Meanwhile, the second reported incident took place in downtown Santa Cruz on Friday, April 28, when a student found an anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQIA+ flyer on the windshield of his car.

The leaflet included despicable and degrading statements about the Jewish community and LGBTQIA+ people, the statement said.

“We unequivocally condemn these, and all, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQIA+ actions. They are at odds with our Community Principles and as such will be addressed accordingly,” he said.

She added that the incident on campus has been referred to student conduct for follow-up and adjudication, while the university has reached out to Santa Cruz city officials to request their support and collaboration in addressing the concerning flyers reported at the school.

“These disturbing incidents follow a national trend of increasing anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence. Whatever the purpose and wherever they take place, we reject any and all acts of anti-Semitism. Members of our Jewish community and members of our LGBTQIA+ community are an integral part of our Banana Slug family, and we stand with them against all such acts of hate,” the vice-chancellor stressed.

In that sense, he ruled that "white supremacy has no place at UC Santa Cruz," as well as any other action intended to degrade, dehumanize or intimidate another based on identity.

“We will not tolerate such hostilities; nor will we endure the fear and terror it seeks to inspire. United by our shared sense of humanity, we must strive to be a welcoming place for all people. Together, we must continue to reject all expressions of hatred,” he added.

Finally, she recalled that incidents like this can be painful and cause greater worry, fear and anger.

“We encourage our community to seek support. In addition to the support services offered by our college staff and resource centers, Counseling and Psychological Services provide assistance to students. For employees, the Employee Assistance Program can provide counseling and support. All community members are encouraged to report incidents of hate or bias,” she said.

For his part, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said through his Twitter account that acts like these have no place in the state.

"This is absolutely sick. This type of disgusting act has no place in California."

This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

You may be interested in: San Mateo County Seeks Its Next Young Cultural Ambassadors

California authorities seize 40 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs worth $4.2 million

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.05

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California authorities seize 40 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs worth $4.2 million

California authorities announce seizure of 40 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs worth $4.2 million — Capture of the video shared in Twitter by prosecutor Rob Bonta where they announce the seizure of 40 pounds of fentanyl and other drugs.

California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, along with Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, announced the seizure of 40 pounds of fentanyl and 104 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at $4.2 million, as well as the arrest of seven suspects, in two separate cases in Merced County.

“Across the country, we continue to address the impacts of the opioid crisis, and in recent years, we have seen a marked increase in fentanyl use and associated deaths,” Attorney General Bonta said.

The official added that this crisis is a multifaceted public health and safety issue, and addressing it requires a thoughtful and strategic approach.

“Whether it’s seizing illicit fentanyl through our ongoing enforcement efforts or bringing billions of dollars to California through our lawsuits and investigative efforts to hold the opioid industry accountable, the California Department of Justice is committed when it comes to protecting California families from the dangers of fentanyl,” he said.

Bonta said there is still much work to be done, but "we will not rest until we eliminate fentanyl from our streets and from California's communities."

The seizures in this case were the result of two separate CHP traffic stops that were turned over for further investigation to the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), a task force led by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation.

On April 25, a CHP Central Division K-9 officer stopped a vehicle in Merced County. During the contact, a canine was deployed and gave a positive alert for the odor of narcotics, and approximately 104 pounds of methamphetamine and 25 pounds of fentanyl were located inside the vehicle.

Meanwhile, on April 27, 2023, a CHP Central Division K-9 officer stopped a vehicle in Merced County. A CHP officer conducted a consent search of the vehicle and 15 pounds of fentanyl was located on the rear passenger floorboard.

As MAGNET investigators headed to take over the lead of the investigation, the driver fled on foot into the hills, where he was subsequently arrested.

The driver and two passengers were arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail on charges of possession of fentanyl for sale and transportation of fentanyl through non-contiguous counties.

Bonta recalled the seizure of more than four million fentanyl pills and nearly 900 pounds of fentanyl powder, as well as more than 200 arrests through the work of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation with allied task forces throughout California since April 2021.

Since April 2022, DOJ fentanyl seizures totaled 7,153,083 fentanyl pills seized, 1,094 pounds of fentanyl powder, and more than 200 arrests.

You may be interested in: Bay Area Authorities Organize Gun Buybacks Coming May 6

San Mateo County Seeks Its Next Young Cultural Ambassadors

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.05

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San Mateo County Seeks Its Next Young Cultural Ambassadors

The San Mateo County Executive's Office has launched a call for applications to find its next youth cultural ambassadors, and applicants have until the end of this May to apply.

The program seeks to foster a love of the arts as a vehicle for self-expression and civic engagement among San Mateo County youth, as well as build community through arts and culture with the goal of greater youth engagement in the community, as well as highlight the role of arts and culture in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and other public discourses.

To become a Cultural Ambassador, interested artists must be between the ages of 15-19, have a major in one or more artistic disciplines—e.g., literary, visual arts, theater, music, digital, etc.—, have experience in community events and projects or outreach, be able to serve as a Youth Cultural Ambassador for one year beginning in July 2023, and be a resident of San Mateo County.

Up to five Youth Cultural Ambassadors will be appointed, including one Youth Poetry Ambassador.

Those interested should visit the site https://tinyurl.com/smcyca-arts to complete an online application form. You will be asked to attach a description of your work, i.e. how you create art and why you do it, as well as 3-5 samples of your work.

The deadline to submit your application is May 31st.

A panel of judges will review the panel of applicants in June and Young Cultural Ambassadors will be appointed for a further term beginning on 1 July 2023 and ending on 30 June 2024.

One of the Youth Cultural Ambassadors will take on the role of San Mateo County Youth Poetry Ambassador. Each Ambassador will receive an honorarium of $500.

The responsibilities of the upcoming Young Cultural Ambassadors include developing and executing an arts/culture-related project that engages the community on any of the following topics: identity and belonging; mental health and healing; environment and sustainability; and education and learning.

Young people will be able to work in collaboration with a library, school or other organizations.

Additionally, they must participate in organizing an ambassador convocation event for middle and high school students during spring break 2024.

The Youth Poetry Ambassador, meanwhile, will give readings twice a year at Board of Supervisors meetings and assist with the promotion of the San Mateo County Poetry Out Loud competition.

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Making mental health an integral part of primary care for older adults

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Health

Peninsula 360 Press

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2023.05.05

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Making mental health an integral part of primary care for older adults

By Selen Ozturk. Ethnic Media Services.

Con una cuarta parte de los californianos de 65 años o más para 2030, el estado está buscando formas de satisfacer mejor las necesidades de salud mental para adultos mayores.

Fancher Larson, residente de San Francisco, ha pasado gran parte de su carrera abogando por los derechos de las personas con problemas de salud mental. Una adulta mayor, recientemente le diagnosticaron Alzheimer y ahora le preocupa lo que le sucederá a su hijo adulto si no puede cuidarlo.

La historia de Larson se encuentra entre la variedad de desafíos de salud mental y conductual que enfrentan los adultos mayores en California y en todo el país a raíz de la pandemia de COVID-19.

«No estoy tan preocupado por mí mismo como por lo que le sucederá a mi hijo», dijo Larson, un defensor de pacientes de San Francisco Mental Health Clients’ Rights Advocates, una organización sin fines de lucro, cuyo hijo de 40 años tiene problemas de salud mental.

«Si termina en el sistema cuando ya no pueda cuidarlo, temo que se suicide. No quiero que lo envíen a un centro del condado ni lo seden con medicamentos», dijo Larson, quien habló durante una mesa redonda el 27 de abril sobre las necesidades de salud conductual de los adultos mayores del Área de la Bahía organizada por el Departamento de Envejecimiento de California ‒CDA, por sus siglas en inglés‒.

El evento, que se llevó a cabo en el Centro para personas mayores On Lok 30th Street en San Francisco, atrajo a pacientes, médicos, personal de CDA, trabajadores sociales y otros líderes comunitarios que compartieron sus experiencias a medida que más adultos mayores enfrentan desafíos físicos, mentales y financieros, incluso cuando las restricciones por la pandemia disminuyen.

La reunión es parte de los esfuerzos estatales para mejorar los servicios para los adultos mayores bajo el Plan Maestro para el Envejecimiento de California, un plan de 10 años destinado a mejorar el apoyo a nivel estatal y local en cinco áreas clave: vivienda, atención médica, equidad social, cuidadores y seguridad financiera.

El quince por ciento de los residentes de California tienen 65 años o más. Se espera que ese número aumente al 25 por ciento para 2030.

La directora de CDA, Susan DeMarois, dijo que el objetivo de la mesa redonda, la primera de cuatro, con tres más en Fresno, San Bernardino y Ukiah, es recopilar aportes de la comunidad que puedan dar forma a la política para satisfacer las necesidades de salud conductual de los adultos mayores, que han visto un aumento en los problemas de salud física y mental desde el comienzo de la pandemia.

Los expertos atribuyen la tendencia en parte al aumento del aislamiento social como resultado de las restricciones relacionadas con la pandemia y dicen que es clave abordar ese aislamiento haciendo que los recursos de salud mental estén más disponibles.

«La salud mental sigue siendo un tabú en muchas comunidades de color», señaló Michelle Fonseca, residente del vecindario Mission de la ciudad que está trabajando para convertirse en Trabajadora Social Clínica Licenciada.

«Con toda la desinformación sobre el COVID, muchos adultos mayores no querían vacunarse», continuó Fonseca. «En mi vecindario, fueron los miembros de la comunidad tocando las puertas, hablando español, chino, tagalo, lo que les dio a estas personas esa sensación de seguridad para ir a vacunarse».

«Es mucho más probable que las personas superen sus miedos si alguien como ellos está sentado al otro lado de la habitación o en la otra línea», dijo la doctora Marcy Adelman, cofundadora del centro de recursos para personas mayores LGBTQ+ Openhouse SF y miembro de California Comisión sobre el Envejecimiento.

Adelman, junto con el director médico de On Lok, el Dr. Ben Lui, recalcaron que el apoyo a la salud mental y conductual debe integrarse mejor en los servicios de atención primaria.

«Los servicios de salud del comportamiento efectivos son aquellos que están integrados en la atención primaria», explicó Lui. «Para las personas mayores con problemas de salud conductual, a menudo existe una inestabilidad asociada, y un buen modelo de prevención de salud pública debe abordar estos problemas en sentido ascendente, como las necesidades de vivienda, planificación financiera y transporte».

Jim DeRoche, un anciano que vive en San Francisco, dijo que la capacitación de los trabajadores de atención informada sobre el trauma fue clave para conectarse con adultos mayores como él. También describió su experiencia con la Línea de la Amistad por teléfono, operada por el Instituto sobre el Envejecimiento.

Las personas mayores que usaron la Línea de la Amistad «informaron una marcada disminución de la depresión, la ansiedad y la soledad durante seis meses», refirió Mia Grigg, vicepresidenta de Servicios de Atención Integrada del Instituto sobre el Envejecimiento. «Este cuidado emocional basado en la confianza es parte de la atención primaria».

Los participantes de la mesa redonda acordaron que la coordinación de los esfuerzos para integrar la salud conductual en los servicios de atención primaria debe comenzar a nivel estatal.

«Para muchos adultos mayores con enfermedades mentales que luego desarrollan demencia, ese nuevo diagnóstico significa que ya no son elegibles para los servicios de salud mental que usaban anteriormente», dijo Jennifer Stephens-Pierre, directora de la Agencia de Envejecimiento del Área del Condado de Alameda. «Sin una legislación para cambiar esto, caen en un espacio en el que quieren subestimar una enfermedad sobre la otra para seguir recibiendo la atención que necesitan».

Mark Salazar, director ejecutivo de la Asociación de Salud Mental de San Francisco, subrayó que su agencia ha visto «caídas significativas en las tasas de readmisión a los 30 días y a los seis meses» después de integrar al personal de pares con los servicios de salud conductual del Condado de Marin a través del Departamento de Salud Pública de San Francisco y el Hospital General de San Francisco.

Otros participantes compartieron sus propias experiencias de coordinación entre los programas de salud mental y conductual, implorando a los líderes de CDA que reflejen esto a nivel estatal.

«Hemos podido atender a las personas mayores de manera más efectiva a través de Openhouse SF cuando coordinamos todos los programas: extensión de salud mental y conductual con ayuda para personas mayores sin hogar o servicios de apoyo LGBTQ+», puntualizó Adelman.

Pero esa coordinación a nivel de ciudad no es suficiente, agregó.

«Pido a los líderes estatales que inviertan en organizaciones que creen la infraestructura física y legal… para ayudar a las personas mayores en sus propias comunidades».Para leer la nota original en inglés, de click here.

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About 50 koi fish stolen from the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose

Peninsula 360 Press

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2023.05.04

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About 50 koi fish stolen from the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose

At least 50 Koi-type fish were stolen from the Friendship Garden pond in San José. — Photo: Twitter @San José Parks & Rec

At least 50 koi fish have been stolen from the Friendship Garden pond in San Jose, the city's parks, recreation and community services department said Wednesday, asking for help in determining where they are.

El Departamento de Parques, Ocio y Servicios a Vecindarios, señaló en una publicación en redes sociales que el robo de la colorida carpa fue denunciado a la policía de San José.

«Lamentamos informar a nuestra comunidad que faltan aproximadamente 50 peces koi en el Jardín Japonés de la Amistad. Hemos denunciado el pescado robado al Departamento de Policía de San José», precisaron en su cuenta de Twitter.

«La ciudad está desconsolada por la desaparición de estas hermosas criaturas. Proporcionaremos actualizaciones a medida que las recibamos», publicaron.

Los koi se alojaron en el Jardín de la Amistad Japonesa, construido en 1965 como símbolo de la amistad eterna entre la ciudad de San José y su ciudad hermana de Okayama, Japón.

Cualquier persona que tenga información sobre los peces perdidos deben informarlo al número de policía que no es de emergencia al (408) 277-8900.

You may be interested in: Authorities find 10-year-olds working at McDonald's franchises in Kentucky

Authorities find 10-year-olds working at McDonald's franchises in Kentucky

Pamela Cruz

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2023.05.04

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Authorities find 10-year-olds working at McDonald's franchises in Kentucky

researchers of the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Two 10-year-old boys were found working at a Louisville McDonald's, among many violations of federal labor laws committed by three McDonald's franchise operators in Kentucky.

Investigations seeking to stop child labor abuses in the Southeast region found that Bauer Food LLC, Archways Richwood LLC and Bell Restaurant Group I LLC — three separate franchisees operating a total of 62 McDonald's locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio — had 305 minors working more than the legally permitted hours and performing tasks prohibited by law for young workers.

In response, the regulatory authority assessed civil monetary fines of $212,544 against employers.

“Too often, employers fail to follow child labor laws that protect young workers,” said Karen Garnett-Civils, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Louisville, Kentucky.

"Under no circumstances should a 10-year-old child be working in a fast-food kitchen around hot grills, ovens and fryers," he stressed.

According to a statement released by the Department of Labor, the division found that Bauer Food LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald's locations, employed 24 minors under the age of 16 to work longer hours than legally permitted.

These children sometimes worked more hours per day or week than the law allows, whether or not school was in session.

Investigators also determined that two 10-year-old boys were employed but not paid, and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m., below the minimum age for employment, preparing and distributing food orders, cleaning the store, working the window and operating a register.

The division also learned that one of the two children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a task prohibited for workers under the age of 16. The division assessed $39,711 in civil monetary penalties to address the child labor violations.

In the case of Archways Richwood LLC, a Walton-based operator of 27 McDonald's locations, it allowed 242 minors between the ages of 14 and 15 to work beyond permitted hours. Most worked earlier or later than the law allows and more than three hours on school days. The division assessed the employer $143,566 in civil monetary penalties for its violations.

While at Bell Restaurant Group I LLC, a Louisville-based operator of four McDonald's locations and part of Brdancat Management Inc., a larger company that includes Jesse Bell I, Jesse Bell V and Bell Restaurant Group II, which operates 20 other locations in Maryland, Indiana and Kentucky, the employer was found to have allowed 39 workers, ages 14 and 15, to work outside and for longer hours than allowed by law.

Some of these children worked more than the daily and weekly limits during school days and weeks, and the employer allowed two of them to work during school hours.

To address the child labor violations, the division assessed the employer $29,267 in civil monetary penalties. Investigators also found that the employer systematically failed to pay workers overtime wages they were owed, and as a result, the division recovered $14,730 in back wages and liquidated damages for 58 workers.

Federal child labor regulations limit the types of jobs child employees can perform and the hours they can work.

Hour limits for 14- and 15-year-olds include that work must be performed outside of school hours, must not be more than 3 hours on a school day, including Fridays, and must not be more than 8 hours on a non-school day.

Also, no more than 18 hours during a school week and no more than 40 hours during a non-school week, no work before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m., except between June 1 and Labor Day, when evening hours are extended to 9:00 p.m.

"We are seeing an increase in federal child labor violations, including allowing minors to operate equipment or handle types of work that endanger them or employing them for longer hours or later in the day than federal law allows," Garnett-Civils said.

“An employer who hires young workers should be aware of the rules. An employer, parent or young worker who has questions can contact us so we can help them understand their obligations and rights under the law,” she added.

While most child labor violation cases involve minors working longer and later hours than the law allows, the division found 688 minors illegally employed in hazardous occupations in fiscal year 2022, the highest annual count since fiscal year 2011.

Among them was a 15-year-old boy, injured while using a deep fryer at a McDonald's in Morristown, Tennessee in June 2022.

“One child injured at work is one too many. Child labor laws exist to ensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardize their health, well-being or education,” Garnett-Civils concluded.

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