Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández is wanted for extradition by the US, it was announced yesterday.
Update: It was reported this afternoon that former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa in handcuffs by the Honduran National Police. He will then be presented to a judge to determine his extradition status to the U.S.
The Honduran Supreme Court will have to analyze the request made by the North American country in which it must decide on a temporary arrest and lead to extradition.
Extradition is the formal process by which a State surrenders an individual to another State to be tried or punished for crimes committed in the jurisdiction of the requesting country. It is usually made possible by a bilateral or multilateral treaty. Some States extradite without a treaty, but such cases are rare.
The US justice system is seeking former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández "for drug trafficking and firearms offenses."
Earlier, the Secretary of State announced that it had revoked his visa to enter the US through his secretary, Antony Blinken.
The United States is advancing transparency and accountability in Central America by making public visa restrictions against Honduras' former president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, on account of corrupt actions. No one is above the law.
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Rolando Argueta, urgently summoned the magistrates for a session at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15, in which the natural judge who will hear the extradition request sent by the United States Embassy will be designated.
Juan Orlando Hernández is the second former Honduran president to be requested for extradition by the United States government. The first was Rafael Leonardo Callejas, 1990-1994, of the National Party.
After a fire broke out at a Redwood City campground on the Hazel and Linden sides of Woodside Road and El Camino Cloverleaf on the evening of Feb. 13, authorities said there were no injuries.
The city said the fire occurred at 1:35 p.m. and the fire investigator cleared the scene at 5:06 p.m.
Fortunately, there were no injuries in the fire at a Redwood City campground, but there was property damage to a fence on a residential property adjacent to four complexes, and two cars also sustained minor damage due to heat exposure.
Five propane tanks were recovered at the scene; however, they were not involved in the fire that damaged tents, mattresses and personal property.
While the investigation into the fire at a Redwood City campground was complete, the exact cause was considered undetermined.
In a statement, the city noted that it has been actively coordinating with the state Department of Transportation (CalTrans) for months, as many encampments in Redwood City are located on its property, as was the case in the most recent incident.
“We are calling on CalTrans to come to the table this week with our city and our legislative representatives to develop an immediate plan to protect our community from the health and safety issues created by encampments on their lands,” said Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale.
"Fortunately, there were no injuries as a result of this fire, but we need immediate action to prevent future incidents," he added.
In addition, he said, the city has arranged for civilian homeless outreach workers to regularly visit the encampment and provide resources to the homeless.
Representatives from LifeMoves, the Downtown Streets Team and the city's mental health clinic, Patricia Baker, have been conducting outreach activities at this location, as well as at the other encampments in the cloverleaf.
Housing affordability and scarcity were the top community concerns identified in a recent community survey.
After securing the perimeter and deploying the SWAT team, police officers arrested a man for shooting at a car in San Mateo County on Monday and safely took him into custody without incident.
This was reported by the San Mateo County Police Department (SMPD), who detailed that on Monday, February 14 at 11:21 a.m., officers were sent to the area of S. Norfolk St. and Kehoe Av. because a subject on foot randomly shot at a passing vehicle and fled south on Norfolk Street.
Photo: SMPD
Officers immediately responded to the area where they encountered the victim and confirmed that the vehicle had been shot at multiple times, and shell casings were also found nearby.
The SMPD statement said that after learning of the incident, the search for the suspect immediately began, as officers were informed of a subject who matched his description and was seen in the Parkside Plaza area.
Officers responded to the area and established a perimeter around the mall, S. Norfolk St. and Fashion Island Blvd., as well as the dirt slope adjacent to Highway 101, however, the subject was not located.
Following these actions, detectives quickly joined their fellow officers in canvassing the area for video evidence along S. Norfolk St., and while interviewing potential witnesses, the identity of the shooter was determined.
Photo: SMPD
With that information, detectives issued a search warrant for his residence and called in the SWAT team, because the suspect was believed to be armed.
While waiting for the search warrant to be authorized, the subject returned to the home and was contacted by waiting patrol officers.
A man was arrested for shooting at a car in San Mateo County safely and without incident. Identified as William “Billy” Boulier, 38, he was arrested for assault with a firearm and transported and booked into the local jail.
“SMPD reminds our citizens that you are our ‘eyes and ears’ in the community. The security footage provided us with a wealth of information in this case,” the statement said.
In response, they called on residents to invest in a surveillance camera system, as it is beneficial in stopping criminals.
They also suggested that those who want to join the “Neighborhood Watch” program visit the website https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/675/Neighborhood-Watch-Program or send an email to Neighborhoodwatch@cityofsanmateo.org.
La alcaldesa de San Francisco, London Breed, anunció hace unos días que San Francisco invertirá más de 4.7 millones de dólares en subsidios al arte y cultura para las comunidades AAPI y latina.
Así lo señaló la oficina de la alcaldesa en un comunicado, en donde se precisa que el financiamiento incluirá museos, exhibiciones y eventos culturales importantes de las comunidades asiático-americana/isleña del Pacífico (AAPI) y latina.
Habrá una muestra en el Barrio Chino sobre la carrera del artista de las artes marciales, Bruce Lee, al igual que el Festival de Artes y Luz, así como el Día de Muertos y otros eventos del distrito de la Misión.
El documento destaca que la inversión pretende atraer a residentes y turistas a los corredores comerciales históricos para celebrar así la cultura y apoyar a las pequeñas empresas locales y a las industrias de las artes, el entretenimiento y el turismo, las cuales se han visto afectadas por la pandemia y el reciente aumento de casos por la variante Ómicron.
Además, precisa que el financiamiento incluye subvenciones de 5 mil dólares a 230 pequeñas empresas del Barrio Chino que no habían recibido anteriormente ningún apoyo debido al COVID-19. De esta manera, San Francisco invertirá en subsidios al arte y cultura para las comunidades AAPI y latina.
«Estas inversiones son una celebración de esa diversidad que mostrará quiénes somos, lo que representamos y lo que hace que nuestra ciudad sea un gran lugar para vivir y visitar», dijo la alcaldesa.
Agregó que el arte, el entretenimiento y el turismo son motores clave del empleo, el comercio y la vitalidad económica de los barrios de San Francisco.
La alcaldesa Breed asignó 4.7 millones de dólares para apoyar a las organizaciones sin fines de lucro que sirven a la comunidad, seleccionadas mediante un proceso de solicitud de propuestas de convocatoria abierta con la Oficina de Desarrollo Económico y Laboral (OEWD, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Comisión de las Artes de San Francisco.
Así, San Francisco invertirá en subsidios al arte y cultura para las comunidades AAPI y latina durante los próximos meses, que residentes y visitantes de esta ciudad podrán disfrutar en Chinatown, Japantown y la Misión.
«Lo hemos dicho durante los dos últimos años: si ayudamos a la recuperación de las Artes, apoyaremos la recuperación de San Francisco, y eso es especialmente cierto para las comunidades BIPOC ‒aquellos grupos que sufren discriminación racial en EE. UU.‒ que han sido las más afectados por el COVID-19.
Estos fondos son una inversión en nuestro sector cultural, económicamente vital, y también en la equidad racial», dijo Ralph Remington, director de Asuntos Culturales de la Comisión de las Artes de San Francisco.
La inversión de 4.7 millones de dólares también incluye la ampliación y apoyo a los museos e instituciones artísticas y culturales de Chinatown a través de una serie de programas y exposiciones de arte, historia y cultura dentro del barrio y la promoción de la cultura AAPI; el desarrollo de un espacio o centro de arte comunitario que funcione en una tienda de Chinatown; y la producción y promoción de eventos, incluyendo el Carnaval y los festivales que celebran la cultura latina en asociación con pequeñas empresas, organizaciones comunitarias y artistas en la Misión.
Se celebrarán festividades como el Día de Muertos, el Festival de los Altares y las actividades comunitarias; un festival de cine y medios de comunicación durante todo el año que presente y destaque una diversa gama de experiencias AAPI a través de la narración de historias, entre otras muchas acciones.
La Oficina de la Alcaldesa precisó que la OEWD continuará concediendo y distribuyendo subvenciones para la recuperación de pequeños negocios a través de varios programas, como un programa piloto de alivio de alquileres comerciales COVID-19 que se lanzará en febrero.
Para obtener más información, pueden visitar el sitio www.oewd.org.
Mothers call on Redwood City Board of Education to make fairer proposals
Opinion: Concerned parents in Redwood City. The Redwood City Board of Trustees' recently proposed policy preventing students in specialized School of Choice (SOC) programs from transferring to other choice programs is another blow to educational equity in Redwood City.
At the heart of the outlined policy here, is attempting to address declining enrollment in the choice program due to third-grade transfers to North Star Academy, the top-rated public school in California, which begins in the third grade.
In fact, Redwood City’s other programs of choice (SOC) have been decimated by the third-grade mark due to transfers to North Star, and both programs and students have suffered the consequences—especially dire for Redwood City’s award-winning immersion programs—Spanish immersion at Adelante Selby and Mandarin immersion at Orion—because upper-grade students cannot fill the empty spots if they are not fluent in the language.
If the new policy is approved, North Star Academy attendance priority would be given to students from neighborhood schools, followed by students enrolled in private schools. Students from other Redwood City public schools of choice (SOC) would not be able to transfer to North Star.
While this policy would serve to reduce the choice program's cut in third-grade classes, the policy as currently stated would reward parents with enough resources to send their children to private schools over parents who cannot afford the Bay Area's expensive tuition, since those children would be given seats at North Star while public choice students would not.
The policy could inadvertently lead to lower enrollment in Redwood City public schools, as wealthy parents who would choose programs of choice would decide to send their children to private schools to keep the door open for potential seats at North Star Academy.
Parents interested in language immersion who cannot afford private schools may be penalized if their students do not thrive in language immersion, as they would not be able to transfer to North Star with their peers from the neighborhood school and the private school.
This is especially concerning given that the demographics of Spanish and Mandarin immersion schools have a higher percentage of Latino and Asian students. While California Education Code Section 35351 prohibits the assignment of students to a particular school (or the exclusion of students from a particular school) based on actual or perceived race or ethnicity, this new policy crosses the line by barring students from majority Latino and Asian campuses from attending North Star Academy.
While we commend the School Board for realizing the burden that transfers to North Star Academy place on Redwood City’s SOC programs, this solution moves the needle even further away from equity. There are several other options that could address declining third-grade choice program enrollment while also supporting educational equity.
For example:
North Star Academy could begin in 6th grade, rather than 3rd, and resources currently supporting those lower three grades could be reallocated to neighborhood schools to improve their chances of passing North Star tests in middle school.
Another option is for North Star Academy to start in kindergarten, with universal screening for all Redwood City students.
Choice programs (SOC) could prioritize weighted enrollment, starting with students in neighborhood schools, followed by students enrolled in other choice programs, and finally students attending private schools.
The Redwood City School Board says this new policy is an attempt to “formalize what has always been an unwritten rule in RCSD: families who choose a specialized School of Choice (SOC) program are agreeing to commit to the remainder of the program.” However, Redwood City parents disagree that they should prioritize loyalty to their school program over doing what is right for their son or daughter. This policy would have dire consequences for equity in the Redwood City School District, which already struggles with bimodal test scores and unequal distribution of resources across schools.
Bring this back to the table, RCSD Board, and reimagine a solution to this problem that does not sacrifice equity.
Another journalist murdered in Mexico. Yesterday, Thursday, February 10, journalist Heber López Vásquez was killed in the municipality of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca. With him, there are now five journalists murdered so far in 2022.
According to media in Mexico, Heber López died at the entrance to his workplace, a recording studio from which the media outlet Noticias Web operated.
So far, and according to the Oaxaca Prosecutor's Office, Two people have been arrested as alleged perpetrators of the murder.
From January 1 to February 9, 2022, four journalists have been killed in Mexico, and yesterday, another journalist was murdered. A list that adds to a long history during the six-year term led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The Public Security Secretariat of the southern state specified that Heber López died after being shot while he was heading to his vehicle after finishing his work. This is how another journalist is murdered in Mexico.
For his part, the Attorney General of Oaxaca, Arturo Peimbert, confirmed that there are two people detained as alleged perpetrators of the crime.
According to the non-profit organization Article 19Heber covered topics related to municipal police, as well as irregularities in the federal government's Salina Cruz Breakwater project.
«In 2019, Heber reported through his Twitter account threats from a security guard of the then mayor of Salina Cruz, Juan Carlos Atecas.»
Faced with the facts, Article 19 He demanded that the Oaxaca Government Prosecutor's Office initiate a diligent and objective investigation based on the Homologated Protocol to investigate crimes against freedom of expression and not rule out his journalistic work as a motive for the crime.
She also called on the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists to contact family members, colleagues and friends as soon as possible in order to provide the necessary protective measures.
We must remember that in January, José Luis Gamboa, director of an internet portal, was murdered in the state of Veracruz; independent photographer Margarito Martínez and journalist Lourdes Maldonado in the border city of Tijuana, as well as Roberto Toledo, a contributor to the news portal Michoacan Monitor, who was shot in the city of Zitácuaro in Michoacán.
Without a doubt, the press in Mexico is going through one of its worst moments, because in addition to being a job that is not well paid in the country, reporters put their lives at risk by reporting critical issues in different areas. A situation that has not gone unnoticed and has generated protests and reactions of rejection by national and international organizations.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based press protection advocacy organization, nine journalists were killed in the country in 2021.
However, to date, the vast majority of the crimes remain unsolved.
Valentine's Day in Redwood City is just a few days away. Stores are filled with heart-shaped balloons, red and pink decorations, flowers, and stuffed animals everywhere, but this time, the city will celebrate with a brunch.
What would Valentine's Day be in Redwood City without a little flavor? The city knows this, and to not let the day of love and friendship pass by, it has organized a luncheon that children and adults can attend.
The Valentine's Day Brunch in Redwood City will be held this Friday, February 11 at noon in the Redwood Room at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center (VMSC), and will cost $15 per person.
“Join us for a lovely luncheon celebrating your loved ones, whether family or friends!” details the invitation to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Redwood City.
For this special occasion, chefs will prepare a delicious meal, which will be accompanied by entertainment and contests.
Don't miss this event and reserve your place by calling: (650) 670-2206.
If you want to find out more about activities in the city, check the agenda by clicking Click here.
An SF psychiatrist was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday to 120 days in jail and $1.4 million in restitution for plotting to get non-disabled clients federal benefits to which they were not entitled.
George Demetrius Karalis, 76, pleaded guilty Aug. 11 and was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The SF psychiatrist's sentencing memo describes meetings between Karalis and undercover agents in which the defendant instructed his clients on how to obtain federal and state government benefits to which they were not entitled.
According to his plea agreement, Karalis admitted that between August 2015 and June 30, 2020, he treated U.S. Postal Service employees who were receiving Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) workers' compensation benefits for alleged stress and psychological disorders.
Karalis advised his non-disabled clients on how to continue receiving benefits to which they were not entitled. Karalis also admitted that he submitted false reports and certifications about his clients so that they could continue receiving FECA benefits.
He admitted that the total loss attributable to his conduct ranged between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
The psychiatrist also agreed to pay $1.4 million in restitution, $920,000 of which will be paid to the U.S. Postal Service and $480,000 to the California Employment Development Department.
¡Es un hecho! El condado de San Mateo se une a lo anunciado apenas este lunes por el gobernador de California, Gavin Newsom, y a partir del 16 de febrero, todos aquellos que estén vacunados podrán dejar las mascarillas en interiores.
A esta nueva acción, se unen también los condados de Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma y la ciudad de Berkeley, en donde se eliminarán los requisitos universales de mascarillas para la mayoría de los lugares públicos en interiores.
Sin embargo, las personas no vacunadas mayores de dos años deberán continuar usando mascarillas en todos los lugares públicos cerrados.
Además, las empresas, los operadores de lugares y los anfitriones pueden determinar sus propios caminos a seguir para proteger al personal y a los clientes y pueden optar por exigir que todos los clientes usen mascarillas.
Este cambio en donde los vacunados podrán dejar las mascarillas en interiores, se alinea con la decisión del Departamento de Salud Pública de California (CDPH, por sus siglas en inglés) de dejar expirar el requisito estatal de mascarillas para interiores, que se instaló el 15 de diciembre durante la última ola de COVID-19.
Cabe destacar que el estado aún requiere el uso de mascarillas en interiores para todos, independientemente del estado de vacunación, en el transporte público, entornos de atención de la salud, entornos de congregación como centros correccionales y refugios para personas sin hogar, instalaciones de cuidado a largo plazo y en escuelas K-12 y guarderías.
Los funcionarios de salud del Área de la Bahía, en consonancia con el CDPH, continúan recomendando enfáticamente que se usen mascarillas como una herramienta eficaz para prevenir la propagación del virus, especialmente cuando las tasas de casos son altas o cuando se necesita protección personal adicional.
Continuar con el uso de mascarillas en espacios públicos cerrados, especialmente en espacios concurridos o mal ventilados, sigue siendo la opción más segura para una persona y protege a quienes son médicamente vulnerables o no pueden vacunarse, como los niños más pequeños.
As the evidence continues to show, vaccines and boosters remain the best defense against the virus.
Y es que la variante altamente contagiosa de Ómicron trajo una nueva etapa de la pandemia con una gran cantidad de nuevas infecciones, pero significativamente menos casos de enfermedades potencialmente mortales, especialmente para aquellos que están vacunados y reforzados.
Si bien relajar los requisitos de uso de mascarillas en interiores es parte de un cambio a nivel de la población hacia una «nueva normalidad» de vivir con la enfermedad, los funcionarios de salud reconocen que los trabajadores esenciales y las comunidades de color continúan viéndose muy afectados por el COVID-19 y necesitarán apoyo adicional para limitar las crecientes disparidades en materia de salud.
Los cambios en las órdenes y recomendaciones de salud pueden actualizarse a medida que los oficiales de salud observen los datos para evaluar si se pueden necesitar medidas de protección adicionales a medida que el virus evoluciona y/o si ocurren aumentos repentinos en el futuro.
Las personas deben continuar eligiendo estrategias de prevención en capas, como usar máscaras bien ajustadas ‒las mejores son N95 o tela de doble capa sobre la quirúrgica‒; quedarse en casa y realizar pruebas cuando haya síntomas; pruebas antes de las reuniones; y mejorar la ventilación interior en situaciones en las que estas estrategias pueden agregar protección para ellos mismos y para los demás.
Además, y, sobre todo, mantenerse «al día» con las vacunas, es decir, la serie primaria y los refuerzos cuando sean elegibles, pues ello sigue siendo la forma más importante de prevenir enfermedades graves, hospitalizaciones y muertes.
En el condado de San Mateo, el nivel de transmisión del virus sigue siendo alto, pero se ha reducido considerablemente desde el pico de principios de enero.
El promedio de la tasa de casos con retraso de 7 días informado por el estado el lunes fue de 85 casos por cada 100 mil habitantes, en comparación con 144 hace una semana.
Desde el pico de 7 días de 239 casos por cada 100 mil habitantes el 8 de enero, la tasa de casos ha disminuido en un 64 por ciento.
«A medida que las restricciones públicas y los mandatos disminuyen con el tiempo, nos corresponde a todos continuar tomando las precauciones adecuadas», dijo el Dr. Scott Morrow, oficial de salud del condado de San Mateo. «Por mucho que a todos nos gustaría que los problemas relacionados con COVID terminaran, no lo han hecho. COVID continúa causando muchas enfermedades graves y muertes».
Cabe destacar que el CDPH continúa requiriendo el uso de mascarillas en los entornos escolares K-12, pero ha indicado que los ajustes a las políticas del estado se compartirán en las próximas semanas.
Mientras tanto, queda trabajo por hacer para cerrar las brechas restantes en vacunas y refuerzos entre los niños con un enfoque particular en las brechas de equidad dentro de las comunidades más afectadas.
Para los programas de educación temprana, como los entornos preescolares y de cuidado infantil, el CDPH sigue exigiendo el uso de mascarillas para los niños mayores de dos años, al tiempo que las vacunas para niños menores de 5 años están actualmente bajo revisión federal.
«Usar una máscara en lugares públicos cerrados y en lugares llenos de gente sigue siendo una buena idea y algo que recomendamos enfáticamente», precisó dijo el doctor Morrow. «Si no está vacunado o no ha recibido un refuerzo, vacunarse de inmediato es lo mejor que puede hacer para protegerse, yo, tu familia y tu comunidad de COVID».
Es comprensible que algunas personas se sientan ansiosas por el cambio donde los vacunados podrán dejar las mascarillas. Sin embargo, las personas pueden seguir optando por cubrirse la cara, ya sea obligatorio o no, y deben respetar las elecciones de las personas con respecto a su salud.
Los miembros de la comunidad que están vacunados podrán dejar las mascarillas, pero deben respetar las elecciones de aquellos que continúan usando el cubrebocas. Los funcionarios piden a los residentes y visitantes que sean amables y respetuosos mientras las personas evalúan sus riesgos y toman decisiones para protegerse a sí mismos y a quienes los rodean.
El Condado de San Mateo informó que ha canalizado más de 218 millones de dólares a los esfuerzos de ayuda locales desde que comenzó la pandemia de COVID-19, con la finalidad de apoyar a que las familias luchen contra los estragos del COVID como la pérdida de empleo, enfermedades y falta de alimentos.
«Una crisis sin precedentes exige una respuesta sin precedentes», dijo Don Horsley, presidente de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de San Mateo en un comunicado.
Señaló que, en conjunto, los fondos de ayuda de fuentes locales, estatales y federales, así como la gran cantidad de donaciones, «es un reflejo asombroso de nuestro compromiso de que nadie se quede atrás en esta pandemia».
Dicho alcance del esfuerzo de ayuda aparece en la actualización del presupuesto de mitad de año del condado, que proporciona un panorama de la perspectiva del presupuesto del condado para el año fiscal actual 2021-22.
El condado remarcó que con los fondos de recuperación se habilitaron más de 284 puntos WiFi públicos adicionales a los que se han conectado más de 82 mil, una media de 13 mil 234 residentes al mes.
Además, precisó que el alcance de la ayuda condujo a casi 9 mil 500 solicitudes para el Programa de asistencia de alquiler de emergencia del estado.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 low-income seniors have received five meals a week at home since July 2021.
«Nuestros residentes y negocios han enfrentado dificultades financieras, pérdida de seres queridos y una tremenda incertidumbre y estrés en sus vidas», dijo el administrador del condado, Mike Callagy.
«Si bien seguimos soportando más incertidumbre, debemos tomarnos un momento para reconocer la forma en que este condado y, lo que es más importante, esta comunidad, se ha unido para responder a las necesidades más críticas de los más afectados», agregó.
El condado, según la actualización del presupuesto de mitad de año, espera finalizar el año fiscal actual el 30 de junio de 2022, con un saldo de fondos de 153 millones de dólares, o fondos presupuestados, pero no gastados.
This, he said, is largely due to the postponement of planned capital improvement projects, staff vacancies and unanticipated state funding.
Subrayó que las proyecciones vencidas no incluyen cambios en los acuerdos laborales negociados, lo que afectará el presupuesto de fin de año.
Callagy calificó al condado de estar en «buena situación financiera» debido a la «planificación y las decisiones acertadas de la Junta de Supervisores, que votó en su reunión de hoy para aceptar la actualización del presupuesto de mitad de año».
En la misma reunión, la Junta de Supervisores aceptó el Presupuesto para niños, jóvenes y familias 2021-23, un documento de 67 páginas en programas y servicios que detallan el impacto de estos en los 205 mil niños y jóvenes del condado.
«Sabemos que cuanto antes invirtamos en nuestros hijos, mejor», dijo Callagy. «Evidencia de la Oficina Nacional de Investigación Económica muestra que un dólar invertido en programas de primera infancia de alta calidad, especialmente en nuestras comunidades más vulnerables, genera 7.30 dólares en beneficios».
El presupuesto aprobado para el año fiscal 2021-22 asigna 375.1 millones de dólares para programas que benefician directamente a niños, jóvenes y familias.
