Blog - Page 331 of 399 - Peninsula 360 Press

Latinos, Second Highest COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in San Mateo County

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.06.01

Latinos, Second Highest COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in San Mateo County

* The vaccine is completely safe, free and accessible to all residents 12 years of age and older regardless of immigration status.

To be Latino is to be resilient! At this point in history it is defined who is with science and who will not be able to embrace it to their beliefs. But above all, it defines love. That love for another human being, for one's family, for oneself. It defines the capacity for strength and action, which comes down to a shot in the arm: a vaccine.

In that sense of resilience, San Mateo County is making an effort to have all communities immunized against COVID-19, even those who do not yet "believe" in the vaccine that has already saved millions of lives around the world, yet the Latino community has proven to be on the side of life.

According to county data, so far 935,525 doses of some of the vaccines -Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson- have been administered, which means that 535,975 people have been inoculated, of which 432,972 have their full immunization schedule.

The San Mateo County Health Department reports that behind the Asian American community with more than 151,000 people inoculated, Latinos are more than 76,300, in a population of 774,990 individuals.

Far behind these groups are African American - 8,560 vaccinated, multiracial - 7,698, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander - 4,848, and American Indian or Alaska Native - 1,205.

It is noteworthy that women have been those who have responded best to the call for vaccination, with about 280,000, while in the case of men, 255,399 have chosen to roll up their sleeves.

However, the Latino community has been the hardest hit by the disease, because of the 43,092 positive cases registered in San Mateo County, 17,529 belong to this group, of which 135 people have unfortunately died.

Top 20 Cities with Highest Vaccination Rates

The cities of Pescadero, Colma and Atherton record 100 percent vaccination in their eligible population, they are followed by Ladera -92.9 percent-, San Carlos -92.1 percent-, Emerald Hills -88.7 percent-, Woodside -88.1 percent-, Burlingame -87.6 percent-, Menlo Park -87.4 percent-, Montara -86.7 percent-, Portola Valley -86.2 percent-, Millbrae -83.0 percent-, Belmont -82.9 percent-, Foster City -82.8 percent-, Brisbane -82.3 percent-, Hillsborough -82.1 percent-, San Mateo -81.1 percent-, West Menlo Park -80.9 percent-, Highlands Baywood Park CDP -78.8 percent-,and Half Moon Bay -77.9 percent.

However, other cities are still in the process of getting their populations vaccinated to reduce the number of infections and stop the number of deaths due to the coronavirus.

Such is the case in Moss Beach, whose vaccinated population is 47.8 percent of the total eligible, followed by East Palo Alto - 52.6 percent-, El Granada -58.9 percent-, Broadmoor -62 percent-, Loma Mar -63.4 percent-, North Fair Oaks -64.4 percent-, Daly City -72.7 percent-, South San Francisco -75 percent-, Pacifica -75.7 percent-, Redwood City -75.8 percent-, La Honda -76.6 percent-, and San Bruno -77 percent.

San Mateo County Health reminds residents that the COVID-19 vaccine is completely safe, free and accessible to all residents 12 years of age and older regardless of immigration status, and calls on all eligible individuals to choose health, life and a more resilient and immunized community. Get vaccinated!

Up-to-date digital marketing strategies vital for the new age business

Peninsula 360 Press

-

2021.06.01

0

Up-to-date digital marketing strategies vital for the new age business

By Nancy Zhang

As the economy reopens, all businesses large and small have had to adapt to the new normal. Those that had not yet embraced the possibilities of digital marketing have realized that such strategies are vital in this new era.

However, succeeding in digital marketing takes time. There is a learning curve, which ultimately leads to business growth.

Social media is one of the best ROI strategies available today: 3.77 billion people around the world are online, and 2.8 billion use social media. Social media has significant reach and marketing exposure.

People spend a large part of their time online and this presence offers a large target audience for digital marketing services, allowing you to connect with audiences around the world and across all demographics, not only on e-commerce applications and websites, but on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

When the pandemic hit hard in the spring of 2020, digital media usage skyrocketed like never before. Facebook traffic grew 27 percent and other media channels followed closely behind with spikes of 15-16 percent. While that spike has since subsided, this event inspired the beginning of a new era in digital marketing.

As awareness of the potential of digital media grew, everyone who could began to run more ads, post more frequently and invest more in digital activities, making digital marketing vital.

The growing trends in digital technology offer unlimited scope for various brands and industries to connect with their target audience. By focusing on creating consumer experiences and establishing connections with consumers through digital media, companies and/or brands can have a good chance of gaining a competitive advantage.

While this data provides us with information about our customers that is unimaginable for traditional marketers, tracking every comment, engagement and statistic is basically impossible. Luckily for all digital marketers, big data has found several innovative solutions to help us interpret and track it live.

This makes it possible to stay on top of everything that's happening on digital channels, from the number of visitors to the website to the effectiveness of campaigns. And I speak from experience when I say that these insights are what will really make a difference to the effectiveness of campaigns, both for the client and for your margin.

Sometimes, the constant changes in the digital world can be a problem to understand. Naturally, you have to be in the field on a daily basis to know the ins and outs of the game. It's always smart to consult with true experts to implement the best digital marketing strategies and achieve goals. Investing in digital real estate is, after all, an investment in the future of the company.

About the author

Nancy Zhang is a digital marketing consultant, host of MarketWatch360 - a weekly business talk show that connects small businesses with local entrepreneurial organizations. She is also the founder of MarketerWitch LLC, a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping local businesses launch and grow online. She uses her expertise in digital marketing and software to lead a team of digital marketers on various creative initiatives. Her best advice for all business owners is: Always keep marketing strategies up to date and leverage technology to deliver a better customer experience.

Apply for a FREE business consultation, click here: https://forms.gle/2H284n3cfbiwiknS7

You may be interested in: San Mateo Restaurants and Breweries Could Get Up to $10K Grant

Paradox of pandemic video game industry: historic profits amid massive layoffs

Andrea Hernandez

-

2021.06.01

0

Paradox of pandemic video game industry: historic profits amid massive layoffs

By Andrea Hernandez

La industria de los videojuegos fue de las pocas que experimentó un crecimiento exponencial durante la pandemia: sus ganancias aumentaron un 40 por ciento respecto a 2019, y en el primer trimestre de este año 2021 se reportó otro crecimiento del 30 por ciento en el mercado estadounidense.

However, it seems that only the top executives enjoy the prosperity of this industry, as its employees have been denouncing since 2020 various situations of injustice within the company Blizzard-Activision, at its base of operations in Santa Monica, California.

A report made by Bloomberg in August 2020 shows the pay disparity at Blizzard-Activision. It is noted that its director, Bobby Kotick, received in addition to a high salary a 2019 year-end compensation of 40 million dollars, while junior developers of the company earned 40 thousand dollars a year, and employees of quality control and customer service received barely more than minimum wage.

The current situation of many of these employees is so alarming that within this same report they shared the saving measures they carry out to make their salary yield as skipping meals or take advantage of the free coffee provided by the company to alleviate hunger because not even enough to pay for the food offered by the cafeteria of the company.

As if that weren't enough, job uncertainty is also a part of life for employees in the pandemic video game industry; it's common for their contracts to be renewed quarterly, and for them to be terminated at any time.

In 2019 a mass layoff of 800 people by the company Blizzard-Activision echoed in the media and in March this year, the company laid off 150 employees under the argument of the crisis experienced after the pandemic by Covid-19, despite the growth it has reported.

As a palliative to the salary disparity scandals in which the company that created Call of Duty was involved, renewed Bobby Kotick's contract for at least two more years, with the singularity of a voluntary discount of 50 percent of his salary and his annual bonuses, but with a clause that makes him eligible for an annual bonus of up to 200 percent of his salary.

The price of sleep

Dedicating one's life to what one loves is a dream that few have the privilege of fulfilling, but sometimes the price to pay can be very high, especially when it comes to the video game industry. Those who are part of this world have denounced the adverse conditions to which they are often subjected.

Among the most common are the continuous crunch in these companies during the development of a video game, that is to say, the maximum effort to reach the established delivery dates, which in reality is the constant that the workers must maintain.

In 2018 multiple employees testified to how exhausting it is to work for Rockstar. They reported working up to 100 hours a week, with no breaks on weekends, as well as feeling pressured to work overtime to keep their jobs or out of solidarity and pressure from those who stayed on the job without a break, as the collective work depends on the individual, so stopping means bringing the whole team to a halt.

These working conditions have consequences on the health of workers. Many suffer from depression, anxiety crises and stomach ailments, in addition to having personal problems with their families and partners due to lack of time to enjoy themselves.

And although the quarantine imposed in 2020 forced many people to work from home, the situation did not improve for those who dedicate their lives to video games, as they had to spend the same amount of hours in front of the screen.

Despite all the violations of their rights and freedoms, it seems that workers are gradually managing to raise their voices and have stopped normalizing the abuses they have endured until now. In August 2020 a group of scriptwriters from the game Lovestruck incited a strike to demand a wage increase and transparency in their contracts, which were accepted and fulfilled, marking a milestone in the struggle for rights in the video game industry.

This is the paradoxical video game industry in pandemic, where profits are always increasing and jobs are permanently scarce. Of course, this is part of a pattern that is repeated in different tech companies, where workers are also fighting for decent work and recognition for their efforts.

You may be interested in: The Serious Problem of Sexual Harassment in the Video Game Industry

High school students' ability to detect fake news online poor, national Stanford study reveals

Cover

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.06.01

0

High school students' ability to detect fake news online poor, national Stanford study reveals

A new national survey conducted by Stanford researchers, suggests an urgent need for schools to integrate new tools and curricula into classrooms to boost high school students' digital skills, after they found a "poor ability" to detect fake news on the Internet.

The analysis, conducted by researchers at Stanford's Graduate School of Education, devised a challenge for 3,446 U.S. high school students carefully selected to match the demographic makeup of the U.S. population.

Instead of conducting a standard survey, in which students self-reported their media habits and skills, the research team devised a series of live online tasks.

The results, published online in the journal Educational Researcher, highlight the urgent need to better prepare students for the realities of a world filled with a continuous stream of misleading information.

"This study is not an indictment of the students, they did what they were taught to do, but the study should be concerning to anyone for the future of democracy," said Joel Breakstone, director of the Stanford History Education Group and lead author of the study.

In that sense, he suggested that students should be trained "to be better consumers of information".

Example of the results was that during the course of the study, students were shown an anonymously produced video that circulated on Facebook in 2016 that claimed to show ballot stuffing during the Democratic primary election and were asked to use Internet-enabled computers to determine if it provided solid evidence of voter fraud.

In performing the task, the students tried, mostly in vain, to discover the truth. Despite access to the Internet's powerful search capabilities, only three of the more than three thousand study participants - less than one-tenth of one percent - were able to guess the true source of the video, which actually featured images of election fraud in Russia.

According to the paper, in another assignment, students were asked to examine a Web site that claimed to "disseminate factual reports" on climate change. Ninety-six percent failed to uncover the publisher's links to the fossil fuel industry.

Thus, the researchers found that students were too easily influenced by relatively weak credibility indicators, such as the appearance of a website, the characteristics of its domain name, the site's "About" tab, or the large amount of information available on a website, regardless of the quality of that information.

"Regardless of the test, most students did poorly," said Sam Wineburg, the Margaret Jacks professor of education at Stanford who co-authored the paper.

This, he said, "paints a troubling picture of American students' ability to figure out who produced a given story, what their biases might have been, and whether the information is reliable.

He added that "it is even more worrying how easy it is for agents of disinformation to produce misleading, or even deliberately false, stories that carry the sheen of truth. Coupled with the instantaneous and global reach of social media today, it does not bode well for the future of information integrity."

In response, the researchers suggested possible solutions, including teaching students strategies based on professional fact-checkers.

"It would be great if all students knew how to leverage the entire web and had full mastery of advanced skills like Boolean operators, but that's a lot to ask," Wineburg said.

"If you want to teach children to drive a car, you must first teach them to stop at red lights and not cross double lines before learning how a catalytic converter works. As the study shows, many of these kids still don't stop at red lights," he added.

At the same time, he stressed that it is possible to develop students' digital literacy skills, and given the risk to democracy, "it will be critical for schools to integrate these skills into all subjects, from history to math, and at all grade levels," in order to improve students' ability to detect fake news.

You may be interested in: Vaccine Essential to Curb Variant, Stanford Experts Say

Proposed San Mateo Budget Plan to Strengthen the County in the Wake of the Pandemic

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.06.01

0

Focusing on safety net services and community outreach to respond to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, San Mateo County Administrator Mike Callagy presented a proposed 2021-2023 budget plan capped at $6.3 billion.

"This budget reflects funding and expenses incurred for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and recovery programs to help our residents, small businesses and community organizations cope with the continued uncertainty," Callagy said.

Thus, he stressed, "the bottom line is that we will emerge as a stronger and more resilient community for the future."

The spending plan proposal is the first step in a multi-week process. It is now up to the Board of Supervisors to consider it in a series of public hearings beginning June 21.

The budget recommends adding 26 positions, mainly in health services in the first year of the plan, for a total of 5,642 new positions.

Callagy noted that, overall, San Mateo County is emerging from the pandemic "in a stable condition" because the impact on the local economy and finances was not as great as anticipated a year ago.

And, he said, the county's unemployment rate rose 11.4 percent in April 2020 as pandemic shutdowns closed sections of the economy, while the rate fell to 4.8 percent in April 2021, the second lowest in the state behind Marin.

While job losses are down, the overall impact on the economy is an open question: the restaurant and retail industries are just beginning to come back, while passenger traffic at San Francisco International Airport, a major economic engine for the county through tourism and commerce, is increasing, so pre-pandemic levels are not expected to return for several years.

"While we have many reasons to be optimistic as we emerge from the pandemic, this budget also reflects the need for restraint and caution, even as we make investments to build a stronger foundation for recovery," Callagy said.

San Mateo Budget Plan Proposals

The budget includes among its priorities accelerating efforts to end homelessness by providing funds to operate three hotels purchased during the pandemic, two to provide intensive services for homeless people and one for long-term housing for vulnerable seniors.

Funds are also proposed for remodeling and upgrading facilities at the Safe Harbor and Maple Street shelters.

Also, increase early learning reading scores and improve school attendance with $16.2 million over two years in Measure K funds to continue the successes of The Big Lift, a partnership with schools, libraries, and community partners.

In addition, helping the county's most vulnerable residents by providing funding to replace the old Cordilleras Mental Health Center with a new campus that will provide state-of-the-art care for adults with serious mental illness.

Another priority will be improving the quality of life for residents with improvements to Coyote Point, Memorial and Flood parks, and continuing to convert the 56-acre Tunitas Creek beach property into the county's newest park.

Similarly, pursue social equity in internal services and practices by hiring a new equity director in the County Manager's Office to coordinate San Mateo's efforts to develop and implement policies and programs to promote equity.

"The pandemic has brought to light the deep inequities in our county and we must put a laser focus on expanding services in those communities most affected not only by COVID but by so many other disparities," Callagy said.

The 2021-22 Recommended Budget reflects a decrease of approximately $329 million from the prior year, primarily due to the end of one-time pandemic-related funding sources, such as Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds.

The proposed spending plan is available by clicking on the following link here.

You may also be interested in: San Mateo County to Celebrate 165 Years with Various Activities

Woman Arrested for Assaulting Bystander with Caustic Chemical in San Mateo County

Admin Admin

-

2021.05.29

0

By Bay City News

San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies arrested a 44-year-old Moss Beach woman for assaulting another person with a caustic chemical after a minor traffic accident Friday morning.

The incident occurred at 11:16 a.m. in the 100 block of San Mateo Road in Half Moon Bay. Officers said a bystander attempted to intervene after the traffic incident when, without provocation, Nyssa Brennan, one of the motorists involved in the accident, allegedly sprayed the bystander in the face with bear spray and then fled the scene.

Officers located Brennan in a nearby parking lot where the victim and witnesses identified her. She was arrested without incident and transported to the San Mateo County Jail.

The person attacked was treated by paramedics at the scene and released.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Anonymous Tip Line at 1 (800) 547-2700.

Small businesses: the economy's great resilient will return in 2021

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.05.29

0

Small businesses: the economy's great resilient will return in 2021

* 32 percent of Latino community businesses closed during the pandemic

Ben and Virginia Ali opened a restaurant in 1958 with just $5,000 to open Ben's Chili Bowl, a small fast food business in the Cardozo neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C., which is more alive today than ever.

Virginia Ali recalled during a press conference held by Ethnic Media Services that throughout the more than 60 years of the business' life, nothing has been as difficult and as painful as going through the COVID-19 pandemic, which made its owners wonder if their life's work could survive.

However, when it became known that this traditional small business was on the verge of closing, help began pouring in from all over, donations of up to $25,000, from various organizations to the Payment Protection Program (PPP).

"We had the opportunity to access the PPP in a second round because the money ran out so quickly. It certainly helped us keep our staff, but we modified schedules and relied on food delivery apps, plus we decided to improve our e-commerce program and have plans to become a franchise," Virginia said. She clarified that the idea of closing never crossed her mind.

Along those lines, Everett Sands, founder of the Southern California lending company Lendistry and a major partner with companies in underserved communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, noted that small businesses are the most resilient to any type of catastrophe.

"I'm optimistic about small businesses. I think that even though we've lost a lot of wealth and a lot of small businesses, in the next couple of years we'll see those small businesses come back," he said.

This, he said, despite the fact that according to an April 2020 study by the University of California, Santa Cruz, 41 percent of African-American small businesses closed, and 32 percent of businesses in the Latino community closed.

The entrepreneur explained that according to Ink Magazine, 2021 is the number one year for small business startups in the US.

He called on small business owners to seek resources to get ahead and stay afloat with their staff while the country's economic recovery is achieved.

He noted that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering PPP loans originated only by participating community financial institutions, including certified development companies (CDCs). -SBA is offering PPP loans originated only by participating community financial institutions, including certified development companies (CDCs).

As well as community development financial institutions, CDFIs, and minority lending institutions, MDIs, until May 31, 2021 or until funds are exhausted.

"I would encourage any small business to apply right away because we are anticipating that the money will run out before May 31. And it's very possible that today is the last day," he said.

And that's because, he explained, early indications show that somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of the businesses that require financial support, are from minorities "which is devastating considering all the work that all of us have been doing to get the word out about the PPP since March 2020."

"We have another week and that's why we will keep pushing to get as many companies as possible across the finish line," he stressed.

He added that while it is true that the SBA funds are depleted, there are other resources from the same administration, such as the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which provides economic relief to small businesses and nonprofit organizations that are currently suffering a temporary loss of income.

This is in addition to Revitalizing Restaurants, an emergency fund that provides assistance to restaurants, bars and other food service providers affected by the pandemic, as well as SBA grants and debt relief for operators of closed venues that provide emergency assistance for entertainment venues.

Sands clarified that there are those who have received support for their businesses and have spent it on other things that are not precisely to keep afloat their small business, however, explained that it will be the state who is responsible for thoroughly investigate these events and eventually punish those who have incurred in a lie to obtain resources.

This, he added, should not be a reason for people to get discouraged and stop seeking the federal, state or local support needed to move forward with their small businesses.

At the time, Congressman Ro Khanna, representing California's 17th Congressional District, noted that the PPP was originally misdirected and did not sufficiently reach communities of color.

To that end, he said he was a supporter of a bill pushed by Vice President Kamala Harris that would set aside funding for Latino, African-American and Asian-American entrepreneurs who own small businesses that have the opportunity to expand.

"I want to make sure that that money is distributed in a racially and gender diverse way ... that while it's not about setting a quota of participants, it's enough to get us to our goal of equity," she said.

"People are going out to restaurants again, the virus is losing, the economy is gaining," he added.

In the case of women, she pointed out, it does not mean that they do not want to return to their jobs, it is simply that many of them have children to take care of and do not have spaces where they can take care of them.

"The reason they don't go to work is that we don't have the infrastructure for childcare. We don't have a sufficient plan to integrate women into the labour market."

You may also be interested in: San Mateo Restaurants and Breweries Could Get Up to $10K Grant

Vigil in commemoration of the victims of the massacre in San José

Manuel Ortiz

-

2021.05.28

0

Vigil in commemoration of the victims of the massacre in San José

Photographs by Manuel Ortiz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Christian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Yesterday, community members from inside and outside San Jose, family and friends honored the memory of those killed in Wednesday's massacre: Paul de la Cruz Mejia, 42; Taptejdeep Singh, 36; Adrian Balleza, 29; Jose de Jesus Hernandez, 35; Timothy Michael Romo, 49; Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40; Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63; Lars Kepler Lane, 63; and Alex Ward Fritch, 49.

On Wednesday, Samuel Cassidy, 57, turned his firearm on his co-workers at his workplace, a VTA transportation office in San Jose, California.

The massacre left, at the time, a balance of 8 dead; later, a ninth victim died while receiving hospital care. The perpetrator of the massacre took his own life after the attack.

On Thursday night, a vigil was held to commemorate the victims of the attack, attended by co-workers, residents, family and friends of the nine VTA workers.

Million-Dollar Sweepstakes in California for COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.05.28

0

*12 million eligible people have not yet received the vaccine.

California residents who get vaccinated against COVID-19 could become millionaires, as state Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday launched "Vax for the Win," a new multi-faceted vaccine incentive program designed to encourage Californians to get vaccinated before the June 15 reopening.

The incentives are intended to give an extra "boost" to those who still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19, especially those living in hard-to-reach communities, while thanking all those who have already been vaccinated.

"Getting all eligible Californians vaccinated is taking back our state from this pandemic," Newsom said.

The governor detailed that California has already made incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19, with the lowest case rates in the country, while administering millions more vaccines than any other state.

"But we're not stopping there - we're doing everything we need to do to vaccinate Californians as we approach June 15 with the idea of fully reopening safely," he said.

More than 62.8 percent of Californians 12 and older are at least partially vaccinated, but an estimated 12 million eligible people have not yet received the vaccine.

"The state will work closely with our partners in local health departments and community-based organizations to ensure that the program reaches families living in communities with the lowest vaccination rates, who may face language barriers and other obstacles," she said.

How will the millionaire sweepstakes work in California?

Thus, all Californians over the age of 12 who are at least partially vaccinated will be automatically eligible for cash prize drawings to be held in June.

30 total winners will be selected for $50,000 cash prize drawings on June 4 and June 11, totaling $1.5 million.

On June 15, $1.5 million will be awarded to 10 lucky Californians for a total of $15 million in cash prizes.

Please note that winners must complete their vaccination to claim their prize. If someone under the age of 18 wins, the cash will be deposited into a savings account until they turn 18.

Beginning May 27, the next two million people who begin and complete their COVID-19 vaccination will automatically be eligible to receive a $50 prepaid or grocery card, for a total of $100 million in support.

They will also be given the option to select between a $50 virtual prepaid card - which can be spent online, at stores that accept all major debit cards, or added to a mobile wallet to use to shop at stores that accept mobile wallets - or a $50 grocery gift card from Kroger - which includes Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co. - or Albertsons - which includes Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Andronico's Community Markets - while supplies last.

Californians will receive a text message with an electronic prepaid card redemption code sent to their mobile phone or email address 7 to 10 days after their two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna, or single dose of Johnson and Johnson.

For more information, interested parties can visit the site of the program. To schedule an appointment to get vaccinated, you can go to MyTurn.ca.gov or call the CA COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-422-4255.

You may also be interested in: Mothers don't vaccinate their children out of skepticism and ignorance, experts say

Redwood City is seeking a resident to participate in local government.

Community

Pamela Cruz

-

2021.05.27

0

Redwood City is seeking a resident to participate in local government.

Are you or someone you know a resident interested in getting involved with your local government?

If the answer is yes, now is the time to make your voice heard to make a real impact on your neighborhood and the city: Redwood City is looking for that resident to participate in local government with their advice, to maintain the resources and infrastructure most important to the city.

Redwood City welcomes and encourages your active participation by serving on the Council-appointed Housing and Human Concerns Committee (HHCC) and is seeking a volunteer to fill a vacant position.

The designee may join with other volunteers to shape policy and service initiatives that affect the community.

The resident authorized to participate in the government will be able to send their application before 23:59 h on Sunday, June 6 to the e-mail address: www.redwoodcity.org/bccrecruitment.

The goal of the committee is to promote the improvement of the quality of life for residents and to ensure that human considerations, as set forth in the General Plan, are adequately considered in physical and economic decision making.

"The goal will be achieved through the collective leadership of the Committee in generating better service and appropriate policy in the agencies responsible for social services," the city notes in its invitation.

It also highlights that the additional impact of seeking an authorized resident to participate in local government can include building social responsiveness in legislation, zoning, police powers, and recreation programs.

Among the areas of responsibility the new Council member will have will be to monitor changing social needs within the community and make recommendations to improve, modify or create services.

In addition, it may promote community awareness of social problems that exist within Redwood City; coordinate human service activities within the community; promote adequate housing for all persons; advocate for housing choice by location, type, price and tenure, and free housing choice for all citizens.

Monitor and recommend changes, when necessary, to the Housing Element and Human Services Element of the General Plan; and develop and recommend community development block grant programs and strategies.

Also, serve as a citizen participation vehicle for the application process for the Community Development Block Grant program and the Consolidated Plan for Human Services Financial Assistance Funds to ensure citizen participation in determining the use of those funds.

For more information about the Housing and Human Affairs Committee in Redwood City, which seeks a resident to participate in government decisions, you can visit the website at https://www.redwoodcity.org/city-hall/advisory-bodies-and-committees/regulatory-and-advisory-boards-commissions-and-committees/housing-and-human-concerns-committee/.

You may also be interested in: Art in the Park, with Casa Círculo Cultural