After an oil spill at the Chevron refinery in Richmond yesterday afternoon, Contra Costa County authorities have joined in the cleanup of the oil to prevent the situation from becoming an environmental catastrophe in the area.
A leak in one of the refinery's pipelines caused five gallons per minute of hydrocarbon to spill along the Chevron Richmond dock yesterday afternoon.
The company said yesterday afternoon that at about 3 p.m., workers at the Richmond refinery observed a sheen in the water near its dock, at which time, they said, they immediately initiated their response protocol and began working to isolate and contain the release - of oil - and notified all necessary agencies.
"The release of oil has stopped at this time and cleanup is ongoing. Chevron is cooperating fully with authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard and OSPR," he said.
Through their Twitter account, they detailed that they issued a warning to the community and asked the public to stay away from the area so that crews can quickly contain and clean up the released volumes.
Criticism from elected officials and an environmental group was swift, and a team of county, state and federal officials joined Chevron to take charge of cleaning up an oil leak.
The unified command is made up of officials from Contra Costa Health Services, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with Chevron.
It should be noted that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is "actively monitoring the situation to assess any potential public health concerns related to the incident".
To mitigate the problem, an additional 2100 feet of containment barrier has been placed around the spill site and three skimmers -devices designed to remove oil floating on a liquid surface- from oil will be operating overnight.
The state's press release confirmed Chevron's account of its initial response, which quickly drew local criticism as about 600 gallons reached the bay between 2:40 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. yesterday when the leak was stopped, according to Contra Costa supervisor John Gioia, who said "This is unacceptable!" in a social media post.
Chevron's initial response was "inadequate" and "the oil quickly breached Chevron's containment boom," the Oakland-based environmental watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper said in a statement in which it released photos to back up its claims.
The ecological accident was classified at Level 2 and Contra Costa Health Services issued an advisory shortly before 4 p.m. for Richmond, San Pablo and unincorporated North Richmond, warning people with sensitive respiratory conditions to stay indoors to avoid nose, throat and eye irritation.
Booms were initially put in place to control the spread of the spill, but the East Bay Regional Park District had to close the beaches as a safety precaution and "the oil came ashore in South Richmond, which will harm wildlife and marine life," Gioia said.
State officials report that although no animals have been reported to be affected, the public should report any wildlife encounters or sightings they have oil to the Wildlife Enhanced Wildlife Care Network at 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-800-823-6926).
A 33-year-old pediatrician was arrested Friday on suspicion of attempted child abuse, Redwood City police said Tuesday.
Dr. Dylan O'Connor, a pediatrician at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, was arrested at 1800 El Camino Real in Redwood City and arraigned on charges of sending harmful material to a minor, meeting with a minor for sexual purposes, both felonies, police said.
Redwood City police initiated an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip about a possible sex crime involving a Redwood City minor to the San Jose Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, which monitors illegal electronic image sharing and illegal activity involving minors.
A lengthy investigation and follow-up electronic media communication by the Redwood City Urban Crime Suppression Team involved "the evaluation of personal photographs of a pornographic nature sent by the suspect," police said. "The investigation revealed that an adult male was attempting to lure an underage female minor to a designated location with the intent to engage in sexual activity. When the suspect arrived at the location, he was taken into custody without incident."
Redwood City, in collaboration with the San Jose and Hillsborough departments and the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office Inspectors Unit, conducted a search warrant at O'Connor's residence where electronic devices were seized that will serve as evidence in both the minor's case and to identify other possible victims, police said.
Redwood City Police are asking anyone with information about that investigation or about other victims who may have had similar contact with the suspect to contact Sergeant Nick Perna at (650) 780-7672. Information can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or online at www.BayareaCrimeStoppers.org.
Just three days before the Chinese New Year festivities begin, millions of people are preparing to celebrate the arrival of the Metal Ox, the animal that will rule until January 2022 -according to the Chinese horoscope- and where, according to tradition, order, effort, discipline and work will rule.
This year, to celebrate the close of the new year we will be celebrating big in Redwood City. Saturday, February 20th at 5 PM at the link: www.peninsula360press.com/lunarnewyear2021
In some cities like San Francisco, there is a Chinatown, which is just hours away from dressing up. But how do the Chinese celebrate this long-awaited day in China?
Here are 10 facts about how the New Year is celebrated in China:
1. The preparations begin earlier to say goodbye to the past year and prepare to receive the coming year with special enthusiasm. So from the 4th of February they dedicate themselves to cleaning the house.
It is a thorough cleaning. This preparation takes the name of "sweeping away the dust" and represents a desire to put away old things and to get ready to receive new ones.
The Chinese do not clean their house on the first two days of the new year - February 12 and 13 - because it is believed that this would eliminate the incoming good luck.
2. They do pre-shopping.
February 11 is New Year's Eve and is dedicated to buying food, snacks, decorations and clothes for the New Year. That is why one day before the Chinese New Year, the Asian country experiences a very important commercial boom.
They don't skimp on their most important celebrations. It is very common for the Chinese to buy new clothes for the festival, as it is a good omen to wear and carry new things as the year begins.
3. New Year's Eve is also full of rituals.
On February 11th, in China, people place images of gods on their doors, an important custom during the Spring Festival, as a prayer for blessings, health, longevity and peace to come to their homes.
It is common for the gods that are placed on the doors to carry weapons, as they will be the ones who fight against demons and evil spirits, so that they cannot enter the home.
New Year sayings are also placed on the door frames, they are typical phrases of 7 Chinese characters each, written on red paper and with black ink, phrases with four or five characters are pasted on the top of the door. They are also a call for good fortune and against evil spirits.
It is traditional that during New Year's Eve a dinner is held with all the members of the family, which means that many people travel to the Asian country to be reunited with their families.
This year, travel will be postponed or complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, however, in 2019 it was recorded that 415 million people travelled for the festivities, which was a world record.
On that day, Chinese people eat, among other things, traditional dishes of the holiday such as the jiaozi [饺子]-Chinese ravioli, made with wheat flour and meat filling-, and niangao 年糕]-a cake made of rice flour.
Money Calls MoneyThe saying goes, and for the Chinese it is important because every year, it is a tradition to give each other red envelopes with money inside.
Parents give their children red envelopes in the afternoon, with good wishes for their children to continue to grow financially in the coming year.
Red envelopes always have money in them. And they are wrapped in that color because it is believed to bring good luck.
For the closing of the eve, nothing like the sound of a bell, traditional symbol of the Chinese New Year. Temples, houses and squares ring their bells at midnight, as they believe that the sound keeps bad luck away and brings fortune closer.
4. New Year's Eve! To celebrate.
As the Chinese New Year begins, it's all color, noise and joy. Pyrotechnical fireworks are booming in the skies of millions of villages in China.
In major cities, lighting and firecrackers are among the most important customs of the Chinese New Year celebration, but because of the danger and noise disturbance they cause, the government has banned the practice in many large cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.
However, fireworks and rockets that explode in the air are still allowed in most parts of the country.
5. Brand new.
On the first day of the New Year, Chinese people put on new clothes and say "gongxi" [恭喜] which literally means "respectful joy", which could be translated as "best wishes", wishing each other good luck and happiness.
6. The Dragon and Lion Dances.
Lion dances and Dragon dances can also be seen on the day during the New Year. These dances used to be very popular in China, but are rare nowadays.
However, in Chinese neighborhoods of different latitudes it is very expected to see these dances that are performed by dozens of young people who rehearse for days the choreography, as they must carry on their bodies giant puppets in the shape of dragon or lion, to the rhythm of drums that call for good fortune.
7. Public New Year Celebrations.
New Year celebrations held in parks and temples in China are common. An example of this are the temple fairs in Beijing, where traditional activities are held throughout the day and until the last day of the celebration, when the Lantern Festival is held.
8. Offerings and sacrifices to ancestors.
Making offerings and sacrifices to ancestors is a popular custom in China since ancient times, its forms vary from one area to another: from the sweeping of tombs, to ancestor worship in ancient halls or temples.
Many people - especially in rural areas - offer sacrifices to their ancestors in the main living room of the house, where they place an altar in memory of the ancestor, and then family members kneel and bow in front of the chapel mounted on the wall, the whole family participates in the tradition.
The Chinese consider this act a sign of respect and piety, as well as a deep belief that the ancestors will protect their own descendants and that they will be prosperous for them.
9. It's not over yet.
Day two of the Chinese New Year. Unlike in the West, the Chinese celebrate big and for several days, and on the second day it is common for married women to visit their parents' house, bring gifts and red envelopes.
In addition, people offer sacrifices to the god of wealth, to whom they ask for abundance, prosperity and fortune.
From the 3rd to the 6th of the New Year - February 14th to 17th this year - people visit family and friends, some people visit family graves, and others stay at home, as it is believed that these are the days when demons roam the streets.
These days the cleaning starts again. In no way is it done before, even if there are red papers on the floor, firecrackers or other wrappings of presents that were given during the New Year's celebration, because they are a symbol of good luck.
On the seventh day of the New Year, February 18, the festivities end in most parts of the country, everyone goes back to work, and government agencies and businesses return to their daily routines.
10. New Year, Lantern Festival.
On the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival [元宵节] (Yuánxiāo Jié /ywen-sshyaou jyeah/) is celebrated. It is the traditional end of the Spring Festival celebrations.
People send many bright lanterns into the sky while others allow the lanterns to go to sea, into rivers, or set adrift in lakes. Some go alone, others with messages calling for peace, love, and prosperity.
But this year, to celebrate the close of the new year we will be celebrating big in Redwood City. Saturday, February 20th at 5 PM at the link: www.peninsula360press.com/lunarnewyear2021
After a 91-year-old Asian-American man was pushed to the ground for no reason by a hooded man in Oakland's Chinatown, alarm bells have gone off throughout the community, and the events have echoed all the way to the White House.
This Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki addressed, during a press conference, the rising tide of attacks against people from the Asian American community, which have not stopped since the start of the pandemic by COVID-19, and were exacerbated when the former president, Donald Trump, called the disease the "Chinese virus".
Given the facts that, in some cases, have been recorded and have spread through social networks, it is possible that the White House and President Joseph Biden have taken action on the matter, as the president himself has branded these acts as unacceptable.
While Psaki said he did not know if President Biden had been able to view the videos of the assaults, he noted that "he is concerned about discrimination and actions against the Asian-American community. That's why he signed the executive order and why he's been outspoken in making clear that attacks, verbal or otherwise, are unacceptable.
And, President Biden issued an executive order during his first week in office that recognizes that racism is directed against Asian Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders.
In addition, it also ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to avoid using language that could be offensive to the AAPI community.
Amid growing fear from the AAPI community in several California cities, including San Francisco, just this Monday, the Oakland Police Department was able to identify the attacker and also discovered that on the same day, the same man assaulted two more bystanders, a 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman, all with the same mode of operation.
The city of San Francisco also has its own nightmare, as police recently arrested a 19-year-old suspect following an attack in January, which was captured on video, where an 84-year-old man was killed.
Students in the AAPI community have received constant attacks from their peers, and the situation has not changed despite holding virtual classes.
So said Akil Vohra, executive director of Asian American Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development (AALEAD), who pointed out during an Ethnic Media Services briefing that Asian American and Pacific Islander communities today have seen a significant increase in bullying and harassment, "I think it's part of the rhetoric we've heard from the previous administration - from Donald Trump - about the source of this pandemic."
This, she said, includes verbal attacks, denial of service and physical assaults, "this really puts the well-being of our children at greater risk," she said.
In outlining his views on the potential return to the classroom for millions of students across the country, he stressed that they must address "not just COVID-19 safety protocols in place, but really making sure that schools and districts are taking steps to ensure cultural competency. And the equity agenda is a key part of that decision-making calculus," otherwise, "marginalized API communities will not be part of the back-to-school process and will become invisible.
Nearly a year after schools across the U.S. began a massive lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic - a disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus - that has affected 41.6 million students, experts say it's not yet time for students to return to classes because there is no way to ensure the safety and health of students, teachers, school staff and parents.
This was pointed out by experts, teachers and mothers during a panel discussion entitled: "When can we reopen schools? Seeking Common Ground on a Dividing Issue," by Ethnic Media Services.They also agreed that prior to the return of millions of students in the country, there should be more research on the consequences and repercussions of returning to the classroom, as well as not returning to them.
"The most important thing that needs to be done to reopen schools as soon as possible is safety. I think we have to make sure that black, brown and poor kids are not going to be left out of the steps we take to reopen schools," said Tyrone Howard, professor of education, chair in Family Empowerment Education and director of the Black Male Institute at UCLA.
"Standards are the number one priority in schools. I've always said this is not learning. Our number one priority is for kids to be safe. So I would say that's the number one issue - safety, safety, safety!" she said.
For Louis Freedberg, executive director of EdSource and founding director of California Watch at the Center for Investigative Reporting, more information is needed because "we need to take the research done by the CDC on safe return to the classroom and see how it applies to our own communities, not take the research at face value.
And, he explained, there is a lack of information about a possible "safe return," especially for those communities where English is not the primary language.
I think that's an additional complication for many of you to the Ation of the research that's being developed and I think there needs to be some focus on that to make sure that research is available in other languages.
However, Akil Vohra, executive director of Asian American Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development (AALEAD), says the issues and questions go beyond the opening of schools to ask "how we are supporting our students to move forward.
He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the inequities that exist in the Asian American community. "So we're going to come back with more equity issues than before, just opening the school is not going to fix what's going on."
A member of the National Parents Union, Bernita Bradley said that all parents need to be involved in decision-making to create a plan for back-to-school that works for everyone.
"Parents need to sit at the decision-making table. Where the money is going to be allocated. Parents don't need to be detached. There is no plan without the parents," she stressed.
Karla Franco, a parent, explained at the time that, at the end of the day, you also have to think about the parents, because at this time they live under too much pressure and uncertainty about what will happen to their children's lives, and they must also be aware that their children, after returning to school, do not return home with the virus, which will only trigger more problems.
"We have to protect everyone because if we send children to school and the children bring the coronavirus into our homes, who protects us, who will be responsible for that?" she said.
Before coming to all these conclusions, specialist Louis Freedberg pointed out that the issue of the return to face-to-face classes has become a battle throughout the country.
The debate, he said, begins after research shows that children are less likely to acquire the SARS-CoV-2 virus because they produce fewer ACE-2 receptors, which make it easier for the virus to enter human cells and infect them.
He further detailed that according to advances in knowledge of COVID-19, children are used to fighting common colds and their immune systems are better prepared to fight the virus. Research suggests that children are more likely to get the coronavirus at home than at school.
"Transmission of the virus among students is very rare. And research also shows that the risk of transmission in elementary schools is very low, not so in middle and high schools, so there's been a big push to get elementary students back in school," he said.
He stressed that the level of spread of the virus depends a lot on how it has developed in the community, as well as the levels of care used to contain the pandemic, such as the use of masks, social distancing, and hand washing.
In that sense, he said, "having small classes is another reason why it's better to have elementary school students. You can control the classroom and have a smaller number of students as opposed to a high school, where there are thousands of students moving from class to class.
Likewise, he said it will be decisive that for the safe return there are good ventilation systems in the classrooms, and the opportunity for these schools to have sufficient testing to detect a possible almost COVID-19, in addition to teachers being properly protected, as they will be at high risk.
And, he said, there is a serious concern: "the impact of distance education on children. For reports of high rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder due to social isolation.
Today, Louis Freedberg noted, children are in a home where parents are often struggling with the impact of new economic stresses due to job losses, coupled with the stress of getting on the Internet and the new way of learning.
In addition, he said there are reports of increased food insecurity, because for many families, school used to be a place where children could count on one or two meals a day, so many school districts are even distributing food.
"The Los Angeles school district announced last week that it has distributed 100 million meals since the beginning of the pandemic, which is extraordinary, but that hasn't been the case in every district in the country. So that's another factor - to force a return to schools," he said.
All of the above has been reflected in the poor learning of many students, including those entering kindergarten, where early literacy tests show that there has been a decline.
Similarly, Freedberg noted, there has been a decline in distance learning participation rates, particularly among low-income students, as student absences are higher during the pandemic.
"There are numerous obstacles to going back to school, when you add it up it's pretty overwhelming. The pandemic is at extremely alarming levels, deaths are at an incredibly high level, which makes many people cautious about sending children and teachers back to school," Louis Freedberg stressed.
"Not all parents want to go back, I think most of the focus has been on anxiety, and I fully understand that parents are on edge in many cases, there are districts that have done surveys. In general, black and Latino parents are a little more reluctant and, in some cases, much more reluctant than white and more affluent parents to send their kids back to school. So that's another caveat," he said.
One of the main obstacles to opening schools is the vaccination of teachers. In California this week, the CDC director said schools should reopen regardless of whether teachers are vaccinated, but the teachers' union in California and elsewhere say they won't be immunized again, "and the problem is that the supply is very limited."
Finally, he pointed out that the gap between those who have access to the Internet and devices that allow them to take their assignments continues despite great efforts by the government and private initiative, so there is still much to be done so that everyone can have access to the Internet with the necessary speed to take their courses.
Dr. Tyrone Howard, professor of education at UCLA noted that "as we reopen ... I think the number one point that needs to be a big part of this conversation, especially in communities of color, are issues related to the social and emotional well-being of students right now."
He brought this up because, he said, according to a report from the UCLA Center for Health and Policy Research, half of all teens in California reported having some kind of mental health problems in the past year, and a third of those young people said the levels of depression they felt were so high that it weakened their ability to do their work.
"This is a serious problem and I don't think we can get to the issues around learning loss and learning in general until we address the social and emotional well-being part of our students," he said.
He said one of his concerns in reopening schools is that many of them don't have the bandwidth, nor the resources to invest in social workers, counselors and therapists. "So what will happen is. When we reopen the schools, kids will still be suffering from anxiety and depression, and the schools they're going back to won't have the support they need to help them. And this has a particular effect on black children and children of color."
And, he said, "some students become disconnected and shut down, others become more aggressive, more vocal, and often schools, without understanding the root of those factors, tend to expel those students, tend to suspend them, tend to discipline them, and part of what we can't do right now, when our kids are struggling socially and emotionally, when we see that the behaviors are there in the remote space or in the in-person space, is respond to their pain with additional punishment.
Like Freedberg, he said the problems of learning loss are going to be even more severe in the near future, especially for African-American and Latino communities, who, he said, lag "far behind their white and some Asian counterparts.
To that, he added that there is no rush to return to the classroom "without making sure that teachers feel protected, valued and safe on that journey."
In turn, he said that for many of the students the remote format worked much better for them than the in-person format.
"So as we have teachers who may not feel comfortable going back to in-person instruction. I think distance learning should be here to stay in some form for those students who suffer from high levels of anxiety, for those who suffer from bullying in school," he finished.
Akil Vohra, of the leading Asian-American organization, said he agreed with the other speakers, adding that minority students often lack access to tutors and learning centers that many more affluent communities are taking advantage of during this time.
He added that teachers have observed that students tend to get bored and disengage from the whole process of virtual classes, "It's exhausting to be on screens all day and, as adults, we've been doing it for a long time. It's exhausting for us and for the children.
He added that, currently, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, have seen a significant increase in harassment and bullying, "I think it's part of the rhetoric that we've heard from the previous administration - from Donald Trump - about the source of this pandemic."
This, she said, includes verbal attacks, denial of service and physical assaults, "this really puts the well-being of our children at greater risk," she said. "We need to address not only COVID-19 safety protocols in place, but really ensure that schools and districts are taking steps to ensure cultural competency. And the equity agenda is a key part of that decision-making calculus," otherwise, "marginalized API communities will not be part of the process - back to school - and will become invisible."
Bernita Bradley of the National Parents Union also stressed that since the virtual education that arose due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to rethink education in schools.
He said there is no real, concrete plan to explain how children, teachers, and staff will be able to safely return to the classroom.
"Right now we have to figure out what we do to make sure the kids are safe, to make sure the educators are safe," he said.
Owners of two- to four-unit buildings earn less than owners of single-family homes or large multi-family buildings, making them more vulnerable to the economic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic because they job losses are more prevalent among low-income households.
This was reported by a study conducted by the Urban Institute, which highlights that the median income for a two- to four-unit owner was $67,000 in 2018, compared to approximately $81,000 for owners of single-family units and large multifamily buildings.
The analysis conducted in late 2020 highlights that small rental units have the highest proportion of owners of color; 13 percent are of African descent and 15 percent are Latino.
While the majority of owners of small rental buildings are white, they represent a significantly smaller proportion than among other building types.
"COVID-19 has disproportionately affected black and Hispanic households, and their greater representation as renters and owners in two- to four-unit buildings may further exacerbate wealth inequality if steps are not taken to protect the owners of these buildings from losing their property due to declining rental income," the study states.
The 6.2 million rental units in two- to four-unit buildings in the U.S. represent approximately 13 percent of all rental units and are an important natural source of affordable housing for low-income renters and a source of income for their individual investors, most of whom, more often than not, live in the same buildings.
The average rent for these small apartments is around $940, much less than the average for single-family rentals, mid-sized apartment buildings, and large apartment buildings.
Thirty-four percent of owners of two- to four-unit buildings are over 65, mostly retired and unlikely to have another source of income, the document revealed.
He noted that in 2018, only 19 percent of two- to four-unit homeowners 65 and older were employed, compared to 82 percent of those 65 and younger.
Thus, greater reliance on rental income puts senior landlords especially at risk from the negative economic effects of COVID-19, as approximately 40 percent of seniors who live in and own two- to four-unit buildings have a mortgage.
"If these older homeowners with a mortgage do not receive rental payments, not only are they likely to lose their only source of income, but some may lose their homes," the study noted.
Because they don't have payrolls like larger investors, these landlords are less likely to access payment protection or small business support programs, so without forbearance options, it will be difficult for these landlords to keep tenants without the risk of late payments.
Tenants in these types of apartments have an average household income of $35,500, the lowest among the four types of rental units, including single-family buildings -$47,400-, buildings with 5 to 49 units -$37,800-, and buildings with 50 or more units -$36,000-.
In that sense, and because the average household size in 2-4 unit buildings is larger than in larger buildings, the income per person in small buildings is even lower.
Tenants of African descent and Latinos rent 44 percent of units in two- to four-unit buildings, compared to only 42 percent in mid-rise buildings, 37 percent in single-family rentals, and 35 percent in large apartment buildings.
These two communities had already faced greater difficulty making housing payments prior to COVID-19, however, since the outbreak, about a quarter of African American and Latino renters have not paid rent, which is 10 percent higher than white and Asian renters.
It is worth noting that for those tenants who are forced to move out of these relatively affordable properties, they are likely to have a greater number of problems finding cheap accommodation options available.
This Sunday, the 55th edition of the Super Bowl, one of the biggest sports celebrations in the country, will take place, and this time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs. Who will lift the Vince Lombardi?
If you have a favorite team to win or consider yourself lucky, the Mayor of Redwood City Council invites you to enter the Mayor's first "Mayor's Super Bowl Contest" for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a Redwood City restaurant of the winner's choice.
Participants must choose the winning team and the score - closest to the final score wins!
To enter the free contest, a form must be completed - only one per person - and the entrant must live in Redwood City and provide contact information.
Entry form submissions will be accepted until Sunday, February 7, 2pm.
The winner will be announced on Monday, February 8 and will be contact by phone or email.
Go to this site to fill out the contest form: https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/parks-recreation-and-community-services/mayor-s-super-bowl-contest
The City Council called to continue to wear masks in public places, practice safe social distancing and wash hands.
"Stay home and watch the game with your family or household members - thank you for supporting Redwood City restaurants and businesses!" the City noted in a statement.
San Francisco, California. With 30 vehicles, the Bay Area participated in a large demonstration across the country from January 30 to February 1, where, through protests and banners, they demanded that the government cancel rents and mortgages, stop evictions, and thus prevent more people from finding themselves on the streets.
Pamela Cruz. Manuel Ortiz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
San Francisco, California. With 30 vehicles, the Bay Area participated in a large demonstration across the country from January 30 to February 1, where, through protests and banners, they demanded that the government cancel rents and mortgages, stop evictions, and thus prevent more people from finding themselves on the streets.
Thus, 24 cars and six bicycles took to the streets of Oakland and San Francisco demanding in Spanish and English the cancellation of rents and mortgages, an end to evictions, foreclosures, and that homeless people be placed in vacant housing.
San Francisco residents actively participated with a caravan that began in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, wound through the Mission and culminated near the home of Mayor London Breed who, just on January 25, announced that the city received $26 million from the federal government to provide rental assistance to people financially affected by COVID-19.
Photo: Manuel Ortiz
In the case of Oakland, participants began their march at the San Leandro BART station and headed to the Alameda County Courthouse where they began a rally.
For many of the plaintiffs, the fact that there is a large amount of empty housing and thousands of people on the streets is simply not fair, as they consider that they are profiting from a human right, to have a roof over their heads. A home.
"Housing in this country, and especially in this state [California], is considered a luxury, it's something that is sold for profit, but it's not considered a human need when it is," said San Francisco elementary school teacher Nathalie Hrizi who, witnessing the enormous housing problem facing her students, became an activist. "In San Francisco County there are 34,000 uninhabited homes, when there are 8,000 homeless people, and we know this number will increase. Housing should be a right, and currently it's not.
Photo: Manuel Ortiz.
Hrizi, who has been a teacher for the past 14 years, said children are suffering greatly in this pandemic. "We are teaching children who can barely get access to a computer and are living with a lot of stress because of housing issues. We have families who have been evicted, even though we have sent letters to prevent it."
In San Diego, there were also protests. After a press conference, about 40 cars surrounded working-class neighborhoods, protests that were joined by a group of people from the city of San Diego. Anak Bayan SD and Cancel the Rent Coalition, of San Diego.
The city of San Diego has very few tenant protections and the caravan's call for rent cancellation was enthusiastically supported by pedestrians, drivers and workers throughout.
Photo: Manuel Ortiz.
These protests were part of protests in 30 cities across the country, from Tampa Bay, Florida, to Portland, Oregon, from Los Angeles to Boston, people organized to stop and get help in the face of the dire economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The extensions to the eviction moratoriums have only stopped millions of evictions, but what happens next? How will the months of rent owed be paid? The situation has reached a limit and an eviction crisis is looming where oppressed and vulnerable communities will be the hardest hit.
For their part, homeowners have initiated eviction lawsuits for hundreds of families, regardless of whether there is an extension in the moratoriums, detailed hundreds of citizens who showed their concern in all the caravans and marches.
The situation is not limited to certain cities in some states, but encompasses and affects localities all over the country, where, soon, the situation will be unsustainable.
Protests that pointed to the need for workers to fight for their rights were coordinated by Cancel the Rents and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide $16.8 million to Stanford Health Care to create a synergy to help distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccines at six different sites throughout the Bay Area.
The contribution will cover expenses for the purchase of personal protective equipment, facility costs and other supplies needed to store, handle, transport and administer the immunization doses.
According to a statement from FEMA, the expenses could be extended and will be covered, once Stanford provides the necessary documentation.
"FEMA continues to work with our partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies, state, tribal and territorial authorities, private sector partners and others to help increase and expedite vaccines in the United States," the agency said.
For its part, Stanford Health Care said it has not yet received grant funds from FEMA, but said that once the funds arrive, it may even be able to open an additional site for the implementation of the vaccine.
"This grant will support our efforts to maintain seven vaccination sites in three counties in which we operate to increase access to vaccines for as many people as quickly as possible in our effort to help end the pandemic. Stanford Health Care does not purchase doses. The state is in charge of vaccine allocation," she said.
