Health officials trying to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates in Northern California's Butte County are faced with the reality that only 227,000 residents are fully vaccinated, leaving it 20 percentage points behind the overall vaccination rate.
“The conversation about COVID-19 has reached a standstill, and there’s a denial of the issue,” said Maya Klein, 16, a Butte resident at a briefing in collaboration with the Sierra Health Foundation, the California Department of Public Health and Ethnic Media Services. There, experts in the field discussed the struggle to recover from the devastating Dixie wildfires that are becoming an annual disaster, coupled with the challenges they face like any other community.
The new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease - first reported, according to scientific research, in the central Wuhan region of China - forced the World Health Organization (WHO) to set the start of the COVID-19 pandemic for March 11, 2020. Since then, governments around the world have established new health security measures that, to date, have changed people's habits; in addition to biosecurity measures, people were urged to stay at home and work remotely; that is, to assume a teleworking and online classes scheme; however, the latter could not be applied in Butte due to the threat of forest fires.
Testimonies about the most devastating wildfires that have occurred in California, cause displacement among other problems such as the reconstruction of homes and productive buildings. It should be noted that the COVID-19 problem in the region is found in people who have opted for measures other than vaccination. Residents say that people no longer wear masks and that they feel indifferent to the restrictions, especially among the white population.
Gridley Councilman Angel Calderon said: “We have the highest infection rate in the county.” The problem occurs in people who have positive COVID-19 diagnoses and prefer not to isolate themselves from others as a precautionary measure against contagion; he also pointed out that the Latino community finds it very difficult to cover the expenses required by the disease if they do not continue with productive work. And, in terms of public policies for these people, they are stagnant because the majority of the population are undocumented immigrants.
Victor Rodriguez, from the county health department, provided information on how to get vaccinated on websites in English, Spanish and Hmong to bridge the language gap at: https://www.buttecounty.net/publichealth/COVID19 Such information can also be obtained by phone at: (833) 422-4255
* Justice and equity, main pillars of the new maps
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] Residents of various counties in the state of Louisiana live in uncertainty and constant struggle in the face of the redistricting process that is in the middle of the process that could benefit or harm them in their basic space needs for the next decade.
In this change, it is minorities and communities of color, such as African Americans and Latinos, who are most at risk of facing the fact that, over the next 10 years, their needs will not be heard by representatives of districts that, in many cases, have areas oriented to their advantage in votes.
This was stated by experts on the subject during a session with the media held by Ethnic Media Services, where they highlighted the challenges faced by minorities in the redistribution process in that southern state.
And it is that, after the 2020 Census, and with the information collected, a redistricting is carried out, which is nothing more than the process in which governments draw political districts, and applies to all levels of government where there are elections, recalled Carlos Pollard Jr. of the organization Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
In that regard, he noted that these changes "play a critical role in who is elected, how they vote once in office, and how they represent communities." However, he recalled that redistribution of districts also occurs at all levels where there is representation.
Redistricting is therefore important to ensure that all residents have a fair representation of their needs, he said.
“It’s important for me to get involved in this process right now because these maps are going to determine the next few years of my life,” said Pollard, who is just 23 years old, who explained that the process will also affect future generations, such as his younger brother who is only eight years old, or his teenage cousins.
For Louisiana state congressman Royce Duplessis, the design of the maps should be guided by census data and population loss and growth.
"But it must go beyond just looking at the numbers. Maps must be drawn in a way that communities of interest can stand together, and elect the candidates of their choice."
In that process, he said, Louisiana is “halfway there,” where the needs of the community are being heard.
"We're promoting public participation to give the legislators who will draw the maps the opportunity to listen to communities, because we shouldn't make decisions without listening to what's important to them," she said.
Duplessis, who is also a member of the redistricting committee, said the committee will meet in February, where members will discuss and consider alternative maps for state and congressional districts.
And once an agreement is reached, the maps will be made public and sent to the full legislature for consideration. Finally, once approved by the legislature, the maps will be sent to the governor to be signed into law.
From then on, the history of the districts will be written for the next 10 years, so he said it is important to document the entire process and have a public record in order to be as transparent as possible and to be able to explain to the communities why certain decisions were made or why the districts were drawn in a certain way.
Moving and changing district maps is not an easy task, because “when there is population loss or increase, maps have to change. It is like the law of physics and a map that is redrawn is going to impact the districts around it. It is a domino effect.”
Duplessis noted that northern Louisiana has seen population losses, while the southeastern part of the state has seen the opposite effect, with an increase in residents. Therefore, he said, it is necessary for all districts in the House of Representatives and the State Senate to change.
While it is not yet known what the congressional maps will look like, what is known is that the state is made up of 40 percent people of color, and of those, 33 percent are from the African-American community.
She noted that Louisiana has six representatives in Congress, but only one African-American in the entire state, which amounts to only 17 percent representation at the federal level. “So that’s a big part of the conversation we’re having right now.”
Thus, he said, justice and equity must be the main pillars when redrawing district maps, as this can significantly impact the lives of residents.
Redistricting is not just about who gets elected
According to Denise Ramos, a community organizer with NOLA Garifuna Community Services, redistricting is also about making the voices of the community heard. “In order for legislators to serve us, they need to be aware of our needs.”
He added that redistricting involves the creation and establishment of policies and actions led and executed by minorities. “We should have a voice to improve the situation of our community and people.”
The Garifuna people of Louisiana in modern times generally come from Belize and Honduras as their countries of origin, and Spanish is often their primary language. As such, the lack of linguistic access to information about vital services continues to negatively impact non-English speaking communities, a situation that also affects the Asian American community.
Communities like the Garifuna are being denied progress, as their needs are being neglected and if there are no representatives who take them into account, the setbacks will continue for the next decade.
"We owe it to our community and children to be able to vote, to be part of it and to be taken into account in order to improve and be better represented."
For Jacqueline V. Thanh, director of VAYLA New Orleans, meaningful representation is “essential.”
“According to Pew Research, between 2000 and 2019, the Asian American population has nearly doubled and is projected to exceed 46 million by 2026. What does that mean for Louisiana and New Orleans? I believe meaningful representation is essential for our diaspora with roots in over 20 countries in Southeast Asia.”
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] Tras una investigación por parte de detectives del Equipo de Supresión de Crímenes Callejeros de Redwood City, el pasado 3 de diciembre, oficiales de la Oficina del Alguacil de la ciudad, arrestaron a un presunto delincuente que realizaba robos a tiendas minoristas en el área.
De acuerdo con un comunicado, los detectives comenzaron una investigación de un posible robo organizado después de recibir información de actividad sospechosa que involucra a un sujeto, posteriormente identificado como Eric Crossman, en la cuadra 200 de Grand Street.
Tras la información, los detectives realizaron una búsqueda de libertad condicional en la residencia del sospechoso y localizaron más de 80 artículos robados de varias tiendas Home Depot en el Área de la Bahía.
La mayoría de los artículos recuperados eran herramientas eléctricas y electrónicos de alta gama, cuyo valor total ascendía a 14 mil dólares.
Los artículos fueron sustraídos de los puntos de venta de Home Depot en San Carlos, San Mateo, Colma, Pittsburg, Brentwood y San José.
Así, Eric Crossman de 24 años de edad, fue ingresado en la cárcel del condado de San Mateo por robo comercial, posesión de propiedad robada, resistencia al arresto y posesión de una sustancia controlada.
Ante los hechos, las autoridades solicitaron a cualquier persona que pueda tener información adicional sobre este incidente a que se comunique con el sargento detective Nick Perna al 650-780-7672, o con la línea de información del Departamento de Policía de Redwood City al 650-780-7110.
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] El administrador del condado de San Mateo, Mike Callagy, decidió renombrar a la Oficina de Servicios de Emergencia del Condado, como Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias.
Puede parecer menor, pero el ascenso a un departamento del condado «es una oportunidad para ilustrar mejor al público, nuestros socios y empleados del condado su papel en la gestión de la preparación y respuesta ante emergencias», dijo Callagy.
El cambio, señaló, se da tras observar un aumento en la frecuencia y complejidad de las emergencias.
«La pandemia de COVID-19 y los incendios forestales de 2020 son las emergencias más visibles, pero también enfrentamos riesgos y amenazas constantes por el aumento del nivel del mar, incendios forestales, tsunamis, terremotos y clima severo. El Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias trabajará con los sectores público y privado para ayudar a elevar nuestro nivel de preparación en todos los ámbitos», precisó.
A través de un comunicado, Callagy detalló que el Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias, (DEM, por sus siglas en inglés) es responsable de:
Alerting and notifying appropriate agencies within the 20 cities of the county when a disaster occurs.
Coordinate the response
Asegurar que los recursos estén disponibles y movilizados en tiempos de desastre
Desarrollar y proporcionar materiales de preparación
Desarrollar planes y procedimientos en respuesta y recuperación ante desastres
«Si bien la gestión de emergencias siempre es lo más importante en nuestras mentes, es la planificación y la preparación en donde realmente concentramos gran parte de nuestro tiempo y energía», dijo Dan Belville, director de DEM.
Ejemplo de ello, explicó, es el Plan de Mitigación de Riesgos, la estrategia del condado para reducir el riesgo de desastres naturales y provocados por el hombre. «Es un documento extenso pero necesario que podemos utilizar para asegurar el financiamiento de una variedad de fuentes.
Callagy calificó como una evolución la transición de la Oficina de Servicios de Emergencia, la cual una vez fue rama de la Oficina del Sheriff, y más recientemente una división dentro de la Oficina del Administrador del Condado, a su propio departamento.
«La pandemia de COVID-19, los incendios forestales y otras respuestas han arrojado luz sobre cuán crítico es un DEM sólido y bien entendido para el condado de San Mateo», dijo. «Ahora tiene un nuevo nombre acorde con su importancia».
El departamento cuenta con un personal autorizado de 10 empleados de tiempo completo que brindan apoyo a los socorristas y también se preparan y planifican para emergencias.
El nuevo nombre y logotipo aparecerá en camiones, camionetas, remolques y otros vehículos operados por DEM.
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press San Mateo County residents met with officials from the Police Department and the Sheriff's Office to request transparency in data on arrests, detentions, and other security issues in the area, which they believe are disproportionately high against communities of color.
During a session between organizations, authorities, academics and the general community of the county entitled "Police surveillance in San Mateo: data, impact and discussion," residents of the county expressed their concern about the differential treatment that exists between residents of color, mainly African Americans and Latinos, as opposed to Caucasian people, who, they pointed out, are not considered in the same way, and are not cataloged in databases as gang members or criminals.
According to Shara Watkins, a trustee of the San Mateo-Foster City School Board, “What is happening nationally with regard to the murder of African Americans is also happening in San Mateo County. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there are problems and prejudices in the police system and it will not be easy to eliminate them.”
For his part, San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos Bolaños said he is open to suggestions to improve services, as well as to allowing transparency of data from the office he represents. He also assured that throughout his career he has always conducted himself and made those under his command conduct themselves in an impartial manner and in accordance with the law.
"In my 42 years in law enforcement, I have always ensured and pushed to ensure that we treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of race, gender or orientation, or anything else," he said.
However, he acknowledged that there are prejudices on the part of members of his Office, and stressed that, in order to combat this problem and address it effectively, it is necessary to work together with the community.
“We need partnerships with other stakeholders to effectively address this issue. If there is data that we are not putting out there, the only way to determine that is through communication.”
San Mateo County Sheriff Ed Barberini, who has more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement, agreed with Sheriff Bolanos, stating that the task of eliminating bias in the security system requires the collaboration of authorities, organizations and, above all, the community.
Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC) Executive Director Malissa Netane-Jones reminded that the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) is coming to San Mateo County.
The purpose of this law is to eliminate racial and identity profiling, as well as to improve diversity, racial identity, and sensitivity in its application. “That is about to happen.”
Both Bolaños and Barberini agreed that one way to change the data on security is to focus on the youth in the community, building a relationship of trust between both parties from an early age, and that these actions are reinforced at home by parents.
They said another proposal is to maintain a close relationship with immigrant communities in the county, many of whom come from countries where their confidence in law enforcement is not high.
"We want to build better communities. It's really about communities getting to know us as simple human beings and getting us out and listening to their fears and concerns and trying to resolve them," Bolaños said.
"I think the juvenile component is important. Our mission here is similar to a public defender, it is to do everything possible to prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system," Barberini said.
“We all know what happens when a youth gets involved in the criminal justice system. It’s very hard sometimes. It’s a difficult cycle. We work with families in a prevention program, where if there are signs, we can get referrals from officers who develop relationships in the field with families who are concerned about our youth and offer those resources up,” she added.
Experts who participated in the dialogue stressed that the fight for a better judicial system, as well as for a better security force, must be holistic and comprehensive, with programs that involve non-profit organizations, authorities and the community.
By Andrea Hernandez. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] Through a livestream, Giselle Hale was officially appointed, by unanimous vote, as Mayor of Redwood City, to serve in the position for the next two years and relieve Diane Howard, who has held the position since 2018. In turn, Hale will be replaced as Vice Mayor by Diana Reddy.
During the event, Hale thanked her family, friends and Diane Howard who have supported her on her journey to become mayor.
He also spoke about the priorities he will have during his administration, such as the Redwood City housing program, which he considers essential since he highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the housing problem.
She also said she is especially interested in encouraging access to mental health programs, which she believes have a "stigma" in the United States, but are highly necessary due to the ravages left by the pandemic and the ones she experienced personally.
“During the first year of COVID, my oldest daughter was diagnosed with multiple learning differences. Even in normal times, this would be a challenge for any parent. Getting her tested, getting on the right waiting lists, and reading to understand her options was overwhelming. In terms of her medications, it triggered mental health episodes for the family. Not being able to help my daughter when she needed it was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever had, and it led to a personal struggle with depression and anxiety. When I realized she needed support, it wasn’t easy to find. But with the help of a persistent husband and my friends, I was able to find it. She and I are both doing well now, but the experience made us realize how quickly things can change. It’s what gave me the motivation to help heal our community.”
In response, she mentioned that there is an initiative in San Mateo County that seeks to raise awareness and increase access to mental health services.
Ultimately, as mayor, Hale hopes to create a community where people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds can thrive, grow and retire.
Who is Giselle Hale, the new mayor of Redwood City?
Giselle Hale comes from humble roots, she began working at the age of 14 to support her family's solvency, she has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin from which she graduated with honors and later obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
In 2014, Hale began serving as a Redwood City Planning Commissioner, and before her daughters were school age, she supported education, joining the board of directors of the Redwood City Education Foundation in 2017, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide quality public education for all students in the Redwood City School District.
The Mexican news outlet Sin Embargo reported that six people of Mexican origin are on the eleventh list of the 500 wealthiest people in the world.
Carlos Slim Helú is the richest multimillionaire in Mexico, and is number one on the list of the richest people in the country and number 21 in the world; however, the Forbes list has placed him number one in the world in recent decades.
In addition, the publication mentions Sara Mota de Larrea, at number 112; Ricardo Salinas Pliego, at 165; Alberto Baillères González, at 289; Juan Beckmann Vidal at 350 and Germán Larrea being the Mexican number 438 on the world list. And it is that, it was concluded that the fortune of businessmen has grown by up to 60% during the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peninsula 360 Press issued a report in which he detailed the fortunes of people who saw their wealth increase by 277% as was the case of the CEO of Tesla Motors and Space X.
However, Mexico is one of the Latin American countries, belonging to North America, with high rates of poverty, economic inequality and academic dropout; to this is added the increase in the unemployment rate that came from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which, according to Sin Embargo, resulted in a reduction of 5.81% TP3T in 2020 alone.
Companies like those of Carlos Slim Helú and Ricardo Salinas Pliego are due to agreements with the federal government and concessions made by the Mexican presidency headed by Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Teléfonos de México and Radiomóvil Dipsa are the largest telecommunications companies in Mexico, but also in the rest of Latin America under the América Móvil brand, which also offers entertainment content. Recently, it was announced that the construction company subscribed to Carlos Slim would be responsible for repairing line 12 of the Mexico City Metro after an elevated section of the tracks along with the wagon collapsed in the middle of the avenue with passengers inside, which left a balance of 27 people dead.
Meanwhile, Salinas Pliego has in his hands the second most important Spanish-speaking television network in Mexico and the most important in Latin America. Recently, he joined the telecommunications business where he offered services under the name Totalplay for 4K television via fiber optics and was the first Mexican provider to offer 1 GB in connection speed. Salinas Pliego ordered that the commercial activities of his electronics and furniture stores in Mexico not be stopped after the severe lockdowns throughout the country in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the operation of banks was considered essential, which, fortunately for Salinas Pliego, are installed in each branch.
As in the United States, it is proposed to create a law whereby the hands that concentrate the majority of the country's capital pay more taxes in order to ensure a more equitable distribution and promote the economic participation of other sectors of the population.
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] After a jury found defendant Randall J. Neustaedter guilty of nine felony counts in connection with the sexual assault of three women who had been patients at his clinic on Woodside Road in Redwood City in 2015 after less than a full day of deliberations last October, he was ultimately sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The District Attorney's office said the first victim had purchased three acupuncture sessions with the defendant through Groupon at the time. The first two sessions went off without incident, but during the third session, the defendant offered her an "acupuncture massage" in which he touched her genitals inappropriately, forcing her to flee the clinic.
Following the incident, the victim reported the defendant to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. After the defendant was arrested and the case appeared in the newspaper, two more victims came forward and informed the police that the same thing had happened to them in 2013.
Neustaedter's Oct. 6 convictions included gross sexual penetration, gross sexual assault, misdemeanor sexual assault, among other charges.
As Neustaedter was sentenced Friday, several victims spoke in court or read statements, while the convicted man spoke out and expressed remorse, prosecutors said.
At the time of the incident, the prosecutor was Alpana Samant and the investigating officer was San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Detective Scott Berberian.
Thus, Randall Neustaedter, 70, will serve his sentence in the San Mateo County jail.
The convict's next court appearance will be on January 27 for a restitution hearing.
*Niños de comunidades nativo americanas y afroamericanos los más afectados
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] Las tasas de autismo infantil se ubican en su nivel más alto desde que los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés) comenzaron a rastrear el trastorno en el año 2000, según mostraron datos publicados por la misma agencia.
The authors of the Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network study and the Autismo (ADDM, por sus siglas en inglés) de los CDC refirieron que el aumento probablemente refleja mejoras en el diagnóstico e identificación del Trastorno del Espectro Autista (EA), no así un aumento en la cantidad de niños que realmente tienen autismo.
Utilizando un nuevo método de vigilancia, los investigadores encontraron que 2.3 por ciento de los niños de 8 años en comunidades de 11 estados fueron diagnosticados con autismo en 2018, frente al 1.9 por ciento en 2016.
Un informe separado sobre la identificación temprana en niños de cuatro años muestra que los niños nacidos en 2014 tenían un 50 por ciento más de probabilidades de ser diagnosticados con autismo o recibir una clasificación de educación especial TEA a los niños de esa edad, que los nacidos en 2010, lo que muestra una mejora en el diagnóstico precoz.
En conjunto, los datos sugieren que los esfuerzos para crear conciencia sobre el autismo están funcionando, aunque los investigadores se apresuraron a decir que queda mucho trabajo por hacer.
De acuerdo con los resultados del estudio realizado por los CDC, en 2018, en los 11 sitios donde se realizó el muestreo, la prevalencia de TEA por cada mil niños de 8 años osciló entre 16.5 en Missouri, mientras que esa cifra fue más del doble en California con 38.9.
El TEA afecta más a niños que a niñas, pues por cada mil niños de 8 años‒uno de cada 44‒, la condición fue 4.2 veces más prevalente en este sector.
La prevalencia general de TEA fue similar en todos los grupos raciales y étnicos, excepto que los niños indios americanos o nativos de Alaska, quieres registraron una mayor prevalencia de TEA que los niños caucásicos no hispanos ‒29.0 versus 21.2 por cada mil niños de 8 años.
En varios sitios, los niños hispanos tenían menor prevalencia de TEA que los niños caucásicos ‒Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia y Utah‒ y los niños afroamericanos ‒Georgia y Minnesota.
Las asociaciones entre la prevalencia de TEA y el ingreso familiar medio a nivel de vecindario variaron según el sitio.
Entre los 5 mil 058 niños que cumplieron con la definición de caso de TEA, 75.8 por ciento tenía un diagnóstico en una evaluación, 18.8 por ciento tenía una clasificación o elegibilidad de educación especial de TEA y ninguna declaración de diagnóstico para dicha condición.
La prevalencia de TEA por cada mil niños de 8 años que se basó exclusivamente en declaraciones de diagnóstico de TEA documentadas fue de 17.4 en general ‒rango: 11.2 en Maryland a 29.9 en California.
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] ¿Sabía que hay un plan para rediseñar la representación estatal y dividir Redwood City: la mitad de la ciudad quedaría en el condado de San Mateo y la otra en el condado Santa Clara con propósitos electorales?
Así lo informaron residentes de la ciudad, quienes a través de un breve comunicado destacaron que la medida «¡No tiene sentido y pasará sin que los residentes puedan dar su opinión!
Ante dichas circunstancias, solicitaron a la ciudadanía llamar este lunes en punto de las 13:00 h a la organización We draw the Lines California para decidir el futuro de Redwood City.
Residentes han llamado a apoyar el mapa enviado por Verónica Escámez que mantiene a Redwood City en su totalidad en el condado de San Mateo.
Mapa enviado por Verónica Escámez que mantiene Redwood City en el condado de San Mateo
Los residentes pueden agregar cualquier información personal sobre por qué apoya que Redwood City se quede en el condado de San Mateo. La audiencia comienza a la 13:00 y deberá esperar hasta que se solicite un comentario público:
Para hacer comentarios públicos durante la reunión, llame al 877-853-5247 e ingrese el código: 884 6542 9407 * 9 .
Es preferible realizarlos vía telefónica, y entre más llamadas se reciban para apoyar que Redwood City continúe en su totalidad en el condado de San Mateo será mejor.
Y es que, la Comisión de Redistribución de Distritos de California está finalizando los nuevos mapas para los Distritos de la Asamblea y del Congreso.
Esta arbitraria división corta la voz de los ciudadanos sobre las decisiones políticas clave que impactan a las escuelas, entre otras importantes decisiones.
«Como una de las comunidades marginadas en cualquiera de los condados, creemos que es importante mantener nuestra voz. Necesitamos una acción inmediata y rápida para que nuestro mensaje sea escuchado», precisaron residentes de Redwood City.
