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COVID-19: Palo Alto to Impose Restrictive Access Measures at Foothills Parks

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COVID-19: Palo Alto to Impose Restrictive Access Measures at Foothills Parks
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Palo Alto authorities will impose new temporary restrictions on access to Foothills Park nature reserve starting this Saturday, due to the increase in the number of visitors since it opened to the general public last month.

Thus, the city council will close the doors of the park temporarily on weekends during peak hours - from 10:00 to 15:00 h - as well as on holidays, and is preparing to consider additional measures to limit visits.

These measures include charging a parking fee, as well as reducing the number of people who could be in the park at the same time, where the current limit is 750, according to an announcement issued by city authorities on Thursday.

The 1,400-acre reserve, which was long restricted to visitors, has reached its limit of 750 people several times since it officially opened to the general public on Dec. 17.

The busiest hours in the park have been between 10:00 and 15:00 on weekends, which creates safety problems and dangers on the road, so a large number of visitors have had to be turned away.

"This temporary measure is to help manage the number of visitors to the park and provide a safe, enjoyable and consistent experience for visitors," the city announcement said.

It should be noted that among the closures and limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic are the Interpretive Center, the canoe rental, the fountains, the Oak Grove group barbecue sites and all individual barbecues, except for the Orchard Glen picnic area.

While the trails, bathrooms, picnic table area - only one home per site, only the Orchard Glen barbecues - and park benches remain open, some with limitations.

The city of Palo Alto encourages visitors to respect other visitors and to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from people who do not live in the same house, as well as to be careful of snakes, ticks and poisonous oak.

Twitter suspends Trump for good

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Twitter suspends Trump for good
Cristian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Outgoing President Donald Trump's Twitter account has been permanently suspended, as revealed by a tweet from the social network's security account.

"After a close inspection of the recent tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and in context, we have permanently suspended the account due to future risks of incitement to violence", tweeted this afternoon.

Last Tuesday, outgoing President Donald Trump had refused to concede victory to Joe Biden as successor to the U.S. executive branch on the false grounds of "voter fraud" and, in a speech in Washington, he urged thousands of his supporters to protest to the Capitol, where the counting of electoral votes in the U.S. Congress was taking place.

As a consequence, the security of the Capitol facility was violated. The balance is five people killed in Tuesday's protests.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, also said that access would be restricted to the outgoing president's accounts - Facebook and Instagram - in order to prevent further violence and promote the peaceful resolution of American democracy.

Proposed 2021-2022 budget for California includes funding of $227.2 million

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Proposed 2021-2022 budget for California includes funding of $227.2 million
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Governor Gavin Newsom today presented the Legislature with his proposal for the 2021-2022 state budget, which includes $227.2 billion in funding for the immediate response to COVID-19 in support of Californians who need it most.

The budget prioritizes key actions to help California's hardest-hit families and businesses, such as $372 million to accelerate vaccine delivery in California's 58 counties, reinforcing the rapid and safe distribution approach. 

It also includes a $14 billion investment for those who need it most, such as those who have lost their jobs, small businesses, plus $600 cash assistance to millions of Californians facing eviction, through the Golden State Stimulus.

In addition, it intensifies the commitment to equity in school communities, through approximately $90 billion in school funding, to address the uneven impacts of the pandemic on schools and families.

This includes $2 billion to support and accelerate the safe return of in-person instruction, $4.6 billion to help students recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and $400 million for school-based mental health services.

In terms of the actions the state has taken to support California's businesses, the budget proposes supports for businesses of all sizes, including $777.5 million for a Jobs Initiative.

"In this darkest hour of the COVID-19 pandemic, this budget will help Californians with urgent actions to address our immediate challenges and move toward our recovery," Governor Newsom said. 

The budget also makes new proposals to address the affordability of health care and housing, and supports increasing the state's minimum wage to $14 per hour. 

It also reflects the state's highest level of funding for K-12 schools: approximately $90 billion in total, with $85.8 billion under Prop. 98.

California's 2021-2022 Budget Targets the Neediest: David Chiu

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California's 2021-2022 Budget Targets the Neediest: David Chiu
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

The recent budget plan announced Friday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom will allow for "wise investments and safeguarding of the social safety net," said California Assemblyman David Chiu.

"Today is a clear reminder of how different life was just a year ago. Despite a pandemic and difficult economic circumstances, Governor Newsom has used this budget to make wise investments and safeguard our social safety net," he said.

In his statement following Governor Newsom's announcement of the budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, the Assemblyman for the 17th District, which covers East San Francisco, said it was important for the official to address the state's housing crisis.

"I appreciate the governor's continued commitment to addressing our housing crisis. With continued funding for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and the new housing accountability unit within the Department of Housing and Community Development, California will be able to continue to build affordable housing and work to reduce our overall housing shortage," he noted.

In that regard, he noted that Newsom's proposal to spend $1.75 billion on housing for people experiencing homelessness is significant, so the increased funding, he said, is "broadly welcome" from previous years. 

In addition, he said, Chiu's office will be working closely with the administration to ensure that California extends protections against eviction beyond January 31, allowing tenants to keep their homes.

"Through this budget, California is working to support our residents during the pandemic with $4.4 billion for COVID-19 testing, vaccine distribution, direct stimulus payments, a robust small business grant and fee waivers for the hardest hit sectors of our economy," he said.

At the same time, he said, the unprecedented investment in K12 education - primary and secondary - and emergency grants for California's college students, will go a long way to supporting students during this "incredibly challenging" time.

"While no budget is perfect, this proposal is good news for California. I look forward to working with colleagues to get emergency support immediately and pass a final budget in June," he concluded.

Gavin Newsom on Friday presented the legislature with the proposed 2021-2022 state budget, a $227.2 billion fiscal plan that will provide funds for the immediate response to COVID-19 and help Californians who need it most.

COVID-19: Mexican government promises vaccination to undocumented migrants in the U.S.

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COVID-19: Mexican government promises vaccination to undocumented migrants in the U.S.
Cristian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

In recent days, statements made by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, who threatened to exclude undocumented migrants from receiving either of the two vaccines - Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna - against COVID-19, have caused a stir.

At a press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador issued instructions for the foreign ministry to launch a request to reverse the statements made by Ricketts through the consulate in Nebraska, in charge of Guadalupe Sanchez, where a warning is made to correct and include undocumented migrants to receive the COVID-19 vaccine that is already available in the U.S.

"It was very worrying to hear their statements (...) that undocumented workers in meat packing plants could not receive the vaccine," said Guadalupe Sanchez, consul in Nebraska through a statement issued by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

It is important to point out that in Mexico, simply by being present in Mexican territory, one obtains the right to receive medical attention, which also implies the right to register in the national vaccination program that, since December, includes the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19.

Just as in the state of California, Nebraska, more than 60 percent of the meat production chain are undocumented migrants; however, the percentage rises to 70 of the total number of essential workers in Nebraska, said Maki Teramoto, general director of Protection for Mexicans Abroad of the SRE.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that if the U.S. local government denied the application of the COVID-19 vaccine, he would begin a vaccination plan for Mexicans abroad, specifically in the case of the United States.

San Mateo offers seminars to raise awareness about human trafficking

Pamela Cruz
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San Mateo offers seminars to raise awareness about human trafficking

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

As part of Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month -January 2021-, San Mateo County invites all residents to participate in webinars on the subject, where you can also learn about the efforts and response by municipalities in this area.

The four seminars that will be given will be free of charge through the Zoom digital platform, so it is important to register to access each one of them through the https://stophumantraffickingsmc.org/webinar-series-January-2021/ .

The first two sessions of the talks are entitled "Introduction to Human Trafficking", the English version was held this Thursday, January 7, however, the same talk will be given in Spanish next January 14 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

Following them, on Thursday, January 21, the theme "Human Trafficking and the Response in San Mateo County" will be taught from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

Finally, on Thursday, January 28, the conference cycle will close with the theme "Youth Sexual Trafficking: Recognizing Risk Factors", which will be held from 6:30 to 7:45 pm.

For questions or assistance, residents can email stophumantrafficking@smcgov.org.

COVID-19: Human excrement, key to understanding the virus

Pamela Cruz
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COVID-19: Human excrement, key to understanding the virus

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

To better understand how COVID-19 spreads, researchers from Santa Clara County and Stanford University are looking to human waste as a source of information to better understand the disease.

This new study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, identifies a method that not only detects the virus in wastewater samples, but also tracks whether infection rates are increasing or decreasing.

Measuring wastewater is a solid source of data as those infected eliminate the virus in their feces, which could be used to track more receptively and to supplement critical information from health officials.

According to the report's lead co-author, Alexandria Boehm, who is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, the test works by identifying and measuring genetic material in the form of SARS-VOC-2 RNA, the virus that causes VOC-19.

 "This work confirms that trends in SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater follow trends in new infections in the community. Wastewater data complement clinical trial data and may provide additional information on infections.

Alexandria Boehm

While the U.S. is struggling with record daily transmission rates, getting more information to track the surge and inform public health policy in local communities remains key to controlling the virus. 

The study highlights that COVID-19 can be particularly difficult to trace, as many asymptomatic or mild cases go undetected. And those who are tested may still spread the infection before receiving the results, inhibiting rapid identification, treatment and isolation to slow the spread. 

So faster identification of case peaks could allow local officials to act more quickly before the disease reaches a point where transmission becomes difficult to contain and hospitalizations overwhelm the local health system. 

Monitoring of COVID-19 through RNA surveillance of sewage is gaining momentum across the country, and could alert decision makers to potential outbreaks days before people recognize the symptoms of the virus.

It is worth mentioning that the county is working with Stanford University, the San Jose Department of Environmental Services and four wastewater treatment plants to analyze the waste.

COVID-19: Help for people affected by coronavirus and prevent evictions in California

Peninsula 360 Press
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COVID-19: Help for people affected by coronavirus and prevent evictions in California
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an economic stimulus package that includes $600 to help low-income people during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an extension of the moratorium on evictions.

"We don't want to wait until July," Newsom said Wednesday during a virtual meeting with Democratic lawmakers, "we want some immediate action to distribute $2.4 billion in what we call the 'Golden State Stimulus.

"It's our version of what the federal government just did. But we want, instead of the $600 checks falling into people's pockets, we want to double that. We want to bring $1,200 into people's pockets," the governor explained.

Gavin Newsom plans to send the proposal to the state Congress this Friday, which would focus on taxpayers with incomes under $30,000 a year or who qualified for a tax refund in 2019, but also includes residents without legal documentation in the U.S. who filed their taxes with a Tax Identification Number.

According to the governor's office, almost 4 million people would be eligible for this cash benefit, which, if approved by the state legislature, would be given between February and March.

He also proposed accelerating the distribution of $2.6 billion in federal rental assistance to low-income tenants and small landlords so that residents affected by the pandemic can help maintain their homes.

Newsom also called on lawmakers to extend the moratorium on evictions decreed in the wake of the -19 crisis, which is currently in effect in California until January 31.

If the project is approved, those who pay at least 25 percent of their monthly rent cannot be evicted from their homes in the coming months.

Notably, millions of Californians have lost income since the pandemic began in March, when orders were implemented for people to stay home and businesses to reduce operations to prevent the spread of the new variant of the new SARS-CoV2 coronavirus present in California, according to social networks.

San Mateo Food Program Extended to Older Adults

Peninsula 360 Press
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San Mateo Food Program Extended to Older Adults
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

The Great Plates Delivered program was approved for extension until March 2021 for seniors in San Mateo County.

In this way, seniors who need it can have access to 18 delicious and nutritious meals delivered weekly and for free by local restaurants, directly to their doorstep. 

It is worth mentioning that food delivery is safe and non-contact, in an age when buying and preparing meals on one's own for older adults can be a challenge, while keeping them safe during the VOC-19 pandemic. 

Some of the criteria for enrolling in the program are being over 65; or being between 60 and 64 years old, and having been exposed to the virus or having VIDCO-19, or having underlying health conditions.

In addition to living alone or with another adult eligible for the program, not receiving meals from another state program, not having friends or relatives who can help with meals, not being able to shop, and having an income less than $74,940 per person.

If you qualify, you should call (800) 675-8437 and speak to the county staff - who are fluent in several languages - to apply for meal delivery services.

For restaurants that are interested in enrolling in the program and helping seniors in need, they can register through the https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMCGreatPlates_Delivered and https://covid19.ca.gov/es/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/

Trump seeks to undermine Joe Biden's peaceful and legal transition: Mark Zuckerberg

Peninsula 360 Press
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Trump seeks to undermine Joe Biden's peaceful and legal transition: Mark Zuckerberg
Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

Facebook creator and founder Mark Zuckerberg said the shocking events on Capitol Hill in the last 24 hours "clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and legal transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden.

In a statement, the entrepreneur noted that the decision of the still president of the United States to use the Facebook platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his followers has rightly disturbed people in the country and around the world. 

"We withdrew these statements yesterday because we judge that their effect, and probably their intention, would be to provoke more violence," he said in the statement issued this morning.

He added that after the certification of the election results by Congress, the priority for the entire country must now be "to ensure that the remaining 13 days and the days after the inauguration pass peacefully and in accordance with established democratic norms.

Zuckerberg noted that over the past few years, "we have allowed President Trump to use our platform according to our own rules, sometimes removing content or tagging his posts when they violate our policies. 

This, he said, is because the public has a right to the widest possible access to political discourse, even if it is controversial. "But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving the use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government.

In that sense, he stressed that the risks of allowing the president to continue using the Facebook service during this period are simply too great. 

"Therefore, we are extending the blockade we have placed on their Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and at least for the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is completed," he concluded.

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