Anna Lee Mraz Bartra. Peninsula 360 Press - Alianza News
By 3 p.m., the temperature had reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) when, despite the high temperatures, the elderly activists went out to fight for social justice a few weeks before the state and federal elections in San Mateo, California.
Manuel Ortiz
Raging Grannies Action League is an organization of women between the ages of sixty and ninety who have been protesting for decades for world peace, feminist values, and social justice and equal rights for all.
The organization of the protest involved the care needed during the pandemic, such as chalk marks on the ground to indicate proper social distance. Making such marks, says angry grandmother Ruth Robertson, is a feat at that age because of arthritis and other ailments that afflict more than one.
Sara Haller (right) with her 93-year-old mother. Photo: Manuel Ortiz
The protest was organized by this group, but many more people came, not so old, not so grandmothers, but they came to support today because as Sara Haller said "I believe in social justice, I want things in the country to change, and even though it is hot and I am 61 years old, I believe that unless we all do something, nothing will change. I came here with my mom who's 93 years old and this is her first protest ever."
Manuel Ortiz
The Angry Grannies organization stated with posters and shouts, as well as pamphlets and spokespersons that women, along with racialized minorities, are the groups that have been most extraordinarily affected by the pandemic; that Trump has emboldened right-wing militia groups to disrupt the voting process. The extreme right-wing forces endangered our public health with misinformation and weapons; and that we have suffered this season of crisis with more crises: crises of public health, of white nationalism, of climate change.
"I'm not a grandmother, but I'm very angry," Haller says. These women have had enough and now they are standing up to change the future and welcoming all who share this vision.
Today's protest was applauded, or rather horned, by passing cars. In addition to promoting the vote with multiple posters, they also joined forces with other organizations such as "Indivisible," "My People" for upcoming protests that may come after the election, and especially if "Trump decides to make one of his jokes," Robertson said.
Every year, the Casa Círculo Cultural organization organizes a Day of the Dead festival in Redwood City, which attracts thousands of people to the city from all over the Bay Area.
Peninsula 360 Press
Students from Casa Círculo Cultural. Photo: Manuel Ortiz
This year there will not be a mass rally on November 1, Day of the Dead, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the organization has scheduled a virtual celebration that will begin at 4:00 pm on Facebook Live, in addition to other activities such as 1st Best Catrina Competition.
Manuel Ortiz
According to the information shared in social networks by Casa Círculo Cultural, "Catrina is better known as death and it can be shown in many ways. Sometimes she is found cheerful, dressed in elaborate fashion, wanting to have fun and even flirting with morals. At other times, she is found in the bones, ready to take us away when we least expect it.
Manuel Ortiz
The winners of the 1st Best Catrina Contest will be announced on November 1st on Casa Círculo Cultural's virtual event page on Facebook.
Manuel Ortiz
The rules of the contest are:
The contest is open to the entire community.
Participants will be able to sign up for free to the CCC Best Catrina Contest Facebook group before October 27.
To participate, participants must have the number and rules that will be given to them when they register via Facebook messanger.
The aspects to qualify will be: Attachment to Mexican traditions: 20% Wardrobe: 20% Makeup: 20% Charisma / Popular support: 20%. With regard to this point, it will be qualified through Facebook depending on the audience and the amount of "likes" received.
Starting this Monday, San Mateo County will launch a monitoring unit that will warn and sanction businesses that do not comply with the health order related to COVID-19.
During a meeting with the media on Wednesday, county manager Mike Callagy said people will be able to call 211 or go to the website to inform businesses that are outside the norm.
Callagy said the oversight unit will be working with the businesses to make sure they understand what is required of them. Under the county's health order, businesses must implement social distancing protocols, require face masks and masks, and provide alcohol-based hand sanitizer, water and soap.
Companies must also prepare and distribute a health and safety plan to their staff.
"We don't intend to go out and sanction business," Callagy said on Wednesday. "We want to go out and work with businesses to make sure they comply with the rules and provide a safe and healthy environment for the people who visit them.
The monitoring unit will first issue a warning to businesses that are outside the regulation. If the business ignores the warning, Callagy said the unit would move to civil penalties and then to criminal prosecution, if necessary.
Under the county's declaration of emergency, approved by the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 4, businesses can be fined between $250 and $3,000 per violation of the rule, depending on the severity of the violation, prior warnings, actions taken or intent to profit.
Callagy said he wasn't aware of any business that had been sanctioned. However, he said, he had heard of businesses that disobeyed such regulations, such as allowing people to enter without a mask. The county has a list of such businesses and plans to contact them when the unit becomes operational on Monday.
"It's irresponsible to act that way," Callagy said. "A lot of businesses are acting appropriately and making sure people maintain a healthy environment, and making sure they are part of the process of us moving forward, not backward," he said.
San Mateo County is currently at the red light - a severe risk - of California's Plan for a Safer Economy. Moving to the orange light - moderate risk - will relax restrictions and allow more businesses to prepare for reopening. To move to the orange level, Callagy said the county needs businesses to comply with the rules.
During the week of Oct. 3, San Mateo County met some of the criteria that fall within the orange level threshold, with a positivity test of 2.5 percent and a health equity metric of 4.8 percent, thus measuring test positivity for sites in the lowest quartile of the state's Healthy Places Index.
However, the county's case rate of 4.7 per 100,000 is higher than the previous week's 4.3, and exceeds the threshold of 3.9 for the orange level.
Despite the invitation to the forum, Chris Rasmussen was not present...candidate from District 7.
You can see the forum again at this link: https://www.facebook.com/InnovatePublicSchools/videos/263714451648443/
Lasting approximately one hour, Redwood City Council candidates in their various districts answered questions of interest to voters, including housing, inclusion, education, tenant and business subsidies, and their response to the economic crisis that Redwood City will face as a result of COVID-19.
Janet Borgens, candidate for District 1In the first place, he began his participation by pointing out that it is important to attend to low-income communities, especially in the area of housing. On the subject of inclusion and censusShe stressed that, despite being a white woman, she did not have privileges, and that for this reason, she wants to maintain contact with the communities that have been in the same situation and pointed out the importance of the vote of each person. On the subject of payment of rentHe pointed out the importance of ensuring that funds are reaching the tenants. He added that Redwood City is the city that has been particularly active in supporting its tenants and their businesses. On the subject of educationThe president of the National Association of Schools in Redwood City, said Redwood City schools depend directly on school districts, adding the importance of safe after-school spaces.
Jeff Gee, candidate for District 1He said safety issues should be addressed as a priority and pledged to learn about each of the problems affecting the Bay Area. On the subject of inclusion and censusHe noted that work should be done not only with the Latino community, but also with the Asian-American community, and called for the unity of different communities. On the subject of payment of rentHe said that people in the community who have to pay a mortgage should be taken into account in order to protect tenants and, consequently, dialogue with banks and mortgage companies. On the subject of educationHe noted that the Council has provided support for programs for students; however, he said Redwood City is not on par with the Redwood Shore School District, so all children should be treated equally in education.
Nancy Radcliffe, candidate for District 1He said that, as part of the current Redwood City Council, he will continue the work currently being done for the community. On the subject of inclusion and censusHe said the debate on the subject must be more inclusive, with more events that include different people from different communities. On the topic of payment of rentHe noted that Redwood City is one of the few cities that have subsidies for tenants who are paying a mortgage, and said this is a problem that affects much of the community. On the subject of educationIn his speech, he stressed the importance of ensuring that everyone has access to free Wi-Fi and internet, and safe places to go to continue studying.
Isabella Chu, candidate for district 3In the first instance, he began his participation in the forum by speaking out in favour of decent housing accessible to all in the community, as well as transport and education. On the theme of inclusion and censusHe declared that there must be a balance of power. He noted that it is important to vote and to increase the participation of people who were previously unheard. On the subject of payment of rentHe said the real solution is a universal income that helps not only to pay the rent, but to provide assistance in food and health services. On the issue of education, he emphasized that it is important to increase population density in order to collect more taxes and thus boost the distribution of funds to schools.
Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, candidate for District 3At the beginning of his participation, he emphasized the integration of the most vulnerable sectors of the population and rejected inequity between communities. On the issue of inclusion and censusIn his speech, he spoke out in favour of communities that have suffered discrimination because of their historical status. On the subject of payment of rentIn a statement, he said he was in favor of extending extensions to tenants to prevent evictions; he noted that the city must resolve the problem of debt. On the issue of education, he spoke in favor of access to stable housing, increasing families' salaries, as well as a universal child care program and the promotion of the PAL and SRL program.
Michael Smith, candidate for District 4He said he was also in favour of affordable housing, decent work and people being able to run their own businesses. On the subject of inclusion and censusIn the same vein, he argued that there was a need for discussions regarding inclusion by race and class as well as the promotion of inclusive activities in the community. On the subject of payment of rentHe said that federal officials should be worked on to make them aware of tenants' concerns. On the issue of educationIn addition, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, proposed changing the zoning scheme, such as R1, so that people would have access to better schools and therefore obtain better academic results.
Alicia Aguirre, candidate for district 7In the same way, he pointed out that there is a need for affordable housing, but also for access to transport, to the same extent, for all people. He reiterated his commitment to supporting economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. On the issue of inclusion and censusIn his speech, he referred to leadership as a way to protect vulnerable people, like the "Dreamers". On the subject of payment of rentIn his speech, he pointed out the uncertainty arising from the current crisis, the importance of knowing how people will be cared for through stimuli so that people do not lose their homes. On the subject of educationThe Director of the National Institute of Childhood and Adolescence, who noted that there is now a partnership with the school district, emphasized the continuation of this collaboration to ensure that children and youth have a safe and continuous learning experience.
Mark Wolohan, candidate for District 7In the first part of the meeting, he highlighted his representation of the new generations and reiterated his support and constant rapprochement with the Redwood City community. On the subject of inclusion and censusIn his speech, he emphasized the participation of the Latino community, to amplify their voices and encourage their participation in the Council. On the topic of payment of rentHe said he is concerned that people will have to move away from the community where they live, and that the strategy for protecting tenants in the short term must be rethought. On the issue of educationHe noted that it is important for educational personnel to have affordable housing; he also emphasized access to distance education for all students.
The next forum will take place on Monday, October 19, 2020.
Irregular immigration at the U.S. southern border rose again during the month of September, after U.S. authorities found about 57,000 people seeking to arrive from Mexico.
This according to a source who provided the information to Reuters, who noted that the figure is contrary to those recorded in April, when they reached record lows, due to COVID-19.
In August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 48,594 cases of immigrants seeking to reach the United States.
It should be noted that such encounters cover those persons removed due to a public health provision linked to the pandemic, as well as immigration status detentions and those seeking refuge.
This Wednesday, CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan is expected to announce fiscal year 2020 border enforcement statistics.
Recently, Morgan said COVID-19 has not stopped construction of the border wall with Mexico, and that production has even increased and more than 10 miles per week has been built. "Right now we have 360 miles of wall systems that have been built."
He added that he hopes to have 450 miles of new border wall completed by the end of the year, because "we must have all the tools and resources to prevent things from crossing the border, entering the country and harming us.
After seven months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco city officials announced Wednesday that the city's more than 180 outdoor playgrounds have reopened.
Families and children are allowed to return to the parks, but with new capacity limits, Recreation and Parks Department supervisors will be watching at the city's busiest parks to orient families to the new rules.
"We know that children and parents have been away from the playgrounds since late March, and I am thrilled that we are now in a position to be able to safely reopen them," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.
He added, "It's important for children to have a place to explore, have fun and exercise outdoors. We hope this will bring families and children some of the joy that would otherwise be a challenge.
As part of the parks' new rules, visitors are asked to limit play time to 30 minutes when others are present. In addition, all children must stay 6 feet≈2 meters away.
To save space, only one adult is allowed to accompany each child on the playground, and adults are asked to supervise children at all times and to avoid non-essential use of mobile phones while on the playground.
Children under 2 years of age should remain in the arms of their caregiver and are prohibited from playing in structures that house more than one child at a time. In addition, all children over the age of 2 must wear a mouthpiece. Visitors are prohibited from eating or drinking on the playgrounds.
In addition, hand-washing stations have been placed at 51 city parks that do not yet have restrooms. Recreation and parks officials are also asking supervisors to remove children who are crying on playgrounds, as loud crying can produce aerosol that can spread COVID-19.
In addition to the reopening of the playgrounds, the city also announced that six have recently been renovated under the Let'sPlaySF! initiative, a partnership between the Department of Recreation and Parks and the San Francisco Parks Alliance.
"These renovations could not have come at a better time for San Francisco families. Every child deserves to play in a safe, clean and fun environment, and these renovated playgrounds will serve our youth for years to come," Breed said.
Recently renovated playgrounds include the Merced Heights playground at 801 Shields St.; the Alice Chalmers playground at 670 Brunswick St.; the John Macaulay playground at the corner of Larkin and O'Farrell streets; the West Portal playground at 131 Lenox Way; the Redwood Grove playground in John McLaren Park at 100 John F. Shelley Drive; and the Sunset Reservoir playground at 1900 28th Ave.
According to recreation and parks officials, the parks that were chosen for renovations were selected by a community task force that used criteria such as neighborhood income and density, as well as the presence of harmful chemicals in playground materials.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who present themselves to the public as police officers should be fired and prosecuted for impersonating agents in a role they are not supposed to perform.
"This deception caused a woman to unknowingly turn her own husband over to ICE agents, even though he had committed no crime and was a law-abiding resident," said Ralina Cardona, a member of LULAC's National Board.
He said in a statement that "this officer and others like him who do the same are confusing the community and making people distrustful of all law enforcement, even when they may be witnesses to a crime or victims of one.
In this sense, Cardona added that ICE is deceiving immigrants in the country since they only seek to capture anyone, criminal or not, "and in this case, the man they took is a husband, a father and a hard-working person".
The League of United Latin American Citizens explained that the ICE agent in this latest incident was caught on a security camera, where he can be seen wearing a jacket with the letters NYPD and POLICE on it.
The ICE agent arrived at the front door of an upper Manhattan residence looking for someone named Fernando Santos-Rodriguez, but the woman who answered did not allow the officer to enter her apartment.
She told him at the door that her husband's name was similar, but that he was a different person, and believing him to be a police officer unrelated to immigration, she provided him with information about where her husband worked.
ICE subsequently tracked him to his workplace and arrested him, even though the 48-year-old man had no criminal record in the 30 years he has lived in the U.S.
"This careless act by ICE puts the entire community at risk," said Lydia Guzman, chair of the Immigration Committee of LULAC's National Board, and undermines confidence in local law enforcement or in turning to them when they are victims of crime.
"ICE's actions erode public confidence in local law enforcement, even if they claim they were not involved. Not being able to call the police puts all of us at risk, because crimes will not be reported and witnesses will not cooperate. This act was irresponsible and reckless," Guzman added.
LULAC demands that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. review this matter immediately and file the appropriate charges against the ICE agent.
For his part, New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio is calling for the termination of ICE agents involved in NYPD impersonations.
Meanwhile, Santos-Rodriguez's wife and four children asked that her husband and father, respectively, be released under the provisions allowed by immigration law for undocumented people who are witnesses to a crime and must testify in a court proceeding.
It is worth noting that over the weekend Brooklyn Borough residents held a protest in front of a police station to denounce this situation and demand that the mayor and the Police Department "stop working with immigration officials".
Pacific Gas & Electric has announced, on their website, that they anticipate "a Public Safety Power Disruption, also known as PSPS, and occurs in response to severe weather"; in this case, the Diablo Winds exacerbating the Glass Fire phenomenon in California.
The company reports that it is shutting off "power to help prevent fires and keep communities safe. The reason for the outages can be complex, as they state that "multiple factors come into play when deciding to interrupt your power supply and the decision is taken very seriously". In addition, they clarify that "attempts are made to notify affected customers by phone, text and email".
The counties that could be affected by such preemptive outages are: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Skulls, Against Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Pleasure, Feathers, Saint Matthew, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba. Where the population is advised to take precautions and take emergency measures to be communicated during the power outage.
Know the traffic light to identify how the process occurs:
The energy company estimates that a total of 54 thousand 250 customers could suffer power outages, while 3 thousand 135 electrical connections belong to health services.
Early voting continues at a record pace with more than 11 million votes cast; four years ago, just 1.4 million voters were registered at the same time before the election, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
For University of Florida professor and project manager Michael McDonald, the pace of voting is remarkable with five states already reaching 20% or more than their vote totals over 2016 ballots - Minnesota, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The historic increase in early voting is due to a greater availability of choices, as well as increased voter demand, coupled with the fact that some states that have received mail-in ballots are also beginning in-person early voting.
For example, McDonald says, in North Carolina, in-person early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15. The state has a form of in-person early voting called "One Stop" voting, which is available during the in-person early voting period and will no longer be available on Election Day, Nov. 3.
In the balloting four years ago, 100,368 eligible people registered and voted this way, many of them first-time voters and younger, so there is still plenty of evidence that it will be a high turnout election.
For example, 2018 had the highest turnout rate for a midterm election since 1914 and turnout has been high in other special elections and statewide elections since Trump took office.
Pollsters are also recording unusually high levels of interest and self-reported voting intentions, and there is record small donor activity.
For example, University of Florida professor Jamie Harrison, D-South Carolina, recently announced a record fundraising quarter for U.S. Senate races.
And while he questions whether early voting and overall turnout will decline as Election Day approaches and we see a typical turnout election, he still expects to see early voting pick up as it normally does as Election Day approaches.
Some of this is due to the unknown number of people who will vote early as some will be from voters who have not yet returned their mail-in ballots, particularly younger voters.
Beginning Tuesday, October 13, Redwood City's recreational parks will reopen so that children from all over the city can once again enjoy the outdoors, as long as they follow safety guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to the Redwood City Parks, Recreation and Community Services department, signs have been printed, hand-washing stations set up, supplies stocked, fencing removed, restrooms opened and protocols fine-tuned to meet standards for a safe return from the pandemic.
He also stressed that although the parks will look the same, things will be different, because all actions will be taken into account to take care of the health and safety of children and the community.
However, the authority pointed out that it does not have the capacity to monitor all playgrounds to verify compliance with the measures, and it will not be able to disinfect every playground daily or between uses.
"We're doing our best to present the rules, provide some sanitation, open restrooms, and we're disinfecting the playgrounds at least once a week, but keeping these playgrounds open is ultimately up to you," the department said.
She also stressed that it is important to remember that while there are guidelines, sharing high-touch equipment still poses a risk for contracting COVID-19.
"Please pay close attention to all posted health and safety guidelines. Respect the capacity of each playground and restroom, and limit your use to 30 minutes if others are waiting," he said.
The rules to be followed on the playgrounds are:
Wear a mask: Everyone over 2 years of age should wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose.
Children must be supervised at all times
Keep your distance: Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet between people in different households and avoid overcrowding of children.
Do not introduce food or drink
Sharing space: Pay attention to the new capabilities of the space and limit the visit to 30 minutes when others are waiting.
Plan ahead: Visit the playground at different times or days to avoid crowds and waits. Older adults and people with medical conditions should avoid playgrounds when other people are present.
Know when to stay home: Please stay home if you experience any signs of illness, no matter how mild they may seem.
Be kind to others
Finally, they noted that these rules have been put in place so that families can once again enjoy the spaces, "if you or your child cannot comply with the safety rules, it is best to refrain from using the play areas at this time. Sharing high-touch equipment still poses a risk of contracting COVID-19."
It should be noted that Magical Brigde Playground will not be included in the reopening.
