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Hand, wrist, neck pain: your devices could be the cause

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.30

Hand, wrist, neck pain: your devices could be the cause

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

Advances in technology, confinement due to the pandemic, and the increasing use of technological devices have made musculoskeletal injuries increasingly common.

According to Mauricio Ravelo Izquierdo, an academic at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Quervain's tendonitis and text neck or neck pain from texting, which due to the discomfort and inflammation they cause can be extremely disabling.

He explained that the first symptom is mild pain, which if left unattended can become intense, to the point of immobilizing the inflamed area and cause an increase in temperature and discoloration.

In the case of the hand, the discomfort can go from the thumb to the middle part of the forearm, and in the neck from the nape of the neck to the back of the shoulders; in some cases it causes lesions in the nerve endings that emerge from the cervical spine.

Quervain's disease, said the professor of the degree in Physical Therapy, is an injury that occurs basically by inflammation of two tendons that go to the thumb: the extensor pollicis brevis and abductor longus.

However, he said, these conditions can be avoided if the cell phone is used wisely: for periods no longer than 30 minutes, and leave it aside for at least an hour and a half to rest the hand and neck.

For her part, Dr. Tamara Rozental, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand, wrist and elbow disorders at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said the repetitive motions of texting and typing can cause widespread hand pain due to underlying osteoarthritis -- the wearing away of cartilage in the joints.

"The use of these devices does not cause osteoarthritis, but if you are prone to osteoarthritis, it can increase your symptoms," the specialist said in an article issued by Harvard Medical School.

He explained that while typing on a laptop or desktop keyboard does not cause carpal tunnel syndrome -- a condition in which the median nerve is compressed as it passes through a small area in the wrist known as the carpal tunnel -- it can highlight symptoms of the condition, such as pain, tingling and numbness in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and inner half of the ring finger.

He added that too much leaning on the elbows can worsen cubital tunnel syndrome, in which the ulnar nerve is compressed where it passes through tissue near the elbow called the cubital tunnel. Symptoms include pain, numbness or tingling in the ring or little finger.

Neck and back pain

Looking at an electronic device for long periods of time can cause neck and back pain.

"You're stretching the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the neck and upper back," explains Dr. Andrew White, an orthopedic surgeon and co-director of the Spine Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "It's the posture and the amount of time in that posture that matters."

The expert stressed that this type of pain is temporary and will not cause permanent back or neck problems. "But it's uncomfortable and can also irritate the occipital nerve where the spine connects to the base of the skull, which can cause headaches.

Hand and wrist corrections

Treatments for hand or wrist conditions include taking a break from offensive activity; splinting; short-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol); exercises to stretch the tendons; and sometimes steroid injections.

The way you use electronic devices will also need to change. If texting with your thumbs causes pain, you may need to use other fingers or a stylus.

"If you have pain or deformity in the hand, use voice commands or use a thicker stylus to put less stress on the thumb joint," Rozental said.

To relieve carpal tunnel pain you should set up your workstation so that your forearms are parallel to the floor, your wrists are straight and in line with your forearms, and your elbows are relaxed and bent at a 90-degree angle at your waist.

"Using a vertical mouse puts your hand in a less stressful position. And keep the mouse in front of you, not to the side," suggests the expert.

Back and neck corrections

To alleviate back and neck pain, posture should be adjusted when using a device. "Keep your gaze parallel to the floor instead of down," suggests Dr. White.

It's helpful to raise your computer monitor so it's at eye level. And you can do the same with handheld devices by propping them up on pillows.

It also urges you to prevent pain by exercising and strengthening the core muscles that support the spine.

"If you're in good physical shape," Dr. White stressed, "it's been shown that you're less likely to develop neck or back pain."

East Palo Alto Safe Parking Program helps residents in search of housing

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.30

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East Palo Alto Safe Parking Program helps residents in search of housing

By Pamela Cruz / Bay City News

When Lupita Lara became homeless a decade ago, she had to deal with the problem on her own. Now, as a case manager for WeHOPE, an East Palo Alto nonprofit that serves people who are homeless or living in their vehicles, she's providing the help she never received.

The high cost of rent sometimes pushes low-income people out of their homes, out of state or onto the streets. In 2019, 1,512 people in this county were counted homeless in San Mateo County.

Since that same year, WeHOPE has operated a secure RV parking program at 1798 Bay Road. The parking lot provides a safe place for up to 20 RVers to park their vehicles for free. Residents also receive free services and meals so they can save money for future housing.

Half of Bay Area renters are rent-burdened. They spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, according to the Bay Area Equity Atlas, a regional data center that analyzes data and reports on inequality trends.

Of those, 494 lived in mobile homes, had to park on the streets and deal with city laws that might prohibit parking in certain areas or at certain times.

Rising rents pushed Maria Elena Vasquez and her husband to move into an RV, where they now live in WeHOPE's safe parking program. Vasquez has lived for the past two years at the Bay Road site, where she feels safe and secure after living on the streets.

"It's ugly to live on the street," Vasquez said in an interview. "Here we feel protected."

After Vasquez's landlord doubled the rent on their Menlo Park studio - they would have had to pay more than $3,000 - Vasquez's husband bought a mobile home for a one-time cost of about $4,000.

Buying the trailer was cheaper than paying monthly rent. But living on the street brought its own challenges.

"We would park wherever we could find a spot," Vasquez said, adding that she worried she would be robbed or that "someone was going to shoot me because I worked nights and got home early in the morning."

In the secure RV parking program, residents receive free water, electricity, showers, daily meals and 24-hour security. Renting a spot in some private RV parks can cost $80 per night or more than $1,000 per month on the Peninsula.

"Thank God they haven't charged us anything since the day we moved here," Vasquez said. "All of that helps us save the little money we receive... We have a lot of help from the program, but it's not enough because we want to have a place to live."

But the search for permanent housing has been long and fruitless so far. Vasquez, unemployed because of the pandemic, said she has filled out multiple applications but hasn't heard back from any of them. The waiting list for affordable housing can be months, sometimes years.

A "ladder" out of homelessness

Since the program's inception in 2019, WeHOPE has helped 34 of its last 73 clients move into permanent housing, which is their ultimate goal. This May, the park was full, with five people on the waiting list.

As WeHOPE's lead case manager, Lara helps connect residents with health care, housing applications or life logistics, such as getting a license, for example.

"I advocate for them as much as I can," Lara said. "My clients know they can call me whenever they want ... I work eight to five, but I'm always there for them."

His proudest moment was when one of his clients bought his own house with the money he saved while living in the park.

"A lot of customers say I'm a little strict, but in the end they thank me," Lara said.

There are also two modular homes on the Bay Road site that offer temporary housing while families seek permanent housing. Modular homes are prefabricated steel units complete with bedrooms, kitchen space, common spaces and amenities.

For the Samaniegos, a family of four, moving from their mobile home to the three-bedroom modular home in April has given them much-needed space.

"We are very grateful... We have more space to cook and our own rooms. We are more at peace," said Teresa Samaniego.

Their sons, high school students Edwin and Jose Samaniego, said moving into a house means they'll have their own space to play video games and enjoy their mother's home-cooked meals.

The modular homes are a project of United Hope Builders, a nonprofit organization that builds modular steel homes to help create affordable housing.

Pastor Paul Bains, founder, president and CEO of WeHOPE and United Hope Builders, said they plan to produce three to four modular homes each year.

As for the parking program, Bains said WeHOPE initiated the RV parking program in partnership with the city of East Palo Alto to create a safe place for families to live. The program has about $374,000 annually.

Most of the families living in RVs in the city are working families, Bains said, not people trying to cause trouble.

During the pandemic, demand for their services has increased. They had to add hand-washing stations to accommodate the pandemic because public restrooms and libraries, places where people who need access to water would normally go, were closed, she added.

Bains and Lara emphasized that the program is not a permanent place for people to stay, but a "ladder" to get them out of the cycle of homelessness.

Residents in the safe parking program must participate in cooking, financial literacy or anger management classes, and meet with case managers regularly to remain in the park.

Breaking new ground in the midst of deep-seated inequality

East Palo Alto was the first city in San Mateo County to create a safe parking program for RV residents, and led the way for other cities to do the same.

Redwood City started its own program in October 2020. Its program can support about 40 RVs and is run by LifeMoves, a Silicon Valley nonprofit dedicated to finding solutions for the homeless.

LiveMoves Vice President of Programs and Services Brian Greenberg said the creation of parking programs like those in East Palo Alto and Redwood City are a response to the growing number of homeless people over the past two years.

"A lot of cities have been interested in creating safe parking programs," Greenberg said. "Both East Palo Alto and Redwood City took a leadership role in setting this up and not looking to push people to the next community, but to work with them in their own communities."

Researcher David Grusky, a professor of sociology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, applauded programs like these, but said systemic change is needed to address inequality in the country.

"We have to fight on two fronts," Grusky said. "One, is to try to bring about big systemic change, which would mean more redistribution, providing basic services to people who can't afford them, and reorienting our labor market institutions."

While Grusky noted that there is a movement to make those systemic changes, the RV safe parking program helps "plug the holes" by directly supporting people in need.

Redwood City, all "hell" has broken loose

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.30

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Redwood City, all "hell" has broken loose

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

One of the worst heat waves in recent years continues to stalk the state of California. Millions around the world have experienced the ravages of extreme weather, which is becoming more frequent due to climate change. Hell has broken loose and is claiming lives.

The warmer days and nights bear the imprint of global warming and may offer a glimpse of the fate that lies ahead for California: as greenhouse gas emissions overheat the planet and action is not enough to slow it down.

During the recent heat wave, which particularly affected the southwest of the country last week, temperatures in excess of triple digits were recorded, and some of them have even broken some historical records.

An example of this is what happened on June 16 in Death Valley, one of the hottest areas of the planet and is located in the state of California, when it recorded a temperature of 129 degrees Fahrenheit (over 53 degrees Celsius).

The highest temperature observed in that area had been 134° F in 1913. Death Valley also approached this record when it reached 130° F in August of last year.

While on June 17, the National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area noted that at least 7 record high temperatures were broken in the area.

In Redwood City, the thermometer reached 103° F degrees that same day, surpassing the 100° F record set in 1945, more than 75 years ago.

But that's not all, in addition to havoc such as floods and fires, a recent study revealed that about 5,500 Americans die annually because of the phenomenon known as heat wave.

For Dr. Kristie L. Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington's Center for Health and the Global Environment, "Higher temperatures kill. But almost all of those deaths are preventable.

So "the concern for the future is that as temperatures continue to rise, mortality will continue to increase during the summer," he said during a press conference held by Ethnic Media Services.

For her part, Aradhna Tripati, associate professor at UCLA's Institute for Environment and Sustainability, the high price of climate change has already begun to be paid with the loss of loved ones in natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires.

"So we're already experiencing it. And the people who are affected will carry the scars of that for the rest of their lives."

Close to home, a Fonda

Anna Lee Mraz Bartra

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2021.06.30

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You push open the glass door of the Fonda and a familiar warmth invades you, followed by the aroma of home-cooked food and your stomach immediately gurgles with excitement.

Someone greets you at the door, perhaps recognizing you from the many times you've been there, and offers you a table depending on the number of people that accompany you.

Mexican fondas are a wonderful creation. They offer homemade food from breakfast to dinner. food (which in Mexico is not lunch, lunch time(but at 3:00 in the afternoon and our most important meal of the day). The dishes at fondas are generally balanced and are the closest thing to home cooking that a Mexican can find outside of the home.

Luis Santos and his brother Alfredo came to Redwood City 14 years ago. They are originally from Ecatepec de Morelos, State of Mexico, very close to Mexico City. When they first arrived they noticed a culinary void in the area, and it still shows, because many times what looks like Mexican food is not really Mexican.

Large food chains in the United States that sell themselves as Mexican food may fool the unwary and inexperienced about the complexity of this Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but they will never satiate the palate of those of us who have been fortunate enough to experience authentic Mexican cuisine.

The fondas are precisely a daily tasting of the complexity of the dishes offered by the different areas of the country.

After sitting down at the table you find a small piece of paper printed on the same day. The title of the place reads all the way to the top. After the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 and the advance of technology, there is no more printed paper, but a QR code stuck in the middle of the table. Scanning the code takes you to the menu of the day: There are three times with dishes to choose from, the first two only offer two choices most of the time:

Primer plato, sopa de pasta o alguna sopa/crema de verduras a elegir según el día.

First course

Pasta soup or some vegetable soup/cream of your choice depending on the day

Segundo plato

Rice or Salad

The menus are fixed, but the ingenuity of the cooks allows for daily variety. The menu of the dayor the potluck. You can eat at the same fonda every day of the week and never repeat a single dish.

Third course...

The list goes on long enough to give you options of chicken, fish or red meat. Sometimes liver encebollado or a more elaborate special like Chiles rellenos or huauzontle in pasilla sauce can surprise you.

The waiter or waitress comes, greets you with familiarity, makes small talk and anticipates your requests. He or she assumes, but asks first, that your rice will have a fried egg on top, maybe a banana, as you often request.

In the San Francisco Bay Area the vast majority of Mexican restaurants are taquerias. It is the export dish par excellence, after the Caesar salad invented in Tijuana, of course.

"When we lived in Mexico, my mom had a taco stand. But we wanted to put out handmade quesadillas and pambazos, gorditas and other antojitos. We've always wanted to do different things," says Luis when he refers to the Food Truck located at 2907 Camino Real, his first business.

Luis and Alfredo have just opened a beautiful fonda with beautiful talavera mosaic tables and walls decorated with Mexican artwork painted by family members.

Luis Santos in front of his work; woman making dough for tortillas.

"People are surprised when we bring the soup to the table," says Luis, a smile appears as soon as they taste it, "it makes them feel at home and reminds them of the soup their mother or grandmother used to make. That's the idea. I'm a food lover and I like it to transport me to another place. We want them to feel like they are in Mexico when they taste our food.

Luis also says that, although it is difficult to have a fonda, more work and not always find all the ingredients, he prefers to pay a little more to have quality products. And it shows. After eating several times at "Fonda Los Carnalitos" at 820 Veterans Blvd, Suite B in Redwood City, I can assure you that I haven't tasted anything closer to Mexican food in this city than what they offer here. The deep dish of blue talavera with pasta soup always arrives early and the specials vary from day to day.

"I hope people will come and try authentic Mexican food. We make it with heart, with the same passion with which we have always done everything," invites Luis.

The cochinita pibil is served in a casserole armed with banana leaves. I wrap the cochinita inside the handmade tortillas that are brought to us warm and the flavor invades me from the first bite.

Cochinita pibil servido en una cazuela armada con hoja de plátano.

I recommend the meatballs that sit atop their red sauce, with just enough spice to tingle the tongue, but never too much. Even though I'm Mexican, I don't tolerate a lot of chili, but these suit me just fine.

I just tried purslane in salsa verde and was grateful to have the taste of home so close, so I miss it a little less.

You may be interested in: Do you like authentic barbecue tacos?

America has been and will be a nation of immigrants.

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.29

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*June, Immigrant Heritage Month

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

This Wednesday marks the end of Immigrant Heritage Month, which is a reminder that America is, has been and always will be a nation of immigrants. That was the premise of the founding of the nation; it is reflected in the Constitution, and it is engraved on the Statue of Liberty: "from her hand as a beacon shines the world's welcome.

Nearly 11 million people in this country are undocumented, "and it's time for Congress to act by passing the American Citizenship Act of 2021, the immigration reform plan I put forward on the first day of my presidency," Joe Biden said during the proclamation of June as Migrant Heritage Month.

In that sense, he said the plan would provide a path to legal permanent residency and citizenship for these undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers, people with temporary protected status, farm workers and other essential workers who contribute to the country every day.

"We reaffirm and draw strength from that enduring identity and celebrate the history and achievements of immigrant communities across our nation," he said.

Biden recalled that throughout every generation and throughout the nation's history, "wave after wave of immigrants have enriched our nation and made us better, stronger, more innovative and more prosperous.

"American history includes the story of courageous families who ventured here, whether centuries ago or this year, from all over the world to seek new possibilities and help forge our Nation," he said in his statement.

The President recognized all of the workers, many of whom are immigrants, who have contributed to the food security, health and safety of all Americans during this challenging year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and every year.

"We honor the sacrifices made by immigrants who serve on the front lines as health care providers, first responders, teachers, shopkeepers, farmworkers, and other essential workers."

He pointed out that it was these same immigrant families and communities of color that were disproportionately affected by the virus.

"In California, we understand that our strength is in our diversity," said California Governor Gavin Newsom, who noted that "the economy, our universities and our communities are stronger and more vibrant because of the nearly 11 million immigrants who call California home, roughly a quarter of all foreign-born people nationwide."

It is worth noting that half of all children in California have at least one immigrant parent.

While it is the end of this month dedicated to the importance of the work and contribution of millions of migrants in the country, it is also the beginning of starting to push for inclusion, non-discrimination and the necessary reforms that will allow all these immigrants to be citizens with all the rights that this implies.

SFMoMa will be home to Diego Rivera's fresco "Unidad Panamericana".

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.29

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SFMoMa will be home to Diego Rivera's fresco "Unidad Panamericana".

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

Ten years after his first stay, Diego Rivera returned to San Francisco in June 1940 to headline the main fine arts exhibition at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island.

Thus, after more than 80 years, in partnership with City College of San Francisco -CCSF-, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art -SFMOMA- presents the Panamerican Unit, by Rivera at the Roberts Family Gallery.

Beginning this Monday, June 28 and continuing through the summer of 2023, the work will be on view on Floor 1 with free access to the public. The mural will then return to CCSF to be installed in a new performing arts center.

It was in 1940 when the great Mexican muralist worked on scaffolding in an airplane hangar before a live audience. The formal title of the piece is "The Marriage of Northern and Southern Artistic Expression on this Continent", however, it is commonly known as Pan American Unity, his last mural done in the U.S.

The fresco depicts in colorful detail a past, present, and future that the artist believed were shared in North America, calling for cultural solidarity and exchange during a time of global conflict.

Completed with the support of local artists and assistants, with scenes of the Bay Area as a backdrop, the mural celebrates the creative spirit through portraits of artists, artisans, architects and inventors who use art and technology as tools to shape society.

After the fair, "Pan American Unity," which measures twenty-two by seventy-four feet and weighs over sixty thousand pounds, was moved to the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) campus.

This was possible because Rivera painted this fresco not on a wall, but on ten steel-framed cement panels.

"I think that to make an American art, a true American art, this will be necessary, this mixture of the art of the Indian, the Mexican, the Eskimo, with the kind of impulse that makes the machine, the invention on the material side of life, which is also an artistic impulse, the same impulse mainly but in a different form of expression," said Diego Rivera during an interview in 1940.

Two men arrested for manufacturing and distributing explosives

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.29

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Two men arrested for manufacturing and distributing explosives

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

Two men were arrested by detectives with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) for manufacturing and distributing explosive devices.

The suspects were identified as Raymond Chan, a Burlingame resident, and Jeffrey Bernaldez of Daly City.

CSU detectives identified two residences - one an apartment building - in Millbrae and Burlingame where the devices were being manufactured.

Approximately 15 pounds of illegal explosives and specific materials used to manufacture them were seized.

At the time of their arrest, Chan and Bernaldez were also found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine. Both subjects were booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

Meanwhile, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Bomb Unit is conducting an additional investigation regarding criminal charges of manufacturing explosives.

The sheriff's office detailed in a statement that there have been numerous complaints about the use of illegal fireworks this year, so it continues to work on ways to deter the sale and use of them in our communities.

Through criminal investigations and promoting community awareness, the Sheriff's Office hopes for a safe Fourth of July where fireworks are left to the professionals.

In that regard, he reminded that "ALL fireworks are ILLEGAL in unincorporated San Mateo County, as well as in cities and towns contracted by the Sheriff's Office," while fines can be up to a thousand dollars.

"Don't call 911 to report fireworks; instead, call our non-emergency line at 650-363-4911. Don't take chances! Keep your family and community safe!" he stressed.

California eviction moratorium extension announced

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.29

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California eviction moratorium extension announced

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders in the Senate and Assembly announced an extension to California's proposed statewide eviction moratorium and an increase in compensation for the rent relief program.

The tripartite agreement on AB 832 extends the current eviction moratorium until September 30, 2021 and will ensure that California will be able to use more than $5 billion in federal rental assistance to help tenants and small landlords as quickly as possible, as well as protect vulnerable households from eviction.

The provisions include increasing the reimbursement to 100 percent for both past due rent and prepayments for tenants and landlords.

In addition, the bill ensures that increased rental assistance remains in California with priority given to cities and counties with unmet need. It also uses the judicial process to ensure that tenants and landlords who have tried to obtain rental assistance.

"California is roaring back from the pandemic, but the economic impacts of COVID-19 continue to disproportionately impact low-income Californians, renters and small homeowners alike," said Governor Newsom.

After the legislature unveiled the extension, he welcomed protecting low-income tenants with a longer eviction moratorium and paying their back rent and utility bills "all thanks to the largest and most comprehensive rental assistance package in the country, I'm eager to sign it into law as soon as I receive it."

At the time, Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins said the housing situation in California was already a crisis before COVID, "and the pandemic has only made it worse.

In that regard, he said outreach is key to ensuring that more people don't lose the safety net that helps them keep their homes. "While our state may be emerging from the pandemic in many ways, the lingering financial impact is still weighing heavily on California families.

"People are trying to find jobs and make ends meet and one of the biggest needs is to extend the moratorium on evictions, which includes maximizing the federal funds available to help as many renters and homeowners as possible, so they can have a roof over their heads while their finances recover," he said.

For his part, Assemblyman David Chiu, chairman of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee, detailed that even though the state has reopened, hundreds of thousands of Californians are dealing with rent debt and the threat of eviction.

"Eliminating eviction protections now, while billions of dollars in rental assistance is still available, would be a disaster and exacerbate our homelessness crisis. This proposal avoids a massive eviction cliff, allowing us to keep tenants in their homes and get landlords the financial support they need," he noted.

Meanwhile, Senator Scott Wiener, chairman of the Senate Housing Committee, explained that there is a need to ensure that the social safety net remains strong so that all Californians can remain stably housed.

"We have come a long way in ending this pandemic, but its impact will continue to ripple through our economy. Many renters are still out of work. Thousands of families tragically lost someone in their home to COVID-19, which can be devastating both emotionally and financially."

San Mateo County Supervisors approve $6.3 billion dollar budget

Pamela Cruz

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2021.06.29

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San Mateo County Supervisors approve $6.3 billion dollar budget

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a two-year, $6.3 billion budget for various support projects in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the county, the spending plan for fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23 seeks to end homelessness, improve child literacy, update infrastructure, make park improvements and the hiring of a new chief equity officer.

"To me, this budget is a moral document. How we spend this $6.3 billion should reflect the values of this Board. And I know this Board values fairness," said Board Chairman David J. Canepa.

The approved FY 2021-22 general fund budget is $2.2 billion, a decrease of approximately $210 million from the previous year, because pandemic-related supports such as Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security - CARES - will no longer be provided.

Meanwhile, the general fund budget for fiscal year 2022-23 is $2 billion.

Thanks to progress in vaccination and reduced spending due to the pandemic, the County Board of Supervisors noted that the County Health Department - County Health - is in a much stronger financial position, showing a structural deficit of only $23 million for fiscal year 2022-23.

The budget was approved after three days of presentations by different county departments, which expressed their concerns and needs.

"We need to continue to evolve in this county," County Administrator Mike Callagy said. "The pandemic has moved us light years ahead of us ... and it's amazing how creative these departments have become in thinking about equity and looking at the way they do business through a new lens."

He said the county will be stronger than before the pandemic because of diversity and a strong housing market. At the same time, he recommended a fiscally cautious approach because of uncertainty about the post-pandemic economy.

At the time, Callagy thanked the Board for its continued support during the COVID crisis, and praised the county employees who served as disaster service workers during the health emergency.

"We are a different organization than we were two years ago on many fronts. Working together is a San Mateo County trademark," he stressed.

The Board will adopt the final budget in September 2021 after considering any proposed revisions. The full recommended budget can be viewed by clicking here.

Road to Racial Equality in Redwood City

Peninsula 360 Press

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2021.06.29

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By Ignacio Dominguez. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]

In an effort to create a pathway to racial equality, the City of Redwood City is recreating a reflection of the diversity of the city and its residents through a new mural, which will be downtown across from the city's bookstore.

The project supported by the Redwood City Council, Redwood City Arts Commission, and the Racial Equity Steering Commission was presented to the public on Wednesday, June 16 with an invitation to the community to participate and promote their ideas for this new mural.

The purpose of this first meeting held by the city was to hear opinions, suggestions and to introduce the purpose and location of the new work. The presentation was led by Ashley Quintana and Erin Ashford along with 8 committee members.

A commitment was made to the city and the community to promote social justice and enhance community togetherness by inviting artists and design teams to make this mural a true communication.

At the first meeting, the organizing committee was introduced, and the search for an artist on issues of social justice and racial equality, fundamental to this project.

In the wake of the recent months of protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer, and the clear call for a more inclusive country, Redwood City has joined with the community to raise its voice with this mural.

The committee will meet again next Wednesday, July 28th to analyze their proposals and the work of artists interested in these themes.

The city is inviting artists from all levels of the Bay Area along with people of color, and people from underserved communities to apply to be part of this new mural, which will be open until July 8.

For more information about the new mural and call for entries you can visit, https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/parks-recreation-and-community-services/racial-equity-mural