Child support helps provide children with a healthy start with the shelter and security they deserve and encourages responsible parenting, according to San Mateo County supervisors, who recognized August as Child Support Awareness Month.
Child support helps provide children with a healthy start with the shelter and security they deserve and encourages responsible parenting, according to San Mateo County supervisors, who recognized August as Child Support Awareness Month.
“Child support plays a critical role in creating stable and nurturing homes, ensuring that children have access to essential resources such as health care and education. It is also important to ensure that if a child is raised in two homes, they have a similar lifestyle and receive equal support in both homes,” said District Two Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who sponsored the proclamation.
While every family and their financial needs are different, those working in child support services say each family ensures they have access to the support and tools they need to navigate the necessary bureaucracy and meet their legal obligations.
“The child support program is a vital resource to assist in the co-parenting process and our child support professionals work to provide solutions in a fair and equitable manner,” said Kim Cagno, director of the county’s Department of Child Support Services (DCSS).
In April of this year, the department replaced its application process with a new form simplified online, which is the first of the 10 steps of the process of a child support case.
In that regard, Cagno assured that the social workers in his office are ready to help parents and guardians complete the entire process.
Additionally, beginning this month, the Family Law Facilitator will be holding an increased number of appointments on Friday afternoons specifically for child support clients.
Interested parties can schedule an appointment through a caseworker, by calling 866-901-2312 or by emailing smcdcss@smcgov.org.
“Child Support Awareness Month raises awareness about the incredible resource our Department of Child Support Services provides to our community,” Corzo said.
La mortalidad infantil en EE. UU. aumentó por segundo año consecutivo en 2022, con un aumento del 3 por ciento respecto al año anterior, de acuerdo con los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés).
La mortalidad infantil aumentó por segundo año consecutivo en 2022, con un aumento del 3 por ciento respecto al año anterior, de acuerdo con los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés).
The report publicado en el Reporte Nacional de Estadísticas Vitales de los CDC, detalló que las cinco principales causas de mortalidad infantil se mantuvieron iguales que en 2021, incluidas las muertes infantiles por complicaciones maternas, que aumentaron un 9 por ciento.
Este aumento, precisó, está relacionado con la atención insuficiente en muchos estados.
Y es que, de acuerdo con estos datos, las tasas de mortalidad infantil y materna en EE. UU. superan con creces las de otros países de altos ingresos.
The text details that, in 2022, 20,577 infant deaths were recorded in the United States, an increase of 3 percent compared to 2021 (19,928), while the infant mortality rate was 5.61 deaths per thousand live births in 2022, an increase of 3 percent from the 2021 rate of 5.44.
Asimismo, precisa que la tasa de mortalidad neonatal de 2022 (muertes de bebés con menos de 28 días) fue de 3.59, un 3 por ciento superior a la de 2021 (3.49), en tanto que la tasa de mortalidad postneonatal de 2022 (muertes infantiles a los 28 días o más) aumentó 4 por ciento hasta 2.02 desde 1.95 en 2021.
It does not affect everyone equally
Los datos demuestran que este tipo de decesos no afecta a todos por igual, y son las razas de color aquellas con números más preocupantes.
En 2022, la mortalidad infantil siguió variando según la raza: los bebés de mujeres afrodescendientes tuvieron la tasa de mortalidad más alta (10.90), seguidos de los bebés de mujeres indígenas americanas y nativas de Alaska y hawaianas nativas u otras isleñas del Pacífico (9.06 y 8.50, respectivamente), hispanas (4.89), blancas (4.52) y asiáticas (3.51).
La tasa de mortalidad para bebés de mujeres indias americanas y nativas de Alaska aumentó de 7.46 muertes infantiles por cada mil nacimientos a 9.06 de 2021 a 2022, mientras que la tasa para bebés de mujeres blancas aumentó de 4.36 a 4.52.
Sin embargo, los aumentos en las tasas de bebés nacidos de mujeres afrodescendientes pasaron de 10.55 a 10.90); en el caso de las hispanas, de 4.79 a 4.89; y de nativas de Hawái u otras islas del Pacífico, de 7.76 a 8.50, caso que el texto marca como “no significativos”.
Cabe destacar que hubo un descenso en la tasa de mortalidad de bebés nacidos de mujeres asiáticas, al pasar de 3.69 a 3.51.
Entre los subgrupos de origen hispano, la tasa de mortalidad para los bebés de mujeres dominicanas aumentó de 3.27 a 4.74 de 2021 a 2022; para las de mujeres centroamericanas y sudamericanas, pasó de 4.20 a 4.36; cubanas de 3.56 a 3.94 y puertorriqueñas de 6.05 a 6.32).
Por otro lado, el descenso de la tasa de mortalidad infantil de mujeres mexicanas pasó de 4.91 a 4.79) de 2021 a 2022.
Los bebés de mujeres afrodescendientes también tuvieron la tasa de mortalidad neonatal más alta en 2022 (6.44) en comparación con los bebés de los otros grupos raciales y de origen hispano; la tasa de mortalidad más baja correspondió a los bebés de mujeres asiáticas (2.47).
De igual manera, el texto subraya que, en 2022, las tasas de mortalidad posneonatal eran más altas para los bebés de mujeres afrodescendientes (4.45), indias americanas y nativas de Alaska (3.81) y nativas de Hawai u otras islas del Pacífico (3.75) que para los bebés de mujeres blancas (1.63), hispanas (1.54) y asiáticas (1.03).
Las cinco causas principales de todas las muertes infantiles fueron las mismas que en 2021: malformaciones congénitas (19.5 por ciento de las muertes infantiles), trastornos relacionados con la gestación corta y el bajo peso al nacer (14.0 por ciento), síndrome de muerte súbita del lactante (SMSL) (7.4 por ciento), lesiones no intencionadas (6.6 por ciento) y complicaciones maternas (5.9 por ciento).
El estado con la menor mortalidad infantil, con un mínimo de 3.32 muertes infantiles por cada mil nacimientos fue para Massachusetts, mientras que el máximo de 9.11 fue para Mississippi.
Doce estados tenían tasas de mortalidad infantil significativamente inferiores a la tasa de mortalidad infantil nacional: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Nuevo Hampshire, Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Oregón, Rhode Island y Washington.
En tanto, 19 estados tenían tasas de mortalidad infantil significativamente superiores a la media nacional: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Luisiana, Michigan, Misisipi, Misuri, Carolina del Norte y Ohio.
La conversación entre Musk y Trump celebrada este lunes 12 de agosto, se llevó a cabo con muchas fallas técnicas y un discurso sin fundamentos, Musk aseguraba que mostraría una parte diferente de Trump, llevando a cabo una conversación más íntima y no con la formalidad de un mitin o entrevista tradicional, sin embargo, quedo mucho a deber.
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La conversación entre Donald Trump y el magnate tecnológico Elon Musk celebrada este lunes 12 de agosto, se llevó a cabo con muchas fallas técnicas y un discurso sin fundamentos, donde el candidato republicano a la presidencia de EE. UU. aseguró que los inmigrantes que llegan a este país, provienen, en su mayoría, de cárceles e instituciones mentales.
Con 35 minutos de retraso por fallas técnicas, la “charla amistosa” entre Trump y Musk inició; ambos hablaron durante más de dos horas y obtuvieron una audiencia de aproximadamente 2.1 millones de personas, no las 8 millones que esperaba Musk, y para lo cual, aseguró, estaba lista la plataforma.
Musk aseguraba que mostraría una parte diferente de Trump, llevando a cabo una conversación más íntima y no con la formalidad de un mitin o entrevista tradicional, sin embargo, quedo mucho a deber, pues el discurso fue el mismo, sin salirse de la línea y de su personaje, Trump desenvainó en contra de algunos sectores de la población.
El candidato a la presidencia por el partido republicano comentó sobre la huelga que hicieron trabajadores de la empresa de Musk, X (antes Twitter), y aplaudió su despido; además, durante la conversación se negó el impacto del cambio climático y temas de instancia social. Poco había que informar.
El espacio no se podía desaprovechar para retomar un tema ya obligatoio en el discurso de Trump: la inmigración ilegal, tachando a diestra y siniestra que “vienen de África, de Asia, de Oriente Próximo y Sudamérica. (…) En Venezuela y otros países, los crímenes han bajado entre un 50 por ciento y un 80 por ciento porque se han deshecho de toda su gente mala (…). Son criminales que hacen parecer a nuestros criminales como buenas personas”.
A ello, sumó que las personas que entran al país de forma irregular son “improductivos”.
Musk asentaba, y comentó que visitó la frontera de Texas, en Eagle Pass, donde llamó su atención ver a la gente cruzando la frontera desde México como un “apocalipsis zombi”, haciendo referencia a los inmigrantes.
“Este es un asunto existencial, fundamental. Creo que si permitimos que esto pase por cuatro años más no tendremos más país”, aseguró Musk.
A lo largo de su ya cansado y usado discurso, se ha comprobado que los datos y cifras a las cuales recurre Trump, son falsos o se usan de manera tendenciosa. Pero lo que si quedó claro, es que, claramente, la red social X, o más bien su dueño, ha tomado partido, dando espacio al candidato para que sin presiones, vertiera sus opiniones políticas, al igual que él, sin más que aportar al tablero electoral.
A group of Mexicans, led by the announcer and journalist of Hecho en California, Marcos Gutiérrez, managed to have the celebration of the “Grito de Independencia” held on September 15 in SF. Photo of the national holidays celebrated in Redwood City in 2023 P360P
A group of Mexicans, led by the announcer and journalist of Hecho en CaliforniaMarcos Gutiérrez, managed to have the celebration of the “Grito de Independencia” (Cry of Independence) that is commemorated every September 15, held on that day at the San Francisco City Hall, and not on September 13, as was planned.
A united community achieves much more. In recent days, it was announced that this very significant event for residents or citizens with Mexican roots in the United States would not take place on September 15, as usual, but on September 13.
According to Marco Gutiérrez, the mayor of San Francisco, London Breed, did not have time for the celebration of the Grito de Independencia on September 15, and she also wanted to ring the bell on this important commemoration, which is why the celebration had been moved to September 13.
Last Friday, August 9, Marcos spoke with the recently appointed Mexican consul in San Francisco, Ana Luisa Vallejo Barba, who said during her radio show that she did not consider it disrespectful.
“It is not about being disrespectful, far from it. The truth is that it is not as simple as thinking that there is a political interest in ringing a bell, it is not that simple. I believe that there are also budgetary implications, there are security issues and other relevant ones that we have to consider,” he said at the time.
The Mexican official said that in many other Mexican representations around the world, the commemoration does not take place exactly on the date, as it depends on many circumstances.
“It is not a lack of respect or an unpatriotic issue, on the contrary, it is a desire to contribute and collaborate with all the people who are interested in celebrating the National Day and we will be in many communities,” Vallejo Barba stressed.
However, the Mexican community or community of Mexican origin living in the city of San Francisco expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision to celebrate it days before the traditional date, because they say it is disrespectful.
Vallejo said that September is a patriotic month for Mexicans, and that he will attend various celebrations in many communities in Northern California, such as Santa Rosa and Redwood City.
“There will be shouts from before the national holiday until the end of September, which is why we call September the patriotic month. So, I would rather invite everyone to participate in all the activities from the first day of September until the end so that we can all celebrate our month with enthusiasm and pride,” he concluded.
Things did not end there, and driven by the requests, Marco took on the task of finding other leaders of the Mexican community to join him in protesting this change; the first idea was to go to the San Francisco City Hall with matlachines, horses, mariachis and an image alluding to the discontent over the lack of respect, days before September 13.
However, it was not necessary; the pressure and discontent reached the office of Mayor Breed, who had to back down on her decision and accepted that the Grito de Independencia de México will be held on its traditional date, September 15.
There is no formal itinerary yet, however, this commemoration is expected to be special for the entire Mexican and Latino community in the area.
Marcos Gutiérrez, along with sociologist and journalist Manuel Ortiz, agreed during the Península 360 Press radio program in collaboration with Hecho en California this Tuesday, that this change in decision is just a sample of what a community can achieve when it is united, demanding respect for its traditions, customs and national flags.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi at the Caltrain electric rail unveiling event on Aug. 10, 2024. (Joe Rosenheim/Bay City News)
The formal opening of Caltrain's innovative electric train, the first of its kind in California, took place Saturday morning in San Francisco.
The event was attended by a group of politicians and other dignitaries who touted the project as a sign of renewed hope for modern railways and a precursor to similar projects elsewhere.
The launch began with a long series of short speeches, including from House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, followed by a train ride to Millbrae and back, exclusive to government, business and labor officials in attendance, along with the media.
“We’re looking forward to these trains moving and making noise, but you won’t notice it because they’ll be so quiet,” Breed said.
Caltrain, which began the $2.4 billion project in 2017, will gradually phase in electric trains to its existing diesel trains between now and Sept. 21, when its fleet is expected to be all-electric. Sunday marks the first day the new trains will be used for mass transit.
Local officials described the project as a dream long in the making that finally came to fruition through astonishing levels of inter-agency cooperation, the pooling of diverse funding sources and the tortuous navigation of a thorny political landscape.
“This is the spirit of California and that spirit has alarmed the world,” Newsom joked.
He said the trains “will set the template for the future of all railroads in the country, and when electric is the norm, we will likely say, ‘It all started here in San Francisco.’”
According to Caltrain spokesman Dan Lieberman, the new trains will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 250,000 metric tons a year — the equivalent of taking 55,000 cars off the road. He said other benefits include faster service (electric trains accelerate and decelerate much more quickly), less noise, smoother rides and a host of new onboard amenities.
“There is Wi-Fi, power outlets under every forward-facing seat, security cameras, digital displays, improved climate controls and redesigned accessible restrooms,” Lieberman said.
The Caltrain electrification project combines funding from numerous sources at all levels of government, including more than $2 billion combined from the federal and state governments, and approximately $250 million from local ballot measures, bridge toll funds, and contributions from San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
“We had a lot of leadership at the federal, state and local levels trying to secure funding and overcome various political hurdles,” Lieberman said.
Speakers at Saturday's event said Caltrain's electric rail is both a triumph in itself and a boost to California's troubled plan to build a high-speed rail line from San Francisco to Los Angeles, a project that ties into Caltrain's electrification effort in some important ways.
The state's original high-speed rail plan, which was approved for funding by voters in 2008, called for building new tracks along the entire rail line. That plan was later scrapped amid lawsuits from several peninsula cities opposing construction.
It was replaced by a new plan that would share existing Caltrain tracks and then run the train through the Central Valley after the end of the Caltrain line in Gilroy (although Union Pacific, not Caltrain, owns the tracks between San Jose and Gilroy).
“They wanted to destroy the peninsula and all the cities filed lawsuits; it was like a prairie fire,” said U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, as she chatted with her interlocutors during the train’s 30-minute inaugural ride. “So we came up with the idea that the peninsula’s high-speed rail would be Caltrain.”
The new plan — and the federal funding its backers secured — breathed new life into the California project, Eshoo said. It also helped secure state and federal funding for the Caltrain project, because that initiative's success became central to the high-speed rail plan.
“High-speed rail has helped us secure funding for Caltrain because they will ultimately be running on the same tracks,” Lieberman said.
California plans aside, Lieberman stressed that Caltrain's achievement was already monumental.
“This is a diesel-to-electric conversion, the first project of its kind in a generation in North America,” he said. “It’s been done before, but I think it was in the 1980s. This was a construction project along an 83-kilometer operating rail corridor. And this is an incredibly complex undertaking that was done outside of our work hours, meaning that workers were up late at night a lot. So a lot of the credit goes to the men and women who actually built this system.”
Lieberman added that he expects Caltrain ridership levels to rebound after years of low numbers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The choice between the traffic on [U.S. Highway] 101 and riding on a beautiful, modern train — that’s not even a choice,” he added.
Medicaid is the nation's largest health insurance program that seeks to close the coverage gap, which is one of the most significant ways for states to increase coverage rates and achieve health equity.
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Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, currently offering free or low-cost coverage to more than 83 million people in the United States, but not all states have managed to maintain a high number of beneficiaries due to misinformation or confusion in paperwork; however, Medicaid seeks to break the health disparity and provide health services to all.
Approximately 23 million people, including 3 million children, have lost or will lose coverage due to the end of pandemic-era continuous coverage protections. Of the 23 million people who will lose or have lost coverage, 69 percent have been disenrolled for reasons other than their eligibility.
Expanding Medicaid to close the coverage gap is one of the most significant ways for states to increase coverage rates and achieve health equity, experts said during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
Ten states, mostly in the South, continue to choose not to expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, and these states have some of the worst health disparities in the country.
Katherine Hempstead, senior policy adviser at the foundation Robert Wood Johnson, said the federal Medicaid program was designed as a federal-state partnership, meaning there is both federal and state money earmarked for the program in each state, and while the federal government spends much more, the amount each state spends depends on the average income bracket of the state.
So it's a very large program that primarily benefits children, pregnant women, low-income adults, but also low-income seniors and people with disabilities.
Medicaid was originally designed for low-income groups, however its services are so broad that they benefit anyone.
Hempstead said states that are considering expanding coverage to immigrants should be encouraged and, if so, would have to use state funds to do so, “but we know that several states have expanded coverage to people regardless of their immigration status, sometimes it is only a combination of groups that benefit, so the objective is lost, although the effort made in California is evident.”
There is a gap in this regard, and the use of coverage for immigrants is complicated by the fear of providing personal information that could compromise them, which makes it difficult to remain on Medicaid, even though they remain eligible, Hempstead said.
Martha Sánchez, Director of Health Policy and Defense of Young Invincibles, commented that the organization was founded in 2009, encouraging young adults to gain access to affordable and quality health care, “despite our age, we understand that young people are not invincible, we need health care, we get sick and face a number of chronic problems.”
A 2019 study of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that at least half of young adults between 18 and 34 years old have at least one chronic condition such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, or mental health, among others.
She said that young people aged 18 to 24 show symptoms of mental illness such as depression, anxiety and loneliness, so having a comprehensive medical service is essential for emotional development, in addition to any other illness.
“Statistics and studies that we are receiving from the American Cancer Society support that we are increasing the number of people suffering from more serious cancers, including colon cancer, and therefore diseases that would normally affect the older population,” he explained.
She also said that the goal is to reach out to young people and make sure they know they need to renew their Medicaid, so they are supporting the Department of Education's efforts, raising awareness to determine eligibility in general; "it's about health and protecting the future of young people."
Joan Alker, CEO and co-founder of Center for Children and Families and research professor at Georgetown University, explained that her mission is to ensure that all children and families have access to high-quality health care, leaving the question: Do you know how Medicaid should cover children?
“We predicted that 6.7 million people would experience a gap in health coverage, but we don’t know why for children. What we do know is that the community of color is doing very badly – many of these children are still eligible, but they are not enrolled.”
Alker said some states are really rethinking their eligibility systems and are undertaking new policies that are very exciting, such as keeping all babies up to age 6 in school continuously. “Parents don’t have to worry about losing coverage, so you can make sure those kids have a healthy start in life.”
“We have 11 states and the District of Columbia that are trying to improve their policies, other states did everything they could to protect children in this process like North Carolina and Kentucky that delayed the process for children, but we have some states that have doubled down on their efforts to expel children, even though we know that many of them are eligible.”
In Texas, 1.3 million children were left out, and in Florida, the figure is more than half a million. “When parents lost coverage, they fell into a gap, but children often lost coverage too, and they shouldn’t have because they remain eligible.”
“The Native American community is so large, so I'm very concerned that Native American children have lost coverage while still being eligible. We need to get the message out to parents that their child is likely still eligible and to seek help in their communities to get those children re-enrolled, to get help from their pediatrician at the clinic,” she said.
Stan Dorn, director of the health policy project at UnidosUS, said Latinos have been drastically affected. Medicaid covers nearly 4 million teenagers, when the number of Latinos covered by the program is more than three times higher in the United States.
On the other hand, almost 3 million African Americans, at least, have lost Medicaid during the deintegration, using very conservative methodologies in processes and paperwork.
Although many are still eligible, it is necessary to review the information that reaches the most vulnerable communities and support the renewal processes; experts say that the task is still long, but it is necessary so that everyone can obtain quality medical service.
Brooke Jenkins of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office announced that twenty-six people have been charged in connection with an illegal public assembly on the Golden Gate Bridge on April 15, 2024, while protesting the war in Gaza.
Today, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that twenty-six people have been charged in connection with an unlawful public assembly on the Golden Gate Bridge on April 15, 2024, while protesting the war in Gaza.
Eight people are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit felonies and 18 with one count of misdemeanor conspiracy, while all are charged with 38 counts of false imprisonment, trespassing to interfere with a business, obstructing a public highway, unlawful assembly, refusal to disperse in a riot and failure to obey the lawful order of a uniformed officer.
According to a statement, an arrest warrant has been issued for each individual charged. They must surrender to the California Highway Patrol immediately, but no later than Monday, August 12.
Court appearances in San Francisco Superior Court will be scheduled as individuals turn themselves in, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office said.
“I want to thank the California Highway Patrol for their work to peacefully resolve this incident and their subsequent thorough investigation,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech cannot compromise public safety.”
The official stressed that the demonstration on the Golden Gate Bridge created a level of security risk, including extreme threats to the health and well-being of those trapped, that “as a society we cannot ignore or allow.”
“We will continue to ensure that adequate avenues for the expression of free speech and social advocacy exist and are protected in San Francisco. I truly believe that there can be freedom of expression while maintaining the safety of our communities,” he added.
For his part, California Highway Patrol Chief Don Goodbrand said that while he recognizes and supports everyone's right to protest and assemble under the First Amendment, this does not extend to blocking roads and preventing the free movement of others.
“Regardless of the message, blocking roads is not only illegal, but dangerous for protesters, motorists, and first responders who must now help clear the incident. District Attorney Jenkins and her office have been a valuable partner in our efforts to hold accountable those responsible for disrupting the lives of so many people on the morning of April 15, and we are grateful for their hard work in bringing these charges,” she said.
The San Francisco District Attorney's Office said an affidavit filed in court in support of the arrest warrant describes a coordinated effort to illegally shut down the Golden Gate Bridge coinciding with the A-15 protests with the goal of disrupting the economy across the country in a coordinated manner.
As a result of the protest, he said, hundreds of motorists were trapped on the Golden Gate Bridge and US 101, who had no choice but to remain stuck on the highway for several hours.
According to an affidavit, the Golden Gate Bridge District lost more than $162,000 in revenue on April 15 due to the protest.
After a distinguished 33-year career in the fire service, Ray Iverson, Chief of the Redwood City Fire Department, which also serves the City of San Carlos, has announced his retirement.
Chief Iverson, who joined Redwood City in June 2021, will officially retire in December of this year, but will continue to lead the department and focus on succession planning for now.
“Chief Iverson has been a dedicated servant to our community,” said City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz. “He is a strategic and creative leader who has helped us focus on continuous improvement and ensure we are prepared to meet the current and future needs of the community.”
The official acknowledged Iverson's efforts to expand hiring initiatives and support an inclusive culture in the department.
For his part, San Carlos City Manager Jeff Maltbie said, “Chief Iverson’s dedication and leadership have strengthened our fire services and created lasting partnerships. We are deeply grateful for his contributions and wish him the best in his retirement.”
The City of Redwood City noted that Chief Iverson has been instrumental in forging strong relationships with key stakeholders, securing millions of dollars in federal funding to hire new firefighters and purchase new equipment.
In the city's 2023-24 community satisfaction survey, more than 90 percent of respondents gave top marks to the city's fire services and 82 percent to its emergency medical services.
“I truly believe I have made my mark and can confidently say I am leaving this organization in a better place,” said Chief Iverson. “Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of hiring 29 firefighters, three fire officers and one fire chief, and promoting nine fire captains and two battalion chiefs. We have become one of the most diverse fire departments in the county.”
Throughout his career, Chief Iverson has served on numerous fire departments in Northern California.
His previous roles include Fire Chief for the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department, Deputy Fire Chief/Marshal for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Battalion Chief/Fire Chief for the City of Benicia Fire Department, Fire Inspector for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and the City of Vacaville Fire Department, and Firefighter for the City of Union City, City of Vacaville, and American Canyon Fire Protection District.
Chief Iverson currently serves as President of the San Mateo County Fire Chiefs Association and President of the International Fire Service Foundation, and is an adjunct faculty member at City College of San Francisco. He is also a San Mateo Rotarian and serves as a board member for the San Mateo County Historical Association.
The city will begin an open selection process this fall, with the intention of appointing a new fire chief before Chief Iverson retires.
The King's Assassin, a novel that is part of the Sangre Mestiza saga, written by Canadian Melissa Blair, and whose text, full of mystery, romance, murders and espionage, calls the reader to awaken passion for the fantasy genre.
“My body is made of scars; some were inflicted on me, but most were self-inflicted.”
This line belongs to the book “The King’s Assassin”, a novel that is part of the Sangre Mestiza saga, written by Canadian Melissa Blair, and whose text, full of mystery, romance, murders and espionage, calls the reader to awaken passion for the fantasy genre.
This is how Camilasbooks, a book reviewer, makes us feel. In collaboration with Península 360 Press, she presents us this Saturday with a text that has captivated her from beginning to end, encouraging her to continue with the saga that is still in progress.
“Today’s novel is a fantasy that also has romance, I love this mix because I think things turn out really well and I find them very funny,” said Camilasbooks.
Keera is a young half-breed assassin, the King's Sword and thus the most ruthless spy in the entire kingdom, as well as the monarch's favorite. For years she has rigorously fulfilled the mission of eliminating anyone who endangers the peace of Elverath, the kingdom she protects, and no one has been able to escape her. Until now.
As she searches for answers, Keera will be haunted by a promise she made long ago. To keep her word, she must free herself and, more importantly, save the entire kingdom.
According to Camilasbooks, at some point a person appears who is an opponent, a rebel who is against the king, and takes actions to rebel against the crown and go completely in opposition to the monarch, which makes Keera have to go out in search of this man who calls himself "the shadow" to kill him.
In her quest, the young assassin will cross the magical lands of the fae, trying to discern if her enemy is mortal, elf or half-breed, like her. With each step she will question who the true adversary is, the shadow that threatens peace or the king who destroyed her people and turned her into a heartless assassin.
“This fantasy world is very well constructed and it is very entertaining how everything works and how the author relates all the events. I am impressed with this story and I want to read the sequel because I had a great time and I swear I read a little every day and it has made me return to my reading habits and my reading habits of reading every day, even if it is just one chapter. It is incredible and it flies by.”
If you want to know more about this and other recommendations from Camilasbooks, don't miss her reviews every Saturday on Península 360 Press.
The State of California has partnered with technology company NVIDIA on a new initiative to collaborate on cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) efforts and provide students, educators, and workers with access to this technology. Credit: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
The State of California has partnered with technology company NVIDIA on a new initiative to collaborate on cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) efforts and provide students, educators, and workers with access to this technology.
The initiative, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang, aims to train students, educators and workers, as well as support job creation and promote innovation, and use AI to solve challenges that can improve the lives of Californians.
Among other goals, the goal is to bring new AI resources to NVIDIA community colleges, including curricula and certifications, hardware and software, AI labs and workshops, and more, to open new avenues for students, educators, and workers to learn new skills and advance their careers.
“California’s world-leading companies are pioneering advances in artificial intelligence, and it’s critical that we create more opportunities for Californians to gain the skills needed to use this technology and advance their careers,” Newsom said during the agreement.
The governor highlighted that this partnership connects artificial intelligence tools directly with students, educators and workers, creating a channel to drive the innovations of the future.
This initiative builds on Governor Newsom’s executive order requiring the state to use artificial intelligence to better serve Californians.
“We are in the early stages of a new industrial revolution that will transform trillion-dollar industries around the world. Together with California, NVIDIA will train 100,000 students, university professors, developers and data scientists to harness this technology to prepare California for tomorrow’s challenges and create prosperity across the state,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA.
The Santa Clara-based tech company aims to provide technical guidance, mentorship and access to advanced AI hardware and software resources to support cutting-edge research initiatives, while California will explore opportunities to support early-stage AI startups and public-private partnerships to create AI innovation zones and job creation hubs.
California and NVIDIA plan to collaborate to create AI labs at higher education facilities that can be equipped to meet the evolving needs of AI education and research.
The state noted that it will fund AI workforce training initiatives in educational institutions and industries and work with NVIDIA to develop programs for teachers aimed at improving AI literacy and curriculum.
To that end, NVIDIA aims to create pipelines and learning paths for AI talent and industry-recognized certifications for AI in specific sectors, including train-the-trainer programs for teachers, while California will adopt skills and training for state careers, including new roles for AI specialists in government.
“This partnership will help California Community Colleges and their more than 2 million students prepare with industry-aligned AI skills and be ready from day one for careers that will boost their prosperity and our state’s economic competitiveness,” said Sonya Christian, Chancellor of California Community Colleges.
“We cannot stand idly by as AI changes the future of learning, and our approach prioritizes equitable access to AI teaching and learning enhancements that will help underserved populations,” she added.
Following Friday’s announcement, California issued a call to action to encourage other AI and technology stakeholders to join in future collaborations to ensure California remains a global leader in education, innovation, research, and preparing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.
It is noteworthy that the University of California and California State University systems will also partner with the state on these initiatives in the future.
