San Mateo County Supervisors approved awarding a design contract for a new fire station in Pescadero. Fortification of Station 59, located west of downtown Pescadero, against seasonal flooding from Butano Creek. (Credit: San Mateo County Executive's Office)
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The fire station serving a cramped, flood-prone area of southern San Mateo County will be replaced, as a 5-0 vote by the board of trustees San Mateo County Supervisors, a design contract was approved for a new fire station at 350-360 Butano Cutoff, next to Pescadero Middle and High School.
The project will replace the current Fire Station 59, located in a flood zone approximately 1.5 miles away.
“We are proud to invest in this historic project that will provide much more than a typical fire station,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose District 3 includes much of the rural coast.
The new station, which could begin construction in mid-2025, will provide barracks and apparatus bays and additional amenities, as well as potable water for students and staff at Pescadero Middle and High School.
In December 2023, the California Coastal Commission voted to allow the county to move the current station to the new site, thereby extending a water line to the new station.
It also addresses an ongoing public health issue that has plagued the Pescadero community for years: The commission's approval means fresh water can be delivered to Pescadero Middle and High School, where students and staff now rely on bottled water due to contaminated wells.
County officials said the new station is much needed.
Flooding in Butano Creek near the current station can force emergency personnel to wade through rising waters to reach downtown Pescadero and residents farther east. The current station suffers from mold, tight quarters (nine people can live there during fire season) and heavy use since it was built in 1957.
Supervisors awarded the design contract worth $1,619,326 to California-based PBK Architects.
The new station will be designed to “have a useful life of 75 years and take into account the fault near San Gregorio,” according to the contract.
The County's Capital Improvement Plan through the Measure K half-cent local sales tax has allocated approximately $20 million to relocate the new station.
In September 2023, the Board approved a 99-year lease for the 1.75-acre site with the La Honda Pescadero Unified School District.
The arrest of a well-known community activist in El Salvador highlights the growing risk of arbitrary detention in the Central American nation.
Above: José Santos' wife holds a photograph of her husband alongside Monsignor Oscar Romero (top right), who was killed in 1980 during El Salvador's civil war. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
In January of this year, community activist José Santos Alfaro Ayala was arrested by Salvadoran authorities on charges of gang affiliation. Santos is co-founder and co-director of the Tamarindo Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to address the issues driving forced migration out of the Central American nation by providing faith-based educational, economic, and leadership opportunities.
Santos' arrest is part of a broader crackdown justified under the "emergency” passed by President Nayib Bukele in 2022, initially intended as a tool to combat gang violence. Human rights activists say it is now being used against civic leaders like Santos. More than 2 percent of El Salvador’s adult population is now behind bars because of the law.
Journalist and photographer Manuel Ortiz, in collaboration with the human rights organization Global Exchange, traveled to the town of Guarjila, in the rural north of the country, to learn more about the Santos case. What he found was a region “paralyzed by fear.”
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
Who is Jose Santos Alfaro Ayala?
José Santos is a community leader who works for the Tamarindo Foundation, which began in 1992 in Guarjila, a community of just over two thousand people in the Department of Chalatenango. He is an athlete and serves as the organization’s recreation director, training young people in sports. He is passionate about sports and until recently worked for the local government as director of the National Sports Institute in Chalatenango. When I first arrived in Guarjila, I went around asking people about José Santos. I was immediately impressed because everyone seemed to know him or know of him. Many described him as strict but caring. He is an important leader in the community and a role model for young people in a place where that is very important. This is a poor, rural region with few opportunities.
Guarjila, in northern El Salvador, is a small community of less than 2,500 residents where José Santos lived and worked. After a recent murder, the government deployed some five thousand soldiers to the region. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
Santos was arrested on January 12. What were the charges?
The Salvadoran government accused him of being linked to the Hollywood Clique of MS13, a group that no one in the area had ever heard of. They offered no evidence, none. Soldiers came, handed a piece of paper to his lawyers, and that was it. He remained in almost total isolation, unable to speak to his lawyers, his wife, or his children. No one knew where he was or if he was still alive. It is important to note that while Santos worked in local government, he was not involved in politics, but the region he comes from did not vote for Bukele and everyone knows that. Many there believe that Bukele has deployed the military to the region as a message and a warning.
Can you say more about the military presence there?
There was a murder shortly before I arrived. Two young men were involved in a shootout that killed one person and injured another. In response, the Bukele government deployed five thousand soldiers and one thousand additional police officers to the region. Residents insist that the shooting was not gang-related and that the young men involved were known thieves, nothing more. They also say that the MS13 has never had much of a presence in the region.
Now, with so many armed soldiers present, the fear is palpable. I attended a community meeting in Tamarindo where people spoke of the terror of arbitrary detentions. Under the current state of emergency, now in its second year, the military can arrest anyone without cause and there are no legal remedies available to secure their release. This is fueling a new wave of youth migration out of the country. Many are asking if they can do it to Santos, whose name literally means “saint,” what might happen to them?
Soldiers have been deployed in Guarjila and the surrounding department of Chalatenango, raising fears among residents about the growing number of arbitrary arrests. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
You recently described the region as a “lawless land.” What do you mean by that?
Under El Salvador’s constitution, the government can invoke a “state of exception,” temporarily suspending basic rights such as freedom of expression and assembly. That’s exactly what it did on March 27, 2022, after a series of brutal gang-related murders. The law was supposed to be temporary, lasting only a month. However, it has been renewed 24 times since it was first passed. The state, and by extension the military and police, can now do whatever they want. Freedom of association, the right to a defense attorney and a speedy trial, and even freedom of communication have all been restricted. They can arrest anyone. People spoke of relatives being attacked, children or nephews of well-known activists. That’s why people are afraid.
Samuel Ramírez, coordinator of the Victims of the Regime Movement, which advocates for those arrested under El Salvador's draconian state of emergency law. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
Were you able to confirm this?
Yes, numerous human rights groups confirmed what I had heard, including the nonprofit Cristosal, which just published its second annual report about human rights violations under the state of exception in El Salvador. One of its main conclusions is that the state of exception is now being used as a tool to repress civic groups, in part by targeting family members. I asked about this during the Tamarindo town hall, and several mothers who are active in the community immediately approached me with stories about their own children’s arrests. They all held up papers, the same one handed to Santos’ lawyers.
A mother and community activist shows the paper she received informing her of her son's arrest. Many say authorities are using the state of emergency to target community activists and their families. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
In one of your photos we see an older woman in front of an altar. Who is she?
This is Santos’ mother, Maria Carmen Ayala. I visited her and we had a brief conversation. She can barely walk. She said she prays every day. I asked her to show me her altar. She started praying, lit a candle. It was very sad. She started crying. In addition to her work in the community, Santos is also the family’s main breadwinner. So, her arrest meant they were not only heartbroken but also financially devastated.
Maria Carmen Ayala, mother of Jose Santos, prays at the altar in her home. Her son was both a community leader and the main source of financial support for the family. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
Bukele remains very popular, both in El Salvador and throughout Latin America. What do you say to people who support him?
Well, they have their reasons. First, because of the failure of previous governments, whether right-wing or left-wing. And yes, El Salvador was dangerous. I had a good friend who was killed by gangs there. So I understand the support for Bukele. El Salvador has been waiting for a change for a long time, and what Bukele did was take what had been among the most violent countries on the planet and turn it into one of the safest in the region.
But Bukele is a marketing expert. He's selling the idea that El Salvador is becoming more modern, but that's only true for a small portion of the country. There's a neighborhood in the capital, San Salvador, where he's installed a series of neon-lit banners, like Times Square. People see this as proof of what he's accomplishing. But it's a show. People don't understand that while he's doing this, he's defunding public clinics, public schools, and other vital institutions in rural areas across the country. Meanwhile, the economy is struggling, foreign investment is lagging, and More people are falling into poverty.
In your last days there you delivered a letter to the attorney general. What did the letter say?
I needed to get a response from the authorities for the report I was doing, so on the advice of some lawyers I decided to approach the Attorney General, Rodolfo Antonio Delgado Montes. And what I realized was that, despite all the testimonies, despite all the stories and reports issued, nothing was moving. So I wrote a letter detailing Santos' case. I included in the letter the organizations and media outlets I was representing in El Salvador and I personally delivered it to the Attorney General's Office. That was on April 5. On April 7, Santos' lawyers received a letter informing them that he was going to be released. On April 10, he was released from prison.
Peter Schurmann is an editor and reporter at Ethnic Media Services in San Francisco. Manuel Ortiz is founder and publisher of Peninsula 360 Press in Redwood City.
Thinness, an idealization that has increased with the use of social networks; as a consequence, health is at risk since it is estimated that 2 out of 5 adults are obese in the United States.
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The rise in the overweight population occurs in the midst of a culture that imposes thinness, an idealization that has increased with the use of social networks; as a consequence, health is at risk, since new weight loss drugs and products to look thinner, promoted by celebrities and influencers, claim that anyone can be slim, generating marked social pressure.
One-third of U.S. residents are considered overweight by traditional BMI (Body Mass Index) standards, with an estimated 2 in 5 adults being obese. Among children, 20 percent are overweight or obese, causing health experts to be concerned about the estimated numbers.
Dr. Susie Orbach, psychoanalytic psychotherapist and author of “Fat is a Feminist Issue,” explained during a briefing session carried out by Ethnic Media Services, that women live in a visual culture that faces the difficulties of being seen in a multidimensional way, generated by the stigma that exists about the female image.
"I too experience this prejudice that is inside me. I wake up every morning in the same old thing, judging myself, being afraid of my appetite, being afraid of living a life”, Orbach commented.
In this sense, she said she is worried about the younger generations who have to grow up with prejudices, because not being able to have the measures that "we should" and the projection of how others see them, generates fear; however, this may, perhaps, become a sign of strength at some point in their lives.
"I have been told that women choose to be fat and gain weight as a way to assert themselves in society, I remember being raised to belittle and that is very scary”, he commented Orbach.
Jasmyne Cannick, a commentator on racial, political and social issues, shared that she herself experienced being overweight and, being African-American, felt that it was more difficult to cope with, so she seeks to help people who experience the same situation.
Cannick said social media plays a huge role in many of the decisions that are made, as it presents how people in the United States should look, due to the different types of body sizes.
In this regard, she recalled a recent article published in the Washington Post, which discussed the major foods in the anti-diet, stating that social pressure is overwhelming; and that the media plays a clear and specific role by being accessible to anyone.
She added that beauty standards should not be the reason for a diet, but rather for caring about one's own health; eating what you want because it is good for you in every way.
Dr. Gary Goldfield, a senior scientist at the CHEO Research Institute with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, explained that the influence of social media on adolescents has a major impact.
"Technology is a bit like the news with very little regulation, social media actually has very defined standards. During my research, it was shown that social media drives the type of food you should eat to be trendy.", he pointed out Goldfield.
Social media can be as addictive as drugs, she said, and the abuse of them is increasing public health problems, leaving young people vulnerable during adolescence, a period in which body image is more important for self-esteem than in any other period of life, as is social validation, the need for acceptance, while sensitivity to social rejection is more pronounced.
Given the constant use of social media and the desire to be accepted by everyone, bullying is very common for those who fail to meet these standards.
The number of victims of bullying has increased with the emergence of social media, putting the lives of young people who are victims at risk inside and outside of schools.
Experts agree that support and information management should be implemented and accessible to everyone in order to regulate the pressure exerted by the media and social networks to create a standardized image of thinness in order to protect people's health.
The City Council authorized the use and purchase of military equipment in Redwood City for the city's Police Department.
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Con 6 votos a favor y uno en contra, el Concejo Municipal de Redwood City autorizó el uso y la compra de equipos militares para el Departamento de Policía de la ciudad, con la finalidad de ayudar a la desescalada de incidentes críticos y apoyar la seguridad de los agentes y de la comunidad.
Durante su reunión ordinaria celebrada este lunes 15 de abril, el Concejo aprobó la compra de 6 drones, un dispositivo de disparo acústico de largo alcance Hyperspike, cinco lanzadores tácticos de 40 mm de 4 disparos, así como una herramienta cinética de apertura de puertas.
Sergeant Jesse Castro, of the Redwood City Police Department (RCPD, por sus siglas en inglés), hizo la presentación, donde precisó que todas esas herramientas mejoran la capacidad del departamento para desescalar incidentes críticos y resolverlos pacíficamente, con poco o ningún uso de la fuerza.
En su exposición precisó que para la compra del nuevo equipamiento que el Departamento de Policía necesita, no es necesario tomar fondos adicionales del presupuesto, y más bien se prevé utilizar fondos de la opción ciudadana para el programa de seguridad policial.
Apuntó que los artículos previstos, ponen de relieve el compromiso del departamento con la evolución y la adaptación de las fuerzas del orden y las necesidades de la comunidad.
“Estas herramientas no son meras adquisiciones, representan nuestra dedicación a mejorar las técnicas de desescalada, apoyando la seguridad de los agentes y de la comunidad, aprovechando los avances tecnológicos para mejorar la eficacia operativa general”, subrayó.
“Es imperativo que el departamento siga estando equipado con los recursos necesarios para abordar los incidentes críticos con rapidez y eficacia, al tiempo que se da prioridad a la seguridad tanto de nuestros agentes como de la comunidad a la que servimos”, agregó el sargento Casto.
En ese sentido, explicó que, mediante inversiones estratégicas y equipos y tecnologías avanzados, los agentes pueden cumplir mejor su deber de proteger y servir a la comunidad de Redwood City.
La incorporación del lanzador táctico de 40mm de 4 proyectiles como herramienta adicional, explicó, aporta varias ventajas notables a las capacidades menos letales del departamento, pues al ser una herramienta de desescalada, proporciona una opción adicional menos letal y permite un despliegue rápido.
Destacó que este artefacto tiene un alcance de lanzamiento de hasta 131 pies y permite distancias seguras durante los enfrentamientos, además de contar con un diseño ligero, y su capacidad de 4 disparos múltiples aumenta las opciones tácticas, por lo que es una herramienta complementaria junto a los lanzadores 40mm individuales existentes.
El coste total de cinco de estos lanzadores será de 9 mil 500 dólares.
Al hablar del dispositivo de disparo acústico de largo alcance Hyperspike, aseguró que este es un medio de comunicación potente y eficaz que puede proyectar mensajes claros e inteligibles a larga distancia, lo que permitirá a los agentes del orden comunicarse con las personas en incidentes críticos o en casos de emergencia, tal es el caso de situaciones con rehenes, anuncios de seguridad pública, y operaciones de búsqueda y rescate. Este tendrá un costo de 3 mil 750 dólares.
En el caso de los drones, subrayó, estos tienen la capacidad de mejorar casi todos los aspectos de la aplicación de la ley, pues pueden utilizarse para fotografiar o grabar en vídeo la escena del crimen y el lugar de la colisión; cartografía de la escena del crimen y de la colisión; pueden utilizarse para apoyar a un equipo antiexplosivos en tareas como la vigilancia robótica de dispositivos, detonación, confirmación y detección de gas y químicos.
A su vez, dijo, pueden utilizarse para la vigilancia previa a la operación, integración interior, seguimiento u observación de sospechosos limpios; para eventos de reunión masiva pueden ayudar con el conocimiento de la situación, la seguridad del tráfico, amenazas públicas; para la respuesta de patrullas pueden ayudar en el rastreo de sospechosos en fuga, búsqueda de una persona desaparecida, búsquedas en edificios y de alto riesgo e incidentes de alto riesgo para la seguridad.
También ofrecen diversas funciones, como opciones de transmisión de vídeo en directo, grabación y captura de imágenes fijas e imágenes térmicas. El costo total de los 6 drones (4 exteriores y 2 interiores) será de 87 mil dólares.
Puntualizó que estos drones también servirán al Departamento de Bomberos de la ciudad.
Finalmente, la herramienta cinética de apertura de puertas, es una alternativa más segura, ya que no lanza un proyectil.
Subrayó que la superficie de embestida es lo suficientemente estrecha como para centrarse en una sola bisagra, pero lo suficientemente potente como para abrir una brecha en las puertas de seguridad de acero. Este tendrá un costo de 15 mil dólares.
Los comentarios públicos al respecto del uso y compra de estos equipos militares fueron en su totalidad a favor. Lo concejales que votaron a favor fueron el alcalde Jeff Gee, las concejales Alicia C. Aguirre, Kaia Eakin, y Diane Howard, así como de los concejales Elmer Martínez Saballos y Chris Sturken. El voto en contra fue de la vicealcaldesa Lissette Espinoza Garnica.
The Redwood City Council recognized Chris Beth, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, for 25 years of service to the city, who is retiring after a quarter-century of work for the city. Photo: P360P
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The Redwood City Council recognized Chris Beth, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, for 25 years of service to the city, and who is retiring after a quarter of a century of work for the city.
“On behalf of the City Council and the people of Redwood City, we hereby honor and extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Chris for his excellence and leadership as Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and for his continued commitment to public service and the Redwood City community. We wish him all the best as he closes this chapter and begins a new one, and look forward to many, many more great things to come,” said Redwood City Mayor Jeff Gee.
During the regular Council meeting held on Monday, April 15, Redwood City Manager Melissa Stephen Diaz recognized Beth's achievements and contributions to the city and community.
“Chris’ commitment to our community is truly legendary. And this has been possible because Chris is not only Mr. Redwood City, he is also Mr. Yes. Everyone knows that Chris looks for ways to see possibilities, to recognize the best in others, to open doors and to push us to be a community where everyone belongs,” he said.
The thanks were also expressed by the vice mayor Lissette Espinoza Garnica, as well as by councillors Howard, Eakin, Aguirre, Martínez Saballos and Sturken, who highlighted the values, human quality and great ease with which he carried out the plans of the area he was in charge of, as well as its growth.
“These are going to be big shoes to fill and we are very grateful for the service he has provided. Thank you to his family for all the sacrifices they made to allow us to have Chris and benefit from his skills,” said Councilwoman Aguirre.
On behalf of the Hispanic community in the city, Verónica Escámez Martínez, executive director and founder of the Casa Círculo Cultural organization, thanked Beth for all the years of service and support. “We will miss you very much,” she said.
Chris Beth took the microphone visibly moved after the words directed at him and the career he had during those 25 years of work. He first thanked his wife, Alyssa, his son, Tyler, and his daughter, Casey, for their support during all this time of work.
She also thanked her team, of whom she said: “They are absolutely incredible and valuable and I couldn't do my job without them so I want to thank them for that.”
Finally, he thanked all the residents and neighbors of the city, whom he thanked for their support, creativity and work to find joint solutions to the challenges that his work has faced throughout all these years.
Chris Beth joined the City of Redwood City in 1998 and was named Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services in 2010.
During his impressive tenure in Redwood City, Chris has been instrumental in driving countless community projects including the launch of the Parks and Arts Foundation, the Magic Bridge Playground, the Veterans Memorial Senior Center facility upgrade, and the YMCA facility modernization.
He also spearheaded many park renovation projects at Hoover Park, Linden Park, Art and Nano's Park, and oversaw the acquisition of the armory at Casey Garrett Park, the racial equity mural, and many other public art projects helping to transform Redwood City into a premier arts and cultural destination on the Peninsula.
With a proclamation, Beth was recognized for her leadership and positive influence on the parks and recreation profession within Redwood City, throughout the region and the state.
Several nonprofit organizations, led by Community Alliance in Fresno, California, organized a day-long United Against Hate summit.
Hate crimes are difficult to prosecute, says California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Attorney General Rob Bonta (far right) at a United Against Hate summit in Fresno, California. (Photo by Sunita Sohrabji)
FRESNO, Calif. — An increasing number of hate crimes are being reported in California, but convictions remain low, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said.
Speaking to Ethnic Media Services on the sidelines of the United Against Hate summit at Fresno City College, Bonta noted that hate crimes are notoriously difficult to prosecute. “They require proof of intent. By design, a hate crime must originate with the element of hate, which is often difficult to establish.”
“Hate crimes are an add-on to the sentence — they’re considered an extra. You’re already charging assault or battery,” Bonta said, noting that a successful conviction for a hate crime could add 2 to 5 years to the sentence. She urged victims of a hate crime to gather as much evidence as possible and to get details.
Low conviction rates
Last June, Bonta's office published the California Hate Crimes Report 2022 . The report noted that reported hate crimes in the state increased by 20.2%, from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022. Hate crimes targeting Black people remained the most prevalent, increasing by 27.1% from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022, while anti-Asian crimes decreased by 43.3%, from 247 in 2021 to 140 in 2022.
Hate crimes in California involving sexual orientation bias increased 29%, from 303 in 2021 to 391 in 2022.
But of the more than 2,100 hate crimes reported in the state, only 52 resulted in hate crime convictions.
Most reported hate crimes never made it to court: Only 456 cases were brought by elected district attorneys and city attorneys, the report said.
In her formal remarks at the summit, Bonta said hate was not a new phenomenon. “It has been with us since time immemorial. We need to look out for each other, and commit to the proposition that hate against any of us is hate against all of us and is unacceptable.” She said she feared for her mother, amid the rise of violent hate attacks against AAPI seniors.
The Attorney General was tacitly referring to the rise in hate crimes over the past seven months targeting both American Jews and Arab Americans, sparked by the war between Israel and Hamas. “The horrific and unacceptable deaths of children and civilians that we are seeing in Palestine and Israel are unacceptable. And they are affecting us here.”
Several nonprofit organizations set up tables outside the Stand Up to Hate summit in Fresno, California, to share resources to combat hate. (Photo by Sunita Sohrabji0)
The Trump factor
Bonta also indirectly addressed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has used highly divisive rhetoric during the election campaign. The candidate has repeatedly claimed that “immigrants are poisoning the blood of America” and has promised to reinstate his “Muslim ban.”
“We have leaders who use the most toxic and xenophobic language. They give license to others.”
Organizer Darren Miller asked Bonta a question about the expected chaos that will ensue if Trump doesn’t win. “One of the hallmarks of a democracy is the peaceful transfer of power. You can’t declare victory when you win and malfeasance when you don’t win,” Bonta said.
Distrust in the police
The United Against Hate summit on April 6 was hosted by the Community Alliance newspaper in partnership with the Fresno Center. The day-long event brought together more than 20 nonprofits, who set up tables outside the venue to share their efforts to end hate. Mike Rhodes, executive director of the Community Alliance, told EMS that Fresno and surrounding cities were plagued by hate activity, much of it going unreported.
“A lot of people here don’t trust the police,” Rhodes said, adding that when hate incidents and crimes are reported, they often go unnoticed. The Fresno Police Department set up an information table at the event.
The morning featured four concurrent workshops, including tools for bystanders who witness a hate crime; what to do if you are a victim of a hate crime; and a “know your rights” discussion led by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Amir Brooks, who chaired the workshop, recalled a recent event in which he was stopped by police in the small town of Clovis, California.
Walking while black
Brooks is black and disabled. “I was limping toward the store. Within a couple of minutes, the police stopped me, shined a light in my face and asked me a bunch of questions,” he said.
“When I arrived at the store, I was stopped by two more police officers, who again questioned me and then compared my answers to those I had given to the other officers.”
“As I was walking home, I was followed by the police. They had obviously identified me as a suspect for no reason,” Brooks said.
Ante la transformación y los cambios de Medi-Cal, muchas comunidades vulnerables de han quedado sin servicios por no renovar, pero hoy se busca ampliar los servicios que van más allá de la consulta del médico, al ofrecer que también se atiendan necesidades sociales relacionadas con una vida más saludable.
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La atención médica es un derecho de todos, sin embargo, ante la transformación y los cambios de Medi-Cal, muchas comunidades vulnerables de han quedado sin servicios por no renovar, pero hoy se busca ampliar los servicios que van más allá de la consulta del médico, al ofrecer que también se atiendan necesidades sociales relacionadas con una vida más saludable.
Y es que, el Departamento de Servicios de Atención Sanitaria de California (DHCS) está transformando Medi-Cal para que los californianos puedan recibir la atención que necesitan para llevar una vida más sana, pues los apoyos comunitarios tienen como objetivo mejorar la salud y el bienestar general de los miembros, abordando los factores médicos y sociales que pueden afectar a la salud de una persona a través de programas como: apoyos a la vivienda, modificaciones de accesibilidad en el hogar, atención domiciliaria, centros de sobriedad, remediación del asma, y comidas nutritivas adaptadas médicamente.
Una opción actual de Medi-Cal es la Gestión de Cuidados Mejorada (ECM), una nueva prestación que proporciona gestión de cuidados centrada en la persona a los afiliados con las necesidades más complejas.
Sarah Brooks, subdirectora de programas de atención sanitaria del Departamento de Servicios de Atención Sanitaria de California, explicó durante una sesión informativa rcarried out by Ethnic Media Services, que se está trabajando para garantizar un sistema de prestación de atención médica que funcione mejor, con ayuda de varios socios médicos para transformar el programa y mejorar las vidas, así como la salud de los miembros médicos.
"Trabajamos para garantizar una atención de calidad para nuestros miembros médicos para lograr esto, estamos introduciendo e implementando varias iniciativas que incluyen servicios nuevos y mejorados que van más allá del consultorio médico tradicional o del entorno hospitalario para abordar las necesidades sociales de salud física y mental ”, he commented Brooks.
Además, afirmó que están trabajando arduamente para estandarizar, simplificar y agilizar la forma en que los miembros de todo el estado acceden a la atención, sin importar dónde vivan, qué idioma hablen o la complejidad de sus necesidades, con la finalidad de que todos los californianos independientemente de su origen étnico, género, orientación sexual, discapacidad, edad, estado migratorio y necesidades de salud, puedan vivir vidas más saludables
Explicó que se cuenta con el apoyo de los administradores de atención para garantizar que reciban los servicios que necesitan en sus comunidades, sin importar dónde se encuentren, ya sea en casa, en un centro de atención, en el consultorio de un médico o incluso en las calles. Estos administradores de atención ayudan a los miembros médicos a navegar la atención de tratamiento sustituto de trastornos de salud mental, dental, básica y especializada.
Para garantizar el servicio, si un miembro se muda de un condado a otro, tiene los mismos beneficios cuando accede a la atención de un plan de salud a otro, se asocia con agencias locales como los sistemas escolares del departamento de salud, las oficinas de servicios escolares, el bienestar infantil y la justicia, entre otros, subrayó.
Afirmó que, más californianos son elegibles para inscribirse en atención médica.
"Si conoce a alguien que solía estar inscrito en atención médica pero perdió la compañía, no calificó para la cobertura, ayúdelo a alentarlo a volver a solicitarla, puede hacerlo por correo o en línea https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/”, he concluded Sarah Brooks.
Por su parte, Rachelle Grant, directora clínica senior de Pacific Clinics, proveedores más grandes de California de servicios de apoyo y salud conductual basados en la comunidad, contando con más de 2 mil empleados, explicó que brindan servicios en más de 22 idiomas a personas de todas las edades, además de atender a todo el espectro de salud conductual.
Recordó que también apoyan a quienes se encuentran sin hogar, ya que son los que hospitalizan con frecuencia a aquellos que tienen problemas de salud mental y sustancias.
"Ahora estamos brindando servicio en 20 condados, con ocho planes de salud, por lo que es muy emocionante para nosotros. Hay tres temas de vivienda específicos que ayudan a las personas a encontrar una casa y adquirir su depósito”, he commented Rachelle Grant.
Agregó que han realizado 27 mil contactos con miembros elegibles desde el inicio de la Gestión de Cuidados Mejorada (ECM), también han prestado servicios a mil 600 clientes en ECM y 600 más en programas de vivienda para California.
Agnes Hajek, directora de servicios de equidad en salud, Somali Family Services de San Diego, comentó que cuentan con trabajadores de salud comunitarios que hablan en distintos idiomas, quienes brindan información y educación sanitaria a la gente.
Una de las formas que han implementado es que, 20 personas acuden cada semana para ser parte de la reunión del ayuntamiento, buscando educar y brindar un sistema de apoyo a la población donde sientan que pertenecen, porque al salir son capaces de comunicarse con su comunidad en su propio idioma.
"También es básico para la forma en que hacemos las cosas, que estamos construyendo y manteniendo relaciones interpersonales con la comunidad para poder ayudarlos a abordar sus inquietudes y sus problemas en todas estas cosas”, agregó Agnes Hajek.
Angélica Rodríguez, directora de programas de la Umma Community Clinic, explicó que ellos trabajan principalmente al sur de Los Ángeles en comunidades familiares conocidas como comunidades del Sur Central, que son predominantemente comunidades afrodescendientes de bajos ingresos que históricamente no han recibido fondos suficientes.
Entonces, Uma brinda atención médica, conductual y dental de alta calidad, independientemente de la capacidad de pago.
"Hay barreras culturales con los proveedores que pueden desarrollar malentendidos o frustración, que luego pueden afectar al paciente para seguir su plan de atención o incluso abandonarlo, por lo que es importante elaborar un plan de atención. Otros pueden tener dificultades con el transporte y tienen que tomar más de dos autobuses para llegar a la clínica de atención médica más cercana a su hogar, un factor más a considerar”, enfatizó Rodríguez.
Mari Pérez Ruíz, directora ejecutiva de Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, compartió que, el condado de Tulare es una de las comunidades más pobres de California y en las áreas en las que se encuentran trabajando a menudo se encuentran en el nivel más alto de pobreza infantil.
"Aproximadamente 90 por ciento de los miembros de nuestra comunidad son trabajadores agrícolas, y en nuestra organización hemos podido identificar que 99 por ciento de las viviendas en Tulare ubicadas en las comunidades rurales, no son habitables”, agregó Pérez
Pérez explicó que se está trabajando con la comunidad proveniente de Filipinasen Tulare, la cual se ubica en la tasa de pobreza más alta, por lo que se ha buscado asociarla con la iniciativa de Equidad en Salud Pública del condado, para lograr mejorar sus condiciones y brindarles más oportunidades.
“Hemos visto que la crisis en nuestra comunidad mundial es tan profunda que, de hecho, hemos identificado a miembros de la comunidad que vienen porque ya no saben que tienen una condición grave y pudimos conectarlos con un proveedor de atención médica hasta el día siguiente”, finalizó Pérez.
The Housing Element is a state-mandated local government plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community.
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Residents have until Tuesday, April 23 to comment on the updated draft Housing Element before the Board of Supervisors vote sobre su adopción.
The Housing Element is a state-mandated local government plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community.
En ese sentido, el Elemento de Vivienda del Plan General del Condado tiene la tarea de identificar necesidades, recursos y desafíos de vivienda; evaluar las políticas de vivienda actuales; y demostrar la capacidad del Condado para cumplir con su parte de vivienda regional que se determina cada ocho años.
En abril de 2023, el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario de California envió la presentación anterior del condado con una lista de revisiones, y en esta última versión incorpora esas modificaciones.
Los cambios principales incluyen un inventario revisado de sitios para desarrollo y reurbanización residencial y un programa ampliado que se compromete a rezonificar más sitios para desarrollo residencial. Estos cambios permitirán que el Condado satisfaga sus necesidades de vivienda durante los próximos ocho años.
A su vez, un análisis ampliado de los problemas de vivienda justa en el condado y la región y una serie de programas nuevos, como la creación de un centro de recursos para unidades de vivienda accesorias; así como varios programas tenían como objetivo evaluar las condiciones de la vivienda e identificar estrategias para mejorar la vivienda en la costa sur rural, incluido el desarrollo de viviendas para trabajadores agrícolas.
Cabe recordar que la Comisión de Planificación del Condado votó a favor el pasado 10 de abril de 2024 para recomendar que la Junta de Supervisores adopte el plan en la reunión de la Junta del 23 de abril.
Ambas direcciones del puente Golden Gate y la autopista interestatal 880, cerca del centro de Oakland, fueron bloqueadas este lunes por la mañana por manifestantes que se oponían a la participación de Israel en Gaza.
En dirección sur de la I-880, entre 200 y 300 manifestantes bloqueaban la autopista cerca de Seventh Street a las 9:00 horas, según la Patrulla de Caminos de California. En dirección norte, siete manifestantes fueron encadenados a barriles llenos de concreto en la autopista cerca de la salida de la Quinta Avenida.
El tráfico estaba atascado por millas y el CHP dijo que no había un tiempo estimado para reabrir la autopista.
Los manifestantes también estaban bloqueando ambas direcciones del tráfico en el Golden Gate, dijeron las autoridades. Las aceras también estuvieron cerradas a bicicletas y peatones a partir de las 9 de la mañana.
No hay un tiempo estimado para reabrir el puente, dijeron los funcionarios, y el tráfico en la autopista 101 en dirección sur se estaba desviando en Alexander Avenue.
Las acciones se planean como parte de un “bloqueo económico” coordinado con protestas similares en todo el mundo. Los manifestantes esperan atacar “la economía global por su complicidad en el actual genocidio de Israel contra el pueblo palestino”, dijeron los organizadores bajo el lema A15Action.
Está prevista una protesta adicional para el mediodía en UN Plaza y las calles Market y Hyde en San Francisco, por parte del Grupo Code Pink. También está prevista una acción del grupo A15Action a las 17:30 horas en la fábrica de Tesla en Fremont.
Camilasbooks recommends: “The Tunnel”, a must-read by Ernesto Sabato
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“Bastará decir que soy Juan Pablo Castel, el pintor que mató a María Iribarne; supongo que el proceso está en el recuerdo de todos y que no se necesitan mayores explicaciones sobre mi persona”.
Así da inicio la novela “El Túnel” del escritor argentino Ernesto Sabato, su primer libro, y que Camilasbooks recommends us this week.
La obra fue escrita en 1948, luego de que el autor, un doctor en física con muchos estudios relacionados con la ciencia y la matemática, decidió abandonarlo todo porque “quería salvarse, quería mantenerse humano, y este es uno de los temas más importantes para poder comprender su novela”, nos cuenta Camila.
Y es que, Sabato, sufre una crisis existencial relacionada a lo racional de su mundo laboral. Y, de acuerdo con el autor, el arte era el único medio donde los seres humanos podían dejar salir todo aquello que llevaban dentro tanto en lo racional como en lo irracional, un tema que desarrolla en “El Túnel”.
Esta novela parte con un inicio de alto impacto, pues el protagonista Juan Pablo Castel, nos revela que ha cometido un crimen, ha matado a María Iribarne, y con esta confesión nos preguntamos ¿por qué Juan Pablo Castel llegó a matar a esta mujer?
Si quieres conocer más al respecto, te invitamos a escuchar la recomendación de Camilasbooks en colaboración con Península 360 Press de “El Túnel” de Ernesto Sabato.
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