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.
At the home of the dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law, a law student was attacked by her professor while demonstrating against the genocide in Gaza. Image capture of the video broadcast on X
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The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) stressed that “university professors should never put their hands on students” in a statement posted on social media condemning the events that occurred on April 10, when a University of Berkeley law student was assaulted by her professor at a private dinner while protesting against the genocide in Gaza.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at the home of the dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of California Berkeley, Erwin Chemerinsky, and Professor Catherine Fisk.
Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Fisk invited law students to a private dinner at their home, where one guest spoke out against the genocide in Palestine and the dean’s complicity, an action the NLG called “courageous.”
In the video circulating on social media, Palestinian Muslim student Malak Afaneh from Berkeley Law School can be seen being physically assaulted by Professor Catherine Fisk, preventing her from continuing her speech against the genocide in Gaza.
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) condemns the incident on April 10, 2024, at University of California Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Professor Catherine Fisk's home.
“We saw videos of Professor Fisk using physical force against the law student by grabbing her by the neck and clothing, including the scarf she was wearing. Physical force in response to the exercise of the right to dissent through speech is never acceptable, and is especially egregious when condoned by a renowned legal scholar and educator,” the NLG said in a statement.
The organization said the student asserted her right to freedom of expression under the First Amendment.
“The NLG expresses its full support for this courageous law student who asserted her right to free speech by choosing to speak truth to power at a school-sanctioned event,” it said.
In this regard, the NLG made it clear that it “stands firmly against genocide in Palestine and supports the right of students to protest.”
And, he said, a person's First Amendment rights can extend beyond traditional public forums to spaces that are limited or nonpublic forums. He further explained that suppression of speech by government agents in such spaces can violate the rights of the speaker.
“The biggest victims of the suppression of free speech today on American campuses and in workplaces across the country are those who refuse to be complicit in genocide and stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine, not those who support their oppressors,” he said.
For his part, the dean and professor of the Berkeley Law School, Erwin Chemerinsky, wrote a statement in which he noted that last week, “there was a horrible poster, on social media and on the notice boards in the law school building, of a cartoon of me holding a bloody knife and fork, with the words in large letters: “Do not dine with Zionist Chem while Gaza is starving.”
Berkeley Law School Dean and Professor Erwin Chemerinsky wrote a statement noting that last week, “There was a horrific poster, on social media and on bulletin boards in the law school building, of a cartoon of me holding a bloody knife and fork, with the words in large letters: ‘Do not dine with Zionist Chem while Gaza is starving. ’”
“I never thought I would see such blatant anti-Semitism, with an image invoking the horrific anti-Semitic trope of blood libel and attacking me for no apparent reason other than that I am Jewish. While many complained to me about the posters and how they deeply offended them, I felt that, while deeply offensive, they were protected speech under the First Amendment. But I was upset that members of our community had to see this disturbing, anti-Semitic poster at the law school.”
She said the students behind the poster had student government leaders tell her that if the dinners were not cancelled, they would protest against them.
“I was saddened to hear this, but I made it clear that we would not be intimidated and that the dinners would continue for those who wanted to attend. I said that I assumed any protests would not be disruptive.”
The dean said that on April 9, about 60 students came to his house for dinner, all having registered in advance.
“Everyone came into our backyard and sat at tables to dine. While the guests were eating, a woman stood up with a microphone, stood on the highest step of the yard and began a speech, including about the plight of the Palestinians. My wife and I immediately approached her and asked her to stop and leave. The woman continued. When she continued, there was an attempt to take the microphone away from her. We repeatedly told her that you are a guest in our house, please stop and leave. About 10 students were clearly with her and eventually they left as a group,” he said.
“I have spent my career staunchly defending freedom of expression. I have spent my years as dean striving to create a warm and inclusive community. I am deeply saddened by these events and take comfort that only a small number of our students would behave in such a clearly inappropriate manner,” he concluded.
The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation's largest Islamic civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the alleged assault of student Malak Afaneh.
“Fisk’s attack was symbolic of the deeper Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and religious discrimination prevalent within the UC administration. I was attacked not only for speaking out about Palestine but also because I was a Muslim woman who dared to wear a hijab and keffiyeh and speak in my native language, Arabic, equating my identity with something to be feared and someone who deserved to be silenced,” Afaneh said.
According to CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo, UC Berkeley students have reported being attacked and harassed for their advocacy on behalf of Palestine for many months, not only by their peers but also by faculty and administrators.
“Unfortunately, Dean Chemerinsky has for too long perpetuated an atmosphere of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism,” he said.
She added that “it is disturbing to see her and Professor Fisk’s violent response to a student speaking out against the Israeli genocide in Palestine. It is reprehensible that UC Berkeley claims to defend freedom of expression while its leaders engage in such deplorable acts of physical censorship.”
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the CaliFornia State Library.
The promoters have emerged as an essential piece in the ambitious plan to provide health care in California to all residents.
Maria Soto is a health advocate for the nonprofit health care provider Ampla Health, which plays a central role in expanding access to Medi-Cal in six counties in rural Northern California.
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It's late February and the road leading into Hamilton City, a farming community about 10 miles west of Chico, is lined with almond trees in bloom, their pink blossoms covering fields for miles around. In the center of town is a single clinic.
Inside we meet María Soto, whose work as promotion girl is an essential piece in California's ambitious plan to offer assistance in accessing health services to all residents, regardless of their immigration status.
“I identify a lot with the community,” says Soto, 57. “I have worked in the fields, harvesting and sorting nuts here. So I love it. It gives me great satisfaction when someone says to me, ‘Thank you for helping me.’ That is invaluable to me.”
As a promotora, Maria Soto (left) connects migrant farmworker communities in rural Northern California with new opportunities available to obtain health care through California's recently expanded Medi-Cal program. Here she speaks with Simon Vazquez, who leads a team of farmworkers in Glenn County. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
Soto is one of the three promoters of the nonprofit Ampla Health, which operates more than a dozen clinics in six counties — Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba — in largely rural Northern California. As a federally qualified health center, Ampla is charged with expanding access to Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid) throughout its jurisdiction.
This work took on greater importance starting January 1, when undocumented immigrants between the ages of 26 and 49 were able to benefit from the program.
Previous expansions targeted both seniors and children. This latest phase makes California one of the first states in the country to offer access to federally subsidized health care to all eligible residents.
With 16 million enrollees, or one in three Californians, Medi-Cal is the largest Medicaid provider in the country. With the current expansion, the state expects to add 500,000 to 700,000 more enrollees to its rolls, at a cost of about $2.6 billion a year. Medi-Cal's total annual operating budget exceeds $37 billion.
Eligibility is based on income, with the upper limit for an individual set at $21,680 per year, with approximately another $7,100 for each additional household member. Medi-Cal covers medical, dental, and vision services. Through CalAIM, the state has also expanded the range of services offered.
The challenge now is to ensure that the communities that will benefit are informed about the opportunities available, which in far northern California is easier said than done.
Accessing healthcare “without fear”
We're in an open field of almond trees, on a farm about 30 minutes from Hamilton. Surrounding us is a group of a dozen farmworkers, all originally from the same community in the state of Puebla, Mexico.
“He came once and interrupted our work,” jokes Elfego Palestino Vidal, pointing at Soto. “I never signed up,” he says, adding that in recent years he has seen more of his colleagues fall ill due to the increasingly extreme weather. “Sometimes it’s really cold, it rains a lot and then it’s really hot.” Having access to Medi-Cal “will help a lot,” he says.
Elfego Palestino Vidal (foreground) says he has seen more coworkers getting sick lately due to extreme weather. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)
Known for its sprawling forests, towering peaks and rugged coastline, the North State — which stretches from the Oregon state line in the north to just above Sacramento in the south — is also beset by some of the state’s most glaring health disparities, from higher rates of poverty and premature death from drug addiction to mental and behavioral health challenges.
Much of the region is also designated as a Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSA), meaning there are fewer health resources per capita. For marginalized communities, including many of the farmworkers interviewed for this article, that creates additional barriers to accessing health care.
Another farmworker, Leonardo Hernandez Mesa, a husband and father of two, describes how he put off going to the doctor in the past when he fell ill, pointing to his throat and ear as he recalled a recent bout of infections. “Emergency visits are too expensive,” he says, adding that his brother – also a farmworker – has Type 1 diabetes.
“This is a great opportunity to get health insurance without fear,” Leonardo says, adding that it will allow people to detect health problems earlier rather than later. He says he has often heard others talk about postponing visits to the hospital.
A study from the University of California, UC Merced, last year found that nearly half of California farmworkers lacked health insurance at some point in the previous 12 months. The study also found that only 431 percent of farmworkers had visited a doctor's office, while only 351 percent had visited a dentist. Other studies have found wide disparities in access to mental health and other behavioral services for farmworkers in particular.
Simon Vazquez, who has worked on the same farm in Hamilton for more than two decades and is the crew chief here, has not seen a doctor since 2018. Simon “bombards” Soto with questions about where and how to contact her, whether she needs to renew every year (which is required), and what she needs to bring to a medical or dental visit (only her Medi-Cal ID is required).
“We are here to help you with any questions you may have. You already have my contact information, my phone number,” he mentions patiently.
Reaching the 'hard to reach'
“A big part of my day is driving around looking for farmworkers,” explains Soto, who came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant in 1991 and spent time working in the almond fields surrounding Hamilton City. In 2007, she began working with Ampla Health, then known as Clínicas Del Norte, after a chance encounter with the organization’s promoter coordinator at a local Mexican restaurant. “She asked me what I knew about being a farmworker.” promotion girl“I told him I didn’t know anything.”
Soto eventually applied, received training, and has been committed to the work of promotion girl“I’ve fallen more in love with the job as the years have gone by,” he says.
The model of the promoters It was first developed in Ciudad Juárez, a city in northern Mexico, in the early 1970s as a way for the municipal government to provide healthcare and related information to marginalized communities. The model soon spread throughout Latin America and later to the United States.
Soto says much of her day consists of driving, sometimes long distances, in search of farmworkers. Soto is one of four promotoras employed by Ampla Health who cover six counties. (Credit: Peter Schurmann)
It is not clear how many promoters currently working in California. Some, like Soto, are employed directly by health care providers or community organizations. Others work more informally. The Vision and Commitment group, which launched the first network of promoters Established in 2001, the organization has about 4,000 members in 13 regions of California, nearly all of them in the southern and central parts of the state, where the population is highest and the demand for services is generally highest.
According to data from the UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities, there are an estimated 10,000 farmworkers in the six counties served by Ampla. If their family members are included, that number increases to nearly 30,000 people. While it is unclear how many of these people are undocumented, the data show that nearly three-quarters of the more than half-million farmworkers in California lack documentation.
Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, who heads the Center for Reducing Health Disparities, says these communities are “hard to reach” and says local and state agencies need to be proactive in terms of getting the word out. “I’m not sure if they will take advantage of this Medi-Cal expansion,” he said during a recent Ethnic Media Services briefing. “It depends on how you reach out.”
Aguilar-Gaxiola, who has spent decades researching health disparities affecting California’s farmworker population, points to a variety of barriers — from language and culture to fear of deportation — that prevent many from coming forward to access available resources.
“It’s a tremendous need,” says Aguilar-Gaxiola. “Satisfying it requires more than just good will and wanting to do the right thing. In order to reach these populations, building trust is essential.”
During the Trump administration, a law known as the Public Charge Rule, which threatened immigrants who accessed public benefits with deportation, cast a shadow over the community. Although essentials like health care and food are not considered part of a public charge determination, many immigrants remain afraid to enroll in public programs like Medi-Cal.
“This is a great opportunity to get health insurance without fear,” says Leonardo Hernandez Mesa of the recent expansion of Medi-Cal. Hernandez, a husband and father of two, says he has put off hospital visits in the past because of high costs. (Credit: Peter Schurmann)
“People will be hesitant to enroll in Medi-Cal for fear of public charge,” agrees Cynthia Peshek, director of outreach at Ampla Health. “We need to make sure that’s not the situation. They need to go ahead and take advantage of these resources. There will still be those who don’t want to take the risk, so public charge may continue to be a barrier for some.”
Ampla Health organizes local health fairs and other community events, as well as working with promotoras as part of a suite of strategies aimed at connecting people to health care. But Peshek is concerned that providers in other counties where resources are more limited may not have the resources to meet this current expansion. “It’s going to be a huge undertaking,” she says.
Peshek notes that Ampla Health recently added two new clinics to its existing network to meet growing demand. “There are so many opportunities right now,” he says. “We need to get the word out in all the areas we serve.”
Back at the farm, another member of the group, Daniel, says he is currently uninsured. He is young, in his twenties. He says he has visited Ampla Health in the past and now wants to enroll to avoid the high costs of medical services and medications he may need. “It is a big help.”
As we leave, he nods at Soto. “Thank you for being here. Thank you for not forgetting us.”
This article was funded by the 2024 California Health Equity Impact Fund from USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. With additional reporting by Manuel Ortiz.
The 2024 San Francisco Silent Film Festival kicks off this Wednesday, June 10th at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace of Fine Arts Cinema, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, California. Tickets will cost between $18 and $25 depending on the film and children under 12 are free. Photo courtesy of San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
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By Raul Ayrala. Peninsula 360 Press
In 1978, more than five hundred Hollywood film reels were discovered buried in the permafrost of a former hockey rink in Dawson City, Canada.
They were silent films from between 1903 and 1929, and had been stored there to stabilise the surface of the pitch. Because of the distance, the local cinema did not return the copies to the distributors as was usual.
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is a year-round activity for the members of the organization that presents it, because many of the films that are screened are restored by the festival's members. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
In 2008, a 16mm copy of a silent film from 1927 that had been incomplete for decades was discovered in a film museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was Metropolis, by Fritz Lang. A work of art that inspired the science fiction creations that came after: Blade Runner, Fahrenheit 451, Star Wars…
Part of the treasure from Dawson City and the rediscovered scenes from Metropolis have been restored. One of the festivals that showcased Fritz Lang's expressionist gem is the second largest in the world: the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, whose 2024 edition begins this Wednesday, April 10.
Although it is only a five-day festival, the Silent Film Festival is a task that keeps the members of the organization that presents it busy throughout the year, because many of the films that are shown are restored by the members themselves.
Some 75 percent of all silent films ever produced are lost; a significant amount of the rest can be found on YouTube, for example.
But the wonderful thing about this Festival is that the presentations are in a real movie theater, with the film restored and accompanied by live musicians. Just like a spectator experienced watching a silent film in the 1920s. And for those of us who still have trouble following a sound projection in English, the best thing is that there are “intertitles,” descriptions of the action between scenes.
The wonderful thing about this Festival is that the screenings are in a real movie theater, with the film restored and accompanied by live musicians. Just like a spectator would experience watching a silent film in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
This year, the Festival kicks off on Wednesday 10th at 7:30pm with a rarity among rarities: The Black Pirate with Douglas Fairbanks, from 1926, and in Technicolor!
It was restored by MoMA “in the original color palette, inspired by Dutch master painters.”
It is no coincidence, then, that for the first time this year the Festival is being held at the Palacio de Bellas Artes cinema, very close to the Golden Gate Bridge. Previous editions were held at the Castro cinema, which unfortunately is no longer available because it is being converted into a venue for musical performances, not without controversy.
Between Thursday 11th and Sunday 14th, performances begin at 11 or 10 in the morning depending on the day, and the last performance is always at 8 at night.
For the first time this year, the Festival will be held at the Palacio de Bellas Artes cinema, very close to the Golden Gate Bridge. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
There is a great variety: humour in Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton in Sherlock Jr. and Charles Chaplin's brother, Syd, in Oh! What a nurse! (a little-known man, but notable for playing roles in which he dressed as a woman); international films such as the Soviet-Ukrainian The Opportunist from 1929 or the Swedish Haxan; and samples of proto-Hollywood such as The Lady with Norma Talmadge or The Red Mark from 1928, which closes the Festival on Sunday at 8 pm.
Tickets cost between $18 and $25 depending on the film, and children under 12 are admitted free. Passes can also be purchased at www.silentfilm.org or at the box office.
The Latin touch will be provided by Cochinita's lunch counter, which will be offering Yucatecan food in front of the Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
En mayo es el cumpleaños del condado de San Mateo, por lo que el sábado 4 de mayo, el Museo de Historia del condado celebrará el cuarto Día Anual del Condado de San Mateo. El tema de la fiesta de cumpleaños de este año es la década de 1940. Foto: San Mateo County History Museum
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El condado de San Mateo estará de manteles largos en mayo, pues cumple un año más de fundado, por lo que el sábado 4 de mayo, el Museo de Historia del condado celebrará el cuarto Día Anual del Condado de San Mateo. El tema de la fiesta de cumpleaños de este año es la década de 1940.
Como preparación para el evento, el Museo de Historia patrocinará un concurso de carteles.
Los carteles que se presenten reflejarán la vida en San Mateo en la década de 1940, desde la industria y los inventos hasta la moda y los eventos locales.
Los acontecimientos más conocidos de la época se relacionan con la Segunda Guerra Mundial, por lo que los carteles podrían representar actividades en tiempos de guerra, incluidas campañas de recolección de chatarra, jardines de la victoria, instalaciones de entrenamiento militar o industrias como los astilleros del sur de San Francisco.
Los carteles deberán ser diseños originales y bidimensionales. Todas las reglas del concurso están disponibles en línea en Historysmc.org/happy-san-mateo-county-day/. Posters must be submitted by April 16 at 4:00 p.m.
Los carteles serán juzgados en función de su forma y composición, uso del color, caracterización del tema, precisión histórica, creatividad y mejor transmisión del mensaje.
Habrá tres categorías de edad: menores de 11 años, de 12 a 18 años y participantes adultos. Se entregarán premios en cada categoría.
Los carteles ganadores aparecerán en la publicidad del Feliz Día del Condado de San Mateo y en la portada del libro de actividades del evento. Si tiene preguntas, envíe un correo electrónico a education@historysmc.org.
José Santos Alfaro Ayala (lado izquierdo), fue arrestado arbitrariamente y sigue preso pese a tener una absolución del cargo firmada por un juez, pues la prisión donde se encuentra dijo querer “hacer su propia investigación”. Foto: Manuel Ortiz
José Santos Alfaro Ayala, un líder comunitario en el cantón de Guarjila, Chalatenango, al norte de El Salvador, y quien fuera arrestado arbitrariamente el 12 de enero por supuestamente tener relación con agrupaciones ilícitas, sigue preso pese a tener una absolución del cargo firmada por un juez, pues la prisión donde se encuentra dijo querer “hacer su propia investigación”.
Santos, como lo conoce la comunidad que lo extraña y necesita, lleva casi 90 días en el Centro Penal de Izalco en Sonsonate, aunque ayer, 8 de abril, el Tribunal Primero Contra el Crimen Organizado Juez 1, emitió que a las 16:00 horas una resolución a favor del imputado.
"PÓNGASE INMEDIATAMENTE EN LIBERTAD to the accused JOSÉ SANTOS ALFARO AYALA, para lo cual, LÍBRENSE los oficios respectivos al Centro Penal donde guarda detención el referido imputado”, refiere la sentencia del Tribunal.
Ante la noticia, recibida el domingo, su familia, abogada y representantes de organizaciones, acudieron por la noche a recibirlo. Se quedaron esperando, asombrados y tristes se retiraron de nuevo a sus hogares, cuando les fue informado que Santos no saldría esa noche debido a que, dijeron funcionarios del Penal, ellos harán su propia investigación para reafirmar la inocencia de Santos Alfaro.
Guarjila, Chalatenango, El Salvador. Familia de José Santos Alfaro, regresa a su casa en la madrugada del 9 de abril de 2024, después de la negativa del penal de liberar a Santos, a pesar de que el Tribunal Primero Contra el Crimen Organizado ordenó su liberación el día anterior. Foto: Manuel Ortiz
“Santos no está libre porque falta otro proceso afuera del juzgado, aunque fue declaro inocente, el penal dijo que investigaría sino tiene algo más”, dijo John Guiliano, fundador y director ejecutivo de la Fundación Tamarindo durante una entrevista con Manuel Ortiz en el programa Península 360 Radio en colaboración con Marcos Gutiérrez de «Hecho en California».
Esta falta de transparencia y congruencia se ha dado en el marco del Régimen de Excepción emprendido por el presidente Nayib Bukele, que si bien en un inició sirvió para sacar de las calles a las pandillas, hoy, de acuerdo con defensores de Derechos Humanos, es solo un instrumento de opacidad que ha llevado a detenciones arbitrarias en contra de líderes comunitarios.
Ante ello, organizaciones civiles y de defensoría de Derechos Humanos, medios de comunicación independientes, y población civil, exigen la liberación correspondiente de Santos Alfaro, recordando que este es un líder necesario para su comunidad, donde tras realizar su trabajo, que es para el propio gobierno de El Salvador, realiza labores de enseñanza en la fundación donde fungía como director de recreación.
Así mismo la organización Cristosal, con más de 20 años de experiencia defendiendo Derechos Humanos en El Salvador, comunicó la resolución del Tribunal y pidió, a través de sus redes sociales, la liberación de Santos Alfaro.
#DefendámonosJuntxs | José Santos Alfaro Ayala, reconocido líder comunal y presidente de la Fundación Tamarindo, fue capturado arbitrariamente en enero. Este lunes, un juez ordenó su libertad de forma inmediata, pero continúa bajo prisión. ¡Exigimos su liberación! pic.twitter.com/TKFmB6sPqw
“Necesitamos a Santos en las comunidades para que pueda seguir con su trabajo en favor de las comunidades, en favor de los jóvenes”, comentó John Guiliano.
Ya se han presentado cartas de apoyo de diferentes medios y organizaciones que exigen respeto a los procesos legales para el caso de Santos Alfaro, exigiendo la liberación de un líder comunitario que se dedica a llevar el deporte a su comunidad.
Este caso, ha dejado a la luz muchos más, personas que han sido detenidas baja el Régimen de Excepción y que su proceso legal jamás es llevado a cabo, o bien, existe gente que es declarada libre y sin cargos, pero se encuentra encerrada esperando hasta un año para ser libres, por órdenes de las autoridades del penal donde se encuentran.
Children's health services in California are struggling with a budget shortfall, harming the most vulnerable children by failing to provide them with medical services. Nearly 284,000 children in California have been dropped during the federally required Medi-Cal eligibility renewal process for Medicaid recipients, many due to administrative errors rather than because the children no longer qualify.
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California's Children's Health Services is grappling with a budget shortfall, putting the state at risk of under-investing in early childhood development for children ages 0-5, harming the most vulnerable children by failing to provide them with access to medical services.
Nearly 284,000 children in California have been dropped during the federally required Medi-Cal eligibility renewal process for Medicaid recipients, many due to administrative errors and not because the children no longer qualify, experts said. during a briefing session carried out by Ethnic Media Services.
Tasha Boerner of the California Assembly District 77 said California is facing a multi-billion dollar budget crisis and several programs are at risk of being cut, including programs for families and children.
According to the California Department of Health Care Services, 1.3 million people are disenrolling, and an alarming rate is due to simple administrative errors; the national average for this enrollment is 71 percent, a staggering number in itself, and an estimated 92 percent of Californians will not have access to necessary medications and other health services for years to come.
"Many times these families find out that they are unaware of their lack of coverage until they have a medical emergency and are seeking only the basic services needed; as a mother, it truly breaks my heart as these families still qualify for information about health coverage.”, he commented Boerner
The policy ensured that health care services are available, especially at a time when Lifeline programs are at risk of being cut and this includes health coverage for children: "I went straight to make sure we had these funds especially for you, we know these services are critical to ensuring the next generation is healthy and safe in California”.
In her opportunity, Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, explained that we are living a critical moment with respect to Children's Health and their access to public health coverage, since every time there is a crisis of this type in the country, Medicaid resources are used.
"Congress said we're going to give you extra money because you can't cut coverage, you can't exclude anyone who wants to keep their Medicaid coverage, and that got us to a point where 90 million people were covered by the Medicaid program.", he stressed Joan Alker.
Federal government researchers estimated that three out of four children who would lose their Medicaid during this time would still be eligible, but when we see large numbers of children losing Medicaid it's a problem because they probably have no other source of coverage to turn to.
By 2023, there were 4 million uninsured children nationwide, so even if half of these children were left without coverage, it would be a national crisis.
The speakers detailed that one in four children who lose coverage in the United States are in Texas, followed by Florida with less than half a million children, Georgia and then California. In that sense, they pointed out that the state has done a better job, but, of course, it is a large state and most states are having problems.
Latino families have faced more challenges as bureaucratic barriers arise when trying to obtain and retain coverage, even when the child remains eligible.
"Millions of children are losing their Medicaid, we see a strong interest in making the world a better place. We would like our elected officials to go further. Our vision is that we do not want any baby to leave hospitals or birthing centers without coverage and we demand that states cover them.”, he concluded Alker.
Mayra E. Alvarez, president of The Children's Partnership, said that changing health insurance coverage is detrimental to the continuity of medical care.
"Consistent access to health care is necessary for everyone to be healthy and thrive – we saw this particularly during the pandemic – and it is especially important for young children who need regular, timely visits for developmental screenings and immunizations, especially during the first few years of life, when 90 percent of brain development occurs.", he emphasized Mayra E. Alvarez.
Families now have to renew their health coverage annually, and since the state of California began the process, more than one million Californians have lost their health coverage, including 284,000 children, disproportionately affecting African-American children.
More than half of California's 9 million children rely on Medicare for coverage, and three out of four of them are children of color.
Of the 284,000 children who have lost coverage, they often do so not because they no longer qualify, but because of administrative and procedural obstacles to enrollment.
"No child should be left without coverage and no family should have to worry about not having the security that comes with coverage and care for their child. Unfortunately, the policy has not yet been funded to meet our planned January 2025 start date, so some new administration must give the green light for implementation.”, he commented Alvarez.
Dr. Ilan Shapiro, AltaMed's chief medical officer and medical affairs officer, explained that they serve around 500,000 patients, of which 1,000 are children, and when a patient comes to them, especially between zero and five years of age, they feel committed, because they have the dream that that child will do the same work and labor in the community clinics where services are provided.
"We are there to make sure we give them the best tools, moments and protection for those children to grow up and become the adults we need.", he added. Shapiro, highlighting the importance of engagement in the health care system for children.
La campaña Listas, busca empoderar e informar a las mujeres como parte fundamental para el cuidado de las comunidades más vulnerables.
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California ha lanzado la campaña Lists, which, unlike its initiator Ready, busca empoderar e informar a las mujeres como parte fundamental para el cuidado de las comunidades más vulnerables, pues estas se involucran en las necesidades del estado y se preparan para protegerse ante los desastres naturales como: incendios forestales, terremotos, inundaciones y deslizamientos de tierra.
Desde 2019, el programa Listos California ha logrado llegar a millones de californianos ante las diferentes amenazas que se presentan, tal es el caso de los desastres naturales, algo que, de otra manera, no tendrían acceso a información esencial sobre preparación para emergencias que pueden salvar vidas, dijeron expertos during a briefing session carried out by Ethnic Media Services.
Las mujeres son uno de los principales grupos preparados para un compromiso adicional. Y es que, al ser madres, hermanas, abuelas e hijas, se muestran más involucradas en los temas que importan a las comunidades, por lo que Cal OES lanzó “Listas California” en marzo, durante el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer.
La iniciativa Listos California 2023 identificó grupos demográficos clave que se beneficiarían de recursos adicionales para ayudarles a mantenerse informados y así prepararse para los desastres, siendo las mujeres uno de los principales grupos preparados para un compromiso adicional.
Y es que, señalaron, al ser madres, hermanas, abuelas e hijas, se muestran más involucradas en los temas que importan a las comunidades, por lo que Cal OES lanzó “Listas California” en marzo, durante el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer.
Listas California is a pioneering effort by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to train women with emergency resilience knowledge, they stressed.
Listas California is a pioneering effort by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to train women with emergency resilience knowledge, they stressed.
Es así que, Listas, reconoce reconociendo el papel vital que desempeñan las mujeres en la sociedad actual como líderes, agentes de cambio, transformaciones en los roles sociales y en las tomas de decisión.
La iniciativa Listas, incluye más de 80 piezas de activos digitales únicos, incluidos gráficos de redes sociales, videos informativos y una página dedicada a honrar a las mujeres en el hogar.
La iniciativa comparte activos digitales centrados en las mujeres, incluidos gráficos de redes sociales y videos informativos que reconocen la preparación y la resiliencia ante desastres en el hogar, el trabajo y las comunidades.
La iniciativa Listas, incluye más de 80 piezas de activos digitales únicos, incluidos gráficos de redes sociales, videos informativos y una página dedicada a honrar a las mujeres en el hogar.
The purpose is to provide necessary knowledge for women to lead their families during natural disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes, floods and landslides.
The purpose is to provide necessary knowledge for women to lead their families during natural disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes, floods and landslides.
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the 
