N ews i N B rief

Amaro to be named new Freedom High principal

Steve Amaro Ph.D. will be the new principal at Freedom High School effective July 1.

Following the resignation of Lauren Kelly in February, the Liberty Union High School District Board of Trustees voted 4-0 at their March 8 meeting to name Amaro as the new leader.

Amaro has been a part of the Freedom High School faculty since 1998 as an English teacher, tennis coach, Instructional coach, athletic director, and for the last four years, assistant principal. Recently, Amaro was named the Association of California Administrators Region IV Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year.

Previously, Amaro was named California State Athletic Directors Association Athletic Director of the Year. In 2011, he was named LUHSD Teacher of the Year. Amaro becomes the seventh Principal to serve Freedom.

9th annual César E. Chávez Celebration and Youth Hall of Fame ceremony on April 4

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will honor César E. Chávez in a celebration recognizing his commitment to social justice and respect for human dignity.

The 29th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 4, in Board Chambers at 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez.

“We honor César E. Chávez and recognize his legacy of fighting injustice and improving the lives of farmworkers, their families, and their communities. We are inspired to commit ourselves to service to others,” said Board Chairman Supervisor John Gioia. “We also recognize our 2023 Youth Hall of Fame awardees whose commitment to service and community are to be applauded and are the force moving forward Cesar Chavez’s legacy.”

The theme for this year’s celebration is Hope and Healing – Esperanza y Bienestar. The festival will feature keynote speaker Genoveva Garcia Calloway, community leader and former San Pablo mayor and behavioral health professional, who will share her perspective on César E. Chávez’s legacy.

The event will include presentation of the 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Awards to students who make outstanding community contributions, live performances by Mariachi Monumental and Ballet Folklórico Netzahualcoyotl, and remarks from county Supervisors.

Here are the County’s 2023 Youth Hall of Fame award winners:

High school awardees:

• Volunteerism: Frances Kellman-Lima, El Cerrito High School, 12th grade Teamwork: Prisha Purohit, San Ramon Valley High School, 11th grade

• Perseverance: Anayely Arreola Caldera, Liberty High School, 12th grade

• Leadership & Civic Engagement: Anay Pant, Athenian School, 11th grade

• Good Samaritan: Aria Capelli, Athenian School, 11th grade

Middle School Rising Stars:

• Volunteerism Rising Star: Makenzie Lee-Foster, Visions in Education, 6th grade

• Teamwork: Zihan Cherry Chou, Adams Middle School, 8th grade

• Perseverance: Jered E. Clark, Black Diamond Middle School, 8th grade

• Leadership & Civic Engagement Rising Star: Carter Considine, Head Royce, 9th grade

• Good Samaritan: Gianna Baglieri, Rio Vista Elementary School, 3rd grade For more information, visit https://www. contracosta.ca.gov/6039 on the Contra Costa County website. The event will be broadcast live at www.contracosta.ca.gov/6086 or www. contracostatv.org or Contra Costa Television channels: Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse 99, and Astound 32 and 1027.

The Sneakers and Paws Walk for Hospice scheduled for April 17

The Sneakers and Paws Walk for Hos- pice is scheduled for April 17, rain or shine, from 8:30-11 a.m. at Creekside Golf Course in Walnut Creek.

Early bird registration of $25 ends on April 7.

Everyone is encouraged to participate, with or without your pet, in a leisurely walk around the golf course. There will be raffle prizes, pet play dates, refreshments, and opportunities for photos—all while raising funds to benefit the Music Therapy Program for Rossmoor residents under Hospice East Bay care.

To register, visit https://interland3. donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink. aspx?name=E87436&id=21.

Hospice of the East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, while offering emotional, spiritual, and grief support for the entire family, according to a press release. As a not-for-profit organization, they accept all medically qualified patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Hospice East Bay has been caring for patients and their families since 1977. Proceeds from our thrift shoppes support the programs of Hospice East Bay.

For more information, contact either Donna Chase, Friends of Hospice Rossmoor, at tipchase@sbcglobal.net or 925-9471628 or Jyoti Gandhi, Hospice East Bay, at jyotig@hospiceeastbay.org or 925-586-0962.

Newsom announces $30 insulin through CalRx program

Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that CalRx has secured a contract with a manufacturer (CIVICA), to make $30 insulin available to all who need it. The governor also announced that California will seek to manufacture its own Naloxone.

The announcement will bring down the price of insulin by about 90%, saving cash-paying patients between $2,000 and $4,000 annually. It’ll cost the company $30 to manufacture and distribute, and that’s how much the consumer can buy it for. You don’t need a voucher or coupon to access this price, and it’s available to everybody regardless of insurance plan. This is a crucial step in not just cutting the cost for the consumer, but cutting costs across the board in order to bring cheaper prescription drugs to all Californians.

Key parts of the move include:

• A 10mL vial will be made available for no more than $30 (normally $300)

• A box of 5 pre-filled 3mL pens will be made available for no more than $55 (normally more than $500)

• No new prescription will be needed. Californians will be able to ask for the CalRx generic at their local pharmacy or via mail order pharmacies. Pharmacies must agree to order/stock the product.

• CalRx plans to make biosimilar insulins available for: Glargine, Aspart, and Lispro (expected to be interchangeable with Lantus, Humalog, and Novolog respectively)

The announcement makes good on Newsom’s promise on his first day in office –to bring down the price of prescription drugs for Californians and increase accountability and transparency in health care. Californians can learn more about CalRX on the new website.

People should not be forced to go into debt to get life saving prescriptions,” Newsom said.

“Through CalRx, Californians will have access to some of the most inexpensive insulin available, helping them save thousands each year. But we’re not stopping there – California will seek to make our own Naloxone as part of our plan to fight the fentanyl crisis.”

Videos sought for first Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander cultural celebration

The Contra Costa County Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Cultural Celebration Planning Committee wants your help as they look for videocontent/performances to be featured as part of the Board of Supervisor’s first AANHPI cultural celebration on May 9.

The event will feature local speakers, performers and a brief glimpse into the rich and diverse cultures and contributions of AANHPI communities.

The program will be aired live on Zoom and CCTV. The committee is requesting video submissions to be shown as part of the program, and would like to feature you or your group’s performance.

To submit a video, contact Peter Myers in county Supervisor Diane Burgis’ office at peter.myers@bos.cccounty.us.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

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