El Observador February 26th, 2021. by Angelica Rossi

VOLUME 42 ISSUE 09 | WWW.EL-OBSERVADOR.COM | FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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OPINION

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FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

ANALYSIS: WE CAN BUILD AN EQUITABLE HEALTH WORKFORCE. HERE’S HOW 1042 West Hedding St. Suite 250 San Jose, CA 95126

PUBLISHER Angelica Rossi angelica@el-observador. com PUBLISHER EMERITUS Hilbert Morales hmorales@el-observador. com ADVERTISING & SALES DIRECTOR Angelica Rossi angelica@el-observador. com ADVERTISING SALES JOB & RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING Justin Rossi justin@el-observador.com MANAGING EDITOR Arturo Hilario arturo@el-observador.com spanish.editor@el-observador. com CONTRIBUTORS Justin Rossi Mario Jimenez Hector Curriel OP-ED Arturo Hilario Arturo@el-observador ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES AND LEGAL NOTICES Angelica Rossi frontdesk@el-observador. com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Francisco Rojas fcorojas@el-observador. com ABOUT US El Observador was founded in 1980 to serve the informational needs of the Hispanic community in the San Francisco Bay Area with special focus on San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced by any form or by any means, this includes photo copying, recording or by any informational storage and retrevial systems, electronic or mechanical without express written consent of the publishers. Opinions expressed in El Observador by persons submitting articles are not necessarily the opinions of the publishers.

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Denzel Tongue California Health Report

grams for underrepresented students. Programs such as Health Career Connection have driven talented students of color into health care and public health careers for years. Full disclosure: I’m an alum. The program provided me with invaluable experience in the public health field and opened doors for me to pursue a career in health policy.

“It’s huge, it’s like a bombshell … I’ve talked to critical care docs and pulmonary docs who did not know this.” These are the words of Dr. Noha Aboelata, a physician and the CEO of Roots Community Health Center in Oakland which primarily serves Black patients. Aboelata is speaking about a design flaw in many pulse oximeters. Pulse oximeters are a common medical device used to measure oxygen levels — such as in COVID-19 patients. Research shows that oximeters often overestimate oxygen saturation in darker-skinned patients, a flaw that can prove fatal when providers are deciding whether or not to hospitalize a patient or provide them with additional oxygen. Researchers at UCSF first identified the flaw in a 2005 study, and then again in 2007. But, in an example of systemic racism, the research was largely ignored until deep into the COVID-19 pandemic. Some health experts, including Aboelata, believe the design flaw in pulse oximeters has contributed to higher rates of Black and brown patients dying from COVID-19. “Now I really believe this is at least part of it,” Aboelata said in a January interview. This technological bias is just one example of how systemic racism can permeate health care systems and lead to potentially fatal outcomes for people of color.

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44 who has died of COVID-19, 10 Black people have died. In addition to structural inequities, Black and Latinx communities are underrepresented in the health workforce. Health care providers who don’t understand their patients’ culture or race can unintentionally miss signs of serious conditions or fail to offer treatments that may be necessary. These biases can have tragic outcomes. In California, the disparities in representation are stark. By 2030, California’s population is projected to be roughly 45.7 percent Latinx, but only about 6 percent of active physicians are currently Latinx.

The impact of health provider shortages and inequities disproportionately falls on Black, Latinx and Native American communities who are also more likely to live in areas with a shortage of health providers. By 2030, California is expected to have a shortfall of roughly 4,100 primary care physicians. These shortages worsen health disparities for historically marginalized communities. California’s leaders must build a diverse and culturally competent health workforce. This starts with making investments in the communities that are most vulnerable and medically underserved. Policymakers should work to expand health career pipeline pro-

The mixture of these factors has deadly repercussions: For every 1 white person between the ages of 35 and

Another model is the Alameda County Health Pathway Partnership, a regional consortium of health pipeline programs in the East Bay Area, which leads over 1,000 underrepresented students each year, into long-term health careers. Legislators at the county and state level should work to replicate the success of these programs and scale them to meet the needs of all California students. And state legislators should back a bill from Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D, Fresno). SB 1110 would require the state to establish a multi-year pilot program called the California Medicine Scholars Program in four regions of the state. The program would provide a path for historically underrepresented students at California’s community colleges to attend medical schools. Our leaders must also work to prevent systemic bias in medical trials, to yield racially equitable outcomes. We can’t repeat what happened — what is still happening — with pulse oximeters.

Despite rhetoric that we’re in this pandemic together, data clearly shows that COVID-19 is affecting some communities more than others. Research from the Brookings institute shows that Black and Latinx Californians are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionately high rates compared to white residents. These gaps persist even when adjusting for age to account for the fact that Black and Latinx populations are generally younger. Multiple factors may explain why Black people in particular are dying of COVID-related complications at disproportionately high rates. Black communities face adverse structural conditions that lead to poorer health outcomes. For example, Blacks are more likely to reside in neighborhoods that have faced decades of disinvestment and economic hardship due to redlining. These neighborhoods tend to lack healthy eating options, grocery stores, public safety investments and economic opportunities. These structural factors are compounded by the fact that Black workers are more likely to hold jobs classified as “essential,” putting them at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

While in the program, I learned about public health education and building a network. I also interned with Youth UpRising in East Oakland where I led a group of youth in a Participatory Action Research project. I often point to the network and relationships I built during my time in the Health Career Connection as a major stepping stone on the pathway to a successful career in health equity.

Medical stakeholders need to build trust in the Black community in particular given general skepticism following the horrors of the Tuskegee Experiment. Black patients are reluctant to participate in clinical trials, an issue was reflected during COVID-19 vaccine trial outreach. Participation of a diverse array of communities is crucial to ensuring that health treatments are efficacious in the general population. Aboelata, who has watched her community suffer disproportionately from COVID-19, wants action. “From a regulatory perspective, there must be something that can be done,” Aboelata said. For her Black and brown patients — and others across the country — it could be lifesaving.

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Denzel Tongue writes a column for the California Health Report about the intersection of racial justice, public policy and health equity. He is a master of public policy candidate at The Goldman School of Public Policy and a California Initiative for Health Equity Fellow.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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VACUNA DE COVID-19 PARA ADULTOS MAYORES CON ON LOK PACE

MAIN NEWS

COVID-19 VACCINE FOR SENIORS AT ON LOK PACE

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Celina Rodríguez On Lok PACE

very happy to receive her COVID-19 vaccine at the On Lok PACE center, after not being there for almost a year. “Before COVID-19 I would come to the On Lok PACE center to talk with others and learn. I made scarves and participated in different activities,” says Bernardita. “With COVID-19, I am not able to go out, but On Lok PACE brings their services to me. I feel very grateful and lucky, especially with On Lok PACE offering the COVID-19 vaccine. I would recommend this program to anyone…thank you On Lok PACE!”

ernardita: “¡Me siento muy agradecida y recomendaría este programa, gracias On Lok PACE!”

On Lok PACE es una organización que cuida de la salud y el bienestar de nuestros adultos mayores en el Área de la Bahía. Incluso durante la pandemia, los profesionales de On Lok PACE continúan ofreciendo sus servicios en los hogares de las personas mayores a los que ayuda. Este es el caso de Bernardita Camacho participante de On Lok PACE. Bernardita Camacho Tobon ha venido a On Lok PACE por 3 años, ella nos cuenta que le da mucho gusto recibir su vacuna y estar en el centro después de un año. “Antes del COVID-19 venía al centro de On Lok PACE y aprendía mucho, hacia bufandas y participaba en diferentes actividades. Ahorita por COVID-19 no salgo, pero On Lok PACE lleva los servicios a casa, y hoy me encuentro aquí por la vacuna. Me siento muy agradecida y afortunada. ¡Recomendaría este programa, gracias On Lok PACE!” comparte Bernardita. La Doctora Elana Shpall, de On Lok PACE, dice que la atención que ofrece el programa está completamente integrada y está muy contenta de poder ofrecer la vacuna a los participantes. “En este momento, las personas que más necesitan protección son nuestras personas mayores, por lo que estamos muy contentos de haber recibido las vacunas COVID-19.”

Doctor Elana Shpall, the lead primary care physician at On Lok PACE, says the care offered by the program is fully integrated, and that they are pleased to make the vaccine available to participants. “Right now, the people who need to be protected the most are our seniors, so we are very happy to have received the COVID-19 vaccines.”

Bernardita. Photo Credit: On Lok PACE

On Lok PACE ha facilitado que los participantes reciban la vacuna de COVID-19. Cinco participantes vienen al centro de On Lok PACE cada hora, lo que garantiza un distanciamiento social y los participantes son monitoreados después. “Hay mucha información sobre la vacuna que es incorrecta. La verdad es que estas vacunas son muy seguras”, dice la Dr. Shpall. “Es posible que experimente un poco de dolor, pero con el descanso adecuado, se sentirá mejor. Nuestros participantes están recibiendo bien la vacuna ". On Lok PACE ofrece un plan de salud integral para adultos mayores de 55 años con necesidades médicas. Está reconocido como un programa de Medicare y Medi-Cal. Póngase en contacto con On Lok PACE llamando a su línea telefónica en español: 1-866-565-7223. Esta historia se publicó en el programa de radio de Celina Rodríguez; Periodista, titulado Buenas Tardes Con Celina, en KZSF 1370 AM La Kaliente.

Dr. Elana Shpall. Photo Credit: On Lok PACE

Celina Rodríguez On Lok PACE

ernardita: “I am very grateful and would recommend this program, thank you On Lok PACE !”

On Lok PACE provides care for the health and wellbeing of seniors in the Bay Area. During the pandemic, On Lok PACE has continued to offer its full-service health care program to seniors in the home and is now vaccinating participants against COVID-19. This has been helpful for seniors like On Lok PACE participant, Bernardita Camacho. Bernardita Camacho Tobon has been a participant of On Lok PACE for the past 3 years. She says she was

On Lok PACE has made it easy for participants to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Five participants come to the On Lok PACE center every hour, which ensures proper social distancing to meet the appropriate guidelines, and participants are monitored after. “There is a lot of information about the vaccine that is wrong. The truth is, these vaccines are very safe,” says Dr. Shpall. “You may experience a little pain, but with proper rest, you will feel better. Our participants are receiving the vaccine well.” On Lok PACE provides a full-service health care program that provides a wide range of services including medical, social, transportation, and home care services. It is a Medicare and Medi-Cal recognized program for older adults over age 55. If a member of the community needs help with an older family member, they should contact On Lok PACE by calling their Spanish-language phone line: 1-866-565-7223. This story was aired on Celina Rodriguez’s Radio Program, titled Buenas Tardes Con Celina, KZSF 1370 AM La Kaliente.

Somos trabajadores esenciales. Cada día somos la primera línea de defensa. Somos la primera línea de defensa en hospitales, campos de cultivo, supermercados. Nos ponemos en riesgo para contribuir a tu salud o poner alimentos en la mesa. Las vacunas ya están aquí. Pero es importante mantener la distancia, usar mascarilla, lavarse las manos y evitar multitudes y espacios interiores con personas con las que no vivas para frenar la propagación del COVID-19. Aprenda más sobre las vacunas y lo que puede hacer para frenar la propagación en cdc.gov/coronavirus

Traído a usted por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE.UU.

MONEY

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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THINGS TAXPAYERS SHOULD KNOW WHEN INFORMACIÓN QUE LOS CONTRIBUYENTES CHOOSING BETWEEN STANDARD AND DEBEN SABER AL ELEGIR ENTRE DEDUCCIÓN ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS ESTÁNDAR Y DEDUCCIONES DETALLADAS

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IRS

eductions reduce the amount of taxable income when filing a federal income tax return. In other words, they can reduce the amount of tax someone owes. Most taxpayers have a choice of either taking the standard deduction or itemizing their deductions. The standard deduction may be quicker and easier, but, itemizing deductions may lower taxes more, in some situations. It's important for all taxpayers to look into which deduction method best fits them. New this year Following tax law changes, cash donations of up to $300 made by December 31, 2020 are deductible without having to itemize when people file a 2020 tax return. Here are some details about the two methods to help people decide deduction to take:

than the total of their allowable itemized deductions. They can use the Interactive Tax Assistant, How Much Is My Standard Deduction? to determine the amount their standard deduction and if they should itemize their deductions. Itemized deductions Taxpayers may itemize deductions because that amount is higher than their standard deduction, which will result in less tax owed or a larger refund. In some cases, they not allowed to use the standard deduction. Tax software can guide taxpayers through the process of itemizing their deductions. Taxpayers who itemize file Schedule A, Form 1040, Itemized Deductions or Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors. A taxpayer may benefit by itemizing deductions if any of following apply to their tax

ESPAÑOL situation, they: • Had large uninsured medical and dental expenses • Paid interest and taxes on their home • Had large uninsured casualty or theft losses • Made large contributions to qualified charities Individual itemized deductions may be limited. Schedule A, Form 1040, Itemized Deductions can help determine what limitations may apply. More information: Publication 501, Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information Topic No. 551, Standard Deduction Subscribe to IRS Tax Tips at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/subscribe-to-irs-taxtips.

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as deducciones reducen la cantidad de ingresos tributarios al presentar una declaración de impuestos federales. En otras palabras, pueden reducir la cantidad de impuestos que alguien adeuda. La mayoría de los contribuyentes tienen la opción de tomar la deducción estándar o detallar sus deducciones. La deducción estándar puede ser más rápida y fácil, pero, detallar las deducciones puede reducir más los impuestos, en algunas situaciones. Es importante que todos los contribuyentes examinen qué método de deducción se adapta mejor a ellos. Nuevo este año Después de los cambios en la ley de impuestos, las donaciones en efectivo de hasta $300 realizadas este año antes del 31 de diciembre de 2020 pueden deducirse sin tener que detallar cuando las personas presentan una declaración de impuestos de 2020.

Estos son algunos detalles acerca de los dos métodos para ayudar a las personas a decidir qué deducción tomar: Deducción estándar La deducción estándar es una cantidad que reduce los ingresos tributarios. La deducción estándar se ajusta cada año debido a la inflación y varía según el estado civil tributario. El monto de la deducción estándar depende del estado civil tributario del contribuyente, ya sea que tenga 65 años o más o sea ciego, y si otro contribuyente puede reclamarlo como dependiente. Los contribuyentes mayores de 65 años en el último día del año y que no detallan las deducciones tienen derecho a una deducción estándar más alta. Los contribuyentes se benefician de la deducción estándar si su deducción estándar es mayor que el total de sus deducciones detalladas permitidas. Pueden usar el Asistente Tributario Interactivo, ¿Cuánto es mi deducción estándar? (en inglés) para determinar la cantidad de su deducción estándar y si de-

ben detallar sus deducciones. Deducciones detalladas Los contribuyentes pueden detallar las deducciones porque esa cantidad es mayor que su deducción estándar, lo que resultará en menos impuestos adeudados o un reembolso mayor. En algunos casos, no se les permite usar la deducción estándar. El software tributario puede guiar a los contribuyentes a través del proceso de detallar sus deducciones. Los contribuyentes que detallan presentan el Anexo A (Formulario 1040), Deducciones detalladas, o el Formulario 1040-SR, Declaración de Impuestos de los Estados Unidos para Personas de 65 Años de Edad o Más. Un contribuyente puede beneficiarse de detallar las deducciones si alguno de los siguientes aplica a su situación tributaria: • Tiene grandes gastos médicos y dentales no asegurados • Paga intereses e impuestos en su casa • Tiene grandes pérdidas por hecho fortuito y robo • Hizo grandes contribuciones a organizaciones benéficas calificadas

Standard deduction The standard deduction is an amount that reduces taxable income. The amount adjusts every year and can vary by filing status. The standard deduction amount depends on the taxpayer's filing status, whether they are 65 or older or blind, and whether another taxpayer can claim them as a dependent. Taxpayers who are age 65 or older on the last day of the year and don't itemize deductions are entitled to a higher standard deduction.

Las deducciones detalladas individuales pueden ser limitadas. El Anexo A (Formulario 1040), Deducciones detalladas, puede ayudar a determinar qué limitaciones pueden aplicarse. Más información: • Publicación 501, Dependientes, deducción estándar e información sobre la presentación (en inglés) • Tema 551, Deducción estándar Suscríbase a los Consejos Tributarios del IRS en https:// www.irs.gov/es/newsroom/ subscribe-to-irs-tax-tips.

Taxpayers benefit from the standard deduction if their standard deduction is more

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TRAVEL

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5 NOTEWORTHY TRAVEL TRENDS IN THE AGE OF A PANDEMIC

5 TENDENCIAS NOTABLES DE VIAJE EN TIEMPOS DE PANDEMIA ESPAÑOL otros tiempos. Estas son las principales tendencias de viaje durante la pandemia de la COVID-19: Vacaciones más cortas, incluyendo viajes por carretera En la medida vamos aventurándonos cautelosamente a viajar, muchas personas optan por dejar a un lado las vacaciones de una semana y favorecer desplazamientos más cortos. De hecho, según una encuesta reciente realizada por Tripadvisor, el 55% de los viajeros en otoño del 2020 están reservando de dos a cinco noches cuando vacacionan, mientras que el 36% reservan estancias de una noche.

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OVID-19 has changed the way we travel. When the pandemic began, many people put vacations on hold, shelving their wanderlust. As the pandemic continues, people are starting to travel again, but in different ways that prioritize health and wellness. This has led to some interesting travel trends, showing Americans' love for travel is still vibrant, it's just a bit different than before. The top travel trends during the COVID-19 pandemic include: Shorter vacations, including road trips As people dabble with traveling again, many are choosing to forgo the week-long vacation and instead taking shorter trips. In fact, 55% of fall 2020 travelers are booking two to five nights when vacationing, and 36% are booking one-night stays, according to a recent Tripadvisor survey. Worry and expense associated with airline travel also has many people opting for destinations within driving distance of home. The traditional road trip is seeing a resurgence as people are packing up their vehicles to enjoy the drive to nearby adventures, whether that takes them to the country or a metropolitan area - or anything in between.

an all-under-one-roof experience with fun for the whole family. Dreaming and planning for the future Some people are still not comfortable with vacationing, which is why dreaming of the future and planning trips is the final top trend during the pandemic. With extra time on your hands, it's ideal for researching new destinations, learning about unique opportunities and watching for discounts to help you save on advanced bookings. You might also ask for gift certificates and vacation experiences for holiday gifts so you are ready to roll when you're comfortable with traveling again.

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a COVID-19 ha cambiado la forma en que viajamos. Cuando comenzó la pandemia, muchos pospusieron sus vacaciones, poniendo a reposar sus espíritus viajeros. Como la propagación del virus no da señales de desaparecer, hemos comenzado a viajar de nuevo, pero de formas que priorizan la salud y el bienestar físico. Esto ha dado paso a algunas tendencias interesantes de viaje, demostrando que el amor de los estadounidenses de desplazarse a otros destinos sigue vibrante, pero un poco diferente a

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Extra space to play and social distance The ability to spread out and be physically distant from others while enjoying time as a family is a top trend. People are seeking destinations with room to enjoy and space to play, both indoors and out. This might be renting a cabin and hiking the great outdoors or booking a room at a large resort with ample room so you're not uncomfortably close to other guests. Enhanced safety procedures Top of mind for all travelers, safety is essential. Many destinations and resorts are prioritizing keeping guests safe with new procedures, like contactless and cash-free methods of payment, offering remote check-in and implementing a wellness concierge to monitor and communicate safety initiatives to guests. Research the offerings at different accommodations and choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. Ask about the option to forgo cleaning service for the duration of the stay if you prefer no one enter the hotel room, with the option of fresh towels and toiletries to be delivered safely outside the door for convenience.

Usa mascarilla

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Mantente a 6 pies de distancia Quédate en casa

Experiences and activities are priorities Quarantine, sheltering in place, remote working and virtual learning: people have been spending a lot of time at home, so when they are traveling they want to prioritize unique experiences to make meaningful memories as a family. Because many theaters, sports arenas and tourist attractions remain shut down, people are looking at destinations that offer

covid19.ca.gov/es

La preocupación y los gastos vinculados al viaje por avión han hecho que otros tantos se decidan por destinos a los que puedan llegar manejando sus automóviles desde casa. El viaje tradicional por carretera está experimentando un resurgimiento, pues los viajeros prefieren usar sus vehículos para disfrutar la trayectoria a aventuras cercanas, ya sea en el campo o en una zona metropolitana, o cualquier opción intermedia. Espacio adicional para diversión, y distanciamiento social La posibilidad de dispersarse y estar distantes físicamente de otras personas mientras se disfruta en familia es una tendencia notable. Los vacacionistas están buscando destinos con amplitud para divertirse y espacio de juegos, tanto bajo techo como al aire libre. Esto puede abarcar desde alquilar una cabaña y practicar el senderismo, o reservar una habitación en un resort de grandes dimensiones con amplitud para no estar incómodamente cerca de otros huéspedes. Más procedimientos de seguridad La seguridad, prioridad para todos los viajeros, es esencial. Muchos destinos y resort están cuidando al máximo la seguridad de sus huéspedes con nuevos procedimientos, como métodos de pago sin contacto y sin dinero en efectivo, ofreciendo check-in remoto e implementando una persona encargada del bienestar de los huéspedes para supervisar y comunicarles iniciativas de seguridad. Haga una búsqueda de ofertas en diferentes hoteles y elija aquel con el que se sienta más cómodo. Pregunte por la opción de abstenerse del servicio de limpieza durante su estancia si prefiere que nadie entre en su habitación, pero con la posibilidad de que le dejen toallas limpias y artículos de aseo de forma segura junto a la puerta para su conveniencia. Las experiencias y actividades son prioritarias Cuarentena, permanencia en casa, trabajo a distancia y aprendizaje virtual: como hemos estado tanto tiempo en casa, al ir de viaje queremos priorizar experiencias únicas para crear recuerdos familiares significativos. Debido a que numerosas salas de cine y teatros, centros deportivos y atracciones turísticas siguen cerradas, el público busca destinos que ofrezcan experiencias integrales bajo un mismo techo con diversión para toda la familia. Soñar y proyectar para el futuro Algunas personas no se sienten cómodas con irse de vacaciones, razón por la cual soñar con el futuro y planificar los viajes es la tendencia notable final durante la pandemia. Este tiempo adicional de que dispone ahora es ideal para investigar sobre nuevos destinos, conocer oportunidades exclusivas y buscar descuentos que le ayuden a ahorrar con reservaciones anticipadas. También puede hacer averiguaciones sobre certificados de regalo y experiencias de vacaciones que pueda usar cuando esté listo para volver a viajar y se sienta lo suficientemente confiado para hacerlo.

HEALTH

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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"COVID-ONLY" NURSING HOMES RAISE CONCERNS FOR NY RESIDENTS’ RIGHTS

HOGARES DE ANCIANOS "SOLO COVID" ELEVAN PREOCUPACIONES SOBRE DERECHOS DE LOS RESIDENTES DE NY

Transferring a nursing-home resident to a new facility could lead to loss of contact with family and friends. Photo Credit: Bonsales / Adobe Stock

El traslado de un residente de un asilo de ancianos a una nueva instalación podría provocar la pérdida de contacto con familiares y amigos. Photo Credit: Pixabay

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Andrea Sears Public News Service

EW YORK - Are some nursinghome residents being moved without notice to create "COVID-only" facilities? That's one of several concerns being raised by advocates for people with disabilities. Last March, the state said nursing homes had to accept people regardless of their COVID status - and deaths soared. Then in May, the state said only those who tested negative would be allowed in the homes. Now, the New York Department of Health has created 19 COVID-only nursing homes statewide. There are questions about the process for moving healthy residents of those homes to different facilities, said Susan Dooha, executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (CIDNY): "Was there informed consent? Did people get information in the language that they speak? Did their family members know? Were they involved?" The DOH has said the change helps keep hospital beds available for people who need that level of care, and allows those who test positive but aren't sick to be in nursing homes. However, the Long Term Care Community Coalition, an advocacy group, reported that, to make room for COVID patients, some people have been transferred to new facilities without notice to family. Also, Dooha noted, a move can have other consequences.

"I'm hearing about people being moved some distance from the nursing facility they were living in," she said, "and is that going to make it harder for family members and friends to visit?" Especially for people with cognitive impairments, she said, a move can be traumatic and confusing, which can adversely affect their health. Dooha pointed out that people don't lose their rights just because they get older and live in a nursing facility. She said help is available. "They should turn to the Long Term Care Ombudsman program in their community," she said, "to ensure that their rights are protected." Information about the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is online at aging.ny.gov.

Andrea Sears Public News Service

EW YORK -- ¿Se estarán trasladando sin previo aviso algunos residentes de hogares de ancianos para crear instalaciones "solo para COVID"? Esta es una de las muchas preocupaciones planteadas por los defensores de personas con discapacidades. En marzo del año pasado, el estado dijo que los hogares de ancianos tenían que aceptar personas independientemente de su estado de COVID, y las muertes se dispararon. Luego en mayo, el estado dijo que solo aquellos que dieron negativo a la prueba podrían ingresar a los asilos. Ahora, el Departamento de Salud de Nueva York ha creado 19 hogares para ancianos solo para COVID en todo el estado. Según Susan Dooha, directora ejecutiva del Centro para la Independencia de los Discapacitados, de Nueva York (Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York o "CIDNY"), existen dudas sobre el

proceso para trasladar a residentes sanos de esos asilos a diferentes instalaciones. "¿Hubo consenso informado? ¿Recibió la gente información en el idioma que habla? ¿Lo sabían sus familiares? ¿Estaban involucrados?" El Departamento de Salud dice que este cambio ayuda a mantener las camas de hospital disponibles para las personas que necesitan ese nivel de atención, y permite que quienes den positivo a la prueba pero no están enfermos estén en hogares de ancianos. Pero la Coalición Comunitaria de Cuidados a Largo Plazo (Long Term Care Community Coalition), un grupo de defensa, informa que para crear espacio para los pacientes de COVID, algunas personas han sido transferidas a nuevas instalaciones sin notificar a sus familiares. Y Dooha señala que ese movimiento puede tener otras consecuencias. "He escuchado sobre personas que fueron trasladadas a cierta distancia del centro de enfermería en el que vivían. ¿Esto podría dificultar la visita de familiares y amigos?" Ánade que especialmente para las personas con deficiencias cognitivas, una mudanza puede ser traumática y confusa, lo que puede afectar negativamente a su salud. Dooha señala que las personas no pierden sus derechos solo porque envejecer y vivir en un centro de enfermería. Y dice que existe ayuda disponible. "Deben recurrir al programa de Defensoría y Cuidado del Pueblo a Largo Plazo en su comunidad para asegurarse de que sus derechos estén protegidos." La información sobre el Programa de Defensoría y Cuidado del Pueblo a Largo Plazo está en línea en aging.ny.gov.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

5 WAYS TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS Keep your family safe and slow the spread of germs

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5 FORMAS DE AYUDAR A REDUCIR LA PROPAGACIÓN EN EL HOGAR DE GÉRMENES QUE CAUSAN ENFERMEDADES Consejos aprobados por médicos para ayudar a mantener a su familia más saludable

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his year, as cold and flu season converges with the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to take precautions to help prevent the spread of illness and infection both in and out of the home. The similarities between cold, flu and COVID-19 symptoms can be confusing, and a spike in the seasonal flu could place additional strain on already tight health care resources. To help ease confusion and provide guidance, Dr. Darria Long-Gillespie, ER physician and Clorox spokesperson, outlined these best practices that can help keep you and your family healthy. Develop a Household Plan: Make sure everyone in your household and immediate family is on the same page about how to best prevent the spread of illness within your home. Consider an informal "household contract," where each member will alert the household if he or she comes in contact with an infected person or starts showing symptoms. This is important to help protect everyone in the house as well as visitors to your home, particularly those who are at-risk (such as older relatives) and can allow you time to prepare should any family member need to selfquarantine. Don't Skip the Flu Shot: Your first line of protection against illness is a flu shot, which not only reduces your risk of getting the flu, but also helps protect your community and conserve health care resources. This is especially important this year, since some of the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu overlap and can be difficult to tell apart. Because accessing the flu vaccine may be more challenging this year for many Americans due to the pandemic, Clorox has donated $1 million to Direct Relief, Visiting Nurses Associa-

tion of America and Families Fighting Flu to help provide access to, and spread awareness of, the importance of flu vaccinations. Maintain Regular Healthy Habits: One of the best defenses is a good offense, and the same is true when preparing for cold and flu season. Aiming for a well-balanced diet full of non-processed foods, staying hydrated, exercising and keeping a regular sleep schedule are all keys to keeping illness at bay. Disinfecting hightouch surfaces with a disinfectant that's approved by the Environmental Protection Agency to kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can also help support prevention, especially if you have members of the household leaving frequently for work or school. Attend Necessary Medical Appointments: It's important for you and your family to attend annual physical exams and other necessary medical appointments - whether it's virtually or while following appropriate safety precautions in person. These checkups are crucial for keeping up to date on your prescriptions and general well-being, identifying any potential medical issues and monitoring recurring issues. Contact your doctor's office to see if it is open for in-person or telehealth appointments in order to make the best decision for receiving care for you and your family.

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esde el comienzo de la pandemia de COVID-19, ha habido un mayor enfoque en mantener la salud y el bienestar. Es importante comprender dónde y cuándo desinfectar regularmente en el hogar y cómo proteger a las personas que corren el mayor riesgo de contraer una infección de la propagación de gérmenes que causan enfermedades. El Dr. Ilan Shapiro, médico certificado por la junta y vocero de Clorox, ofrece estos consejos sobre cómo ayudar a prevenir la propagación del SARS-CoV-2, el virus que causa la COVID-19, así como otros gérmenes comunes que pueden estar al acecho en su hogar. Desinfectar hacia y desde el lugar de trabajo: si es un trabajador esencial, o debe ir a una oficina, minimice la propagación de gérmenes después de salir del lugar de trabajo lavándose o desinfectando sus manos inmediatamente después de ingresar a la casa y use un desinfectante aprobado por la Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA) en superficies no porosas que tienen un alto grado de contacto como las llaves y las manijas de las puertas. Si puede, mantenga unos zapatos de repuesto en su automóvil y coloque los zapatos de trabajo en una bolsa de plástico o en un recipiente con una etiqueta que lea "no tocar".

Create Prevention Packs: Keep illness prevention items, such as face masks, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and disinfecting wipes, in one centralized spot at home. Also keep additional kits in easyto-reach areas like the center console of your vehicle or inside your purse or backpack for when you're on the go.

Mantenga su hogar más seguro: hay algunas mejores prácticas a seguir para ayudar a mantener contenidos a los gérmenes, particularmente cuando llega a casa después del trabajo o de salidas esenciales. Estas incluyen evitar colocar bolsas y mochilas traídas del lugar de trabajo o la escuela en superficies comunes, lavarse las manos con agua y jabón durante al menos 20 segundos y concentrarse en desinfectar los espacios compartidos y los objetos y superficies que se tocan con frecuencia, como mesas, encimeras, picaportes e interruptores de luz con toallitas desinfectantes aprobadas por la EPA.

Find more tips for fighting illness this cold and flu season at Clorox.com.

Cuidado de familiares en riesgo: proteger a los miembros de la familia, desde la abuela

y el abuelo hasta los más pequeños, que viven bajo un mismo techo es una prioridad. Es importante que los miembros de la familia inmediata y todos los miembros del hogar sigan las mismas reglas de distanciamiento social y se pongan en cuarentena en caso de que alguien en el hogar haya tenido un encuentro con una persona enferma. Desinfectar espacios comunes como la bañera, el fregadero de la cocina, el inodoro y las manijas del grifo con una solución como Clorox Disinfecting Bleach también puede ayudar a prevenir la propagación de gérmenes a los miembros de la familia de alto riesgo. Sepa dónde y cuándo desinfectar: existen algunas diferencias clave entre limpiar, sanitizar y desinfectar, y cuándo se debe usar cada método. La limpieza elimina el polvo, los desechos y la suciedad de las superficies al lavar, restregar o enjuagar. Este método debe utilizarse generalmente para mantener la casa ordenada y eliminar la suciedad y las migas. La sanitización reduce las bacterias identificadas en la etiqueta del producto que se encuentran en las superficies y es ideal para usar en la cocina o en la lavandería. La desinfección destruye o inactiva tanto las bacterias como los virus identificados en la etiqueta del producto - como la influenza y el rinovirus - en superficies duras no porosas y es ideal para superficies de alto contacto donde los gérmenes al aire libre pueden prevalecer y en espacios como los baños. La importancia de mantener los nuevos hábitos: si bien la atención de muchas personas se ha centrado en la pandemia de COVID-19, las medidas proactivas como el lavado de manos y la desinfección frecuente también pueden ayudar en la lucha contra otras enfermedades conocidas como la gripe, el norovirus, los virus del resfriado común y las bacterias que pueden causar problemas estomacales como E. Coli. Incorporar estos hábitos en el lugar y el momento adecuados será clave para mantener una comunidad más saludable. Encuentre más consejos para combatir enfermedades en esta temporada de resfriados y gripe en Clorox.com.

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FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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MINORÍAS ÉTNICAS SE QUEDAN ATRÁS EN DISTRIBUCIÓN DE VACUNAS COVID-19 Miembros de comunidades étnicas son quienes representan de manera desproporcionada las muertes por coronavirus pero no son quienes están siendo vacunados.

Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

tienen una reserva separada de vacunas, tanto para indios urbanos como para quienes viven en las reservas, las 20,000 dosis disponibles en California no alcanzan para todos los miembros de la comunidad.

ientras en California el 55% de los muertos por COVID-19 son latinos y en Nueva York los afroamericanos tienen las más altas tasas de hospitalización por el virus, ninguno de estos estados está reportando datos sobre el origen racial de quienes reciben las vacunas.

Gracias a la soberanía tribal, los programas de salud han priorizado a poblaciones vulnerables con condiciones preexistentes sin importar el rango de edad. Si hay miembros jóvenes de la familia llevando a los más viejos a vacunarse, ellos pueden recibir la vacuna al ser reconocidos como cuidadores. Pero si alguien se enferma no hay hospitales indios financiados por el sistema de salud en California: los miembros tribales dependen de un sistema público o privado y de una aseguranza.

Según el monitor de vacunas de Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) apenas 23 estados en el país comparten datos de vacunación por raza y etnia y el patrón constante en esta distribución es que personas negras e hispanas han sido inoculadas a tasas muy bajas si se compara con su proporción de casos y muertes por el virus. “Esto es algo que necesita ser corregido inmediatamente”, alertó el Dr. Daniel TurnerLloveras, miembro fundador de la Coalición Latina contra la COVID-19 en una conferencia de prensa organizada por Ethnic Media Services. “Si no podemos medir y cuantificar la disparidad, es muy difícil encontrar una solución (a la pandemia)”. Según el experto, el primer paso para alcanzar una distribución equitativa es asegurarse de que todos los estados reporten datos raciales sobre quiénes reciben la vacuna. “Nadie puede garantizar que no venga otra ola (de COVID), y en las tres anteriores fueron los negros y los latinos quienes han estado muriendo. Ellos necesitan estar en la mesa cuando se tomen estas decisiones de reabrir la economía”, dijo Turner-Lloveras. Estas minorías componen de manera predominante la fuerza laboral esencial de este país que permite que haya comida en los hogares durante la pandemia. Su riesgo es sin duda exponencial si se compara con cualquier otra etnia. Los datos analizados por KFF muestran que las brechas más grandes entre los estados que reportan cifras por raza, están en Delaware donde solo el 6% de los vacunados son negros aunque representan el 24% de las infecciones. En Louisiana, los afroamericanos han recibido el 13% de vacunas pero han padecido el 34% de infecciones y en Mississippi el 17% ha sido vacunado pero sus tasas de infección alcanzan el 38%. En el caso de los latinos, Colorado ha vacunado apenas al 6% de ellos cuando sus tasas de infección alcanzan el 37%; en Oregon solo el 6% ha sido vacunado mientras el 35% se ha infectado y en Texas la inoculación alcanza el 16% de hispanos en un estado en el que representan el 43% de los casos. Los datos de KFF muestran las mismas brechas en la vacunación de nativos americanos y asiáticos americanos. Turner-Lloveras advirtió que estas disparidades resaltan en un momento en que hay escasez de dosis y quienes son elegibles quieren vacunarse. Pero todavía se descon-

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ocen las repercusiones en las cifras cuando la inoculación se extienda a aquellos que tienen sospechas y dudas de la vacuna COVID-19. “Se necesita un proyecto gigantesco digital en el que participen los pacientes… Queremos llevar ayuntamientos virtuales a cada vecindario, para conversar sobre la desconfianza en las farmacéuticas o el gobierno, sin prejuicios, brindando información de una manera culturalmente sensible en los idiomas que habla la comunidad”, dijo el experto para quien esta es la única manera de alcanzar la inmunidad colectiva y el regreso a algún tipo de normalidad. Disparidades de vieja data Las disparidades en el acceso a la salud no son nuevas, pero la COVID-19 las ha exacerbado. El sistema de salud no estaba preparado para enfrentar una pandemia en la que minorías étnicas tuvieron que recurrir a centros comunitarios de salud sin fondos, con escasez de camas y de dispositivos médicos para casos agudos. Es el caso del hospital Martin Luther King de Los Ángeles que se vio obligado a pedir refuerzos para trasladar a otras clínicas a sus pacientes de COVID más críticos, aquellos con necesidad urgente de oxigenación. La negativa de otros centros hospitalarios a recibirlos por la falta de seguro y la frustración de doctores, pacientes y familias, fueron objeto de un artículo en el New York Times. “El personal de MLK trabaja 24 horas en las trincheras luchando contra la COVID y cuando piden ayuda les dicen que no repetidamente”, dijo el Dr. David M. Carlisle, presidente y director ejecutivo de la Universidad de Medicina y Ciencia Charles R. Drew. “Esta es la cara oculta de la asistencia sanitaria. Estas son las disparidades y la razón por la que la gente está tan preocupada por la atención médica... es poco ético e inhu-

mano”. Carlisle trabajó por 11 años en la oficina de Planificación y Desarrollo de la Salud Estatal de California (OSHPD) y fue parte del equipo de respuesta contra el SARS en el año 2000. Dice que le preocupa la forma como se están distribuyendo las vacunas porque algunas farmacias comerciales ubicadas en “áreas que no reflejan la diversidad étnica” de California han comenzado a recibirlas. Es el caso de Huntington Beach, Irvin y Newport Beach. Esto sucede mientras grandes centros de vacunación como el Dodger Stadium se quedaron sin dosis y tuvieron que cerrar. “El hecho de que solo podamos aumentar el número de vacunaciones de forma lineal es muy preocupante”, dijo Carlisle. “Es una falla de nuestra política de salud pública”. Para Virginia Hedrick, directora ejecutiva del Consorcio de California para la salud indígena urbana y miembro de la tribu Yurok, estas disparidades son muestra de que “no estamos todos juntos en esto, no lo estamos experimentando de la misma manera”. Las cifras reiteran su postura: los indios americanos y nativos de Alaska han contraído COVID a tasas tres veces y media más altas que sus contrapartes blancos no hispanos. En una misma semana han sido hospitalizados entre 4 y 5 veces más que los blancos no hispanos. Y la tasa de muertes es 1,8 veces mayor. Hedrick sostuvo que para los nativo americanos la pandemia ha sido un “reflejo del trauma histórico” al que han sido sometidos con el “robo de tierras, niños, idioma, y cultura”, que ha resultado en una comunidad que padece las tasas más altas de diabetes, enfermedad cardíaca, presión arterial alta, abuso de sustancias y hasta suicidio entre sus miembros más jóvenes. Si bien los servicios de salud para nativos

“Vemos morir a los líderes tribales, vemos morir a nuestros ancianos y en territorio indígena cuando perdemos a un anciano, se pierde un conocimiento y un lenguaje que nunca podrán recuperarse”, agregó Hedrick. Recursos para las CBOs Las barreras del lenguaje son también una preocupación entre las comunidades indígenas de México que componen buena parte de los trabajadores del campo, y en las asiático americanas que hablan hasta 50 diferentes idiomas. De acuerdo a Adam Carbullido, director de política y defensa de la Asociación de Organizaciones Comunitarias de la Salud de Asia Pacífico (AAPCHO en inglés), el Congreso debe aprobar mayores recursos para las organizaciones comunitarias de base (CBO en inglés) que han estado “en primera línea brindando atención y servicios cuando las instituciones gubernamentales y privadas se han quedado cortas”. “Estas clínicas necesitan más intérpretes y materiales traducidos en diferentes lenguas”, observó. “Es importante tener intérpretes disponibles que puedan hablar el idioma de la elección (del paciente), no solo en una crisis pública,” dijo. El grupo de trabajo de equidad en salud de la administración de Joe Biden ha prometido la inversión de $7,6 mil millones para servicios de salud comunitarios. Carbullido también recordó que los asiáticos americanos tienen el mayor riesgo de hospitalización entre cualquier grupo étnico y han estado sometidos a un aumento de incidentes de odio y xenofobia, “debido a la asociación falsa de la pandemia con los asiáticos y otros a quienes perciben como extranjeros”. “Los pacientes dicen tener miedo de buscar atención médica... es un verdadero trauma emocional en las comunidades asiáticoamericanas y las consecuencias para la salud mental serán de larga data,” concluyó.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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VACCINE DISTRIBUTION LAGS BEHIND FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR – RACIAL DATA NEEDED TO CORRECT PROBLEM People from ethnic communities are dying disproportionately from coronavirus but are not the ones being vaccinated.

Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

they have been subjected with the “steal of land, children, language, and culture.” This has resulted in a community suffering from the highest rates of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, substance abuse and even suicide among the youngest community members.

ome 55% of COVID-19 fatalities in California are Latino while AfricanAmericans in New York have the highest rates of hospitalization for coronavirus. Yet neither state is reporting racial data about who receives vaccines.

While the Indian Health Services have a separate vaccine stockpile for both urban Indians and those living on tribal facilities, the doses available in California are not enough for all community members.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) vaccine monitor, only 23 states in the country share vaccination data by race and ethnicity, and the persistent pattern is that Black and Hispanic people have been vaccinated at very low rates in proportion to infections and deaths from the virus. “This needs to be immediately corrected,” said Dr. Daniel Turner-Lloveras, founding member of the Latino Coalition against COVID-19 at an Ethnic Media Services press briefing on Feb. 12. “If we are unable to measure and quantify the disparity, it is very difficult to find a solution (to the pandemic).” According to Turner-Lloveras, the first step to achieving an equitable distribution is to ensure that all states report racial data on who receives the vaccine. Data analyzed by KFF shows that the largest gaps between states reporting numbers by race are in Delaware where only 6% of those vaccinated are Black, although they account for 24% of the infections. In Louisiana, African Americans have received 13% of vaccinations but suffered from 34% of the infections and in Mississippi 17% of Blacks have been vaccinated but their infection rates reach 38%. Colorado has vaccinated only 6% of Latinos while Latino infection rates reach 37%; in Oregon only 6% have been vaccinated while 35% have been infected, while in Texas only 16% of have received the vaccine despite representing 43% of cases. The KFF data shows the same vaccination gaps for Native Americans and Asian Americans. “We need a gigantic digital patient engagement project...with virtual town halls in every neighborhood providing information in the languages people speak,” said the doctor, adding that this is the only way to achieve herd immunity and return to some kind of normalcy.

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pital in Los Angeles, which needed to call for reinforcements to transfer its most critical COVID patients to other hospitals for oxygenation. All too often, surrounding hospitals refused to receive MLK patients due to lack of insurance. “MLK staff work 24 hours in the trenches fighting COVID and when they ask for help they are told no repeatedly,” said Dr. David M. Carlisle, president and CEO of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. “This is the hidden face of healthcare. These are the disparities and why people are so concerned about health care ... it is unethical and inhumane.” Carlisle said he is concerned that vaccines are being distributed to commercial pharmacies located in “areas that do not reflect the ethnic diversity” in California such as Huntington Beach, Irvin and Newport

Beach while large vaccination centers like the Dodger Stadium run out of doses and have to close. “It is a failure of our public health policy.” For Virginia Hedrick, executive director of the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health and a member of the Yurok tribe, these disparities show that “we are not all in this together, we are not experiencing it in the same way.” The data back her up: American Indians and Alaska Natives have contracted COVID at rates three and a half times higher than their white non-Hispanic counterparts. In a given week, they’ve been hospitalized between 4 and 5 times more than whites non-Hispanic. And the death rate overall is 1.8 times higher. Hedrick said that for Native Americans the pandemic has been a reflection of the “outcomes of historical trauma” to which

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“We are seeing tribal leaders die, our elders die, and in Indian countries losing an elder is losing knowledge and language that can never be recovered” Hedrick added. Resources for the CBOs Language barriers are also a worry for the indigenous communities of Mexico that make up a large part of the farmworker labor force, and for Asian-Americans who speak up to 50 different languages. According to Adam Carbullido, director of policy and advocacy at the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Congress should approve more resources for community-based organizations (CBOs) that have been “in the frontline providing care and services when government and private institutions have fallen short.” “These clinics need more interpreters and materials translated into different languages,” he observed. “It is important to have providers on hand who can speak the language of (the patient’s) choice not just in a public crisis,” he said. Carbullido recalled that Asian Americans have the highest risk of hospitalization among any ethnic group and have been subjected to an increase in incidents of hate and xenophobia, “because of the false association of the pandemic with Asians and others who are perceived as foreigners.”

Long-standing disparities Disparities in access to healthcare are not new, but COVID-19 has exacerbated them. The health system was unprepared for a pandemic in which ethnic minorities had to resort to underfunded community health centers which are short of beds and acute medical devices.

Thanks to tribal sovereignty, their tier system has prioritized vulnerable populations with pre-existing conditions regardless of age. If there are young members of the family taking the older ones to get vaccinated, they can receive a vaccine by being recognized as caregivers. But if someone gets sick, there are no Indian Health Service-funded hospitals in California: tribal members rely on a public or private system and insurance.

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“Patients report fear of seeking health and the care they need... it is a true emotional trauma in Asian American communities and the mental health consequences will have long-standing complications for health,” he concluded.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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FLORA & ULYSSES: UNA SÚPER ARDILLA VUELA A LA ACCIÓN EN LA NUEVA AVENTURA DE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS Basada en una novela para niños, la extravagante película es una mezcla entre cómics, comedia y drama cordial

Arturo Hilario El Observador

una pala’ ¿Sabes? Seguro la ardilla pensó ‘No soy una estúpida’”. Dijo DiCamillo.

“Flora & Ulysses” es una nueva comedia curiosa y reconfortante protagonizada por Matilda Lawler quien debuta en ésta película como la valiente y cínica Flora Buckman, una fanática de los comics que mira al mundo a través del lente de los superhéroes – la justicia, la batalla entre el bien y el mal, el amor y la pérdida.

Aunque la película tiene partes de comedia y partes de drama, hay un mayor énfasis en la comedia física, con chistes visibles, recuerdos de acontecimientos anteriores, y un poco de incomodidad en beneficio del humor de la película. Mucho de esto recae sobre los actores adultos y sus grandes habilidades cómicas, o sobre el superhéroe Ulysses, quien en general es un animal CGI.

Las cosas en la vida de Flora han sido tensas desde que sus papás se separaron, y la película la muestra viviendo con su mamá Phyllis (interpretada por Alyson Hannigan) – una novelista romántica. El papá de Flora, George (interpretado por Ben Schwartz), un artista de cómics que creó muchas historias originales y héroes que aunque nunca se publicaron, viven en la imaginación de Flora e influencian su percepción del mundo. George y su ex esposa retrocedieron en sus ocupaciones y carreras desde la separación, lo que tuvo un impacto en la joven Flora y su perspectiva de la vida. Ella anhela algo en el mundo que cambie su estancada situación actual, y justo cuando se encontraba contemplando la vida, encuentra una ardilla en peligro que cambia su vida y la de su familia para siempre. Ulysses la ardilla, que estaba atrapada en una aspiradora, sale del otro lado con superpoderes, un nuevo intelecto y muchas preguntas acerca de su propio lugar en el mundo; junto con Flora, pasan la película averiguando qué significa ser un superhéroe y qué es lo que importa en la vida. Lo que viene de esto es una mezcla de géneros y estilos de comedia con pizcas de películas de superhéroes, románticas y de drama. La directora Lena Khan dijo acerca de su premisa: “¿Cuando el mundo te derriba, qué es lo que necesitas para volverte a levantar? A veces, podría ser una aventura muy loca y divertida con una ardilla que posee extraordinarias habilidades de superhéroe.”

Flora Buckman (Matilda Lawler) le ensena a Ulysses como ser un verdadero superhéroe en “Flora & Ulysses”. Photo Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Khan agregó: “En primer lugar, es muy divertido. Y tiene personajes que son reales, con emociones profundas, que viven cosas por las que pasamos todo el tiempo. Detrás de todo, hay un mensaje de esperanza, del poder del amor en la amistad y en la familia.” Basada en el Libro “Flora & Ulysses: Las Aventuras Iluminadas” escrito por Kate DiCamillo, la historia del libro está estrechamente adaptada a la versión cinematográfica, algunos de los momentos más extravagantes del libro logran llegar a la película. Uno de estos momentos es la historia de origen de Ulysses. DiCamillo relató el origen de ese origen. “Mi mama tuvo una aspiradora que amaba, ella falleció en el 2009. Y en el último año de su vida siempre decía: ‘¿Qué pasará con la aspiradora cuando ya no esté?’ Y yo le dije: ‘¿Por qué nos preocupamos por la aspiradora? Hay cosas más importantes por las que preocuparse´. Pero cuando murió, hice lo que le había prometido. Me llevé la aspiradora para que tuviera un buen hogar, solo que mi mamá tuvo un gato – el gato más malvado del mundo, se llamaba Mildew y soy alérgica a los gatos, así que no pude meter la aspiradora a mi casa por todos los pelos de Mildew que estaban dentro, tuve que de-

jarla en la cochera. Siempre cuando me estacionaba, veía la aspiradora, y eso me lastimaba el corazón. Me hacía extrañar a mi mamá.” “Después, la primavera siguiente de que murió mi mamá, había una ardilla en las escaleras delanteras de mi fachada, deslizándose dramáticamente por los escalones, claramente asustada. No se movía cuando me acerqué a ella y no sabía qué hacer. Llamé a una de mis mejores amigas que vive a una cuadra de mi casa.” Le dije, “Ayúdame. Hay una ardilla muriéndose en mis escaleras delanteras.” Y me dijo: “¿Tienes una playera y una pala?” Y yo dije: “Sí tengo.” Y ella dijo: “Ve por la playera, ve por la pala. Voy para allá y vamos a darle un golpe en la cabeza.” Eso fue lo que me dijo. “Y todo esto me hizo pensar en el ensayo de E.B. White “La Muerte de un Cerdo”. Cuando sale a darle de comer a un puerco mientras piensa en maneras de salvar la vida de un puerco. Yo pensé en maneras de salvar la vida de una ardilla y lo combiné con la aspiradora en la cochera, y ésta es la historia.” ¿Y qué le pasó a la ardilla? “Bueno, la ardilla se fue cuando escuchó a mi amiga decir ‘Golpea su cabeza con

La directora Lena Kan dice que lo chiflado de la película es la versión agudizada de los eventos que ya están en el libro, pero por la famosa súper-ardilla, la producción se elevó a otro nivel. “Ulysses, no me puedo cansar de él. Pero el plan de acción para la mayoría de las cosas que pasaron, está en el libro, así que tuvimos suerte con eso. Al parecer, cosas extrañas como aspiradoras y así terminan en la casa de Kate.” “Y pudimos jugar con todo tipo de cosas como, ya sabes, escenas peligrosas desde edificios y accidentes de coche, entonces, básicamente está escrito en el cerebro de Kate y en el cerebro de nuestro escritor Brad Copeland, quien escribió para “Arrested Development”. Así que él agregó todo tipo de rareza y diversión a la película y entonces se trataba de hacer la película más rara, y sin duda, nuestro amado elenco lo logró.” “Así que nos divertimos mucho haciendo las cosas todavía un poco más locas. Sí usamos [ardillas reales], a mí me pusieron dos ardillas en mi regazo, estaban entrenadas y hacían trucos, pero no podían hacer todo lo que Ulysses puede, así que tuvimos que crear a Ulysses [con CGI],” ella agregó. Con un drama familiar realista mezclado con aventura, comedia, y una ardilla muy única, “Flora & Ulysses” rompe barreras con su voz extravagante que viene directamente de las páginas de la querida novela infantil a la pantalla. Está disponible ahora para ver en Disney+.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

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FLORA & ULYSSES: A SUPER SQUIRREL FLIES INTO ACTION IN THE NEW WALT DISNEY STUDIOS ADVENTURE Based on a children’s novel, the quirky film mixes comic books, comedy, and heartfelt drama

Arturo Hilario El Observador

move when I got close to him and I didn't know what to do for him. I called one of my best friends who lives a block away.”

“Flora & Ulysses” is the curious and heartwarming new comedy which stars Matilda Lawler in her film debut as spunky and cynical Flora Buckman, an avid comic book reader who looks at the world from the lens of superheroes - from justice, the battle between good and evil, and love and loss.

“I said, "Help me. There's a squirrel dying on my front steps." She said, "Do you have a Tshirt and a shovel?" And I said, "I do." And she said, "Get the T- shirt, get the shovel. I will come over there and whack him over the head." That's what she said.”

Things in Flora’s life have been strained since her parents separated, and the film picks up while she is living with her romance-novelist mother Phyllis, (played by Alyson Hannigan). Flora’s father, George (played by Ben Schwartz), was once a comic book artist who created many original stories and heroes who never got published, though they live in Flora’s imagination and influence her view of the world. George, along with his estranged wife Phyllis, have both regressed in their pursuits and their careers since their separation, and in turn this has affected young Flora and her outlook. She longs for something in the world to change her current stagnant situation, and just as quickly as she is contemplating life, she encounters a squirrel in distress who changes her and her family’s life forever.

Flora Buckman (Matilda Lawler) teaches Ulysses how to be a proper superhero in “Flora & Ulysses”. Photo Credit: Walt Disney Studios

loved and, she passed away in 2009. And in the last year of her life, she kept on saying, ‘What's gonna happen to the vacuum cleaner when I'm gone?’ And I was like, ‘Why are we worried about the vacuum cleaner? There are bigger things to worry about.’ But when she did, I did as I promised her I would do. I took the vacuum cleaner, so that it would have a good home, except that my mom had a cat - the world's most evil cat named Mildew and I’m [allergic] to

cats, and I couldn't bring the vacuum cleaner into the house because of all the Mildew hair in it, so I had to leave it out in the garage. Every time I pulled into the garage, I would see the vacuum cleaner, and it would make my heart hurt. It would make me miss my mother.” “Then, the spring after my mother died, there was this squirrel on the front steps of my house, draped dramatically across the steps, clearly in distress. And he wouldn't

Khan added: “First off, it’s hilarious. And it has characters that are real, with emotions that run deep, that are going through stuff that we go through all the time. Behind everything, there’s a message of hope, of the power of love in friendship and family.” Based on a book “Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures” by author Kate DiCamillo, the book’s story is closely adapted with the film version, with some of the book’s most quirky moments making it into the film. One such moment is Ulysses’ origin story.

“Well, the squirrel left when he heard my friend saying, ‘Whack him over the head with a shovel,’ you know? The squirrel was like, ‘I'm no dummy,’” Says DiCamillo. Although the film is parts comedy, parts drama, there is a big emphasis on the physical funniness of it all, with sight gags, call backs to previous occurrences, and some discomfort for the sake of the film’s humor. A lot of it falls on either the adult actors and their sharp comedic skills, or superhero Ulysses, who is generally a CGI animal.

“Ulysses, I can't get enough of him. But the blueprint for most of the stuff that happened is in the book, so we were kinda lucky there. Apparently, crazy things like vacuum cleaners and everything end up in Kate's home.”

What comes from this is a mix of genres and comedy styles, comedy with hints of superhero, romance, and drama films. “When the world brings you down, what does it take to get back up again? Sometimes, that might be a very crazy, funny journey with a squirrel with extraordinary and strange superhero skills.”

And as for the fate of that squirrel?

Director Lena Khan says that the zaniness of the film is just a heightened version of the events that are already I the book itself, but because of the famed super-squirrel, it elevated the production to another level.

Ulysses the squirrel, who gets caught inside a robot-vacuum, comes out the other end a superpowered critter, with new intellect and many questions about his own place in the world; together with Flora, they spend the film figuring out what makes a superhero, and what is important in life.

Director Lena Khan said about its premise:

“And all of this made me think about E.B. White's essay, “Death of a Pig”. How he's going out to feed a pig and thought about ways to save a pig's life. I thought about ways to save the squirrel's life and I combined it with the vacuum cleaner in the garage, and that's the story.”

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“And, we got to play with all kinds of things and we got to play with, you know, stunts off of buildings and car crashes and then, it's just kind of written in Kate's brain and our writer Brad Copeland's brain, who wrote for “Arrested Development”. So, he put all that kind of weirdness and fun into the movie, and then it was just kind of making it all weird, which, you know, our lovely cast did.” “So, it was a lotta fun just kinda making things a little crazier. We did use [real squirrels] I got to have two squirrels on my lap and they were trained, and they did tricks, but they couldn't do everything that Ulysses did, so then we just had to create Ulysses [with CGI],” she adds.

DiCamillo recounted the origin of that origin:

With a realistic family drama mixed with adventure, comedy, and a very unique squirrel, “Flora & Ulysses” breaks barriers with its eccentric voice which comes straight off the pages of the beloved children’s novel and onto the screen.

“My mom had a vacuum cleaner that she

It’s available now to watch on Disney+.

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EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

NAPA COUNTY SUPERVISOR ALFREDO PEDROZA ELECTED MTC CHAIR Nick Josefowitz, San Francisco Mayor’s Appointee, named Vice Chair

EL SUPERVISOR DEL CONDADO DE NAPA ALFREDO PEDROZA ELEGIDO PRESIDENTE DE LA MTC Pedroza es el primer latino al mando de la agencia

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Metropolitan Transportation Commission

AN FRANCISCO - Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza assumed the helm of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission on February 24th, as the regional board unanimously elected him to serve as Chair for the two-year term running through February 2023. Pedroza has served as MTC’s Vice Chair for the past two years and has represented Napa County on the Commission since 2017. “As the Bay Area, like the rest of the world, looks ahead to emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery and resilience will be front and center in all of MTC’s work,” Pedroza said. “That means working with our partner transportation agencies to adapt to new travel patterns and new budget constraints while continuing to focus on the user experience; working with our cities and counties — and so many others — on new solutions to the Bay Area’s housing crisis; and helping to make sure all Bay Area residents and all Bay Area communities get to participate in the region’s economic recovery.” Pedroza first was elected to the Napa City Council in 2012, and then appointed in 2014 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to represent the Fourth District on Napa County’s Board of Supervisors. Pedroza won election to a full term on the Board of Supervisors in 2016 and was re-elected in November 2020. A Napa native, Pedroza is a graduate of Sonoma State University, where he earned a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Economics. Pedroza, who replaces former Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty as MTC Chair, is the second Napa County Supervisor to lead the Commission. The first was current state Sen. Bill Dodd, who represented Napa County on the Commission from 2001

to 2014 and served as Chair from 2007 to 2009. MTC today also elected Nick Josefowitz, Chief Policy Officer at San Francisco-based SPUR, to serve as Vice Chair for the next two years. Josefowitz has served since 2017 as the San Francisco Mayor’s appointee to the Commission. After founding and managing a solar energy development company, Josefowitz served as a member of the BART Board of Directors. He also has served on the boards of Capitol Corridor and the San Francisco Environment Commission. “The transportation, housing and land use challenges we face are enormous,” acknowledged Josefowitz. “I am honored to have been elected to this position, and excited to work with Chair Pedroza, my fellow commission members and all those who call the Bay Area home to help our region emerge from this crisis more prosperous, more equitable and on a path to eliminating our greenhouse gas pollution and making our communities safe from wildfire and flooding.” In addition to the new Chair and Vice Chair, four other MTC seats have changed hands in recent weeks. Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga replaced former Los Altos Mayor Jeannie Bruins as the representative of Santa Clara County’s cities; David Canepa replaced Warren Slocum as the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors’ representative; Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez replaced former Supervisor Dave Cortese after Cortese’s November 2020 election to the state Senate; and Acting Caltrans District 4 Director Dina El-Tawansy replaced current Caltrans District 7 (Los Angeles) Director Tony Tavares as the California State Transportation Agency’s non-voting representative to the Commission..

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Metropolitan Transportation Commission

AN FRANCISCO - El supervisor del condado de Napa Alfredo Pedroza se convirtió en el primer latino en asumir el mando de la Comisión Metropolitana del Transporte el 24 de febrero después de que la mesa directiva regional lo eligió unánimemente como presidente por el termino de dos años que termina en febrero de 2023. Pedroza fue el vicepresidente de la MTC durante los últimos dos años y ha representado al condado de Napa en la Comisión desde el 2017. “Así como el Área de la Bahía, al igual que el resto del mundo, mira hacia adelante al fin de la pandemia del COVID-19, la recuperación y la adaptación serán la prioridad en todo el trabajo de la MTC,” dijo Pedroza. “Esto significa que tenemos que trabajar con nuestras agencias de transporte hermanas para adaptarnos a los nuevos patrones de viaje y a las limitaciones de presupuesto, y al mismo tiempo enfocarnos en la experiencia de los usuarios; trabajar con las ciudades y los condados — y muchos más — en soluciones nuevas a la crisis de vivienda del Área de la Bahía; y ayudar a asegurar que todos los residentes y las comunidades del Área de la Bahía tengan la oportunidad de participar en la recuperación económica de la región.” Pedroza fue primeramente electo al concilio de la ciudad de Napa en 2012, y en 2014 fue nombrado por el gobernador de entonces Jerry Brown a representar el cuarto distrito de la mesa de supervisores del condado de Napa. Pedroza gano la elección a un término completo en la mesa de supervisores en el 2016 y fue reelegido en noviembre de 2020. Originario de Napa, Pedroza es graduado de la universidad Sonoma State, donde obtuvo su título en administración de empresas con un diplomado en economía.

Pedroza, quien remplaza al antiguo supervisor del condado de Alameda Scott Haggerty como presidente de la MTC is the transportation planning, financing and co- Comisión, es solamente el segundo supervisor del conordinating agency for the nine-county San FranciscoT:10.5"dado de Napa de tomar el mando de esta. El primero fue el actual senador del estado Bill Dodd, quien represento Bay Area. al condado de Napa en la Comisión del 2001 al 2014 y es-

tuvo al mando del 2007 al 2009. La MTC también hoy eligió a Nick Josefowitz, jefe oficial de políticas de la organización basada en San Francisco llamada SPUR, a cumplir como vicepresidente por los próximos dos años. Josefowitz ha cumplido desde el 2017 como el designado por la alcaldesa de San Francisco a la Comisión. Después de fundar y administrar una empresa de desarrollo de energía solar, Josefowitz sirvió como miembro de la mesa directiva de BART. También ha formado parte de las mesas directivas de Capitol Corridor y la Comisión Ambiental de San Francisco. “Los desafíos de transporte, vivienda y uso del suelo que enfrentamos son enormes,” reconoció Josefowitz. “Me siento honrado de haber sido elegido al puesto, y me emociona trabajar con el presidente Pedroza, mis compañeros y compañeras en la Comisión y todos aquellos que llaman al Área de la Bahía su hogar para ayudar a nuestra región a salir de esta crisis como un lugar más prospero, más equitativo y rumbo a eliminar la contaminación de gases de efecto invernadero y hacer nuestras comunidades lugares más seguros contra los incendios climáticos y las inundaciones.” A parte del nuevo presidente y vicepresidente, cuatro otros puestos en la MTC han cambiado de mando en las últimas semanas. La alcaldesa de Mountain View Margaret Abe-Koga remplazo a la antigua alcaldesa de Los Altos Jeannie Bruins como la representante de las ciudades del condado de Santa Clara; David Canepa remplazo a Warren Slocum como el representante de la mesa de supervisores del condado de San Mateo; la supervisora del condado de Santa Clara Cindy Chávez remplazo al antiguo supervisor Dave Cortese después de la elección de Cortese en noviembre de 2020 al senado del estado; y la directora interina del Distrito 4 de Caltrans Dina ElTawansy remplazo al actual director del Distrito 7 (Los Angeles) de Caltrans Tony Tavares como la representante sin voto de la Agencia de Transporte del Estado de California (CalSTA). La MTC es la agencia de planificación, financiamiento y coordinación del transporte para los nueve condados del Área de la Bahía de San Francisco.

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AMAZON TO PAY $61.7 MILLION TO FLEX AMAZON PAGARÁ $61.7 MILLONES A CONDUCTORES FLEX CUYA PROPINA FUE RETENIDA DRIVERS WHOSE TIPS WERE WITHHELD

Photo Credit: Josemiguels / Pixabay

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mazon will pay over $61.7 million dollars to the Federal Trade Commission following an investigation that revealed that for two and a half years the company failed to pay Amazon Flex drivers the full amount of tips they earned from Amazon customers. The $61.7 million will be returned to Flex drivers and is equal to the full amount of tip money Amazon withheld. According the FTC’s complaint, Amazon advertised that Flex drivers would be paid $18-25 per hour while making deliveries and would keep 100 percent of tips they earned. Statements such as: “You will receive 100% of the tips you earn while delivering with Amazon Flex,” were featured on job recruitments and other documents given to Flex drivers. Amazon also assured its customers that 100 percent of tips they paid would go directly to drivers. “Rather than passing along 100 percent of customers’ tips to drivers, as it had promised to do, Amazon used the money itself,” said Daniel Kaufman, Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in Feb. 2 press release. “Our action today returns to drivers the tens of millions of dollars in tips that Amazon misappropriated and requires Amazon to get drivers’ permission before changing its treatment of tips in the future.” The Amazon Flex program classifies its drivers as independent contractors and Flex drivers use their own vehicles to deliver groceries and other products through Prime Now and AmazonFresh, both of which allow customers to tip drivers. In 2016, Amazon reduced its promised $18-25 to a lower hourly rate. They did not disclose this shift to drivers and instead used the $61.7 million in customer tips to make up the difference between the reduced hourly rate and the promised rate. Amazon’s failure to inform drivers of the reduction in their base pay was intentional and the company continued to promise both drivers and customers that drivers would receive 100 percent of their tips. Amazon also instructed employees only to ‘react’ to questions and according a Feb. 2 FTC press release, an Amazon employee has said that the company “did not want to communicate any pricing changes to the [drivers].”

“The specifics of our allegation and complaint are that this is a violation of the FTC act which prohibits deceptive acts of commerce,” explained Guy C. Ward, Staff Attorney with the FTC. Amazon received hundreds of complaints as drivers noticed their pay was decreasing. Drivers who complained received a form email falsely stating Amazon was continuing to pay drivers 100 percent of their tips. Amazon continued to subsidize the reduced hourly pay with misappropriated tips until August 2019 when the company learned it was being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission. Along with the $61.7 million settlement, Amazon is also prohibited from misrepresenting likely income, how much of their tips drivers will receive, and whether the amount paid by a customer is a tip. Amazon will also have to get “express informed consent” from drivers before they can make any changes to how drivers receive their tips, said Ward. Amazon will also have to demonstrate to the FTC that its practices are not in violation of the new order. “There are certain requirements within the order that require Amazon to send certain information in the future to the FTC to demonstrate compliance with the order. The core concept of our case against Amazon is that they have to be honest with both the gig worker and the customers paying tips,” explained FTC Staff Attorney Claire Stewart. Amazon drivers can sign up for email updates on the status of the refund process in the case here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFTC/ subscriber/new?topic_id=USFTC_155. The FTC will issue a press release when the checks are mailed and details about the distribution will be added to the FTC website at that time. “While the gig economy is changing the way the way people work, the FTC applies just the same. We will hold companies accountable for their compensation claims,” said Stewart. “This sends a message to companies who use gig workers that they have to be honest about pay and tips with those workers and those customers who leave the tips,” Stewart added. “If they change their polices on pay and tips they have to make sure workers understand and agree to changes, and that more broadly applies to other people in the industry.”

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Nina Mohan Ethnic Media Services

mazon pagará más de $61.7 millones de dólares a la Comisión Federal de Comercio, a consecuencia de una investigación que reveló que durante dos años y medio la compañía no pagó a los conductores de Amazon Flex la cantidad total de propinas que ganaron de los clientes de Amazon. Los $61.7 millones se devolverán a los conductores Flex e iguala el monto total de las propinas que fue retenido por Amazon. Según la queja de la FTC, Amazon publicitó que los conductores Flex recibirían entre $18 y $25 por hora relizando entregas y que se podrían quedar con el 100% de las propinas ganadas. Declaraciones como: “Recibirás el 100% de las propinas que ganas al realizar entregas con Amazon Flex” aparecían en reclutamientos para empleos y en otros documentos entregados a los conductores Flex. Amazon también afirmó a sus clientes que el 100 por ciento de las propinas que pagan se iría directamente al bolsillo de los conductores. “En vez de pasar el 100 por ciento de las propinas de los clientes a los conductores, como había prometido, Amazon utilizó ese dinero para sí mismo” dijo Daniel Kaufman, director interino de la Oficina de Protección del Consumidor de la FTC en un comunicado de prensa del 2 de febrero. “Nuestra acción de hoy devuelve a los conductores decenas de millones de dólares en propinas que Amazon se apropió indebidamente y requiere que Amazon obtenga el permiso de los conductores antes de cambiar las condiciones sobre las propinas en el futuro.” El programa Flex de Amazon clasifica a sus conductores como contratistas independientes y los conductores Flex usan sus propios vehículos para entregar abarrotes y otros productos a través de Prime Now y AmazonFresh, ambos programas permiten a los clientes dar propina a los conductores. En el 2016, Amazon redujo la tarifa prometida de $18 - $25 a una tarifa por hora menor. No comunicaron este cambio a los conductores y en vez de eso, usaron los $61.7 millones de propinas de los clientes para cubrir la diferencia entre la tarifa por hora reducida y la tarifa prometida. El incumplimiento de Amazon de informar a los conductores de la reducción de su paga base fue intencional y la compañía continuó prometiendo tanto a los conductores como a los clientes que los conductores recibirían el 100 por ciento de sus propinas. Amazon también instruyó a sus empleados de solamente “reaccionar” a las preguntas y según un comunicado de prensa de la FTC el dos de febrero, uno de los empleados de Amazon

dijo que la compañía “no quería comunicar ningún cambió de tarifas a los [conductores].” “Los detalles de nuestra acusación y queja es que esto es una violación de la ley FTC que prohíbe prácticas fraudulentas en el comercio,” explicó Guy C. Ward, abogado de la FTC. Amazon recibió cientos de quejas cuando los conductores se dieron cuenta que su paga se disminuía. Los conductores que se quejaron recibieron un mail oficial que falsamente declaraba que Amazon seguiría pagando el 100 por ciento de sus propinas a los conductores. Amazon siguió subsidiando la paga por hora reducida con propinas malversadas hasta Agosto del 2019, cuando la compañía se enteró de que estaba siendo investigada por la Comisión Federal de Comercio. Junto con los $61.7 millones, también se le prohíbe a Amazon que distorsione sus ingresos, que declare qué porcentaje de sus propinas recibirán los conductores y si el monto pagado por un cliente se trata de propina. Amazon también tendrá que obtener un “consentimiento informado expreso” de los conductores antes de que puedan hacer cambios respecto a cómo reciben sus propinas los conductores, dijo Ward. Además, Amazon tendrá que demostrar a la FTC que sus prácticas no violan la nueva orden. “Existen ciertos requisitos dentro de la orden que requieren que Amazon mande cierta información a la FTC en el futuro para demostrar el cumplimiento de la misma. El concepto central de nuestro juicio contra Amazon es que tienen que ser honestos tanto con el trabajador, como con el cliente cuando de propinas se trata” explicó el abogado de la FTC Claire Steward. Los conductores de Amazon se pueden inscribir para recibir actualizaciones por mail acerca del estatus del proceso de rembolso en: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFTC/subscriber/ new?topic_id=USFTC_155. La FTC publicará un comunicado de prensa en cuento se manden los cheques y simultáneamente se agregarán detalles acerca de la distribución a la página web de la FTC. “Mientras que la economía de los pequeños encargos cambia la manera en que la gente trabaja, la FTC aplica lo mismo. Sostendremos responsables las compañías para sus reclamaciones de indemnización,” dijo Stewart. “Esto envía un mensaje a las compañías que utilizan trabajadores de pequeños encargos que tienen que ser honestos acerca de la paga y la propina tanto con los trabajadores como con los clientes que dejan las propinas” agregó Steward. Si cambian sus políticas de paga y propina, tendrán que asegurarse de que los trabajadores entiendan y acepten los cambios, y esto también aplica para otras personas en la industria.”

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

EARTHTALK Q&A: DOES POLLUTED AIR REDUCE PEOPLE'S INTELLIGENCE?

Dear EarthTalk: Is there scientific basis to the assertion that global warming is affecting our ability to make decisions and lowering our collective intelligence? -- P.D., Sacramento, CA

GREEN LIVING

EARTHTALK Q&A: ¿EL AIRE CONTAMINADO REDUCE LA INTELIGENCIA? Querido EarthTalk: ¿Existen bases científicas que afirmen que el calentamiento global afecta nuestra habilidad de tomar decisiones y disminuye nuestra inteligencia colectiva? -- P.D., Sacramento, CA

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Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

cognición humana. “El aire contaminado puede causar una reducción de un año en el nivel educativo” dice Xi Che de Yale. “Pero sabemos que las consecuencias son peores en los ancianos, especialmente en mayores de 64 años, en los hombres, y en la gente con un nivel de educación bajo. Si calculamos [la pérdida] de éstos, podrían ser unos cuantos años de educación.”

s we continue to pump carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the climate warms around the world, it’s not only our health and the environment that we have to worry about. A handful of recent studies conclude that a warmer world with higher CO2 concentrations in the air we breathe is likely to make us less intelligent. If the other reasons to battle global warming that we’ve all heard for years aren’t enough to convince you, how would you like your great-grandchildren to know that they could’ve been so much smarter if you had only biked more and driven less? To wit, a recent study on “Heat and Learning” from the American Economic Association assessing test scores of some 12,000 schoolage kids across the U.S. over a seven-year timespan found that in years with more hot days than normal, average test scores declined across the board, signaling a correlation between hot weather and the ability to concentrate and learn. Nowadays, we’re getting more hot days than ever before, so don’t be surprised if it gets more and more difficult to concentrate. Meanwhile, a 2018 study by researchers from the Yale School of Public Health found that air pollution itself has a hugely negative effect on human cognition. “Polluted air can cause everyone to reduce their level of education by one year,” says Yale’s Xi Che. “But we know the effect is worse for the elderly, especially those over 64, and for men, and for those with low education. If we calculate [the loss] for those, it may be a few years of education.” Yet another recent study found that humans exposed to high concentrations of atmospheric CO2 (1000 parts per million) exhibit a 21 percent reduction in overall cognitive abilities. Essentially, if the air we breathe contains less oxygen and more CO2, then our blood won’t be sufficiently oxygenated, leading to a decrease in cellular function, especially in our brains. At our current rate of output, atmosphere carbon levels will likely surpass 1000 ppm by the end of the century. The upshot of such at-

Could all the greenhouse gases we're pumping into the atmosphere be compromising our ability to think straight? Photo Credit: Pexels

mospheric conditions, as reported by James Bridle in his book New Dark Age, could be a 25 percent reduction in human decisionmaking ability as well as a 50 percent drop in more complex human strategic thinking abilities by 2100. Could this decrease in cognitive abilities exacerbate the problem as we will be less mentally equipped to deal with it? Will reduced intelligence among children and adults alike lead to a less functional society, even an “idiocracy?” Rather than letting society fall into a downward spiral, we must step into our critical roles as deciders of both our environment’s and our civilization’s fate. Scientists have found clear connections between heat and political unrest, so turn these new warmths into an opportunity to get out and make a change. Whether through protesting or striking, we need to speak our voice and stand together for a brighter future—both metaphorically and literally. CONTACTS: “Heat and Learning,” aeaweb.org/ articles?id=10.1257%2Fpol.20180612; “The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance,” pnas.org/content/115/37/9193; New Dark Age, amzn.to/3biYWBZ. EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

ientras continuamos bombeando dióxido de carbono (CO2) y otros gases de efecto invernadero a la atmósfera y el clima se calienta en todo el mundo, no sólo nos debería preocupar nuestra salud y el medio ambiente. Algunos estudios recientes concluyen que un mundo más caliente con concentraciones más altas de CO2 en el aire que respiramos, probablemente nos haga menos inteligentes. Si las otras razones para combatir el calentamiento global que todos hemos escuchado durante años no son suficientes para convencerte, ¿Te gustaría que tus bisnietos se enteraran que podrían haber sido mucho más inteligentes, si tu hubieras usado más la bicicleta y menos el coche? Es decir, un estudio reciente acerca de “Calor y Aprendizaje” realizado por la Asociación Estadounidense de Economía en el que se evaluaron los resultados de exámenes de unos 12,000 niños de edad escolar a través de EE.UU durante un lapso de siete años, concluyó que en los años con más días calientes que lo normal, los resultados promedio empeoraron en todos los ámbitos, lo que apunta a que hay una correlación entre el clima caliente y la habilidad para concentrarse y aprender. Actualmente, tenemos más días calientes que nunca, así que no te sorprendas si te cuesta cada vez más trabajo concentrarte. Mientras tanto, un estudio realizado en 2018 por investigadores de la Escuela de Salud Pública de Yale encontró que la contaminación del aire por si sola tiene un efecto sumamente negativo en la

Otro estudio reciente concluyó que los humanos expuestos a concentraciones altas de CO2 atmosféricas (1000 partículas por millón) demuestran una reducción del 21 por ciento en las habilidades cognitivas generales. Básicamente, si el aire que respiramos contiene menos oxígeno y más CO2, nuestra sangre no recibe la cantidad suficiente de oxígeno, lo que lleva a una disminución en la función celular, especialmente en nuestros cerebros. A nuestro ritmo actual de emisiones, los niveles de carbono atmosféricos probablemente excederán las 1000 ppm para finales del siglo. El resultado de esas condiciones atmosféricas, como lo reportó James Bridle en su libro New Dark Age, podría ser una reducción del 25 por ciento de la habilidad humana de tomar decisiones, como también una disminución del 50% en las habilidades de pensamiento estratégico más complejas, para el año 2100. ¿Podría esta disminución en las habilidades cognitivas exacerbar el problema climático al estar mentalmente menos equipados para solucionarlo?, ¿La inteligencia reducida tanto en niños como en adultos nos llevará a una sociedad menos funcional, o hasta a una “idiocracia”? En vez de dejar caer a la sociedad en una espiral decadente, debemos asumir nuestro papel de críticos para poder tomar decisiones en cuanto al destino del medio ambiente y de nuestra civilización. Los científicos han hallado conexiones claras entre el calor y la inestabilidad política, así convierte este nuevo calor en una oportunidad para salir y hacer un cambio. A través de la protesta o la huelga, necesitamos hacernos escuchar y unirnos para un mejor futuro – tanto metafórica como literalmente. CONTACTOS: “Heat and Learning,” aeaweb.org/ articles?id=10.1257%2Fpol.20180612; “The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance,” pnas.org/content/115/37/9193; New Dark Age, amzn.to/3biYWBZ. EarthTalk® es producido por Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss para el 501(c)3 EarthTalk sin fin de lucro. Vea más en https://emagazine.com. Para donar, visite https//earthtalk.org. Envíe preguntas a: question@earthtalk.org.

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Los Departamentos Quetzal Garden están programados para abrir en Agosto del 2021. Estamos ofreciendo departamentos de 1, 2 y 3 recámaras. Rentas desde $796 hasta $2115. Restricción de ingresos. Aplica en línea en quetzal.rcdhousing.org. La aplicación previa estará disponible desde el Lunes 1° de Marzo del 2021, a las 10:00am (PDT) hasta el Lunes 15 de Marzo del 2021 a las 12:00 del mediodía (PDT). Looking for two responsible working people to live in my studio. No sleepovers no parties no drugs no pets no smoking 1,650.00 month to month that includes utilities Deposit:$ 800.00 Call Mary 408-893-1524

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671758 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Makana, 2570 N. 1st Street, 2nd Floor, San Jose, CA 95131, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): 100M LLC, 2570 N 1st Street, 2nd Floor, San Jose, CA 95131. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ JoAnna Mao 100M LLC Member Article/Reg#: 202100111537 Above entity was formed in the state of

CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 01/28/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 671758 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671859 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: FRIENDLY FFL SERVICES, 4100 Moorpark Ave Ste 100, San Jose, CA 95117, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): GUNS N’ BITCOIN, LLC, 4100 Moorpark Ave Ste 100, San Jose, CA 95117. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s)

listed above on: 01/01/2021. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Brian S. King GUNS N’ BITCOIN, LLC President Article/Reg#: 202100110670 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/03/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 671859 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671811 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: TOMORROWS ENTREPRENEURS, 959 La Mesa Ter Unit D, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by

an: Unincorporated association other than a partnership. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Aditya Hariharan, 959 La Mesa Ter Unit D, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. Rathik Murtinty, 1089 West McKinley Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 11/30/2020. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Aditya Hariharan This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/01/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 671811 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.671700 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name: Boosted Living, 4890 Hamilton Ave Apt 3, San Jose, CA 95130, Santa Clara County. Vladimir Plyusnin, 4890 Hamilton Ave Apt 13, San Jose, CA 95130. This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 07/13/2020 under file no. FBN666714

Vladimir Plyusnin February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 01/22/2021 Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 671700 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV375756 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Sanup Bhulawala and Krishna Patel Bhulawala. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Sanup Bhulawala and Krishna Patel Bhulawala have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Niya Bhulawala to Neeya Bhulawala. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely

filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 4/06/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. February 03, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Mary V. Gaedke Case No. 20PR188806 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Mary V. Gaedke. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Eric Gaedke in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Eric Gaedke be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 4. The petition requests the decedents’s will and codicils, if any be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021 Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 17, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you object to the granting of this petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section

9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Petitioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555 February 12, 19, 26, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Richard Nazzisi Case No. 21PR189482 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Richard Nazzisi. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Kelly Nazzisi in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Kelly Nazzisi be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021 The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: April 12, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you object to the granting of this petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal

delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Petitioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555 February 12, 19, 26, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kimberley Anderson Case No. 20PR189425 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Kimberley Anderson. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Phillisha Anderson and Bryce Anderson in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Phillisha

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com Anderson and Bryce Anderson be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: April 05, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you object to the granting of this petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general per-

sonal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Petitioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555 February 12, 19, 26, 2021 SECOND AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 20CV368337 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Shatel Gabsben. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Shatel Gabsben has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree

changing names as follows: a. Shatel Gabsben to Paris Shatel Morales. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 4/6/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept. 13, located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. September 02, 2020 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court February 19, 26, March 5, 12, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672078 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: HLT FINANCIAL & REALTY SERVICES, 1815 Sage

Creek, San Jose, CA 95120, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Married Couple. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Ling Chen, 1815 Sage Creek, San Jose, CA 95120, and Hui Zhang, 1815 Sage Creek, San Jose, CA 95120. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Ling Chen This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/12/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 672078 February 19, 26 March 5, 12, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671903 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Awesome Toys, 3277 S White Road Ste 1478, San Jose, CA 95148, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Daniel Ayoub, 17115 Oak Leaf Drive, Morgan Hill, CA 95037. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Daniel Ayoub This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/05/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 671903 February 19, 26 March 5, 12, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671674 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The Gochu Company, Loyals, 3521 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Hansol Kim LLC, 2850 Malabar Ave #1, Santa Clara, CA 95051. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN670614. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a

crime.) /s/ Hansoi Kim Hansoi Kim LLC Member/Organizer Article/Reg#: 202031010025 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 01/21/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 671674 February 19, 26 March 5, 12, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672033 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Exalture Software Labs Inc, 3708 Starr King Circle, Palo Alto, CA 94306, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Exalture Software Labs Inc., 3708 Starr King Circle, Palo Alto, CA 94306. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 1/04/2019. This is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Azeez Chollampat Exalture Software Labs Inc. Officer/Owner Article/Reg# C4229021 Above entity was

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formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/11/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corrina Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 672033 February 19, 26 March 5, 12, 2021 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV373310 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Angelina Eilie Andrei. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Angelina Eilie Andrei filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Angelina Eilie Andrei AKA Lina Eilia Serhan AKA Lina Eilia to Eleina Antonnius Cerini. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely

filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/19/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. November 25, 2020 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court February 12, 19, March 5, 12, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671758 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Makana, 2570 N. 1st Street, 2nd Floor, San Jose, CA 95131, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): 100M LLC, 2570 N 1st Street, 2nd Floor, San Jose, CA 95131. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ JoAnna Mao 100M LLC Member

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com Article/Reg#: 202100111537 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 01/28/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 671758 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671859 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: FRIENDLY FFL SERVICES, 4100 Moorpark Ave Ste 100, San Jose, CA 95117, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): GUNS N’ BITCOIN, LLC, 4100 Moorpark Ave Ste 100, San Jose, CA 95117. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 01/01/2021. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Brian S. King GUNS N’ BITCOIN, LLC President Article/Reg#: 202100110670 Above entity was formed in the state of CA

This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/03/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 671859 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671811 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: TOMORROWS ENTREPRENEURS, 959 La Mesa Ter Unit D, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Unincorporated association other than a partnership. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Aditya Hariharan, 959 La Mesa Ter Unit D, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. Rathik Murtinty, 1089 West McKinley Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 11/30/2020. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Aditya Hariharan This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 02/01/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne

Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 671811 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.671700 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name Boosted Living, 4890 Hamilton Ave Apt 3, San Jose, CA 95130, Santa Clara County. Vladimir Plyusnin, 4890 Hamilton Ave Apt 13, San Jose, CA 95130. This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 07/13/2020 under file no. FBN666714 Vladimir Plyusnin February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 01/22/2021 Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 671700 February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV375756 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Sanup Bhulawala and Krishna Patel Bhulawala. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Sanup Bhulawala and Krishna Patel Bhulawala have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree

changing names as follows: a. Niya Bhulawala to Neeya Bhulawala. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 4/06/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. February 03, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

February 12, 19, 26 March 5, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Mary V. Gaedke Case No. 20PR188806 1. To all heirs, ben-

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021 eficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Mary V. Gaedke. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Eric Gaedke in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Eric Gaedke be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 4. The petition requests the decedents’s will and codicils, if any be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 17, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you object to the granting of this petition, you

should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Petitioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555 February 12, 19, 26,

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Richard Nazzisi Case No. 21PR189482 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Richard Nazzisi. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Kelly Nazzisi in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Kelly Nazzisi be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: April 12, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you

object to the granting of this petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Petitioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com February 12, 19, 26, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kimberley Anderson Case No. 21PR189425 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Kimberley Anderson. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Phillisha Anderson and Bryce Anderson in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Phillisha Anderson and Bryce Anderson be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be

held in this court as follows: April 05, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 5, located at 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.  7. If you object to the granting of this petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. 8. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either: 1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or 2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. 9. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.    10. Attorney for Peti-

tioner:   Domenico Scire 37 East Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95112 (408)295-5555 February 12, 19, 26, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671691 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: BOWL K, 1780 Story Road, Unit No. 20, San Jose, CA 95122, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): PK BOWL, LLC, 1608 W. Campbell Avenue, #250, Campbell, CA 95008. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Hye Jin Kim Member/Manager PK BOWL, LLC Article/Reg#: 202096610067 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 1/22/2021. Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 671691 February 5, 12, 19

and 26, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV375260 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Babita Bhardwaj and Vivekanand Ganesan. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Babita Bhardwaj and Vivekanand Ganesan has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Trisha Pria Bhardwaj Variyar to Trisha Variyar. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date:3/2/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. January 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court February 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 20CV372778 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Pamandeep Kaur Dulay. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Pamandeep Kaur Dulay has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Pamandeep Kaur Dulay to Pamandeep Kaur. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 01/19/2021 at 8:45 am,

Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara. November 10, 2020 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court February 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2021

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

Cuidamos a nuestros compañeros

En un año como ningún otro, nuestra empresa y nuestros compañeros respondimos a la tarea de abordar desafíos sin precedentes y adversidades en mayor escala, al trabajar para apoyarnos mutuamente y ayudar a nuestros clientes y a las comunidades donde trabajamos y vivimos. En reconocimiento a este destacado esfuerzo, honramos a los empleados que califican con los premios de compensación laboral Delivering Together. Este premio, que consiste en un bono de $750 o en acciones adicionales, es el paso más reciente que nuestra empresa ha dado para invertir en nuestros empleados durante la crisis de salud. Además, hicimos una gran inversión en soluciones y recursos líderes en la industria. Para ayudar a muchos de nuestros compañeros a tener un equilibrio entre la familia y el trabajo, ofrecimos un beneficio mejorado de hasta $100 diarios para el cuidado de niños en el hogar, al financiar cerca de 3 millones de días de apoyo. En 2020, también adelantamos el cambio de nuestro salario mínimo a $20 por hora en EE. UU., más de un año antes de lo previsto. En el Área de la Bahía, mis compañeros y yo estamos aquí para ayudar. Nos sentimos orgullosos de esta comunidad y mantenemos nuestro compromiso de lograr que sea un mejor lugar para todos.

Por cuarta vez desde 2017, Bank of America honra a sus compañeros con un premio especial en dinero en efectivo o en acciones restringidas. Este año, aproximadamente el 97% de nuestros compañeros recibirá el premio Delivering Together.

Estos premios se suman a los incentivos anuales regulares que pueden recibir los empleados que califiquen.

Raquel González Presidente del mercado de Silicon Valley

Para obtener más información, visite bankofamerica.com/community (solo se ofrece en inglés) Bank of America, N.A. Miembro de FDIC. Igualdad de oportunidades de crédito. © 2021 Bank of America Corporation. Todos los derechos reservados.

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

GREEN LIVING

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

WHAT CAN CALIFORNIA LEARN FROM TEXAS' BLACKOUTS?

¿QUÉ PUEDE APRENDER CALIFORNIA DE LOS APAGONES DE TEXAS?

Oxnard is one of many California cities moving away from fossil-fuel plants and toward renewable energy in order to help slow climate change. Photo Credit: Earthjustice

Oxnard es una de las muchas ciudades de California que se están alejando de las plantas de combustibles fósiles y se inclinan hacia las energías renovables para ayudar a frenar el cambio climático. Photo Credit: Lewis McNeal / Pexels

ENGLISH

ESPAÑOL

Suzanne Potter California News Service

ANCASTER, Calif. - In the wake of last week's massive power blackouts in Texas, there's a lot of blame to go around. But groups that fight climate change say the root problem, in every state, is burning fossil fuels. Clean-energy advocates have said climate change is leading to more extreme weather events, from the storm that froze Texas to the heat and drought driving wildfires in California. San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon said that's why her city uses 100% renewable energy and bans gas hookups in new homes. "When you look at a situation like Texas, so much of that is climate exacerbated," she said. "And so, we're getting into some really pretty serious, probably, feedback loops here - that we're going to have to do everything in our power to turn this around before it's too late, if it's not already too late."

ing this crisis is the will to do it," he said. "Two years ago, I would have told you, 'We don't have the technology to save the planet.' But now we do. We just have to move rapidly. And in Lancaster, we've been moving rapidly - and making a lot of money in the process." A study from the nonprofit Climate Central found that hurricanes, wildfires, heat storms and other extreme-weather events caused 67% more power outages in the United States in the decade ending in 2019 than in the previous 10-year period.

ANCASTER, Calif. - A raíz de los apagones masivos de energía de la semana pasada en Texas, hay mucha culpa. Pero los grupos que luchan contra el cambio climático dicen que la raíz del problema, en todos los estados, es la quema de combustibles fósiles. Los defensores de la energía limpia han dicho que el cambio climático está provocando eventos climáticos más extremos, desde la tormenta que congeló Texas hasta el calor y la sequía que provocaron incendios forestales en California. La alcaldesa de San

TAKE EO WITH YOU ANYWHERE... ANYTIME.

As of 2019, data from the California Energy Commission show, almost half the state's energy came from natural gas. Natural-gas suppliers have countered that it's cleaner than coal and easily accessible, day or night.

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"We've paid our dues for energy production for the region," she said. "Now, it's time for us to have a more modern source of energy that doesn't pollute, that doesn't harm the health of our people." Rex Parris, the Republican mayor of Lancaster, noted that his city is the first to run entirely on hydrogen power. WWW.EL-OBSERVADOR.COM

Luis Obispo, Heidi Harmon, dijo que esa es la razón por la que su ciudad usa energía 100% renovable y prohíbe las conexiones de gas en las casas nuevas. "Cuando se mira una situación como la de Texas, gran parte de eso se ve agravado por el clima", dijo. "Y entonces, nos estamos metiendo en algunos ciclos de retroalimentación realmente muy serios, probablemente aquí, que vamos a tener que hacer todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para cambiar esto antes de que sea demasiado tarde, si es que no es demasiado tarde". A partir de 2019, según muestran los datos de la Comisión de Energía de California, casi la mitad de la energía del estado provino del gas natural. Los proveedores de gas natural han respondido que es más limpio que el carbón y de fácil acceso, de día o de noche. La supervisora del condado de Ventura, Carmen Ramírez, es ex alcaldesa de Oxnard, una comunidad de color de bajos ingresos que ha albergado la producción de petróleo y gas durante décadas, pero recientemente rechazó una nueva planta a gas. Ella dijo que la ciudad ahora cuenta con una instalación de almacenamiento de energía limpia.

KEEP CALM

Ventura County Supervisor Carmen Ramirez is a former mayor of Oxnard, a lower-income community of color that has hosted oil and gas production for decades but recently rejected a new gas-powered plant. She said the city now boasts a cleanenergy storage facility.

"The only thing standing in our way of solv-

Suzanne Potter California News Service

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"Hemos pagado nuestras cuotas por la producción de energía para la región", dijo. "Ahora es el momento de que tengamos una fuente de energía más moderna que no contamine, que no dañe la salud de nuestra gente". Rex Parris, el alcalde republicano de Lancaster, señaló que su ciudad es la primera en funcionar completamente con energía de hidrógeno. "Lo único que se interpone en nuestro camino para resolver esta crisis es la voluntad de hacerlo", dijo. “Hace dos años, les habría dicho: 'No tenemos la tecnología para salvar el planeta'. Pero ahora lo hacemos. Solo tenemos que movernos rápidamente. Y en Lancaster, nos hemos movido rápidamente y hemos ganado mucho dinero en el proceso ". Un estudio de la organización sin fines de lucro Climate Central encontró que los huracanes, incendios forestales, tormentas de calor y otros eventos climáticos extremos causaron un 67% más de cortes de energía en los Estados Unidos en la década que terminó en 2019 que en el período anterior de 10 años.

VIBRAS

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

HORÓSCOPO DE MARZO José Mario El Observador

ARIES Aprovecha el movimiento de Venus en Piscis para hacer las paces con algunos amigos. Diviértete, lo necesitas. Desconfía de los aduladores. Marzo trae consigo buenas influencias para tu signo. El Sol en tu casa doce, trae ganancias inesperadas y es probable que se cumpla eso que tanto deseas.

Los presagios anuncian tu total recuperación. Haz batallado mucho estos dos últimos meses, sin embargo; siempre has sabido guardar la calma y has podido resolver todos los problemas de la mejor manera. Recuerda que Júpiter transita por tu casa de relaciones y matrimonio, y una gran oportunidad ha de cruzarse en tu camino.

Números de la suerte: 1-8-9-17-2234

Números de la suerte: 19-28-36-4344-59

TAURO

VIRGO

De esta fecha en adelante contarás con muy buena suerte especialmente en asuntos relacionados al amor. A partir del día 4 habrá buenos aspectos planetarios y eso significa mucha estabilidad en cuanto al dinero y el trabajo. Es posible que te entregues de lleno a una relación sentimental. Números de la suerte: 6-22-24-3642-49

Te llegarán buenas noticias referente a trámites, documentos e ingresos. Venus en tu casa octava presagia buenas nuevas con respecto a dinero, negocio o trabajo. Podrás salir de deudas y te consentirás un poco, pero no te extralimites. Un asunto legal se resuelve favorablemente para uno de tus seres queridos. Números de la suerte: 11-15-25-3235-54

LIBRA

SAGITARIO

Has pasado por un par de meses de transición, muchas cosas han cambiado pero el cambio ha sido benéfico. Nuevas oportunidades laborales pueden hacerse presentes a partir del día 11. Recapacita y perdona a la persona que te ofendió, esa persona te quiere de verdad. Olvida viejos pesares.

Tienes a Venus en tu sector de social y de comunicaciones. La persona que comparte tu vida te dará pruebas que realmente te ama. Los solteros hallarán una pareja. Si tienes que hacer una compra importante como por ejemplo un inmueble, este es el mes ideal para hacerlo. Recibirás sorpresas agradables.

Números de la suerte: 5-21-28-3431-44

Números de la suerte: 10-20-31-4552-53

ESCORPIÓN

CAPRICORNIO

Quizá hayas sufrido retraso con asuntos de dinero durante enero y febrero, pero en este mes todo cambiará. Es probable que una situación romántica siga ocupando casi todo tu tiempo, los astros te indican que debes esperar un poco, tener más paciencia, esa persona estará contigo. Vive con serenidad.

El mes de marzo augura momentos gratos y mucha diversión, es como si de repente todo renaciera a tu alrededor, la vida se te hará más cómoda y serena que antes. Es probable que durante este ciclo surja en ti una nueva vocación o que consigas reconocimiento o hasta un mejor empleo.

Números de la suerte: 4-14-20-2935-50

Números de la suerte: 14-18-25-2830-55

GÉMINIS

ACUARIO

Los vientos soplan a tu favor en cuanto a trabajo y la relación con tu familia. En la pareja pueden presentarse algunas rencillas sin importancia debido a malos entendidos. Le dedicarás más tiempo a hacer lo que te gusta y las presiones del trabajo serán cuestión del ayer. Juega a la lotería, tendrás chances de ganar.

El planeta Júpiter sigue navegando en tu primera casa astral, han ocurrido muchos cambios, algunos han encontrado el amor y otros han decidido separarse pues ya no

Números de la suerte: 10-12-21-3040-51 CÁNCER Este es un mes que te traerá muchas sorpresas en el amor. Todo será mejor que antes. Nuevos conocidos y amistades te harán salir de la rutina. En lo económico viene recuperación y aumento de ingresos. Recibirás una noticia relacionada a tu familia que te pondrá feliz. Desconfía de propuestas que sean demasiado buenas para ser verdad. Números de la suerte: 16-24-35-4152-55 LEO

¡COMIENCE A AHORRAR con Clipper START! Los pasajeros elegibles* pueden ahorrar en GRANDE en los costos de transporte en el área de la Bahía: X 50% de descuento: Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit y

Ferry, Marin Transit, Muni, SamTrans, San Francisco Bay Ferry, SMART X 20% de descuento: AC Transit, BART, City Coach,

County Connection, FAST, Petaluma Transit, Santa Rosa CityBus, SolTrans, Sonoma County Transit, Tri Delta Transit, Union City Transit, Vine, WestCAT, Wheels *Descuentos solo en viajes sencillos (no en pases mensuales). Para ser elegible debe ser residente del área de la Bahía de San Francisco y tener entre 19 y 64 años de edad, además de cumplir determinados requisitos de ingresos.

sienten lo mismo que antes, todo sucede por una causa que a la larga te beneficiará. Dinero y recursos no te faltarán. Números de la suerte: 6-23-26-3045-61 Piscis Este mes es para resolver pendientes y salir de problemas. Se augura que pasarás unos días fuera del hogar o que te irás de viaje. Encontrarás un par de viejos conocidos que se convertirán en tus mejores amigos. El factor económico te dará satisfacciones. Venus te hará rejuvenecer. ¡Feliz cumpleaños! Números de la suerte: 10-11-19-2832-40

Haga su solicitud hoy mismo en clipperstartcard.com. Photo Credit: Unsplash

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

NATIONAL

ESPAÑOL

COMUNIDADES ÉTNICAS SE UNEN PARA COMBATIR LA VIOLENCIA ANTI-ASIÁTICA

En medio de una epidemia de incidentes y crímenes de odio contra los asiáticos-americanos, minorías buscan atacar juntas el virus del racismo.

Photo Credit: Arthur Osipyan / Unsplash

Jenny Manrique

Ethnic Media Services

na familia que celebra un cumpleaños en un restaurante recibe epítetos soeces de un ejecutivo de una empresa tecnológica: “Que se jodan los asiáticos. Trump los va a joder a todos… pedazo de m… asiática”. Un médico asiático americano es reprendido por un paciente negro por supuestamente ser portador de coronavirus. Un niño de secundaria es golpeado en la cabeza veinte veces en el patio de su escuela por un matón que lo acusa de tener COVID-19 y le dice que regrese a China. Los incidentes de odio contra la comunidad asiático-americana han aumentado exponencialmente en el último año en una muestra del emergente racismo relacionado con la llegada al país de la COVID-19. En las últimas semanas, videos que circulan en las redes sociales en los que ancianos vulnerables son empujados en las aceras de las calles o atacados físicamente, han despertado no solo la preocupación de quienes vienen rastreando esta violencia y discriminación, sino la solidaridad de otras minorías étnicas. “Hemos recibido más de 2800 informes de incidentes de odio en el transcurso de 41 semanas”, dijo Manjusha Kulkarni, directora ejecutiva del Consejo de Planificación y Políticas de Asia Pacífico (A3PCON en inglés), una de las organizaciones que junto a la Universidad estatal de San Francisco y Chinos por la Acción Afirmativa (CAA en inglés), puso en marcha el centro de informes Stop AAPI Hate en marzo de 2020. Kulkarni y otros activistas hablaron durante una conferencia de prensa organizada por Ethnic Media Services. “Tenemos datos de 47 estados y el Distrito de Columbia, y sabemos que muchos de los incidentes tienen lugar en áreas donde hay poblaciones importantes de asiático-americanos como California y Nueva York… pero también hemos recibido reportes de áreas rurales y urbanas de estados lejanos como Alaska y Hawái, tanto como del corazón de Estados Unidos”. Los datos de Stop AAPI Hate muestran que las mujeres son víctimas de estos incidentes a una tasa dos veces y media más alta que los hombres, mientras el 7% de los casos reportados

Photo Credit: Justin Peralta / Unsplash involucran a adultos mayores. La mayoría de los reportes incluyen acoso verbal e insultos, seguidos por rechazo y discriminación, mientras los asaltos físicos constituyen al menos el 10% de los casos. Alrededor del 10% de los incidentes constituyen una violación a los derechos civiles como discriminación en el lugar de trabajo, rechazo a la prestación de un servicio como el transporte, o la prohibición de entrada a un establecimiento. Aproximadamente el 40% de los hechos han sucedido en negocios privados como supermercados o farmacias, mientras el 30% se ha registrado en sitios públicos, como calles, aceras y parques. El 40% de las víctimas se identifican como estadounidenses de origen chino, seguidos por coreanos, filipinos, vietnamitas y japoneses. “La mayoría de estos casos no necesariamente podrían ser procesados porque implican (solo) empujar, arrojar botellas o latas. Entonces, aunque sabemos que son serios, no hay lesiones importantes y es posible que un fiscal de distrito no prosiga estos casos”, dijo Kulkarni. Y es precisamente este uno de los principales retos a la hora de buscar justicia y castigar a los responsables de estos crímenes. En algunas jurisdicciones locales, los organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley se muestran reacios a utilizar las disposiciones de los estatutos y ordenanzas sobre delitos de odio, que suponen penas mayores si el perpetrador ataca a una víctima en razón a su pertenencia a determinado género, grupo social o raza. La Oficina Federal de Investigaciones (FBI en inglés) depende de estos reportes para construir unas estadísticas confiables por lo que los expertos insisten en que estos son crímenes sub reportados. “Creo que siempre ha existido una línea divisoria entre la libertad de expresión y la incitación al odio”, sostuvo Marc Morial, presidente y director ejecutivo de la Liga Urbana Nacional. “No debemos dudar nunca en condenar el discurso de odio y dejar muy claro que el discurso de odio que conduce a actos violentos contra personas inocentes es ilegal. Es inapropiado y debería ser castigado por la ley y por nuestro sistema judicial”, añadió.

Para John C. Yang, presidente y director ejecutivo de Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), también es importante reconocer que incluso actos considerados legales, amparados en la libertad de expresión, son inapropiados y dejan secuelas en las víctimas. “Hay que pensar en cuál es la respuesta adecuada para proteger a la víctima”, dijo Yang, quien celebró como un primer paso el memorando ejecutivo que la administración de Joe Biden emitió el 26 de enero, “condenando y combatiendo el racismo, la xenofobia y la intolerancia contra los estadounidenses de origen asiático y los isleños del Pacífico” en el país. Allí hay una directiva explícita para que el Departamento de Justicia trabaje directamente con las comunidades y las organizaciones de base. “El gobierno necesita hacer inversiones en las comunidades, ya sea para promover centros de respuesta a las víctimas, para proporcionarles asistencia financiera, o para fomentar conversaciones transculturales entre comunidades”, dijo Yang. Adicional a los desafíos de salud mental generalizados por la pandemia, la comunidad asiático-americana viene experimentando tasas alarmantes de depresión y ansiedad por esta xenofobia, y los ataques no han hecho sino alimentar el clima de miedo. “El impacto ha sido traumatizante”, aseguró Cynthia Choi, co-directora ejecutiva de CAA y cocreadora del centro Stop AAPI Hate. “Necesitamos rendición de cuentas, pero debemos verla de una manera que no contribuya a más violencia y más encarcelamiento”. Su organización trabaja en mecanismos de mediación comunitaria a nivel local y en la capacitación de personas sobre estrategias para responder ante actos de odio de manera segura. Quieren llevar esta capacitación a las escuelas públicas y promover conversaciones que aborden “los prejuicios y la jerarquía racial dentro de nuestra propia comunidad, incluidas las diferencias de clase”, para poder tener “diálogos auténticos entre las comunidades”. El virus del racismo Los panelistas coincidieron en responsabilizar a la administración de Donald Trump como la

mayor incitadora de los ataques. En varios de sus mítines Trump se refirió a la COVID-19 con epítetos como “el virus Wuhan”, “la plaga China”, y “el Kung flu”, ofendiendo a una comunidad que históricamente ha tenido que lidiar con retóricas racistas como el llamado “peligro amarillo” de finales del siglo XVIII que llevó a la Ley de Exclusión China de 1882, o el encarcelamiento de 120,000 japoneses-estadounidenses en campos de concentración durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. “Este virus del racismo es un virus que es muy contagioso y afecta a todas nuestras comunidades: afroamericana, latina y nativo americana”, dijo Yang. “Existe esta tendencia de ciertos grupos a querer aislarnos, a enfrentarnos entre nosotros, pero aquí el racismo es el enemigo común… Para derrotar a este virus, también necesitamos desinfectarlo juntos”. De acuerdo a José Roberto Hernández de la Alianza de trabajadores inmigrantes de Koreatown en Los Ángeles lo que actualmente experimenta el país es el virus de “Estados Unidos primero”, que ha fomentado “los ataques frenéticos contra las minorías y las personas que no parecen blancas”. Alrededor del 60% de la población actual de Estados Unidos es blanca pero para el año 2030 se estima que compondrá un poco menos del 50% de los habitantes del país, con lo cual las llamadas minorías, ya no lo serán. Su organización defiende los derechos de los trabajadores de unos 600 restaurantes y unas 2000 empresas de comercio minorista en Koreatown: una comunidad de 120,000 habitantes, de los cuales el 53% son latinos, el 32% son asiáticos, el 7% son blancos y el 5% son negros. Su experiencia le ha enseñado la importancia de “buscar alianzas” ya que las comunidades “viven integradas”, y experimentan la misma “desigualdad de ingresos, problemas de acceso a la vivienda, transporte y atención médica”. “Debemos aprender a mirarnos a nosotros mismos no solo como una nación blanca con minorías, sino como una nación multicultural y multiétnica, que puede vivir con justicia social”, dijo Hernández. “Tenemos que empezar a trabajar en un plan a largo plazo para crear poder y una revolución cultural”, concluyó.

NATIONAL

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

FEB 26 - MAR 04, 2021

ENGLISH

ETHNIC COMMUNITIES UNITE TO COMBAT ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE In the midst of an epidemic of brutal attacks hate crimes against Asian Americans, ethnic communities are coming together to attack the virus of racism.

John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League; Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON); Cynthia Choi, Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action. Photo Credit: Ethnic Media Services

Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

family celebrating a birthday at a restaurant is yelled at with racist remarks by a tech executive: “F–k you Asians. Trump is going to F–k you … f–king Asian piece of s–t.” An Asian American resident physician is berated by a black patient for allegedly being a carrier of coronavirus. A middle school child is punched in the head twenty times in his schoolyard by a bully who accuses him of having COVID-19 and tells him to go back to China. A rash of brutal crimes targeting Asian Americans highlights deepening racism related to the arrival of COVID-19 in the country. In recent weeks, videos on social media in which vulnerable elderly people are pushed on the sidewalks or physically attacked, have aroused not only the concern of those who have been tracking this racial violence but also the solidarity of other ethnic minorities. “We have received over 2,800 incident reports in the course of 41 weeks,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asia Pacific Policy & Planning Council (A3PCON), one of the organizations that launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center in March 2020, along with San Francisco State University and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA). Kulkarni and other activists spoke during a media briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Feb 19. “We collect data from 47 states and the District of Columbia, and we know that many of the incidents take place in areas where there are significant populations of Asian Americans such as California and New York… but we’ve gotten reports from rural areas as well as urban, from far-flung states like Alaska and Hawaii, as well as much as in the heartland of America.” Data from Stop AAPI Hate shows that women are victims of these incidents at a rate two and a half times higher than men, while 7% of reported cases involve older

adults. Most reports include verbal harassment or name calling, followed by shunning and avoidance, while physical assaults make up just under 10% of the cases. Around 10% of the incidents involve civil rights violations such as workplace discrimination, and refusal of service like being barred from establishment or transportation. Close to 40% of the events have occurred in private businesses such as grocery stores or pharmacies, while 30% happened in public places, such as streets, sidewalks and parks. 40% of the victims identify as Chinese Americans, followed by Koreans, Filipinos, Vietnamese and Japanese. “Most of these cases might not necessarily be prosecuted because they involve (just) pushing, shoving, throwing bottles or cans. So while of course we believe they are very serious, where there is not a significant injury a district attorney may not pursue these cases,” Kulkarni said. And this is precisely one of the main challenges when seeking justice and accountability. In some local jurisdictions, law enforcement agencies are reluctant to use the provisions of the hate crime statutes and ordinances, which enhance penalties for the perpetrator if the attack is based on the victim’s belonging to a certain gender, social group or race. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) relies on these reports to build reliable statistics, so experts insist these are underreported crimes. “I think there’s always been a line between free speech and hate speech,” said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. “We need to never hesitate to call out and condemn hate speech and make it very clear that hate speech that leads to violence against innocent people is illegal. It is inappropriate and should be punished by the law and by our judicial system,” he added. According to John C. Yang, president and CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), it is also important to recog-

nize that even acts considered legal -those protected by freedom of speech- are inappropriate and can be harmful for victims. “We have to think about what is the proper response to protect and help the victim,” Yang said. He celebrated as a first step the executive memorandum that the Joe Biden administration issued on January 26, “condemning and combating racism, xenophobia and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” in the country. It includes an explicit directive for the Justice Department to work directly with communities and grassroots organizations. “The government needs to make investment in communities, whether it’s to promote victim response centers, to provide financial assistance, or to encourage cross-cultural conversations between communities,” Yang said. In addition to the pervasive mental health challenges caused by the pandemic, the Asian American community has been experiencing alarming rates of depression and anxiety due to this xenophobia, and the attacks only intensify the climate of fear. “The impact has been traumatizing,” said Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of CAA and co-creator of the Stop AAPI Hate center. “We need accountability, but we need to look at it in a way that does not contribute to more violence and more incarceration.” CAA works on community mediation mechanisms at the local level and trains people on safe responses to hate acts. They want to bring this training to public schools and to address “bias and racial hierarchy and colors within our own community, including class differences,” in order to have “authentic dialogues across communities.” The virus of racism The panelists pointed to the Donald Trump administration as the main source of the attacks. At several of his rallies, Trump re-

ferred to COVID-19 with racist epithets such as “the Wuhan virus,” “the China plague,” and “the Kung flu”. This proved to be harmful for a community that historically had dealt with racist rhetoric such as the so-called “yellow peril” of the late 18th century that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, or the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans in concentration camps during World War II. “This virus of racism is a virus that is very contagious and affects all of our communities: African Americans, Latinx and Native Americans,” Yang said. “There is this tendency by certain groups who want to silo us, to pit us against each other, but here racism is the common enemy … In order to defeat this virus, we also need to disinfect it together.” According to Jose Roberto Hernandez of the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance in Los Angeles, what the country is currently experiencing is the “America First” virus, which has fueled “frantic targeting of minorities and people that do not look white.” Around 60% of the current population of the United States is white, but by 2030 it is estimated that whites will make up a little less than 50% of the country’s demographics. The so-called minorities will become the majority. Hernandez’ organization defends the rights of workers in some 600 restaurants and 2,000 retail businesses in Koreatown – a community of 120,000 residents, of whom 53% are Latino, 32% are Asian, 7% are White and the 5% are black. His experience has taught him to “look into alliances” given the fact that communities “live integrated”, and experience the same “income inequality, (problems of) access to health care, fair housing and transportation.” “We must learn to look at ourselves not just as a white nation with minorities, but as a multicultural and multi-ethnic nation, which (can live) with social justice,” Hernandez said.