El Observador April 9th, 2021.

VOLUME 42 ISSUE 15 | WWW.EL-OBSERVADOR.COM | APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

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OPINION

UN RAYO DE ESPERANZA 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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A RAY OF HOPE

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José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

The good news is a testament not only to the advancement of science, the extraordinary level of cooperation and collaboration between the federal government and state governments for unprecedented mass distribution, but also the deep sense of collective responsibility of all communities.

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uando lea esta columna alrededor de la mitad de todas las personas mayores de 16 años en Estados Unidos habrán sido vacunadas con al menos una dosis de las vacunas autorizadas contra el COVID-19. Todos los adultos son ahora elegibles para vacunarse a partir del 19 de abril. Y en un solo día se logró un récord de más de 4 millones de personas vacunadas en los Estados Unidos contra el COVID-19.

Son evidencias de un rayo de esperanza en el horizonte. Y acaso nadie lo necesita más que nuestra comunidad hispana.

Las buenas noticias son un testamento no sólo del avance de la ciencia, del extraordinario nivel de cooperación y colaboración entre el gobierno federal y los gobiernos estatales para una distribución masiva sin precedentes, sino también del profundo sentido de responsabilidad colectiva de todas las comunidades.

La otra cara de la moneda es que un nuevo reporte de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) documenta la existencia de una realidad preocupante que merece la más alta prioridad: Los adultos de origen hispano representaron el más alto número de muertes por la con pandemia del COVID-19 en los Estados Unidos durante 2020.

Photo Credit: La Red Hispana (We Can Do This) para elevar la confianza del público y de las comunidades más vulnerables en las vacunas.

Ahora nos corresponde a TODOS ayudar a disipar la indecisión entre nuestros familiares, amigos, vecinos o compañeros de trabajo, con datos científicos que neutralicen la ola de desinformación que cunde en las redes sociales; ayudar a registrar a nuestra gente y llevarla a los sitios de vacunación cuando no tengan medios de transporte.

Frenar la pandemia es un reto demasiado importante para dejarlo sólo en manos de las autoridades.

Para más información visita www.laredhispana.com.

José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

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y the time you have read this column, about half of all people aged 16 and older in the United States will have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the various COVID-19 vaccines. All adults are now eligible to get vaccinated as of April 19. And in a single day, a record of more than 4 million people vaccinated in the United States against COVID-19 was achieved.

They are evidence of a ray of hope on the horizon. And perhaps no one needs it more than our Hispanic community.

Casi 70,000 hispanos murieron durante el primer año de la pandemia por el COVID-19, lo que representa una tasa de 164.3 muertes por cada 100,000 habitantes. Por comparación, los blancos no hispanos tuvieron una tasa de fallecimiento por la pandemia de 72.5 casos por cada 100,000 habitantes.

Todos sabemos la causa: los hispanos estamos sobre representados en la economía de los trabajos esenciales, donde todos los días arriesgamos la vida en el frente de batalla, en los campos de cultivo, en las empacadoras de carne y en muchas industrias que requieren de mano de obra intensiva y presencia física.

Although the net rate of Hispanic adults killed by the pandemic was about 18.1%, equivalent to the demographic proportion of Hispanics nationwide, when factors such as age are considered, the rate jumps 40.6% for Latinos under 24 years of age, 41.8% for those between 25 and 34 years old.

We all know why: Hispanics are overrepresented in the essential jobs economy, where every day we risk our lives on the front lines, in the fields, in the meatpacking plants, and in many industries that require hands-on intensive work and physical presence.

To complicate matters, the distribution of vaccines has failed to meet minimum standards of equity. As of the end of last month only 9% of Hispanics had been vaccinated.

In states like Kentucky less than 2% of Hispanics have been vaccinated.

Fortunately, the level of doubt in our community about COVID-19 vaccines has decreased since December, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. But still, many complain of not having enough information on how to complete the process. To do this, the Biden administration launched the multilingual “We Can Do This” campaign to raise the public's and the most vulnerable communities' confidence in vaccines.

Si agregamos a esta fotografía los determinantes sociales de salud que en muchas ocasiones nos impiden guardar la distancia física apropiada en nuestros hogares porque vivimos en condiciones de hacinamiento o en compañía de múltiples familias para poder pagar la renta, empezamos a ver los contornos de una tormenta perfecta en materia de salud pública.

Por fortuna el nivel de dudas de nuestra comunidad hacia las vacunas del COVID-19 ha disminuido desde diciembre, de acuerdo con un sondeo de la Kaiser Family Foundation. Pero todavía muchos se quejan de no tener la información suficiente de cómo completar el proceso.

Para ello, la administración Biden lanzó la campaña multilingüe “Juntos Sí Podemos”

Nearly 70,000 Hispanics died during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a rate of 164.3 deaths per 100,000 residents. By comparison, non-Hispanic whites had a death rate from the pandemic of 72.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

If we add to this photograph the social determinants of health that in many cases prevent us from keeping the appropriate physical distance in our homes because we live in crowded conditions or in the company of multiple families to pay the rent, we begin to see the outlines of a storm perfect for public health.

Aunque la tasa neta de adultos hispanos muertos por la pandemia fue de alrededor del 18.1%, equivalente a la proporción demográfica de los hispanos a nivel nacional, cuando se consideran elementos como la edad la tasa brinca 40.6% para los latinos menores de 24 años, 41.8% para aquellos entre 25 y 34 años.

Para complicar el panorama, la distribución de las vacunas no ha logrado satisfacer los estándares mínimos de equidad.

Hasta finales del mes pasado sólo 9% de los hispanos habían sido vacunados. En estados como Kentucky menos de 2% de los hispanos ha sido vacunado.

The other side of the coin is that a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documents the existence of a worrisome reality that deserves the highest priority: Adults of Hispanic origin accounted for the highest number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States during 2020.

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Now it is up to ALL of us to help dispel indecision among our family members, friends, neighbors, or coworkers, with scientific data that neutralizes the wave of misinformation that spreads in social networks; help register our people and take them to vaccination sites when they have no means of transportation.

Stopping the pandemic is too important a challenge to be left to the authorities alone.

For more information visit www.laredhispana.com.

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MAIN NEWS

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GRUPOS TRABAJAN PARA CONSTRUIR GROUPS WORK TO BUILD SAFE ONLINE SPACES ESPACIOS EN LÍNEA SEGUROS EN ESTE MES DE THIS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH CONCIENTIZACIÓN SOBRE LA AGRESIÓN SEXUAL ENGLISH

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Lily Bohlke Public News Service

para el trabajo y la escuela.

"El abuso y el trauma en línea son algo común en los espacios en línea", explicó Palumbo. "Personas que hacen comentarios que culpan a las víctimas o comentarios de acoso sexual, personas que se aprovechan de niños o adultos jóvenes en espacios en línea".

early one in five women in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, and advocates want survivors to know resources are available to them.

Palumbo argumentó que es importante que los lugares de trabajo y las escuelas creen expectativas sobre cómo se ve una conducta segura y saludable en línea, así como cómo garantizar que los espacios en línea sean seguros, para evitar cosas como "Bombardeo de Zoom" u otras actividades dañinas.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Laura Palumbo, communications director for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, said this year in particular, they're hoping to raise awareness of online sexual harassment and violence.

Lyn Schollett, directora ejecutiva de la Coalición Contra la Violencia Doméstica y Sexual de New Hampshire, dijo que es necesario un cambio cultural para brindar más apoyo a los sobrevivientes.

She pointed out with the pandemic, people are not only using online spaces for leisure, but also for work and school.

"Online abuse and trauma are somewhat commonplace in online spaces," Palumbo explained. "People making victim-blaming comments or sexual-harassing comments, people preying on children or young adults in online spaces."

The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence urges people needing support around issues of sexual violence to go to https://www.thehotline.org/ or call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) to be directed to the nearest crisis center. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

Señaló que New Hampshire ha progresado en los últimos años, eliminando el estatuto civil de limitaciones para las víctimas de agresión sexual y requiriendo que los colegios y universidades implementen políticas de conducta sexual inapropiada, pero sostuvo que todavía hay espacio para crecer.

Palumbo argued it's important for workplaces and schools to create expectations for what safe and healthy conduct looks like online, as well as how to ensure online spaces are secure, to prevent things like "Zoom bombing" or other harmful activities.

come forward because they fear being blamed," Schollett remarked. "They fear being shamed. And we as a society have an obligation to create an environment that is more welcoming, that is more in a position to believe victims when they tell us what happened to them."

"Sabemos que la mayoría de las víctimas de agresión sexual no se presentan porque temen que las culpen", comentó Schollett. "Temen ser avergonzados. Y nosotros, como sociedad, tenemos la obligación de crear un entorno que sea más acogedor, que esté más en condiciones de creer en las víctimas cuando nos cuentan lo que les sucedió".

Lyn Schollett, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said a culture shift is necessary to be more supportive of survivors.

She noted New Hampshire has made progress in recent years, removing the civil statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault, and requiring colleges and universities to implement sexual misconduct policies, but contended there is still room to grow.

"We know that most sexual assault victims don't

In Washington D.C., Congress is in the process of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Schollett stressed the legislation is crucial for survivors in New Hampshire.

Not only does it provide funding streams to Granite State crisis centers, but she added it also ensures a wide array of rights for survivors, from protecting confidentiality at crisis centers to protecting survivors who need immigration relief.

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Lily Bohlke Public News Service

asi una de cada cinco mujeres en los EE. UU. ha experimentado una violación o un intento de violación en su vida, y los defensores quieren que las sobrevivientes sepan que los recursos están disponibles para ellas.

Abril es el mes de concientización sobre la agresión sexual.

Laura Palumbo, directora de comunicaciones del Centro Nacional de Recursos sobre Violencia Sexual, dijo que este año en particular, esperan crear conciencia sobre el acoso sexual y la violencia en línea.

Señaló que con la pandemia, la gente no solo está usando los espacios en línea para el ocio, sino también

En Washington D.C., el Congreso está en proceso de reautorizar la Ley de Violencia contra la Mujer.

Schollett enfatizó que la legislación es crucial para los sobrevivientes en New Hampshire.

No solo proporciona fuentes de financiación a los centros de crisis del estado, sino que también garantiza una amplia gama de derechos para los sobrevivientes, desde proteger la confidencialidad en los centros de crisis hasta proteger a los sobrevivientes que necesitan ayuda migratoria.

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EDUCATION

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SHOULD SCHOOLS HIT PAUSE ON STANDARDIZED TESTING?

¿DEBERÍAN LAS ESCUELAS PAUSAR LAS PRUEBAS ESTANDARIZADAS?

Most American students will take, on average, 112 standardized tests from kindergarten to 12th grade. Photo Credit:Adobe Stock

La mayoría de los estadounidenses cumplirán, en promedio, 112 pruebas estandarizadas desde el kindergarten hasta el 12º grado. Photo Credit: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash

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ITTLE ROCK, Ark. Critics of standardized testing say the federal government should reduce or pause these tests, since the pandemic has upended so many students' learning efforts in the last year.

Some education groups and teacher's unions argue standardized tests disproportionately affect Black and Brown students and those in at-risk communities, whose lives have been most disrupted by COVID-19. Yet earlier this year, the Biden administration announced that states will have to administer federally required standardized tests.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said testing

shouldn't come at the expense of learning, especially after so much classroom time has been lost.

"And so, for us to give a standardized test in this moment, we already know that standardized tests are not valid or reliable," she said. "They are certainly not valid or reliable in the middle of a pandemic, where we have some students in school, some students out of school, outbreaks in schools."

Arkansas Department of Education officials have said the state will continue standardized testing this spring, and won't ask the federal government for a waiver. The department has maintained that the test results will help gauge how students have been affected by the pandemic,

and help districts determine where support and resources should be directed.

Pringle said she thinks that this academic year, state education departments should instead focus on promoting assessments that reflect the broad range of students' learning and skills - such as creativity, leadership, critical thinking and collaboration.

"But also, when we're talking about specific testing, we know there are better ways that we can measure the wide range of abilities of our students," she said.

Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia are among a handful of states that have chosen to either scale back or eliminate state standardized testing this academic year.

Nadia Ramlagan Public News Service

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ITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Los críticos de las pruebas estandarizadas dicen que el gobierno federal debería reducir o pausar estas pruebas, como la pandemia ha reducido los esfuerzos de aprendizaje de muchos estudiantes durante el año pasado.

Algunos grupos de educación y sindicatos de maestros sostienen que las pruebas estandarizadas afectan de manera desproporcionada a los estudiantes negros y morenos y aquellos de comunidades en riesgo, cuyas vidas han sido muy afectadas por el COVID-19. Todavía a principios de este año, la administración de Biden anunció que los estados tendrán que aplicar las pruebas estandarizadas requeridas por la ley federal.

Becky Pringle, presidenta de

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la Asociación Nacional de Educación, dijo que las pruebas no deberían realizarse en detrimento del aprendizaje, sobre todo después de haber perdido tanto tiempo de clases.

“Entonces, si nosotros hiciéramos una prueba estandarizada en este momento, ya sabemos que las pruebas estandarizadas no son válidas ni confiables,” dijo ella. “Y por supuesto no son válidas ni confiables en medio de una pandemia, cuando tenemos algunos estudiantes en la escuela, algunos fuera de ella y brotes.”

Oficiales del Departamento de Educación de Arkansas han dicho que el estado seguirá con las pruebas estandarizadas en esta primavera, y no preguntará al gobierno federal por una suspensión.

El departamento ha afirmado que los resultados de las pruebas ayudarán a evaluar cómo los estudiantes han

sido afectados por la pandemia, y a los distritos a determinar hacia dónde deben dirigirse el apoyo y los recursos.

Pringle dijo que cree que durante este año académico, los departamentos de educación del estado deberían, en cambio, dedicarse a promover evaluaciones que reflejan el amplio espectro del aprendizaje y las habilidades de los estudiantes – como por ejemplo la creatividad, el liderazgo, el pensamiento crítico y la colaboración.

“Pero también, si hablamos de pruebas específicas, sabemos que hay mejores maneras de evaluar el amplio espectro de habilidades de nuestros estudiantes,” dijo ella.

Georgia, Carolina del Sur y Virginia son de los pocos estados que han elegido reducir o eliminar las pruebas estandarizadas durante este año académico.

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EDUCATION

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES SEEK RETURN OF STUDENTS POST-COVID

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UNIVERSIDADES COMUNITARIAS BUSCAN REGRESO DE ESTUDIANTES DESPUÉS DE COVID

California community colleges have seen a drop in enrollment of men that is twice the drop seen among female students, prompting targeted outreach efforts. Photo Credit: Campaign for College Opportunity

Colegios comunitarios de California han visto una caída en la inscripción de hombres, lo que significa el doble de la caída observada entre las estudiantes mujeres, esto ha impulsado esfuerzos de alcance específicos. Photo Credit: Pixabay

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Suzanne Potter California News Service

ACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Community colleges nationwide are bracing for another drop in enrollment this year, especially among students of color.

Data from the National College Attainment Network shows only about 55% of high school seniors have applied for federal financial aid.

And the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports in 2020 firsttime enrollment was down 13% overall and almost 20% among Latino students.

Paul Fiest, Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing at California Community Colleges, said the pandemic has severely disrupted potential students' lives.

"Many of our students are facing challenges with losing their jobs, having lower wages, having to care for their children as they're being homeschooled," Fiest explained.

Colleges hope the dip in enrollment is temporary and will rebound as the economy recovers from COVID. Students can find a wealth of information on financial aid and other programs at stayenrolled.com and icanaffordcollege. com.

Support for this reporting was provided

by Lumina Foundation.

Suzanne Potter California News Service

de secundaria han solicitado ayuda financiera federal.

ACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Colegios comunitarios de todo el país se están preparando para otra caída en las inscripciones de este ano, especialmente entre los estudiantes de color.

El National Student Clearinghouse Research Center informa que en 2020 la inscripción por primera vez disminuyo un 13 por ciento en general y casi un 20 por ciento entre los estudiantes latinos.

Los datos del National College Attainment Network muestran que solo alrededor del 55 por ciento de los estudiantes del último año

Paul Fiest, de la oficina del Canciller de los Colegios Comunitarios de California, dice que la pandemia ha afectado gravemente la vida de estudiantes potenciales.

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No solo los luchadores usan máscara.

Ponte tu mascarilla.

Fiest noted in California, fall community college enrollment dropped by 11% overall from 2019 to 2020, but 12% for Latino students, 16% for African Americans and a whopping 22% for Native American students. And he pointed out schools lost twice as many men than women.

Fiest señala que la inscripcion a colegios comunitarios durante el otoño en California, se redujo en un 11 por ciento en general de 2019 a 2020, un 12 por ciento para estudiantes latinos, un 16 por ciento para afroamericanos y un enorme 22 por ciento para los estudiantes nativo americanos. Dijo también que las escuelas perdieron el doble de hombres que de mujeres.

El paquete de estímulo más reciente, incluye millones para que las universidades vuelvan a involucrar a la población estudiantil.

Fiest agrega que una gran cantidad de dinero se destina a la ayuda directa a los estudiantes.

"También hay algunos fondos disponibles para becas de emergencia para estudiantes," dijo Fiest, "eso puede ayudar a pagos como cuidado de niños, transporte o asistencia tecnológica."

The most recent stimulus package includes millions for colleges to re-engage the student population.

Las universidades esperan que la caída en la matricula sea temporal y que mejore a medida que la economía se recupera a causa del COVID.

Fiest added a chunk of money is targeted for direct aid to students.

"And there's also some funding available for emergency grants for students," Fiest reported. "That can help pay for things like child care, transportation, technology assistance."

"Muchos de nuestros estudiantes enfrentan desafíos como perder sus trabajos, salarios más bajos, además de tener que cuidar a sus hijos mientras son educados en el hogar," explica Fiest.

covid19.ca.gov/es

Los estudiantes pueden encontrar una gran cantidad de información sobre ayuda financiera y otros programas en stayenrolled.com e icanaffordcollege.com.

El apoyo para este reportaje fue aportado por la Fundación Lumina.

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HEALTH

MAKING DIET DECISIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC

TOMAR DECISIONES SOBRE LA DIETA DURANTE LA PANDEMIA

Photo Credit: Farhad Ibrahimzade / Unsplash

Photo Credit: NAPS

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readful as the pandemic has been, for some people it has meant a positive health change.

Three in 10 Americans made a major change to their diet during this time, according to new research.

As with most changes, the big question always lingers—will the changes last?

The study suggests they may well. Seven in 10 of those respondents said their new diet has lasted longer because they did it during the ongoing pandemic, versus if they made the change at another time.

What the Study Showed Conducted by OnePoll, the survey looked at specific changes respondents made. Of Americans surveyed, 47% started eating more plant-based foods, while 54% started eating more fruits and vegetables—and 43% made an effort to eat less meat.

Results also found that a third of American respondents cut out or ate less sugar, and 39% cut down on the number of treats they ate.

Why the Choice to Change Now? For many respondents, it was because they had extra time on their hands. In fact, fifty-three percent said they had more time to research healthier foods, while 51% said they had time to cook more and learn new recipes.

In addition, 40% said they were away from such negative influences as office

snacks, while 37% wanted to use this time to make a positive change.

A third made the change to accommodate their loved ones. For nearly one in four the cost of meat was the cause, and for another quarter, it was on the advice of a healthcare professional.

“There is never a bad time to make a positive change in your lifestyle, especially when those changes lead to lasting, healthy results,” said Dr. Kent Bradley, Chief Health and Nutrition Officer, Herbalife Nutrition. “During this pandemic it appears more individuals are choosing quality nutrient-dense sources like those found in a plantbased diet.”

When asked about their current diets, 75% said they eat meat while 18% identified as “flexitarians,” and the rest were vegan or vegetarian.

Yet plant-based diets might be on the rise: 61% of respondents said they’d like to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet, but they aren’t sure where to begin. The survey also found 40% of American respondents are more open-minded about plant-based foods and “meatless meat” options during the pandemic. In a similar survey conducted last year, half of respondents were more open-minded about plant-based foods and “meatless meat” and 70 percent believed meatless meat would continue to grow in popularity.

Bradley added, “I commend all those who are empowering themselves in the midst of this pandemic and have found a way to create new healthy habits.”

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or más terrible que haya sido la pandemia, para algunas personas ha significado un cambio de salud positivo. Tres de cada 10 estadounidenses realizaron un cambio importante en su dieta durante este tiempo, según un nuevo estudio.

Tal como sucede con la mayoría de los cambios, hay una gran pregunta: ¿durarán los cambios?

El estudio sugiere que es posible que los cambios sean duraderos. Siete de cada 10 encuestados dijeron que su nueva dieta ha durado más porque la mantuvieron durante la pandemia, comparado con haber hecho el cambio de dieta en otra ocasión.

Lo que el estudio demostró Realizado por OnePoll, la encuesta analizó los cambios específicos que realizaron los encuestados. El 47% de los estadounidenses encuestados comenzaron a comer más alimentos de origen vegetal; mientras que el 54% comenzaron a comer más frutas y verduras, el 43% hizo un esfuerzo por comer menos carne.

Los resultados también encontraron que un tercio de los estadounidenses encuestados eliminaron o consumieron menos azúcar y que el 39% redujo el consumo de golosinas. ¿Por qué decidieron cambiar su dieta ahora?

Para muchos de los encuestados, fue porque tenían más tiempo. De hecho, el 53% dijo que tenía más tiempo para aprender sobre alimentos más saludables y el 51% dijo que tenía tiempo para cocinar más y aprender nuevas recetas.

Además, el 40% de los que respondieron dijeron que estaban lejos y apartados de influencias negativas como los snacks de

la oficina, mientras que el 37% quería aprovechar de este momento para hacer un cambio positivo.

Un tercio hizo el cambio para acomodar y ayudar a sus seres queridos. Para casi una de cada cuatro personas, el costo de la carne fue la causa de eliminarla, y para otra cuarta parte de la gente, fue por consejo médico.

“Nunca es un mal momento para hacer un cambio positivo en tu estilo de vida, especialmente cuando esos cambios llevan a resultados saludables y duraderos”, dijo el Dr. Kent Bradley, Oficial en Jefe de Salud y Nutrición. “Durante esta pandemia, parece que más personas eligen fuentes de nutrición de alta calidad como las que se encuentran en una dieta basada en plantas”.

Cuando se les preguntó sobre sus dietas actuales, el 75% dijo que comen carne, mientras que el 18% se identificó como “flexitarianos” (flexibles y vegetarianos) y el resto eran veganos o vegetarianos.

Sin embargo, las dietas a base de plantas podrían estar creciendo: el 61% de los encuestados dijo que les gustaría incorporar más alimentos de origen vegetal en su dieta, pero que no estaban seguros por dónde empezar. La encuesta también encontró que el 40% de los encuestados estadounidenses tenían menos perjuicios y la mente más abierta sobre los alimentos de origen vegetal y las opciones veganas de “carne sin carne” durante la pandemia. En una encuesta similar realizada el año pasado, la mitad de los encuestados tenían la mente más abierta sobre los alimentos de origen vegetal y la “carne sin carne” y el 70% creía que la “carne sin carne” seguiría ganando popularidad.

Bradley agregó: “Felicito a todos aquellos que se están fortaleciendo durante esta pandemia y que han encontrado la manera de crear nuevos hábitos saludables”.

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MONEY

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EL PLAN DE RESCATE ESTADOUNIDENSE Y SUS IMPUESTOS: ESTO ES LO QUE NECESITA SABER

El IRS extendió la fecha límite para presentar declaraciones de impuestos hasta el 17 de mayo. El crédito tributario por hijo se comenzará a recibir en el verano y una parte de los beneficios de desempleo no estarán sujetos a impuestos.

Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

desempleo a través de la forma 1099G, antes de la aprobación de este nuevo beneficio, recibirán el reembolso correspondiente a partir de mayo.

l servicio de impuestos internos (IRS en inglés) amplió la fecha límite de pago de impuestos del 15 de abril al 17 de mayo, en momentos en que la tercera ronda de pagos de estímulo ya supera los $335 mil millones en cheques que alcanzan a 130 millones de estadounidenses.

“Somos conscientes de que hay muchas personas cuya identidad se ha visto comprometida. Y ha habido reclamos fraudulentos de compensación por desempleo emitidos en su nombre. Entonces les decimos a los contribuyentes que sólo deben solicitar la compensación por desempleo real que hayan recibido”, añadió Corbin.

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Esta y otras provisiones aprobadas en el plan de rescate estadounidense, como el crédito tributario por hijo y el establecimiento de beneficios de desempleo no sujetos a impuestos, buscan aliviar los bolsillos de las familias afectadas económicamente por la pandemia.

“A medida que la pandemia continúa, seguimos enfocados en apoyar los esfuerzos del gobierno federal para ayudar a quienes experimentan cambios y desafíos financieros”, dijo Ken Corbin, comisionado en la división de salarios e inversiones del IRS en una conferencia de prensa organizada por Ethnic Media Services.

“Esa es una de las razones por las que ampliamos la fecha: las personas tienen hasta el 17 de mayo para presentar y pagar sus impuestos de 2020. Nadie será penalizado ni se le cobrarán intereses si paga hasta esa fecha. Esto se aplica sólo a individuos no a contribuyentes como corporaciones”, explicó Corbin.

Esta extensión también aplica para las contribuciones del año fiscal 2020 a una cuenta de jubilación individual (IRA en inglés) o Roth IRA, a una cuenta de ahorros para la salud, a una cuenta de ahorros médicos Archer o a una cuenta de ahorro para educación Coverdell. Sin embargo, quienes hacen pagos de impuestos estimados para el primer trimestre del año fiscal 2021, la fecha límite del 15 de abril se mantiene.

Desde el 12 de febrero, el IRS ha recibido 85 millones de declaraciones de impuestos de individuos y emitido más de 56 millones de reembolsos por un total de casi $164 mil millones. Funcionarios del IRS recomiendan llenar las declaraciones en línea y elegir el recibo de los reembolsos en depósito directo, ya que es la forma más inmediata y rápida de completar el proceso para recibir su reembolso en 21 días.

“Sabemos que incluso con la llegada de la vacuna, es posible que muchas personas no se sientan cómodas yendo a una oficina o tratando diferentes cosas con sus preparadores de impuestos (en persona)”, dijo Corbin. “Lo alentamos a presentar el formulario en línea y elegir el depósito directo”.

Hay varios software en línea que permiten llenar los impuestos de manera gratuita para aquellos individuos que ganan menos de $72,000 al año. El de IRS se encuentra aquí. La aplicación IRS2GO para celulares también permite encontrar asistencia gratuita para preparar los impuestos, realizar pagos y verificar el estado de los reembolsos.

Cheques de estímulo Corbin destacó el trabajo del IRS en el rápido desembolso de los pagos de impacto económico (EIP en inglés), comúnmente conocidos como cheques de estímulo libres de impuestos: en la primera ronda más de $160 millones llegaron a los bolsillos estadounidenses, y en la segunda esa cifra llegó a los $147 millones.

Quienes por algún motivo no recibieron esos pagos de hasta $1,200 y $600 por persona, podrán reclamarlos a través del crédito de reembolso de recuperación en su declaración de impuestos. Los individuos pueden acceder a información sobre los estímulos recibidos a través de una cuenta en línea de impuestos federales, que puede crear y registrar en irs.gov. La cuenta también permite crear un PIN como una protección adicional para evitar el fraude con el uso de números de seguro social (SSN en inglés).

De la tercera ronda de pagos de impacto económico autorizada en el marco del plan de rescate estadounidense aprobado por la administración de Joe Biden, el IRS ha realizado más de 130 millones

El otro componente del plan de rescate que aumentó la cantidad del crédito tributario por hijos a partir del año fiscal 2021, permite que las familias puedan recibir un anticipo de ese crédito a partir del verano. Incluso aquellas familias que tuvieron un nuevo hijo en el 2021, podrán agregarlo como beneficiario en el portal de IRS.gov.

Iniciativa multilingüe

Photo Credit: Olia Danilevich / Pexels de pagos por un valor aproximado de $335 mil millones para aquellos que llenaron sus impuestos en 2019 o 2020. La semana pasada un nuevo grupo de beneficiarios de seguro social que no han pagado impuestos fueron añadidos como destinatarios de cheques a partir del 7 de abril y se espera que los veteranos también reciban su estímulo a mediados de este mes.

“La mayoría (de pagos) se han emitido como depósitos directos”, dijo Corbin. “Pero también enviamos cheques en papel o tarjetas EIP, que es una tarjeta de débito prepaga. Si no tenemos información de su cuenta bancaria, lo animamos a

consultar su correo postal y asegurarse de no tirar la tarjeta”.

Beneficios de desempleo y crédito tributario por hijo El plan de rescate también incluyó una nueva provisión para aquellos que recibieron beneficios de desempleo en 2020: hasta $20,400 de compensación por desempleo, si está casado y presenta una declaración conjunta, y $10,200 en el caso de individuos, no estarán sujetos a impuestos.

Y quienes hayan declarado el dinero recibido por

Para esta temporada de impuestos, el IRS dispuso por primera vez de un nuevo formato para que los individuos elijan su idioma de preferencia para recibir comunicaciones de la institución. Se trata de la forma de dominio limitado del inglés (LEP en inglés) que permite a los usuarios elegir entre 20 diferentes idiomas: además de inglés y español, están disponibles coreano, vietnamita, ruso, árabe, criollo haitiano, tagalo, portugués, polaco, farsi, francés, japonés, punjabi, premier o urdu, bengalí, italiano y dos formas de chino tradicional y simplificado.

De acuerdo a Sue Simon, directora de asistencia al cliente, relaciones y educación en la división de salarios e inversiones del IRS, la institución ha comenzado a traducir a estos idiomas información básica sobre impuestos y los derechos de los contribuyentes, así como los requisitos para los dependientes.

La funcionaria recordó que los indocumentados que no son elegibles para un SSN, pueden llenar la forma W7 para pedir un número de identificación tributaria (ITIN en inglés), que les permita pagar sus impuestos, requisito vital para procesos migratorios futuros como la ciudadanía. “Nosotros somos muy cuidadosos con la información que recibimos”, explicó Simon. “No es nuestro propósito compartirla con otras agencias” Simon también destacó el programa de voluntarios llamado VITA compuesto por cerca de 90,000 personas en todo el país, que trabajan con socios comunitarios para involucrarlos en la preparación gratuita de declaraciones de impuestos en sus comunidades.

“Algunos de ellos son bancos, universidades, AARP es un socio nacional y United Way es otro”, explicó Simon. “También contamos con un programa de socios llamado asesoramiento por mensaje de texto para personas mayores, que ayuda con la declaración electrónica a través de mensaje de texto”.

Si bien la pandemia ha limitado la asistencia en persona, actualmente hay 11,000 lugares donde los individuos pueden ir a llenar sus impuestos con cita previa de manera gratuita. Y también hay preparadores pagados que son contadores o abogados fiscales y que pueden encontrarse en clínicas para contribuyentes de bajos ingresos. En el sitio web de IRS hay recomendaciones de cómo elegir a preparadores éticos y una lista de personas con credenciales y calificaciones para ayudar en esta tarea.

“Me estremezco cada vez que veo un comercial que promete darle a alguien un reembolso mayor”, dijo Simon. “No existe tal cosa como un reembolso mayor. Si su devolución se prepara correctamente, obtendrá el reembolso correcto para sus circunstancias”.

Simon advirtió sobre las estafas más comunes que incluyen llamadas o emails de supuestos funcionarios de IRS pidiendo el pago de impuestos atrasados o deudas, incluso amenazando con enviar a la policía, cuando la institución solo envía cuentas de cobros a través del correo postal. Recomendó denunciar ante el inspector general de tesorería para la administración tributaria del IRS, o la Comisión Federal de Comercio (FTC), a cualquier persona que intente suplantar a personal del IRS.

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EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

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THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND YOUR TAXES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The IRS has extended the deadline for filing tax returns until May 17. The child tax credit will be issued starting this summer and a portion of the unemployment benefits will not be taxable.

Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

and two forms of Chinese both traditional and simplified.

he Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the tax payment deadline from April 15 to May 17, at a time when the third round of stimulus checks surpassed $335 billion in payments reaching 130 million Americans.

According to Sue Simon, Director of Customer Assistance, Relationships and Education at the IRS Wage and Investment Division, the institution has begun translating basic information about taxes and taxpayer rights, as well as the requirements for their dependents, into all these languages.

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This and other provisions approved in the American Rescue Plan, such as the child tax credit and the establishment of nontaxable unemployment benefits, seek to help families economically battered by the pandemic.

"As the pandemic continues, we remain focused on supporting the federal government's efforts to help those experiencing financial changes and challenges," said Ken Corbin, Commissioner at the IRS Wage and Investment Division, during a media briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services.

“That's one reason why we extended the due date: individuals have until May 17 to file and pay their 2020 taxes. No one will be penalized or charged interest if they file and pay by that date. This applies only to individuals, not to taxpayers like corporations,” Corbin explained.

This extension also applies to tax year 2020 contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or Roth IRA, health savings account, Archer medical savings account, or Coverdell education savings account. However, for those making estimated tax payments for the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the April 15 deadline remains.

Since February 12, the IRS has received 85 million individual tax returns and issued over 56 million refunds totaling almost $164 billion. IRS officials recommend using direct deposit with E-filing as the most immediate way to complete the process and receive your refund in 21 days.

“We know that even with the vaccine rolling out, many folks may not be comfortable going into a brick and mortar office or dealing with their tax preparers (in person)," Corbin said. "We encourage you to E-file and choose direct deposit."

There are several tax preparation softwares that allow individuals who earn less than $ 72,000 a year to file for free.

The IRS one can be found here. The IRS2GO mobile app also allows you to find free assistance in preparing taxes, making payments, and checking the status of refunds.

Photo Credit: Nataliya Vaitkevich / Pexels

Stimulus checks Corbin highlighted the IRS's work on the rapid disbursement of economic impact payments (EIPs), commonly known as tax-free stimulus checks: in the first round, more than $160 million reached American families, and in the second round that figure was $147 million.

Those who did not receive those payments of up to $1,200 and $600 per person, will be able to claim them through the recovery rebate credit on their tax return. Individuals can access information about their EIP’s through an online federal tax account which they can register for at irs.gov. The account also allows people to create a PIN as a layer of protection to avoid fraud with the use of social security numbers (SSN).

Under the third round of economic impact payments authorized under the American Rescue Plan, the IRS has made more than 130 million payments worth approximately $335 billion, for those who filed their taxes in 2019 or 2020. A new group of social security and other beneficiaries who haven't filed a tax return may receive checks beginning on April 7. Veterans are also expected to receive their stimulus payments by mid of April.

"The majority (of payments) have been issued as direct deposits," Corbin said.

“But we are also mailing paper checks or EIP cards, which is a prepaid debit card.

If we don't have your bank account information, we encourage you to check your mail and be sure not to throw away that prepaid EIP card."

Unemployment benefits and child tax credit

The rescue plan also included a new provision for those who received unemployment benefits in 2020: up to $20,400 in unemployment compensation for couples filing joint returns, and $10,200 for all other eligible taxpayers is now not taxable.

And those who have already declared the money received from unemployment through the 1099G form, before the approval of this new benefit, will receive the corresponding refund as of May. “We are aware that there are many individuals out there whose identity has been compromised. And there have been fraudulent unemployment compensation claims issued in their name. So what we tell people to do is to only file for the actual unemployment compensation they have received," Corbin added.

The other component of the rescue plan that increased the amount of the child tax credit beginning in fiscal year 2021 allows families to get an advance on that credit beginning in the summer. Even those families who had a new child in 2021 will be able to add him/her as a beneficiary on the IRS.gov portal.

Multilingual initiative For this tax season, the IRS provided for the first time a new schedule for individuals who want to choose their language of preference for future IRS communications. This is the Limited English Proficiency schedule (LEP) that allows users to choose between 20 different languages: in addition to English and Spanish, they can find Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Tagalog, Portuguese, Polish, Farsi, French, Japanese, Punjabi, Premier or Urdu, Bengali, Italian,

Simon recalled that undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for a SSN, can fill out the W7 form to request an individual tax identification number (ITIN), which allows them to pay their taxes, a vital requirement for future immigration processes such as citizenship. "We are very careful with the information we receive," explained Simon. "It is not our purpose to share it with other agencies".

Simon also highlighted the volunteer program called VITA made up of nearly 90,000 people across the country, who work with community partners to engage them in free tax return preparation in their communities.

“Some of them are banks, colleges. AARP is a national partner and United Way is another partner,” Simon explained. "We also have a partner program called ‘text counseling for the elderly’, which helps with the electronic filing by text."

While the pandemic has limited in-person assistance, there are currently 11,000 places where individuals can go to file their taxes by appointment for free. And there are also paid preparers who are accountants or tax attorneys working at low-income taxpayer clinics. The IRS website has recommendations on how to choose ethical preparers and a list of people with credentials and qualifications to help with this task.

"I cringe every time I watch a commercial that promises to get someone a bigger refund," Simon said. “There is no such thing as a bigger refund. If your return is prepared correctly, you will get the refund that is correct for your circumstances."

Simon warned of the most common scams that include calls or emails from alleged IRS officials asking for tax payments, even threatening to send the police, when the institution only sends collection bills through the mail. She recommended reporting anyone attempting to impersonate IRS personnel to the IRS treasury inspector general for tax administration, or to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

AN IRS INCENTIVE TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT

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$65,000 en 2020 y de $66,000 en 2021.

Usted debe tener 18 años o más antes del 1 de enero y no puede ser un estudiante de tiempo completo ni puede haber sido declarado como dependiente en la declaración de impuestos de otra persona. El IRS ofrece un cuestionario para determinar con facilidad si reúne los requisitos para acceder al Crédito del ahorrador.

aving for retirement can be difficult in the best of times but even harder during the pandemic and challenging economy. One thing that can make it easier is the Saver’s Credit, a tax credit made available by the IRS to eligible taxpayers. The Saver’s Credit could reduce your federal income taxes when you save for retirement through a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

The 20th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey found that just 45 percent of full-time workers and only 32 percent of part-time workers are aware of the Saver’s Credit.

“People who are saving for retirement may be able to claim the Saver’s Credit and reduce their federal taxes,” says Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies®. “The Saver’s Credit is in addition to benefiting from the tax-advantaged treatment of saving for retirement. Many people could be confusing these two incentives, simply because the idea of a double tax benefit sounds too good to be true.”

What Is the Saver’s Credit?

It is a non-refundable tax credit for contributions an eligible taxpayer makes to a 401(k), 403(b) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan, a traditional or Roth IRA, or an ABLE account. The maximum credit is $1,000 for single filers or individuals and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly.

Tips for Claiming the Saver’s Credit: 1. Check Your Eligibility To be eligible, the maximum Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for single filers is $32,500 in 2020 and $33,000 in 2021. For the head of a household, the AGI maximum is $48,750 in 2020 and $49,500 in 2021. For those who are married filing jointly, the AGI maximum is $65,000 in 2020 and $66,000 in 2021.

You must be 18 years or older by January 1 and cannot be a full-time student or be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. The IRS offers a quiz to easily determine if you qualify for the Saver’s Credit.

2. Save for Retirement To claim the Saver’s Credit for 2020, you must have contributed to a 401(k), a 403(b) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan or an ABLE account during 2020. Contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs are also eligible for the credit. You have until April 15, 2021 to make an IRA contribution for tax year 2020. Rollover contributions are not eligible for the credit.

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UN INCENTIVO DEL IRS PARA AHORRAR PARA LA JUBILACIÓN

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2. Ahorre para la jubilación Para solicitar el Crédito del ahorrador para el 2020, usted debe haber contribuido a un plan 401(k), 403(b) o a un plan de jubilación similar patrocinado por el empleador, o bien una cuenta ABLE durante 2020. Contribuciones a cuentas tradicionales o IRAs Roth también son elegibles para obtener el crédito.

3. Presente su declaración de impuestos y solicite el Crédito del ahorrador

Photo Credit: NAPS

3. File Your Tax Return and Claim the Saver’s Credit Let the IRS help you file your taxes. It has nine Free File partners that offer online tax preparation tools for free to taxpayers with an AGI of $72,000 or less. Learn more at www.irs.gov/FreeFile.

• On your federal tax returns, you claim the Saver’s Credit by subtracting it from your total federal income taxes, it is a dollar-fordollar reduction in your taxes.

• If you are using an online tax preparation tool, be sure to answer questions about the Saver’s Credit, also referred to as the “Retirement Savings Contributions Credit,” or “Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions.”

• If you are preparing your tax return manually, complete Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions, to determine your exact credit rate and amount. Then transfer the amount to the designated line on Schedule 3. Information from Schedule 3 is then used on Forms 1040, 1040-SR, and 1040-NR. • If you are using a professional tax preparer, be sure to ask about the Saver’s Credit.

“Consistently saving for retirement is fundamental to helping achieve financial security in retirement,” says Collinson. “Another way to help you boost your retirement savings is to directly deposit any tax refund into an IRA. Saving more now could help you reap more later.”

This important tax credit may help reduce what you owe in federal taxes or increase your refund. With so many people’s income being reduced since the pandemic, more Americans may be eligible to claim this credit. Help spread the word about the Saver’s Credit by telling family, friends, and colleagues.

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horrar para la jubilación puede ser difícil en el mejor de los casos, pero aún más durante la pandemia y la economía desafiante. Un recurso que puede mejorar la situación es el incentivo conocido como el Crédito del ahorrador (Saver’s Credit), un crédito impositivo que el Servicio de Impuestos Internos (Internal Revenue Service, IRS) pone a disposición de contribuyentes elegibles.

Usted puede reducir sus impuestos federales si ahorra a través de un plan de jubilación calificado, como un plan 401(k), o una cuenta de jubilación individual (Individual Retirement Account, IRA).

Según la vigésima Encuesta Anual sobre Jubilaciones de Transamerica, solo el 45% de los empleados a tiempo completo y el 32% de los empleados a tiempo parcial conocen el Crédito del ahorrador. “Aquellos que se encuentran ahorrando para la jubilación pueden aprovechar del Crédito del ahorrador y reducir sus impuestos federales”, comenta Catherine Collinson, directora ejecutiva y presidenta de la organización sin fines de lucro Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies®. “El Crédito del ahorrador es un incentivo que se ofrece a modo de complemento de las ventajas impositivas relacionadas con el ahorro para la jubilación. Es posible que muchos contribuyentes confundan estos dos incentivos, simplemente porque la idea del beneficio fiscal doble suena demasiado buena para ser verdad”. ¿Qué es el Crédito del ahorrador?

Es un crédito fiscal no reembolsable por las contribuciones que un contribuyente elegible hace a un plan 401(k), 403(b) o a un plan de jubilación similar patrocinado por el empleador, una cuenta IRA tradicional o Roth IRA, o a una cuenta ABLE. El crédito máximo es de $1,000 para los contribuyentes solteros y de $2,000 para las personas casadas que presentan una declaración conjunta.

Sugerencias para acceder al Crédito del ahorrador: 1. Verifique su elegibilidad Para ser elegible, el ingreso bruto ajustado (Adjusted Gross Income, AGI) máximo para los contribuyentes solteros debe ser de $32,500 en 2020 y de $33,000 en 2021. Para un jefe de hogar, el AGI máximo es de $48,750 en 2020 y de $49,500 en 2021. En el caso de las personas que están casadas y presentan una declaración conjunta, el AGI máximo es de

Permita que el IRS lo ayude a presentar su declaración de impuestos a través de una red de nueve socios Free File que operan el programa en línea para presentar su declaración gratis.

Este programa ofrece herramientas por Internet para la preparación de impuestos sin costo para contribuyentes que tengan un AGI de $72,000 o menos. Obtenga más información en www.irs.gov/FreeFile.

• En su declaración de impuestos federales, puede acceder al incentivo Crédito del ahorrador al sustraerlo del total de los impuestos federales sobre la renta. Este beneficio es una reducción de un dólar por dólar en sus impuestos.

• Si utiliza una herramienta por Internet para la preparación de su declaración de impuestos, asegúrese de responder a las preguntas relacionadas con el Crédito del ahorrador.

Además, tenga en cuenta que este incentivo también se denomina “Crédito por contribuciones a la cuenta de ahorros para la jubilación” o “Crédito por contribuciones calificadas a la cuenta de ahorros para la jubilación”.

• Si usted prepara su declaración de impuestos manualmente, llene el Formulario 8880, Crédito por contribuciones calificadas a la cuenta de ahorros para la jubilación, para determinar la cantidad exacta del importe y la tasa de crédito. Después mueva este importe a la línea designada en el Anexo 3. La información que incluya en el Anexo 3 también se utilizará en los formularios 1040, 1040-SR y 1040-NR. • Si contrata los servicios de un profesional especializado en preparación de impuestos, asegúrese de preguntarle sobre el Crédito del ahorrador.

“Ahorrar para la jubilación de forma sistemática es la clave para alcanzar una seguridad financiera a la hora de jubilarse”, agrega Collinson.

“Otra forma que ayuda a aumentar los ahorros para la jubilación es depositar directamente las devoluciones de impuestos en una cuenta IRA. Si se ahorra más dinero en el presente, seguramente se cosecharán más frutos en el futuro”.

Este importante crédito fiscal puede ayudarlo a reducir las deudas de impuestos federales o aumentar las devoluciones de impuestos.

Debido a que los ingresos de muchísimas personas se vieron afectados por la pandemia, es posible que una cantidad mayor de estadounidenses reúnan los requisitos para acceder a este crédito. Coménteles a sus amigos, colegas y familiares acerca del Crédito del ahorrador.

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COMMUNITY

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

RURAL CA COMMUNITY COLLEGES MOVE COLEGIOS COMUNITARIOS DEL ÁREA RURAL EN CA SE MOVILIZAN PARA COMBATIR LA TO COMBAT POVERTY, DIGITAL DIVIDE POBREZA Y LA DIVISIÓN DIGITAL

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Suzanne Potter California News Service

colegios comunitarios rurales han hecho un buen uso de los millones que fluyen de la Ley CARES. "Muchas instituciones han estado utilizando sus fondos de ayuda de COVID para proporcionar a los estudiantes computadoras portátiles, puntos de acceso y una banda ancha más sólida para que los estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad puedan venir y usar el campus como una ubicación de WiFi gratuita," dijo Rush-Marlowe.

MPERIAL VALLEY, Calif. -- The pandemic has worsened problems facing rural community colleges, but also has led to more focus and funding to solve them, according to a new report.

Researchers with the Association of Community College Trustees found the digital divide put students at a huge disadvantage for distance learning.

Varias universidades comunitarias rurales se encuentran cerca de la frontera con Oregón o Nevada, por lo que el informe alienta al estado a brindar a las universidades más flexibilidad para atraer estudiantes a través de las fronteras estatales.

Rachel Rush-Marlowe, senior program manager at the Association and author of the report, said rural community colleges have put the millions flowing from the CARES Act to good use.

Varias instituciones están teniendo que satisfacer las necesidades básicas de alimentación y vivienda para los estudiantes.

"So a lot of institutions have been using their COVID relief funds to provide laptops to students, hotspots, and create stronger broadband on campus so that students and community members can come and use that campus as a free Wi-Fi location," Rush-Marlowe outlined.

Rush-Marlowe pointed out the programs make it possible for students to stay in school.

Several rural community colleges sit near the border with Oregon or Nevada, so the report encouraged the state to give colleges more flexibility to attract students across state lines.

"It's a precondition for education," Rush-Marlowe explained. "If students are hungry, if they don't have a place to sleep at night, education really becomes secondary."

Several institutions find themselves having to meet students' basic needs for food and shelter.

The report also recommends the federal government clarify its many definitions of the term "rural," which would free up funding for hundreds of additional community colleges.

Los investigadores de la Asociación de Fideicomisos de Colegios Comunitarios encontraron que la brecha digital coloca a los estudiantes en una gran desventaja para el aprendizaje a distancia.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

La autora del informe, Rachel Rush-Marlowe, directora senior de programas de la Asociación de Fideicomisos de Colegios Comunitarios, dice que los

Feather River College in Quincy took advantage of special permitting rules to build an on-campus dorm, and Imperial Valley College has built tiny homes for students experiencing homelessness and runs a food pantry.

Imperial Valley College is about to open 26 tiny homes to students experiencing homelessness.

Photo Credit: Imperial Valley College

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Suzanne Potter California News Service

MPERIAL VALLEY, Calif. -- De acuerdo a un nuevo informe, la pandemia ha empeorado los problemas que enfrentan los colegios comunitarios rurales, pero también se ha llegado a un mayor enfoque y financiamiento.

Feather River College en Quincy aprovecho las reglas especiales de permisos para construir un dormitorio en el campus, y Imperial Valley College ha construido pequeñas casas para estudiantes sin hogar y cuentan con una despensa de alimentos.

Rush-Marlowe dice que los programas hacen posible que los estudiantes permanezcan en la escuela.

"Es una condición previa para la educación," dijo Rush-Marlowe. "Si los estudiantes tienen hambre, si no tienen un lugar para dormir por la noche, la educación se vuelve realmente secundaria."

El informe recomienda también que el gobierno federal aclare sus muchas definiciones sobre el término "rural," lo que liberaría fondos para cientos de colegios comunitarios adicionales.

El poyo para este reportaje fue aportado por la Fundación Lumina.

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La oferta es válida para préstamos aplicables aprobados antes del 9/30/2021. Pueden aplicarse otros términos y condiciones. Las ofertas de préstamos quedan sujetas a los requisitos de solicitud, evaluación, tasación y aprobación de crédito de East West Bank. Todas las tarifas, términos, pautas y productos están sujetos a cambios o cancelación sin previo aviso. Pueden aplicarse otras limitaciones y restricciones. Consulte con su prestamista para obtener más detalles. 1- Esta oferta disponible por tiempo limitado de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA) se puede aplicar a préstamos aprobados antes del 9/30/2021, y queda sujeta a la disponibilidad de fondos y a cambios según las actualizaciones de las pautas de la SBA. Aplicable a préstamos 7 (a) y 504 (solo en caso de Empresas de Desarrollo Certificadas). La SBA pagará hasta $9,000 en cuotas mensuales de capital e intereses hasta durante 3 meses por prestatario, comenzando con el primer pago adeudado del préstamo. 2- Oferta por tiempo limitado de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA) en el caso de préstamos compatibles aprobados antes del 9/30/2021 y sujeta a la disponibilidad de fondos. 7 (a) Exención del cargo por garantía de préstamos: no se aplica el cargo por garantía de la SBA. Exención de la tarifa de préstamos 504: la tarifa de participación del prestamista externo del 0.5% y la tarifa de procesamiento de CDC del 1.5% no se aplican a esta oferta. 3- Promoción de exención de tarifa de empaque disponible a través de East West Bank, solo se aplica a préstamos a plazo 7 (a) de la SBA y se acreditará en la financiación del préstamo. Las solicitudes deben recibirse antes del 9/1/2021 y con financiación a más tardar del 10/31/2021.

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

COMMUNITY

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

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FARMWORKER GROUPS CONCERNED CITIZENSHIP BILL FAVORS GROWERS

GRUPOS DE TRABAJADORES AGRÍCOLAS PREOCUPADOS QUE EL PROYECTO DE LEY DE CIUDADANÍA FAVORECE A LOS PRODUCTORES

Washington state has classified farm and agriculture workers as essential during the pandemic.

Photo Credit: JackF / Adobe Stock

El estado de Washington ha clasificado a los trabajadores agrícolas como esenciales durante la pandemia. Photo Credit: Lasseter Winery / Unsplash

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Eric Tegethoff Public News Service

EATTLE -- The U.S. House has passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, setting up a path to citizenship for immigrant farmworkers, but some groups representing workers say it would put too much power into the hands of the agriculture industry.

If the bill passes, workers with at least a decade of experience would be eligible for a green card after four years, and those with less experience would be eligible after eight years.

Citizenship applications would rely on employers for verification.

deemed essential during the pandemic, although Guillen noted they haven't necessarily been protected. Central Washington, home to much of the state's agriculture, has seen some of the biggest COVID-19 outbreaks in the past year.

She wants congressional leaders to recognize their work during the pandemic by scrapping this bill and starting over.

"Are we essential?" Guillen asked. "Then make this legalization process instant, make it quick, make it permanent."

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Eric Tegethoff Public News Service

EATTLE - La Cámara de Representantes de EE. UU. Aprobó la Ley de Modernización de la Fuerza Laboral Agrícola, que establece un camino hacia la ciudadanía para los trabajadores agrícolas inmigrantes, pero algunos grupos que representan a los trabajadores dicen que pondría demasiado poder en manos de la industria agrícola.

Si se aprueba el proyecto de ley, los trabajadores con al menos una década de experiencia serían

elegibles para una tarjeta verde después de cuatro años, y aquellos con menos experiencia serían elegibles después de ocho años.

Las solicitudes de ciudadanía dependerían de los empleadores para su verificación.

Rosalinda Guillén, directora ejecutiva de Desarrollo de Comunidad a Comunidad, dijo que las solicitudes de ciudadanía dependerían de los empleadores para su verificación.

"En un momento en que podríamos ser progresistas y acercarnos a la justicia racial, en realidad estamos aceptando las prioridades de la industria en lugar de las prioridades de las familias de trabajadores agrícolas", sostuvo Guillén.

El proyecto de ley recibió el apoyo de todos menos un demócrata en la Cámara, así como de 30 republicanos.

Rosalinda Guillen, executive director of Community to Community Development, said citizenship applications would rely on employers for verification.

Uno de los principales copatrocinadores es el representante Dan Newhouse, republicano por Washington, propietario de una granja en el valle de Yakima. La oficina de Newhouse no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.

"At a time when we could go progressive and move closer to racial justice, we're actually accepting the industry's priorities instead of the farmworker families' priorities," Guillen contended.

El proyecto de ley también ampliaría el programa de visas H-2A, que proporciona trabajadores invitados de otros países a las granjas. Limitaría los salarios de los trabajadores en ese programa durante un año.

The bill received support from all but one Democrat in the House, as well as 30 Republicans.

One of the top co-sponsors is Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., a farm owner in the Yakima Valley. Newhouse's office did respond to a request for comment.

The bill would also expand the H-2A visa program, which provides guest workers from other countries to farms. It would cap wages to workers in that program for a year.

David Bacon, a journalist and immigrant-rights activist, said the H-2A program has barred participants from unionizing, an issue the bill in Congress doesn't address.

"That is the one method that people historically have used to try to raise low wages and end poverty in rural areas," Bacon pointed out.

"But the reality of it is when H-2A workers try to organize, and this has happened repeatedly, they get fired, they get legally deported, and they get blacklisted so that they can't come in future years."

Farmworkers in Washington state have been

David Bacon, periodista y activista por los derechos de los inmigrantes, dijo que el programa H-2A ha prohibido a los participantes sindicalizarse, un tema que el proyecto de ley en el Congreso no aborda.

"Ese es el único método que la gente ha utilizado históricamente para tratar de aumentar los salarios bajos y acabar con la pobreza en las zonas rurales", señaló Bacon. "Pero la realidad es que cuando los trabajadores H-2A intentan organizarse, y esto ha sucedido repetidamente, los despiden, los deportan legalmente y los ponen en una lista negra para que no puedan venir en los próximos años".

Los trabajadores agrícolas en el estado de Washington han sido considerados esenciales durante la pandemia, aunque Guillén señaló que no necesariamente han sido protegidos. Al centro de Washington, hogar de gran parte de la agricultura del estado, ha experimentado algunos de los brotes más grandes de COVID-19 en el último año.

Quiere que los líderes del Congreso reconozcan su trabajo durante la pandemia desechando este proyecto de ley y comenzando de nuevo. "¿Somos esenciales?" Preguntó Guillén. "Entonces haz que este proceso de legalización sea instantáneo, hazlo rápido, hazlo permanente".

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COMMUNITY

CALIFORNIA SETS JUNE 15 GOAL FOR FULL REOPENING

CALIFORNIA ESTABLECE LA META DEL 15 DE JUNIO PARA LA REAPERTURA COMPLETA

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ANA B. IBARRA AND BARBARA FEDER OSTROV CalMatters

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s the pace of vaccination picks up, California state officials this week announced the date they plan to fully reopen the state’s economy: June 15.

Reopening by then will largely depend on two criteria: Vaccine supply must be sufficient for anyone 16 and older who wants a shot and hospitalization rates must remain low and stable. The mask mandate would remain in place, however.

“It is incumbent upon all of us not to announce mission accomplished, not to put down our guard, but to continue that vigilance that got us where we are today,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said today from San Francisco.

The move would eliminate the complex web of county-by-county tiers and replace it with a statewide reopening of businesses.

Businesses would open up to full capacity, although individual counties can still opt to have more restrictions depending on their circumstances. Schools would be encouraged to reopen to full-time in-person learning; however, the school districts will maintain control.

“I want kids back in school safely, and on June 15 we anticipate there will be no barriers to getting kids back in person, not just K-12…(also) including institutions of higher education,” Newsom said.

“What we could see is fully occupied settings, but yet still with masks.”

DR. MARK GHALY, SECRETARY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health secretary, said he feels comfortable allowing businesses to operate at full capacity in mid-June because the state will continue to track local conditions.

“What we could see is fully occupied settings, but still with masks,” Ghaly said today.

ANA B. IBARRA AND BARBARA FEDER OSTROV CalMatters

A"Welcome Back" sign at Six Flags Magic Mountain on its first day of reopening to select members in Valencia April 1, 2021. Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong, AP Photo sary precautions.

“We all want the best protection for our kids. We want to make sure that they are safe. Part of that defense is having the social distancing at school, washing hands and using masks,” Shapiro said. “Even though they’re repetitive, those three things have made a huge difference (in preventing COVID-19 transmission) even before there was a vaccine.”

Under the state plan, “schools and institutions of higher education should conduct full-time, in person instruction, in compliance with Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standards and public health guidelines.”

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said today that he is heartened by new testing that indicates that the vaccines are effective in adolescents. But he added, “We must prepare for the possibility that there will be some families who cannot or may choose not to send their students back to school campuses this fall, and schools may need the flexibility to offer some form of remote learning.”

Nearly all of California currently is in the orange and red tiers, which allowed businesses to reopen with limited capacity. Only Merced and Inyo counties remain in the most-restricted purple tier after failing today to meet the health metrics required to move to red.

CalMatters COVID-19 coverage, translation and distribution is supported by generous grants from the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the California Wellness Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation.

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medida que se acelera el ritmo de la vacunación, los funcionarios del estado de California anunciaron esta semana la fecha en la que planean reabrir por completo la economía del estado: el 15 de junio.

La reapertura para entonces dependerá en gran medida de dos criterios: el suministro de vacunas debe ser suficiente para cualquier persona de 16 años o más que desee una vacuna y las tasas de hospitalización deben permanecer bajas y estables. Sin embargo, el mandato de la máscara se mantendría.

“Es responsabilidad de todos nosotros no declarar la misión cumplida, no bajar la guardia, sino continuar con la vigilancia que nos llevó a donde estamos hoy”, dijo hoy el gobernador Gavin Newsom desde San Francisco.

La medida eliminaría la compleja red de niveles condado por condado y la reemplazaría con una reapertura de negocios en todo el estado.

Las empresas se abrirían a plena capacidad, aunque los condados individuales aún pueden optar por tener más restricciones dependiendo de sus circunstancias.

Se permitiría que las escuelas reabrieran a todo el aprendizaje en persona; sin embargo, los distritos escolares mantendrán el control.

“Quiero que los niños regresen a la escuela de manera segura, y el 15 de junio anticipamos que no habrá barreras para que los niños regresen en persona, no solo K-12… (también) incluidas las instituciones de educación superior”, dijo Newsom.

“Lo que pudimos ver son escenarios completamente ocupados, pero aún con máscaras”.

DR. MARK GHALY, SECRETARIO DE SALUD Y SERVICIOS HUMANOS DE CALIFORNIA El Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretario de salud del estado, dijo

Aviso Público

According to the state plan, businesses can return to normal operations, except for masking requirements and “testing or vaccination verification requirements for large-scale higher-risk events.” Until at least Oct. 1, large conventions with more than 5,000 people will only be allowed if organizers can show that attendees are either vaccinated or are tested. There is still no plan for large, multi-day events like music festivals to take place, Ghaly said.

VTA llevará a cabo audiencias públicas y presentaciones en los comités para abordar la Propuesta de Presupuesto correspondiente al Año Fiscal 2022 y 2023.

Durante los próximos dos años, VTA propone:

As of Monday, the state had administered more than 20 million vaccines — more than entire countries. That includes 4 million doses in the state’s hardest-hit, disadvantaged communities. This progress allows the state to move forward, and leave behind its colored blueprint that has been determining reopenings by county.

• No aumentar las tarifas de transporte público.

• Aumentos en los niveles del servicio de transporte público, incluido el incremento en la frecuencia de los servicios y proveer más servicios durante los fines de semana y por la noche.

La Propuesta de Presupuesto se puede ver en: www.vta.org/budget.

State officials chose the June 15 date because it is eight weeks after April 15, when everyone 16 and older becomes eligible for vaccinations. That gives people three weeks to find an appointment, another three weeks in between their first and second dose and two more weeks after their second dose, which allows them to acquire full protection.

Audiencias públicas virtuales de VTA a través de Zoom Miércoles 21 de abril, a las 12:00 p.m. www.eventbrite.com/e/149056322473 Martes 27 de abril, a las 6:00 p.m. www.eventbrite.com/e/149060531061 Las presentaciones realizadas en las reuniones de los comités se pueden ver en: www.vta.org/about/board-and-committees

“It makes sense to me,” said Dr. George Rutherford, an epidemiologist at UC San Francisco. “On the one hand, vaccination is going gangbusters, I think that will give us the out, but we also have to see what happens with the variants, and if people who are vaccinated are getting infected.”

Comité de Supervisión de Programas Principales (CPC) Jueves 29 de abril, a las 11:00 a.m.

Comité Asesor Técnico (TAC) Miércoles 12 de mayo, a la 1:30 p.m.

Comité Asesor Ciudadano (CAC) Miércoles 12 de mayo, a las 4:00 p.m.

Comité Asesor de Políticas (PAC) Jueves 13 de mayo a las 4:00 p.m.

Infections are skyrocketing in some other parts of the country, with some of the outbreaks linked to new variants of the virus. But California has been able to keep its positivity rate under 2% for several weeks now.

“What we’re asking is for people to hunker down for another two months and when we get there, then it’s Miller time,” Rutherford said.

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Because most children age 15 and younger may not be vaccinated by June 15, “we need to be cautiously optimistic. It’s not a moment for a free-for-all,” said Dr. Ilan Shapiro, a pediatrician and medical director of health education and wellness for the AltaMed community health system in Southern California.

Shapiro said vaccinated parents may not want to take their unvaccinated kids to an inside event with many people even if masks are required. But he supports school reopenings, noting that kids benefit from inclass education and social interaction with the neces-

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

Comité de Administración y Finanzas (A&F) Jueves 20 de mayo a las 12:00 p.m.

Comité de Supervisión de Programas Principales (CPC) Jueves 27 de mayo a las 12:00 p.m.

Junta Directiva de VTA Jueves 3 de junio a las 5:30 p.m.

Si necesita acomodos especiales o interpretación en algún idioma para participar en las reuniones, comuníquese con VTA al menos cinco días antes de las mismas.

Recibimos con agrado sus comentarios por teléfono: (408) 321-2300 Personas con problemas de audición (solo TTY) pueden llamar al: (408) 321-2330 Correo electrónico: customer.service@vta.org

que se siente cómodo al permitir que las empresas operen a plena capacidad a mediados de junio porque el estado continuará rastreando las condiciones locales.

“Lo que pudimos ver son escenarios completamente ocupados, pero aún con máscaras”, dijo Ghaly hoy.

De acuerdo con el plan estatal, las empresas pueden volver a sus operaciones normales, excepto para los requisitos de enmascaramiento y “los requisitos de prueba o verificación de vacunación para eventos de mayor riesgo a gran escala”. Hasta al menos el 1 de octubre, las grandes convenciones con más de 5,000 personas solo se permitirán si los organizadores pueden demostrar que los asistentes están vacunados o han realizado una prueba. Todavía no hay un plan para grandes eventos de varios días como festivales de música, dijo Ghaly.

Hasta el lunes, el estado había administrado más de 20 millones de vacunas, más que países enteros. Eso incluye 4 millones de dosis en los códigos postales más afectados del estado. Este progreso permite que el estado avance y deje atrás su modelo de color que ha estado determinando reaperturas por condado.

Los funcionarios estatales eligieron la fecha del 15 de junio porque es ocho semanas después del 15 de abril, cuando todos los mayores de 16 años se vuelven elegibles para las vacunas. Eso les da a las personas tres semanas para encontrar una cita, otras tres semanas entre su primera y segunda dosis y dos semanas más después de su segunda dosis, lo que les permite adquirir una protección completa.

“Para mí tiene sentido”, dijo el Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiólogo de UC San Francisco. “Por un lado, la vacunación va en aumento, creo que eso nos dará la salida, pero también tenemos que ver qué pasa con las variantes y si las personas que están vacunadas se están infectando”.

Las infecciones se están disparando en algunas otras partes del país, y algunos de los brotes están vinculados a nuevas variantes del virus. Pero California ha podido mantener su tasa de positividad por debajo de 2% durante varias semanas.

“Lo que estamos pidiendo es que la gente se agache durante otros dos meses y cuando lleguemos allí, será Miller Time”, dijo Rutherford.

Dado que es posible que la mayoría de los niños de 15 años o menos no estén vacunados antes del 15 de junio, “debemos ser cautelosamente optimistas. No es un momento para la gresca”, dijo el Dr. Ilan Shapiro, pediatra y director médico de educación para la salud y bienestar del sistema de salud comunitario de AltaMed en el sur de California.

Shapiro dijo que es posible que los padres vacunados no quieran llevar a sus hijos no vacunados a un evento interior con muchas personas, incluso si se requieren máscaras. Pero apoya la reapertura de escuelas y señala que los niños se benefician de la educación en clase y la interacción social con las precauciones necesarias.

“Todos queremos la mejor protección para nuestros hijos. Queremos asegurarnos de que estén a salvo.

Parte de esa defensa es tener el distanciamiento social en la escuela, lavarse las manos y usar máscaras”, dijo Shapiro. “Aunque son repetitivos, esas tres cosas han marcado una gran diferencia (en la prevención de la transmisión de COVID-19) incluso antes de que existiera una vacuna”.

Según el plan estatal, “las escuelas e instituciones de educación superior deben impartir instrucción en persona a tiempo completo, de conformidad con las normas temporales de emergencia de Cal/OSHA y las pautas de salud pública”.

El superintendente estatal de instrucción pública, Tony Thurmond, dijo hoy que se siente alentado por las nuevas pruebas que indican que las vacunas son efectivas en los adolescentes. Pero agregó: “Debemos prepararnos para la posibilidad de que haya algunas familias que no puedan o puedan optar por no enviar a sus estudiantes de regreso a los campus de la escuela este otoño, y las escuelas pueden necesitar la flexibilidad para ofrecer alguna forma de aprendizaje remoto”.

Casi toda California se encuentra actualmente en los niveles naranja y rojo, lo que permitió que las empresas reabrieran con capacidad limitada. Solo los condados de Merced e Inyo permanecen en el nivel púrpura más restringido después de no cumplir hoy con las métricas de salud requeridas para pasar al rojo.

La cobertura, traducción y distribución de CalMatters COVID-19 cuenta con el apoyo de generosas subvenciones de la Blue Shield of California Foundation, la California Wellness Foundation y la California Health Care Foundation.

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

MAIN NEWS

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GEORGIA’S VOTING RIGHTS ROLLBACK FACES NEW LAWSUIT S.B. 202 makes it a crime to give water to people waiting to vote

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Mark Hedin Ethnic Media Services

Voting Rights Act, Leah Aden, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s deputy director of litigation, said.

ess than a week after the state of Georgia enacted new voting rules, a third federal lawsuit is seeking to have the changes overturned.

This suit, already the third filed within days of S.B. 202’s behind-closed-doors enactment on March 25, does not address aspects such as its giving the state legislature authority to overrule and replace local election officials and the secretary of state.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU and NAACP, acting on behalf of religious, student and ethnic minority-serving organizations, allege the new regulations are unconstitutional and violate the federal Voting Rights Act. “This law (Georgia S.B. 202) is voter suppression, plain and simple, aimed at making it harder for black and brown and other historically disenfranchised communities to have a voice in our democracy,” Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in a press briefing March 30.

“It’s an absolutely shameful response to the historic participation by these communities in the last election cycle.”

The organizations represented in the new suit, Sixth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church v. Kemp, (https://tinyurl.com/SPLCsuit), work primarily in voter registration and education, offer language assistance and providing support such as the water and snacks that S.B. 202 has made a crime to offer in Georgia, said Nancy Abudu, SPLC deputy legal director.

The plaintiffs cite seven aspects of the legislation: its ban on mobile voting; stricter ID requirements for and limits on absentee voting; restrictions on drop boxes, disqualification of out-of-precinct provisional ballots, reductions to early voting and

But those, too, may become litigation targets, Aden said.

“This (lawsuit) is one tool. You need federal legislation; you need state legislation. All angles have to be explored. This case is just one of them.”

Sophia Lin Lakin,Voting Rights Project Deputy Director, ACLU. Photo Credit: ACLU / Ethnic Media Services

making it illegal to provide water or snacks to people waiting in line to vote.

“Instead of celebrating and encouraging and making it easier for organizations like AME Church to affirm the dignity of black and brown voters -- to provide refreshments and encouragement to voters subjected to these lines -Georgia is criminalizing these efforts,” Lakin said.

“This is simply adding insult to injury when you look at the rest of the provisions making it even harder to vote and risking even longer lines.”

S.B. 202 violates the 14th and 15 amendments to the U.S. Constitution and Section 2 of the 1965

The organizations represented here, Aden said, have “relied on voting options that have simply been in place in Georgia for years, including early voting, Sunday voting, and ‘no excuse’ absentee voting” to help people exercise their right to vote.

“Only now, on the heels of ever-growing participation, especially for black voters, do legislators seek to attack voting methods and options that they themselves have relied on and actually benefit their own constituents. The cynicism is clear,” she continued.

The right to vote is under “threats we haven’t seen in decades,” she said, with S.B. 202 and hundreds of like-minded measures under consideration by legislatures in all but a handful of states nationwide.

Key to these efforts, she pointed out, is the 2013 Supreme Court “Shelby v. Holder” decision that ended the “pre-clearance” requirement of the

1965 Voting Rights Act. Since then, states with a history of discriminatory voting rules no longer have to get federal approval before changing them.

“The result,” Aden said, “has been predictable.”

“The passage of S.B 202 is another reminder of why we need federal legislation like S.1 and H.R.4,” she said.

S.1, the House-passed “For the People Act” now before the U.S. Senate, addresses voting rights and campaign financing and calls for independent redistricting panels.

Still in the House is H.R.4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, sponsored by Alabama Democratic Rep. Terry Sewell, that seeks to review that 2013 Shelby County v. Holder ruling.

“All voices need to join in the fight against voter suppression,” Aden said. “Everyone needs to be saying something and speaking clearly that unwarranted attacks on the ability of black voters to participate in the political process is morally wrong and bankrupt, it is illegal and it will be met with as much resistance as possible.”

Plaintiffs in the first two suits over S.B. 202 include Black Lives Matter, Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project, the League of Women Voters, the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe and others.

In the new Southern Poverty Law Center-led case, plaintiff organizations are the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Sixth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Georgia Muslim Voter Project, Women Watch Africa, and the Latino Community Fund of Georgia.

JUNTOS SÍ PODEMOS No ha sido fácil para nadie. Un año de muchos sacrificios.

Pero aquí estamos, más juntos que nunca.

Las vacunas contra el COVID son nuestro rayo de esperanza.

Han sido seguras y efectivas para millones de personas.

Cuando sea su turno, vacúnese. Las vacunas pueden obtenerse sin costo.

Por su salud, por el amor a los suyos. Por estar juntos otra vez.

Infórmese en cdc.gov/coronavirus-es

JUNTOS SÍ PODEMOS

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GREEN LIVING

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

EARTHTALK Q&A: CONSEQUENCES EARTHTALK Q&A: CONSECUENCIAS DE DEPENDER DE APLICACIONES GPS OF RELYING ON GPS APPS Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental pros and cons of so many of us relying on GPS apps (Waze, Google Maps, etc.) to get around these days? -- B. Rogers, Newark, NJ

Querido EarthTalk: ¿Cuáles son las ventajas y desventajas medioambientales de depender actualmente de las aplicaciones GPS (Waze, Google Maps, etc.) para movernos? -- B. Rogers, Newark, NJ.

GPS nav apps may be good for individual drivers' commute times but may be slowing traffic overall and ruining neighborhood vibes across the nation. Photo Credit: PhotoMIX Company / Pexels

Aplicaciones de navegación GPS podrán ser buenas para que los conductores individuales reduzan tiempos, pero podrían estar ralentizando el tráfico general y arruinando las vibras de vecindarios en toda la nación. Photo Credit: Isaac Mehegan / Unsplash

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Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

t’s hard to measure whether having GPS apps on our smartphones is positive or negative for the planet and its systems overall, but some environmentalists are skeptical that they are helping at all. Indeed, the rise of Waze, Google Maps, Inrix and other apps that respond to live traffic data to reroute drivers accordingly—not to mention the concomitant proliferation of appfollowing Uber and Lyft drivers—has turned millions of formerly main-route-following drivers into sneaky shortcut seekers. Formerly quiet peaceful neighborhood may never be the same again.

On the plus side, the widespread use of these apps saves individual drivers some time and may slightly reduce the amount of time we all spend burning extra fuel by idling in congested traffic. But the data on this is mixed and warrants further research.

While you may have gotten to work three minutes faster this morning, what was the cost? Neighborhoods everywhere are miffed at the proliferation of cars racing through formerly quiet back streets to circumvent the latest highway logjam. The problem has been especially noticeable in already car-crazed Los Angeles, where neighborhood streets filled up with traffic once Waze hit the market in 2011 and started alerting Angelinos of the fastest, least congested routes to and fro. As more and more drivers followed Waze’s directions, the app sent them deeper and deeper into formerly forlorn byways. With Google Maps, Inrix and others following Waze’s lead, the problem has only gotten worse in recent years.

Research out of the University of California’s Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) concludes that while GPS apps are helping individuals get from point A to B faster, they are also making congestion worse overall.

ITS’s traffic simulations show how freeway flow changes in response to an accident

when no drivers use GPS apps versus when 20 percent of drivers have them activated. With more app-using drivers, congestion builds up at off-ramps and traffic on the highway slows. “The situation then gets much worse because hundreds of people just like you want to go on the side streets, which were never designed to handle the traffic,” says ITS director Alexandre Bayen.

“So, now, in addition to congesting the freeway, you’ve also congested the side streets and the intersections.”

Critics of these apps blame the software designers—not us consumers just trying to get to and from work or the grocery store— for the negative effects on traffic flows and neighborhood peace. If the apps are so smart, why can’t they disperse drivers onto different routes and away from back streets and quiet neighborhoods to smartly reduce congestion overall? To wit, later this year Google Maps will start routing drivers to the most fuel-efficient route—not necessarily the fastest—to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save drivers money in fuel costs. If the greener route is significantly slower than another way, the app will give users the option to choose for themselves, but at least this move is a nod to how much greenhouse gas busting power a little bit of code on your phone can have to help save the planet.

CONTACTS: The Impact of GPS-enabled Shortest Path Routing on Mobility: A Game Theoretic Approach, https://trid.trb.org/ view/1495267; “Your Navigation App Is Making Traffic Unmanageable,” spectrum.ieee. org/computing/hardware/your-navigationapp-is-making-traffic-unmanageable; “The Perfect Selfishness of Mapping Apps,” theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/ mapping-apps-and-the-price-of-anarchy/555551.

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

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s difícil medir si tener aplicaciones GPS en nuestros smartphones es positivo o negativo para el planeta y sus sistemas en general, pero algunos ambientalistas son escépticos sobre si en verdad ayudan en algo. Sin duda, el crecimiento de Waze, Google Maps, Inrix y otras aplicaciones que responden en vivo a la información del tráfico para reconfigurar la ruta del conductor – sin mencionar la proliferación simultánea de aplicaciones de rastreo de conductores como Uber y Lyft – ha convertido a millones de conductores de vías principales en sigilosos cazadores de atajos. Lo que antes eran vecindarios pacíficos, quizá no vuelvan a ser los mismos.

En el lado bueno, el uso generalizado de estas aplicaciones, le ahorra un poco de tiempo a los conductores y quizá reduzca ligeramente el tiempo que pasamos quemando combustible extra en el tráfico congestionado. Pero la información sobre esto está mezclada y requiere investigación más profunda.

Alomejor esta mañana llegaste 3 minutos antes al trabajo, pero ¿A qué costo?

Vecindarios en todos lados están molestos con la proliferación de autos corriendo, en lo que solían ser calles silenciosas, para evitar el embotellamiento más reciente. El problema ha sido especialmente notorio en la de por sí auto maniaca ciudad de Los Ángeles, donde las calles de los vecindarios se llenaron de tráfico cuando Waze llegó al mercado en 2011, alertando a los Angelinos sobre las rutas más rápidas y menos congestionadas.

Mientras más conductores siguen las indicaciones de Waze, el problema se ha ido agravando en los últimos años.

Una investigación del Instituto de Estudios de Transporte (ITS) de la Universidad de California, conluyó que si bien las aplicaciones GPS están ayudando a los individuos a llegar del punto A al punto B más rápido, también están haciendo peor la congestión en general. Las simulaciones de tráfico de ITS muestran cómo el flujo de las autopistas cambia en respuesta a un accidente, cuando ningún conductor utiliza aplicaciones GPS, contra cuando el 20% de los conductores

las tienen activadas. Con más conductores usando aplicaciones, la congestión aumenta fuera de las vía y la autopista se ralentiza. “La situación se vuelve peor cuando cientos de personas como tú, quieren conducir en las calles aledañas, las cuales no fueron diseñadas para manejar el tráfico”, dijo el director de ITS Alexandre Bayen. “Así que ahora, además de congestionar la carretera, también están congestionadas las calles aledañas e intersecciones”.

Los críticos de éstas aplicaciones culpan a los desarrolladores de software – nosotros como consumidores sólo tratamos de llegar al trabajo o al supermercado – por los efectos negativos del flujo de tráfico y la tranquilidad de los vecindarios. Si las aplicaciones son tan inteligentes, ¿Por qué no pueden redireccionar a los conductores a diferentes rutas, lejos de calles pequeñas y vecindarios silenciosos y reducir la congestión de manera inteligente? Más tarde este año, Google Maps comenzará a redirigir conductores a rutas más eficientes de combustible – no necesariamente las más rápidas – para reducir las emisiones de gas invernadero y ahorrarle dinero de combustible al conductor. Si la ruta “más verde” es significativamente más lenta, la aplicación le dará la opción al conductor la opción de escoger por sí mismos, pero por lo menos este movimiento está enfocado a cuánta emisión de gas invernadero podemos ahorrar, con un pequeño código en su teléfono, para contribuir a salvar el planeta.

CONTACTS: El Impacto de las Rutas Más Cortas por GPS en Dispositivos móviles: Un acercamiento de Juego Teórico https://trid. trb.org/view/1495267; “Your Navigation App Is Making Traffic Unmanageable,” spectrum. ieee.org/computing/hardware/your-navigation-app-is-making-traffic-unmanageable; “El Egoísmo Perfecto de las Aplicaciones de Mapas,” theatlantic.com/technology/ archive/2018/03/mapping-apps-and-theprice-of-anarchy/555551.

EarthTalk® es producido por Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss para el 501(c)3 EarthTalk sin fines de lucro. Más información en https:// emagazine.com. Para donar, visite https// earthtalk.org. Envíe preguntas a: question@ earthtalk.org.

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

MAIN NEWS

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

EXPERT: CHAUVIN TRIAL REQUIRES DEEPER REFLECTION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

EXPERTO: EL JUICIO DE CHAUVIN REQUIERE UNA REFLEXIÓN MÁS PROFUNDA PARA UN CAMBIO SOCIAL

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Mike Moen Public News Service

Some early testimony has renewed conversation about the historical mistreatment of Black people in the U.S.

She sees the case as confirming what scholars have long talked about.

"There's bodies of literature that support the realities that these people are talking about," Carter explained. "There's bodies of literature that discuss the intersection of being a Black man, interacting with police, having addiction issues."

She hopes anyone watching the trial will reflect on these more complex topics, rather than simply taking sides. Racial and legal scholars predict the outcome of the case will serve as a defining moment in U.S. history.

como un momento definitorio en la historia de los Estados Unidos.

INNEAPOLIS -- El testimonio fue reanudado ésta semana en el juicio de Derek Chauvin, el polícía de Minneapolis acusado de asesinar a George Floyd.

Carter sugirió que reflexionar de manera más profunda sobre el juicio, podría liderar un cambio social más sostenible, y no solo una reacción instintiva.

Algunos testimonios previos han renovado la conversación sobre el maltrato histórico a la gente Negra en los Estados Unidos.

“Cuando realmente apreciemos el matiz, estas ondulaciones, entonces podremos reconocer si el cambio será o no A o B, ¿Cierto?” Dijo Carter.

“Tiene que ser penetrante, saturado”.

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INNEAPOLIS -- Testimony resumed this week in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd.

TaLisa Carter, assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology at American University, said while watching the court proceedings might be traumatic for some, it can help propel uncomfortable but important conversations about the issues.

Mike Moen Public News Service

Dr. TaLisa Carter is an assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology at American University. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Carter

She pointed to the domino effect Floyd's murder has had in the past year, including global protests calling for an end to systemic racism. Social justice advocates say the geographical backdrop also is important, as Minnesota has some of the worst racial disparities in the U.S.

Talisa Carter, profesora asistente en el Departamento de Justicia, Leyes y Criminología en la Universidad Americana, dijo que si bien el ver los procedimientos de la corte, para algunos puede ser traumático, puede impulsar conversaciones incómodas, pero importantes acerca de los problemas.

Ella ve el caso como una confirmación de lo que los intelectuales llevan hablando durante mucho tiempo.

Carter suggested deeper reflections surrounding the trial could help lead to social change that's more sustainable, not just a knee-jerk reaction.

"It's really important, just as human beings, to say, 'Just because I haven't experienced it, doesn't make it untrue for others,'" Carter contended.

“Hay montañas de literatura que soportan las realidades de lo que hablan estas personas” Carter explicó. “Hay montañas de literatura que discuten la intersección de ser un hombre Negro, interactuando con la policía, teniendo problemas de adicción.”

"When we really appreciate the nuance, right, these ripples, then we can recognize that change isn't gonna be either/or, A or B, right?" Carter argued. "It has to be pervasive, it has to be saturation."

Similar sentiments were noted after one of the witnesses, a Black teenager, testified when she saw Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck, it made her think it could have been members of her own family.

Ella espera que cualquiera que vea el juicio, reflexione sobre estos temas tan complicados, y no solo tomen lados. Intelectuales raciales y legales predicen que la resolución del caso servirá

Carter added the trial serves as a reminder that an open mind is vital to understanding all the deep layers embedded in the evidence and testimony.

Recalcó el efecto dominó que provocó el asesinato de Floyd el año pasado, incluyendo las protestas globales, llamando a erradicar el racismo sistémico. Defensores de la Justicia Social dicen que el trasfondo geográfico también es importante, mientras Minnesota tiene unas de las peores disparidades raciales en EE.UU. Carter añadió que el juicio sirve como recordatorio de que una menta abierta es vital para entender todas las capas profundas que componen la evidencia y los testimonios.

“Es muy importante, como seres humanos, el decir: ‘Sólo porque yo no lo haya vivido, no lo hace falso para los otros’” Concluyó Carter.

Sentimientos similares se hicieron notar cuando una de los testigos, una adolescente Negra, testificó que cuando vio a Chauvin con su rodilla sobre el cuello de Floyd, la hizo pensar que podría ser un miembro de su propia familia.

PROTEGE EL AIRE DE TODOS A JUSTANDO EL TUYO. A JUSTA EL TERMOSTATO A 68° O MENOS ENTRE LAS 4 Y 9 P.M. Durante este período la demanda es más alta y hay menos energía limpia disponible.

Cambia tu horario de consumo de energía para ayudar a reducir la contaminación y a que California conঞnúe brillando. Más detalles en BajaElConsumode4a9.org

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EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

Se busca persona para trabajar y vivir en mi casa / Live in help Necesito persona para trabajar y vivir en mi casa de lunes a viernes. Se puede quedar también el fin de semana. Ayudar con el cuidado de mis gemelos de 7 años.

I need live in help for Monday to Friday but the person can stay over the weekend and live there. Help watch my twins - 7 years old Ariane Fleiderman-Borges (408)-482-4571 Email is: Dora900@msn.com

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379037 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Catherine Renee Reyes.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Catherine Renee Reyes has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Catherine Renee Reyes to Catherine Renee Vallejo. 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: 6/01/2021 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.

March 2, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379281 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Evelyn Karen Bechtle-Hudec.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Evelyn Karen BechtleHudec has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Evelyn Karen BechtleHudec to Evelyn Karen Bechtle. 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: 6/08/2021 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.

April 8, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379278 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Karen A Hernandez Torres and Jose L. Ruiz Barralaga.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Karen A Hernandez Torres and Jose L. Ruiz Barralaga have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Camila Andrea Hernandez Ruiz to Camila Andrea Ruiz Hernandez 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: 6/08/2021 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.

April 08, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378662 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Elaine Moreno & Claudio Moreno.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Elaine Moreno & Claudio Moreno have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Linda-Loraine Leylani Gutierrez to Linda-Loraine Leylani Moreno Gutierrez 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 26, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378463 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Jestoni Quezada Simmons.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Jestoni Quezada Simmons has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Jestoni Quezada Cacananta to Jestoni Quezada Simmons 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: 5/18/2021 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.

March 22, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378639 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Krittach Phichaphop.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Krittach Phichaphop has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Krittach Phichaphop to Byte Clover 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379109 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Renee Mayo Tsuzuki.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Renee Mayo Tsuzuki has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Renée Mayo Tsuzuki to R. Mayo Tsuzuki 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: 6/01/2021 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 16, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378976 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Thuy Tien Thi Nguyen.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Thuy Tien Thi Nguyen has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Thuy Tien Thi Nguyen to Tien Thi Thuy Nguyen 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: 6/01/2021 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.

April 01, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378981 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Michael Kifle Tesfay. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Michael Kifle Tesfay has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Michael Kifle Tesfay to Abraham Kifle Tesfay 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: 6/01/2021 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.

April 01, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379157 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: SATNAM SINGH AND JASJOT KAUR BUDWAL. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) SATNAM SINGH AND JASJOT KAUR BUDWAL have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. SATNAM SINGH to SATNAM SINGH GIDHA b. JASJOT KAUR BUDWAL to JASJOT KAUR GIDHA 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: 6/01/2021 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.

April 06, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021 April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379041 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Mitthu Agarwal.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Mitthu Agarwal has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Mitthu Agarwal to Meera Garg 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: 6/01/2021 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.

April 02, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.673905 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name EXEMPLARY HOUSING GROUP, 20211 Suisun Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014, Santa Clara County. Exemplar Investments, 20211 Suisun Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014. Asghar Laique, 20211 Suisun Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014.

Tamal Laique, 20211 Suisun Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014. This business was conducted by a General Partnership and was filed in Santa Clara County on 06/19/2019 under file no. 655974.

This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 04/02/2021

Zoalb Rangwala Filed: April 2, 2021 April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 SUMMONS (Domestic Violence Restraining Order) Citacion (Orden de restriccion de violencia en el hogar) Superior Court of California County of Santa Clara Corte Superior de California, Condado de Santa Clara 201 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95113 191 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95113 Family Court Case No: 17CP000184 (DV-210) 1. Person asking for Protection: La persona que solicita proteccion: Claudia Alejandra Arreola 2. Notice to Aviso a Jonathan Juvenal Hernandez The person in 1 is asking for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order against you.

La persona en 1 esta pidiendo una orden de restriccion de violencia en el hogar contra usted. Lea la pagina 2 para mas information 3. You have a court date Tiene una audiencia en la corte Name and address of court, if different from above: Nombre y direccion de la corte, si no es la misma de arriba: 201 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95113 Family Justice Center Courthouse Date: Fecha: 5/19/21 Time: Hora: 1:30 pm Dept: Depto: 79 Room Sala: What if I don’t go to my court date?

If you do not go to your court date, the judge can grant a restraining order that limits your contact with the person in 1. If you have a child with the person in 1, the court could make orders that limit your time with your child.

Having a restraining order against you may impact your life in other ways, including preventing you from having guns and ammunition. If you do not go to your court date, the judge could grant everything that the person in 1 asked the judge to order.

Que pasa si no voy a la

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com audiencia ?

Si no va a la audienca, el juez puede dictar una orden de restriccion que limita su contacto con la persona en 1. Si tiene un hijo con las persona en 1, la corte puede dictar ordines que limitans u tiempo con su hijo. Una orden de restriccion en su contra puede tener otras consecuencias, como prohibirle tener armas de fuego y municiones. Si no va a la audiencia, el juez puede ordenar todo lo que pide la persona en 1.

How do I find out what the person in 1 is asking for?

To find out what the person in 1 is asking the judge to order, go to the courthouse listed at the top of page 1. Ask the court clerk to let you see your case file. You will need to give the court clerk your case number, which is listed above and on page 1. The request for restraining order will be on form DV-100, Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order.

Como puedo entender lo que pide la persona en 1 ?

Para entender lo que pide las persona en 1, vaya al tribunal en la direccion indicada en la parte superior de la pagina 1. Pida al secretario de la corte permiso para ver el expediente de su caso. Tendra que darle al secretario el numero de su caso, que aparece arriba y en la pagina1, La solicitud de una orden de restriccion se hace en el formulario DV-100, Soilicitud de orden de restriccion de violencia en el hogar.

Where can I get help ?

Free legal information is available at your local court’s self-help center.

Go to www.courts. ca.gov/selfhelp to find your local center.

Donde puedo obtener ayuda ?

Puede obtener informacion legal gratis en el centro de ayuda de su corte. Vea http:// w w w.courts.ca .gov/ selfhelp-selfhelpcenters. htm?rdeLocaleAttr-es para encontrar el centro de ayuda en su condado.

Do I need a lawyer ?

You are not required to have a lawyer, but you may want legal advice before your court hearing. For help finding a lawyer, you can visit www.lawhelpca.org or contact your local bar association.

Necesito un abogado?

No es obligatorio tener un abogado, pero es possible que quiera consejos legales antes de la audiencia en la corte.

Para ayuda a encontrar un abogado, visite https://www.lawhelpca. org/es/homepage o contacte al Colegio de Abogados local.

Date (fecha): March 9, 2021 Clerk, by (Secretario, por): see court file Deputy (Asistente): M. Greco Run Dates: April 9, 16, 23 and 30, 20 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378909 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Turan Son Nguyen. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Turan Son Nguyen has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Turan Son Nguyen to Turan Son Devietsah Nguyen 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: 6/01/2021 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.

March 30, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378660 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application

of: MIGUEL ANGEL JASSO. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) MIGUEL ANGEL JASSO has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. MIGUEL ANGEL JASSO to MICHAEL ANGEL CAMPOS 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 26, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378845 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Elliott Stanley Gulley.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Elliott Stanley Gulley has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Elliott Stanley Gulley to Stanley Elliot Johnson 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 29, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378659 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Alexis Krystel Guerrero.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Alexis Krystel Guerrero has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Alexis Krystel Guerrero to Alexis Krystel Gaoteote 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 26, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378627 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Amaya

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS Silvas. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Amaya Silvas has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Amaya Isabelle Silvas to Amaya Isabelle Celaya 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378842 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Erika Marlene Herros Aguayo.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Erika Marlene Herros Aguayo has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Eli David Olivas to Eli David Herros Olivas 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

17

a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 5/25/2021 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.

March 29, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378636 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Luis J. Sidayen Jr. & Leya Panganiban.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Luis J. Sidayen Jr. has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Juniyah Luisa Marie Sidayen to Juniyah Luisa Marie Panganiban Sidayen 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378628 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Honey

18

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

Dinesh Engineer.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Honey Dinesh Engineer has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Honey Dinesh Engineer to Honey Pragnesh Panchal 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 20CV368195 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Paul Zuniga. Petitioner(s) Paul Zuniga has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Paul Zuniga to Pablo Coello Zuniga. 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 on 4/13/21 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 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.

April 1, 2021

Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court April 2, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.673627 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name Sensory Balancing, 516 Granger Ter #1, Sunnyvale, CA 94087, Santa Clara County. Neta Shani, 516 Granger Ter #1, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 10/24/2019 under file no. 660031 Neta Shani April 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 03/23/2021 Notice of Motion and Motion To Be Relieved As CounselCivil (MC-051) Superior Court of California County of Santa Clara 191 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95113 Case No. 19CV345547 Citibank, N.A. v.

Michaela Manzano Hearing Date: 5/18/2021 Dept. 2 Time: 9am Date Action Filed: 4/2/2019 Trial Date: 7/6/21 To: Michael Manzano, 1750 Fanwood Court San Jose, CA 95133 1. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Lynda Jacobs moves under California Code of Civil Procedure section 284(2) and California Rules of Court, rule 3.1362, for an order permitting the attorney to be relieved as attorney of record in this action or proceeding.

2. A hearing on this motion to be relieved as counsel will be held as follows: a.

Date; 5/18/21 Time: 9:00 a.m.

Dept: 2 3. This motion is supported by the accompanying declaration, the papers and records Filed in this action or proceeding, and the following additional documents or evidence.

4. The client presently represented by the attorney is an individual.

NOTICE TO CLIENT If this motion to be relieved as counsel is

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com granted, your present attorney will no longer be representing you. You many not in most cases represent yourself if you are one of the parties on the following that: . A guardian . A Conservator . A trustee . A personal representative . A probate fiduciary . A corporation . A guardian ad litem . An unincorporated association If you are one of these parties, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEK LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING LEGAL R E P R E E N TAT I O N .

Failure to retain an attorney may lead to an order striking the pleadings or to the entry of a default judgment.

5. If this motion is granted and a client is representing himself or herself, the client will be solely responsible for the case.

NOTICE TO CLIENT WHO WILL BE UNREPRESENTED If this motion to be relieved as counsel is granted, you will not have an attorney representing you.

You may wish to seek legal assistance. If you do not have a new attorney to represent you in this action or proceeding, and you are legally permitted to do so, you will be representing yourself. It will be your responsibility to comply with all court rules and applicable laws. If you fail to appear at hearings, action may be taken against you. You may lose your case.

6. If this motion is granted, the client must keep the court informed of the client’s current address.

NOTICE TO CLIENT WHO WILL BE UNREPRESENTED If this motion to be relieved as counsel is granted, the court needs to know how to contact you. If you do not keep the court and other parties informed of your current address and telephone number, they will not be able to send you notices of actions they may affect you , including actions that may adversely affect your interests or result in your losing the case.

Date: 11/23/2020 /S/ Lynda Jacobs Attorney for Defendant DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF ATTORNEY’S MOTION TO BE RELIEVED AS COUN-

SEL-CIVIL (MC-052) Case No. 19CV345547 Citibank, N.A. v. Michaela Manzano Hearing Date: 5/18/2021 Dept. 2 Time: 9am Date Action Filed: 4/2/2019 Trial Date: 7/6/21 1. Attorney and Represented Party. Attorney Lunda Jacobs, American Debt Law is presently counsel of record for Michaela Manzano in the above-captioned action or proceeding.

2. Reasons for Motion.

Attorney makes this motion to be relieved as counsel under Code of Civil Procedure section 264(2) instead of filing a consent under section 284(1) for the following reasons: Defendant has stopped paying legal fees and canceled counsel’s services.

Counsel has attempted to contact Defendant to sign a Substitution of Attorney form, but she has not done so. As a result, Counsel is unable to adequately represent Defendant in this case any longer or negotiate settlement on her behalf prior to trial.

3. Service a. Attorney has personally served the client with copies of the motion papers filed with this declaration. A copy of the proof of service will be filed with the court at least 5 days before the hearing.

4. The next hearing scheduled in this action or proceeding b. is set as followsTrial-7/6/21, at 8:45AM in Dept. 22 of this court.

5. The following additional hearings and other proceedings (including discovery matters) are presently scheduled in this case: Trial – 7/6/2021, at 8:45AM in Dept 22 of this court; however, Counsel respectfully requests this court to continue out the Trial in light of this pending motion.

6. Trial in this action or proceeding is b. is set as follows: Trial- 7/6/21, at 8:45AM in Dept 22 of this Court.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Date: 11/23/2020 /s/ Lynda Jacobs ORDER GRANTING ATTORNEY’S MOTION TO BE RELIEVED AS COUNSEL-CIVIL (MC-053)

Case No. 19CV345547 Citibank, N.A. v.

Michaela Manzano Hearing Date: 5/18/2021 Dept. 2 Time: 9am Date Action Filed: 4/2/2019 Trial Date: 7/6/21 1. The motion of Lunda Jacobs, American Debt Law to be relieved as counsel of record for Michaela Manzano, a party to this action or proceeding, came on regularly for hearing at the date, time and placed indicated above.

FINDINGS 3. Attorney has personally served the client with papers in support of this action.

4. Attorney has shown sufficient reasons why the motion to be relieved as counsel should be granted and why the attorney has brough a motion under Code of Civil Procedure 284(2) instead of filing a consent under section 284(1).

ORDER 5. Attorney is relieved as counsel of record for client a. effective upon the filing of the proof of service of this signed order upon the client.

6. The client’s last known address and telephone number: 1750 Fanwood Court, San Jose, CA 95133; #408-784-6346.

If the client’s current address is known, service on the client must hereafter be made at that address unless otherwise ordered in item 13.

If the current address is not known, service must be made according to Code of Civil Procedure section 1011(b) and rule 3.252 of the California Rules of Court.

7. A. The next scheduled hearing in this action or proceeding is set for a.

Trial 7/6/21, at 8:45AM in Dept 22 of this Court. b.

The hearing will concern: TRIAL. 9 The trial is this action or proceeding: b. is set for Trial on 7/6/21, at 8:45AM in Dept 22 Of this court.

10. The client presently represented by the attorney is an individual.

. A trustee . A personal representative . A probate fiduciary . A corporation . A guardian ad litem . An unincorporated association If you are one of these parties, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEK LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING LEGAL R E P R E E N TAT I O N .

Failure to retain an attorney may lead to an order striking the pleadings or to the entry of a default judgment.

11. If this motion is granted and a client is representing himself or herself, the client will be solely responsible for the case.

NOTICE TO CLIENT WHO WILL BE UNREPRESENTED If this motion to be relieved as counsel is granted, you will not have an attorney representing you.

You may wish to seek legal assistance. If you do not have a new attorney to represent you in this action or proceeding, and you are legally permitted to do so, you will be representing yourself. It will be your responsibility to comply with all court rules and applicable laws. If you fail to appear at hearings, action may be taken against you. You may lose your case.

12. If this motion is granted, the client must keep the court informed of the client’s current address.

NOTICE TO CLIENT WHO WILL BE UNREPRESENTED If this motion to be relieved as counsel is granted, the court needs to know how to contact you. If you do not keep the court and other parties informed of your current address and telephone number, they will not be able to send you notices of actions they may affect you , including actions that may adversely affect your interests or result in your losing the case.

NOTICE TO CLIENT

Date: Judge of The Superior Court

If this motion to be relieved as counsel is granted, your present attorney will no longer be representing you. You many not in most cases represent yourself if you are one of the parties on the following that: . A guardian . A Conservator

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673019 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The 4 Rivers Packaging & Crating, 1780 Old Bayshore Hwy Unit B, San Jose, CA 95112, Santa Clara

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021 County. This business is owned by a: General Partnership. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Ricardo Rios Rodrigues, 2912 Moss Point Drive, San Jose, CA 95127. Maria Trejo Rojas, 2912 Moss Point Drive, San Jose, CA 95127. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 1/26/21. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN671843. “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/ Ricardo Rios Rodrigues This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/02/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 673019

Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): WSV, INC., 1141 Ringwood Ct #80, San Jose, CA 95131. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 2/11/21. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN660306.

“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/ Trung Bach This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 2/24/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 672694

March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673457 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: O.K. FIRE EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 132 E Kennedy Ave, Campbell, CA 95008, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Joseph F Pizzo, 18400 Capistrano Way, Morgan Hill, CA 95037.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 1/21/1980. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN596684. “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/ Joseph F Pizzo This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/17/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 673457

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673506 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Graphix Ink., 1442 Palmview Wy, San Jose, CA 95122, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Karina Aragón-Sanchez, 1442 Palmview Wy, San Jose, CA 95122. 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 #: FBN666663. “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/ Karina AragónSanchez This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/18/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 673506 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672694 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: WSV, INC., WESTSTONE PARTNERS, 1141 Ringwood Ct #80, San Jose, CA 95131,

March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021

March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673347 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Dragonfly Consultants, 1815 Newport Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by an: Individual. The

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021 name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Deborah Jean Behrman, 1815 Newport Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 7/30/01. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN617322. “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/ Daborah Jean Behrman This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/15/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 673347 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673357 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Timeless Skin Spa, Inside Needle Knowledge, I.N.K., 413 B Monterey Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): California Spa Boutique Inc., 413 B Monterey Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 12/06/06. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN668459. “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/ Jill Hoyer California Spa Boutique Inc. Ownder Article/Reg#: C2936367 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/15/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 673357 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672798 The following person(s) is (are) doing business

as: J&J ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL SERVICES, 877 Salt Lake Dr, San Jose, CA 95133, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Chiani Jau, 7903 Belknap Dr, Cupertino, CA 95014. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 1/01/21. 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/ Chiani Jau This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 2/25/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 672798 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673346 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SIMPLY INTERNET, 16235 Short Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Dana Sohn Topping, 16235 Short Rd, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 2/25/21. 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/ Dana Topping This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/15/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 673346 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673434 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Rodas Handyman, 1050 South 12th St Apt 13B, San Jose, CA 95112, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Jessica Gallardo, 1050 South 12th St 13B,

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com San Jose, CA 95112. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 11/20/20. 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/ Jessica Gallardo This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/17/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 673434 March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378565 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Hsinchia Chen and Yiling Chiang.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Hsinchia Chen and Yiling Chiang have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Ihsuan Chen to Rebecca Ihsuan Chen b.

Yungchieh Chen to Olivia Yungchieh Chen 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 24, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW

CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378081 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Guadalupe Ramirez.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Guadalupe Ramirez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Oscar Santiago Ramirez to Santiago Ortiz b. Guadalupe Ramirez to Guadalupe Ortiz 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: 5/04/2021 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.

March 12, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV377616 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Juhi Jain.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Juhi Jain has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Juhi Jain to Juuhi S Dedhia 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: 5/04/2021 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.

March 08, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378570 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Juan Manuel Jacinto and Olvia Fregoso Jacinto.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Juan Manuel Jacinto to Olvia Fregoso Jacinto have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Juan Cristobal Jacinto to JuanCristobal Fregoso Jacinto 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: 5/25/2021 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.

March 24, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior

Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 20CV371792 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Tracy Capili Datu. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Tracy Capili Datu has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Tracy Capili Datu to Tracy De Leon Capili 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: 5/04/2021 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.

March 22, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378207 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Ronald Anthony Amaro. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Ronald Anthony Amaro has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Ronald Anthony Amaro to Ronald Anthony Galloway 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

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS 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: 5/11/2021 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.

March 16, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 26, April 2, 9, 16, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Mitra Sadeghzadeh Case No. 21PR189777 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Mitra Sadeghzadeh, Mitra K. Sadeghzadeh.

2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Armin Sadeghzadeh in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Armin Sadeghzadeh be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 4. The petition requests the decedent’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

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authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: May 24, 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: Shahram Miri 80 Gilman Ave Suite 27 Campbell, CA 95008 (408)866-8382 March 26, April 2, 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672146 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Customized Clarity, 913 Thackeray Lane, San Jose, CA 95116, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Fatima Romero, 913 Thackeray Lane, San Jose, CA 95116. 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/ Fatima Romero

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CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 02/16/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Laura Luna, Deputy File No. FBN 672146 March 19, 26, April 2 and 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 673229 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: NUMBERONE TECH, 7503 Tiptoe Ln, Cupertino, CA 95014, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Kuochin Chang, 7503 Tiptoe Ln, Cupertino, CA 95014. 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/ Kuochin Chang This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 3/10/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 673229 March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672383 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: TUAN AUTO GLASS, 467 Southside Rd, San Jose, CA 95111, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Quoc Tuan Tran, 467 Southside Rd, San Jose, CA 95111. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 2/08/2021.

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/ Quoc Tuan Tran This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 2/18/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 672383

March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672188 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: REDWOOD APARTMENTS, 3990 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, CA 95130, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): UB1 CAPITAL LLC, 11040 Bollinger Canyon Rd. E874, San Ramon, CA 94582. 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/ Sunita Takhar UB1 CAPITAL LLC Manager Article/Reg#: 202035810837 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 2/16/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Sandy Chanthasy, Deputy File No. FBN 672188 March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671503 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: THE MOPSTERS, 2281 Lansford Ave, San Jose, CA 95125, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): SERBITALY, 2281 Lansford Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 12/26/2020.

This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file#: FBN581993. “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/ Dragan D Jecic SERBITALY Manager Article/Reg#: 202034510021 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com County on 1/07/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 671503

County on 12/18/2020.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Sandy Chanthasy, Deputy File No. FBN 671089

March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021

March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671171 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Fotovatjah Endodontics, 1805 El Camino Real, Ste. 201, Palo Alto, CA 94306, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Corporation. The nam e and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Mehran Fotovatjah, DDS, Inc., 1805 El Camino Real, DDS, Inc., Palo Alto, CA 94306. 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/ Mehran Fotovatjah This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 12/22/2020.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 671171

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 672646 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: KIRIN LUNA INTERIORS, 1760 Latham Street, Mountain View, CA 94041, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: N/A. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): KIRIN GUILIN GINN-LUNA, 1760 Latham Street, Mountain View, CA 94041. 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/ Kirin Ginn-Luna This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara County on 2/23/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 672646

March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 671089 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: CHRISTIANHYMNSHIRTS.COM, 3520 De La Cruz Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95054, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): CHRISTIANHYMNSHIRTS L.L.C., 3520 De La Cruz Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95054.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 11/04/2020. 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/ Emily Blake CHRISTIANHYMNSHIRTS L.L.C. Sole Owner Article/Reg#: 202030710790 This statement was filed with the Co. ClerkRecorder of Santa Clara

March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV377620 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: NGOC MY LE. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) NGOC MY LE has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. NGOC MY LE to JACQUELINE THAI 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: 5/04/2021 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.

March 08, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378016 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Henry Yvonne Audon Cifuentes. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Henry Yvonne Audon Cifuentes has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Henry Yvonne Audon Cifuentes to Henry Giovanni Audon 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: 5/04/2021 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.

March 11, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378152 Superior Court of California, County of Santa

Clara-In the matter of the application of: Eduardo Castaneda Alvarez.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Eduardo Castaneda Alvarez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Eduardo Castaneda Alvarez to Eddie Castaneda 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: 5/11/2021 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.

March 15, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378197 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Nhan Dang. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Nhan Dang has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Nhan Dang to Jason Dang 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

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021 should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 5/11/2021 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.

March 16, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378199 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Nghia Dang. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Nghia Dang has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Nghia Dang to Amanda Dang 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: 5/11/2021 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.

March 16, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

NO. 21CV378299 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Adam James Jones.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Adam James Jones has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Adam James Jones to Adam James Jones-MacKay 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: 5/11/2021 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.

March 17, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2021

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

Juntos generamos empleo

para nuestra comunidad En Bank of America, seguimos invirtiendo en nuestras comunidades locales para ayudar a generar empleo e impulsar oportunidades económicas.

Lo estamos logrando al colaborar con otras compañías, al identificar necesidades y trabajar junto a instituciones que se centran en el desarrollo de habilidades.

Además, este esfuerzo incluye nuestra reciente inversión de $25 millones en 21 instituciones de educación superior, incluidos centros universitarios comunitarios, universidades históricamente afroamericanas, y universidades e instituciones que atienden a hispanos.

Nuestro enfoque conjunto se centra en la educación, el desarrollo y actualización de habilidades para tener más talento disponible, y en un mayor compromiso para contratar por parte de los principales empleadores.

Aquí en el Área de la Bahía, mis compañeros y yo estamos complacidos de ayudar a generar más oportunidades para los miembros de nuestra comunidad.

Apoyamos a las organizaciones locales que aumentan el acceso a programas y recursos para el desarrollo de habilidades, incluidas: • Year Up • San José Works • JobTrain

¿Qué quiere lograr?™

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.

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APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

HAALAND PRIORITIZES CASES OF MISSING, MURDERED NATIVE AMERICANS

HAALAND PRIORIZA CASOS DE NATIVOS AMERICANOS DESAPARECIDOS O ASESINADOS

The Navajo Nation is one of dozens of tribal lands where thousands of cases of missing and murdered Native Americans remain unsolved. Photo Credit: Flickr

La Nación Navajo, es una de las docenas de tierras tribales donde existen miles de casos sin resolver de Nativos Americanos asesinados o desaparecidos. Photo Credit: Cayetano Gil / Unsplash

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ESPAÑOL

Mark Richardson Public News Service

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INDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has created a new law enforcement unit to put renewed focus on resolving the cases of Native Americans who are missing or have been killed.

Under the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Justice Services, the Missing and Murdered Unit will coordinate across departments and agencies to pursue thousands of unresolved cases.

"This is why representation matters," Charley asserted. "Having madam secretary in this position really creates the system changes that a lot of folks have been advocating for a really long time."

Haaland is a former U.S. Representative from New Mexico and a member of the Laguna Pueblo Tribe. She is the first Indigenous American to serve as a Cabinet Secretary.

Mark Richardson Public News Service

agencia para perseguir miles de casos sin resolver.

INDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- La Secretaria Interior Deb Haaland creó una nueva Unidad de Aplicación de la Ley para enfocarse en resolver los casos de Nativos Americanos desaparecidos, o asesinados.

Angel Charley, director ejecutivo de la Coalición para Detener la Violencia Contra Mujeres Americanas, dijo que la mayoría involucra a mujeres indígenas, y el movimiento atrae la atención a un problema que ha sido ignorado por mucho tiempo.

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Bajo la Oficina de Servicios de Justicia de Asuntos Indios, la Unidad de Desaparecidos y Asesinados, coordinará departamentos y

“Estamos felices de ver que la Secretaria Haaland está abordándolo a nivel infraestructura”, remarcó Charley. “Y luego, organizaciones como la nuestra continúan con la ramificación, apoyando a la comunidad y a la familia”.

Angel Charley, executive director for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, said a majority involve indigenous women, and the move spotlights an issue that has been on a back burner for too long.

La base de datos del crimen nacional, enlista a 1,500 Indios Americanos y Nativos de Alaska como desaparecidos y 2,700 casos de asesinato u homicidios no negligentes de personas indígenas.

"We're happy to see that Secretary Haaland is addressing it on the infrastructure level," Charley remarked. "And then, organizations like ours continue to do that grassroots organizing, supporting community and family."

Haaland resaltó que la mayoría siguen sin resolverse debido a la falta de recursos.

National crime databases currently list 1,500 American Indian and Alaska Natives as missing and 2,700 murder and nonnegligent homicide cases involving indigenous people.

Haaland noted most have gone unsolved due to a lack of resources.

The unit will support existing efforts and add a Unit Chief responsible for stakeholder collaboration and policy development. It also funds new investigators, data analysts and victim services coordinators.

Charley predicted the effort will be a major help to her organization.

"It's going to take a bunch of people working on different levels to continue to address the issue of murdered and missing indigenous women," Charley emphasized.

Charley added in her view, President Joe Biden's move to name an American Indian as Interior Secretary is already paying dividends.

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La Unidad apoyará esfuerzos ya existentes y añadirá a un Jefe de Unidad, responsable de promover la colaboración y el desarrollo de políticas. También financiará a nuevos investigadores, analistas de data y coordinadores de servicios de víctimas.

Charley predijo que el esfuerzo servirá de gran ayuda a su organización.

“Requerirá del trabajo de muchas personas en diferentes niveles, el continuar abordando el problema de mujeres indígenas desaparecidas y asesinadas”, enfatizó Charley.

Charley añadió que desde su perspectiva, la movida de Joe Biden de nombrar a una India Americana como Secretaria Interior, ya está pagando dividendos.

“Esto es porqué la representación es importante”, aseguró Charley. “Tener a la señora Secretaria en esta posición, realmente crea los cambios sistémicos que muchos individuos han defendido por un largo tiempo”.

Haaland es una ex Representante de EE.UU. de New Mexico y miembro de la tribu de Laguna Pueblo. Ella es la primera Indígena Americana en fungir como Secretaria de Gabinete.

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

NATIONAL

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

23

GOOD-GOVERNMENT GROUPS URGE END TO ATTACKS ON BALLOT-INITIATIVE PROCESS

GRUPOS DE BUEN GOBIERNO INSTAN A PONER FIN A LOS ATAQUES AL PROCESO DE INICIATIVA ELECTORAL

Missouri had three initiatives on the ballot in 2020, one during the August primary and two in the November general election. Photo Credit: Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock

Missouri tuvo tres iniciativas en la boleta electoral en 2020, una durante las primarias de agosto y dos en las elecciones generales de noviembre. Photo Credit: National Farm Worker Ministry (CC BY 2.0) / Flickr

ENGLISH

ESPAÑOL

J

Lily Bohlke Public News Service

EFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Good-government groups are opposing two bills before the Legislature, saying they would limit voters' ability to reform state government using the ballot initiative, a process that's been used by Republicans and Democrats alike for more than a century.

The proposed laws would increase the number of signatures required to get an initiative on the ballot by more than 40%, require a supermajority rather than a simple majority to pass, and charge a $500 filing fee.

Benjamin Singer, executive director of Show-Me Integrity, noted dozens of voters testified against these bills at a hearing last week.

"By raising these thresholds to impossible levels of signatures and votes to pass, some of these legislators are just cynically trying to take power away from their own constituents to hold them accountable," Singer contended.

He pointed to polling that showed 80% of Missourians think the Legislature should not be able to block or reverse ballot initiatives passed by the people. And more than half opposed increasing the number of signatures required.

GOP sponsors of the bills say it's currently too easy to get a ballot initiative passed, particularly constitutional amendments.

But Singer countered getting initiatives on the ballot is not that simple in its current form.

The number of signatures required is based on turnout from the previous governor's election, and need to be collect-

ed from at least two-thirds of the state's congressional districts. In 2020, that was more than 160,000 signatures for constitutional amendments, and more than 100,000 for state statutes and veto referendums.

"So if the legislature wants to see that people stop using the power of the ballot initiative, they could try to be more responsive to the needs of their constituents," Singer asserted. "But the correct reaction is not to take away the people's power of the ballot initiative, or find technicalities to make it impossible to use."

Singer noted that's one reason ShowMe Integrity also pushes for reforming money in politics. He argued lawmakers often pay more attention to special interests and big money than they do to their voters' real concerns.

Support for this reporting was provided

by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

J

Lily Bohlke Public News Service

EFFERSON CITY, Missouri - Los grupos de buen gobierno se oponen a dos proyectos de ley ante la Legislatura, diciendo que limitarían la capacidad de los votantes para reformar el gobierno estatal utilizando la iniciativa de la boleta electoral, un proceso que ha sido utilizado tanto por republicanos como demócratas durante más de un siglo.

Las leyes propuestas aumentarían el número de firmas necesarias para que una iniciativa se incluyera en la boleta electoral por más del 40%, requerirían una supermayoría en lugar de una mayoría simple para aprobarse y cobrarían una tarifa de presentación de $500.

Benjamin Singer, director ejecutivo de Show-Me Integrity, señaló que decenas de votantes testificaron en contra de estos proyectos de ley en una audiencia la semana pasada.

"Al elevar estos umbrales a niveles imposibles de firmas y votos para aprobar,

algunos de estos legisladores simplemente están tratando cínicamente de quitarles el poder a sus propios electores", sostuvo Singer.

Señaló una encuesta que mostró que el 80% de los habitantes de Missouri piensan que la Legislatura no debería poder bloquear o revertir las iniciativas de votación aprobadas por la gente. Y más de la mitad se opuso a aumentar el número de firmas necesarias.

Los patrocinadores republicanos de los proyectos de ley dicen que actualmente es demasiado fácil lograr que se apruebe una iniciativa de votación, en particular las enmiendas constitucionales.

Pero Singer respondió que conseguir iniciativas en la boleta electoral no es tan simple en su forma actual.

La cantidad de firmas requeridas se basa en la participación de la elección del gobernador anterior y debe recopilarse de al menos dos tercios de los distritos del Congreso del estado. En 2020, fueron más de 160.000 firmas para enmiendas constitucionales y más de 100.000 para estatutos estatales y referendos con veto.

"Entonces, si la legislatura quiere que la gente deje de usar el poder de la iniciativa de la boleta electoral, podrían tratar de ser más receptivos a las necesidades de sus electores", afirmó Singer. "Pero la reacción correcta no es quitarle el poder al pueblo de la iniciativa de la boleta electoral, ni encontrar tecnicismos que la hagan imposible de usar".

Singer señaló que esa es una de las razones por las que Show-Me Integrity también impulsa la reforma del dinero en la política. Argumentó que los legisladores a menudo prestan más atención a intereses especiales y grandes cantidades de dinero que a las preocupaciones reales de sus votantes.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York brindó apoyo para este informe.

24

VIBRAS

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

APR 09 - APR 15, 2021

CRÓNICAS DE LA SANTA MUERTE

Photo Credit: Ethan Marston / Unsplash

E

Mario Jiménez Castillo El Observador

2103-2277

l culto a la Santa Muerte continúa ganando devotos, no sólo en Estados Unidos, sino en varios países alrededor del mundo. Actualmente existe una amplia gama de productos relaciones con este culto, velas, inciensos, imágenes, amuletos, oraciones, joyería, tatuajes, y fragancias, son los artículos de mayor uso y consumo con relación a esta creencia espiritual.

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Desde épocas remotas se le ha rendido culto a los difuntos y a la muerte, sin embargo; este culto se está transformando en una especie de religión alternativa.

Mayra Navarro, quien asiste a una iglesia dedicada a la Santa Muerte, afirma haber recibido favores de parte de su "Niña Blanca", como ella le llama. Y dice también que ella le protege de todo mal, de cualquier mala vibra y de la mala suerte.

Muchas personas andan en busca de ayuda y orientación y buscan en este tipo de creencias la solución a sus problemas, dentro de la religión evangélica, según nos comentó el Pastor Juan de la Iglesia Universal, esta creencia en el espíritu de la muerte está vinculada a espíritus paganos.

A pesar de las advertencias de las iglesias basadas en el cristianismo, los devotos a la Santa Muerte o Santísima Muerte, como es llamada por sus más fieles devotos, han ido en aumento, especialmente entre los más jóvenes. Libros y oraciones dedicadas a ella cuentan con mucha popularidad en las librerías, botánicas y en internet. Hay un dicho que reza: “No hay que creer ni dejar de creer", la pregunta es ¿Si este tipo de culto puede en verdad convertirse en un peligro inminente para los creyentes o se trata de pura superstición o de una experiencia

religiosa auténtica?

En los productos religiosos que encontramos en el mercado, se pueden apreciar diferentes colores en la Santa Muerte, cada color tiene un significado y dominio espiritual diferente; nos comentó Carlos Rivas, quien es un fiel creyente en este culto. Las iglesias católicas, cristianas y protestantes, rechazan totalmente este tipo de creencias porque las consideran paganas o sea no alineadas en las creencias basadas en el cristianismo. Ana Leiva, una ex creyente de la Santa Muerte, afirma haber recibido favores pero al mismo tiempo sufrió muchas penas y dificultades, mi vida no tenía sentido, nos explica. Aunque me fueron otorgados los favores que pedí, mi existencia era caótica y hubo un nuevo amanecer para mí, hasta que abandone este culto por completo, añadió, Ana. Muchos han tenido buenas experiencias dentro de este culto y otras personas quizá no.

Lo que sí es cierto es que sus devotos se siguen sumando, pronto este rito se convertirá en un culto alternativo reconocido mundialmente. Incluso, dentro la comunidad LGBT, se le considera como una Santa Patrona, nominación que no es compartida por todos dentro de esa comunidad. Resulta muy interesante indagar en creencias espirituales a las que no estamos acostumbrados, puede llegar a ser excitante, pero si observa que un culto en vez de ayudarle espiritualmente; le confunde, le inquieta o le acarrea mala suerte, lo mejor es desistir y buscar otro tipo de creencias religiosas que conlleven sentimientos y enseñanzas de paz, fraternidad y amor al prójimo y a la naturaleza. También se debe respetar las creencias religiosas de cada persona.

Cada quién tiene el libre albedrío de creer y practicar sus creencias. Lo más importante es tener buena voluntad, no hacerle daño a nadie ni a ningún ser viviente.