El Observador June 4th, 2021

VOLUME 42 ISSUE 23 | WWW.EL-OBSERVADOR.COM | JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

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OPINION

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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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YOUR VOTE COUNTS

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José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

grant families and children, shows that for those who voted for a change in government immigration policies, your vote had a significant impact.

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a primera solicitud presupuestal del presidente Joe Biden para temas migratorios y fronterizos es un claro recordatorio de que tu voto cuenta. Para muchas personas en nuestra comunidad, la participación en la vida cívica es vista todavía como un asunto distante de nuestra vida diaria, una actividad exclusiva de los políticos en Washington.

Pero el presupuesto de Biden, que revierte muchas de las prioridades del gasto de la era de Trump y asigna partidas económicas sin precedentes para atender a las familias y a los niños migrantes no acompañados, muestra que aquellas personas que votaron a favor de un cambio en las políticas migratorias, su voto tuvo un impacto significativo.

Para muestra un botón. El presidente Biden decidió gastar cero dólares para construir nuevos tramos del tristemente célebre muro de Trump en la frontera con México.

No sólo se trataba de un proyecto faraónico, oneroso e innecesario, sino que se estaba convirtiéndose en un signo de la hostilidad de una parte de Estados Unidos a los inmigrantes en general y especialmente a los más vulnerables, los solicitantes de asilo.

Another example is that President Biden decided to spend zero dollars to build new sections of Trump's infamous wall on the border with Mexico.

Photo Credit: La Red Hispana

Es evidente que el desenlace de las pasadas elecciones presidenciales marcó un antes y un después en materia de política migratoria.

Pero para poder votar o postularse se requiere ser ciudadano de los Estados Unidos y todavía hay demasiados millones de residentes legales permanentes de origen hispano que no han dado ese paso. Esperemos que lo que está ocurriendo en materia migratoria sea el mejor incentivo para naturalizarse y dar un paso que puede ser decisivo para el futuro de nuestra comunidad latina.

Para más información visita www.laredhispana.com.

José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

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resident Joe Biden's first budget request for immigration and border issues is a stark reminder that your vote counts. For many people in our community, participation in civic life is still seen as a distant issue from our daily lives, an activity exclusive to politicians in Washington.

But Biden's budget, which reverses many of the spending priorities of the Trump era and allocates unprecedented funds to serve unaccompanied mi-

Pero la generosidad del presidente no se quedó ahí. Tu petición presupuestal incluye más de 3000 millones de dólares para la agencia que atiende a los menores migrantes no acompañados, así como a los solicitantes de asilo, la mayoría procedentes de los países del triángulo del norte de Centroamérica.

But the president's generosity did not stop there. Your budget request includes more than $3 billion for the agency that serves unaccompanied migrant minors, as well as asylum seekers, the majority from the countries of the northern triangle of Central America.

Concerned about the health of detained unaccompanied migrants, the president also requests $163 million for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out medical evaluations and treatment for minors, as well as health follow-up activities and support for the management of infectious diseases, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As if that were not enough, the president asked for around $30 million to finance the program that is dedicated to reunifying migrant families who were separated at the border by President Trump's controversial zero intolerance policy, in addition to $50 million to install new rescue devices that allow locating migrants in emergency situations at the border and resources for hiring 100 new immigration judges.

Preocupado por la salud de los migrantes no acompañados detenidos, el presidente solicita además 163 millones de dólares para que la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP) a llevar a cabo evaluaciones y tratamientos médicos para los menores, así como actividades de seguimiento en salud y apoyo para el manejo de enfermedades infecciosas, en medio de la pandemia del COVID-19.

In the case of legal migration to the United States, the president requests $345 million from the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to reduce the existing backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases, in addition to expediting cases of so 125,000 refugees.

Por si fuera poco, el presidente pidió alrededor de 30 millones de dólares para financiar el programa que está dedicado a reunificar a las familias migrantes que fueron separadas en la frontera por la polémica política de intolerancia cero del presidente Trump, además de 50 millones de dólares para instalar nuevos aparatos de rescate que permitan localizar a migrantes en situaciones de emergencia en la frontera y recursos para la contratación de 100 nuevos jueces migratorios.

En el caso de la migración legal a los Estados Unidos, el presidente pide 345 millones de dólares para la Oficina de Ciudadanía y Servicios Migratorios (USCIS) con objeto de abatir el rezago existente de cientos de miles de casos, además de agilizar los casos de por lo 125,000 refugiados.

Not only was it a pharaonic, burdensome, and unnecessary project, but it was becoming a sign of hostility from a part of the United States to immigrants in general and especially to the most vulnerable, asylum seekers.

It is evident that the outcome of the last presidential elections marked a before and after in matters of immigration policy.

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But you must be a citizen of the United States in order to vote or run, and there are still too many millions of legal permanent residents of Hispanic origin who have not taken that step. Let's hope that what is happening in immigration matters is the best incentive to naturalize and take a step that can be decisive for the future of our Latino community.

For more information visit www.laredhispana.com.

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

MAIN NEWS

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SAN JOSE COUNCILMEMBER MOURNS FRIEND LOST IN VTA SHOOTING

MIEMBRO DEL CONSEJO DE SAN JOSÉ LAMENTA LA PÉRDIDA DE AMIGO QUE FALLECIÓ EN EL TIROTEO VTA

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Vicente Vera San José Spotlight

del tiroteo.

“Le enviaba mensajes de texto y lo llamaba por teléfono. Pero no obtuve ninguna respuesta de él”, Peralez le contó al San José Spotlight. “Hemos visto incidentes como este en todo el país, y cuando pasa cerca de tu hogar, podrías realmente conocer a alguien como un amigo, ser querido o compañero de trabajo (afectado)”.

an Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez waited to hear back from a childhood friend following Wednesday’s shooting at a Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard—a VTA overhead lineman at the light rail for close to 10 years.

Después en la tarde, Peralez descubrió que su amigo, Michael Rudometkin de 40 años, fue una de las nueve víctimas mortales.

His shift ended around 8 a.m., an hour and a half after reports of the shooting.

“I was sending him text messages and giving him a phone call. I didn’t hear back from him,” Peralez told San José Spotlight. “We’ve seen these incidents happen all across the country, and when it happens close to home, you may actually know somebody with a friend, loved one or coworker (affected).”

Later that afternoon, Peralez discovered his friend, 40-year-old Michael Rudometkin, was among the nine fatal casualties.

“My dad and I were just planning another golf day reunion with Mikey, and now that will never happen again,” Peralez wrote in a recent Facebook post. “My family and

San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez. Photo Credit: San José Spotlight

I have lost a long time great friend and there are no words to describe the heartache we are feeling right now, especially for his family.”

As law enforcement and government officials reported updates on the stillunfolding situation Wednesday morning, family and friends of VTA workers were left waiting for hours on the status of their loved ones.

Peralez was among them.

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Vicente Vera San José Spotlight

l miembro del consejo de San José, Raul Peralez, estaba esperando la respuesta de un amigo de su infancia después del tiroteo del miércoles ocurrido en un patio de mantenimiento del tren ligero del Valley Transportation Authority – quien se desempeñó como liniero aéreo de la VTA en el tren ligero por casi 10 años.

Su turno terminó alrededor de las 8 a.m., una hora y media después de los informes

“Mi padre y yo justo estábamos planeando la próxima reunión de un día de golf con Mikey, y ahora esto nunca volverá a pasar”, escribió Peralez en una publicación reciente de Facebook. “Mi familia y yo hemos perdido a un viejo y buen amigo y no hay palabras para describir la tristeza que estamos sintiendo, especialmente por su familia.”

Mientras que las fuerzas policiales y los funcionarios del gobierno publicaban reportes actualizados sobre la situación que aún continuaba el miércoles en la mañana, los familiares y amigos de los trabajadores de la VTA se quedaron esperando durante horas para enterarse del estado de sus seres queridos.

Peralez fue uno de ellos.

USA LA LAVADORA ANTES DE LAS 4 P.M. O DESPUÉS DE LAS 9 P.M. CUANDO HAY MÁS ENERGÍA LIMPIA. De 4 a 9 p.m. 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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EDUCATION

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

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CAN CALIFORNIA WITHSTAND A TEACHER RETIREMENT BOOM?

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Eli Wolfe CalMatters

liabilities of $105.7 billion.

“California is a really big state with an awful lot of teachers who are already receiving benefits and paying into the system, so a small increase in retirements this year would not by itself be a big threat to the pension fund,” he said.

arlier this year, the California State Teachers Retirement System issued an ominous statement: teacher retirements in California are projected to hit nearly record-breaking heights in 2021.

Administrators in California didn’t express much surprise with the number of retirements during the pandemic. This is partly because teachers have to retire within a set age range to qualify for their pensions, so most districts can plan for their departure well in advance. Districts also incentivize teachers to give ample notice by offering financial bonuses for letting schools know of their plans by specific dates.

The statement, which came in the form of a February blog post, said that the numbers will be almost as bad as the year after the Great Recession when more than 16,000 teachers retired.

While short term effects are being felt in some areas, in many school districts the tsunami of retirements is barely registering as a ripple. While interviews with administrators, teachers, and union leaders do not paint a rosy picture of the situation, neither is it expected to be crippling.

Fremont Unified reported no significant difference between the number of retirees this year compared to last. At Long Beach Unified, which has about 12,000 employees, retirements over the past two years rose from 95 to 113. At Elk Grove Unified, there have been fewer certificated retirements this year than the previous one. At Oakland Unified, departures are higher than they have been in recent years, but the district is rapidly filling vacancies.

“We’re retaining more people than ever,” said Sarah Glasband, director of talent development, recruitment and retention for Oakland Unified. Looking to the fall, Glasband said her district is recruiting aggressively to make sure schools are fully staffed, and they’ve already filled the majority of open positions.

“It’s not worth that extra little bump on your pension if you’re not physically or mentally well.”

-DAVID FISHER, PRESIDENT OF THE SACRAMENTO CITY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Many more teachers could retire by the end of the school year. But the first surge already occurred in the second half of 2020, which saw a 26% increase in retirements over the same period from the previous year, according to CalSTRS. David Fisher, president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, said his city normally has 60 to 70 retirements annually, but this year has already seen 110, and he expects more by the end of the school year. Fisher believes some educators bumped up their retirement timeline at the beginning of the pandemic when they realized it would be a brutal slog.

“From people we’ve talked to, they’d say, ‘I was going to stick it out another couple of years but I’m out of here,’” Fisher said. “It’s not worth that extra little

Staff members carrying balloons and bouquets of flowers leave the Cleveland Elementary School campus on the last day of school, May 27, 2021 in Oakland. Despite higher than usual teacher retirement this year, Oakland Unified has already filled 141 out of 241 vacancies, including newly created positions across the district. Photo Credit: Anne Wernikoff / CalMatters bump on your pension if you’re not physically or mentally well.”

CHRISTINA CASAS, SPECIAL TEACHER IN SANTA ANA

Enrollment drops

More immediately, districts are scrambling to find teachers who have the energy to pitch in for summer school sessions.

While districts generally haven’t experienced retirements as a serious problem this past year, several administrators said they were overwhelmed by the large number of teachers who resigned or transferred during the pandemic.

San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee said some of her districts have been hit hard as many educators left to be closer to family.

Burlingame, for example, had twice as many teachers leave during the pandemic than during an average year.

However, record drops in enrollment have somewhat mitigated the retirement boom, she said.

Such enrollment drops would normally result in staff layoffs, but the sheer number of retirements and resignations appears to be cancelling each other out.

Unexpected resignations, coupled with routine and early retirements, have created staffing shortages in some districts, raising concerns about how schools will manage when they reopen in the fall. Magee said her districts are trying to plan what classes will look like next year but they still don’t have guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

“The school where I worked, the kids were already behind. And now they’ve missed a year of school, because we can’t call what they did school.”

EDUCATION

“Educators are exhausted, and many of our districts are having trouble staffing summer school programs,” Magee said. “They’re all making it happen to the best of their ability…but they’ve been on emergency hours and activities for nearly two years straight without a break.”

Fisher said Sacramento, following the lead of neighboring Elk Grove Unified, nearly doubled its normal summer rate to recruit teachers for summer sessions.

“Our normal summer school rate for teachers, it’s not a bad rate, it’s about $40 an hour, but they couldn’t hire teachers (at that rate),” Fisher said.

What about pensions?

One major concern with the rise in retirements is the effect it could have on teacher pensions. In an email, Rebecca Foree, a CalSTRS spokesperson, said the organization doesn’t expect retirements to have a material impact on funding levels. Outside experts tend to agree with this assessment.

“In the scope of things, this is not that big of a number,” said Paul Bruno, an assistant professor of education policy at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. He noted that CalSTRS’ outstanding unfunded liabilities dwarf the potential impact of an unusual number of retirements. As of the latest actuarial valuation report, CalSTRS has unfunded

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Some districts are also able to rely on retirees as a source of labor. Xanthi Soriano, a spokesperson for Elk Grove Unified, said many of the district’s retirees return to schools after they meet CalSTRS’ sixmonth separation-from-service requirement.

“We have a pretty robust substitute list, and a good number are retirees,” Soriano said.

Recruitment problems Recruitment is also a challenge at the leadership level. San Mateo’s Magee said it’s been difficult to find replacements for several long-term employees who left her office during the pandemic because recruiting firms are struggling to find candidates.

“Statewide, they’re seeing an unprecedented number of people either retiring or moving around,” she said. “So those agencies are really very overbooked right now.”

Several administrators said they were concerned that retirements and resignations may be exacerbating chronic staffing shortages for positions that were already difficult to fill before the pandemic, specifically special education.

Christina Casas, a credentialed special education teacher, left her job at a charter school in Santa Ana earlier this year. She said the logistical challenges of organizing virtual special education classes while raising two children of her own was simply too much.

She also felt like the district could have marshalled more resources for teachers who were struggling to manage virtual classes that were overflowing with 30 to 40 students when they were supposed to only have 20. While there was only one resignation at her school last year, she knows several people are planning to leave at the end of this term. Going forward, she said school districts should recruit more reading and math specialists to make sure students don’t fall farther behind.

“The school where I worked, the kids were already behind,” she said. “And now they’ve missed a year of school, because we can’t call what they did school.”

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EDUCATION

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¿PUEDE CALIFORNIA RESISTIR EL AUGE DE LA JUBILACIÓN DE MAESTROS?

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Eli Wolfe CalMatters

los maestros, no es una mala tarifa, es de aproximadamente $40 la hora, pero no pudieron contratar maestros (a esa tarifa)”, dijo Fisher.

principios de este año, el Sistema de Jubilación de Maestros del Estado de California emitió una declaración ominosa: se proyecta que las jubilaciones de maestros en California alcanzarán niveles casi récord en 2021.

¿Y las pensiones?

Una de las principales preocupaciones con el aumento de las jubilaciones es el efecto que podría tener sobre las pensiones de los maestros. En un correo electrónico, Rebecca Foree, portavoz de CalSTRS, dijo que la organización no espera que las jubilaciones tengan un impacto material en los niveles de financiación. Los expertos externos tienden a estar de acuerdo con esta evaluación.

La declaración, que llegó en forma de una publicación de blog en febrero , decía que las cifras serán casi tan malas como el año posterior a la Gran Recesión, cuando se jubilaron más de 16.000 maestros.

Si bien los efectos a corto plazo se están sintiendo en algunas áreas, en muchos distritos escolares el tsunami de jubilaciones apenas se registra como una onda expansiva. Si bien las entrevistas con administradores, maestros y líderes sindicales no muestran un panorama optimista de la situación, tampoco se espera que sea paralizante.

El Distrito Unificado de Fremont informó que no hubo diferencias significativas entre el número de jubilados este año en comparación con el anterior. En Long Beach Unified, que tiene alrededor de 12,000 empleados, las jubilaciones en los últimos dos años aumentaron de 95 a 113. En Elk Grove Unified, ha habido menos jubilaciones certificadas este año que el anterior. En el Distrito Unificado de Oakland, las salidas son más altas que en los últimos años, pero el distrito está llenando rápidamente las vacantes.

“Estamos reteniendo a más personas que nunca”, dijo Sarah Glasband, directora de desarrollo, reclutamiento y retención de talentos del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Oakland. De cara al otoño, Glasband dijo que su distrito está reclutando enérgicamente para asegurarse de que las escuelas cuenten con el personal completo, y ya han llenado la mayoría de los puestos vacantes.

“No vale la pena ese pequeño aumento adicional en su pensión si no se encuentra bien física o mentalmente”.

Las escuelas de California podrían estar enfrentando la mayor cantidad de jubilaciones de maestros en la historia, pero factores como las caídas de inscripciones deberían aliviarlo. Photo Credit: CDC / Unsplash cuando vuelvan a abrir en el otoño. Magee dijo que sus distritos están tratando de planificar cómo serán las clases el próximo año, pero aún no cuentan con la orientación del Departamento de Salud Pública de California.

“En la escuela donde trabajaba, los niños ya estaban atrasados. Y ahora han perdido un año de escuela, porque no podemos llamar escuela a lo que hicieron”.

por encontrar maestros que tengan la energía para colaborar en las sesiones de la escuela de verano.

“Los educadores están agotados y muchos de nuestros distritos tienen problemas para dotar de personal a los programas de la escuela de verano”, dijo Magee. “Todos están haciendo que suceda lo mejor que pueden … pero han estado en horas de emergencia y actividades durante casi dos años seguidos sin descanso”.

-CHRISTINA CASAS, MAESTRA DE EDUCACIÓN ESPECIAL EN SANTA ANA

Fisher dijo que Sacramento, siguiendo el ejemplo del vecino Distrito Escolar Unificado de Elk Grove, casi duplicó su tasa normal de verano para reclutar maestros para las sesiones de verano.

Más inmediatamente, los distritos están luchando

“Nuestra tarifa normal de la escuela de verano para

-DAVID FISHER, PRESIDENTE DE LA ASOCIACIÓN DE MAESTROS DE LA CIUDAD DE SACRAMENTO Muchos más maestros podrían jubilarse al final del año escolar. Pero el primer aumento ya ocurrió en la segunda mitad de 2020, que registró un aumento del 26% en las jubilaciones durante el mismo período del año anterior, según CalSTRS. David Fisher, presidente de la Asociación de Maestros de la Ciudad de Sacramento, dijo que su ciudad normalmente tiene entre 60 y 70 jubilaciones al año, pero este año ya ha tenido 110 y espera más para el final del año escolar. Fisher cree que algunos educadores aumentaron su plazo de jubilación al comienzo de la pandemia cuando se dieron cuenta de que sería un trabajo brutal.

“De las personas con las que hemos hablado, decían, ‘iba a aguantar un par de años más, pero me voy de aquí’”, dijo Fisher. “No vale la pena ese pequeño aumento adicional en su pensión si no se encuentra bien física o mentalmente”.

No solo los luchadores usan máscara.

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“California es un estado realmente grande con una gran cantidad de maestros que ya están recibiendo beneficios y aportando al sistema, por lo que un pequeño aumento en las jubilaciones este año no sería por sí solo una gran amenaza para el fondo de pensiones”, dijo.

Los administradores de California no expresaron mucha sorpresa con el número de jubilaciones durante la pandemia. Esto se debe en parte a que los maestros tienen que jubilarse dentro de un rango de edad establecido para calificar para sus pensiones, por lo que la mayoría de los distritos pueden planificar su partida con mucha anticipación. Los distritos también incentivan a los maestros a avisar con suficiente antelación al ofrecer bonificaciones financieras por informar a las escuelas de sus planes en fechas específicas.

Algunos distritos también pueden depender de los jubilados como fuente de trabajo. Xanthi Soriano, portavoz del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Elk Grove, dijo que muchos de los jubilados del distrito regresan a las escuelas después de cumplir con el requisito de separación del servicio de seis meses de CalSTRS. “Tenemos una lista de sustitutos bastante sólida y un buen número son jubilados”, dijo Soriano.

Problemas de contratación La contratación también es un desafío a nivel de liderazgo. Magee de San Mateo dijo que ha sido difícil encontrar reemplazos para varios empleados a largo plazo que dejaron su oficina durante la pandemia porque las empresas de reclutamiento están luchando por encontrar candidatos.

“En todo el estado, están viendo un número sin precedentes de personas que se jubilan o se mudan”, dijo.

“Así que esas agencias están realmente sobrevendidas en este momento”.

Varios administradores dijeron que les preocupaba que las jubilaciones y las renuncias pudieran agravar la escasez crónica de personal para puestos que ya eran difíciles de cubrir antes de la pandemia, específicamente la educación especial.

Baja de inscripción Si bien los distritos generalmente no han experimentado las jubilaciones como un problema grave el año pasado, varios administradores dijeron que estaban abrumados por la gran cantidad de maestros que renunciaron o se transfirieron durante la pandemia.

Christina Casas, una maestra de educación especial acreditada, dejó su trabajo en una escuela autónoma en Santa Ana a principios de este año. Dijo que los desafíos logísticos de organizar clases virtuales de educación especial mientras creaba a dos hijos era simplemente demasiado.

La superintendente de escuelas del condado de San Mateo, Nancy Magee, dijo que algunos de sus distritos se han visto muy afectados porque muchos educadores se fueron para estar más cerca de la familia.

Burlingame, por ejemplo, tuvo el doble de maestros que se fueron durante la pandemia que durante un año promedio.

También sintió que el distrito podría haber reunido más recursos para los maestros que tenían dificultades para administrar las clases virtuales que estaban desbordadas con 30 a 40 estudiantes cuando se suponía que solo tenían 20. Mientras solo hubo una renuncia en su escuela el año pasado, ella sabe que varias personas están planeando irse al final de este período. En el futuro, dijo que los distritos escolares deberían contratar más especialistas en lectura y matemáticas para asegurarse de que los estudiantes no se queden más atrás.

Sin embargo, las caídas récord en la inscipción han mitigado un poco el auge de la jubilación, dijo.

Tales caídas en la inscripción normalmente resultarían en despidos de personal, pero la gran cantidad de jubilaciones y renuncias parece anularse entre sí.

Las renuncias inesperadas, junto con las jubilaciones de rutina y anticipadas, han creado escasez de personal en algunos distritos, lo que genera preocupaciones sobre cómo se manejarán las escuelas

“En el ámbito de las cosas, este no es un número tan grande”, dijo Paul Bruno, profesor asistente de política educativa en la Universidad de Illinois en UrbanaChampaign. Señaló que los pasivos pendientes no financiados de CalSTRS eclipsan el impacto potencial de un número inusual de jubilaciones. Según el último informe de valoración actuarial, CalSTRS tiene pasivos no financiados de $105,7 mil millones .

covid19.ca.gov/es

“En la escuela donde trabajaba, los niños ya estaban atrasados”, dijo. “Y ahora han perdido un año de escuela, porque no podemos llamar escuela a lo que hicieron”.

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HEALTH

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HESITANCY AND LACK OF ACCESS CONTRIBUTE TO LOW RATES OF VACCINATED KIDS Vaccinating 12-17 year olds has become the next major milestone in gaining control of the pandemic. Why do some parents hesitate?

DESCONFIANZA Y FALTA DE ACCESO CONTRIBUYEN A LAS BAJAS TASAS DE NIÑOS VACUNADOS Vacunar a los jóvenes entre 12 y 17 años se ha convertido en la próxima gran meta para controlar la COVID-19. ¿Por qué algunos padres dudan?

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Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

que ver con la imposibilidad de faltar al trabajo.

“La mayoría de nuestros pacientes tienen trabajos de bajos ingresos como jornaleros. Por eso es una carga para ellos tomarse un día libre (para vacunarse)”, dijo el doctor José Pérez, director médico del centro de salud familiar en el South Center de Los Ángeles, donde asisten unos 27,000 pacientes, la mayoría latinos. “Se les está pidiendo a nuestros pacientes que básicamente elijan entre ganarse la vida por el día o vacunar a sus hijos”.

accinating 12 to 17 year olds will be one of the great milestones in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., experts speaking on an Ethnic Media Services news briefing agreed.

As many as 22 million children and adolescents, 5 to 17 years, have been infected in the US since the pandemic began, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). COVID-19 now ranks among the 10 leading causes of death for young people who make up 22% of all new COVID cases, compared to only 3% a year ago.

Dr. Grace Lee, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Practice Innovation and Infectious Diseases at Stanford Children’s Health, said infections have increased among children for two fundamental reasons: the reopening of schools and the effectiveness of vaccines in protecting the adult population, which caused a rise in the proportion of reported hospitalizations among children.

"We have had children who died from COVID-19 disease," Lee said. “Among the hospitalizations we've seen in the US, while 60% do have a highrisk condition, including obesity, asthma, developmental delay, immunocompromised, and diabetes, we also know that 40% of those who are hospitalized have no high-risk conditions.”

Lee noted that there is "a disproportionate number" of black and Hispanic children in ICUs, who are also the most affected by MISC (multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children), which happens approximately two to six weeks after the COVID infection.

The pediatrician added that although children are frequently asymptomatic, they still can transmit the virus to others and vaccinating them makes it easier to extend protection if they have immunocompromised relatives.

Pfizer and Moderna are already conducting trials to identify the correct dose for children under 12 years of age, whose weight and height may determine the response to be different from adults.

The most optimistic timeline for extending vaccinations to children is next fall.

Barriers to getting vaccinated Despite scientific studies, some parents still distrust vaccines or cannot access them. Lowincome Hispanic families are primarily fearful of missing work.

“Most of our patients have low-income jobs as day laborers. That's why it's a burden for them to take a day off (to get vaccinated),” said Dr. José Pérez, Chief Medical Officer at South Central Family Health Center in Los Angeles, which provides services for 27,000 patients, mostly Latino.

"Our patients are being asked to basically choose between earning a living for the day or vaccinating their children."

Perez said the county of Los Angeles County has done a great job putting up massive vaccine areas, “but they all require a car and most of our patients use public transportation. So that is an added barrier.”

"Our patients who are undocumented are afraid to use government services for fear of jeopardizing any type of legal immigration status," Pérez added.

They are also frightened by the lack of health insurance, not knowing that vaccines are free and the myths that run on social media, which say, for

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Perez dijo que el condado de Los Ángeles ha hecho un gran trabajo al instalar áreas masivas de vacunas, “pero todas requieren un automóvil y la mayoría de nuestros pacientes usan el transporte público. Entonces esa es una barrera adicional”.

Photo Credit: CDC / Unsplash example, that vaccines cause infertility.

“The role of professionals of color like me becomes very important. I think our patients trust providers who look like them. The more we encourage our patients to get vaccinated, the more likely they are to listen to our voices and not those crazy voices out there in the Internet world."

When the parents go to his office, Pérez reminds them that they have been “vaccinating their children for a long time” and that they have already had extensive experience with other vaccines against polio, varicella, rubella, or the mumps. "COVID vaccines went through the same rigorous scientific testing and evaluation as all other vaccines," he tells them.

Although the pediatrician recognizes that people cannot be forced to get the vaccine, he believes that the COVID-19 vaccine should be mandatory among children who want to attend public schools. “We don't have a pandemic in varicella or mumps, or rubella. And the reason for that is that we mandate that our children get vaccinated. This should not be any different."

Young mothers, the most distrustful Matthew Simonson, researcher with the Covid States Project and lead author of the report "Vaccinating America's Youth,” said his research shows that almost a third of young mothers between the ages of 18 and 35 do not want to vaccinate their children. They are resistant even to vaccinating themselves. Fathers, on the other hand, regardless of their age, present between 10% and 15% resistance.

"This gender gap is particularly important because mothers are the ones who are most involved in making these decisions about their children’s health," said Simonson.

In terms of race, Asian American parents are less resistant to vaccinating their children than other groups, and for the first time African Americans and Latinx are at par with white families regarding hesitancy. "Parents of all races are suspicious of vaccines," he said. But socioeconomic differences stand out: families earning less than $25,000 a year are the most resistant to vaccines, while those earning more than $150,000 are more likely to get vaccinated. Similarly, those with only a high school diploma are the most vaccine resistant, while those who have a graduate degree favor vaccines.

Simonson highlighted as "encouraging" that surveys of young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 found that they are less hesitant than their parents and are ready to get vaccinated. "So maybe our kids will save us," he concluded.

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Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

acunar a jóvenes de 12 a 17 años será uno de los grandes hitos en el control de la pandemia de la COVID-19 en los Estados Unidos, dijeron expertos que hablaron en una rueda de prensa de Ethnic Media Services.

Casi 22 millones de niños y adolescentes entre 5 y 17 años se han contagiado de COVID-19 desde el inicio de la pandemia según estimaciones de los Centros de Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC). COVID-19 ahora se encuentra entre las diez principales causas de muerte entre los jóvenes que representan el 22% de todos los casos nuevos de coronavirus, en comparación con sólo el 3% hace un año.

Según Grace Lee, directora médica asociada de innovación en la práctica y médica de enfermedades infecciosas en Stanford Children's Health, los contagios han aumentado entre los niños por dos razones fundamentales: la reapertura de las escuelas y la efectividad de las vacunas entre la población adulta que hace que la proporción de hospitalizaciones reportadas aumente entre los más jóvenes que aún no están protegidos.

“Hemos tenido niños que han muerto a causa de la enfermedad COVID-19”, enfatizó Lee. “Entre las hospitalizaciones que hemos visto en los EE. UU., si bien el 60% tiene una afección de alto riesgo, que incluye obesidad, asma, retraso en el desarrollo, inmunodepresión y diabetes, también sabemos que el 40% de quienes están hospitalizados no tienen condiciones de alto riesgo”.

Lee también destacó que hay “un número desproporcionado” de niños negros e hispanos en las UCIs, quienes también son los más afectados por el MISC (síndrome inflamatorio multisistémico en niños), que ocurre aproximadamente de dos a seis semanas después de que se haya producido la infección por COVID. La pediatra añadió que si bien los niños son con frecuencia asintomáticos, pueden ser fuente de contagio para las familias y vacunarlos facilita extender la protección si tienen parientes inmunodeprimidos.

“Nuestros pacientes que son indocumentados tienen miedo a utilizar los servicios del gobierno por temor a poner en peligro cualquier tipo de estatus migratorio legal”, dijo Pérez. También los asusta la falta de seguro médico, el desconocimiento de que las vacunas son gratuitas y los mitos que circulan en redes sociales, que dicen por ejemplo que las vacunas causan infertilidad.

“El papel de los profesionales étnicos como yo, se vuelve muy importante. Creo que nuestros pacientes confían en las personas que se parecen a ellos.

Cuanto más nos acerquemos, más probabilidades hay de que escuchen nuestras voces y no esas voces locas que hay en el mundo de Internet”.

Cuando los padres van a su consultorio, Pérez les recuerda que llevan “mucho tiempo vacunando a sus hijos” y que ya han tenido plena experiencia con otros esquemas de vacunación contra la poliomielitis, varicela, rubéola o paperas. “Las vacunas COVID pasaron por las mismas pruebas y evaluación científica rigurosas que todas las demás vacunas”, les dice.

Aunque el pediatra reconoce que no se puede forzar a la gente a ponerse la vacuna, sí considera que estas deberían ser obligatorias entre niños que quieren atender las escuelas públicas. “No tenemos una pandemia de varicela, paperas o rubéola. Y la razón de ello es que ordenamos que nuestros niños se vacunen. Esto no debería ser diferente”.

Madres jóvenes, las más desconfiadas Según Matthew Simonson, investigador del Covid States Project, y autor principal del informe "Vacunando a la juventud estadounidense”, dijo que casi un tercio de las madres jóvenes entre 18 y 35 años no quieren vacunar a sus hijos. Son resistentes incluso a vacunarse a sí mismas. Los padres, en cambio, sin importar su edad, presentan entre un 10% y un 15% de resistencia.

“Esta brecha de género es particularmente importante porque las madres son las que más se involucran en la toma de decisiones sobre la salud de sus hijos”, dijo Simonson.

En cuanto a la raza los padres asiático-americanos son menos resistentes a vacunar a sus hijos con respecto a otros grupos, y por primera vez los afroamericanos y latinx no están a la zaga de las familias blancas. “Padres de todas las razas desconfían de las vacunas”, dijo.

Barreras para vacunarse

Sin embargo, resaltan las diferencias socioeconómicas: las familias que tienen un ingreso inferior a $25,000 al año son las más resistentes a las vacunas mientras que las que ganan más de $150,000 son más proclives a vacunarse. En cuanto a formación académica, quienes solo tienen un diploma de escuela secundaria, tienen más resistencia a las vacunas, mientras que los que tienen un título de posgrado, están a su favor.

No obstante los estudios científicos, algunos padres todavía desconfían de las vacunas o no pueden acceder a ellas. En el caso de familias hispanas de estratos bajos, uno de los mayores factores para no llevar a vacunar a los niños tiene

Algo que Simonson destacó como “alentador” es que las encuestas de adultos jóvenes entre 18 y 22 años arrojaron que vacilan menos que sus padres y están listos para vacunarse, “por lo que tal vez nuestros hijos sean quien nos salven”, concluyó.

Pfizer y Moderna ya están realizando ensayos para identificar la dosis correcta para niños menores de 12 años, cuyo peso y altura puede determinar que la respuesta sea diferente en relación a los adultos.

El plazo más esperanzador es que estén listas en otoño.

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

GREEN LIVING

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

EARTHTALK Q&A: MAIN CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER Dear EarthTalk: What are the main contaminants we have to worry about in our drinking water? How can we know if we are being exposed and what can we do about it? -- L. Minto, Bern, NC

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EARTHTALK Q&A: PRINCIPALES CONTAMINANTES EN EL AGUA POTABLE

Querido EarthTalk: ¿Cuáles son los contaminantes en el agua potable por los que deberíamos preocuparnos, cómo podemos saber si estamos expuestos y qué podemos hacer al respecto? -- L. Minto, Bern, NC

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Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

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oday, most Americans get their water from their sinks or fridge filters, and it travels great distances to get there. On the way, it may pick up chemicals that are harmful to our health if not filtered out properly.

oy en día, la mayoría de los estadounidenses obtienen agua potable de sus lavabos o filtros de refrigerador, y ésta recorre grandes distancias para llegar ahí. En el camino, podría recoger químicos que son dañinos para nuestra salud si no se filtran de manera adecuada.

An analysis by the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) using 2016 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that some 18 million Americans were living in areas with unsafe levels of lead in the water. In another report, USA Today found that 63 million Americans were exposed to unsafe drinking water from 2007-2017.

Water pollution issues were also found to disproportionately plague minority and low-income communities.

De acuerdo a un análisis del Consejo para la Defensa de Recursos Naturales (NRDC) que usó datos del 2016 de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA), alrededor de 18 millones de americanos estaban viviendo en áreas con niveles peligrosos de plomo en el agua. En otro reporte, USA Today concluyó que 63 millones de americanos estaban expuestos a agua potable contaminada desde el 2007-2017. También se descubrió que los problemas relacionados con la contaminación del agua afecta de manera desproporcionada a las comunidades de minorías y de bajos recursos.

Contaminated drinking water is a problem from coastto-coast, and could be the next big public health crisis facing the United States. Photo Credit: Pixabay

El agua potable contaminada es un problema de costa a costa, y podría ser la siguiente crisis de salud pública a la que se enfrenten los Estados Unidos.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Flint, Michigan has been a leading example of U.U. communities facing water pollution. Discolored and highly polluted water was piped into Flint for 18 months during which time residents experienced skin rashes, itchy skin and hair loss. Although complaints were filed by Flint community members, they were dismissed by government officials. Many felt the government’s response (or lack thereof) was rooted in prejudice as the majority of Flint’s population is black and two of five residents live below the poverty line. Michigan’s own Civil Rights Commission called the poor response a “result of systemic racism.”

Flint, Michigan ha destacado como un ejemplo de comunidades U.U. que se enfrentan a la contaminación de agua. Agua decolorada y muy contaminada fue canalizada a Flint por 18 meses durante los cuales los residentes sufrían de erupciones de piel, comezón y pérdida de cabello. Aunque se presentaron quejas por los miembros de la comunidad de Flint, éstas fueron desestimadas por los oficiales de gobierno.

Muchos sintieron que la respuesta del gobierno (o la falta de la misma) fue basada en el prejuicio como la mayoría de la población de Flint es negra y dos de cinco residentes viven debajo del umbral de pobreza.

La misma Comisión de Derechos Civiles de Michigan clasificó la respuesta deficiente como un “resultado del racismo sistémico”.

One of the main poisons in Flint’s water was lead, which entered the water via corroded plumbing. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), says that lead exposure is especially harmful to kids, causing brain and nervous system damage, developmental, learning and behavioral issues and hearing loss. In adults, lead can cause high blood pressure, miscarriage, infertility and brain and kidney damage.

Uno de los tóxicos principales en el agua de Flint fue el plomo, que entró al agua a través de tuberías oxidadas. Los Centros para el Control y Prevención de las Enfermedades (CDC) dicen que la exposición al plomo es especialmente dañino para los niños, y causa daños en el cerebro y sistema nervioso, problemas de desarrollo, aprendizaje, conducta y pérdida de audición. En los adultos, el plomo puede causar hipertensión, aborto, infertilidad, daño cerebral y renal.

Some other common contaminants in drinking water are perfluorooctanesulfonic (PFOS) and perfluorooctane (PFOA), strontium and perchlorate. PFOS and PFOA are persistent man-made chemicals that can seep into groundwater sources and don’t break down easily. They’ve been linked to chronic kidney disease and several forms of cancer. Strontium can weaken bones and stunt bone growth. Florida, Texas and Eastern Wisconsin each have higher than normal percentages of strontium in their water because many reservoirs come from carbonate rock aquifers in these states. Perchlorate disrupts the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones. It has also been labeled a “likely human carcinogen” by the EPA. It is estimated that 11 million Americans live in areas with perchlorate concentrations that are higher than what is considered safe in drinking water.

If you’d like to know what’s in your drinking water, look online for free local water testing reports, or find a lab that will test your home water supply for between $20-100. Advocating for clean water to local, state and federal government agencies is also key to maintaining the community’s right to clean water.

CONTACTS: Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water, epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinkingwater/basic-information-about-lead-drinkingwater; More than 2 million Americans exposed to high levels of strontium in drinking water, ehn.org/ strontium-in-drinking-water-2651752809/removalof-strontium-from-drinking-water; Perchlorate in Drinking Water, emagazine.com/perchlorate-indrinking-water/; Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know, nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisiseverything-you-need-know.

Otros contaminantes comunes en el agua potable son el perfluorooctanosulfónico (PFOS) y el perfluorooctano (PFOA), el estroncio y el perclorato. EL PFOS y el PFOA son químicos persistentes artificiales que pueden filtrarse a la aguas subterráneas y no se desintegran fácilmente. Se han relacionado con la enfermedad renal crónica y varios tipos de cáncer. El estroncio puede debilitar los huesos e impedir el crecimiento óseo. Florida, Texas y el este de Wisconsin tienen porcentajes más altos de lo normal de estroncio en su agua porque en estos estados muchos depósitos vienen de los acuíferos rocosos carbonatados. El perclorato interfiere con la capacidad del tiroides para producir hormonas. También ha sido calificado como un “carcinógeno humano” por la EPA. Se calcula que 11 millones de americanos viven en áreas con concentraciones de perclorato más altas de lo que se considera “seguro” en el agua potable.

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Building Better Communities

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.

Si te gustaría saber qué hay en tu agua potable, busca en línea los reportes gratuitos del análisis del agua local, o encuentra un laboratorio que haga una prueba del suministro de agua en tu casa por entre $20-100. También es esencial defender la necesidad de agua limpia ante las agencias del gobierno local, estatal y federal para mantener el derecho al agua limpia de la comunidad.

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CONTACTOS: Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water, epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinkingwater/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water; More than 2 million Americans exposed to high levels of strontium in drinking water, ehn.org/strontium-indrinking-water-2651752809/removal-of-strontiumfrom-drinking-water; Perchlorate in Drinking Water, emagazine.com/perchlorate-in-drinking-water/; Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know, nrdc.org/ stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know.

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

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JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com ENGLISH

CALIFORNIA SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATIONS: A TOUGHER SELL IN 2021

C

Zayna Syed CalMatters

example, the current law would include fancy exercise bike company Peloton, but not right-wing friendly social media sites Parler or Gab, since they don’t meet the $100 million revenue requirement.

alifornia lawmaker Cristina Garcia was spending time with a friend when she asked her friend’s 8-year-old why she was refusing to eat.

One of the bills lawmakers held over until next year, AB 1545 by Berkeley Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, aims to add more parental controls around auto-play features and in-app purchases.

“I said, ‘Why aren’t you eating lunch?’ And she’s like, ‘Well, because I have to look thin and look a certain way to be a YouTube star and get followers,’” said Garcia, a Democrat from Bell Gardens who is a member of the Assembly.

After spending 13 years as a teacher, she had seen how eating disorders and body image concerns affected her students — and she blames social media’s altered images for feeding the problem. “I think that affects you even as an adult, but I think it’s particularly damaging when you’re a young kid, when you’re still trying to figure things out,” she said. “They’re being bombarded with these images that are photoshopped into unrealistic expectations.”

She’s carrying legislation that would require social media companies to disclose if certain images have been retouched. If someone — and particularly influencers — artificially improved their skin or toned their body, and did so in order to make money, the platform would have to say so and even specify what they altered.

But California state lawmakers who have introduced bills to further tighten social media practices are having little success thus far this year.

Lawmakers pushed consideration of Garcia’s Assembly Bill 613 to next year amid pushback from social media firms. The companies said it was difficult for them to even know when a picture has been edited since it often occurs on a third-party platform, such as a photo-editing app.

Other bills similarly shuffled over to a two-year track include one that would prohibit features like auto-play for children unless parents opt in to allow it, and another that would require social media companies to report obscene or violent posts on their platforms.

Michael Karanicolas, executive director of UCLA’s Institute for Technology, Law and Policy, said restricting social media is tricky to assess from a constitutional perspective, because laws and court rulings are constantly in flux.

“It’s not always easy to draw a clear and bright line between what the government can force you to disclose … and what the government can’t force you to say,” Karanicolas said. “That doesn’t mean that they’re not going to regulate the space because maybe the state government feels it’s worthwhile to roll the dice and see how the law survives a constitutional challenge.”

And the supermajority of Democrats gave the cold shoulder to a Republican-sponsored bill that would have deemed social media platforms the new “public square” — and sought to prevent them from restricting speech considered lawful under the First Amendment. A recent real-world example: Twitter’s ban on the account of former President Donald Trump.

Regulations — too far or not far enough?

So what tech-targeting social media bills are still moving forward this year? A bill that would require big social media firms to file quarterly terms of service with the state.

California’s landmark computer privacy law, which took effect last year, was the first of its kind nationwide to give people more control over their digital

Do parents need an assist from Big Tech?

Wicks said the auto-play on websites like YouTube can lead to children watching objectionable content. Her example: If parents put on a “Thomas the Tank Engine” video on YouTube, an hour later their child might be watching a video on train crashes, depending on what YouTube algorithms think qualifies as related content.

Advocates want California lawmakers to go further in regulating social media platforms. Photo Credit: RODNAE Productions / Pexels

data. It grants Californians the right to request information businesses collect about them for free, and requires businesses to give users the chance to opt-out of having their data sold.

Critics say the law doesn’t go far enough in reining in social media platforms.

They’ve have called for increased protections for children roaming the Internet, and for regulation that stops the spread of misinformation and hate speech on social media.

While spending less than traditional big lobbying forces like oil interests and labor unions, technology companies still have a great deal of influence in the state because of their hefty economic impact; California’s surprising budget surplus this year is in part due to the huge success of Golden Statebased tech giants during the pandemic.

A bill still in play this year would require social media companies to file quarterly reports about their terms of service to the California attorney general.

The bill’s author, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, an Encino Democrat, said there’s a lot of confusion over social media companies’ policies. For example, it’s difficult to find terms of service reports — which outline policies like how companies collect users’ data and moderate content — on companies’ websites and there’s often no historical record of past reports.

‘Looking under the hood’ of social media AB 587 would also require companies to provide data on how well they complied with their terms of service. Social media companies that have over $100 million in revenue would have to report statistics such as the number of posts flagged by the company, the views those flagged posts received and the number of posts that were removed, demonetized or deprioritized.

Gabriel said he hopes the proposed law would achieve two things: encourage “good behavior” and allow policymakers to better understand how misinformation, hate speech and the like spread on social media and influence hate crimes.

The proposed legislation would force social media companies to “let folks look under the hood a little bit because there’s just a lot of confusion right now and a lot of skepticism about what they’re doing,” Gabriel said. “I’m a big believer in transparency, because it encourages people to behave in ways that they would want for the public to see them behaving.”

Noting that the bill targets companies with over $100 million dollars in revenue in the past year, Gabriel said “I think companies like that can pretty easily comply with what we’re asking them to do, and I think a lot of this information that we’re asking for, they’re already looking at on a daily basis and maybe even more frequently than that.”

A Facebook spokesperson told CalMatters via email that Facebook already publishes “regular transparency reports, including our quarterly Community Standards Enforcement Report.” The report shares data on how many posts violated Facebook’s content standards and what actions the company took to deal with them, and can be found on the company’s Transparency Center website.

Facebook recently announced those reports would be audited outside the company by Ernest & Young, “so we’re not grading our own homework,” the Facebook rep said.

Giving bad actors a blueprint?

Business interests including the Internet Association, which represents Big Tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google, contend that Gabriel’s bill may undermine the goal of reducing misinformation and hate speech by providing “bad actors” with a granular blueprint for evading detection.

Her measure would require websites like YouTube to add a parental opt-in for auto-play. A previous version — which died — would have created broader regulation.

Wicks said the bill has been popular with both Democrats and Republicans, especially those who are parents: “Any parent who has dealt with technology these days with their children knows this problem.”

“Just because you can create a product targeted at young people doesn’t mean you should.”

-MARVIN DEON, A VICE PRESIDENT AT COMMON SENSE MEDIA The Internet Association objected to how the bill would be enforced. For example, the bill would require social media companies to disclose if an individual makes money from a post, which could be difficult to discern. It also said the bill’s requirement of an annual audit to ensure compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule was unnecessary because the attorney general already has the authority to enforce the rule.

“Just because you can create a product targeted at young people doesn’t mean you should,” said Marvin Deon, a vice president at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that provides families with media literacy resources and age-based ratings of movies, TV shows and books. “We have to be sure that we’re keeping an eye on the Constitution, but also not skirting our duties to protect kids.

“While well intentioned, these requirements will ultimately allow scammers, spammers, and other bad actors to exploit our systems and moderators,” went their argument, cited in the Assembly bill analysis.

“Things that go after the addictive nature of some of the designs of these platforms, like the autoplay where a kid can start off looking at a Disney cartoon and 20 minutes later, he’s looking at a kid selling toys, and then 20 minutes later, some kid showing someone being blown up with some type of an explosive.”

These groups also warn that Gabriel’s bill could open up social media companies to lawsuits over routine decisions by content moderators, and perhaps even for how effective companies’ moderation practices are in the first place — which platforms predict could deter them from investing in content moderation.

Tech and social media companies often counter that parents are responsible for monitoring and regulating children’s online and social media use. But David Monahan, campaign director for Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, a non-profit that advocates for children’s privacy, disagrees.

“These requirements will ultimately allow scammers, spammers, and other bad actors to exploit our systems and moderators.”

-TECH INDUSTRY OBJECTIONS FILED IN ASSEMBLY

Monahan said that legislation is necessary until companies stop manipulative and unfair practices, such as targeting kids to spend excessive amounts of time online, share personal information, watch advertising and make in-game or inapp purchases.

An Internet Association industry spokesperson, who would discuss the bill only if he was not named, noted that it would not apply to some social media companies that have a share in the spread of misinformation and hate speech. For

“We find corporations pointing the finger at families and parents and saying, ‘You’re the gatekeepers? Why aren’t you protecting your kids?’ And that’s really unfair,” Monahan said. “Parents need an assist from Big Tech.”

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

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REGULACIONES DE REDES SOCIALES DE CALIFORNIA: ES DIFÍCIL DE ACEPTAR EN 2021

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Zayna Syed CalMatters

presas de redes sociales que tienen participación en la difusión de información errónea y discursos de odio. Por ejemplo, la ley actual incluiría a la elegante compañía de bicicletas estáticas Peloton, pero no a los sitios de redes sociales amigables con la derecha como Parler o Gab , ya que no cumplen con el requisito de ingresos de $ 100 millones.

a legisladora de California Cristina García estaba pasando tiempo con una amiga cuando le preguntó a la niña de 8 años de su amiga por qué se negaba a comer.

Uno de los proyectos de ley que los legisladores aplazaron hasta el próximo año, el AB 1545 de la asambleísta demócrata de Berkeley Buffy Wicks, tiene como objetivo agregar más controles parentales sobre las funciones de reproducción automática y las compras dentro de la aplicación .

“Le dije, ‘¿Por qué no vas a almorzar?’ Y ella dice, ‘Bueno, porque tengo que lucir delgada y de cierta manera para ser una estrella de YouTube y conseguir seguidores’”, dijo García, un demócrata de Bell Gardens que es miembro de la Asamblea.

Después de pasar 13 años como maestra, había visto cómo los trastornos alimentarios y las preocupaciones sobre la imagen corporal afectaban a sus alumnos, y culpa a las imágenes alteradas de las redes sociales de alimentar el problema. “Creo que eso te afecta incluso como adulto, pero creo que es particularmente dañino cuando eres un niño pequeño, cuando todavía estás tratando de resolver las cosas”, dijo. “Están siendo bombardeados con estas imágenes que están modificadas con Photoshop en expectativas poco realistas”.

Lleva una legislación que requeriría que las empresas de redes sociales revelen si ciertas imágenes han sido retocadas. Si alguien, y en particular los influencers, mejorara artificialmente su piel o tonificara su cuerpo, y lo hiciera para ganar dinero, la plataforma tendría que decirlo e incluso especificar qué modificaron.

Pero los legisladores del estado de California que han presentado proyectos de ley para endurecer aún más las prácticas de las redes sociales están teniendo poco éxito en lo que va de año.

Los legisladores impulsaron la consideración del proyecto de ley 613 de la Asamblea de García para el próximo año en medio del rechazo de las empresas de redes sociales. Las empresas dijeron que les resultaba difícil siquiera saber cuándo se ha editado una imagen, ya que a menudo ocurre en una plataforma de terceros, como una aplicación de edición de fotografías.

Otros proyectos de ley que se barajaron de manera similar a una pista de dos años incluyen uno que prohibiría funciones como la reproducción automática para niños a menos que los padres opten por permitirlo, y otro que requeriría que las compañías de redes sociales reporten publicaciones obscenas o violentas en sus plataformas .

Michael Karanicolas, director ejecutivo del Instituto de Tecnología, Leyes y Políticas de UCLA, dijo que restringir las redes sociales es difícil de evaluar desde una perspectiva constitucional, porque las leyes y los fallos judiciales cambian constantemente.

“No siempre es fácil trazar una línea clara y brillante entre lo que el gobierno puede obligarlo a revelar… y lo que el gobierno no puede obligarlo a decir”, dijo Karanicolas. “Eso no significa que no van a regular el espacio porque tal vez el gobierno estatal sienta que vale la pena tirar los dados y ver cómo la ley sobrevive a un desafío constitucional”.

Y la gran mayoría de los demócratas le dio la espalda a un proyecto de ley patrocinado por los republicanos que habría considerado a las plataformas de redes sociales como la nueva “plaza pública”, y buscó evitar que restringieran el discurso considerado legal bajo la Primera Enmienda.

Un ejemplo reciente del mundo real: la prohibición de Twitter de la cuenta del expresidente Donald Trump.

Regulaciones: ¿demasiado o no lo suficientemente lejos?

Entonces, ¿qué proyectos de ley de redes sociales orientados a la tecnología todavía están avanzando este año? Un proyecto de ley que requeriría que las grandes empresas de redes sociales presenten términos de servicio trimestrales ante el estado.

La histórica ley de privacidad informática de California, que entró en vigor el año pasado, fue la primera de su tipo en todo el país en brindar a las personas

¿Los padres necesitan ayuda de Big Tech?

Los defensores quieren que los legisladores de California hagan más en términos de regular las plataformas de redes sociales. Photo Credit: Jana Shnipelson / Unsplash más control sobre sus datos digitales. Otorga a los californianos el derecho a solicitar información que las empresas recopilen sobre ellos de forma gratuita y exige que las empresas les den a los usuarios la oportunidad de optar por no vender sus datos.

Los críticos dicen que la ley no va lo suficientemente lejos para controlar las plataformas de redes sociales.

Han pedido una mayor protección para los niños que navegan por Internet y una regulación que detenga la difusión de información errónea y el discurso de odio en las redes sociales.

Mientras gastan menos que las grandes fuerzas de presión tradicionales como los intereses petroleros y los sindicatos, las empresas de tecnología todavía tienen una gran influencia en el estado debido a su fuerte impacto económico; El sorprendente superávit presupuestario de California este año se debe en parte al enorme éxito de los gigantes tecnológicos con sede en el Estado Dorado durante la pandemia.

Un proyecto de ley aún vigente este año requeriría que las empresas de redes sociales presenten informes trimestrales sobre sus términos de servicio al fiscal general de California. El autor del proyecto de ley, el asambleísta Jesse Gabriel, un demócrata de Encino, dijo que hay mucha confusión sobre las políticas de las empresas de redes sociales. Por ejemplo, es difícil encontrar informes de condiciones de servicio, que describen políticas como cómo las empresas recopilan los datos de los usuarios y moderan el contenido, en los sitios web de las empresas y, a menudo, no hay un registro histórico de informes anteriores.

‘Mirando bajo el capó’ de las redes sociales AB 587 también requeriría que las empresas proporcionen datos sobre qué tan bien cumplieron con sus términos de servicio. Las empresas de redes sociales que tengan más de $100 millones en ingresos tendrían que informar estadísticas como la cantidad de publicaciones marcadas por la empresa, las vistas que recibieron esas publicaciones marcadas y la cantidad de publicaciones que se eliminaron, desmonetizaron o despriorizaron.

Gabriel dijo que espera que la ley propuesta logre dos cosas: alentar el “buen comportamiento” y permitir que los legisladores comprendan mejor cómo la información errónea, el discurso de odio y similares se difunden en las redes sociales e influyen en los delitos de odio.

La legislación propuesta obligaría a las empresas de redes sociales a “dejar que la gente mire un poco más bajo el capó porque hay mucha confusión en este momento y mucho escepticismo sobre lo que están haciendo”, dijo Gabriel. “Soy un gran creyente en la transparencia, porque anima a las personas a

comportarse de la manera que les gustaría que el público los viera comportarse”.

Al señalar que el proyecto de ley se dirige a empresas con más de $ 100 millones de dólares en ingresos el año pasado, Gabriel dijo: “Creo que empresas como esas pueden cumplir con bastante facilidad con lo que les pedimos que hagan, y creo que mucha de esta información que estamos solicitando ya la están viendo a diario y tal vez incluso con más frecuencia que eso”.

Un portavoz de Facebook le dijo a CalMatters por correo electrónico que Facebook ya publica “informes de transparencia regulares, incluido nuestro Informe trimestral de cumplimiento de normas comunitarias. ”El informe comparte datos sobre cuántas publicaciones violaron los estándares de contenido de Facebook y qué acciones tomó la compañía para lidiar con ellas, y se puede encontrar en el sitio web del Centro de Transparencia de la compañía.

Facebook anunció recientemente que esos informes serían auditados fuera de la empresa por Ernest & Young, “por lo que no estamos calificando nuestra propia tarea”, dijo el representante de Facebook. ¿Darles un plan a los malos actores?

Los intereses comerciales, incluida la Asociación de Internet, que representa a las grandes empresas tecnológicas como Facebook, Twitter y Google, sostienen que el proyecto de ley de Gabriel puede socavar el objetivo de reducir la desinformación y el discurso de odio al proporcionar a los “malos actores” un plan granular para evadir la detección.

“Aunque bien intencionados, estos requisitos permitirán en última instancia a los estafadores, los spammers y otros malos actores explotar nuestros sistemas y moderadores”, fue su argumento, citado en el análisis del proyecto de ley de la Asamblea.

Estos grupos también advierten que el proyecto de ley de Gabriel podría abrir a las empresas de redes sociales a demandas por decisiones de rutina de los moderadores de contenido, y quizás incluso por cuán efectivas son las prácticas de moderación de las empresas en primer lugar, lo que las plataformas predicen que podrían disuadirlas de invertir en moderación de contenido.

“Estos requisitos permitirán en última instancia a los estafadores, los spammers y otros malos actores explotar nuestros sistemas y moderadores”.

-OBJECIONES DE LA INDUSTRIA TÉCNICA PRESENTADAS EN ASAMBLEA Un portavoz de la industria de la Asociación de Internet, que discutirá el proyecto de ley solo si no se le nombra, señaló que no se aplicaría a algunas em-

Wicks dijo que la reproducción automática en sitios web como YouTube puede hacer que los niños vean contenido objetable. Su ejemplo: si los padres ponen un video de “Thomas la locomotora del tanque” en YouTube, una hora después su hijo podría estar viendo un video sobre choques de trenes, dependiendo de lo que los algoritmos de YouTube creen que califica como contenido relacionado.

Su medida requeriría que sitios web como YouTube agreguen una opción para los padres para la reproducción automática. Una versión anterior, que no paso, habría creado una regulación más amplia.

Wicks dijo que el proyecto de ley ha sido popular entre demócratas y republicanos, especialmente aquellos que son padres: “Cualquier padre que haya lidiado con la tecnología estos días con sus hijos conoce este problema”.

“El hecho de que pueda crear un producto dirigido a los jóvenes no significa que deba hacerlo”.

-MARVIN DEON, VICEPRESIDENTE DE COMMON SENSE MEDIA La Asociación de Internet objetó cómo se haría cumplir el proyecto de ley. Por ejemplo, el proyecto de ley requeriría que las empresas de redes sociales revelen si una persona gana dinero con una publicación, lo que podría ser difícil de discernir.

También dijo que el requisito del proyecto de ley de una auditoría anual para garantizar el cumplimiento de la Regla de protección de la privacidad en línea de los niños era innecesario porque el fiscal general ya tiene la autoridad para hacer cumplir la regla.

“El hecho de que pueda crear un producto dirigido a los jóvenes no significa que deba hacerlo”, dijo Marvin Deon, vicepresidente de Common Sense Media, una organización sin fines de lucro que brinda a las familias recursos de alfabetización mediática y clasificaciones de películas, programas de televisión espectáculos y libros. “Tenemos que estar seguros de estar atentos a la Constitución, pero también de no eludir nuestros deberes de proteger a los niños.

“Cosas que persiguen la naturaleza adictiva de algunos de los diseños de estas plataformas, como el juego automático en el que un niño puede comenzar mirando una caricatura de Disney y 20 minutos más tarde, está mirando a un niño vendiendo juguetes, y luego 20 minutos más tarde, un niño que muestra a alguien siendo volado con algún tipo de explosivo”. Las empresas de tecnología y redes sociales a menudo dicen que los padres son responsables de monitorear y regular el uso de las redes sociales y en línea de los niños. Pero David Monahan, director de campaña de Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, una organización sin fines de lucro que aboga por la privacidad de los niños, no está de acuerdo.

Monahan dijo que la legislación es necesaria hasta que las empresas detengan las prácticas manipuladoras e injustas, como dirigirse a los niños para que pasen una cantidad excesiva de tiempo en línea, compartan información personal, vean publicidad y realicen compras en el juego o en la aplicación.

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DIVISIVE OAKLAND FREEWAY MAY BE DEMOLISHED ENGLISH

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Dan Walters CalMatters

erry Brown, who had served two terms as governor of California and had run unsuccessfully for president three times and the U.S. Senate once, re-entered politics in 1997 by declaring his candidacy for mayor of Oakland.

Brown delivered the last segment of the radio talk show that had occupied him after his third and final White House run, walked downstairs in his home-workplaceauditorium in Oakland’s Jack London Square and announced his mayoral run to a clutch of waiting political journalists.

As Brown laid out ambitious plans to revive Oakland, he sharply criticized what locals called the Grove-Shafter Freeway — formally known as Interstate 980 — for dividing poverty-stricken and largely Black West Oakland from the shabby downtown he hoped to resuscitate, and suggested that it should be demolished.

As Brown railed against the freeway as a quasi-segregationist wall, one journalist interrupted to ask, “Didn’t you build that freeway?” Rather sheepishly, Brown acknowledged that he had, indeed, sanctioned its construction as governor two decades earlier.

Oakland’s business and political leaders of the era saw I-980 as a conduit that would bring affluent suburban shoppers into the city and as an approach to a longplanned (but never built) bridge that would connect Oakland’s airport to San Francisco’s airport across San Francisco Bay. Even West Oakland’s leaders supported the project after winning promises for more housing and other civic improvements that Brown incorporated into his construction order.

Brown’s mayoral election in 1998 was his first step back up the political ladder. He went on to become California’s attorney general for four years and then recapture the governorship for two more terms. Meanwhile, back in Oakland, the decades-long local debate over whether I-980 should stay or go continued to rage.

The city’s current political cadre, led by Mayor Libby Schaaf, wants it to go. “It represents an injustice,” Warren Logan, a policy director in Schaaf’s office, told the San Jose Mercury News. “And frankly, the city doesn’t need a freeway bisecting downtown and West Oakland.”

Schaaf’s administration is studying how it could be demolished and how the vacant land left behind would be used. She has said that in its place, “we want livable infrastructure that creates local economic opportunity, reconnects neighborhoods, and connects the region.”

An organization called ConnectOakland has suggested a tree-lined boulevard flanked by a “livable urban environment” of residences, open spaces and neighborhood commercial facilities.

I-980 is also on a list of the nation’s 10 most obsolete and divisive freeways drawn up by the Congress for the New Urbanism, called “Freeways Without Futures.”

“Freeway construction was a disaster for city neighborhoods in the 20th Century,” the report says. “Many neighborhoods were divided in two — their main streets demolished and businesses closed, disproportionately in minority communities.”

The newest wrinkle in the Grove-Shafter saga is a chance that President Joe Biden’s immense infrastructure plan might supply demolition money.

California’s new U.S. senator, Alex Padilla, has joined those seeking its removal as part of a larger nationwide effort to erase some freeways that have lost local support.

“For far too long, some Californians have faced historic barriers to mobility and economic opportunity due to highway construction,” Padilla said in a statement. “This injustice has deliberately targeted communities of color by demolishing homes and small businesses. In Oakland, California, local leaders are considering opportunities to repair the inequities caused by the I-980 freeway and reconnect West Oakland to the city’s downtown.”

If, indeed, the demolition becomes a reality, Oakland should invite Brown, its former mayor, to the concretebusting ceremonies. His presence would close the circle.

LA AUTOPISTA DIVISORIA DE OAKLAND PODRÍA SER DEMOLIDA ESPAÑOL

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Dan Walters CalMatters

erry Brown, quien había servido dos mandatos como gobernador de California y se había postulado sin éxito a la presidencia en tres ocasiones y al Senado de los Estados Unidos una vez, volvió a entrar en la política en 1997 al declarar su candidatura a la alcaldía de Oakland.

Brown pronunció el último segmento del programa de entrevistas de radio que lo había ocupado después de su tercer y último intento por la Casa Blanca, bajó las escaleras de su casa-lugar de trabajo-auditorio en Jack London Square de Oakland y anunció su candidatura a la alcaldía ante un grupo de periodistas políticos que esperaban.

Mientras Brown presentaba planes ambiciosos para revivir Oakland, criticó duramente lo que los lugareños llamaban la autopista Grove-Shafter, formalmente conocida como la Interestatal 980, por dividir el oeste de Oakland, asolado por la pobreza y y principalmente una comunidad negra, del destartalado centro que esperaba resucitar, y sugirió que debería ser demolido.

Mientras Brown arremetía contra la autopista como un muro cuasi-segregacionista, un periodista lo interrumpió para preguntar: “¿No construiste esa autopista?” Con bastante vergüenza, Brown reconoció que, de hecho, había aprobado su construcción como gobernador dos décadas antes.

Los líderes empresariales y políticos de Oakland de la época vieron la I-980 como un conducto que atraería a compradores adinerados de los suburbios a la ciudad y como un acercamiento a un puente planeado desde hace mucho tiempo (pero nunca construido) que conectaría el aeropuerto de Oakland con el aeropuerto de San Francisco a través de la bahía de San Francisco. Incluso los líderes de West Oakland apoyaron el proyecto después de obtener promesas de más viviendas y otras mejoras cívicas que Brown incorporó a su orden de construcción.

La elección de alcalde de Brown en 1998 fue su primer paso de regreso en la escala política. Luego se convirtió en el fiscal general de California durante cuatro años y luego volvió a ocupar el cargo de gobernador por dos mandatos más. Mientras tanto, de vuelta en Oakland, el debate local de décadas sobre si la I-980 debería quedarse o irse continuó en auge.

El cuadro político actual de la ciudad, dirigido por la al-

caldesa Libby Schaaf, quiere que se vaya. “Representa una injusticia”, dijo Warren Logan, director de políticas en la oficina de Schaaf, al San Jose Mercury News. “Y, francamente, la ciudad no necesita una autopista que divida el centro y el oeste de Oakland”.

La administración de Schaaf está estudiando cómo se podría demoler y cómo se utilizarían los terrenos baldíos que quedaron atrás. Ella ha dicho que en su lugar, “queremos una infraestructura habitable que cree oportunidades económicas locales, reconecte los vecindarios y conecte la región”.

Una organización llamada ConnectOakland ha sugerido un bulevar arbolado flanqueado por un “entorno urbano habitable” de residencias, espacios abiertos e instalaciones comerciales del vecindario.

La I-980 también está en una lista de las 10 autopistas más obsoletas y divisivas del país elaborada por el Congress for the New Urbanism, llamadas “Autopistas Sin Futuro”.

“La construcción de autopistas fue un desastre para los vecindarios de la ciudad en el siglo XX”, dice el informe.

“Muchos vecindarios se dividieron en dos: demolieron sus calles principales y cerraron negocios, de manera desproporcionada en las comunidades minoritarias”.

La arruga más reciente en la saga Grove-Shafter es la posibilidad de que el inmenso plan de infraestructura del presidente Joe Biden pueda proporcionar dinero para la demolición .

El nuevo senador estadounidense de California, Alex Padilla, se ha unido a quienes buscan su remoción como parte de un esfuerzo nacional más grande para borrar algunas autopistas que han perdido el apoyo local.

“Durante demasiado tiempo, algunos californianos han enfrentado barreras históricas a la movilidad y las oportunidades económicas debido a la construcción de carreteras”, dijo Padilla en un comunicado. “Esta injusticia se ha dirigido deliberadamente a las comunidades de color al demoler casas y pequeñas empresas. En Oakland, California, los líderes locales están considerando oportunidades para reparar las desigualdades causadas por la autopista I-980 y reconectar West Oakland con el centro de la ciudad”.

Si, de hecho, la demolición se convierte en realidad, Oakland debería invitar a Brown, su ex alcalde, a las ceremonias de demolición de concreto. Su presencia cerraría el círculo.

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VACUNAS POR DINERO EN EFECTIVO: NEWSOM OFRECE MUCHO DINERO A LOS CALIFORNIANOS QUE RECIBEN SUS VACUNAS Ben Christopher CalMatters

Salud y Política COVID-19 de UCLA para armar el programa.

ara los californianos que no están lo suficientemente obligados por el deber cívico y la autoconservación a vacunarse, el gobernador Gavin Newsom ofrece otra razón para recibir la vacuna: dinero en efectivo.

Según una investigación realizada por la politóloga Lynn Vavreck , investigadora principal del proyecto, alrededor de un tercio de los encuestados dijeron que tenían “más probabilidades” de recibir una vacuna COVID si se les ofrecía un premio en efectivo de 50 a 100 dólares. Eso se compara con otras tácticas, incluidos los mensajes públicos a favor de la vacuna de las celebridades.

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El jueves, 27 de mayo el gobernador anunció un programa de $116,5 millones “Vax for the Win”, el programa de lotería de vacunación más grande del país. El dinero se dividirá entre docenas de californianos afortunados: $1.5 millones para cada uno de los 10 ganadores del “gran premio en efectivo” que serán elegidos mediante sorteo al azar el 15 de junio, y otros $50,000 serán otorgados a 30 ganadores de “Viernes para 30” que serán seleccionados por sorteo al azar el 4 y el 11 de junio.

Los $100 millones restantes se dividirán en tarjetas de regalo minoristas de $50 entre los próximos 2 millones de californianos para completar su régimen de vacunas.

“Estos son incentivos reales”, dijo el gobernador en conferencia de prensa. “Y estas son una oportunidad para agradecer a aquellos que no solo buscan vacunarse, a medida que avanzamos, sino también a aquellos que han sido vacunados”.

Según los datos estatales más recientes sobre vacunas , un poco más de la mitad de todos los californianos mayores de 12 años se han vacunado por completo. Otro 13% ha recibido una de dos inyecciones.

Eso todavía deja a más de 12 millones de californianos sin vacunar.

El porcentaje de vacunados varía enormemente según la raza y los ingresos. Entre los californianos que viven en el cuarto superior de los códigos postales más saludables, el 76,6% ha recibido al menos una dosis. En el trimestre menos saludable del índice de “lugares saludables” del estado, la proporción es solo 52,1%.

“Algunos californianos no estaban listos para recibir la vacuna COVID-19 el primer día, y eso está bien. Este programa está diseñado para alentar a quienes necesitan apoyo adicional a vacunarse y ayudar a mantener la seguridad de California ”, dijo en un comunicado el Dr. Tomás Aragón, director del Departamento de Salud Pública de California.

H.D. Palmer, portavoz del Departamento de Finanzas del estado, dijo que los fondos de la lotería saldrán inicialmente de la cuenta de operaciones de emergencia del estado, pero se reembolsarán con la asignación multimillonaria de los fondos de ayuda federales del estado .

La asistente médica Letrice Smith llena jeringas durante una clínica comunitaria de vacunación COVID-19 dirigida por Ravenswood Family Health Network en la sede de Facebook en Menlo Park el 10 de abril de 2021. Photo Credit: Anne Wernikoff / CalMatters

“El costo de no vacunarse es exponencial, incalculablemente más alto”, dijo Newsom.

El gobernador señaló que los californianos que ya han sido vacunados participarán en los concursos de $1.5 millones y $50,000.

Cuando el estado lanzó su sitio web MyTurn como una ventanilla única para citas de vacunas, la mayoría de los californianos recurrió a otra parte. Pero el estado también mantiene un registro confidencial de todos los receptores de la vacuna. Los nombres de los ganadores se mantendrán confidenciales a menos que se ofrezcan como voluntarios para que sean liberados, dijo Newsom.

“Estos son incentivos reales. Y estas son una oportunidad para agradecer no solo a aquellos que buscan vacunarse, a medida que avanzamos, sino también a aquellos que han sido vacunados ”.

-GOBERNADOR GAVIN NEWSOM El gobernador republicano Mike DeWine de Ohio fue el primero enlanzar un programa de lotería de efectivo por las vacunas en todo el estado a mediados de mayo. Casi 3 millones de habitantes de Ohio participaron y una recién graduada universitaria de 22 años fue la primera ganadora el miércoles. Según un análisis, las vacunas aumentaron un 40% en la semana posterior al anuncio de DeWine.

Desde entonces, otros gobernadores estatales han seguido su ejemplo. Colorado está ofreciendo un total de $5 millones a los recién inoculados. Virginia Occidental ha tentado a los jóvenes residentes que dudan de las vacunas con bonos de ahorro y Nueva York ha planteado la posibilidad de una educación universitaria pública gratuita .

Pero el sorteo de efectivo de California es el más grande hasta ahora.

Para Newsom, el programa representa un

beneficio político para todos. El gobernador ha prometido aliviar la mayoría de las restricciones de COVID de California para el 15 de junio. Cuantos más ciudadanos de California estén vacunados, más probable es que el proceso de reapertura se lleve a cabo sin otro aumento de casos y hospitalizaciones. Eso, a su vez, sería una buena noticia para el estado, pero también para un gobernador que espera sobrevivir a una elección revocatoria casi segura a finales de este año.

En una encuesta del Instituto de Política Pública de California publicada esta semana, el 57% de los votantes probables dijeron que se oponen a eliminar a Newsom , mientras que el 40% dijo que apoyaba la destitución. En la encuesta, el 61% aprobó el manejo de Newsom de la pandemia de coronavirus y el 75% le dio al estado calificaciones excelentes o buenas para la distribución de vacunas.

A principios de este mes, el gobernador realizó una gira por todo el estado anunciando varios beneficios de su última propuesta de presupuesto rico en ingresos: una combinación conveniente de formulación de políticas y política. Dar aún más dinero en efectivo a los californianos en nombre de la salud pública tampoco puede dañar la imagen política del gobernador.

El republicano John Cox acusó rápidamente a Newsom de intentar “comprar votos antes de la revocatoria”.

Según los casi 20 millones de californianos que han recibido al menos una dosis ahora, las probabilidades de ganar el premio de $ 1.5 millones son 1 en 2 millones, 100 veces mejores que las probabilidades de ganar los premios mayores de Powerball o Mega Millions, pero por mucho menos dinero.

Newsom dijo que la administración consultó con investigadores del proyecto de

“Esos tipos de tratamientos de mensajes no funcionaron, pero cambiar la condición material de las personas, dándoles un poco de dinero o diciéndoles que ya no tienen que usar una máscara, los hizo más probables”, dijo Vavreck a CalMatters.

Pero para una minoría de los encuestados, alrededor del 15%, la oferta de efectivo resultó contraproducente. Eso es consistente con algunas críticas hechas a estos programas de lotería que señalan que algunos escépticos de las vacunas podrían interpretar falsamente un programa de recompensas en efectivo como una indicación de que la vacuna presenta un riesgo que debe ser compensado.

Peter Chin-Hong, médico de enfermedades infecciosas de la Universidad de California en San Francisco, dijo que diferentes personas permanecen sin vacunar por razones muy diferentes: falta de presión social, inconvenientes, preocupaciones sobre los efectos secundarios comunes, más preocupaciones de seguridad infundadas y extravagantes, por lo que no es probable que una sola política los convenza a todos.

Un posible incentivo en efectivo “moverá la aguja para la gente en la cerca”, dijo. “Las personas que están observando y esperando, que no necesariamente se oponen a la vacuna, pero que esperan ver a las personas que conocen recibirla … ese grupo probablemente será el más conmovido”.

A principios de este mes, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades federales anunciaron que los estadounidenses completamente vacunados pueden prescindir en gran medida del uso de máscaras y del distanciamiento social, lo que proporciona un poderoso incentivo para muchos. Aunque California se ha mostrado reacia a adoptar medidas más coercitivas, como un requisito de pasaporte de vacunas en todo el estado, las reglas de reapertura permiten que las personas completamente vacunadas asistan a eventos más grandes . Además, los gobiernos estatales y locales han impuesto requisitos selectivos a ciertos californianos: es probable que los estudiantes de universidades públicas requieran sus vacunas, aunque los guardias de la prisión no.

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COMMUNITY

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com ENGLISH

VAX FOR CASH: NEWSOM OFFERS BIG BUCKS FOR CALIFORNIANS WHO GET THEIR SHOTS Ben Christopher CalMatters

extra support to get vaccinated and help keep California safe,” Dr. Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement.

or Californians who are insufficiently compelled by civic duty and self-preservation to get vaccinated, Gov. Gavin Newsom is offering another reason to get the jab: cold, hard cash.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the state Department of Finance, said the lottery funding will initially come out of the state’s emergency operations account, but will be repaid with the state’s multi-billion dollar allotment of federal relief funds.

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On Thursday May 27, Newsom announced a $116.5 million “Vax for the Win” program, the largest inoculation lottery program in the country. The money will be split among dozens of lucky Californians: $1.5 million to each of 10 “grand cash prize” winners who will be picked by random draw on June 15, and $50,000 each to 30 “Fridays for 30” winners to be selected by random draw on June 4 and June 11.

The remaining $100 million will be divided up in $50 retail gift cards among the next 2 million Californians to complete their vaccine regimen.

“These are real incentives,” the governor said at a press conference. “And these are an opportunity to say thank you to those not only seeking to get vaccinated, as we move forward, but also those that have been vaccinated.”

According to the most recent state vaccine data, a little more than half of all Californians over age 12 have been fully vaccinated. Another 13% have received one of two shots.

That still leaves more than 12 million Californians unvaccinated.

The percentage vaccinated varies wildly by race and income. Among Californians living in the top quarter of the healthiest ZIP codes, 76.6% have received at least one dose. In the least healthy quarter in the state’s “Healthy Places” Index, the share is only 52.1%.

“Some Californians weren’t ready to get their COVID-19 vaccine on day one, and that’s okay. This program is designed to encourage those who need

“The cost of not getting vaccinated is exponentially, incalculably higher,” Newsom said.

The governor noted that Californians who have already been inoculated will be entered into both the $1.5 million and $50,000 contests. When the state rolled out its MyTurn website as a one-stop-shop for vaccine appointments, most Californians turned elsewhere. But the state also maintains a confidential registry of all vaccine recipients. The names of winners will be kept confidential unless they volunteer to have them released, said Newsom.

“These are real incentives. And these are an opportunity to say thank you to those not only seeking to get vaccinated, as we move forward, but also those that have been vaccinated.”

-GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio was the first to launch a statewide cash-for-vax lottery program in mid-May. Nearly 3 million Ohioans entered and a 22-year-old recent college grad was the first winner on Wednesday. According to one analysis, vaccinations jumped by 40% in the week after DeWine’s announcement.

Since then other state governors have followed suit.

Colorado is offering a total of $5 million to the newly inoculated. West Virginia has tempted vaccine-hesitant young residents with savings bonds and New York has dangled the possibility of a tuition-free public university education.

But California’s cash giveaway is the biggest yet.

For Newsom, the program represents a political win-win. The governor has vowed to ease most of California’s COVID restrictions by June 15. The more vaccinated Californians, the more likely it is that the reopening process will go off without another surge in cases and hospitalizations. That, in turn, would be good news for the state, but also a governor who is hoping to survive an all-but-certain recall election later this year.

In a Public Policy Institute of California poll released this week, 57% of likely voters said they oppose removing Newsom, while 40% said they supported the recall. In the survey, 61% approved Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and 75% gave the state excellent or good marks for vaccine distribution.

Earlier this month, the governor went on a statewide tour announcing various goodies from his latest revenue-rich budget proposal — a convenient mix of policymaking and politics. Handing out even more cash to Californians in the name of public health can’t hurt the governor’s political image either.

Republican John Cox quickly accused Newsom of trying to “buy votes before the recall.”

Based on the nearly 20 million Californians who have received at least one dose so far, the odds of winning the $1.5 million prize are 1 in 2 million — better than the chances in more established lotteries. The odds of winning $1 million in Powerball are 1 in 11.7 million and in Mega Millions are 1 in 12.6 million.

Newsom said the administration consulted with researchers at UCLA’s COVID-19 Health and Politics project in putting the program together.

According to research conducted by political scientist Lynn Vavreck, lead researcher at the project, about a third of survey respondents said they were “more likely” to get a COVID vaccine if offered a cash

prize of $50 to $100. That’s compared to other tactics, including pro-vaccine public messaging from celebrities.

“Those types of message treatments did not work, but changing people’s material condition — giving them a little bit of money or telling them they don’t have to wear a mask anymore — made them more likely,” Vavreck told CalMatters.

But for a minority of survey respondents — about 15% — the offer of cash backfired. That’s consistent with some criticisms made of these lottery programs noting that some vaccine skeptics could falsely interpret a cash reward program as an indication that the vaccine presents a risk that has to be compensated.

Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease physician at the University of California San Francisco, said that different people remain unvaccinated for very different reasons — a lack of social pressure, inconvenience, concerns about common side effects and more unfounded and outlandish safety concerns — so a single policy isn’t likely to convince them all.

A possible cash incentive “will move the needle for the people on the fence,” he said. “The people who are watching and waiting, who are not necessarily opposed to the vaccine but waiting to see people they know get it…that group will probably be most moved.”

Earlier this month, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated Americans can largely dispense with maskwearing and social distancing— providing a powerful incentive for many. Though California has been reluctant to adopt more coercive measures, such as a statewide vaccine passport requirement, the reopening rules allow fully vaccinated people to attend larger events. Also, state and local governments have imposed selective requirements on certain Californians — public university students are likely to be required to have their shots, though prison guards are not.

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

MAIN NEWS

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

LATINOS CREAN APLICACIÓN PARA AYUDAR A LA COMUNIDAD DE HABLA HISPANA

LATINOS CREATE JOBS APP FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS

ESPAÑOL

ENGLISH

M

Jacqueline Garcia CalMatters

ientras Marina Corona estaba viendo videos de TikTok hace poco más de dos meses, se encontró con uno que incluía información sobre una aplicación móvil de búsqueda de empleo en español.

Interesada en el tema, la trabajadora inmigrante decidió descargar la aplicación gratuita Chamba para obtener más información. “Observé qué tipo de trabajos ofrecían ya que estaba buscando un (trabajo) de medio tiempo”, dijo Corona, quien trabaja en el negocio de la limpieza.

Sin mucho esfuerzo, encontró un trabajo potencial y se postuló por mensaje de texto. En cuestión de días, estaba trabajando en su nuevo puesto.

Corona, que se identifica a sí misma como una persona que habla inglés limitado, dice que la aplicación es mejor que la solicitud a través de agencias de empleo, lo que requiere que complete solicitudes en línea. Ahora, con la aplicación Chamba, la residente de Los Ángeles dice que puede buscar un trabajo de tiempo completo desde su teléfono.

Lanzamiento en medio de una pandemia Diego Montemayor, creador y CEO de Chamba, dijo que mientras tuvo la idea por mucho tiempo, sintió la urgencia de lanzar la aplicación en abril de 2020 después de ver cuántos latinos perdieron el trabajo durante la pandemia.

“Pero también hay años de sufrimiento de nuestra gente que no puede encontrar trabajo en los Estados Unidos”, dijo Montemayor, de 29 años. “Vi la necesidad de conectar a mi gente con más trabajos de una manera más fácil”.

Chamba en español coloquial mexicano y en algunos países latinoamericanos significa trabajo.

Montemayor y el cofundador, David Ruiz, se enorgullecen de lanzarse en medio de la crisis económica de Denver.

Han agregado siete personas más, incluidos desarrolladores, diseñadores y comercializadores, para trabajar en la aplicación. Comenzaron pidiendo a las pequeñas empresas los puestos que estaban tratando de cubrir y luego enviarían la información de los usuarios a esos empleadores potenciales.

“Tomó alrededor de un mes para desarrollar y lanzar la primera versión de Chamba”, dijo Montemayor. “Vimos que la pandemia estaba afectando a la gente. Vimos el problema e iniciamos operaciones en Colorado”.

La tecnología es una gran ayuda Una vez que comenzaron a trabajar en Chamba, Montemayor necesitaba correr la voz pero no tenía un presupuesto de marketing. En cambio, hicieron un truco de marketing con videos divertidos en las redes sociales como TikTok. “Nos dimos cuenta de que el emprendimiento no es solo la idea de un negocio sino que también incluye otras cosas, como la creatividad”, dijo el emprendedor mexicano.

“Todo nuestro crecimiento ha sido orgánico. Cuando vimos que podíamos trabajar con influencers, tomamos ese camino porque ahora toda la gente está en las redes sociales ”.

Chamba ahora tiene más de 34.000 usuarios registrados.

Aproximadamente 1.000 personas utilizan la aplicación para buscar empleo y diariamente se publican más de 20 puestos de trabajo.

“Tenemos una gran demanda de trabajos de construcción, restaurantes, limpieza y almacenes”, dijo Montemayor.

Montemayor dijo que Chamba planea expandir las categorías de empleo para trabajos que requieren niveles más altos de educación a medida que los usuarios solicitan más ofertas de trabajo.

Por ahora, la herramienta digital ya ha ayudado a los hispanohablantes en un momento difícil. Corona dijo que sabe de al menos cinco personas que lograron conseguir un trabajo a través de la aplicación Chamba después de que Fry’s Electronics cerró sus puertas de forma permanente.

Sus conocidos trabajaban en el área de limpieza de la empresa y lograron conseguir otros trabajos en semanas.

“Creo que ha sido una muy buena opción”, dijo Corona, “para todos nosotros”.

Este artículo es parte de California Divide, una colaboración entre redacciones que examina la desigualdad de ingresos y la supervivencia económica en California.

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Jacqueline Garcia CalMatters

hile Marina Corona was watching TikTok videos a little over two months ago, she came across one that included information about a job finder mobile application in Spanish.

Interested in the topic, the immigrant worker decided to download the free app Chamba to find out more.

“I looked at what kind of jobs they offered since I was looking for a part-time (job),” said Corona, who works in the cleaning business. Without much effort, she found a potential job and applied by text. In a matter of days, she was working in her new position.

Corona, who identifies herself as a limited-English speaker, says the app is better than applying through job agencies, which requires her to fill out online applications. Now, with the Chamba app, the Los Angeles resident says she can look for a full-time job from her phone.

Launching in the midst of a pandemic Diego Montemayor, creator and CEO of Chamba, said while he’s had the idea for a long time, he felt an urgency to launch the app in April 2020 after seeing how many Latinos lost work during the pandemic.

“But there are also years of suffering from our people who cannot find jobs in the United States,” said Montemayor, 29. “I saw the need to connect my people with more jobs in an easier way.”

Chamba in Mexican colloquial Spanish and in some Latin American countries means work.

Montemayor and co-founder, David Ruiz are proud of launching in the midst of the economic crisis from Denver. They have added seven more people, including developers, designers and marketers, to work on the app. They began by asking small businesses for positions they’re trying to fill and would then forward

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users’ information to those potential employers.

“It took about a month to develop and release the first version of Chamba,” Montemayor said. “We saw that the pandemic was affecting people. We saw the problem and we started operations in Colorado.”

Technology a great help Once they started working on Chamba, Montemayor needed to get the word out but didn’t have a marketing budget. Instead, they did a marketing hack with funny videos on social media such as TikTok. “We realized that entrepreneurship is not only the idea of a business but also includes other things, such as creativity,” said the Mexican entrepreneur.

“All of our growth has been organic. When we saw that we could work with influencers, we went down that route because now all the people are on social media”.

Chamba now has more than 34,000 registered users. About 1,000 people use the app to look for employment and more than 20 jobs are published daily.

“We are in high demand for construction jobs, restaurants, cleaning and warehouses,” said Montemayor.

Montemayor said Chamba is planning to expand employment categories for jobs that require higher levels of education as users request more job listings.

For now, the digital tool has already helped Spanishspeakers through a difficult time. Corona said she knows of at least five people who managed to get a job through the Chamba app after Fry’s Electronics closed its doors permanently.

Her acquaintances worked in the cleaning area at the company, and they managed to get other jobs in weeks.

“I think it has been a very good option,” Corona said, “for all of us.”

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TRAVEL

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

HEADED TO THE WOODS

S

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EN DIRECCIÓN AL BOSQUE

ENGLISH

ESPAÑOL

Roz Brown Public News Service

“Este año es importante que la gente, cuando haga planes de vacaciones de verano, lo haga con anticipación”, rogó Brooks. “´Saber Antes de Viajar´ es algo que queremos inculcar en la gente. Prepara algunos planes alternativos por si hay cierres o restricciones”.

ANTA FE, N.M. -- At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Americans hit the road, with the U.S. Forest Service reporting an increase of 19 million visitors last summer over 2019 numbers.

Brooks recomendó los consejos y recursos recomendados para una experiencia de verano segura en beoutdoorsafe.org.

Maureen Brooks, wildfire prevention program manager for the U.S. Forest Service, expects an equal number of people will want to get out and enjoy public lands this year. She said a list of tips has been created for those planning summer vacations in the forest.

"It's important for folks this year, as they're planning their summer vacations, to plan ahead," Brooks urged. "'Know Before You Go' is something we like to mention to people. Have some alternative plans should there be some closures or restrictions."

Brooks pointed to recommended tips and resources for a safe summer experience at beoutdoorsafe.org.

In 2020, the Western United States experienced a series of major wildfires, and Brooks was especially concerned visitors to public lands practice fire safety. Due to severe drought, New Mexico's first major wildfire this year ignited in April near a campground where visitors hike to view prehistoric petroglyphs.

Brooks reminded visitors to the outdoors nine

An increase in people visiting public lands during the pandemic in 2020 led to gridlock in some states and locations, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Photo Credit: MarciaGilles / pewtrusts.org

out of 10 wildfires are typically preventable.

"In our country, nationwide, about 87% of wildfires are human caused, from different things like campfires to debris burning and that sort of thing," Brooks explained.

Brooks added campers should investigate the best time to visit their favorite public parks and trails, check for camping and fire restrictions, and have the proper equipment to extinguish a campfire. She also reminded those hauling campers or trailers to make sure they're property attached, and would not create sparks that could start a fire.

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Roz Brown Public News Service

ANTA FE, N.M. -- En el punto culminante de la pandemia de coronavirus en el 2020, los americanos salieron a las calles, con el Servicio Forestal de EE.UU. reportando un incremento de 19 millones de visitas el verano pasado comparado con los números del 2019.

Maureen Brooks, directora del programa de prevención de incendios forestales para el Servicio Forestal de EE.UU., calcula que la misma cantidad de personas querrán salir y disfrutar las tierras públicas este año. Dijo que se ha creado una lista de consejos para aquellos que planeen unas vacaciones de verano en el bosque.

En el 2020, el oeste de Estados Unidos sufrió una serie de incendios forestales de gran escala, y Brooks estaba especialmente preocupada que los visitantes a las tierras públicas pusieran en práctica las medidas de seguridad contra incendios. Debido a la grave sequía, el primer incendio forestal mayor de New México se desató en abril cerca de un campamento donde los visitantes hacen senderismo para observar petroglifos prehistóricos.

Brooks recordó a los visitantes de la intemperie que 9 de cada 10 incendios forestales se pueden prevenir.

“En nuestro país, en todo el terreno, alrededor del 87% de los incendios forestales son causados por humanos, desde fogatas hasta la quema de escombros y cosas así”, explicó Brooks.

Brooks añadió que los campistas deberían investigar la mejor época para visitar sus parques públicos y senderos favoritos, verificar las restricciones para acampar y hacer fogatas, y tener el equipo adecuado para extinguir una fogata. También recordó a la gente con remolques o tráileres de acarreo que aseguren que estén bien acoplados, y que no produzcan chispas que después podrían causar un incendio.

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

HORÓSCOPO DE JUNIO Mario Jiménez Castillo El Observador

“Mucha atención: Mercurio estará retrógrado hasta el día 22 de junio.

Por favor tengan mucha precaución" ARIES Tendrás algunas buenas noticias en este mes, sin importar los pequeños contratiempos y las pequeñas pérdidas que trae Mercurio. Te toca dar mucho de ti a otras personas. Serás como la luz que ilumine el camino de aquellos que enfrenten tribulación. Ayúdales a quienes te necesiten, esto traerá un karma estupendo a tu vida.

Números de la suerte: 2-11-25-126-45-57 TAURO Controla tus impulsos especialmente en el sector financiero, no es buen momento para hacer inversiones arriesgadas, ni mucho menos para lanzarte en proyectos que demanden mucho dinero. Tus planes observarán algunos retrasos. Por el momento navega con la corriente. A fin de mes todo mejorará.

Números de la suerte: 18-19-20-34-45-67 GÉMINIS ¡Feliz cumpleaños y que el cielo derrame muchas bendiciones en tu vida! Tu planeta está retrógrado en tu propio signo, por lo tanto debes extremar cuidados especialmente, en tus desplazamientos y en el sector salud. No es el mes propicio para tomar decisiones importantes. Posterga eso para el mes de julio.

Números de la suerte: 13-17-21-31-43-45 CÁNCER Estás finalizando un ciclo y darás paso a que otro mejor inicie. Trata de darle alegrías a tu vida, socializa con personas positivas y trata de hacer el bien a tu alrededor. Un toque de espiritualidad le dará calma y bienestar a tu existencia. Recibirás dos sorpresas en la semana de tu cumpleaños.

Números de la suerte: 10-15-25-55-56-70 LEO Aprovecha este mes para organizarte y especialmente para ponerte en forma. Cuando prestas atención a tu salud y apariencia, es cuando mejor te sientes. Se resolverán algunos malos entendidos con seres queridos. No te extralimites en compras innecesarias, recuerda que Mercurio retrógrado trae consigo gastos imprevistos. Economiza.

Números de la suerte: 4-18-27-39-48-61 VIRGO Retrasa los viajes, las decisiones y los compromisos, tu regente está en retrogradación. Espera un momento más propicio para llevar a cabo tus planes. Mercurio causa retrasos, pequeñas pérdidas y hasta altibajos de salud. Tu mejor opción es actuar con serenidad y esperar a que pase la tempestad.

Números de la suerte: 1-9-11-17-60-66 LIBRA La energía maravillosa de Venus tu planeta regente, trae consigo muchas oportunidades, momentos felices y dicha a tu entorno. Debes dejar atrás sentimientos impropios y resentimientos. Perdona, olvida y sigue por el camino que los Ángeles han reservado para ti. Tendrás que hacer mantenimiento en casa y con el auto. Paciencia.

Números de la suerte: 16-25-30-44-48-55 ESCORPIÓN A pesar de la energía adversa de Mercurio, tú serás quizá el signo menos afectado por este aspecto astral. En un par de ocasiones podrías recibir noticias de personas enfermas o de familiares pasando dificultades.

Reza por ellos y ofrece tu ayuda. Un deseo largamente acariciado se te concederá.

Números de la suerte:1-7-13-23-43-47 SAGITARIO Puedes enfrentar algunos problemas de pareja o pequeñas rencillas familiares.

No desbordes tu temperamento, muestra serenidad y vive con calma. Tu carácter suele ser tu talón de Aquiles. Suaviza tus comentarios y tus consejos. Algo que deseas con mucho afán muy pronto se materializará.

Números de la suerte: 6-9-12-33-44-56 CAPRICORNIO Tienes una misión espiritual que cumplir durante todo el mes de junio. Varias personas acudirán a ti, en busca de consejo, ayuda u orientación. Todo lo bueno que hagas por los demás, retornará a ti como una gran bendición del cielo. Haz ejercicios, diviértete y sé feliz. Ofrenda una vela a San Antonio, hazlo el día 13.

Números de la suerte: 24-19-34-49-50-59 ACUARIO Es probable que enfrentes algunos altibajos emocionales o de salud. No te preocupes demasiado, son achaques provocados para la energía retrógrada de Mercurio.

Después del día 22, las aguas volverán a su cauce. Te harán una propuesta de negocio o de trabajo que te resultará sumamente beneficiosa. Aprovecha esa buena oportunidad.

Números de la suerte: 14-22-32-42-54-56 PISCIS Trata de enmendar errores, fallas y malos entendidos con tus seres queridos. De ese modo te sentirás en paz contigo mismo y lograrás al mismo tiempo liberarte de penas y de pesares. No se puede cambiar el pasado, pero sí es posible mejorar el presente con actitudes bondadosas y con buenos sentimientos.

Números de la suerte: 1-3-5-19-28-32 Photo Credit: Pixabay

VIBRAS

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NOTIFICACIÓN DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA The Citizens Watchdog Committee (CWC) para la Medida A 2000, Un Programa de Impuesto sobre Ventas de Transporte Público tendrá su audiencia pública anual del año fiscal 2020 sobre los gastos de la Medida A 2000 el: Miércoles, 9 de junio, 2021 a las 6:00 p.m., solamente por Zoom video y teleconferencia Los detalles de la audiencia pública están disponibles en: bit.ly/vta-cac-cwc-agendas Se exhorta al público a aportar sus comentarios. Comentarios públicos verbales serán aceptados a través de la reunión por video y teleconferencia. Comentarios escritos serán aceptados hasta las 10:00 a.m. el 9 de junio por correo electrónico a: board.secretary@vta.org. Servicios de lenguaje de signos y de interpretación adicionales serán proporcionados a petición, favor de contactar a atención al cliente de VTA por lo menos cinco días antes de la reunión llamando al (408) 321-2300, TTY (408) 321-2330.

AUDITORÍA DE CUMPLIMIENTO INDEPENDIENTE DE LOS RESULTADOS DE LOS GASTOS DEL PROGRAMA PARA LA MEDIDA A 2000 DEL AÑO FISCAL 2020 El CWC comisionó una auditoria de los registros financieros del programa Medida A y el horario para el año fiscal 2020 (1ero de julio del 2019 – 30 de junio del 2020). Crowe LLP, contadores públicos certificados e independientes, realizó la auditoría de conformidad con estándares de atestación establecidos por el Instituto Estadounidense de Contadores Públicos Certificados. Emitieron un dictamen no calificado (“limpio”) sobre la conformidad con el voto del Programa Medida A, convirtiendo a ésta en la 14. Auditoría consecutiva para recibir una clara. opinión cla VTA aporta “Soluciones que te Mueven.” En noviembre del 2000, los electores del Condado de Santa Clara aprobaron la Medida A, un impuesto de medio centavo sobre las ventas en un lapso de 30 años para proyectos y operaciones específicos de mejoras de capital en el transporte público. En el año fiscal 2020, el 14° año del programa de 30 años, el VTA ha obtenido resultados significativos hacía el cumplimiento de las metas de la Medida A incluyendo: • Ampliación de BART a las ciudades de Milpitas y San José del Condado de Santa Clara y el continuo esfuerzo para ampliar el servicio hasta el centro de San José y Santa Clara -- La Comisión de Servicios Públicos de California (CPUC) aprobó la Certificación de Seguridad del Sistema del proyecto Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension el 3 de Junio del 2020. El proyecto entró al Servicio de Ganancias el 13 de Junio del 2020. El diseño del proyecto BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension y la participación en el programa Federal Govern ments Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Funding sigue avanzando.

• Ampliar el Light Rail por 2.4 millas desde Alum Rock Light Rail Station hasta Eastridge Transit Center en el Este de San José – El diseño final y las actividades de prioridad continuaron para el proyecto Eastridge to BART Regional Connector (EBRC) y el diseño de utilidad y reubicación también continuaron durante el año fiscal.

• Mejorar el Servicio de Autobuses en Corredores Importantes – Instalación de refugios para mejorar la experiencia del cliente sobre Steven Creek Rapid 523 fue completado en noviembre del 2019.

Los documentos del Programa Medida A 2000 y los resultados de auditorías están disponibles en la página web de VTA en vta.org/cwc-fy20audit y también están disponibles en las Oficinas de Administración de VTA en 3331 N. First Street, San Jose, CA en el Vestíbulo Principal del Edificio B. Favor de contactar a la Oficina del Secretario del Consejo por teléfono al (408) 321-5680 o por correo electrónico a board.secretary@vta.org para preguntas o para confirmar la fecha, hora y ubicación de la reunión.

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JOBS / CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board AVISO DE AUDIENCIA Y REUNIONES PÚBLICAS

Cambios propuestos en las tarifas de Caltrain La Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) realizará un audiencia pública para recibir comentarios por parte del público sobre una extensión propuesta al descuento del 20% en la tarifa del Pase Mensual hasta el 30 de junio de 2023.

Aunque sin formar parte de la audiencia pública, el público también tendrá la oportunidad de proporcionar sus comentarios acerca de posponer los cambios siguientes en las tarifas, los cuales fueron aprobados anteriormente por la Junta Directiva en 2019: • Reducir el descuento en la tarjeta Adult One-way Clipper® de 55 centavos a 25 centavos, con cambios correspondientes en todas las tarjetas Clipper • Tres aumentos progresivos en las tarifas que se aplican cada dos años alternando entre un aumento de 50 centavos en la Tarifa Básica un año y uno de 25 centavos en la Tarifa de Zona el otro año • Dos aumentos progresivos del 5% en las tarifas en el Go Pass cada dos años.

La audiencia pública se llevará a cabo durante la reunión del Comité Financiero de la Junta Directiva de la JPB: Lunes, 24 de mayo de 2021 a la 2:30 p.m.

Acceso por Internet: join.zoom.us O por vía telefónica: 1.669.900.6833 Ingrese la ID del webinario: 933 8892 7360 y la contraseña: 790810 La JPB también realizará una reunión pública para presentar la propuesta y recibir comentarios por parte del público.

Jueves, 20 de mayo de 2021 a las 5:30 p.m.

Acceso por Internet: join.zoom.us O por vía telefónica: 1.669.900.6833 Ingrese la ID del webinario: 971 6867 0624 y la contraseña: 240979 Antes de la audiencia, los comentarios pueden enviarse llenando el formulario de comentarios por Internet en www.caltrain.com/changes, por correo, e-mail o teléfono: Board Secretary Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board P.O. Box 3006, San Carlos, CA 94070-1306 Changes@caltrain.com 1.800.660.4287 (TTY 650.508.6448) Para solicitar servicio de traducción o interpretación, llame a Caltrain al 1.800.660.4287 al menos tres días antes de la reunión. 如果需要翻译或口译协助，请在听证会开始之前至少提前3天拨打 1.800.660.4287 联系 Caltrain。

Assistant Engineer needed to assist in the preparation of design, specification and details for structural engineering construction projects. Assist with layouts of structural drawings, and specifications. Assist in the preparation of specifications detailing calculations, design, and analysis.

Assist in preparation of production contract documents and quality take-off and cost estimates. Draft all documents in compliance with local, regional, and state building codes using SAP2000/ETABS, Enercalc, RAM Concept, & RAM Structural Systems. Work location is San Jose, CA. Send resumes to Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. Attn: HR, 865 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126. Resume must specifically identify all education & experience relevant to job offered.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382214 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Jaebong Lee. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Jaebong Lee has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Jaebong Lee to Noel Lee 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: 8/03/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

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.

May 21, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382591

Se buscan trabajadores en Livermore para construción.

Somos una compañía de insulación. Trabajo Lunes a Viernes . Licencia de chofer es importante pero no estás descalificado.

Compañía grande con mucho trabajo.

Llamen a Salvador 925-3152089. Yo les doy una entrevista y entonces seguimos o no.

Experencia tiene bono.

EMPLOYMENT AD GAMEPLAY ENGINEER Gameplay Engineer: M.S. in Computing or Gameplay Engineering plus 2yrs wk exp req’d.

Send resumes to: Striking Distance Studios, Inc., 6111 Bollinger Canyon Rd., Ste. 150, San Ramon, CA 94583 , Attn: J. Shin.

Apartamentos para personas mayores de edad y bajos ingresos. Las listas de espera de estudio y de 1 habitación para Casa de Redwood se abrirán el 1 de junio de 2021. Casa de Redwood aceptará solicitudes de personas mayores de 62 años de edad o más, que cumplan con los requisitos de admisión. Para solicitar un paquete de aplicación puede llamar a la oficina, el número de teléfono es: (650) 369-4819, o puede ir a la oficina de Casa de Redwood. La dirección es: 1280 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94063 de lunes a Viernes de 9:00 am a 12:00pm y de 2:00 pm a 4:00pm con la excepción de días festivos.

Casa de Redwood ofrece oportunidad de igualdad de vivienda.

Apartamentos para personas mayores de bajos ingresos.

Crane Place Apartments es una comunidad de vivienda para personas mayores subsidiada por el gobierno federal en Menlo Park, California.

La lista de espera para un Studio en Crane Place Apartments se abrirá el 1 de junio de 2021.

Crane Place Apartments estará aceptando solicitudes de personas mayores de 62 años o mayores, que cumplan con las directrices de admisión, así como de solicitantes con deficiencia de movilidad de 18 años o mayores, que requieren las características de diseño de los apartamentos accesibles.

Para solicitar un paquete de aplicacion, llame al 650-325-2442, o vaya en persona a la oficina de Crane Place Apartments en 1331 Crane Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025 de 9:00 AM a 12:00 del mediodía y de 2:00 PM a 4:00PM, de lunes a viernes, excepto en días festivos.

Crane Place ofrece igualdad de oportunidades de vivienda.

ROOM ATTENDANT-$19+ BENEFITS Sonesta ES Suites Sunnyvale E-Verify Company APPLY HERE: http://bit.ly/SonestaRoomAtty Job Description Summary The Room Attendant (RA) works with the Housekeeping Management Team to clean guest rooms and public space areas, and/ or work in the commercial laundry facility, in accordance with brand time, product and placement standards to ensure total guest satisfaction.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: • Some previous housekeeping experience preferred.

• Previous background from the extended stay industry preferred.

• Frequently standing up, bending, climbing, kneeling, and moving about the facility.

• Carrying, lifting or pulling items weighing up to 75 pounds.

Benefits • Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance • Health Savings Account with Company Match • 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match • Paid Vacation and Sick Days

Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Hee Yeon Cho. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Jaebong Lee has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Hee Yeon Cho to Kate Star Cho 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

Apartamentos para personas mayores de bajos ingresos. La lista de espera de 1 habitación para Lakemount Apartments se abrirá el martes 1 de junio y durará 5 semanas y media hasta el viernes 9 de julio de 2021. Durante ese tiempo, Lakemount aceptará solicitudes de personas mayores de 62 años o más que cumplan con los requisitos de admisión. Para solicitar un paquete de aplicacion, llame al 510-8322018, o vaya en persona a la oficina de Lakemount Apartments, de 9:00 AM. A 12:00 del mediodía y de 2:00 PM. a 4:00 PM. de lunes a viernes, en 136 E. 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94606. Se llevará a cabo un sorteo para la colocación en lista de espera a las 10:00 am el lunes 19 de julio de 2021, en el Salón Comunitario de Lakemount. Puede asistir al sorteo, pero no es necesario estar presente.

Lakemount Apartments ofrece igualdad de oportunidades de vivienda.

KITCHEN HELP Name of Business: Seoul Hotdog Location: 2505 Hearst Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709 (Next to UC Berkeley) Position: Kitchen Help Pay: $16.07 per hour Phone#: 510-766-8182 (Please Leave Message) may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 8/10/2021 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.

June 01, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382036 Superior Court of

California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Srividya Kannan Venkatraman , Venkatraman Kannan. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Srividya Kannan Venkatraman, Venkatraman Kannan has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Hayathman Venkatraman to Srikaran Venkatraman 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

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021 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: 7/27/2021 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.

May 18, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382556 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: AGNES BENEDICTA XAVIER. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) AGNES BENEDICTA XAVIER has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. AGNES BENEDICTA XAVIER to Agnés Roma Xavier 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: 8/03/2021 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 19, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382593 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Sarah Moussa Marcos. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Sarah Moussa Marcos has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Sarah Moussa Marcos to Soheir Mattar Moussa 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com 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: 8/10/2021 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.

June 01, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382599 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Mandeep Kaur. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Mandeep Kaur has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Mandeep Kaur to Mandeep Nayyar 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: 8/10/2021 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.

June 01, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV378384 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Jaebong Lee. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Lucas Foster Buwick and Cameryn Elizabeth Frost have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Lucas Foster Buwick to Lucas Foster Frostwick b. Cameryn Elizabeth Frost to Cameryn Elizabeth Frostwick 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: 7/20/2021 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.

May 17, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382421 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Razieh Khalifeh zadeh yolghonabad. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Razieh Khalifeh zadeh yolghonabad has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Razieh Khalifeh zadeh yolghonabad to Layla Khalifehzadeh 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: 8/03/2021 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.

May 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382517 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Jose Montenegro. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Jose Montenegro has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Jose Montenegro to Joseph Aiden Andrade 2. THE COURT

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS 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: 8/03/2021 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.

May 27, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382355 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Favian Fernandez and Alma Jaral. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Favian Fernandez and Alma Jaral have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Delilah Marie Jaral to Delilah Marie Fernandez 2. THE

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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: 7/27/2021 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.

May 24, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021

2nd AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 19CV317632 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Haihua Xu. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Haihua Xu has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Haihua Xu

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CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

to Cassie Xu 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: 7/13/2021 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.

May 28, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674760 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Maria Laguna Cleaning Service, 1300 E San Antonio St Sp 27, 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): Maria del Carmen Laguna Garcia, 1300 E San Antonio St 27, San

Jose, CA 95116. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 4/21/2021. 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/ Maria Laguna This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 4/28/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 674760 May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 675470 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: URC Capital II, 18330 Laurel Drive, Monte Sereno, CA 95030, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: General Partnership. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Randeep Singh Rekhi, 18330 Laurel Drive, Monte Sereno, CA 95030. Arpit Uppal, 21023 Christensen Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 5/10/2021. 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/ Randeep Singh Rekhi This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 5/20/2021.

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 675470 May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV379308 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Ruth Chilengi Crippen.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Ruth Chilengi Crippen has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Ruth Chilengi Crippen to Racheal Crippen 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: 8/03/2021 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.

May 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382357 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Abdullah Ramein, FNU Rita, Fnu Khadija, FNU HIBA. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Abdullah Ramein & FNU Rita have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Abdullah Ramein to Abdullah AZIM b. FNU Rita to Rita FAYEZ c. FNU KHADIJA to KHADIJA AZIM d.

FNU HIBA to HIBA AZIM 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: 8/03/2021 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.

May 24, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381778 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Cynthia Gomez & Anthony Ngo. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Cynthia Gomez & Anthony Ngo have filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Zayden Emiliano Ngo Gomez to Zayden Emiliano Ngo 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: 7/13/2021 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

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021

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.

May 12, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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.

May 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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.

May 25, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382397 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Daniel Sabanovich.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Daniel Sabanovich has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Rachel Alisa Sabanovich to Michael Asato Sabanovich 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: 8/03/2021 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

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382419 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Bauyrzhan Krykpayev. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Bauyrzhan Krykpayev has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Bauyrzhan Krykpayev to Baur Krykpayev 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: 8/03/2021 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

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382037 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Carlson Tristan Santiago Cabatotan. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Carlson Tristan Santiago Cabatotan has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Carlson Tristan Santiago Cabatotan to Carlson Tristan Santiago 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: 7/27/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021 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.

May 18, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV372977 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Seyed Amin Allah Hosseini. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Seyed Amin Allah Hosseini has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Seyedarvin Hosseini to Arvin Hosseini b. Seyed Amin Allah Hosseini to Nami Hosseini 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: 7/20/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept.,

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

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.

May 18, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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.

May 17, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021

May 28, June 4, 11, 18, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382013 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Silvia Ramirez. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Silvia Ramirez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Silvia Ramirez AKA Silvia Ramirez Montes to Dora Maria Ramirez Montes 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: 7/20/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept.,

Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of John Villarreal No.21PR190146 1.To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Terry Noel St. John, Terry St. John. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Marisela Campos in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Marisela Campos 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 authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: July 26, 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 May 28, June 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674741 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Estrada Builder, 293 Sunnyslope Avenue, San Jose, CA 95127, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Adolfo Estrada, 293 Sunnyslope Avenue, San Jose, CA 95127.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 9/30/2018.

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/ Adolfo Estrada This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 4/28/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 674741 May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 675227 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Morgan Hill Preschool Academy, 17780 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill, CA 95037, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Roger and Carla Ames Inc, 16715 Wild Oak Way, Morgan Hill, CA 95037. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 6/29/1998. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file#: FBN617574. “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/ Carla Ames Roger and Carla Ames Inc Vice President Article/Reg#: 2213235 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 5/12/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Sandy Chanthasy, Deputy File No. FBN 675227 May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 675152 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: High Mobility Foundation, 12734 Miller Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): High Mobility Foundation, 12734 Miller Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 3/27/2020.

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS 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/ David Shen High Mobility Foundation CFO Article/Reg#: 4575635 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 5/10/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 675152 May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.675054 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name Sadistik, Virtuabot, 871 Park Dr. Unit A, Mountain View, CA 94040, Santa Clara County. Jaime Alejandro Serna, 838 Cedar St. Apt. D, Alameda, CA 94501. This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 03/15/2016 under file no. FBN615133 /s/ Jaime Alejandro Serna May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 05/06/2021 File No. FBN 675054 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381305 Superior Court of California, County of

19

Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Basilia Perez. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Basilia Perez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Basilia Perez to Basil Perez 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: 7/13/2021 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.

May 04, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV380390 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application

20

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

of: Araceli Ramos.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Araceli Ramos has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Juancarlos Rafael Urrabazo to Rafael Urrabazo 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: 6/22/2021 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.

Apr 21, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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

Hannah Quach to Hannah 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: 7/27/2021 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.

May 19, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021

May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV382127 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381833 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the mat-

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com ter of the application of: Matthew Michael Willis. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Matthew Michael Willis has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Matthew Michael Willis to Matthew Michael David 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: 7/20/2021 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.

May 13, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of Terry Noel St. John No.21PR190085 1.To all heirs, benefi-

ciaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Terry Noel St. John, Terry St. John. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Noel St. John in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Noel St. John 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 authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: July 28, 2021, at 9:01am, Dept. 13, 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.

Attorney for Petitioner: Shahram Miri 80 Gilman Ave Suite 27 Campbell, CA 95008 408-866-8382 May 21, 28, June 4, 2021 NOTICE OF DEATH OF STANLEY BILLITZERJENKINS To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of STANLEY BILLITZER-JENKINS, who was a resident of Santa Clara County,

State of California, and died on February 12, 2021, in the City and County of Santa Clara, State of California.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the deceased, you must file your claim within four months from the date of first publication with the DERMER LAW FIRM, 15720 Winchester Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Gatos, California 95030 (408) 395-5111.

Joseph D. Dermer, Esq. DERMER LAW FIRM 15720 Winchester Blvd., Ste 200 Los Gatos, CA 95030 Tel (408) 395-5111 Fax (408) 354-2797 May 21, 28, June 4, 11, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674647 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: A and J MotorWorks, 765 Chestnut St Unit C, San Jose, CA 95110, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Jesus Valenzuela, 835 Morse Ave Apt C25, Sunnyvale, CA 94085.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 2/10/2021.

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/ Jesus Valenzuela This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 4/26/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021 By: /s/ Sandy Chanthasy, Deputy File No. FBN 674647 May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO CONFORM TO GENDER IDENTITY NO. 21CV381185 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Cassandra Michelle Fortin. 1. Petitioner(s) Cassandra Michelle Fortin filed a petition with this court for a decree changing name as follows: a.

Cassandra Michelle Fortin to Julian Cal Fortin. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection within six weeks of the date this order is issued. If no written objection is timely filed, the court will grant the petition without a hearing. 3. A hearing date may be set only if an objection is timely filed and shows good cause for opposing the name change.

Objections based solely on concerns that the proposed change is not the person’s actual gender identity or gender assigned at birth shall not constitute good cause. (See Code Civ. Proc. Section 1277.5(c)) 6/30/2011, 8:45am @PROBATE. NOTE: When a petition has been filed to change the name of a minor to conform to gender identity and the petition does not include the signatures of both living parents, the petition and this order to show cause shall be served

on the parent who did not sign the petition, under section 413.10, 414.10,or 415.40, within 30 days from the date on which the order is made by the court.

May 3, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674311 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Silicon Valley Chiropractic Center, Silicon Valley Chiropractic, Silicon Valley Integrative and Chiropractic, Silicon Valley Integrative and Chiropractic Center, Silicon Valley Integrative Musculoskeletal, 820 E El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a: Corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Silicon Valley Integrative Musculoskeletal Parvini Chiropractic Inc, 209 Mountain View Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 4/11/2006. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: 556077. “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/ Shervin Parvini Silicon Valley Integrative Musculoskeletal Parvini Chiropractic Inc Owner Article/Reg#: 3393402 Above entity was formed in the state of

JUN 4 - JUN 10, 2021 CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 4/19/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 674311 May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674269 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: All Go Plumbing & Rooter, 1935 Supreme Dr, San Jose, CA 95148, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Em H. Le, 1935 Supreme Dr, San Jose, CA 95148. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on: 3/30/2021. 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/ Em H. Le This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 4/15/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 674269 May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 674976 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Iron House Rabbit, 329 Ellmar Oaks Loop, San Jose, CA

95136, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an: Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Siomara Verenicie Chavez, 329 Ellmar Oaks Loop, San Jose, CA 95136. 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/ Siomara Verenicie Chavez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 5/04/2021.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 674976 May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.674873 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name KINGS CLEANING, 5436 Cribari Green, San Jose, CA 95135, Santa Clara County. James A. Martinez, 5436 Cribari Green, San Jose, CA 95135. Miriam J. Martinez, 5436 Cribari Green, San Jose, CA 95135. This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 08/01/2007 under file no. FBN497646 /s/ James A. Martinez May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2020 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 04/30/2021

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 Statement of Abandonment of Use of Fictitious Business Name NO.674786 The following person/ entity has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name P & T Automotive Repair, 1002 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126, Santa Clara County. Phil Da Lam, 2299 Bikini Ave, San Jose, CA 95122.

This business was conducted by an individual and was filed in Santa Clara County on 06/13/2016 under file no. FBN618342 /s/ Phil Da Lam May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2020 This statement was filed with the County of Santa Clara on 04/28/2021 May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV380748 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: ANDRE HUY PHAN. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) ANDRE HUY PHAN has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. ANDRE HUY PHAN to ANDRE HUY TRAN 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: 7/06/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara.

April 07, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381427 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Erika Alvarez Marron.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Erika Alvarez Marron has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Erika Alvarez Marron to Xareni Nakawé Aquetzali 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: 7/13/2021 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.

May 05, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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: 7/13/2021 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.

May 05, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021

May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381426 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Erika Perez. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Erika Perez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Erika Perez to Xareni Nakawé Aquetzali-Perez 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

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381687 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Andres Villalvazo.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

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

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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: 7/13/2021 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.

May 10, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

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: 7/06/2021 at 8:45 am, Probate Dept., located at 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. 3. A copy of the Order to Show cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in El Observador, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in the county of Santa Clara.

May 03, 2021 Julie A. Emede Judge of the Superior Court

May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021

May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 21CV381192 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Abdulla Evan Aslan. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Abdulla Evan Aslan has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Abdulla Evan Aslan to Yanni Evan Aslan 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

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EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

Ofrecemos un servicio de entrega de comidas en casa Una dieta nutritiva es la base para un estilo de vida saludable, pero eso no es siempre fácil si usted está convaleciente en casa o confinado por la pandemia en el Condado de Santa Clara.

Sourcewise Meals on Wheels puede traerle comidas nutritivas directamente a su casa, independientemente de su situación económica.

Consulte si califica para recibir el servicio de entrega de comidas en casa. Hable con un especialista de recursos para la comunidad de Sourcewise.

(408) 350-3200, opción 1 community@mysourcewise.com

NOTA PUBLICITARIA DE LA CAMPAÑA DE CONSERVACIÓN

Despídase de los jardines con alto consumo de agua y dele la bienvenida a los jardines de bajo consumo ¿Sabía que al menos la mitad del agua que se consume en un hogar típico del condado de Santa Clara se usa en el exterior? Podría ahorrar dinero en su factura de agua si transforma su jardín con la ayuda del Programa de Reembolso para jardines del Distrito del Agua del Valle de Santa Clara.

Al caminar por su barrio tal vez haya notado que cada vez hay más casas en el condado de Santa Clara que ya han cambiado sus jardines frontales por hermosos jardines de bajo consumo de agua.

Los residentes del condado de Santa Clara están descubriendo los numerosos beneficios de reemplazar jardines con el Programa de Reembolso para jardines del Distrito del Agua del Valle de Santa Clara. ¡De hecho, casi 10,000 residentes y comerciantes ya han participado en el programa!

Nuestro Programa de Reembolso para jardines puede ayudarlo a transformar su jardín de alto consumo de agua en uno de bajo consumo y hacer que su equipo de irrigación sea más eficiente.

• Obtenga $100 por cada 100 pies cuadrados de jardín que convierta hasta un máximo de $2,000 para propiedades residenciales y $50,000 para comercios e instituciones. ¡Algunas áreas que comparten costos podrían recibir incluso más!

• Comience el proceso de solicitud en www. watersavings.org para pedir una preinspección o llámenos al (408) 630-2554 para obtener más información.

• Tenga en cuenta que es necesario obtener la aprobación de su solicitud antes de comenzar un proyecto.

Con el verano cada vez más cerca, permítanos ayudarlo a reemplazar su jardín con alto consumo de agua por uno “evolucionado” mediante el uso de plantas nativas de California que toleran las sequías y necesitan menos agua. ¡Un “jardín evolucionado” es funcional, atractivo y fácil de mantener, lo cual no solo lo ayudará a ahorrar dinero, sino que también logrará hacer de la conservación un estilo de vida!

Visite www.WaterSavings.org, donde podrá aprender más sobre nuestros programas de reembolso, programar una inspección para la preaprobación de un proyecto apto para un reembolso, o solicitar equipos de ahorro de agua. Para consultar sobre cómo puede ahorrar agua en su hogar y su jardín, envíe un correo a conservation@valleywater.org o llame al (408) 630-2554.

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END LAWS THAT SANCTION GUILT BY ASSOCIATION

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OPINIÓN: DEBEMOS PONER FIN A LAS LEYES QUE SANCIONAN LA CULPA POR ASOCIACIÓN

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Emily Galvin-Almanza Special to CalMatters

La senadora estatal Sydney Kamlager ahora está luchando para cambiar eso con el Proyecto de Ley 333 de la Asamblea, la Ley STEP Forward. Cuando se le preguntó qué la motivó a presentar este proyecto de ley, me dijo que “AB 333 trata sobre el debido proceso y garantizar la coherencia en la forma en que se aplica el castigo adicional debido a la afiliación a una pandilla a la sentencia de una persona. Cuando vemos que el 92% del castigo adicional se agrega debido a la afiliación a una pandilla se usa contra las comunidades de color, tenemos que considerar cómo nuestro sistema de justicia penal está utilizando las herramientas que ya tienen a su disposición”.

f you were told that there’s a law on the books that lets police target people for special prosecutions on the basis of race, would you believe it? Would you believe that this law lets police designate Black and Brown kids for surveillance and harassment, and allows prosecutors to suspend many of the rules that protect the rights of white people? What if you were told that this law–the Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention (STEP) Act–is on the books in deep-blue California?

I first experienced this jaw-dropping legal framework in 2008, during my first summer job as a law student, when I watched the STEP Act lead to the conviction of a young father innocent of the crime with which he was charged. Now, in my work running Partners for Justice, a national organization dedicated to helping people walk away from the criminal legal system with their lives as unscathed as possible, it remains hard to believe that we have not yet changed these massively harmful statutes.

California’s STEP Act passed in 1988, under the guise of protecting people from the (often media-amplified) specter of gang crime. It has been used to criminalize kids of color and create a separate system of justice for them and their families. By allowing police to determine who can be designated as gang members and prosecutors to circumvent the normal rules of evidence and use crimes by friends and neighbors to infer guilt, the STEP Act effectively serves to manufacture crime on the basis of ethnicity and relationships.

A white man may face trial for robbery under rules of evidence strictly requiring a prosecutor to prove he committed the robbery–regardless of whether the prosecutor has a photo of that man at a barbecue with a cousin who was once arrested with a gun. But for a Black man facing the same charge with a gang allegation added on–even though gang databases can be wildly error-ridden, with babies listed as admitted gangsters–the cousin’s case can also be presented to the jury, along with the photo. Under the STEP Act, guilt by association, once anathema to jury trials, is allowed.

State Sen. Sydney Kamlager is now fighting to change that with Assembly Bill 333, the STEP Forward Act. Asked what motivated her to bring this bill, she told me that “AB 333 is about due process and ensuring consistency in the way gang enhancements are applied to a person’s sentence. When we see 92% of gang enhancements are used against communities of color, we have to consider how our criminal justice system is using the tools they already have at their disposal.”

The bill would stop prosecutors from claiming people are gang members simply because of the community they come from, who they’re related to, what clothing they wear or who they know. The way gang crimes are prosecuted would come closer to the way orga-

The Step Forward Act would limit the ability to bring arbitrary gang affiliations into the courtroom.

Photo Credit: niu niu / Unsplash

nized crime was once prosecuted: restricting the list of crimes that qualify for gang allegations, and, most important, requiring direct evidence of gang activity rather than allowing guilt by association and inference drawn from police speculation applied to innocuous Facebook posts or birthday party photos. Ultimately, it would help bring balance to the structurally racist system weighted against Black and Brown people, and take us one stride closer to equity.

Imagine being pulled out of school, denied your chance to graduate with your class, and sent to a detention facility because you kept wearing blue to school after a judge told your mom you weren’t allowed to, and she couldn’t afford to buy you new clothes. Imagine being stopped by police every single day, or lying awake at night worrying that your parole officer will send you back to prison if he finds out you’re seeing your son, because a gang injunction forbids you from seeing your loved ones. This is the reality in California, which is especially shocking given this moment of national reckoning with our racist criminal legal system.

In judging the quality of a proposed solution, no one’s input is more important than that of the people most affected by the problem.

That’s why it’s significant that this bill is cosponsored by members of such community organizations as Silicon Valley De-Bug, Pillars of the Community and the Young Women’s Freedom Center. It will soon be heard on the Assembly floor, but the work of raising awareness about this issue has fallen squarely on the shoulders of people experiencing the current enforcement injustices.

This system has created decades of harm, ruined lives, robbed young people of their futures and broken families apart. It isn’t enough to wear a Black Lives Matter shirt and call for change only when something trends on Twitter. If we as a society are going to achieve transformation, we must do the hard work of pushing our legislators to pass profoundly important legislation like the STEP Forward Act. Emily Galvin-Almanza, a former public defender, is co-founder of Partners for Justice, galvin@partnersforjustice.org.

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Emily Galvin-Almanza Especial para CalMatters

i le dijeran que existe una ley en los libros que permite a la policía apuntar a personas para enjuiciamientos especiales por motivos de raza, ¿lo creería? ¿Creería usted que esta ley permite a la policía designar a niños negros y morenos para vigilancia y acoso, y permite a los fiscales suspender muchas de las reglas que protegen los derechos de los blancos? ¿Qué pasaría si le dijeran que esta ley, la Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act (Ley de Prevención y Aplicación del Terrorismo Callejero) (STEP por sus siglas en inglés), está en los libros de California?

Experimenté por primera vez este marco legal asombroso en 2008, durante mi primer trabajo de verano como estudiante de derecho, cuando vi que la Ley STEP conducía a la condena de un padre joven inocente del delito que se le imputaba. Ahora, en mi trabajo al frente de Partners for Justice, una organización nacional dedicada a ayudar a las personas a salir del sistema legal penal con sus vidas lo más ilesas posible, sigue siendo difícil creer que aún no hayamos cambiado estos estatutos enormemente dañinos.

La Ley STEP de California se aprobó en 1988, con el pretexto de proteger a las personas del espectro (a menudo amplificado por los medios) de los delitos de pandillas. Se ha utilizado para criminalizar a los niños de color y crear un sistema de justicia separado para ellos y sus familias. Al permitir que la policía determine quiénes pueden ser designados como pandilleros y los fiscales para eludir las reglas normales de evidencia y utilizar los delitos cometidos por amigos y vecinos para inferir la culpabilidad, la Ley STEP sirve efectivamente para fabricar delitos sobre la base de la etnia y las relaciones.

Un hombre blanco puede enfrentar un juicio por robo bajo reglas de evidencia que exigen estrictamente que un fiscal demuestre que cometió el robo, sin importar si el fiscal tiene una foto de ese hombre en una barbacoa con un primo que una vez fue arrestado con una pistola. Pero para un hombre negro que enfrenta el mismo cargo con una acusación de pandilla agregada, a pesar de que las bases de datos de pandillas pueden estar tremendamente plagadas de errores, con bebés listados como gánsteres admitidos, el caso del primo también se puede presentar al jurado, junto con la foto.

En virtud de la Ley STEP, se permite la culpabilidad por asociación, una vez anatema para los juicios con jurado.

El proyecto de ley evitaría que los fiscales aleguen que las personas son miembros de pandillas simplemente por la comunidad de la que provienen, con quién están relacionados, qué ropa usan o a quién conocen. La forma en que se procesan los crímenes de pandillas se acercaría más a la forma en que se procesó al crimen organizado: restringiendo la lista de crímenes que califican para acusaciones de pandillas y, lo más importante, requiriendo evidencia directa de la actividad de pandillas en lugar de permitir la culpa por asociación e inferencia extraída de especulación policial aplicada a publicaciones inocuas de Facebook o fotos de fiestas de cumpleaños. En última instancia, ayudaría a equilibrar el sistema estructuralmente racista contra las personas de raza negra y morena, y nos acercaría un paso más a la equidad.

Imagínese que lo sacan de la escuela, se le niega la oportunidad de graduarse con su clase y lo envían a un centro de detención porque seguía vistiendo de azul en la escuela después de que un juez le dijera a su madre que no se le permitía hacerlo y que no podía pagar para comprar tu ropa nueva. Imagínese que la policía lo detiene todos los días o que se queda despierto por la noche preocupado de que su oficial de libertad condicional lo envíe de regreso a prisión si se entera de que está viendo a su hijo, porque una orden judicial le prohíbe ver a sus seres queridos. Esta es la realidad en California, que es especialmente impactante dado este momento de ajuste de cuentas nacional con nuestro sistema legal criminal racista.

Al juzgar la calidad de una solución propuesta, la aportación de nadie es más importante que la de las personas más afectadas por el problema. Por eso es importante que este proyecto de ley esté copatrocinado por miembros de organizaciones comunitarias como Silicon Valley De-Bug, Pillars of the Community y Young Women’s Freedom Center. Pronto se escuchará en el piso de la Asamblea, pero el trabajo de crear conciencia sobre este tema ha recaído directamente sobre los hombros de las personas que experimentan las actuales injusticias de aplicación.

Este sistema ha creado décadas de daño, arruinado vidas, robado a los jóvenes de su futuro y familias separadas. No es suficiente usar una camisa de Black Lives Matter y pedir un cambio solo cuando algo es tendencia en Twitter. Si nosotros, como sociedad, vamos a lograr una transformación, debemos hacer el arduo trabajo de presionar a nuestros legisladores para que aprueben una legislación profundamente importante como la Ley STEP Forward.

Emily Galvin-Almanza, ex defensora pública, es cofundadora de Partners for Justice, galvin@ partnersforjustice.org.

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