El Observador December 29th, 2023.

VOLUME 44 ISSUE 52 | WWW.EL-OBSERVADOR.COM | DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

COVER: PACO ROJAS RESOURCES: FREEPIK

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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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DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

LATINOS, VOTES AND ENVIRONMENT

ESPAÑOL

ENGLISH

José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

Since the beginning of this month, the United States has experienced 25 meteorological and climatic disasters that have had a cost of billions of dollars, the largest number since the records began, according to an analysis from the Climate Power organization.

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urante el 2023, Estados Unidos fue testigo de devastadores fenómenos climáticos extremos.

Como tormentas, huracanes, incendios forestales y calor extremo afectaron el país entero, sus efectos fueron desiguales y más perjudiciales para las comunidades de color.

Hasta inicios de este mes, Estados Unidos ha experimentado 25 desastres meteorológicos y climáticos que han tenido un costo de miles de millones de dólares, el mayor número desde que comenzaron los registros, de acuerdo con un análisis de la organización Climate Power.

El año de 2023 será el más caluroso jamás registrado y habrá sido la cuarta temporada de huracanes más intensa del Atlántico con 20 tormentas con nombre.

Aunque en 2023 se produjo una temporada de incendios forestales relativamente leve en términos de acres quemados, los Estados Unidos también experimentaron su incendio forestal más mortífero.

“Como era de esperar, estos fenómenos meteorológicos extremos afectaron desproporcionadamente la salud, los medios de vida y, en general, en bienestar de las comunidades de color”, concluyó el análisis.

De acuerdo con Climate Power, si no se aprueban más medidas e inversiones audaces en energía limpia e infraestructura resiliente, no será posible detener los peores impactos del cambio climático y de su desigual impacto en las comunidades más vulnerables.

Es una realidad que los fenómenos climatológicos representan una tormenta perfecta para las comunidades de color.

Latinos y afroamericanos vivimos en áreas con concentraciones más altas de polución ambiental, agua contaminada, inundaciones y vulnerabilidad ante los incendios forestales. Y una gran proporción de los trabajadores latinos trabaja al aire libre en la agricultura o la construcción, donde se registra el mayor número de casos de muertes por insolación.

La buena noticia es que, en prácticamente todas las encuestas, los latinos que vivimos en los Estados Unidos aparecemos como seres casi genéticamente inclinados hacia la conservación ambiental.

En casi todos los sondeos, la mayoría de todos los latinos expresamos no sólo nuestro deseo de que la sociedad civil, el gobierno y el sector privado hagan más para encarar el desafío que representa el calentamiento global, sino que manifestamos nuestra disposición a formar parte en campañas para actuar contra el cambio climático.

Las elecciones son siempre una inmejorable oportunidad para demostrar qué tan “verdes” somos latinos, apoyando a candidatas y candidatos que

The year of 2023 will be the hottest registered year ever, and will have been the fourth most intense hurricane season in the Atlantic with 20 named storms.

Photo Credit: Jcomp / Freepik

favorezcan políticas para un desarrollo sustentable y que tengan planes respaldados por la ciencia para combatir el cambio climático.

A cada uno de nosotros nos corresponde evaluar qué tan verdes somos y qué tan verdes podemos ser. Si llevas en tus venas la pasión por el mundo natural, por la preservación y la conservación y por un futuro verde para tu familia, habla con elocuencia con tu voto en las urnas en las elecciones del 5 de noviembre próximo.

José López Zamorano La Red Hispana

2023, the United States During witnessed extreme climatic phe-

nomena.

As storms, hurricanes, wildfires, and extreme heat affected the entire country, their effects were uneven and most detrimental to communities of color.

Although in 2023 there was a relatively mild forest fire season in terms of burned acres, the United States also experienced its most deadly forest fire.

"As expected, these extreme meteorological phenomena disproportionately affected health, livelihoods and, in general, in well-being of communities of color," the analysis concluded.

According to Climate Power, if no more measures and bold investments in clean energy and resilient infrastructure are approved, it will not be possible to stop the worst impacts of climate change and its unequal impact on the most vulnerable communities.

It is a reality that climatological phenomena represent a perfect storm for communities of color.

Latinos and African-Americans live in areas with higher concentrations of environmental pollution, contaminated water, floods and vulnerability to forest fires. And a great proportion of Latino workers works outdoors in agriculture or construction, where the largest number of heat related deaths are recorded.

The good news is that, in virtually all surveys, Latinos who live in the United States appear as almost genetically inclined to environmental conservation.

In almost all polls, most of all Latinos express not only our desire that civil society, government and private sector do more to face the challenge that represents global warming, but that we manifest our willingness to be part of campaigns to act against climate change.

The elections are always an unbeatable opportunity to demonstrate how "green" us Latinos are, supporting candidates who favor policies for sustainable development and have plans backed by science to combat climate change.

It is up to each of us to evaluate how green we are and how green we can be. If you carry in your veins the passion for the natural world, for preservation and conservation and for a green future for your family, speak eloquently with your vote at the polls on November 5, 2024.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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Llame a su doctor para hacer una cita

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HEALTH

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MAKE THESE 10 DOCTORRECOMMENDED HEALTH RESOLUTIONS IN THE NEW YEAR

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

ESTE NUEVO AÑO, ASUMA ESTOS 10 PROPÓSITOS DE SALUD RECOMENDADOS POR LOS MÉDICOS ESPAÑOL la vacunación materna y la inmunización con anticuerpos monoclonales. Si tiene preguntas, hable con su médico y consulte recursos confiables, entre ellos getvaccineanswers.org.

4. Hágase la prueba. Las estimaciones basadas en modelos estadísticos muestran que desde abril de 2020 se pueden haber omitido millones de exámenes de detección de cáncer de mama, colorrectal y de próstata debido a interrupciones de la atención relacionadas con la pandemia. Consulte a su médico. Si tiene previsto recibir atención preventiva, análisis o exámenes de detección, haga una cita. Estas medidas están diseñadas para mantenerle saludable y para ayudar a garantizar que su médico descubra ciertas afecciones antes de que se vuelvan más graves.

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ENGLISH

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StatePoint

he New Year is the perfect time to hit the reset button on your health and wellness.

Not sure where to start? Doctors say you can make the biggest impact with small, incremental tweaks to your routine.

“It is quite common after the holidays to think about all you’ve eaten or your reduced physical activity and get discouraged,” says Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., MPH, president of the American Medical Association (AMA). “But the good news is you don’t have to make major health changes in one fell swoop. You can make small, positive health choices right now that can have long-lasting effects.”

Want to get started today? Here are the 10 resolutions the AMA recommends top your list this year: 1. Get moving. Exercise is essential for your physical and mental health. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderateintensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity. Just can’t get to the gym?

No problem: start off by going for a family walk, taking the stairs at work or parking a little farther away from the mall entrance when you’re making those post-holiday gift returns.

2. Tweak your diet to include more water and less sugar-sweetened beverages. Replace processed foods -- especially those with added sodium and sugar -- with nutritious, whole foods. Stock your fridge and pantry with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lowfat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry.

3. A number of respiratory viruses circulating this winter can be serious and even lifethreatening. Get up to date on your vaccines to protect yourself and your family. These include the annual flu shot and the updated COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. Vaccines are also available to protect older adults from severe RSV. New tools to protect infants during RSV season include maternal vaccination and monoclonal antibody immunization. If you have questions, speak with your physician and review trusted resources, including getvaccineanswers.org.

4. Get screened. Estimates based on statistical models show that since April 2020, millions of screenings for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer may have been missed due

to pandemic-related care disruptions. Check in with your physician. If you’re due for preventive care, tests or screenings, make an appointment. These measures are designed to keep you healthy and help your doctor spot certain conditions before they become more serious.

5. High blood pressure, often referred to as hypertension, can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, and it affects millions of Americans. Visit ManageYourBP.org to understand what your blood pressure numbers mean and what you can do to get your blood pressure under control.

6. One in 3 American adults has prediabetes, a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes if left unmanaged. However, healthy eating and exercise can help delay or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Learn your risk by taking a simple 2-minute self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. This resource also features helpful lifestyle tips that can help you reverse prediabetes.

7. If consuming alcohol, drink only in moderation. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines that as up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.

8. Your health care provider can offer resources and guidance for quitting tobacco and nicotine. Declare your home and car smoke-free to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.

9. Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking prescription drugs – especially opioids. Always store and dispose of medications safely to prevent misuse. Whenever prescribed antibiotics, take them exactly as directed. Not taking the full course can lead to antibiotic resistance, a serious public health problem, and will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu.

10. Good mental health is part of good overall health. Manage your stress, get sufficient sleep, exercise and seek help from a mental health professional when you need it.

If you don’t have health insurance, the AMA encourages you to sign up for coverage because those with coverage live healthier and longer.

Healthcare.gov has new, affordable insurance options.

For a healthy 2024 and beyond, invest in your wellness with these doctor-recommended New Year’s resolutions.

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StatePoint

l Año Nuevo es el momento perfecto para presionar el botón de reinicio de su salud y bienestar. ¿No sabe por dónde empezar? Según los médicos, puede lograr el mayor impacto con pequeños ajustes incrementales en su rutina.

“Es bastante común después de las fiestas pensar en todo lo que ha comido o en su actividad física reducida y desanimarse”, dice el Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld., MPH, presidente de la American Medical Association (AMA). “Pero la buena noticia es que no tiene que hacer grandes cambios de salud de una sola vez.

Puede tomar en este momento decisiones de salud pequeñas y positivas capaces de tener efectos duraderos”. ¿Quiere empezar hoy mismo? Aquí tiene las 10 resoluciones que la AMA recomienda que encabecen su lista este año: 1. Póngase en movimiento: El ejercicio es esencial para su salud física y mental. La Asociación Estadounidense del Corazón recomienda que los adultos hagan al menos 150 minutos a la semana de actividad de intensidad moderada o 75 minutos a la semana de actividad de intensidad vigorosa. ¿Simplemente no puede ir al gimnasio? No hay problema: empiece por dar un paseo en familia, subir las escaleras del trabajo o aparcar un poco más lejos de la entrada del centro comercial cuando vaya a devolver regalos después de las fiestas.

2. Modifique su dieta para incluir más agua y menos bebidas endulzadas con azúcar. Sustituya los alimentos procesados, especialmente los que tienen sodio y azúcar añadidos, por alimentos nutritivos e integrales. Llene su refrigerador y despensa con frutas, verduras, cereales integrales, frutos secos y semillas, productos lácteos bajos en grasa, y carnes magras y aves.

3. Algunos virus respiratorios que circulan este invierno pueden ser graves e incluso potencialmente mortales. Póngase al día con sus vacunas para protegerse a usted mismo y a su familia. Éstas incluyen la vacuna anual contra la gripe y la vacuna actualizada contra la COVID-19 para todas las personas mayores de 6 meses. También hay vacunas disponibles para proteger a los adultos mayores del VRS grave.

Las nuevas herramientas para proteger a los bebés durante la temporada de VRS incluyen

5. La presión arterial alta, también conocida como hipertensión, puede aumentar el riesgo de ataque cardíaco o accidente cerebrovascular, y afecta a millones de estadounidenses.

Visite ManageYourBP.org para comprender qué significan sus números de presión arterial y qué puede hacer para controlarla.

6. Uno de cada 3 adultos estadounidenses tiene prediabetes, una afección que puede conducir a la diabetes tipo 2 si no se controla. Sin embargo, comer de modo saludable y hacer ejercicio pueden ayudar a retrasar o incluso prevenir la aparición de la diabetes tipo 2. Conozca su riesgo haciendo una sencilla prueba de autoevaluación de 2 minutos en DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Este recurso también presenta consejos útiles sobre el estilo de vida que pueden ayudarle a revertir la prediabetes.

7. Si consume alcohol, beba solo con moderación. Las Pautas Dietéticas de los EE.UU. para los estadounidenses definen esto como hasta una bebida por día para las mujeres y dos bebidas por día para los hombres, y solo en el caso de adultos con edad legal para beber.

8. Su proveedor de atención a la salud puede ofrecerle recursos y orientación para dejar el tabaco y la nicotina. Declare su hogar y automóvil libres de humo para eliminar la exposición al humo de segunda mano.

9. Siga las instrucciones de su médico cuando tome medicamentos recetados, especialmente opioides. Siempre guarde y deseche los medicamentos de manera segura a fin de evitar su uso indebido. Siempre que le receten antibióticos, tómelos exactamente como se le indique. No terminar el ciclo completo puede llevar a resistencia a los antibióticos, un grave problema de salud pública, y no lo harán sentirse mejor si tiene un virus, como un resfriado o gripe.

10. Una buena salud mental es parte de una buena salud general. Maneje su estrés, duerma lo suficiente, haga ejercicio y busque ayuda de un profesional de la salud mental cuando la necesite.

Si no tiene seguro médico, la AMA le anima a inscribirse en la cobertura, dado que quienes tienen cobertura viven más sanos y por más tiempo. Healthcare.gov tiene opciones de seguro nuevas y asequibles. La fecha límite de inscripción para la cobertura de 2024 es el 15 de enero de 2024.

Para un 2024 saludable y más allá, invierta en su bienestar con estas resoluciones de Año Nuevo recomendadas por los médicos.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

SURVEY FINDS RAMPANT DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE

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HEALTH

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ENCUESTA REVELA DISCRIMINACIÓN RAMPANTE EN LA ATENCIÓN MÉDICA

ENGLISH

ESPAÑOL

Suzanne Potter California News Service

tre la población negra, un 29% entre los hispanos y un 41% entre las personas LGBT," dice la encuestadora Amy Simon. "Esto se traduce en millones de personas que sufren discriminación en la atención sanitaria."

n a new poll, 25% of voters say they have "personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care due to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation." The poll, sponsored by Compassion & Choices, an end-of-life care advocacy group, included more than 1,600 voters from California and across the United States.

"It was striking that one-quarter of voters report that they personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care, with an even higher 35% among Black people, 29% among Hispanics and 41% among people who are LGBT," said pollster Amy Simon, a partner at Goodman Simon Strategic Research. "That translates to millions of people who are experiencing health-care discrimination."

Negative experiences included patients who said they don't feel heard or have been prescribed insufficient pain medication to ease suffering. Statistics show patients of color have significantly worse health outcomes compared with their white counterparts.

Compassion & Choices President and CEO Kim Callinan said one way to reduce discrimination and solution is to make sure high-quality palliative care is available in low-income neighborhoods, not just in wealthier areas.

Una nueva encuesta revela que sólo el 18% de los votantes que habían completado una directiva anticipada o testamento en vida la habían compartido tanto con su apoderado de atención médica como con su médico.

Photo Credit: Freepik

A new poll finds that 45% of voters with an advance directive or living will have shared it with their healthcare proxy but just 18% have shared it with their doctor as well.

Photo Credit: WavebreakMediaMicro / Adobe Stock

"Clinicians need to focus on improving their cultural intelligence so that they're able to effectively interact with people who are different from them," Callinan emphasized. "We also need to prioritize the recruitment of a more diverse clinician pool, so that people see other people that look like them."

The survey also addressed attitudes toward end-of-life care and found a huge majority think their end-of-life wishes will be respected, although only 37% had completed an advance directive or living will, and just 36% said they had appointed a health-care proxy.

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Suzanne Potter California News Service

egún una nueva encuesta." patrocinada por Compassion & Choices, el cual es un grupo de defensa para los cuidados al final de la vida, el 25% de los votantes afirma haber "experimentado o presenciado personalmente discriminación en la atención medica por motivos de raza, etnia, sexo, discapacidad, religión u orientación sexual." En la encuesta participaron 1,600 votantes de todo Estados Unidos.

La encuestadora Amy Simon trabaja para Goodman Simon Strategic Research.

"Resulta sorprendente que una cuarta parte de los votantes afirmen haber sufrido o presenciado personalmente discriminación en la atención médica, con un 35% aun mayor en-

Las experiencias negativas incluyen pacientes que no se sienten escuchados o a los que no se les prescriben suficientes analgésicos para aliviar el sufrimiento. Las estadísticas muestran que los pacientes de color tienen resultados de salud significativamente peores en comparación con sus homólogos blancos.

Kim Callinan es presidenta y directora ejecutiva de Compassion & Choices. Dice que una forma de reducir la discriminación y dar solución es asegurarse de que haya cuidados paliativos de alta calidad en las comunidades de bajos ingresos, no solo en las zonas más ricas.

"Los médicos deben centrarse en mejorar su inteligencia cultural para poder interactuar eficazmente con personas diferentes a ellos," enfatiza Callinan. "También tenemos que dar prioridad a la contratación de un grupo de médicos más diverso para que la gente vea a otras personas que se parecen a ellos."

La encuesta también abordo actitudes hacia los cuidados del final de la vida y descubrió que una gran mayoría piensa que se respetaran sus deseos al final de la vida, pero solo el 37% ha completado una directiva anticipada o testamento en vida, y el 36% dijo haber designado un apoderado para la atención médica.

6 CONSEJOS PARA UNA ALIMENTACIÓN SALUDABLE (¡Y DELICIOSA!) DURANTE LOS DÍAS FESTIVOS Por Laura Clapper, MD, directora médica de CCA Health California

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n CCA Health California, tenemos la misión de ayudar a nuestros miembros a optimizar su salud, y los alimentos nutritivos son el pilar principal de esa misión. Dado que la comida juega un papel importante durante la temporada festiva, comparto algunos consejos sencillos para una alimentación más saludable que puedes implementar este año mientras mantienes vivas las tradiciones y la festividad de tu familia.

Platillos festivos favoritos y alimentación saludable Los días festivos suelen ser momentos preciados en los que se reúnen miembros de la familia de todas las edades. En esta época del año, el Día de Todos los Santos es lo más importante. Y aunque el rico entramado de culturas de nuestro estado sugiere que cada familia puede tener su propia manera de celebrar estos días especiales, ¡Es probable que la comida sea el centro de todas ellas!

La comida es una parte integral de la cultura familiar. A través de recetas o tradiciones, las familias pueden compartir partes de su historia e identidad familiar que abarcan generaciones. Si bien la preparación de alimentos en sí misma crea un momento especial para vincularse con los seres queridos, también presenta una oportunidad para priorizar la salud y al mismo tiempo honrar el patrimonio cultural. Sabemos que preservar la delicia y la autenticidad de los platillos y dulces es una prioridad, por eso compartimos algunos consejos sencillos que se apegan al corazón de las recetas, sin dejar de priorizar la salud.

Es importante mantener el equilibrio en la dieta, incluso durante estas épocas extra festivas. Por ejemplo, el Centro para la Prevención de Enfermedades Cardíacas y Vasculares de la UCSF recomienda man-

deseas explorar opciones alternativas para hacer que las recetas tradicionales sean más saludables, existen muchas formas de experimentar. Algunos pequeños cambios que no comprometerán el sabor de tu plato son cambiar solo un alimento básico de tu receta favorita. Por ejemplo, prueba un corte de carne más magro, reduce la cantidad de azúcar o sal, o usa una versión integral de uno de tus ingredientes principales (como usar arroz integral en lugar de arroz blanco).

Photo Credit: istock

tenerse hidratado, evitar el exceso de alcohol y comer alimentos ricos en proteínas poco antes de que comiencen las festividades.

Consejo 1: ¡Ve por el sabor!

Muchas recetas festivas requieren ingredientes de temporada, lo que significa que podría ser un momento ideal para encontrar frutas, verduras y hierbas frescas de temporada y más asequibles que en otras épocas del año. Los productos de temporada están en su mejor momento de sabor y pueden mejorar incluso la receta más básica. Si los productos frescos no son una opción, los alimentos enlatados tienen muchos beneficios y algunos sabores se pueden enlatar aún mejor: tomates, calabaza, maíz y chiles verdes, por ejemplo.

Solo asegúrate de que las opciones enlatadas no tengan sal ni azúcar agregadas.

Las frutas y verduras congeladas son otra gran opción.

Consejo 2: ¡Experimenta!

Sabemos que parte de comer durante las fiestas implica ir por un segundo plato. Si

Consejo 3: Involucra a todos Compartir recetas especiales o historias sobre cocinar con generaciones pasadas no sólo es una parte importante de la historia familiar, sino también una excelente manera de enseñar a las generaciones futuras a apreciar la comida. Las investigaciones muestran que cocinar y comer juntos puede mejorar el estado de ánimo y fortalecer los vínculos sociales, además de motivar recetas más saludables porque somos más conscientes de qué ingredientes usamos cuando cocinamos para otros.

Crear curiosidad sobre cómo se elaboran los platillos, por qué se utiliza cada ingrediente y las técnicas de cocina puede crear recuerdos para toda la vida. Cocinar platillos tradicionales, así como alternativas saludables para complementar la comida, es una excelente manera de honrar las recetas familiares y al mismo tiempo crear equilibrio.

Consejo 4: Encuentra el equilibrio y ten un plan Hay muchas maneras de disfrutar todas las deliciosas recetas y aun así tener en cuenta la salud. Puedes hacer esto de muchas maneras, como probándolos en porciones más pequeñas o equilibrando tu plato incorporando una verdura o proteína magra en un platillo rico en carbohidratos.

Si tu familia está ansiosa por probar el de-

porción que comes no sólo te ayudará a controlar tu enfermedad crónica a largo plazo, sino que también te permitirá sentirte mejor ese día. Todo el mundo puede ser consciente y proactivo con respecto a su salud durante los festivos manteniéndose hidratado, limitando el consumo de alcohol y controlando el consumo de sal.

Photo Credit: istock

licioso pan de muerto, anímalos primero a disfrutar unas verduras asadas o frutas de temporada. Una excelente manera de asegurarte de consumir los cinco grupos de alimentos es visitar myplate.gov para encontrar consejos y recursos locales para una alimentación nutritiva. Usar platos más pequeños también es siempre una manera fácil de optar por porciones más pequeñas.

Si tienes condiciones que podrían afectar tu dieta, consulta con tu médico o plan de salud para obtener recursos que se ajusten a tus necesidades dietéticas específicas.

Consejo 5: Ten en cuenta los desencadenantes alimentarios Si tiene una enfermedad crónica, como diabetes o una enfermedad cardíaca, es importante planificar con anticipación y tener en cuenta los desencadenantes alimentarios que pueden comprometer su condición de salud. Los festivos normalmente significan que hay más postres, que tienen un alto contenido de azúcar, y mantequilla y carnes rojas, que tienen un alto contenido de grasas saturadas. Ser selectivo sobre los alimentos que eliges y el tamaño de la

Consejo 6: Sal a caminar después de cenar como una nueva tradición Una nueva tradición que todos pueden crear juntos son las caminatas después de la cena u otra actividad física en la que todos puedan participar. Dar un paseo corto por la cuadra modela un comportamiento saludable y aumenta las conexiones sociales con los vecinos, y es un buen momento para que los miembros de la familia se ayuden entre sí. No se trata de la distancia, se trata del tiempo que pasamos en familia al aire libre, incluso si eso significa usar carriolas o ayudas para caminar según sea necesario.

CCA Health California presta servicios a personas en los condados de Merced, Santa Clara, San Joaquín y Stanislaus. El plan de salud trabaja con miembros, proveedores y organizaciones comunitarias para coordinar la atención centrada en la persona que aborda los factores sociales que impactan la salud y empodera a las personas para tomar decisiones que se alineen con sus valores y preferencias. Para obtener más información, visite ccahealthca.org.

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EDUCATION

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com ENGLISH

MANY CALIFORNIA UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS ARE MISSING OUT ON FINANCIAL AID. AN EASIER, NEW APPLICATION COULD GET THEM MORE MONEY The financial aid application for undocumented students is cumbersome and confusing, and many students aren’t completing the forms. A new law streamlines the process.

Sending the affidavit to the schools the student hopes to attend is the first step, but all UCs and Cal States, and about half of community colleges, require official transcripts and attendance records from the student. How campuses will notify students with outstanding paperwork will be an ongoing issue to monitor, Jodaitis said.

Immigrants Rising in May published a comprehensive guide explaining the affidavit process in partnership with the state’s public colleges and universities. It’s now working on a set of recommendations for how campuses can best apprise students of the remaining paperwork they’ll have to submit once they’ve turned in their affidavit through the dream act. That’ll be published in January, she added.

In 2024, UC will ask students to submit the affidavits to the campuses directly, instead of through the dream act application, a spokesperson said. That’s because the UC is constitutionally independent of many state laws. Community colleges and Cal State have to comply with the law.

Prospective college applicants visit the California Student Aid Commission booth at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. CSAC held informational sessions on financial aid to help inform students and their families about their options. Photo Credit: Juliana Yamada / CalMatters

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Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters

ach year more than 35,000 undocumented students with dreams of earning a college degree in California apply for the state’s marquee financial aid program, the Cal Grant — but only about a third receive it.

With no access to federal financial aid and few work opportunities, losing out on state dollars further undermines the ability of undocumented students to pay for school. The Cal Grant, for example, waives tuition at California’s public universities and provides cash awards of about $1,650 to community college students Now, after several years of advocacy and a state law passed this year, California financial aid administrators are about to debut a revised application meant to get more college grants for undocumented students.

“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid,” said Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs for the California Student Aid Commission. He and a commission staff member provided CalMatters with a virtual walkthrough of the new application.

The California Dream Act Application, often called CADAA, will for the first time allow students to also complete a frequently overlooked legal affidavit that’s essential to accessing state aid. The new application will debut by the end of December.

While a seemingly small change, it spares students from having to fill out two documents separately and at different times in the year, which has been the process ever since undocumented students became eligible for state aid through a 2011 state law. That has resulted in many students completing one form but not the other out of confusion or lack of awareness.

out on key aid. Most undocumented college students in California attend a community college.

Now the legal affidavit will be embedded in the California Dream Act Application, the result of a 2023 state law created through Assembly Bill 1540, authored by Mike Fong, a Democrat from Monterey Park.

The changes should help students who are in a situation Leo Rodriguez was in when he began college.

“When I first enrolled at a community college, I was billed $6,000 because I was incorrectly deemed an international student, a common occurrence for undocumented students,” he wrote in a May CalMatters commentary about affording college as an undocumented student. Though he attended and graduated from a California high school, he didn’t know that he needed the affidavit “to prove eligibility for in-state tuition, and to separately complete a Dream Act application to be considered for financial aid.”

A March report by the commission identified many of the hurdles undocumented students face in accessing state aid, including student confusion over the affidavit. All told, only about 14% of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021-22, in large part because half didn’t take the first step to apply for aid even though many have low incomes. The report called for a state law to allow the affidavit to be a part of the dream act application. About half a year later, Fong’s bill was signed into law.

The affidavit in question stems from a 2001 law that has been amended several times since. It grants undocumented students, certain visa holders and other college-goers in-state tuition at California’s public universities and community colleges. This is a major perk because students deemed non-residents are charged about three times more in tuition. The in-state designation also makes undocumented students eligible for state grants, such as tuition waivers and cash awards.

All told, only about 14% of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021-22.

Advocates who focus on financial aid for undocumented students say that schools, state agencies and nonprofits that share with students information about college affordability should proactively include the dream act application and its related forms.

Information students place in the dream act application isn’t shared with the federal government nor with immigration authorities, the commission and state department of education stressed in a 2022 letter.

That’s a message the commission will likely repeat in the face of a presidential election year in which antiimmigrant sentiment is bound to take center stage.

Students applying for the dream act who intend to enter college in fall 2024 will submit their household’s 2022 income information. Once the application goes live, students pursuing a four-year degree should complete the dream act forms by April 2 or sooner.

Students planning to attend a community college have until early September to file their paperwork.

MUCHOS ESTUDIANTES INDOCUMENTADOS DE CALIFORNIA ESTÁN PERDIENDO AYUDA FINANCIERA PERO UNA NUEVA SOLICITUD PODRÍA GENERARLES MÁS DINERO La solicitud de ayuda financiera para estudiantes indocumentados es engorrosa y confusa, y muchos estudiantes no completan los formularios. Una nueva ley agiliza el proceso.

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Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters

ada año, más de 35.000 estudiantes indocumentados que sueñan con obtener un título universitario en California solicitan el programa de ayuda financiera del estado, el Cal Grant, pero sólo alrededor de un tercio lo reciben.

Sin acceso a ayuda financiera federal y pocas oportunidades laborales, perder dólares estatales socava aún más la capacidad de los estudiantes indocumentados para pagar la escuela.

La Cal Grant, por ejemplo, exime de pagar la matrícula en las universidades públicas de California y otorga premios en efectivo de alrededor de $1,650 a estudiantes de colegios comunitarios.

That’s where the California Dream Act Application and the affidavit intersect: One opens the door for aid, the other lets the applicant walk through it.

-JAKE BRYMNER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR THE CALIFORNIA STUDENT AID COMMISSION

Students who sign the affidavit declare that they’ve either filed an application to legalize their immigration status in the U.S. or will do so once national law creates such a pathway. It also has students confirm that they’ve had three years of K-12, adult school or community college education in California as well as: a high school diploma, an equivalent certificate, an associate degree or proof that they’ve taken the minimum set courses needed to transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.

“Lo que todos reconocimos fue que les hemos pedido a estos estudiantes que pasaran por más procesos, más formularios, desafortunadamente para recibir menos ayuda financiera”, dijo Jake Brymner, subdirector de políticas y asuntos públicos de la Comisión de Ayuda Estudiantil de California. Él y un miembro del personal de la comisión proporcionaron a CalMatters un recorrido virtual de la nueva solicitud.

Without the application and affidavit, undocumented community college students can’t receive the Cal Grant and other related aid, such as a grant for fulltime students and money in exchange for community service. Those three programs together provide more than $14,000 in possible grants annually. Undocumented students at public universities also lose

Embedding the affidavit in the dream act application is “going to be a big step forward”, but it’s not the only step needed “to ensure that students can receive all the financial aid for whatever they have eligibility for,” said Nancy Jodaitis, director of higher education issues at Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based project of a larger nonprofit.

La Solicitud de la Ley Dream de California, a menudo llamada CADAA, permitirá por primera vez a los estudiantes completar también una declaración jurada que a menudo se pasa por alto y que es esencial para acceder a la ayuda estatal. La nueva solicitud debutará a finales de

“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid.”

State law now requires that high school seniors complete a financial aid application, with few exceptions.

The more school districts and nonprofits can stress the federal financial aid grant and the dream act application, the likelier undocumented students will hear the message and apply, Jodaitis said.

ESPAÑOL

Ahora, después de varios años de promoción y de una ley estatal aprobada este año, los administradores de ayuda financiera de California están a punto de presentar una solicitud revisada destinada a obtener más becas universitarias para estudiantes indocumentados.

For example, among community college students, about 62,000 completed the affidavit but only around 25,000 finished the dream act application in 2021, according to data from the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency behind the application overhaul.

“I hardly saw financial aid workshops tailored for undocumented students in high school,” wrote Rodriguez. Instead, he mostly encountered information about the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, “which sent mixed messages about whether or not I was eligible for financial aid to begin with,” he added.

diciembre .

Si bien es un cambio aparentemente pequeño, evita que los estudiantes tengan que completar dos documentos por separado y en diferentes momentos del año, que ha sido el proceso desde que los estudiantes indocumentados se volvieron elegibles para recibir ayuda estatal a través de una ley estatal de 2011. Esto ha resultado en que muchos estudiantes completen un formulario pero no el otro por confusión o falta de conciencia.

Por ejemplo, entre los estudiantes de colegios comunitarios, alrededor de 62,000 completaron la declaración jurada, pero solo alrededor de 25,000 completaron la solicitud de la Dream Act en 2021, según datos de la Comisión de Ayuda Estudiantil de California, la agencia estatal detrás de la revisión de la solicitud.

“Lo que todos reconocimos fue que les hemos pedido a estos estudiantes que pasaran por más procesos, más formularios, para lamentablemente recibir menos ayuda financiera”.

-JAKE BRYMNER, SUBDIRECTOR DE POLÍTICAS Y ASUNTOS PÚBLICOS DE LA COMISIÓN DE AYUDA ESTUDIANTIL DE CALIFORNIA Sin la solicitud y la declaración jurada, los estudiantes indocumentados de los colegios comunitarios no pueden recibir la Cal Grant ni otras ayudas relacionadas, como una beca para estudiantes de tiempo completo y dinero a cambio de servicio comunitario. Esos tres programas juntos proporcionan más de $14,000 en posibles subvenciones anualmente. Los estudiantes indocumentados en las universidades públicas también pierden ayudas clave.

La mayoría de los estudiantes universitarios indocumentados en California asisten a un colegio comunitario.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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EDUCATION

ESPAÑOL Ahora la declaración jurada legal se integrará en la Solicitud de la Dream Act de California, resultado de una ley estatal de 2023 creada mediante el Proyecto de Ley 1540 de la Asamblea, escrito por Mike Fong, un demócrata de Monterey Park.

Los cambios deberían ayudar a los estudiantes que se encuentran en la situación en la que se encontraba Leo Rodríguez cuando comenzó la universidad. “Cuando me inscribí por primera vez en un colegio comunitario, me facturaron $6,000 porque se me consideró incorrectamente un estudiante internacional, algo común entre los estudiantes indocumentados”, escribió en un comentario de mayo en CalMatters sobre cómo pagar la universidad como estudiante indocumentado. Aunque asistió y se graduó de una escuela secundaria de California, no sabía que necesitaba la declaración jurada “para demostrar su elegibilidad para la matrícula estatal y para completar por separado una solicitud de la Dream Act para ser considerado para recibir ayuda financiera”.

Un informe de marzo de la comisión identificó muchos de los obstáculos que enfrentan los estudiantes indocumentados para acceder a la ayuda estatal, incluida la confusión de los estudiantes sobre la declaración jurada. En total, solo alrededor del 14% de los casi 100,000 estudiantes universitarios indocumentados del estado recibieron ayuda financiera estatal en 2021-22, en gran parte porque la mitad no dio el primer paso para solicitar ayuda a pesar de que muchos tienen bajos ingresos. El informe pedía una ley estatal que permitiera que la declaración jurada fuera parte de la solicitud de la Dream Act. Aproximadamente medio año después, el proyecto de ley de Fong se convirtió en ley.

La declaración jurada en cuestión surge de una ley de 2001 que ha sido modificada varias veces desde entonces. Otorga a los estudiantes indocumentados, ciertos titulares de visas y otros estudiantes universitarios matrícula estatal en las universidades públicas y colegios comunitarios de California. Esta es una ventaja importante porque a los estudiantes considerados no residentes se les cobra aproximadamente tres veces más en matrícula. La designación estatal también hace que los estudiantes indocumentados sean elegibles para recibir subvenciones estatales, como exenciones de matrícula y premios en efectivo.

Ahí es donde se cruzan la Solicitud del Dream Act de California y la declaración jurada: una abre la puerta a la ayuda, la otra permite que el solicitante la atraviese.

Los estudiantes que firman la declaración jurada declaran que han presentado una solicitud para legalizar su estatus migratorio en los EE.UU. o que lo harán una vez que la ley nacional cree dicha vía. También les pide a los estudiantes que confirmen que han tenido tres años de educación K-12, escuela para adultos o colegio comunitario en California, así como: un diploma de escuela secundaria, un certificado equivalente, un título asociado o prueba de que han tomado el mínimo de cursos necesarios para transferirse a un campus de la Universidad de California o de la Universidad Estatal de California.

Incluir la declaración jurada en la solicitud de la ley Dream Act “será un gran paso adelante”, pero no es el único paso necesario “para garantizar que los estudiantes puedan recibir toda la ayuda financiera para lo que sea que sean elegibles”, dijo Nancy Jodaitis, directora. de cuestiones de educación superior en Immigrants Rising, un proyecto de una organización sin fines de lucro más grande con sede en San Francisco .

Enviar la declaración jurada a las escuelas a las que el estudiante espera asistir es el primer paso, pero todas las UC y Cal States, y aproximadamente la mitad de los colegios comunitarios, exigen expedientes académicos oficiales y registros de asistencia del estudiante. La forma en que los campus notificarán a los estudiantes con trámites pendientes será un tema constante que habrá que monitorear, dijo Jodaitis.

Las hojas informativas de la FAFSA se exhiben en el Día de información universitaria en UC Berkeley en Berkeley el 14 de octubre de 2023. Photo Credit: Juliana Yamada / CalMatters

Immigrants Rising publicó en mayo una guía completa que explica el proceso de declaración jurada en asociación con los colegios y universidades públicas del estado. Ahora está trabajando en una serie de recomendaciones sobre cómo los campus pueden informar mejor a los estudiantes sobre la documentación restante que tendrán que presentar una vez que hayan entregado su declaración jurada a través de la ley del sueño. Eso se publicará en enero, añadió.

En 2024, la UC pedirá a los estudiantes que presenten las declaraciones juradas a los campus directamente, en lugar de mediante la solicitud de la ley Dream Act, dijo un portavoz. Esto se debe a que la UC es constitucionalmente independiente de muchas leyes estatales. Los colegios comunitarios y Cal State deben cumplir con la ley.

Reduce tu velocidad.

Una tragedia ocurre en un instante.

Un coche a toda velocidad tarda muchos metros en detenerse. Si atropellas a alguien mientras aceleras, ¡hay un 90% de posibilidades de que lo mates!

En total, solo alrededor del 14% de los casi 100,000 estudiantes universitarios indocumentados del estado recibieron ayuda financiera estatal en 2021-22.

Los defensores que se centran en la ayuda financiera para estudiantes indocumentados dicen que las escuelas, agencias estatales y organizaciones sin fines de lucro que comparten con los estudiantes información sobre la asequibilidad de la universidad deberían incluir de manera proactiva la solicitud de la Dream Act y sus formularios relacionados.

“Casi no vi talleres de ayuda financiera diseñados para estudiantes indocumentados en la escuela secundaria”, escribió Rodríguez. En cambio, encontró principalmente información sobre la Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes, “que envió mensajes contradictorios sobre si, para empezar, era elegible o no para recibir ayuda financiera”, agregó.

La ley estatal ahora exige que los estudiantes del último año de secundaria completen una solicitud de ayuda financiera, con pocas excepciones.

Mientras más los distritos escolares y las organizaciones sin fines de lucro puedan enfatizar la subvención de ayuda financiera federal y la solicitud de la Dream Act, es más probable que los estudiantes indocumentados escuchen el mensaje y presenten su solicitud, dijo Jodaitis.

La información que los estudiantes colocan en la solicitud de la Dream Act no se comparte con el gobierno federal ni con las autoridades de inmigración, enfatizaron la comisión y el departamento de educación estatal en una carta de 2022. Ése es un mensaje que la comisión probablemente repetirá de cara a un año de elecciones presidenciales en el que el sentimiento antiinmigrante seguramente ocupará un lugar central.

Los estudiantes que soliciten la Dream Act y tengan la intención de ingresar a la universidad en el otoño de 2024 presentarán la información de ingresos de su hogar para 2022. Una vez que la solicitud esté activa, los estudiantes que deseen obtener un título de cuatro años deben completar los formularios de la ley de ensueño antes del 2 de abril o antes. Los estudiantes que planean asistir a un colegio comunitario tienen hasta principios de septiembre para presentar su documentación.

¡Mantengámonos seguros!

1. Respeta el límite de velocidad.

2. Estate atento a los ciclistas en los cruces.

3. Detente ante los peatones y permíteles cruzar.

Más información en

vta.org/VisionZero

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DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

ENGLISH

CALIFORNIAN WHO JOINED HUNGER STRIKE IN ICE DETENTION SEEKS $1 MILLION IN COMPLAINT

Detainee says ICE officers flew him to Texas, where he was threatened with force-feeding and was made to end his fast with solid foods, causing illness.

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Justo Robles CalMatters

‘Second hell’ The detainees were driven to ICE’s El Paso Service Processing Center, where the complaint says a Dr. Iglesias informed them that she could seek a court order to force-feed them.

fter 16 months in immigration detention facilities in California and Texas, Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez returned to his family home in Lodi in April, walking with a cane and saying he suffers from neurological problems and persistent nightmares.

Force-feeding involves inserting a tube into a patient’s nose, down their throat and esophagus, and into their stomach, then pouring liquid food through the tube. Sometimes it causes patients to gag, choke or vomit.

The 33-year old Mexican-born man — who from toddler age has been a permanent legal resident of California — has reported enduring abuse, unsanitary conditions and threats of force-feeding before his release from immigration detention in April.

Force-feeding is legal but controversial. The American Medical Association has said forcefeeding prisoners is unethical, while the World Medical Association recently called it torture.

Some judges have said it could be done to keep patients alive.

“I have nightmares of being dragged … that they are going to force-feed me. Then it wakes me up and I’m sweating,” he said during an interview at the home he grew up in. “It’s not an easy thing to process.”

This week attorneys helped him file an administrative tort complaint, a precursor to a potential lawsuit, against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency overseeing immigrant detention.

His complaint seeks at least $1 million in personal injury damages.

It states that in March, while he and other detainees were staging a hunger strike to protest conditions at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “violently dragged” him and several others and transported them to an immigration detention facility in Texas where he was shackled and a doctor threatened to seek a court order to insert a tube down his nose to his stomach to force-feed him.

Afraid, Hernandez Gomez agreed to end his hunger strike, which had gone 21 days, the complaint said. He suffered serious medical consequences anyway, his complaint says, after immigration agents made him immediately eat solid food and initially delayed medical treatment when he fell ill.

Challenging ICE His complaint follows a class-action lawsuit he and eight other detainees filed in 2022 alleging forced labor by GEO Group, a corporation operating immigration detention facilities for the federal government. Also several Congress members from California have demanded an investigation or closure of the facilities.

In 2019 Dr. Michelle Iglesias, an ICE contract physician with a family practice in El Paso, testified in federal court that ICE requires force-feeding if hunger strikers endanger themselves. The judge granted a court order in that case. Iglesias oversaw multiple forced feedings, according to Texas Monthly.

Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez at his home in Lodi on Dec. 13, 2023. He was one of the hunger strikers at the Mesa Verde ICE detention facility and has filed a federal complaint alleging medical neglect and abuse. Photo Credit: Fred Greaves / CalMatters

atters, and GEO Group officials referred questions about the allegations to ICE officials. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, provided a statement about the agency’s grievance process but did not answer other questions by deadline.

“The agency takes allegations of misconduct very seriously,” said Leticia Zamarripa, a public affairs officer for Homeland Security. “Personnel are held to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and when a complaint is received, it is investigated thoroughly to determine veracity and ensure comprehensive standards are strictly maintained and enforced.”

Prison to immigration detention Recently, with the help of a metal cane, Hernandez Gomez walked around his living room, pointing to family photographs. But after a couple of minutes, he sat down and apologized for having to take a break.

“I am still surrounded by these feelings,” he said, “a combination of a whole lot: not being able to perform the way I used to perform, everything I used to enjoy and now I don’t.”

“While I keenly understand challenges with ongoing litigation and the separation of powers, there is no excuse for the extremely limited replies and, at times, unresponsiveness from ICE,” said Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation.

His family emigrated from Guanajuato, in central Mexico. As a teen Hernandez Gomez attended Lodi High in San Joaquin County, where he planned to become an electrician. But some arrests followed, he said, and he was convicted of assault and imprisoned at age 27.

“Members of Congress need more information about these serious matters occurring in our state. Relatedly, I reiterate my call for the closure of privately-owned ICE facilities today, including these two detention centers, because they too often have abusive conditions and are a rip-off to taxpayers.”

Hernandez Gomez said he made better choices while incarcerated. He volunteered in a fire fighting camp program and participated in a self-help group and vocational classes, which helped shave two years off his six-year sentence. He was released in November 2021.

According to American Civil Liberties Union Northern California’s database, the federal contract to operate Mesa Verde in Bakersfield and Golden State Annex in McFarland is worth more than $1.5 billion over 15 years, or $105.4 million per year. The payment is for 560 beds regardless of the actual population count.

Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 signed a bill banning private prisons and immigration detention facilities from operating in the state, but the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined the new law was unconstitutional, saying “California cannot exert this level of control over the federal government’s detention operations.”

ICE officials did not answer questions from CalM-

But he couldn’t go home. He was transferred to federal custody to await legal proceedings that could eventually deport him. He was placed in removal proceedings because of his criminal history and is fighting to stay in the United States.

He was detained at Golden State Annex in McFarland for two months, then Mesa Verde for more than a year. He said the place was infested with mold, water beetles and cockroaches, and the inmates drank rust-colored water from the faucets.

The ACLU NorCal database tallied the complaints detainees filed with ICE and shared with the ACLU. From January through October there were nearly 400 complaints and more than half were about living conditions and mistreatment. The ACLU’s foundation has sued ICE for information on com-

plaints in California facilities.

A show of force Last February dozens of the detainees started hunger strikes to protest conditions, Hernandez Gomez among them. He said GEO Group and ICE officers retaliated against the hunger strikers.

“We were placed in solitary confinement,” he said.

“We were threatened with being transferred to a different state.”

The complaint says, “On March 7, 2023, at about 6:00 a.m., multiple GEO officers dressed in riot gear entered Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dorm. They disconnected the dorm’s phones so detained individuals could not call their attorneys or family members. They forcibly removed one of Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dormmates from the dorm.

A short time later, ICE officers dressed in military gear, holding batons, pepper spray, and what looked like automatic rifles, entered the dorm.

They ordered Mr. Hernandez Gomez and other detained individuals to get on the floor. The officers did not state the reason for their orders.

Instead, without notice or explanation, officers zeroed in on Mr. Hernandez Gomez and surrounded him. He asked to speak with his immigration attorney, but his plea went unanswered.”

The complaint said officers “threw Mr. Hernandez Gomez on the ground, causing him to strike his shoulder and chest against the ground.” One officer said, “Either you are going to walk, or we are going to drag you,” according to the complaint.

Officers cuffed and shackled him and eventually put him in a van with several other detainees, ultimately driving “many hours” to a private airstrip.

Despite Hernandez Gomez requesting to go to a hospital because he felt dizzy, according to his complaint, he was placed on a chartered plane that later landed in Texas.

ICE has four pages of written standards for handling detainees on hunger strike, stating “if medically necessary, the detainee may be transferred to a community hospital or a detention facility appropriately equipped for treatment;” there’s no mention of transferring detainees to an ICE facility out of state.

Before boarding the plane, Hernandez Gomez said in the complaint that he endured a sexually abusive pat-down search that included his inner thigh, buttocks and genitals.

“Nobody should be touching anybody in any place at any given time, no matter how long, no matter if it’s a millisecond,” he told CalMatters.

CalMatters left phone messages at Iglesias’ family practice office and emailed her practice but got no response. In 2022, Homeland Security shared a video on social media featuring Iglesias describing her medical experience and motivations for working at Homeland Security.

Afraid of being force-fed and after being placed in solitary confinement, Hernandez Gomez informed health care staff he would break his 21-day hunger strike. But instead of honoring his request to start with vitamins and electrolytes, they gave him two cold cheeseburgers and fries, the complaint said.

Hernandez Gomez added, “When I consumed that, after 21 days, I just started feeling dizzy. That was the beginning of my second hell.”

Refeeding syndrome Dizziness, disorientation are common symptoms of refeeding syndrome — “potentially fatal shifts in fluids and electrolytes that may occur in malnourished patients receiving artificial refeeding,” according to medical research.

Hernandez Gomez said he felt disoriented and his vision deteriorated so much he had to wear glasses, but he didn’t receive treatment for his symptoms.

On March 14, Hernandez Gomez was flown back to Mesa Verde. That day, he recalled, he continued experiencing headaches and dizziness, so the medical staff at Mesa Verde gave him a cane and a wheelchair. He was later treated at a hospital emergency room in Bakersfield where, for the first time, he was evaluated for refeeding syndrome, the complaint said.

The symptoms worsened, the complaint said.

Hernandez Gomez was sent to another hospital and hospitalized for five days, with his waist, arms and legs shackled to a bed.

“I shed tears, because how are they getting away with all this? I am a human being, I shouldn’t be treated that way” Hernandez Gomez said.

Weeks later a federal court ordered ICE to a bond hearing, where attorneys representing Hernandez Gomez submitted evidence of neglect and medical mistreatment. An immigration judge found Hernandez Gomez was not a danger to society and ordered his release with a $5,000 bond.

But on April 14, Hernandez Gomez didn’t walk out of Mesa Verde. He was wheeled out in a wheelchair. It was the first time he saw his father cry, he said.

“I am not free,” he said recently, “because I’m always having these flashbacks. At times, I cry myself to sleep. And even though it hurts, I don’t want others to go through that any longer.”

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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COMMUNITY

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ESPAÑOL

CALIFORNIANO QUE SE UNIÓ A UNA HUELGA DE HAMBRE MIENTRAS ESTABA DETENIDO POR ICE BUSCA $1 MILLÓN EN UNA DEMANDA POR DAÑOS Y PERJUICIOS

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Justo Robles CalMatters

Los detenidos fueron llevados al Centro de Procesamiento de Servicios de ICE en El Paso, donde, según la denuncia, la Dra. Iglesias les informó que podía solicitar una orden judicial para alimentarlos a la fuerza.

espués de 16 meses en centros de detención de inmigrantes en California y Texas, José Rubén Hernández Gómez regresó a la casa de su familia en Lodi en abril, caminando con un bastón y diciendo que sufre de problemas neurológicos y pesadillas persistentes.

La alimentación forzada implica insertar un tubo en la nariz del paciente, bajar por su garganta y esófago y llegar al estómago, y luego verter alimentos líquidos a través del tubo. A veces provoca náuseas, asfixia o vómitos en los pacientes.

El hombre de 33 años, nacido en México, que desde que era niño ha sido residente legal permanente en California, ha denunciado abusos sufridos, condiciones insalubres y amenazas de alimentación forzada antes de su liberación de la detención de inmigrantes en abril.

La alimentación forzada es legal pero controvertida.

La Asociación Médica Estadounidense ha dicho que alimentar a la fuerza a los prisioneros no es ético, mientras que la Asociación Médica Mundial recientemente lo llamó tortura. Algunos jueces han dicho que se podría hacer para mantener con vida a los pacientes.

“Tengo pesadillas en las que me arrastran… que me van a alimentar a la fuerza. Luego me despierta y estoy sudando”, dijo durante una entrevista en la casa en la que creció. “No es algo fácil de procesar”.

En 2019, la Dra. Michelle Iglesias, médica contratada por ICE con práctica familiar en El Paso, testificó ante un tribunal federal que ICE exige alimentación forzada si los huelguistas de hambre se ponen en peligro.

El juez concedió una orden judicial en ese caso. Iglesias supervisó múltiples alimentaciones forzadas, según Texas Monthly.

Esta semana, los abogados lo ayudaron a presentar una denuncia administrativa por agravio, precursora de una posible demanda, contra el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas, la agencia federal que supervisa la detención de inmigrantes.

Su demanda busca al menos $1 millón en daños y perjuicios por lesiones personales.

Afirma que en marzo, mientras él y otros detenidos realizaban una huelga de hambre para protestar por las condiciones en el Centro de Procesamiento ICE de Mesa Verde en Bakersfield, agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) de Estados Unidos lo “arrastraron violentamente” a él y a varias otras personas y los llevaron a un centro de detención de inmigrantes en Texas, donde lo esposaron y un médico lo amenazó con solicitar una orden judicial para insertar un tubo desde la nariz hasta el estómago para alimentarlo a la fuerza.

Temeroso, Hernández Gómez acordó poner fin a su huelga de hambre, que había durado 21 días, según la denuncia. Sufrió graves consecuencias médicas de todos modos, dice su denuncia, después de que los agentes de inmigración le obligaron a comer alimentos sólidos inmediatamente y retrasaron inicialmente el tratamiento médico cuando enfermó.

Desafiando a ICE Su denuncia sigue a una demanda colectiva que él y otros ocho detenidos presentaron en 2022 alegando trabajo forzoso por parte de GEO Group, una corporación que opera centros de detención de inmigrantes para el gobierno federal. También varios congresistas de California han exigido una investigación o el cierre de las instalaciones.

“Si bien entiendo profundamente los desafíos que plantean los litigios en curso y la separación de poderes, no hay excusa para las respuestas extremadamente limitadas y, en ocasiones, la falta de respuesta de ICE”, dijo Zoe Lofgren, presidenta de la Delegación Demócrata del Congreso de California.

“Los miembros del Congreso necesitan más información sobre estos graves asuntos que ocurren en nuestro estado. En relación con esto, reitero mi llamado para el cierre de las instalaciones privadas de ICE hoy, incluidos estos dos centros de detención, porque con demasiada frecuencia tienen condiciones abusivas y son una estafa para los contribuyentes”.

Según la base de datos de la Unión Estadounidense de Libertades Civiles del Norte de California, el contrato federal para operar Mesa Verde en Bakersfield y Golden State Anexo en McFarland tiene un valor de más de 1,500 millones de dólares durante 15 años, o 105.4 millones de dólares al año. El pago es por 560 camas independientemente del número real de población.

El gobernador Gavin Newsom firmó en 2019 un proyecto de ley que prohibía el funcionamiento de prisiones privadas y centros de detención de inmigrantes en el estado, pero el Tribunal de Apelaciones del Noveno Circuito de EE.UU. determinó que la nueva ley era inconstitucional y dijo que “California no puede ejercer este nivel de control sobre las operaciones de detención de las autoridades del gobierno federal”.

Los funcionarios de ICE no respondieron las preguntas de CalMatters y los funcionarios del Grupo GEO

Una foto de José Rubén Hernández Gómez cuando era niño cuelga en la sala de su casa en Lodi el 13 de diciembre de 2023. Hernández Gómez fue uno de los huelguistas de hambre en el centro de detención de Mesa Verde a principios de este año. Photo Credit: Fred Greaves / CalMatters

remitieron las preguntas sobre las acusaciones a los funcionarios de ICE. Un portavoz del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos, que supervisa a ICE, proporcionó una declaración sobre el proceso de quejas de la agencia, pero no respondió otras preguntas antes de la fecha límite.

“La agencia toma muy en serio las acusaciones de mala conducta”, dijo Leticia Zamarripa, funcionaria de asuntos públicos de Seguridad Nacional. “El personal debe cumplir con los más altos estándares de comportamiento profesional y ético, y cuando se recibe una queja, se investiga a fondo para determinar la veracidad y garantizar que se mantengan y apliquen estrictamente los estándares integrales”.

De prisión a detención de inmigrantes Recientemente, con la ayuda de un bastón de metal, Hernández Gómez caminó por su sala, señalando fotografías familiares. Pero después de un par de minutos, se sentó y se disculpó por tener que tomarse un descanso.

“Todavía estoy rodeado de estos sentimientos”, dijo, “una combinación de muchas cosas: no poder rendir como solía hacerlo, todo lo que solía disfrutar y ahora ya no”.

Su familia emigró de Guanajuato, en el centro de México. Cuando era adolescente, Hernández Gómez asistió a Lodi High en el condado de San Joaquín, donde planeaba convertirse en electricista. Pero se produjeron algunos arrestos, dijo, y fue declarado culpable de agresión y encarcelado a los 27 años.

Hernández Gómez dijo que tomó mejores decisiones mientras estuvo encarcelado. Se ofreció como voluntario en un programa de campamento de extinción de incendios y participó en un grupo de autoayuda y clases vocacionales, lo que ayudó a reducir dos años de su sentencia de seis. Quedó en libertad en noviembre de 2021.

Pero no pudo volver a casa. Fue transferido a custodia federal en espera de procedimientos legales que eventualmente podrían deportarlo. Fue puesto en proceso de deportación debido a su historial criminal y está luchando por permanecer en los Estados Unidos.

Estuvo detenido en Golden State Anexo en McFarland durante dos meses, luego en Mesa Verde durante más de un año. Dijo que el lugar estaba infestado de moho, escarabajos acuáticos y cucarachas, y que los reclusos bebían agua de color óxido de los grifos.

La base de datos de ACLU NorCal contó las quejas de los detenidos presentadas ante ICE y compartidas con la ACLU. De enero a octubre hubo cerca de 400 denuncias y más de la mitad fueron sobre condiciones de vida y malos tratos. La fundación de la ACLU ha demandado a ICE por información sobre

quejas en instalaciones de California.

Una demostración de fuerza En febrero pasado, decenas de detenidos iniciaron huelgas de hambre para protestar por las condiciones, entre ellos Hernández Gómez. Dijo que los agentes del Grupo GEO y del ICE tomaron represalias contra los huelguistas de hambre.

“Nos pusieron en régimen de aislamiento”, dijo. “Nos amenazaron con trasladarnos a otro estado”.

La denuncia dice: “El 7 de marzo de 2023, aproximadamente a las 6:00 a.m., varios agentes del GEO vestidos con equipo antidisturbios ingresaron al dormitorio del Sr. Hernández Gómez. Desconectaron los teléfonos del dormitorio para que los detenidos no pudieran llamar a sus abogados ni a sus familiares.

Sacaron por la fuerza a uno de los compañeros del dormitorio del Sr. Hernández Gómez. Poco tiempo después, agentes de ICE vestidos con equipo militar, con porras, gas pimienta y lo que parecían rifles automáticos, entraron al dormitorio. Ordenaron al señor Hernández Gómez y a otros detenidos tirarse al suelo. Los agentes no explicaron el motivo de sus órdenes. En cambio, sin previo aviso ni explicación, los agentes se concentraron en el Sr. Hernández Gómez y lo rodearon. Pidió hablar con su abogado de inmigración, pero su petición quedó sin respuesta”.

La denuncia dice que los agentes “tiraron al suelo al señor Hernández Gómez, lo que provocó que se golpeara el hombro y el pecho contra el suelo”. Un oficial dijo: “O vas a caminar o te vamos a arrastrar”, según la denuncia.

Los agentes lo esposaron y encadenaron y finalmente lo metieron en una camioneta con varios otros detenidos, y finalmente condujeron “muchas horas” hasta una pista de aterrizaje privada. A pesar de que Hernández Gómez solicitó ir a un hospital porque se sentía mareado, según su denuncia, lo subieron a un avión fletado que luego aterrizó en Texas.

ICE tiene cuatro páginas de normas escritas para el manejo de detenidos en huelga de hambre, que establecen que “si es médicamente necesario, el detenido puede ser transferido a un hospital comunitario o a un centro de detención debidamente equipado para recibir tratamiento”; no se menciona la transferencia de detenidos a una instalación de ICE fuera del estado.

Antes de abordar el avión, Hernández Gómez dijo en la denuncia que soportó una revisión física sexualmente abusiva que incluyó la parte interna del muslo, las nalgas y los genitales.

“Nadie debería tocar a nadie en ningún lugar en un momento dado, sin importar cuánto tiempo, sin importar si es un milisegundo”, dijo a CalMatters.

‘Segundo infierno’

CalMatters dejó mensajes telefónicos en la oficina de medicina familiar de Iglesias y envió un correo electrónico a su práctica, pero no obtuvo respuesta. En 2022, Seguridad Nacional compartió un video en las redes sociales en el que Iglesias describe su experiencia médica y sus motivaciones para trabajar en Seguridad Nacional.

Temeroso de ser alimentado a la fuerza y después de ser puesto en régimen de aislamiento, Hernández Gómez informó al personal de atención médica que rompería su huelga de hambre de 21 días. Pero en lugar de cumplir con su pedido de comenzar con vitaminas y electrolitos, le dieron dos hamburguesas frías con queso y papas fritas, según la denuncia.

Hernández Gómez agregó: “Cuando consumí eso, después de 21 días, comencé a sentirme mareado.

Ese fue el comienzo de mi segundo infierno”.

Síndrome de realimentación Los mareos y la desorientación son síntomas comunes del síndrome de realimentación: “cambios potencialmente fatales en líquidos y electrolitos que pueden ocurrir en pacientes desnutridos que reciben realimentación artificial”, según investigaciones médicas.

Hernández Gómez dijo que se sentía desorientado y su visión se deterioró tanto que tuvo que usar anteojos, pero no recibió tratamiento para sus síntomas.

El 14 de marzo, Hernández Gómez fue trasladado en avión de regreso a Mesa Verde. Ese día, recordó, siguió presentando dolores de cabeza y mareos, por lo que el personal médico de Mesa Verde le entregó un bastón y una silla de ruedas. Posteriormente fue tratado en la sala de emergencias de un hospital en Bakersfield donde, por primera vez, fue evaluado por síndrome de realimentación, según la denuncia.

Los síntomas empeoraron, según la denuncia.

Hernández Gómez fue enviado a otro hospital y hospitalizado durante cinco días, con la cintura, los brazos y las piernas encadenados a una cama.

“Derramé lágrimas, porque ¿cómo se van a salir con la suya? Soy un ser humano, no me deben tratar así”, dijo Hernández Gómez.

Semanas después, un tribunal federal ordenó a ICE una audiencia de fianza, donde los abogados que representan a Hernández Gómez presentaron evidencia de negligencia y maltrato médico. Un juez de inmigración determinó que Hernández Gómez no era un peligro para la sociedad y ordenó su liberación con una fianza de $5,000.

Pero el 14 de abril, Hernández Gómez no salió de Mesa Verde. Lo sacaron en silla de ruedas. Fue la primera vez que vio llorar a su padre, dijo.

“No soy libre”, dijo recientemente, “porque siempre tengo estos ‘flashbacks’ [recuerdos]. A veces lloro hasta quedarme dormido. Y aunque duela, no quiero que otros pasen más por eso”.

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DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

DMV HIGHLIGHTS NEW LAWS IN 2024

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Jeanne Kuang CalMatters

the State Capitol grounds in Sacramento.

Promoting Equity ID Card Pilot Program for San Diego County Inmates - AB 1329 (Maienschein)

he California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants Californians to be aware of several new laws taking effect in the new year

Authorizes the DMV and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department to implement a pilot program to provide eligible inmates a valid identification card or driver’s license when they are released from a county detention facility.

The law is intended to expand on the progress of the Cal-ID program, which streamlines access to support services, such as medical, housing and right-to-work documents upon release.

Department of Motor Vehicles Sacramento – The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants Californians to be aware of several new laws taking effect in the new year. The laws listed below take effect on January 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted.

Advancing Modernization and Customer Service Driver’s License Renewal Alternatives - AB 1606 (Gipson)

Verifying Registration Before Removing a Vehicle AB 925 (Ta)

Authorizes the DMV Director to establish a program to evaluate the traffic safety and other effects of renewing driver’s licenses by virtual or other remote processes.

This is in addition to current online renewal options offered to most drivers under 70 years old. The program would allow drivers 70 and older to complete certain driver’s license renewal requirements, such as vision and knowledge tests, by virtual or remote means. Drivers 80 and older would still be required to renew in person at the DMV. The law is intended to provide older drivers with renewal alternatives to visiting a DMV office, while overall increasing customer convenience and reducing the number of visits to DMV offices.

Requires a peace officer or traffic enforcement official to verify the lack of current vehicle registration with the DMV before towing a vehicle for expired registration longer than six months and prohibits the vehicle from being towed if the officer or traffic enforcement official does not have immediate access to those records. The law is intended to avoid unnecessary impoundments for vehicles that are currently registered but do not have current registration tags on the license plate and spare additional hardship for people who may not have the money to retrieve their vehicle from an impound lot.

Making Our Roads and Communities Safer Speed Camera Pilot Program - AB 645 (Friedman) Establishes a five-year pilot program to give local transportation authorities in San Jose, Oakland, Los Angeles, Glendale, Long Beach and San Francisco the authority to install a limited number of speed cameras on local streets where there are safety concerns. The cameras will automatically take a picture of a speeding car’s license plate and deliver a notice of violation to the registered owner through the mail. The law is intended to reduce speeding, traffic collisions, serious injuries and fatalities.

Improved Visibility at Crosswalks and Intersections AB 413 (Lee) Prohibits a person from parking a vehicle within 20 feet of either side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension

Photo Credit: Freepik

is present. Permits local governments to allow parking for bicycles or motorized scooters within 20 feet of a crosswalk. The law is intended to increase visibility for all road users to see oncoming traffic by removing parked cars near crosswalks and intersections, a safety measure known as “daylighting.”

Crackdown on Catalytic Converter Theft - SB 55 (Umberg); AB 641 (Fong); AB 1519 (Bains) These new laws are intended to help combat the theft of catalytic converters and keep Californians and their cars safer. SB 55 prohibits motor vehicle dealers from selling a vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter unless the converter has been permanently marked with the vehicle’s identification number (VIN), with some exceptions. AB 641 makes it a misdemeanor for a person to possess nine or more used catalytic converters that have been cut from a vehicle, with some exceptions. AB 1519

makes it a misdemeanor to remove or alter any VIN or other unique marking that has been added to a catalytic converter, and it also makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly possess three catalytic converters that have a VIN or other unique marking removed or altered.

Honoring First Responders California Firefighter Memorial Restoration - SB 374 (Ashby) The law increases the revenue available to the California Fire Foundation by increasing firefighter specialty license plate renewal fees from $35 to $40, ensuring the state can adequately honor fallen firefighters. The foundation plans to use any additional revenues generated by this fee change to enhance the ongoing support for the foundation’s work, including providing resources for renovations to the California Firefighters’ Memorial located on

Driver’s Licenses Can No Longer Be Impounded for Not Paying Fines - AB 1125 (Hart) Repeals existing law authorizing courts to impound a person’s driver’s license and order the person not to drive for 30 days if they fail to make an agreed upon installment payments for bail or a fine. The law is intended to reduce the harm caused to people with low incomes who need to drive to work or access essential services.

Traffic School Non-Attendance - AB 466 (Gipson) Removes provisions making the failure to attend traffic violator school a misdemeanor and clarifies that the failure to attend traffic violator school is not punishable as a new offense. Clarifies that the underlying conviction of a person who fails to attend traffic violator school shall not be confidential and the person shall have traffic violation points assessed, as applicable. The law is intended to spare people with low incomes from additional fines and criminal penalties that have no impact on road safety.

OFERTA ESPECIAL ¡Compre Una y Obtenga Otra Gratis!

PONIENDO LA GENTE POR

ENCIMA DE LA POLÍTICA Sigue siendo un honor y un privilegio servirle. Este año, seguiré luchando para ampliar el acceso a viviendas asequibles y cuidado infantil, restablecer el Crédito Tributario por Hijos, y promulgar leyes que promuevan la igualdad, la justicia, y la prosperidad para todos. ¡Les deseo a usted y a sus seres queridos unas felices fiestas y un próspero Año Nuevo!

Aprobé la reforma de armas más fuerte en 30 años

Aprobé el proyecto de ley climático más grande de la historia.

Di a Medicare el poder para negociar los precios de los medicamentos y reducir los costos

Protegí el Seguro Social y Medicare de los recortes conservadores

Reduje los costos para las familias trabajadoras y creé millones de empleos con la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación

Garanticé que los afiliados a Medicare no pagarían más de $35 al mes por insulina o mas de $2,000 al año para medicamentos recetados Source: White House

OAKLAND OFFICE @ REPBARBARALEE

1 Kaiser Plaza, Suite 1010 • Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 763-0370

¡ALCATRAZ CITY CRUISES OFRECE UNA PROMOCIÓN DE ENTRADAS A TODOS LOS RESIDENTES DEL ÁREA DE LA BAHÍA! ENERO: 9-10, 16, 30-31 FEBRERO: 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 MARZO: 5-6

*Válido únicamente para los residentes de los nueve condados: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma.

Para reservar esta oferta deben llamar al (415) 981-7625 o comprar las entradas en la taquilla en el Muelle 33 de Alcatraz Landing.

TÉRMINOS Y CONDICIONES: • Para obtener entradas presentar documentos de identificación con fotografía extendido y con domicilio en el Área de la Bahía.

• La entrada BOGO debe ser de igual o menor valor.

• Válido únicamente en las fechas de salida indicadas • Válido únicamente para la excursión de un día a Alcatraz.

• Las entradas solo pueden recogerse el día de su salida.

• Esta promoción no tiene valor en efectivo y no es válida con ninguna otra oferta.

• Nos reservamos el derecho a introducir cambios en esta promoción sin previo aviso. www.cityexperiences.com/san-francisco/city-cruises/alcatraz/bogo/

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

FIGHTING CAR SCAMS WITH THE CARS RULE

The risk of getting scammed when buying a car — the highest purchase many consumers make short of a house — can be as stressful as the risk of a pile-up commute.

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LUCHANDO CONTRA LAS ESTAFAS DE AUTOMÓVILES CON LA REGLA CARS El riesgo de ser estafado al comprar un automóvil - la compra más alta que hacen muchos consumidores sin comprar una casa - puede ser tan estresante como el riesgo de un choque en cadena.

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ESPAÑOL

Selen Ozturk Ethnic Media Services

adicional en ese mismo idioma "para que los compradores sepan lo que están aceptando", dijo Jamie Brooks, abogado de la División de Finanzas Financieras de la FTC. Prácticas.

he risk of getting scammed when buying a car — the highest purchase many consumers make short of a house — can be as stressful as the risk of a pile-up commute.

¿Por qué publicidad engañosa?

La regla CARS se centra tanto en tácticas de publicidad engañosa debido a la cantidad de acciones que la FTC ha presentado en su contra, “donde los concesionarios anuncian un precio para atraer a los consumidores, pero luego les cobran mucho más después de haber invertido tiempo en el lote”, dijo Brooks.

At a Friday, December 15 briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and the Federal Trade Commission, FTC officials explained how the agency’s Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule, requiring transparency from car dealers, will protect buyers from auto scams.

La mayor parte de esta publicidad engañosa implica tergiversar el precio total de un automóvil, su pago mensual o la afiliación del concesionario con programas gubernamentales, añadió.

What is CARS and who’s affected?

Malini Mithal, associate director of the FTC Division of Financial Practices said the CARS Rule, announced by the FTC last week, combats two main scams that car buyers experience: baitand-switch tactics, “where dealers advertise a low price to bring you to the lot, but after you spend hours there you learn that the car is way more expensive than what was advertised,” and junk fees, which are charges hidden by long, complicated auto contracts.

CARS — taking effect July 30, 2024 — will save car buyers facing these tactics an estimated $3.4 billion and 72 million hours a year, she explained. “The rule especially helps honest car dealers who will be able to compete on a level playing field; they won’t have to worry about losing business to a competitor pretending to have a lower price to lure consumers onto their lot, but then charging much more once the consumer gets there.”

The CARS Rule makes this happen four ways, Mithal continued: first, dealers can’t lie about key information like costs, financing terms, add ons and rebates; second, dealers must tell consumers the total price of the car (e.g. the full price of a 10-year contract, not just the first few monthly payments); third, dealers can’t charge junk fees that don’t benefit the consumer (e.g. a second warranty with no coverage, or oil change addons incompatible with an electric car); and fourth, “Dealers can only charge for things if consumers know what the charge is for and agree to pay for it — so no more hidden costs in contracts.”

The rule also requires dealers advertising a car in a certain language, like Spanish, to clearly disclose any added costs in that same language “so buyers know what they’re agreeing to,” said Jamie Brooks, an attorney with the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices.

Why bait-and-switch?

The CARS Rule focuses so much on bait-andswitch tactics because of how many actions the FTC has brought against it, “where dealers advertise one price to get consumers in the door, but then charge consumers much more after they’ve invested time on the lot,” said Brooks.

Most of this deceptive advertising involves misrepresenting a car’s full price, its monthly payment, or the dealership’s affiliation with government programs, she added.

For example, in 2014 the FTC sued Casino Auto Sales of La Puente, California for advertising an $18,000 down vehicle while burying an extra $5,000 down payment in fine print specifically targeting Spanish consumers. In 2020, the agency sued dealer ad agency Traffic Jam Events of Kenner, Louisiana for mailers which supposedly directed consumers to a COVID stimulus relief program site, the address of which was really a car lot.

These tactics not only harm car buyers but dealers themselves “who have to beat the bo-

An example of a “bait-and-switch” car ad. Photo Credit: EMS

gus prices of dishonest competitors,” Brooks explained. “When a dealership advertises low prices, people end up selecting that dealership over others under false pretenses.”

Junk fees, add-ons Many of these pretenses also involve “junk fees” for hidden add-ons — “like extended warranties, car or asset protection, or coatings that are supposed to protect the car” — which can easily cause unknowing buyers thousands of dollars, said Sanya Shahrasbi, an attorney with the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices.

“In the past two years alone,” she continued, “dealers have substantially increased prices for these add ons, even though such products and services largely are not constrained by supply.”

A 2022 FTC lawsuit against multistate dealer Napleton, the thirteenth-largest dealership group in the country, found that 83% or 16,848 of the dealer’s customers were charged for addons that they didn’t agree to; for instance, “one consumer paid for a $2,000 service contract that the dealer said was free.”

This Napleton action found not only that buyers were being charged for add-ons they didn’t agree to, but also that these buyers were disproportionately Black and Latino, added Mithal.

A 2023 action against Wisconsin-based dealer group Rhinelander Auto Center found analogous targeting of local Native American consumers.

Much of the vulnerability of these racial and ethnic groups owes to language access obstructed by lengthy contracts hiding fees; many Napleton buyers, for example, found themselves with paperwork requiring more than 12 signatures across over 60 pages.

Regardless, Mithal continued, the CARS Rule “prohibits conduct which is already illegal, and if a dealer’s lying to you about the price of a car, they’re already violating the FTC, you’re within your rights to report them (http://fraud.ftc.gov/).”

How, then, will the CARS Rule help stop scams that are already illegal?

Because it underscores the money, said Mithal, “and people stand up when they are on the hook for a lot of money … It’s easier to get money back to you when scamming dealers see that they’re exposed through this rule, and honest dealers see the law is on their side.”

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Selen Ozturk Ethnic Media Services

l riesgo de ser estafado al comprar un automóvil - la compra más alta que hacen muchos consumidores sin comprar una casa - puede ser tan estresante como el riesgo de un choque en cadena.

En una sesión informativa del viernes 15 de diciembre organizada por Ethnic Media Services y la Comisión Federal de Comercio, funcionarios de la FTC explicaron cómo la Regla de Lucha contra las Estafas en el Comercio Minorista de Automóviles (CARS) de la agencia, que exige transparencia por parte de los concesionarios de automóviles, protegerá a los compradores de las estafas de automóviles. ¿Qué es CARS y quién se ve afectado?

Malini Mithal, directora asociada de la División de Prácticas Financieras de la FTC, dijo que la Regla CARS, anunciada por la FTC la semana pasada, combate dos estafas principales que experimentan los compradores de automóviles: Tácticas de cebo y cambio, “donde los concesionarios anuncian un precio bajo para llevarte al concesionario, pero después de pasar horas allí te das cuenta de que el carro es mucho más caro de lo que se anunciaba” y tarifas basura, que son cargos ocultos tras contratos de automóviles largos y complicados.

CARS — que entrará en vigor el 30 de julio de 2024 —ahorrará a los compradores de automóviles que enfrentan estas tácticas un estimado de $3.4 mil millones y 72 millones de horas al año, explicó. “La norma ayuda especialmente a los concesionarios de automóviles honestos, que podrán competir en igualdad de condiciones; no tendrán que preocuparse por perder negocios frente a un competidor que pretende tener un precio más bajo para atraer a los consumidores a su lote, pero luego cobra mucho más una vez que el consumidor llega ahí”.

La regla CARS hace que esto suceda de cuatro maneras, continuó Mithal: primero, los concesionarios no pueden mentir sobre información clave como costos, términos de financiamiento, complementos y reembolsos; en segundo lugar, los concesionarios deben informar a los consumidores el precio total del automóvil (por ejemplo, el precio total de un contrato de 10 años, no sólo los primeros pagos mensuales); tercero, los concesionarios no pueden cobrar tarifas basura que no beneficien al consumidor (por ejemplo, una segunda garantía sin cobertura o complementos de cambio de aceite incompatibles con un automóvil eléctrico); y cuarto, “los distribuidores sólo pueden cobrar por las cosas si los consumidores saben cuál es el cargo y aceptan pagarlo — por lo que no habrá más costos ocultos en los contratos”.

La regla también requiere que los concesionarios que anuncian un automóvil en un idioma determinado, como el español, revelen claramente cualquier costo

Por ejemplo, en 2014, la FTC demandó a Casino Auto Sales de La Puente, California, por anunciar un vehículo con un pago inicial de 18.000 dólares y al mismo tiempo enterrar un pago inicial adicional de 5.000 dólares en letra pequeña dirigida específicamente a los consumidores hispanohablantes. En 2020, la agencia demandó a la agencia de publicidad de concesionarios Traffic Jam Events de Kenner, Luisiana, por anuncios publicitarios que supuestamente dirigían a los consumidores a un sitio del programa de ayuda de estímulo COVID, cuya dirección era en realidad un concesionario de automóviles.

Estas tácticas no sólo perjudican a los compradores de automóviles, sino también a los propios concesionarios “que tienen que superar los precios falsos de competidores deshonestos”, explicó Brooks."Cuando un concesionario anuncia precios bajos, la gente termina seleccionando ese concesionario en lugar de otros con falsos pretextos".

Tarifas basura, complementos Muchas de estas pretensiones también implican “tarifas basura” por complementos ocultos — “como garantías extendidas, protección del automóvil o de los activos, o revestimientos que se supone protegen el automóvil” — lo que fácilmente puede costar miles de dólares a los compradores desprevenidos, dijo Sanya Shahrasbi. , abogado de la División de Prácticas Financieras de la FTC. “Sólo en los últimos dos años”, continuó, “los distribuidores han aumentado sustancialmente los precios de estos complementos, a pesar de que dichos productos y servicios en gran medida no están limitados por la oferta. Una demanda de la FTC de 2022 contra el concesionario multiestatal Napleton, el decimotercer grupo de concesionarios más grande del país, encontró que al 83% o 16,848 de los clientes del concesionario se les cobraron complementos con los que no estaban de acuerdo; por ejemplo, “un consumidor pagó por un contrato de servicio de 2000 dólares que, según el distribuidor, era gratuito”.

Esta acción de Napleton encontró no sólo que a los compradores se les cobraba por complementos con los que no estaban de acuerdo, sino también que estos compradores eran desproporcionadamente negros y latinos, añadió Mithal. Una acción de 2023 contra el grupo de concesionarios Rhinelander Auto Center, con sede en Wisconsin, encontró ataques análogos a los consumidores nativos americanos locales.

Gran parte de la vulnerabilidad de estos grupos raciales y étnicos se debe al acceso al idioma obstaculizado por contratos prolongados que ocultan tarifas; Muchos compradores de Napleton, por ejemplo, se encontraron con papeleo que requería más de 12 firmas en más de 60 páginas.

Independientemente, continuó Mithal, la Regla CARS “prohíbe conductas que ya son ilegales, y si un concesionario le miente sobre el precio de un automóvil, ya está violando la FTC, usted tiene derecho a denunciarlo (http: //fraud.ftc.gov/)”.

Entonces, ¿cómo ayudará la regla CARS a detener estafas que ya son ilegales?

Porque pone de relieve el dinero, dijo Mithal, “y la gente se pone de pie cuando están en apuros por mucho dinero... Es más fácil recuperar el dinero cuando los comerciantes estafadores ven que están expuestos a través de esta regla, y los comerciantes honestos ven que la ley está de su lado”.

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FOOD

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Highland Park

eeking the perfect spot in San Jose to enjoy delicious cocktails with your friends and family this holiday season and into the new year? Premium Single Malt Scotch distillery Highland Park encourages spirits lovers to indulge in these signature creations featuring award-winning Highland Park 12 Year Old.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

TOAST TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH SIGNATURE HIGHLAND PARK WHISKY COCKTAILS

Indulge in a harmony of refreshing flavors found within the Glasgow Afternoon – an elevated combination featuring the smoothness of Highland Park 12 Year Old, Manzanilla Sherry, fresh cantaloupe and lemon juice, muddled ginger and soda water. Created by mixologist, Chris Ward, and available at the Plumed Horse located in Saratoga on 14555 Big Basin Way. The Murakami cocktail boasts a flavorful interplay featuring Highland Park 12 Year Old and elegant Lemorton Calvados, fused with notes of pear, ginger, Hojicha Umeshu and a touch of honey. Available at Be.Stéak.A located in Campbell on 1887 S Bascom Ave. Enjoy a classic, timeless cocktail with the Blood and Sand – A rich harmony of Highland Park 12 Year Old, sweet Cherry Heering, Carpano Antica and Fresh Blood Orange Juice that make for a sophisticated and flavorful sip. Available at The Grill on the Alley located on 172 S. Market Street.

Photo Credit: Highland Park

Glasgow Afternoon from Plumed Horse • 2oz highland Park • .5 oz manzanilla sherry • 1oz fresh cantaloupe juice • .75oz lemon juice • Muddled ginger • Top with Soda water

Photo Credit: Highland Park

The Murakami by Reynaldo Ung at Be.Stéak.A • .75 oz highland park 12 • .50 oz Lemorton Calvados Domfrontais • .75 oz clear creek pear liqueur • .75 oz hojicha tea infused UMESHU • .50 oz barrow’s intense ginger liqueur 10.5 • .75 oz lemon • 1 Tsp (2:1) honey syrup

Photo Credit: Highland Park

BLOOD & SAND from The Grill on the Alley • 1 oz. Highland Park 12 Year • 1 oz. Heering Cherry Liqueur • ½ oz. Sweet Vermouth • 1 oz. Blood Orange Juice (freshly squeezed)

YA ES POSIBLE OBTENER UN SEGURO MÉDICO DE CALIDAD POR

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Tu seguro médico empieza aquí.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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CALIFORNIA NEW LAWS FOR 2024: SPEED CAMERAS AND CRUISING ALLOWED

Under new state laws, five cities will test cameras to catch speeding drivers and cruising bans will be lifted statewide. The first is supposed to improve road safety, but critics of the second say it will endanger the public.

COMMUNITY

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NUEVAS LEYES DE CALIFORNIA 2024: SE PERMITIRÁN LOS RADARES CON CÁMARA Y SE PODRÁ HACER ‘CRUISING’ CON AUTOS ‘LOWRIDERS’ Según las nuevas leyes estatales, cinco ciudades probarán cámaras para detectar a los conductores que exceden la velocidad y se levantarán las prohibiciones de ‘cruising’ en todo el estado. Se supone que el primero mejorará la seguridad vial, pero los críticos del segundo dicen que pondrá en peligro al público.

ENGLISH

ESPAÑOL

Lynn La CalMatters

señalan a los conductores que se saltan los semáforos en rojo. Según una ley, seis ciudades pueden iniciar un programa piloto para detectar y multar con cámaras a los conductores que excedan el límite de velocidad, con la esperanza de frenar el número de muertes por accidentes de tránsito.

Cameras at intersections across California already flag drivers who run red lights. Under one law, six cities can begin a pilot program to catch and fine speeding drivers with cameras, with hopes to curb the number of traffic deaths.

Los Ángeles, San José, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach y San Francisco tienen la autoridad para lanzar programas piloto de radares de tráfico que durarán cinco años o hasta el 1 de enero de 2032 (la fecha que sea anterior). Después de un período introductorio de 60 días en el que se emiten únicamente advertencias a los infractores, las multas comenzarán en $50 para los conductores que excedan al menos 11 mph el límite de velocidad, aunque los montos se pueden reducir dependiendo de los ingresos.

new laws taking effect Jan. 1 could Two affect safety on California’s roads.

Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach, and San Francisco have the authority to launch speed camera pilot programs that will last five years or until Jan. 1, 2032 (whichever date is sooner). After a 60-day introductory period of issuing only warnings to violators, fines will start at $50 for drivers who go at least 11 mph over the speed limit — though amounts can be reduced depending on income.

Money from the fines will go toward covering the cost of the programs, as well as “traffic calming measures,” such as raised crosswalks and speed tables that slow down drivers. Cities must also submit reports about their programs, detailing any improvements to street safety and impacts on communities.

Local officials and groups that advocate for traffic safety such as Walk San Francisco have praised the measure, citing research that speed cameras are effective at reducing the number of traffic accidents and fatalities. In a statement, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that data also shows that “traffic violence overwhelmingly impacts Black residents, elders, and youth” and the law “will help us save lives.”

Cameras capture license plate numbers, not faces of drivers, but critics of the law, which include Electronic Frontier Foundation, ACLU California Action and Human Rights Watch, cite concerns about over surveillance, privacy and data security.

Freedom for lowrider cruising And on Jan. 1, California will end its statewide ban on cruising, when drivers show off classic, typically customized lowrider cars, by leisurely riding on city streets. The new law follows the lifting of cruising limits in cities including San Jose, Sacramento and Modesto.

Cruising bans have long been criticized by enthusiasts, and more recently Democratic lawmakers, as discriminatory against Latino communities. The activity is deeply-rooted in car culture, and is a way of “expressing our love for art,” said Democratic Assemblymember David Alvarez of Chula Vista upon introducing the original bill in February.

By lifting the ban, the state acknowledges the artistic and social merits of cruising. The law will also undo a ban on modifying vehicles to a certain low height. One member of the Sacramento Lowrider Commission said in a statement: “Low and slow, is not a crime.”

"Payaso Loko" cruises down Railyards Boulevard during a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Sacramento on May 4th, 2022.

Photo Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / CalMatters

But law enforcement groups, the cities of Beverly Hills and Pico Rivera and the California Contract Cities Association argue that cruising is a threat to public safety. In its opposition statement, the association said that cruising can be deadly to pedestrians and lead to “street takeovers that are extremely dangerous.”

D

Lynn La CalMatters

os nuevas leyes que entrarán en vigor el 1 de enero podrían afectar la seguridad en las carreteras de California.

Las cámaras en las intersecciones de California ya

El dinero de las multas se destinará a cubrir el costo de los programas, así como a “medidas para aliviar el tráfico”, como cruces peatonales elevados y tablas de velocidad que reducen la velocidad de los conductores. Las ciudades también deben presentar informes sobre sus programas, detallando cualquier mejora en la seguridad de las calles y los impactos en las comunidades.

Los funcionarios locales y grupos que abogan por la seguridad vial, como Walk San Francisco, han elogiado la medida, citando investigaciones que demuestran que los radares son eficaces para reducir el número de accidentes de tráfico y muertes.

En un comunicado, el alcalde de Oakland, Sheng Thao, dijo que los datos también muestran que “la violencia del tráfico afecta de manera abrumadora a los residentes, ancianos y jóvenes de raza negra” y la ley “nos ayudará a salvar vidas”.

Las cámaras capturan los números de las matrículas, no los rostros de los conductores, pero los críticos de la ley, que incluyen a Electronic Frontier Foundation, ACLU California Action y Human Rights Watch, citan preocupaciones sobre la vigilancia excesiva, la privacidad y la seguridad de los datos.

Libertad para los autos ‘lowriders’ Y el 1 de enero, California pondrá fin a su prohibición estatal de cruising, que es cuando los conductores exhiben autos lowrider clásicos, generalmente personalizados y que pueden levantar y bajar su chasis mientras viajan tranquilamente por las calles de la ciudad. La nueva ley sigue al levantamiento de los límites de cruising en ciudades como San José, Sacramento y Modesto.

Las prohibiciones de cruising han sido criticadas durante mucho tiempo por entusiastas y, más recientemente, por legisladores demócratas, por considerarlas discriminatorias contra las comunidades latinas. La actividad está profundamente arraigada en la cultura automovilística y es una forma de “expresar nuestro amor por el arte”, dijo el asambleísta demócrata David Álvarez de Chula Vista al presentar el proyecto de ley original en febrero.

Al levantar la prohibición, el Estado reconoce los méritos artísticos y sociales del cruising de autos.

La ley también anulará la prohibición de modificar los vehículos a una altura determinada. Un miembro de la Comisión Lowrider de Sacramento dijo en un comunicado: “Bajo y lento, no es un delito”.

Pero los grupos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley, las ciudades de Beverly Hills y Pico Rivera y la Asociación de Ciudades Contratadas de California sostienen que los autos que hacen cruising son una amenaza para la seguridad pública. En su declaración de oposición, la asociación dijo que circular en cruising puede ser mortal para los peatones y provocar “tomas de calles que son extremadamente peligrosas”.

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NATIONAL

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AVISO DE DISPONIBILIDAD Y REUNIÓN PÚBLICA Disponible el borrador del Informe de Impacto Ambiental/ Evaluación Ambiental para el Proyecto de Mejora de la US 101/Zanker Road/Skyport Drive/Fourth Street

NEW YORKER FACES ICE DEPORTATION, DESPITE BEING U.S. CITIZEN ENGLISH when the unit needs to be charged, it just makes an announcement," Charpentier explained. "It beeps several times. There's an announcement that the battery needs to be charged."

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Pascal Charpentier's immigration status only became an issue when he had to show proof of citizenship to get a driver's license. Without a passport, birth certificate or naturalization certificate, he applied for a green card, which listed his native country as Haiti. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

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¿QUÉ SE ESTÁ PLANEANDO? - El Departamento de Transporte de California (Caltrans), en cooperación con la Autoridad de Transporte del Valle de Santa Clara (VTA) y la ciudad de San José, propone construir mejoras en la autopista US 101 (US 101) y en las carreteras locales adyacentes de San José. El proyecto incluye la construcción de un nuevo paso elevado sobre la US 101 que conecte Zanker Road al norte con Fourth Street y Skyport Drive al sur, la sustitución de las rampas no estándar de la US 101 en dirección norte en Old Bayshore Highway y Brokaw Road por nuevas rampas en Bering Drive, la ampliación de las carreteras locales para acomodar el paso elevado y las modificaciones de las rampas, y la incorporación de instalaciones para bicicletas y peatones en el diseño del proyecto. El propósito del Proyecto es mejorar la red de transporte en el área del proyecto para acomodar el crecimiento planeado, mejorar la seguridad y las operaciones de tráfico, mejorar las instalaciones para peatones y ciclistas y mejorar el acceso hacia/desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Norman Y Mineta San José (SJIA).

¿POR QUÉ SE DA ESTE AVISO? - Este aviso es para informarle de que el Borrador del Informe de Impacto Ambiental (EIR)/Evaluación Ambiental (EA) está disponible para que usted lo revise y aporte sus comentarios. Este aviso también le invita a asistir a una reunión pública sobre el proyecto.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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Edwin J. Viera Public News Service

ascal "Shakoure" Charpentier was born on an army base in Germany and has called New York City home for three decades, but he might not be able to much longer.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is trying to deport him for being a Haitian immigrant, despite having never been to Haiti. Federal agents arrested Shakoure in 2020 and held him without bail in a New Jersey detention center. He has since been released.

Prosecutors claim a felony charge from his youth, for which he served prison time, warrants his deportation. He has presented evidence proving his naturalized status, but prosecutors are dismissing it. For now, he is forced to wear an ankle monitor, which he said has become a barrier in his life.

"The type of engagements I have on a professional level, that can be for one, quite disruptive because

He has asked for a downgrade of the ankle monitor to a less obtrusive option, although his requests have gone unanswered. One of his attorneys, Jessica Rofe, said it's uncertain how much information could satisfy Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But Charpentier noted their own documents can prove his case since they show his life in this country. He is hoping the case can end by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul granting him clemency.

His is not an uncommon story.

Karim Golding, organizer for Freedom to Thrive, faced a similar situation. Being from Jamaica, he first entered the U.S. when he was about nine years old with his mother. He was arrested on drug and gun charges, for which he was sentenced to federal prison. But then he was transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.

While he was released and had his conviction overturned, Golding said the implications of it still linger.

"I still have to ask if I want to leave the state of New York or the tri-state [area]," Golding pointed out. "I have to ask permission. Pascal has an ankle monitor. I had an ankle monitor for 18 months prior to having my case overturned, and still have different levels of supervision that I still have to deal with.

We're still incarcerated, we're not free."

He said people like he and Charpentier still have to fight their cases on a day-to-day basis. Golding argued rehabilitation needs to be explored as a viable option for people in such situations. He added people need to be better educated about the law so the first place they see in the U.S. is not a jail cell.

NEOYORQUINO ENFRENTA DEPORTACIÓN DE ICE, A PESAR DE SER CIUDADANO ESTADOUNIDENSE ESPAÑOL

¿QUÉ HAY DISPONIBLE? - El Borrador del EIR/EA está disponible en línea en www.vta.org/101zanker. También se pueden leer copias impresas del informe en la Oficina Administrativa de la VTA, 3331 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134, y en la Biblioteca Joyce Ellington Branch, 491 East Empire Street, San Jose, CA 95112.

al puede ser bastante perturbador porque cuando es necesario cargar la unidad, simplemente lo anuncia", explicó Charpentier."Suena varias veces. Hay un anuncio de que es necesario cargar la batería".

QUÉ FUNCIÓN TIENE USTED: - Se solicita su opinión sobre el Borrador del EIR/EA. Le

Pidió que se rebaje el monitor de tobillo a una opción menos molesta, aunque sus peticiones no han recibido respuesta. Una de sus abogadas, Jessica Rofe, dijo que no está claro cuánta información podría satisfacer al Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas. Pero Charpentier señaló que sus propios documentos pueden probar su caso ya que muestran su vida en este país. Espera que el caso pueda terminar cuando la gobernadora de Nueva York, Kathy Hochul, le otorgue el indulto.

rogamos que envíe sus comentarios por escrito por correo electrónico a 101-zanker@vta.org o por correo postal a Caltrans, Distrito 4-Oficina de Análisis Medioambiental, Attn: Charles Winter, P.O. Box 23660 MS-8B, Oakland, CA 94623-0660.

Los comentarios deben recibirse antes del viernes 16 de febrero de 2024.

CUÁNDO Y DÓNDE - Se celebrará una reunión pública el miércoles 10 de enero de 2024 de 6:00 a 7:30 pm en la Escuela Primaria Walter L. Bachrodt en 102 Sonora Avenue en San José.

Se hará una presentación del proyecto, seguida de una jornada de puertas abiertas para que el público pueda hacer preguntas y aportar comentarios. Se ruega a las personas que necesiten traducción, lenguaje de señas americano u otro tipo de ayuda que se pongan en contacto con VTA Community Outreach en el (408) 321-7575 o TTY para personas con discapacidad auditiva (408) 321-2330, al menos cinco (5) días laborables antes de la reunión pública.

CONFORMIDAD CON LA CALIDAD DEL AIRE: - El análisis de conformidad a nivel de proyecto muestra que el proyecto se ajustará al Plan Estatal de Aplicación, incluido el análisis de impacto localizado con consulta interinstitucional para las partículas (PM2.5) exigido por 40 CFR 93.116 y 93.123. Este Proyecto no se considera un Proyecto de Preocupación con respecto a PM2.5 según se define en 40 CFR 93.123(b)(1). No se completó un análisis detallado de los puntos calientes de PM2.5 porque se cumplen los requisitos de la Ley de Aire Limpio y 40 CFR 93.116 sin un análisis explícito de los puntos calientes. El proyecto procede de un Plan Regional de Transporte y un Programa de Mejora del Transporte conformes. Se solicitan comentarios sobre el análisis de conformidad a nivel de proyecto.

CONTACTO - Para preguntas e información adicional, póngase en contacto con nosotros por correo electrónico en la dirección community.outreach@vta.org, o por teléfono en el (408) 321-7575, TTY (408) 321-2330.

Photo Credit: Wirestock

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Edwin J. Viera Public News Service

ascal "Shakoure" Charpentier nació en una base militar en Alemania y ha llamado a la ciudad de Nueva York su hogar durante tres décadas, pero es posible que no pueda hacerlo por mucho más tiempo.

El Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas está tratando de deportarlo por ser un inmigrante haitiano, a pesar de nunca haber estado en Haití. Agentes federales arrestaron a Shakoure en 2020 y lo retuvieron sin derecho a fianza en un centro de detención de Nueva Jersey. Desde entonces, ha sido puesto en libertad.

Los fiscales afirman que un cargo de delito grave cometido en su juventud, por el que cumplió condena en prisión, justifica su deportación. Ha presentado pruebas que prueban su estatus de naturalizado, pero los fiscales las desestiman. Por ahora, se ve obligado a usar un monitor de tobillo, lo que, según él, se ha convertido en una barrera en su vida.

"El tipo de compromisos que tengo a nivel profesion-

La suya no es una historia poco común.

Karim Golding, organizador de Freedom to Thrive, enfrentó una situación similar. Siendo de Jamaica, ingresó por primera vez a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía unos nueve años con su madre. Fue arrestado por cargos de drogas y armas, por lo que fue sentenciado a una prisión federal. Pero luego lo trasladaron a un centro de detención del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas. Si bien fue liberado y se anuló su condena, Golding dijo que las implicaciones aún persisten.

"Todavía tengo que pedir permiso si me quiero salir el estado de Nueva York o el [área] de los tres estados", señaló Golding. "Tengo que pedir permiso. Pascal tiene un monitor de tobillo. Tuve un monitor de tobillo durante 18 meses antes de que se anulara mi caso y todavía tengo diferentes niveles de supervisión con los que tengo que lidiar. Seguimos encarcelados, no somos libres".

Dijo que personas como él y Charpentier todavía tienen que luchar en sus casos día a día. Golding argumentó que es necesario explorar la rehabilitación como una opción viable para las personas en tales situaciones. Añadió que la gente necesita estar mejor educada sobre la ley para que el primer lugar que vean en Estados Unidos no sea una celda de prisión.

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

GREEN LIVING

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EARTHTALK Q&A: NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS Dear EarthTalk: What are some New Year's Resolutions I can make to help the environment?-- M. Lind, Sturges, MI

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EARTHTALK Q&A: RESOLUCIONES DE AÑO NUEVO Estimado EarthTalk: ¿Qué propósitos de Año Nuevo puedo hacer para ayudar al medio ambiente?—M. Lind, Sturges, MI

ESPAÑOL

It’s that time of year again when you have to make some New Year’s resolutions. How about factoring in climate and the environment this year? Photo Credit: Pexels

ENGLISH

Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

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iven the escalating environmental challenges facing our planet, directing some of our New Year’s aspirations toward eco-conscious endeavors can make a tangible difference. Luckily there are lots of ways to put your resolve to work for the planet...

For starters, one of the most impactful resolutions is to adopt a more mindful approach to consumption. Commit to reducing waste by embracing practices like reusing, repurposing and recycling. Shift to buying reusable items and those with minimal packaging. Support brands committed to sustainable practices.

Minimize your use of single-use plastics, another way to make a big impact without much effort. Choose stainless-steel water bottles, cloth shopping bags and glass food containers. Say no to plastic straws, cutlery and excessive packaging whenever possible.

overall environmental impact.

Conserve water by fixing leaks, taking shorter showers and using water-saving appliances.

Grow your own food, support local biodiversity by planting native species, and prioritize ecofriendly practices in your daily routine.

Another way to create positive change is to speak out more for environmental policies and initiatives. Support community groups and environmental organizations, and join in local clean-up efforts or conservation projects. Engage in discussions, educate others, and advocate for sustainable practices in your workplace, schools and social circles. Spread awareness about environmental issues and inspire others to take action. Share information on social media, organize educational events, or start a community garden or recycling program. Encourage friends, family and colleagues to join in your eco-friendly endeavors, fostering a collective effort toward a greener future.

Making a resolution is just the

first step—commitment is key to achieving lasting change. Progress may require adjustments and perseverance, but every step contributes to a healthier planet. By incorporating these resolutions into your New Year's goals, you become an active participant in the global movement toward environmental stewardship. Together, let us embark on this journey to protect and preserve the natural world we all call home. Cheers to a more sustainable, eco-conscious year ahead!

CONTACTS: 10 Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions, https:// www.centerforecotechnology. org/10-easy-green-new-yearsresolutions/; 12 Actionable and Sustainable New Year's Resolutions, https://greencitizen.com/ blog/sustainable-new-yearsresolutions/.

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.

do, en bicicleta, compartiendo coche o utilizando el transporte público. Considera también la posibilidad de invertir en electrodomésticos de bajo consumo, utilizar fuentes de energía renovables y apoyar iniciativas que compensen las emisiones de carbono. Aunque puede que no sean lo primero en lo que pienses, cambiar tus hábitos diarios también puede reducir tu huella de carbono y tu impacto medioambiental general.

Conserva el agua reparando las fugas, duchándote menos y utilizando electrodomésticos que ahorren agua. Cultive sus propios alimentos, apoye la biodiversidad local plantando especies autóctonas y dé prioridad a las prácticas ecológicas en su rutina diaria.

Llega de nuevo esa época del año en la que hay que hacer algunos propósitos de Año Nuevo. ¿Qué tal si este año tenemos en cuenta el clima y el medio ambiente? Photo Credit: Pexels

Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss EarthTalk

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ados los crecientes retos medioambientales a los que se enfrenta nuestro planeta, dirigir algunas de nuestras aspiraciones de Año Nuevo hacia iniciativas ecológicas puede marcar una diferencia tangible. Por suerte, hay muchas maneras de poner tus propósitos al servicio del planeta...

Para empezar, uno de los propósitos más impactantes es adoptar un enfoque más consciente del consumo.

Comprométete a reducir los residuos adoptando prácticas como la reutilización y el reciclaje. Opta por comprar artículos reutilizables y con el mínimo embalaje. Apoye a las marcas comprometidas con las prácticas sostenibles. Minimiza el uso de plásticos de un solo uso, otra forma de tener un gran impacto sin mucho esfuerzo.

Elige botellas de agua de acero inoxidable, bolsas de tela para la compra y envases de vidrio para alimentos. Di no a las pajitas de plástico, a los cubiertos y a los envases excesivos siempre que sea posible.

Elegir alimentos más sostenibles es otra forma de hacer que 2024 sea más verde que 2023. Adoptar una dieta más vegetal o reducir el consumo de carne para reducir considerablemente el impacto ambiental. Comprometerse a apoyar los alimentos locales, ecológicos y de origen sostenible. Asimismo, esforzarse por reducir el desperdicio de alimentos planificando las comidas, compostando los residuos orgánicos y apoyando iniciativas que redistribuyan los excedentes alimentarios entre los necesitados.

Otro de nuestros propósitos es reducir las emisiones personales de carbono. Adopte alternativas al transporte basado en combustibles fósiles caminan-

Making more sustainable food choices is yet another way to make 2024 greener than 2023.

Adopting a more plant-based diet or reduce meat consumption to significantly reduce environmental impact. Pledge to support local, organic and sustainably sourced foods. Also, strive to reduce food waste by planning meals, composting organic waste and supporting initiatives that redistribute surplus food to those in need.

Otra forma de generar un cambio positivo es manifestarse más a favor de las políticas e iniciativas medioambientales.

Apoya a grupos comunitarios y organizaciones ecologistas, y participa en actividades locales de limpieza o proyectos de conservación. Participe en debates, eduque a los demás y abogue por prácticas sostenibles en su lugar de trabajo, sus escuelas y sus círculos sociales. Difunde información sobre cuestiones medioambientales e inspira a otros para que actúen. Comparte información en las redes sociales, organiza actos educativos o pon en marcha un huerto comunitario o un programa de reciclaje. Anima a tus amigos, familiares y compañeros a unirse a tus iniciativas ecológicas, fomentando un esfuerzo colectivo hacia un futuro más verde.

Tomar una resolución es sólo el primer paso: el compromiso es la clave para lograr un cambio duradero. El progreso puede requerir ajustes y perseverancia, pero cada paso contribuye a un planeta más sano. Al incorporar estos propósitos a tus metas de Año Nuevo, te conviertes en un participante activo en el movimiento global hacia el cuidado del medio ambiente.

Emprendamos juntos este viaje para proteger y preservar el mundo natural al que todos llamamos hogar. Salud por un año más sostenible y ecológico CONTACTOS: 10 Resoluciones Sostenibles para el Año Nuevo, https://www.centerforecotechnology.org/10-easygreen-new-years-resolutions/; 12 Resoluciones Actuables y Sostenibles para el Año Nuevo, https://greencitizen.com/blog/ sustainable-new-years-resolutions/.

Another resolution that of us can make is to reduce personal carbon emissions. Embrace alternatives to fossil fuel-based transportation by walking, cycling, carpooling or using public transit. Also, consider investing in energy-efficient appliances, using renewable energy sources, and supporting initiatives that offset carbon emissions. While they might not be top of mind, changing up daily habits can also reduce your carbon footprint and

EarthTalk® está producido por Roddy Scheer y Doug Moss para la organización sin ánimo de lucro EarthTalk. Más información en https://emagazine. com. Para donar, visite https:// earthtalk.org. Envíe sus preguntas a: question@earthtalk.org.

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EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com

AVISO DE ACUERDO PROPUESTO DE DEMANDA COLECTIVA CON RESPECTO AL DISTRITO DE TRANSPORTE DEL ÁREA DE LA BAHÍA ATENCIÓN: TODAS LAS PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD DE MOVILIDAD: Si ha usado, intentado usar o cree que en el futuro usará o intentará usar cualquiera de los ascensores, escaleras mecánicas, puertas recolectoras de boletos accesibles, cabinas telefónicas, sistemas de comunicación o señalización de la estación de Bay Area Rapid Transit, puede ser miembro del grupo del acuerdo propuesto afectado por esta demanda. Este es un aviso autorizado por el tribunal. ¿Quiénes están incluidos en el Acuerdo?

El grupo de conciliación incluye a todas las personas con cualquier discapacidad de movilidad que, desde el 5 de abril de 2014 hasta el 1 de junio de 2039: (1) haya necesitado usar las Características Accesibles de las instalaciones de BART; o (2) tendrá que usar las Características Accesibles de las instalaciones de BART. ¿Qué establece el Acuerdo?

El Acuerdo de Conciliación estará vigente hasta el 1 de junio de 2039, a más tardar. A lo largo de ese período, BART ha acordado cambios que mejorarán el acceso a sus instalaciones para las personas con discapacidades de movilidad, incluidas las reparaciones y el mantenimiento de ascensores, escaleras mecánicas, cabinas telefónicas y puertas recolectoras de boletos accesibles, proporcionando asistentes de ascensores, haciendo cambios en las prácticas de sus trabajadores de servicio del sistema con respecto a la suciedad en las estaciones de BART, las comunicaciones de interrupciones, la mitigación de ascensores y los planes de preparación para emergencias, capacitación de los empleados y señalización/ruta de viaje.

El Acuerdo de Conciliación también prevé la exoneración de todas las reclamaciones por medidas cautelares, declaratorias y otras reclamaciones no monetarias, pero no libera a las reclamaciones de compensación monetaria. Los Abogados del Grupo (Disability Rights Advocates y Legal Aid at Work) también tendrán derecho a los honorarios y costos de los abogados, y los Representantes del Grupo tendrán derecho a pagos de incentivos. ¿Cuáles son mis derechos?

Incluso si no hace nada, estará obligado por las decisiones del Tribunal en cuanto a la equidad del Acuerdo de Conciliación. El Tribunal ha aprobado preliminarmente el acuerdo y ha programado una audiencia para el 18 de abril de 2024 a las 9:30 a. m. en la Sala de la Honorable Laurel Beeler, Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Norte de California, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Sala B (Piso 15) San Francisco, CA 94102, para decidir si el acuerdo propuesto es justo, razonable y adecuado, y debe ser finalmente aprobado. Usted puede objetar antes de la audiencia por escrito y/o comparecer en persona en la audiencia para objetar. También puede comunicarse con los Abogados del Grupo antes de la audiencia para discutir el Acuerdo de Conciliación y cualquier inquietud que pueda tener.

12/29/23, 1/5, 1/12, 1/19/24 CNS-3767968# EL OBSERVADOR

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701733 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: GLASS SOLUTIONS CA, 880 Burbank Dr #10, Santa Clara, CA 95051, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Maria Del Carmen Gomez, 880 Burbank Dr #10, Santa Clara, CA 95051. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 08/17/2023. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN698236. “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 Del Carmen Gomez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/27/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701733 December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700267 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SIGMA LAMBDA BETA, 1243 Bellomy St, Santa Clara, CA 95050, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Josiah Osorio, 578 Cabernet St, Los Banos, CA 93635. 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/ Josiah Osorio This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/02/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Ronald Nguyen, Deputy File No. FBN 700267

as: Azucar, 4639 Holycon Cir, San Jose, CA 95136, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a married couple. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Carlos Marin, 4639 Holycon Cir, San Jose, CA 95136. Gisela Marin, 4639 Holycon Cir, San Jose, CA 95136. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/26/2023. 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/ Carlos Marin This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/26/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701658

County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Ernestina Cuevas Hernandez, 13921 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95127. 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/ Ernestina Cuevas Hernandez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/21/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 701580

December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024

December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701580 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LA CHAPARRITA OAXAQUENA, 13921 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95127, Santa Clara

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME NO. 701353 The following person(s) has / have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name(s): MATERIALL, 500 E Calaveras Blvd, Suite 240, Milpitas CA, 95035. Filed in Santa Clara County

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701658 The following person(s) is (are) doing business

December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

Kifer Senior Apartments

Kifer Departamentos para Seniors

Kifer Senior Apartments provides 80 units of affordable and supportive housing located at 3333 Kifer Road in Santa Clara.

Los departamentos para Personas Mayores Kifer ofrecen 80 unidades de viviendas asequibles y de apoyo ubicadas en 3333 Kifer Road en Santa Clara.

Unit Mix: 79 units total (30-Studios, 45-1 bedrooms, 4-2 bedrooms), 1 staff unit. 54 units set aside for individuals experiencing homelessness.

We welcome Section 8 vouchers.

Combinación de unidades: 79 unidades en total (30 estudios, 45-1 dormitorios, 4-2 dormitorios), 1 unidad para el personal. 54 unidades reservadas para personas sin hogar.

Aceptamos los vales de la Sección 8.

Income Requirements: This property serves households at 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% AMI.

Requisitos de ingresos: 20%, 30%, 40% y 50% IAM.

Utilities: PG&E, water & garbage paid by owner.

Servicios públicos: PG&E, agua y recolección de residuos pagados por el propietario.

Pet Policy: Pet friendly, limited to one pet per household.

Política de mascotas: Se admiten mascotas, limitado a una mascota por hogar.

Leasing Office: The temporary leasing office is located at 2727 Walsh Avenue, Suite 105, Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Oficina de arrendamiento: La oficina de arrendamiento temporal está ubicada en 2727 Walsh Avenue, Suite 105, Santa Clara, CA 95051.

We do business in accordance with Federal Fair Housing Law. It is illegal to discriminate against any person because of Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Handicap, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Familial Status or National Origin.

Hacemos negocios de acuerdo con la Ley Federal de Vivienda Justa. Es ilegal discriminar a cualquier persona por motivos de raza, color, religión, sexo, discapacidad, orientación sexual, identidad de género, estado familiar u origen nacional.

Engineer (MediaTek USA Inc.; San Jose, CA): Develop, integrate, & support standard software APIs for AI, Computer Vision, imaging pipeline, & hardware accelerators. Salary: $184,662-$221,594/year.

Email resumes to MTK.USRESUME@MEDIATEK.COM ref. job # 00035194.

Head of Partnerships & Marketing sought by FarmWise Labs, Inc. in Santa Clara & Salinas CA to guide co's strategic mktg decisions. Req.: BS + 4 yr. exp. $236,600-$250k/yr.

Domestic travel. *TELECOMMUTING/ TELEWORK PERMITTED*.

Kate Sedano, VP - People, kate.sedano@farmwise.io

New affordable apartments ready for occupancy in January 2024.

on 08/02/2019 under file no. FBN657446.

CURIO SEARCH INC, 500 # Calaveras Blvd, Suite 240, Milpitas, CA 95035. This business was conducted by: a corporation. “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/ Bharat Vijay-CEO This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/13/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN701353 December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427817 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Abdelrahman Yasser Shamarden INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Abdelrahman Yasser Shamarden has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Abdelrahman Yasser Shamarden to Abdelrahman Yas-

ser.Shamarden 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 3/05/2024 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.

Dec 19, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024

Nuevos departamentos asequibles listos para ser habitados en enero de 2024.

AHORA ACEPTAMOS APLICACIONES Basado en ingresos para personas mayores Apartamentos de 1 habitación 39548 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538 510-657-4244 | TTY 711 pasatiempoapts.com

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427527 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Apurva Thomas INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Apurva Thomas has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Apurva Thomas (No Last Name), aka Apurva Thomas, LNU, FNU, Apurva Thomas to Apurva Thomas 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 rea-

sons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 3/05/2024 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.

Dec 13, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19,

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV424711 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Gabriel Espino Guillen INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Gabriel Espino Guillen has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Gabriel Espino Guillen to Gabriel Espino 2.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/30/2024 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.

Oct 25, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of EDWARD EVERETT ROUSAR, III, aka Edward E. Rousar, III and Edward Rousar III Case No. 23PR195650 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of EDWARD EVERETT ROUSAR, III, ALSO KNOWN AS EDWARD E. ROUSAR, III AND EDWARD ROUSAR, III. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed

by Johnie M. Kelly, Jr. in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The

Petition for Probate requests that Johnie M. Kelly, Jr. 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: February 02, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 1, 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

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com 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: Karen A. Lapinski 111 North Market Street, Suite 300 San Jose, CA 95113 (408)500-5001 Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2024 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of Donald Ray Todd Case No. 23PR195773 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Donald Ray Todd. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Tara Todd. in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara.

3. The Petition for Probate requests that Tara Todd be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 01, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 1, 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: Benjamin J. Jesudasson Steburg Law Firm, P.C. 2001 Gateway Place, Suite 100W, San Jose, CA 95110 (408)573-1122 Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2024 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of YE HU Case No. 23PR195365 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of YE HU. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Jianou Gao. in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the

court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: February 02, 2024, 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.

10. Attorney for Petitioner: Andrew H. Dai 851 Burlway Road Suite 166 Burlingame, CA 94010 (650)817-8888 Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2024 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of Louie Cardon Hidalgo Jnr. Aka Louis Cardon Hidalgo Jnr. Case No. 23PR196234 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Louie Cardon Hidalgo Jnr. aka Louis Cardon Hidalgo Jnr. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by MaryLouise Felan Hidalgo in the Superior Court of Cali-

JOBS / CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

fornia, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that MaryLouise Felan Hidalgo be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent 5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 06, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 1, 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: Benjamin Jesudasson Steburg Law Firm P.C. 2001 Gateway Place, Suite 100W San Jose, CA 95110 (408)573-1122 Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2024 AMENDED Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of CHIENFEI CHEN, Case No. 23PR195688 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of CHIENFEI CHEN, aka CONNIE CHEN, CHIENFEI WONG, CONNIE WONG. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Stephen Chen in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3. The Petition for Probate requests that Stephen Chen 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: February 14, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 1, 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

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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. Petitioner: Stephen Chen 1005 Lakehaven Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (408)4806727 Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2024 SUMMONS (Family Law) (FL-110) NOTICE TO RESPONDENT (Name): MILAGROS FELICIDAD CHANG AVISO AL DEMANDADO (Nombre):

You have been sued.

Read the information below.

Lo han demandado.

Lea ia información en la pagina siguiente.

Petitioner’s name is: LUIS LUCIANO IZQUIERDO Nombre del demandante: Case Number (Número de caso): 23FL002569 You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you.

If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic

18

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs.

For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. You can get information about finding lawyers at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/ selfhelp), at the California Legal Services Web Site (www.lawhelpca. org), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

Tiene 30 DIAS DE CALENDARIO después de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citación y Petición para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante.

Una carta o llamada telefónica o una audiencia de la corte NO basta para protegerlo.

Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar órdenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte también puede ordenar que pague manutención, y honorarios y costos legales.

Para asesoramiento legal, pónganse en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener información para encontrar a un abogado en el Centro de ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio Web de los Servicios Legales de California (www. l awh e l p c a . org) o poniéndose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

NOTICE; The restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders.

They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them.

AVISO; Las órdenes de restricción están en vigencia en cuanto a ambos cónyuges miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la petición, se emita un fallo o la corte de otras ordenes.

Cualquier agencia del orden publico que haya recibido o visto una copia de estas ordenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de

California.

FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and cost that the court waived for you and the other party.

Exención De Cuotas: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario un formulario de exención de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a petición de usted o de la otra parte.

1. The name and address of the court is (el nombre y dirección de la corte son): Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara Family Justice Center Courthouse Street Address: 201 N. FIRST STEET San Jose, CA 95113 Mailing Address: 191 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95113 2. The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: (El nombre, dirección, y número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): LUIS LUCIANO IZQUIERDO 18665 CASTLE HILL DRIVE Morgan Hill, CA 95937 (408)607-4578 Date (Fecha): NOV 08, 2023 Clerk, by (Secretario, por) /s/ M. JOHNSON, Deputy (Asistente): STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties from the state or applying for a new or replacement passport for those minor children without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing, borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile and disability, held for the

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com benefit of the parties and their minor child or children: 3.

Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in a manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party.

You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective.

However, you may use community property, quasi-community property, or you own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs.

NOTICE - ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE: Do you or someone in your household need affordable health insurance? If so, you should apply for Covered California. Covered California can help reduce the cost you pay towards high quality affordable health care. For more information, visit www. coveredca.com Or call Covered California at 1-800-300-1506.

WARNING – IMPORTANT INFORMATION California law provides that, for purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community prop-

erty. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divide, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e. joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption.

You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property.

ORDENES DE RESTRICCION NORMALES DE DERECHO FAMILIAR En forma inmediata, usted y su cónyuge o pareja de hecho tienen prohibido: 1. Llevarse del estado de California a los hijos menores de las partes, o solicitar un pasaporte nuevo o de repuesto para los hijos menores, sin el consentimiento previo por escrito de la otra parte o sin una orden de la corte; 2.

Cobrar, pedir prestado, cancelar, transferir, deshacerse o cambiar el nombre de los beneficiarios de cualquier seguro u otro tipo de cobertura, como de vida, salud, vehículo y discapacidad, que tenga como beneficiario(s) a las partes y su(s) hijo(s) menor(es); 3. Transferir, gravar, hipotecar, ocultar o deshacerse de cualquier manera de cualquier propiedad, inmueble o personal, ya sea comunitaria, cuasicomunitaria o separada, sin el consentimiento escrito de la otra parte o una orden de la corte, excepto en el curso habitual de actividades personal o para satisfacer las necesidades de la vida; y 4. Crear o modificar una transferencia no testamentaria de manera que afecte la asignación de una propiedad sujeta a transferencia, sin el consentimiento por escrito de la otra parte o una orden de la corte.

Antes de que se pueda eliminar la revocación de una transferencia no testamentaria, se debe presentar ante la corte un aviso del cambio y hacer una entrega legal de dicho aviso a la otra parte.

Cada parte tiene que notificar a la otra sobre cualquier gasto ex-

traordinario propuesto, por lo menos cinco días laborales antes de realizarlo, y rendir cuenta a la corte de todos los gastos extraordinarios realizados después de que estas órdenes de restricción hayan entrado en vigencia. No obstante, puede usar propiedad comunitaria, cuasicomunitaria o suya separada para pagar a un abogado o para ayudarle a pagar los costos de la corte.

AVISO-ACCESO A SEGURO DE SALUD MÁS ECONÓMICO: ¿Necesita seguro de salud a un costo asequible, ya sea para usted o alguien en su hogar? Si es as¡, puede presentar una solicitud con Covered California.

Covered California lo puede ayudar a reducir el costo que paga por seguro de salud asequible y de alta calidad. Para obtener mas información, visite www.coveredca.com.

O llame a Covered California al 1-800300-0213.

ADVERTENCIA – INFORMACION IMPORTANTE De acuerdo a la ley de California, las propiedades adquiridas por las partes durante su matrimonio o pareja de hecho en forma conjunta se consideran propiedad comunitaria para los fines de la división de bienes que ocurre cuando se produce una disolución o separación legal del matrimonio o pareja de hecho. Si cualquiera de las partes de este caso llega a fallecer antes de que se divida la propiedad comunitaria de tenencia conjunta, el destino de la misma quedará determinado por las cláusulas de la escritura correspondiente que describen su tenencia (por ej. tenencia conjunta, tenencia en común o propiedad comunitaria) y no por la presunción de propiedad comunitaria. Si quiere que la presunción comunitaria que registrada en la escritura de la propiedad, debería consultar con un abogado.

Run Date: December 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 19, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701346 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: RUBE’S JANITORIAL SERVICE, 2354 Mission Glen Dr, Santa Clara, CA 95054, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name

and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Ruben Juarez, 2354 Mission Dr, Santa Clara, CA 95054. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/13/2023. 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/ Ruben Juarez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/13/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Ronald Nguyen, Deputy File No. FBN 701346 December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701389 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DIAMOND STEAM JANITORIAL & CARPET CLEANING, 2774 Monterrey Hwy Apt #38, San Jose, CA 95111, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Jessica Huaman, 2774 Monterrey Hwy Apt #38, San Jose, CA 95111. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/14/2023. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN699881. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Jessica Huaman This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/14/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 701389 December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701144 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Justin Time Silkscreening, 1430 Tully Rd., Ste., 415, San

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023 Jose, CA 95122, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Justino G. Rodriguez, 519 Tarter Ct, San Jose, CA 95136.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/01/2023.

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/ Justino G. Rodriguez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/08/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Raymund A. Reyes, Deputy File No. FBN 701144 December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701399 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ROCKETSHIP REAL ESTATE, NORTH STAR REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, 99 Almaden Ave. Suite 600, Santa Jose, CA 95113, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): CARDAMON & COMPANY, INC, 1045 N Edison St, Stockton, CA 95203.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/15/2023.

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/ Cheryl Cardamon President CARDAMON & COMPANY, INC Article/Reg#: 4014972 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/15/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Patty Camarena, Deputy File No. FBN 701399 December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12,

2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427527 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Apurva Thomas INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Apurva Thomas has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Apurva Thomas (No Last Name) AKA Fnu, Apurva Thomas AKA Apurva, Thomas, LNU to Apuva Thomas 2.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 3/05/2024 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.

Dec 13, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV426242 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Priscilla Villarreal/ Zalaya Campos INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Priscilla Villarreal/Zalaya Campos has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Zalaya Rose Campos to Zalaya Rose Villarreal 2. THE COURT ORDERS that

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023 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: 2/20/2024 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.

Nov 27, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427634 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Naomi Torigoe Kuramatsu INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

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

Naomi Torigoe Kuramatsu to Naomi Kuramatsu Torigoe 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 3/05/2024 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.

Dec 14, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427646 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Poonam Amarsinh Nimbalkar INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

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

Poonam Amarsinh Nimbalkar to Poonam Santosh Shilimkar 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: 2/20/2024 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.

Dec 14, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 12, 2023

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of Laurie Elizabeth Bryant aka Laurie Elizabeth Bryant- McCary Case No. 23PR00600 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Laurie Elizabeth Bryant aka Laurie Elizabeth Bryant- McCary. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Heather Ashley Bryant in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3.The Petition for Probate requests that Heather Ashley Bryant be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. 6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: March 13, 2024, at 8:30am, Dept. 10, 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 (name): Benjamin Jesudasson Steburg Law Firm, P.C. 2001 Gateway Place, Suite 100W San Jose, CA 95110 (408)573-1122 Run Date: December 22, 29, 2023; January 5, FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700776 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: TJ REAL ESTATE SERVICES, TJ COMMERCIALS, TJ PROPERTIES AND SALES, 855 El Camino Real, STE 13A#448, Palo Alto, CA 94301, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): TJ INVESTMENTS GROUP INC., 855 El Camino Real, STE 13A#448, Palo Alto, CA 94301. 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/ Toran Kanazawa TJ INVESTMENT GROUP, INC. Owner Article/Reg#: 201826310272 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/27/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 700776 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS

BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701103 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Garcias’ Tacos, 483 Avalani Ave, San Jose, CA 95133, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Isidro Garcia Morales, 483 Avalani Ave, San Jose, CA 95133.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/07/2023.

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/ Isidro Garcia Morales This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/07/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701103 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701100 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Clean Color Apartment Services, 134 Crocker Dr, San Jose, CA 95111, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Yency Arevalo Collazos, 134 Crocker Dr, San Jose, CA 95111.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/07/2023.

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/ Yency Arevalo Collazos This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/07/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701100 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT NO. 701210 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: CALIFORNIA GATES AND WELDING, 632 S Jackson Ave, 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): Jesus Antonio Aguilar Molina, 632 S Jackson Ave, San Jose, CA 95116. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/11/2023. 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 Antonio Aguiar Molina This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/11/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701210 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700640 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: KING LAUNDROMAT, 2611 Senter Rd, Ste 118, San Jose, CA 95111, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): KING LAUNDROMAT, 4216 Ridgemont Ct, Oakland, CA 94619.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 11/16/2023.

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/ Victoria Duong KING LAUNDROMAT Owner Article/Reg#: 5910300 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/17/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 700640

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701093 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: JASMINE HAIR & NAILS SALON, 2361 McKee Rd, 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): Tham Nguyen, 108 El Bosque Dr, San Jose, CA 95134. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on N/A. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN701011. “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/ Tham Nguyen This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/07/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 701093 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701114 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: JJ GENERAL CONSTRUCTION, 2227 Summereve Ct, San Jose, CA 95122, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Jose Jimenez, 2227 Summereve Ct, San Jose, CA 95122.

The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 06/01/2023.

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/ Jose Jimenez This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/07/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Corinne

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Vasquez, Deputy File No. FBN 701114 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700290 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: GITA PUNAMBHAI PATEL E&T, GITA PUNAMBHAI PATEL IFN USCIS# 047-527708, GITA PUNAMBHAI PATEL FGT, GITA P. PATEL, GITA PATEL TRUST, THE SOUTHERN HILLS TRUST, 3277 S. White Road, #870, 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): Patel, Gita-Punambhai, 5911 Killarney, San Jose, CA 95138. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 01/01/2023. 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/ Patel, GitaPunambhai This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/03/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 700290 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700237 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: MAKIA BARBERSHOP, 3111 Alum Rock Ave, 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): Anyisson Javier Camargo Riano, 3111 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 10/31/2023. 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/ Anyisson Javier

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CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS

Camargo Riano This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/01/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 700327 December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV424667 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: VANESSA TAPIALICONA, JUAN CARLOS LICONA ANGELES INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) VANESSA TAPIA-LICONA, JUAN CARLOS LICONA ANGELES has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Kayden Matteo Licona to Santiago Matteo Licona. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/23/2024 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.

Nov 06, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427092 Superior Court of

California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: BI VAN NGUYEN INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) BI VAN NGUYEN has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

BI VAN NGUYEN to RYAN NGUYEN 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 2/27/2024 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.

Dec 07, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427092 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Cesar Rivera and Maria Hernandez INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Cesar Rivera and Maria Hernandez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Katherine Najarro Hernandez to Katherine Rivera Hernandez 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/16/2024 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.

Dec 12, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427383 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Alan Fitzgerard Perez Bucio INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Alan Fitzgerard Perez Bucio has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Alan Fitzgerard Perez Bucio to Alan Fitzgerald Bucio 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: 2/27/2024 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.

Dec 11, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV427449 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: CHAU TU LUONG INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) CHAU TU LUONG has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. CHAU TU LUONG OR TU CHAU LUONG to JASON LUONG 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 3/05/2024 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.

Dec 12, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 15, 22, 29, 2023; January 5, 2024 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of JUAN MANUEL CEDILLO Case No. 23PR196044 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or

estate, or both, of JUAN MANUEL CEDILLO. 2.

A Petition for Probate has been filed by Victor Daniel Cedillo in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3.The Petition for Probate requests that Victor Daniel Cedillo be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. 5.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: February 08, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 2, 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 (name): Anita Steburg, Anam Hasan Steburg Law Firm, P.C. 2001 Gateway Place, Suite 100W San Jose, CA 95110 (408)573-1122 Run Date: December 15, 22, 29, 2023 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate of HESERLINA GINGOYON EMATA Case No. 23PR195294 1. To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Heserlina Gingoyon Emata. 2. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Lionel Emata in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. 3.The Petition for Probate requests that Lionel Emata be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

5. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administer of Estate Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take any actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consent to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person Files and objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

6. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: January 8, 2024, at 9:01am, Dept. 2, 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

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023 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 (name): JONATHAN C. DO, ESQ. 621 Tully Road, Suite 106 San Jose, CA 95111 (408.287-4444 Run Date: December 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700581 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LA MARQUESITA, 199 Willow St, 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): Alejandra Jamileth Carrillo Osuna, 327 Gloria Ave, San Jose, CA 95127. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 11/15/2023. 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/ Alejandra Jamileth Carrillo This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/15/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Patty Camarena, Deputy File No. FBN 700581 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700947 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: OTILIA CLEANING SERVICES, 1275 Royal Crest Dr, San Jose, CA 95131, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Yaneth Lozano Renteria, 1295 Royal Crest Dr, San Jose, CA 95131. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on N/A. This filing is a first filing. “I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.” (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) /s/ Yaneth Lozano Renteria This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/01/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Patty Camarena, Deputy File No. FBN 700947 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700824 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Homes By Quinn LLC, 2410 Monterey Hwy, San Jose, CA 95111, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a limited liability company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Homes By Quinn LLC, 2350 Senter Rd #333B, San Jose, CA 95112. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 06/06/2023. 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/ Quynh Phan Homes By Quinn LLC CEO Article/Reg#: 202357211903 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/28/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Ronald Nguyen,

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023 Deputy File No. FBN 700824 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 701032 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: General Cleaning Club, 4072 Rose Ave, 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): Cristian Josue Maradiaga Herrera, 1991 Story Rd Apt 21, San Jose, CA 95112. 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/ Cristian Maradiaga Herrera This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/05/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Ronald Nguyen, Deputy File No. FBN 701032 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700831 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LOS PRIMOS MOTORS, 1394 Vine St, San Jose, CA 95110, Santa Clara County.

This business is owned by a limited liability company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): WHEELS & MOTORS LLC, 1394 Vine St, San Jose, CA 95110. 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/ Rosario Tesfai Freslassie WHEELS & MOTORS LLC MEMBER/MANAGER Article/Reg#: 202358719510 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co.

Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/28/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Elaine Fader, Deputy File No. FBN 700831 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700826 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: FAST FRESH PIZZA, 1130 Lucretia Ave #E, San Jose, CA 95122, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by a corporation. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): FAST FRESH PIZZA, 1130 Lucretia Ave #E, San Jose, CA 95122. 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/ Van Cuong Nguyen FAST FRESH PIZZA CEO Article/Reg#: 5984400 Above entity was formed in the state of CA This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/28/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Ronald Nguyen, Deputy File No. FBN 700826 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700950 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SABOGAL JANITORIAL CLEANING SERVICES, 4501 Snell Ave, 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): Carolina Lozado Sabogal, 4501 Snell Ave, 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.)

EL OBSERVADOR | www.el-observador.com /s/ Carolina Lozado Sabogal This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 12/01/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Patty Camarena, Deputy File No. FBN 700950 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 700258 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Panda Janitorial & Maintenance Services, 10 Superior Dr Apt A, Campbell, CA 95008, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by an individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): Saul Mendoza, 2024 Sierra Rd #16, Concord, CA 95418. The registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 1/08/19. This filing is a refile [Change(s) in facts from previous filing] of previous file #: FBN649324. “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/ Saul Mendoza This statement was filed with the Co. Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on 11/02/2023.

Regina Alcomendras, County Clerk Recorder By: /s/ Nina Khamphilath, Deputy File No. FBN 700258 December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV426487 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Maelena Heredia Pimentel INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Maelena Heredia Pimentel has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Maelena Heredia Pimentel to Maelena Cabarloc 2.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting

to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/09/2024 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.

Nov 29, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV425679 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Fedor Sinitsin INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Fedor Sinitsin has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Fedor Sinitsin to Theo Sinitsin 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: 2/13/2024 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.

Nov 13, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV426993 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Oralia Gonzalez Talamantes INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Oralia Gonzalez Talamantes has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.

Mario Daniel Gonzalez Talamantes to Daniel Pereyda Gonzalez 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: 2/27/2024 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.

Dec 06, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV425956 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Hoa Thai Nguyen INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.

Petitioner(s) Hoa Thai Nguyen has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of

this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Nguyen, Hoa Thai to Nguyen, Thai 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 2/13/2024 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.

Nov 17, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV426187 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Erick Francisco Sanchez INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Erick Francisco Sanchez has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Erick Francisco Sanchez to Erick Francisco Sanwald 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.

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGALS If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 2/13/2024 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.

Nov 22, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV426843 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Hilda Valdes Garcia, Todd Kevin Wedlake INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Hilda Valdes Garcia, Todd Kevin Wedlake has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Sophie Carmelita Valdes to Sophie Carmelita Wedlake 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: 2/27/2024 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.

Dec 04, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court

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December 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. 23CV423635 Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara-In the matter of the application of: Fatemeh Goudarzinikoo INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner(s) Fatemeh Goudarzinikoo has filed a petition for Change of Name with the clerk of this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Fatemeh Goudarzinikoo to Nasim Goudarzinikoo 2.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 01/09/2024 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.

Oct 03, 2023 Jacqueline M. Arroyo Judge of the Superior Court December 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2023

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DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

PROFECÍAS 2024 Mario Jiménez Castillo El Observador

No es un secreto que Rusia e Irán, están detrás de la guerra que actualmente ocurre en Israel. Corea del Norte seguirá con sus amenazas nucleares, y Taiwán puede recibir una agresión militar por parte de China.

Lo Positivo Despedimos el año 2023 y le damos la bienvenida al año 2024. En la nota positiva, será un periodo mejor que el 2023, especialmente en cuanto a las finanzas y a las oportunidades. Es el año del dragón en el horóscopo chino, “dragón de madera". Considerado como un año de buena suerte, y uno de los mejores años en este horóscopo.

Quien busque nuevas oportunidades las encontrará, muchas personas se verán beneficiadas económicamente, es augurio de un crecimiento en los ingresos, aunque se debe ser cauteloso con el dinero. La recesión seguirá navegando de manera cabalgante, es necesario economizar, y no despilfarrar lo que se obtenga. Personas que han iniciado negocios propios, comenzarán a observar ganancias, y muchos otros emprenderán nuevas ocupaciones, o empleos más novedosos, y mejor remunerados. Júpiter y Venus, los planetas más benéficos, estarán directos y en buena posición durante casi todo el año. Es tiempo para aprovechar y obtener ganancias. Muchas parejas que no se llevaban bien, la energía de este nuevo año, les devolverá la química, el amor y la pasión, que creían haber perdido.

La Madre Naturaleza Desde que el año de inicio, pueden comenzar a ocurrir temblores en diversas regiones y naciones, y casi de manera simultánea, como por ejemplo en Estados Unidos, en dos estados principalmente, Washington y California. También pueden ocurrir sismos en México, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Perú, Chile, China, Japón, y Turquía. Varios volcanes también podrían entrar en erupción. Los cuatro elementos se mostrarán fuera de control, en el aire pueden ocurrir accidentes aéreos durante los primeros meses del año. En tierra, temblores muy potentes. En el

Quizá lo más alarmante del año, sean los vientos que vienen anunciando una tercera guerra mundial. Es evidente que Rusia quiere expandir el comunismo ateo y tirano, a muchas otras naciones. Pero Argentina se le escapó de las manos, la gente en Latinoamérica está fastidiada de gobiernos corruptos de izquierda, que lo único que hacen es robar, y empobrecer a las naciones. Es presagio que países como Bolivia, Nicaragua y Venezuela, despertarán de esa pesadilla llamada comunismo. Es augurio que en los años venideros, Brasil, México, y Argentina, se convertirán en potencias económicas y demográficas. Los astros predicen que en Estados Unidos, el partido demócrata perderá la reelección. Y México, tendrá por primera vez a una mujer como presidente del país.

Nuestro compromiso Photo Credit: Tawatchai07 / Freepik

agua, inundaciones provocadas por lluvias intensas que pueden ocurrir en Indonesia, Filipinas, Colombia y Brasil. Potentes huracanes ocurrirán en el Caribe, afectando a Honduras, República Dominicana, Puerto Rico, Cuba, y el Golfo de México. Y posiblemente Louisiana y la Florida, pudieran sufrir una nueva gran tempestad. El calentamiento global será más evidente con el paso del tiempo. Existen ya en el presente, Islas que pueden desaparecer en pocos años. Las Islas Kiribati, un pequeño archipiélago en Oceanía oriental, se está hundiendo lentamente. A tal punto que el gobierno de ese país, ha comprado algunas tierras en las Islas Fiji, para poder repa-

triar a sus habitantes. Al mismo tiempo Nueva Zelanda y Australia, darán asilo humanitario a más de la mitad de los 121 mil habitantes de esas islas.

Lastimosamente, hay más países en peligro de ser inundados con el aumento del nivel del mar, debido al derretimiento de los glaciares y de los polos. En esa lista encontramos a muchas islas de Oceanía, y a naciones como Holanda y Bangladesh. Sabemos lo que está ocurriendo, pero se hace nada o casi nada para ayudar a la Madre Naturaleza, y cuando se quiera hacer algo, podría ser demasiado tarde.

La política

Vivimos tiempos difíciles, la inflación no se detendrá, y muchas naciones serán sacudidas ya sea por la economía, o por el calentamiento global.

Nuestro compromiso como seres humanos, es ayudar a nuestro planeta, evitando contaminar los ríos, el océano, los lagos y manantiales, y principalmente tratando de ser mejores seres humanos. No se necesita repetir como un loro, las sagradas escrituras. No es tan difícil agradar al Creador. No le haga mal a ningún ser humano, a ningún animal, ni a la fauna, ni a ningún ser viviente. Con ello estará en armonía con el Universo y con Dios. Elevemos una plegaria con fe y esperanza, para que el año 2024, sea un periodo de paz, de abundancia, y de buenas nuevas. Haga el bien sin mirar a quien, con ello acumulará un buen karma, el cual le hará vivir una vida más productiva y gratificante. ¡Feliz año 2024!

DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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NATIONAL

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NAVAJO NATION CHILDREN EMBRACE CAFETERIA'S NATIVE FOODS

SURVEY: U.S. ECONOMIC OUTLOOK IMPROVED IN FALL 2023

A diet devoid of Indigenous foods is known to have a dramatic effect on the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Photo Credit: Save the Children

Cybersecurity was the third-largest economic risk facing companies, significantly rising from 32% in the fall 2022 survey to 52% in fall 2023. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

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Roz Brown Public News Service

cross the globe, hunger is an enormous threat to children. To combat the problem, one rural school district in northwest New Mexico is bringing culturally-appropriate items to the school cafeteria menu.

Zach Ben, founder of the Navajo Nation's Bidii Baby Foods, was a new dad during the pandemic when baby foods were in short supply at grocery stores. Ben has received funding from Save the Children's Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab. He supplies his corn to schools in the Farmington school district where they are used to create breakfast and lunch meals familiar to indigenous children.

"They prefer meals that are a part of their heritage and culture and being able to incorporate those first foods back into our plates there in our children's cafeterias," Ben explained. "This is how the Innovation Lab is allowing us to bridge those gaps and prevent rural child hunger."

Ben farms 40 acres along New Mexico's San Juan River and said he is working to scale up his operation and build capacity. In addition to Save the Children, the "New Mexico Grown" local food purchasing program supports the project. The Farmington school district is more than 35% Native American.

Esther Liew, food security projects adviser for Save the Children, said students have responded favorably when offered food choices containing ingredients common to their diet, such as blue corn meal or kneel-down bread.

"The fact that Bidii Baby Foods has been able to sell corn to make some of these foods, and they are on the school menu, just shows that schools are able to provide both nutritious and culturallyappropriate foods for the students," Liew emphasized.

A sixth-generation farmer, Ben added he is now growing lots of corn varieties perhaps unfamiliar to the average American.

"What we would call Navajo Indian white corn, we have Oaxacan green corn, we have Navajo yellow corn and Santa Ana Pueblo blue corn," Ben outlined.

Save the Children's lab was created to find inventive ways to reduce rural child hunger.

Alex Gonzalez Public News Service

biannual survey shows some perceptions Anew of the economy are improving.

The Center for Audit Quality's fall 2022 Audit Partner Pulse Survey found almost 60% of audit partners expressed pessimism for the U.S. economy.

However, the group's more recent fall 2023 survey showed overall pessimism dropped to 27%.

Julie Bell Lindsay, CEO of the center, explained audit partners are present in all public companies in the country. They are responsible for understanding risks and pressures affecting businesses and the industries they operate in.

"Certainly the economic outlook is stronger than a year ago," Lindsay noted. "But auditors still see the potential for inflation, while it is falling, to have a significant impact on business operations over the course of the next year."

Lindsay added almost 70% of auditors see what she calls "inflationary effects" hitting business for longer than 12 months. She asserted businesses are being heavily affected by the country's current regulatory environment, with a majority saying the effects have been negative, citing additional costs associated with compliance with new rules.

Lindsay acknowledged despite the various challenges plaguing the business community from cybersecurity to learning how to better handle artificial intelligence, the country finds itself in what she terms a "relatively strong position."

"The U.S. continues to have, I would say, the most liquid and strong capital markets in the world," Lindsay contended. "We are not without our challenges, but we seem to be coming out of the pandemic and an inflationary cycle in a fairly strong position."

According to the survey, companies' top three priorities are cost management, financial performance and overall growth. Lindsay noted while artificial intelligence was lower on the list of companies' priorities, it is high on their list of challenges because of data quality concerns and data security risks.

Lindsay added companies across the country are also experiencing a shortage of accounting and auditing professionals.

"It is not just getting talent into the companies," Lindsay stressed. "When you have less talent, that means the existing talent has to take on additional responsibilities and that can hurt retention."

While half of companies are focused on upskilling, the survey found one in three is working to increase compensation and workplace flexibility for current employees.

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DEC 29, 2023 - JAN 04, 2023

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