The Guardsman, Vol. 158, Issue 6. City College of San Francisco

Page 1

THE GUARDSMAN VOL. 158, ISSUE 6, OCT. 29 - NOV. 11, 2014 | CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO | SINCE 1935 | WWW.THEGUARDSMAN.COM | @SFBREAKINGNEWS | #THEGUARDSMAN | FREE

Ebola virus

INSIDE Health Center prepares for possible outbreak; gears up for vigorous informational campaign By Bridgid Skiba

@sfbreakingnews bskiba@theguardsman.com

contributor

El Rey Our historic Olmec head statue turns 10 » Story on page 4

Fashionistas Students with a great sense of style » Story on page 5

City College is preparing for the Ebola virus should the disease become a national crisis, according to Becky Perelli, the college’s health center director. Perelli said she is already in communication with the federal Center for Disease Control and San Francisco’s Department of Public Health for instructions on how to get ready. A cyclist rides past the City College Mission Center, ThursShe said those instructions day, September 25. (Photo by Niko Plagakis) include creating an isolated area in the center to quarantine any The center is already screening international student counselor suspected Ebola patient, having students, said Perelli. Also Perelli are currently in communication the staff use personal protective said, students are being asked, about any new information that equipment, providing informa- if they have “been in one of the surfaces and plans to provide tion to the college community on countries that have been impacted general health precaution inforsymptoms related to Ebola, and by Ebola in the last 21 days or if mation to students. working closely with the college’s they cared for someone they know Meanwhile, Perelli said international student office. that has the Ebola virus.” students should strive to mainIn addition, blood samples, “Even if students do not have a tain a healthy immune system by according to Perelli, will not be fever, but are not feeling well, they eating, sleeping and managing taken, but deferred to the Public are also asked if they have been in their stress to help ward off any Health Department because they contact or cared for someone with infection. will be working directly with the the Ebola virus,” Perilli said. In the coming weeks there CDC in tracking cases. Perelli said she and the college’s should be some guidelines on

how area clinics will also handle Ebola, Perelli said. Hard copies of information on Ebola are available at the center for students. Family Nurse Practitioner Jane Ernstthal confirmed that the San Francisco Public Health Department regularly updates the center about any new guidelines. She said Dr. David Stier from the communicable disease unit is currently assessing what kind of protective gear will be used and recommendations to be made. The Ebola virus originated in West Africa and the hardest regions that have been affected, are Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Over 10,000 people have contacted the disease and almost 4,922 have died from it, according to the World Health Organization. Elsewhere, Spain has reported one Ebola virus case and in the U.S. there have been three reported cases, two in Dallas and one in New York. Recently the Ebola virus have taken the life of one victim in Dallas. Ebola on page 2

Prop. G

Proposed special tax targets land speculators By Calindra Revier

@sfbreakingnews crevier@theguardsman.com

The Guardsman

Bikes vs Motorists Former editor-in-chief burdened by behavior of cyclists in the City » Story on page 6

ALERT!

Spring 2015 online course registration begins Oct. 31. The college has announced plans to enforce all course prerequisites. So, if you did not meet the prerequisite for a course you will not be able to enroll in that course via online. If this happens to you, IMMEDIATELY CONTACT the department chair. Also, attend the first day of instruction for the course and discuss with the instructor the possibility of a prerequisite waiver.

As San Francisco approaches next week’s midterm elections, real estate is the hot topic. On Nov. 4, voters will be asked to vote on Proposition G, which would levy a higher tax on speculators looking to buy and sell real estate in San Francisco within five years. Prop. G would essentially apply a 24 percent speculation tax on multi-unit property bought and re-sold within a year of purchase. Steven Knight, campaign finance reform program manager at California League of Conservation Voters, explained that the 24 percent tax rate only applies if sold within the first year of purchase after which the rate goes down steadily until five years when it disappears entirely. Knight emphasized the tax does not apply to single-family homes, or any home occupied by owners that also includes in-laws. “The controllers office who does analysis says that Prop. G is likely to affect 20 people a year,” he said. “This is not a piece of legislation that is designed to affect people who own houses in San Francisco. It’s written in a way that it’s almost impossible for that to happen.”

Demonstrators, in support of Prop. G, march to 16th and Mission Streets, Saturday, Oct. 4. (Photo by NIko Plagakis)

The confusion behind who is affected, remains the pivotal issue around Prop. G and wether San Francisco voters should endorse the legislation. “The basic idea is that if you live in your home, including an in-law, you are exempt from paying the tax,” Quintin Mecke, campaign manager at Yes on Proposition G, said. “We can’t ban speculation, but we can tax it.” Mecke explains that the opposing campaign strategy is to scare

and confuse people. “It’s a fear campaign,” he said. Prop. G is endorsed by Sen. Mark Leno, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Supervisor David Chiu, Chairman for the California Democratic Party John Burton, Supervisor Eric Mar, Supervisor John Avalos, Supervisor David Campos and Supervisor Jane Kim, as well as the San Francisco Examiner and former Bay Guardian. San Francisco residents have been dealing with a systematic

attack on the housing market over the last five years, which has taken almost 1,700 units away from renters since 2009 and Prop. G is an attempt to slow the process of flipping real estate. Yes on Prop. G is up against outside campaign donations against Prop. G. “A realty company from Chicago paid $1 million to the anti-Prop. G campaign. Simply because they Prop G. on page 2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.