Volume 2 • Issue 20

October 18, 2020

TBAR Home Delivers Papers To These ZIP CODES 95008 95032 95037 95051 95118 95119 95123 95124 95125 95126 95128

SF 49ers Convene Partnership to Drive Voter Awareness and Turnout in Upcoming Election

The San Francisco 49ers today announced a multilateral partnership to make Levi’s Stadium a voting center for the November 3rd election in conjunction with the team’s ongoing get out the vote efforts and the NFL Votes initiative to drive voter awareness and turnout. The 49ers have joined with California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, More Than A Vote, and founding partner Levi’s® to ensure Santa Clara County residents have a safe and easily accessible location to drop off their ballots, participate in early voting, or vote in-person on election day. Through the support of each of the partners, Levi’s Stadium will fill a

need for another in-person voting center where any resident of Santa Clara County can vote in-person or deposit their ballot. The SAP Tower atrium within Levi’s Stadium will be open for early voting beginning on October 31st (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) and through Election Day on November 3rd

Second Round of Emergency Rental Assistance Available to Renters Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis On Sept. 1, the Santa Clara City Council approved an additional $1.5 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and broadened the eligibility requirements allowing more households to prequalify for the program. The application process for the second round of funding will be available starting Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. In response to COVID-19 and its

(7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.). Featuring free parking at the Great America parking lot adjacent to the stadium, Levi’s Stadium previously served as a voting center for the California primary in March. [Continued on Page 11]

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economic fallout, the City of Santa Clara worked to provide rental assistance to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic. [Continued on Page 12]

1500 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara, CA. 95050 santaclaraca.gov

October 18, 2020

When..Where?

Minority Owned Business Publisher: Brigitte Jones Brigitte@thebayareareview.com Graphic Design Director: Amanda McElroy Graphics@thebayareareview.com Editor at Large: Pearl Baeni Editor - public Affairs Liaison: Pamela Gustava Curry Photographer: Andy Nguyen http://intramuralaffairs.wixsite.com/andyphoto

TBAR welcomes letters to the Editor Please limit content to 200 words or less. Submissions are subject to scrutiny for content and grammar but all effort will be made to retain intended meaning of such letters. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Articles so published reflect the views of the authors - not necessarily those of The Bay Area Review. All submissions become the property of Triple e Media Group, LLC and cannot be acknowledged.

October 18, 2020

Page 3

Mental Health

A Season of Loss

Perry Clark LMFT #110594

Untangle & Grow Counseling 25 N. 14th, Ste. 505, San Jose , Ca 95112 (408) 890-7554 (Google voice) (408)503- 0026 (Fax) Pclark@untangleandgrowcounseling.com www.untangleandgrowcounseling.com With the coming of Halloween, we are about to enter the holiday season. The impact of COVID-19 on lives lost has so far been measured at 200,000+. If we were to consider that each of those lives was connected to a minimum of 10 people, that results in more than 2 million people who have been impacted by COVID from the loss of a loved one. The holiday season is going to be difficult for many of these people because it will be the first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, first December, etc., without these loved ones. This means that a new cycle of grief can be expected as we enter this season. It’s important to keep that in mind for those of us who have not had to deal with this issue.  It’s also important for those of us who have lost loved ones in other circumstances to remember that pain and to empathize, sympathize, and have compassion

and kindness for those going through that grief now because of COVID. These are things we also want to keep in mind as we consider what life will be like after these first anniversaries and what type of world we want for the future that will remember and honor these lives. Remember these factors when dealing with people who are going through grief. It is not a progression of stages, but a cycle that repeats as we mourn and grieve. Over time, the things that cause us to repeat this cycle take longer to trigger. And we are revisiting that cycle continuously throughout our lives. Here are the facts to remember: • The cycle of grief is: denial, anger, bargaining, despair, and acceptance. Each point in this cycle may require a different length to be processed than in previous passes of the cycle. Patience is required by those supporting individuals going through these

cycles. • Each of us is more than a single identity. The people going through grief are grieving all of the different identities/ roles that their loved one held, which may be a part of what triggers as well as prolongs different parts of the cycle. • Be ready to listen

when someone speaks of their loved one as they begin this new grieving cycle. The most effective thing you can do is listen; do not try to fix.  • No matter how wellmeaning, it is very likely that you will say or do something that will trigger their remembrance of their lost loved one. Remember

that this time of the year is difficult for many, for multiple reasons. Just be there. Contact your local mental health providers for a list of grief support groups and/or individual assistance in your grieving process. May these times bring you some comfort.

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October 18, 2020

Coming Together

Register Online or With the FEMA App to Manage Your Disaster Application As of Oct. 8, 78 percent of August wildfire survivors in 10 disasterdesignated counties have registered for federal aid online or via the FEMA mobile app. Applying online provides the applicant more control over their application and recovery process. By applying online applicants can register when it is convenient for them. After registering online, applicants can then set up an account that they can access 24 hours a day. Survivors may use this account to update their contact information, see copies of FEMA letters sent to them and upload any documents FEMA needs to complete their applications. Correct contact information is essential for survivors to receive prompt decisions about their applications.

Always let FEMA know when the address or phone number on your original application changes. Registering online or with your FEMA app is easy and available 24 hours a day. To register online: 1. Go to disasterassistance. gov. 2. Click the blue Apply Online button at the bottom of the page. 3. You will review the disaster survivor application checklist and complete an application to learn if you are eligible to receive disaster assistance. After registering, you may stay on disasterassistance.gov to

create a personal online disaster assistance account to stay in touch with FEMA. To create one: 4. Click the green Check Status button at bottom of disasterassistance. gov. 5. Click the blue Create Account button at bottom of page. 6. Enter your date of birth and Social Security number, which you provided previously when registering for assistance. 7. Answer four security questions that are generated from public record data to verify your identity. 8. Create a user ID and password. 9. Enter an email address. FEMA will send a temporary PIN to it within 24 hours. Follow the instructions in the email to finish

creating your account. For support accessing your account or for lost or forgotten user ID, password or PIN, call the help desk at 1-800-7450243. It is always open. You will need to provide your registration number and Social Security number. Help desk staff cannot create your online account nor provide help with your FEMA account or application; direct these inquiries to the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-6213362. Call this number, too, to register for federal aid consideration if you don’t have a smartphone or online access. The FEMA App can be downloaded for either Apple or Android devices. All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic

status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800462-7585(TTY/TDD). FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters. The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disasterdamaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-6592955. TTY users may also call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also email disastercustomerservice@ sba.gov or visit SBA at SBA.gov/disaster.

Free Legal Help Available For Disaster Survivors

Free help with disaster-related legal concerns is available to eligible wildfire survivors in Butte, Lake, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. Survivors may seek no-cost aid with wildfire-related legal issues by calling the disaster legal services hotline at (888) 382-3406. Help is available in several languages. The program is a partnership between FEMA and the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Types of free legal assistance that may be available from a volunteer lawyer include: • Help securing FEMA and other government benefits available to • Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures; disaster survivors; • Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; • Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims; • Counseling on landlord-tenant problems; • Help with home repair contracts and contractors; • Referral to other attorneys and organizations for help with • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents additional legal matters; and destroyed in the wildfires; • COVID-19 resources. Free disaster legal services are not allowed for cases that will produce a monetary award.

October 18, 2020

Understanding FEMA Assistance for Individuals, Households

Eligible survivors of California wildfires covered in the Aug. 22 federal disaster declaration may apply for aid covering a variety of expenses. The first step is to register with FEMA online at disasterassistance. gov, with the FEMA app downloaded to your smartphone or tablet, or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). The deadline to register is Nov. 23. The scope of FEMA monetary awards is set by law. They are not a substitute for insurance and cannot make up for all losses caused by a disaster. They are intended to help survivors get a start on the road to recovery. These awards, unlike loans, do not need to be repaid and are intended to help disaster survivors who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. FEMA evaluates each application for assistance individually as no survivor’s situation is the same. FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, which issues the awards, has two parts: Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. Housing Assistance Whether you are a homeowner or renter, wildfire survivors should save receipts for recovery expenses to submit for reimbursement by FEMA.

Homeowners. To assure a survivor’s home is returned to a safe, sanitary and functional condition, FEMA may provide awards to eligible homeowners to repair uninsured damage to their homes. FEMA can also provide funds to help with uninsured costs to replace a destroyed home, as well as utilities. Only homeowners occupying a home as a primary residence at the time of the disaster are eligible for these awards. FEMA cannot offer them for repair of second homes. When wildfire survivors register with FEMA, survivors can report major home damage that has made the home uninhabitable. This may include smoke that makes the home unsafe for occupancy. A habitable home has plumbing, electricity, windows, a roof, doors and walls to secure it and make it safe from the elements. FEMA inspects all properties with major damage before making awards. Applicants whose homes are still useable may request an inspection later if they find more damage than they previously indicated. To keep survivors and FEMA staff safe in the COVID-19 environment, all initial damage inspections are being done by phone. In an interview, inspectors ask applicants questions to record the extent of damage; they play no role

in determining FEMA grants. Approved FEMA inspectors will supply part of a survivor’s registration number at the start of a call. Survivors who don’t have their number may call the FEMA Helpline for assistance. FEMA may follow up after the initial inspector’s interview with an exterior verification inspection to confirm the level of damage. Renters. Tenants may also be eligible for help from FEMA, such as with rent payments when they move due to damage to their homes or with replacement of essential personal property that was damaged or destroyed. Survivors with insurance. FEMA may be able to fill the gap where a survivor’s insurance doesn’t provide coverage for some disaster-related costs, such as those for renting an alternative place to live while a home is rebuilt or repaired, or when coverage has been exhausted and there is still an unmet need. It is important to note that FEMA cannot pay insurance deductibles. FEMA encourages survivors with insurance to register for assistance by Nov. 23 even if they don’t know whether they will be eligible. FEMA can determine their eligibility once their insurance claim is settled. SBA disaster loans. U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters,

Page 5

Coming Together

businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations. When disaster survivors need to borrow to repair damage, the low-interest rates and long terms (up to 30 years) available from SBA make recovery affordable. In some cases, refinancing of prior liens is also available. A disaster loss is unexpected. For most disaster survivors, it is beyond their means to pay for disaster damages with their own resources without hardship. Other Needs Assistance Disasters can cause serious financial burdens other than for housing needs. For eligible applicants, FEMA and state grants may help pay for such non-housing costs as: • Disaster-related funeral and medical or dental costs • Necessary educational materials (computers, schoolbooks, supplies) • Disaster-destroyed tools necessary for the survivor to make a living • Childcare • Other necessary expenses or serious needs

• Repair or replacement of a disasterdamaged vehicle* • Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster* • Personal property: replacement of clothing, furniture and appliances* *Applicants who are not referred to the SBA -- or are referred but not approved for an SBA loan -- may be eligible for the following types of help: personal property assistance; transportation assistance to repair or replace an eligible vehicle damaged by a disaster and other transportationrelated costs; or assistance with moving and storage expenses. Survivors who want FEMA’s help with these types of losses must first complete an SBA loan application. No one is ever required to accept a loan. If you have registered with FEMA and the SBA determines you are not eligible for a loan, it will automatically refer you to FEMA’s Individuals and Households program and your file will be reviewed to determine if you qualify for additional assistance.

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October 18, 2020

Op Ed

GENERATION LOST: UC-BERKELEY’S MISSING BLACK GRADUATES By Dr. Harry Edwards

In the mid-1960s, the University of California, Berkeley started its Educational Opportunity Program to target underrepresented applicants and combat this history of discrimination. Unsurprisingly, this program was a success and the number of Black freshmen continued to rise until 1996. That year, Governor Pete Wilson and Black conservative Ward Connerly led an effort to repeal these education gains by passing Proposition 209. Prop. 209 prohibited public universities from considering race and ethnicity in admissions decisions, which has closed Berkeley’s doors to countless minority students. But Black students were hit especially hard. After Prop. 209, Black freshman enrollment at Berkeley dropped from 258 to 126. The numbers at professional schools were even more troubling. For example, there was only 1 Black student among

Berkeley Law’s 268 firstyear students. The lack of Black students at Berkeley has not improved with time. Since Prop. 209 passed, the percentage of Black enrollees at Berkeley has only once reached 4%, and the percentage has hovered around 3% since 2007. Had the percentage of Black freshman stayed at pre-209 levels, there would have been 4,061 more Black enrollees since 1998 at Berkeley. This has also led to declining participation in science, technology, degree attainment, average wages, and the likelihood of earning higher wages throughout to the Black community. Meanwhile, a state auditor found that UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego admitted dozens unqualified students based on their connections to staff and donors since 2013. Each one of those admissions came at the expense of other qualified applicants, with most of the freshmen spots going to White applicants from families making at least $150,000 per year. Specifically, the auditor scolded UC Berkeley because their admissions practices for the wealthy and wellconnected “demonstrates that campus leadership has failed to establish

a campus culture that values commitment to an admissions process based on fairness and applicants’ merits and achievements.” While Prop. 209 has hamstrung Berkeley’s ability to recruit Black students, public universities from 41 other states can still take race into account when making college admissions decisions. This is also true of private universities that still consider race and ethnicity in their admissions policies to create avenues for Black applicants to access higher education. For example, Stanford’s Fall 2019 freshman class was 8% Black or African American. That percentage nearly triples Berkeley’s freshman class for last year. Those numbers are even worse when omitting studentathletes. California’s ban on affirmative action perversely limits our top universities from enrolling promising minority students and forces those that do enroll to jump through hoops just to get there. At the same time, it immeasurably strips the Black community of economic opportunity. Black taxpayers have continued supporting California’s public universities while receiving less and less

for that investment. The effect of Prop. 209 is that Black students that have been able to succeed— often at under-resourced K-12 schools—are then penalized in the college admissions process. This further compounds on the negative impact of the inequities these students are forced to confront and overcome just to graduate high school. According to the Economist, college graduates earn about $17,500 more annually than those with a high school diploma. The economic losses on an individual level pale in comparison to the countless dollars in lost opportunities for Black businesses, decades-long deficits in educational opportunities for Black students, and nearly two generations of losses of Black business owners, lawyers, engineers, nurses, and doctors. The harm to Black communities in the Bay Area will be felt for decades as California has sent fewer students to the state’s flagship training ground for business and community leadership.

Because of Prop. 209, the wealthy and wellconnected in California continue to control access to lucrative careers that are only accessibly to alumni from top universities, and they keep cherry-picking successors that look just like them. Proposition 16 gives the next generation students a deserved and enhanced opportunity to achieve success in surmounting those inequities—and they, our universities, and this society would be much better off for it. We desperately need something new in California. Prop. 16 will begin to prove that our lives matter by taking back our hard-won rights to equal opportunities in jobs, business, housing, and college admissions for Black Californians. Prop. 16 is a key tool for expanding opportunities for young Black people, and we need your vote in November to make that opportunity a reality. Dr. Harry Edwards is a Professor Emeritus at U.C. Berkeley and founder of the Olympic Project for Human Rights.

October 18, 2020

Momentum for Health’s 23rd Annual Shining Stars Benefit

Dr. Sara Cody, MD Health Officer and Public Health Department Director

Cindy Chavez Santa Clara County Supervisor

Momentum for support of our friends and Health’s 23rd Annual neighbors to help ensure Shining Stars Benefit was we can be flexible enough held via livestream on to meet our community’s Friday, October 2nd. Dr. changing needs. Sara Cody, health officer Individual donations and director for the Santa are especially critical Clara County Public right now, as there is Health Department, was less government funding honored with the Shining available for behavioral Stars Award of Excellence health services even as the for her leadership during need continues to grow the pandemic. The event rapidly in the wake of raised over $100,000 to COVID-19. renovate a new client To learn more about residence that will house Momentum for Health up to 14 low-income or to make a donation, individuals participating please visit www. in Momentum’s momentumforhealth.org. behavioral health programs. Momentum for Health is one of Santa Clara County’s largest nonprofit behavioral health service providers, serving nearly 4,000 adults and youth each Momentum for Health year for over 60 years. 438 N. White Road While the majority of our San Jose, CA 95127 funding comes from the (408) 254-6828 county, we rely on the

Page 7

Making a Difference

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October 18, 2020

District 4 News Hi District 4 Residents, The fall season is upon us and there’s a lot going on at the County. Here’s a quick summary of the actions taken at the September 22 Board of Supervisors meeting, in case you missed it: • The Board of Supervisors received a followup report to my February 2020 referral to continue funding for the Special Olympics of Northern California. It is clear that these services are needed, now more than ever. Special Olympics has already relied on our Board’s promise to help the population they serve, despite

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the constraints by COVID-19. These students are least well served by distance learning at their schools and we can’t in good conscience curtail other options that could be available at this time. • My colleagues and I unanimously approved the observance of June 19, Juneteenth, as a paid holiday for County employees. Santa Clara County is the first in the state of California to make Juneteenth a paid holiday. • At the same meeting, my colleagues and I unanimously approved the purchase of property located at 333 Page Street

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in San Jose using Measure A funds for affordable housing. I requested going forward that any purchase of property for public supportive housing or other affordable housing in District 4 have input and engagement from the community. I want to make sure in every case going forward that the community feels included and connected throughout the entire development process. I highly encourage everyone to check their voter registration status. The deadline to register to vote in California is

Oct. 19. Mail-in ballots in Santa Clara County will be mailed out beginning October 5. While we're on the topic of civic engagement, I encourage youths ages 16 and 17 to pre-register to vote. It's a great way to make sure you are registered by the time you turn 18 and a great way to have your voice heard. Your voice matters. You can pre-register and register to vote in California online. More than six months into this pandemic we are still moving toward our County's full reopening. COVID-19 has created conflict, though this virus is without a doubt our common enemy. We all want the same thing: containment of the virus,

effective treatment or immunization, and the ability to return to our routines, our communities and our livelihoods. I will continue to advocate for a quicker and safe reopening of our County. As I do so, please reach out to my office to let us know how we can continue to be an advocate for you. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor. There you can find resources, news and events. As always, if you have questions, comments, and/ or concerns, email me at supervisor.ellenberg@ bos.sccgov.org I am here for you. Be well, Susan

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October 18, 2020

SF 49ers Convene Partnership to Drive Voter Awareness and Turnout in Upcoming Election

[Continued From Page 1] Levi’s Stadium will be one of 100 voting centers in Santa Clara County, along with 98 drop box locations. “Our partnership with Levi’s Stadium and the 49ers is another touchdown for democracy this year,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “The addition of voting venues that allow for social distancing are critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to be inspired by sports venues opening their doors for new and safe voting options this year and hope it inspires other teams to follow suit as the clock runs down on the November General Election.” “We are excited to partner with Levi’s Stadium and the 49ers on a Vote Center at their Santa Clara facility. The Levi’s Stadium Vote Center offers an airy indoor environment with plenty of space for social distancing,” said Shannon Bushey, Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. “We will be following all recommended protocols to maintain distance, minimize contact and make voting as safe as possible for those who opt to cast a ballot in person.” “The Levi’s Stadium Voting Center creates a great opportunity for our entire community to vote

early and safely,” said Cindy Chavez, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. “I am grateful to the 49ers for participating in the important work of supporting the sacred right for all Americans to cast a ballot.” Last month, in honor of the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 49ers joined the NFL in launching NFL Votes, a leaguewide, non-partisan initiative that support and encourage the voting and civic engagement efforts of NFL players, Legends, club and league personnel, and NFL fans through Election Day. Partnering on NFL Votes is I am a voter, RISE to Vote, and Rock The Vote. Additionally, 49ers players have met with Reverend Jethroe Moore II of the San Jose Silicon Valley NAACP and discussed voting rights as part of their Subject to Change video series addressing social injustice. Back in June, the 49ers also announced November 3rd would be recognized as a company holiday, to further ensure all employees have an opportunity to vote and volunteer at a voting center or polling place. “While 2020 has been a challenging year on so many fronts, I am sincerely encouraged by the increased dialogue

and action amongst our staff that I have seen as a result of these trying times,” said Jed York, San Francisco 49ers CEO. “We want to do all we can to empower the community and our employees to make their voices heard at the ballot box and we thank our partners on this initiative and the NFL for prioritizing this message nationwide.” In addition to participating in leaguesupported voter education sessions, for several years 49ers players and staff have recorded public service announcements promoting voter registration, get out the vote, and the 2020 Census, with new ones set to be released in the coming weeks. “We’ve been through a lot here in Northern California between the pandemic and the wildfires ravaging our communities, so I’m incredibly proud that our team can work with the Secretary of State and Board of Supervisors to play a role in providing a core civic duty in a moment of crisis,” said Addisu Demisse, More Than A Vote Executive Director. “More Than A Vote has been focused on creating safe and convenient in-person voting opportunities for vulnerable communities and by converting Levi’s Stadium into a voting

Page 11

Cast Your Vote

location, that’s exactly what we’re doing here in Santa Clara County.” The naming of Levi’s Stadium as a voting center builds on a number of investments that Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is making to improve access to the polls and engage voters in the democratic process before, during, and after Election Day. This year, LS&Co. is advocating for safe and accessible modes of voting amid the pandemic, working alongside the Levi Strauss Foundation to grant $2.6 million to more than twenty voting rights and engagement organizations, and is once again a leader in the Time to Vote movement to encourage employers to give workers the time they need to vote. “Democracy only works when people vote. And that means we have a duty not only to vote ourselves, but to help others exercise their civil rights, as well,” said Chip Bergh, Levi Strauss & Co. President & Chief

Executive Officer. “I’m thankful to partner with such a community-centric organization in the San Francisco 49ers, and I’m proud that Levi’s Stadium will be activated as polling center in the upcoming election. This November, thousands more Bay Area citizens will be able to have their voices heard.” About The San Francisco 49ers: The San Francisco 49ers, owned by Denise and John York, currently play in the NFC West division and have won five Super Bowl trophies including Super Bowl XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV and XXIX. The franchise also has seven conference championships and 20 divisional championships and was the first major league professional sports team to be based in San Francisco more than 70 years ago. Please visit www.49ers.com and follow the 49ers on Facebook and Twitter @49ers.

Page 12

October 18, 2020

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Second Round of Emergency Rental Assistance Available to Renters Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis

[Continued From Page 1] residents from becoming homeless. Together, The Emergency Rental Santa Clara will continue to respond and work to Assistance Program find ways to help our was launched community.” in June 2020 To qualify, with $1.3 households million must live in available to the city prevent the of Santa increase Clara, of homelessness accumulated past in Santa Clara. due rents after April The first round of 2020 and have a total applications closed on household income that June 30, 2020 and to does not exceed 80% date, approximately 80 households have qualified Area Median Income (AMI) gross household for rental assistance. The total funding available for income limits, which is higher than round 1. To round 1 and round 2 is $2.8 million. Any unspent apply online and view eligibility requirements, funds from round 1 will visit SantaClaraCA.gov/ be available in round 2 to RentRelief. help Santa Clara renters. For questions about The City of Santa Clara’s Emergency Rental the program, email the rentrelief@santaclaraca. Assistance Program gov or call the City’s is available for Santa Housing & Community Clara residents only. The program’s goal is to assist low-income households with rental assistance for past due rent payments accumulated due to the COVID-19 crisis. Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor stated, “We are over six months into this pandemic. Our residents are resilient, yet they are continually impacted financially and emotionally during this crisis. Through the quick response from the City Council, the City was able to create this program to prevent Santa Clara

Services Division at 408615-2490. About the City of Santa Clara Located at the heart of Silicon Valley about 45 miles south of San Francisco, the City of Santa Clara truly is “The Center of What’s Possible.” Incorporated in 1852, Santa Clara covers an area of 19.3 square miles with an estimated population of 129,498. Santa Clara is home to an extraordinary array of high-tech companies, including Applied Materials, HewlettPackard, Intel, Nvidia, Oracle, and Ericsson. The City of Santa Clara is also home to Santa Clara University, California’s Great America Theme Park, and Levi’s® Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers and SB50. For more information, go to SantaClaraCA.gov.

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October 18, 2020

SANTA CLARA COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS MAKE EMERGENCY CALL TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

In the middle of an already devastating fire season, Santa Clara County firefighters are making an urgent call to County Supervisors to revamp an outdated system and create a unified firefighting district that will improve fire protection and more

efficiently serve the needs of all County residents. “Fires don’t know boundaries,” warns Adam Cosner, president of Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165. “It’s critical that resources are shared so that we can safeguard the entire county.” The call comes on the

heels of a recent audit of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, one of four firefighting districts that serve Santa Clara County. The audit found misuse of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, a lack of competitive bidding for projects, and violations of open-meeting laws. Cosner and the firefighters he represents are urging the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to eliminate the current fire district boundaries and create a single, unified district. “Taking a regional approach allows us to distribute resources where they are needed and provide robust, year-round fire protection throughout the County,” says Cosner. He adds that a single district under the supervision of the Board of Supervisors

Page 13

Heating Up will also improve public accountability. The issue is especially important for many communities and unincorporated areas in the County, which rely on a regional fire protection system. Unfortunately, the increasing demands placed on the system by the combination of growing communities and massive wildfires threatens both the stability and efficiency of that system. A regional approach would also improve local firefighters’ ability to provide mutual aid to Cal Fire during large wildfires across the state, which California has seen in epic proportions this year. Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165 hosted a press conference Thursday, October 1, to highlight the urgency of taking action now. “We’ve had dozens of studies and audits over the years that all point in the same direction,” Cosner

explains. “We know what we need to do. The bottom line is this: the more we work together, the better protection we have.” About Santa Clara County Firefighters: Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165 proudly serves the communities of Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Redwood Estates, Saratoga, and various unincorporated areas throughout Santa Clara County. We are a nonstriking Union interested only in the betterment of working conditions, our department, and the safety of the communities we serve.

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October 18, 2020

Social Change

“No Going Back”: Scholars Say Lives of Black Californians Must Improve After COVID Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media With most of the conversation around the COVID-19 pandemic focused on relief within the next few months, some activists and researchers are looking to the future, asking: What should “back to normal” look like for Black Californians? “No Going Back” is an independent report presented by the Committee for Greater LA, the University of Southern California’s (USC) Equity Research Institute, and the University of California Los Angles’ (UCLA) Luskin School of Public Affairs. The study offers dozens of policy recommendations to ensure equal access to all Los Angeles residents, regardless of race or immigration status postCOVID. The report is comprised of 15 chapters covering multiple policy

areas, including housing and homelessness, economic development, public health and education. “COVID is the disease that has revealed our social illnesses of antiBlack racism; precarious employment; sharp racial gaps in wealth and digital access; unaffordable housing; growing homelessness; unresponsive government; and so much more,” the “No Going Back” report’s executive summary reads. Although the study focuses on LA, where the majority of African Americans in California live, some parallels can be drawn with other metropolitan areas across the state where large numbers of Black Californians also call home. The African American population in Los Angeles County alone is larger than the

total of the next top 10 metro areas ranked by their Black populations combined. Based on the data they gathered for the study, the USC and UCLA researchers discovered that Blacks are still discriminated against in most areas of public life. The policy section titled “Improving Black Life in Los Angeles” includes a sketch of African American history in California’s largest metropolitan area that acknowledges the impact Black people have had on Los Angeles County, and the conditions of inequality that keeps Black households from acquiring wealth. The report cites low incomes, high unemployment, discrimination in labor and discriminatory real estate practices as contributing factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has

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exacerbated all of those things. The report also asserts that death rates from COVID-19 for Black Angelenos, which is double that for White Angelenos, are highly influenced by “poverty, poor food quality, lack of park access, and job characteristics that reflect patterns of structural racism.” Policy recommendations that

address anti-Black racism include creating more affordable housing, ceasing arrests of homeless residents and giving them resources, cutting funding for school police and investing in counseling and scholarships for Black students, addressing anti-Black racism in healthcare and providing philanthropic support for Black-led organizations. One concrete

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October 18, 2020 recommendation regarding public safety for Black Californians is passing and implementing the BREATHE Act, a federal proposal that a collection of organizations under the “Movement for Black Lives” umbrella authored. The legislation calls for a “time-bound” plan to close all federal prisons and immigration detention centers, ban police departments from using surveillance and military grade weapons, and redirects funds from policing and incarceration to social-welfare, education, healthcare and environmental programs. “We cannot go back to an old “normal” that has failed so many. There is no return to a system that is over-policed and

over- incarcerated. We should have no nostalgia for an economy that did not reward truly essential workers such as agricultural laborers, grocery store clerks, truck drivers, elder care specialists, and others. We should hold no affection for a system that has long stripped assets from communities through discrimination and redlining rather than built them up through public and private investments,” reads the “No Going Back” executive summary. The Committee for Greater LA and its research and philanthropy partners presented a preview of the report to the Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on

COVID-19 Recovery and Neighborhood Investment at their first meeting last June. At a kickoff event for the “No Going Back” report, the advocates also expressed their desire for policymakers and philanthropists to see their findings. “As Martin Luther King once said, ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ We, I mean all of us, are in a moment of reckoning. We not only have to do the talk and listening, but we must take bold actions to include everyone as we move forward as a country, a state, a county, a city,” said Committee for Greater LA Steering Committee member Jacqueline Waggoner.

Page 15

Social Change “We have an extraordinary opening right now,” she continued. “This is a wake-up call to stand in solidarity with one another, value Black lives, treasure immigrant

families and declare homelessness unacceptable.”

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October 18, 2020

COVID-19 News

No Mask Required On Planes in the United States: DOT Ruling is Horrible By Harry S. Johnson | eTurbo News Flyers Rights President Paul Hudson issued the following response to the DOT’s refusal to promulgate a mask rule after DOT General Counsel Steven Bradbury issued a letter denying Flyers Rights’ rulemaking petition:

Mr. Bradbury, This horrible decision will no doubt encourage bad actor airlines and airports to not enforce masking or social distancing and to do more of the same. Two recently published studies found that unmasked air travel resulted in spreading COVID on long haul flights. Also your suppression

of public comments to masking petitions has shredded a major protection against arbitrary and capricious decisions by officials. At the same time that this decision was apparently being written yesterday, the President, First Lady, and 7-9 others have tested positive after recent air travel. The President has been hospitalized. I have flown recently on Delta on flights of 3-6 hours. While everyone was masked onboarding, people lowered their masks as the flights progressed, there was no enforcement or checking by flight attendants (who have sometimes been told not to enforce mask violations), and no

announcements about maintaining masking. While the middle seat was blocked, I was within 2.5 feet of passengers on 3 to 4 sides. The social distancing of 6 feet would require capacity reduced by two thirds and is clearly not happening. When polled last spring, ¾ of our members favored testing be required before flying, but this is still not happening. Accordingly, we challenge your “notion” that regulation is unnecessary for masking due to voluntary “guidance” and urge you to reconsider this decision. While you may have delegated authority to make this ruling, it will likely have deadly results for thousands, retard

air travel and general economic recovery which is already suffering from lack of public confidence in air travel health safety. I would remind you that air travel plunged up to 95% last spring and could easily plunge again if numbers spike. The national media and Democrats will view this decision as another proof of how the Administration has and will continue to mishandle the pandemic by putting ideology ahead of medical science and common sense. The guidelines were formulated without passenger representation.

I would urge you to send inspectors on flights and publish the results, consult with Secretary Chao, the WH Task Force on the Coronavirus, your own aviation medical experts at CAMI, Mark Meadows, Vice President Pence, and President Trump if possible, and at least issue a warning to airlines and airports that regulation will be implemented if masking guidelines are not being followed.

putting movie theaters’ plans for an extensive reopening in jeopardy. This weekend, Cineworld announced that with the Bond sequel moving and no major blockbusters on the horizon, it will close its U.K. venues, as well as its Regal Cinemas

locations. [...]

Sincerely, Paul Hudson FlyersRights.org

Gov. Cuomo Not Budging on Movie Theater Closures: ‘We’re Still in a Pandemic’ By Brent Lang

Movie theaters are furious with Gov. Andrew Cuomo for failing to provide clear guidance about when and how cinemas can reopen in New York. But the governor is having none of it. His office argues that keeping movie theaters shuttered is essential to ensuring

that the state, which was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic for much of the spring, doesn’t experience another surge in infections. “We’re moving heaven and Earth trying to stop a second wave and people need to acknowledge that we’re still in a pandemic and start to act like it,”

said Richard Azzopardi, senior advisor to Gov. Cuomo. “We understand some people are unhappy, but you know what? Better unhappy than sick or worse.” That’s not going to sit well with the exhibition industry. On Friday, “No Time to Die” moved its release from November 2020 to April 2021,

Continue at https:// variety.com/2020/ film/news/gov-cuomomovie-theaterscinemas-coronaviruscovid-19-1234793066/

October 18, 2020

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Victory Over the Trump Administration We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve won our lawsuit against the Trump administration over their decision to abandon Clean Water Act jurisdiction for the Cargill salt ponds. U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled on Monday that the Trump administration ignored its own regulations and misapplied the law in its decision. Now the Trump administration will have to issue a new determination based on the court’s ruling. Together with our co-plaintiffs Baykeeper, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, and Save the Bay, and also the California Attorney General, we argued that the Cargill salt ponds fall within the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, and also that the findings of Region 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency should be included in the administrative record. (For more details, see our April blog post: The Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on the Cargill Salt Ponds.)

The court granted our motions in full. Because the salt ponds have always been connected to the Bay through tidal gates and pipes, and because they were never converted to dry, solid “fast lands” (as, for example, filled-in former wetlands like the communities of Redwood Shores and Foster City were converted), the Cargill salt ponds remain subject to the Clean Water Act. The court also agreed that the Region 9 findings should be part of the administrative record, since the Environmental Protection Agency considered these findings when making the final determination. This is a huge victory for the Bay and for the Clean Water Act! It’s also a huge victory for the community of Redwood City, which made it clear years ago that Cargill’s development proposals were not welcome. Although this

ruling doesn’t prohibit development on the salt ponds, it does make it harder for Cargill to push through a development proposal. We brought this lawsuit because we weren’t going to stand by while Cargill used the Trump administration’s eagerness to gut environmental laws for its own economic advantage. If this ruling is appealed to the Ninth Circuit, we’ll keep on fighting to defend the Bay and the salt ponds against Cargill’s attacks. With your support, we will continue to be a champion for local nature, now and always Sincerely, Alice Kaufman Legislative Advocacy Director

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October 18, 2020

Clock Strikes Twelve

Gov. Newsom Says He Is in ‘No Hurry’ to Reopen Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood By Elaine Low | Variety.com Don’t expect Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and Knott’s Berry Farm to open anytime soon, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom at a press conference Wednesday. He said there is “no hurry in putting out guidelines,” but state officials are continuing to work with amusement parks in California after the pandemic prompted closures in March. He called the process “very complex,” adding, “We don’t anticipate, in the immediate term, any of these larger theme parks opening until we see more stability in terms of the data.” Newsom also revealed, following reports last week that Disney executive chairman Bob Iger had stepped down from the state’s economic recovery task force, that there were disagreements in working out guidelines for reopening Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other theme parks. When asked about Iger’s departure, he said that “I had a wonderful conversation with Bob [Iger], who had been very active and participatory in our task force and we’re incredibly grateful for

his support, his insight and his counsel over the period of the last number of months — and it didn’t come as a surprise to me at all.” “There’s disagreements in terms of opening a major theme park,” Newsom added. “We’re going to let science and data make that determination. I understand the dialectic, the friction, that many business leaders have that they want to move forward sectorally [sic] to reopen, but we are going to be led by a health-first framework and we’re going to be stubborn about it.” Newsom’s comments follow the Walt Disney Company’s announcement last Tuesday that it would lay off more than 28,000 employees amid the continued COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced businesses across the country to temporarily close or limit capacity. Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. has kept its doors closed since mid-March (though Downtown Disney has reopened), while Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. resumed business with reduced attendance limits and increased safety measures in July. Non-working employees have been on

furlough since April; twothirds of the impacted 28,000 U.S. workers are part-time. A Workers United Local 50 spokesperson told Variety on Friday that over 2,800 Disney Parks food and beverage staffers it represents will be laid off, making it the hardest-hit union by sheer numbers. Per the union’s recent post on Facebook, 2,858 of 7,796 members who work at Disneyland and California Adventure will be impacted. Local 50 says it is one of the few unions that has full-time workers on the company’s list of layoffs. Disney Parks head Josh D’Amaro previously blamed the state’s “unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen” exacerbated the situation. Over 823,000 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the state, including over 16,100 deaths. Dr. Clayton Chau, the director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, which operates in the county that is home to Disneyland and California Adventure, has been in conversations with CDC medical officers and Disney over the reopening of the company’s theme parks, per the agency. He

advocates that area theme parks reopen once Orange County reaches the more moderate Tier 3, or orange tier, in which there are 1-3.9 daily new cases per 100,000 people and a 2%4.9% positive coronavirus test rate. “I believe in looking at the effect of COVID-19 not only on physical health but also on emotional health and economic/financial health of the entire community/population, i.e., supporting work/ employments for our citizens of course with safety in mind,” said Dr. Chau in a statement. Behind the scenes at the parks, a source tells Variety that Disneyland has been continuing to operate as though it is preparing to reopen at a moment’s notice. While Halloween festivities at the parks were canceled, the traditional schedule to

set up holiday decorations has not yet changed. One Disneyland worker, who wanted to remain anonymous out of concern of professional repercussions, felt it was “distressing” that Disney executives’ salaries had been restored to prepandemic levels following a months-long reduction, given the layoff news this week. In April, the company reduced salaries of vice president-level executives and above by 20%, senior VP pay by 25%, and exec VP-level staff by 30%. The theme park staffer added: “There’s an extreme wealth gap and with COVID, society has become even more aware of that. [...] Continue at https:// variety.com/2020/ tv/news/newsomdisneyland-universalstudios-hollywoodreopening-1234796419/