The Bay Area Review, September 28, 2020

Volume 2 • Issue 19

September 28, 2020

Local County Health Officials Offer Guidance on How to Celebrate Halloween and Día de Los Muertos Safely Among Friends and Neighbors

Bay Area health officials remind residents that many commonly celebrated Halloween and Día de Los Muertos activities carry high risk for spreading COVID-19.

Focusing on decorations, limiting activities to the people you live with, and virtual costume parties or contests will help keep

our communities safe this season, especially our children. Together, we all need to do as much as we can to protect ourselves and those around us.

For instance, trickor-treating is a highrisk activity, because it increases contact with people outside of your household who may

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not be as careful about COVID-19 prevention.

Parties are high-risk, because mixing among people who don’t live in the same home introduces more opportunities for the virus to pass from one person to another.

Go to TheBayAreaReview.com Local and statewide updates that matter.

[Continued on Page 16]

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September 28, 2020

In Rememberance

Marchers protest the nation’s 200,000 Covid-19 deaths Article Courtesy of Mission Local

By Juan Carlos Lara

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

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Demonstrators marched down Mission Street on Monday, from 24th Street to the Federal Building to mark the 200,000th death by Covid-19, which organizers say is due to the president’s disregard for science.

“The March Against Death, Lies, and Fascism, and For Humanity,” was organized by a collection of local activist groups including Resistance SF and Wall of Many. At least three dozen people

participated, many of whom carried prop body bags, signs, or umbrellas marked with the names of those who died from causes related to Covid-19.

Although the exact number of Covid-19 deaths in the United States vary between sources, most agree that the number was surpassed in the past few days or will be surpassed in the next few. The Centers for Disease Control had the total number of deaths at 200,275 as of noon Wednesday.

The group began its

A young boy wearing an apparently homemade police officer costume rode an electric scooter alongside the San Francisco Police Department officers who were clearing traffic for protesters. One of the officers on the scene said that the boy, who was equipped with a radio and baton, often showed up to protests seemingly unaccompanied. Photo by Juan Carlos Lara.

march on 24th Street and stopped briefly at 16th Street to stage a “diein,” where demonstrators lay still on the ground to commemorate the dead.

“I am a [Temporary Protected Status] holder and I believe unity is the only thing that can save us from this fascism,”

said Rosa Carranza, a participant in the march.

Carranza, who is originally from El Salvador, said that she was also personally marching because of a legal decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that could eliminate the protected

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San Francisco Police Department officers on motorcycles rode ahead of the marchers to stop and redirect traffic. Organizers said that officers were not obstructive during the event. Photo by Juan Carlos Lara.

September 28, 2020

Page 3

In Rememberance https://missionlocal.org

Protestors held a brief “die-in” at the intersection of 24th and Mission streets in remembrance of those who died of Covid-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been 200,275 deaths of Covid-19 as of Sept. 23 at noon. Photo by Juan Carlos Lara.

status for residents originating from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan in 2021 and make them vulnerable to deportation. Carranza said that she fears being deported should President Trump win re-election.

Refuse Fascism’s national website, where the initial call to action was posted, also stated that this march would precede daily demonstrations in October beginning on Oct. 3.

Bishop Anthony Pigee Sr. was a minister for the Family of Faith Christian Center in Long Beach, California. In an online tribute, Bishop Sherman A. Gordon, the leader of Family of Faith, referred to Pigee as one of his closest friends who helped Gordon process the death of his mother. “I was fortunate, blessed and gratuitous enough to find such a friend in Pigee,” Gordon wrote. Photo by Juan Carlos Lara.

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September 28, 2020

Public Health

COVID-19 Update This is a summary of the City of Santa Clara’s latest response efforts along with impacts to local events and City programs/services due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.

Current Developments

• In partnership with the County of Santa Clara Department of Public Health, the City is hosting free COVID-19 testing at Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Road, on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

- Schedule an appointment for a free COVID-19 test by visiting https://scl. fulgentgenetics. com/ appointment.

- The library location is serving as an appointmentonly testing site with appointments available between 9:30

a.m.-3 p.m. until all slots are reserved.

- Anyone can be tested: there are no requirements for testing criteria, insurance, or immigration status.

- This testing site is not designed to test individuals with symptoms of COVID-19.

Individuals with symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for evaluation and testing.

- Visit sccfreetest. org for additional testing locations in the county.

- Santa Clara’s Central Park Library will offer more free COVID-19 testing by appointment only on Monday, Oct. 5 and Wednesday, Oct. 14.

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• Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor held her first Mayor@Noon live event on the City’s Facebook page last Friday, Sept. 25.

- Mayor@Noon explores what the City is doing to help our community impacted by the pandemic those struggling financially, our seniors, our kids, small businesses, and so much more.

- Join the Mayor live, participate in the conversation, and submit your questions live on Fridays at noon on the City’s Facebook page.

- The Sept. 25 program featured the City’s Chief Emergency Services Officer Lisa Schoenthal

who spoke about the State’s and County’s public health orders and the impact they have on daily life for Santa Clarans.

- Special guests on this week’s program on Friday, Oct. 2 will include a small business assisted by the City’s Small Business Assistance Grant Program and Finance Director Kenn Lee who will speak about COVID-19 impacts on City finances.

- In addition to Facebook, the public can also view Mayor@ Noon live at 12 p.m. Fridays by watching Santa Clara City Television (Comcast cable

channel 15 or AT&T U-verse channel 99) and the City’s YouTube Channel.

• On Monday, Sept.

28, Bay Area county health officials including from Santa Clara County provided guidance on how to celebrate Halloween and Día de Los Muertos safely and prevent spreading COVID-19 among friends and neighbors.

- Among the guidance, local health officials highly recommend community members participate in lower risk activities, such as visiting an outdoor pumpkin patch while wearing a mask

September 28, 2020

Page 5

Public Health

and maintain distance from others, to celebrate these holidays safely.

- For more details, view the joint statement of the Bay Area health officers at https://www. sccgov.org/sites/

covid19/Pages/ press-statement09-28-20-jointstatement-bayarea-healthofficers.aspx.

Meetings The City Council held a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28.

The Council will hold its next regular scheduled

meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 29. There is no closed session so the regular session will start right away. View the agenda.

• Pursuant to the provisions of California Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued on March 17, 2020, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the City of Santa Clara has implemented methods for the public to participate remotely: -Via Zoom: Meeting ID: 997-0675-9306 - Joining via computer, visit https:// santaclaraca. zoom.us/join * To address the

Council on an agenda item, click “raise hand.”* - Joining via phone: 1-669-9006833 *To address the Council on an agenda item, hit *9 on the phone.* - Via the City’s eComment (available during the meeting) - Via email to PublicComment@ santaclaraca.gov • For individuals who do not have the above access, the City Cafeteria has been set up to accommodate up to 10 people at a time and public comment will be given from that location.

• With the heightened “Stay at Home” order

by the State and the continued order by the County, the Mayor will be present for the meeting with Councilmembers and department heads participating remotely. A limited number of staff will also be present. The meeting set-up is in line with the recommendations of the COVID-19 White House Task Force, which notes no more than 10 people gatherings.

• As usual, the public can view the meetings on SantaClaraCA.gov, Santa Clara City Television (Comcast cable channel 15 or AT&T U-verse channel 99), or the livestream on the City’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.

County of Santa Clara Statement Regarding College Sports We and other public health experts have ongoing concerns about the transmission risks associated with intercollegiate contact sports, particularly in light of the many COVID-19 outbreaks that have occurred on college and university campuses and on various sports teams. After the Governor announced State guidance would be modified to allow PAC-12 sports to proceed, university leaders in the county are requesting our direction on whether intercollegiate contact sports can safely proceed. We are currently waiting for the State to release its revised guidance. We will review the new state guidance and proposed university protocols, make local decisions focused on the safety of the entire community, and continue to apply consistent requirements across industries, sectors, and institutions.

Follow our Twitter for updates: @HealthySCC County of Santa Clara Website: www.sccgov.org/coronavirus Public Health Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sccpublichealth

Page 6

September 28, 2020

Community

County of Santa Clara Partners with Community to Conduct Unprecedented On-the-Ground COVID-19 Outreach The County of Santa Clara has enhanced its COVID-19 outreach efforts to residents and businesses in the county – especially in areas disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 – to inform and encourage essential workers and residents about best practices to protect themselves and prevent the spread of the virus.

As part of the County’s continuing commitment to the health of essential workers, the Community Health & Business Engagement Team (CHBET) began canvassing this month and members have visited more than 3,300 businesses and spoken with nearly 1,400 unique workers.

Created through a

proposal introduced by Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez, the CHBET program aims to contain the spread of COVID-19, especially in the hardest-hit communities of East San José and South County, by doing outreach in those communities using the services of community based organizations and residents of those communities.

“We’re going out there and having real conversations with folks, especially in hard-hit areas such as East San José and Gilroy,” said Chavez. “It’s a bootson-the-ground effort.

This kind of personal engagement really helps get accurate information out to the community, and we find that most

businesses are willing and eager partners.”

The County has contracted with local community groups to assist with the outreach and those partners include Working Partnerships USA, Si Se Puede Collective, Community Health Partnership, and Roots Community Health Center, who coordinates with Ujima Adult and Family Services, the African-American Community Service Agency and Unity Care.

The team consists of about two dozen members, including bilingual workers who can inform populations underserved by traditional communication channels.

If a business needs language assistance unavailable from visiting

team members, an appropriate team member will be sent back for a return visit. Languages spoken include English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

The CHBET program builds on prior work that the Santa Clara Public Health Department has built with communities in East San José and South County to address health inequities in the County.

“The Public Health Department is proud to continue our partnership with community members to make sure that our outreach is informed by the community’s needs, and effective.

From the beginning of this pandemic, we have prioritized more resources for the hardesthit communities,” said County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody.

The CHBET program requires a substantial

financial investment of more than $1 million by the County. “My administration is proud to make this critical investment in the communities hit the hardest by COVID-19, including the Latinx Community,” said County Executive Dr. Jeff Smith.

Culturally competent engagement requires partnership with leaders and members of the community. “That aspect of the team is vital,” said Betty Duong, Lead Public Information Officer for the County’s Emergency Operations Center.

“Santa Clara County is incredibly diverse, and some communities can be insulated from messaging unless approached by someone who not only speaks their language, but also understands the concerns specific to the community.”

September 28, 2020

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District 15 News

Governor Newsom Signs SB-803 to Bring Peer Support Services to California This morning Governor Newsom signed SB 803 (Beall, D- San Jose), which establishes statewide peer support training and certification standards and billing codes for peer support services, allowing counties to draw down millions in federal funding. Peer support specialists are people with lived experience with mental illness and substance use disorders who help people currently experiencing those hardships.

“Peer support services are an evidence-based, cost-effective model of care proven to reduce cost

and increase participation in treatment. Forty-Eight other states have seen the benefit and value of peer support services; now it is time for California to catch up and establish a peer support specialist certification process.” – Senator Jim Beall “I’m thrilled to say that in California, we will have a statewide scope of practice, standardized curriculum, training and supervision standards, and certification protocol for peer support services.

Our coalition of advocates and bi-partisan supporters rallied for Peer Support for years. It’s time to celebrate our progress

and the next generation by continuing to advocate for mental health at the State level… and yes, third time’s a charm!” – Senator Jim Beall This is the third year Senator Beall has carried this legislation and is celebrating the victory and legacy he leaves as he completes his final term in the California State Senate.

Unlike prior years’ bills, SB 803 was carefully crafted to ameliorate the vast majority of state general fund costs, which Governor Newsom’s prior veto message flagged as a key concern.

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September 28, 2020

Hospital Aid

Hawaii Hospitals Receiving $14 Million for More Staff The Department of Health is administering $14 million to provide more than 200 additional nurses and other specialists for Hawaii hospitals statewide over the next four months. Some of the out-of-state personnel

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will begin arriving this weekend. Governor David Ige approved the award of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund earlier this week. The funding, provided through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, will provide vital healthcare capacity.

The Department of Health, in collaboration with the Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i, contracted ProLink Healthcare, a Cincinnati, Ohiobased healthcare staffing company, to provide specialized personnel for Kuakini Medical

Center, The Queen’s Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Hilo Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Straub Medical Center, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, and Pali Momi Medical Center.

The majority — more than 85% — of the positions are for medicalsurgical nurses, critical care nurses, and telemetry nurses. The remaining positions include respiratory therapists, emergency department nurses and dialysis nurses.

The breakdown includes 70 critical care nurses, 61 telemetry nurses,

71 medical-surgical nurses, 17 respiratory therapists, nine emergency department nurses, and five dialysis nurses.

“As Hawai‘i faces increases in hospitalizations due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Department of Health wants to be sure our hospitals have sufficient surge capacity,” said Dr. Elizabeth A. Char, Director of Health.

“During their time here, these experienced healthcare staff will be providing critical patient care as well as respite for our dedicated local

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Bill Would Allow Real-World Test of Mental Health Alternative to Policing

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media In the wake of recent calls to shift responsibility for nonviolent intervention away from police departments, lawmakers and community advocates around California are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2054, also known as the CRISES Act. CRISES is an acronym for Community Response Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Systems.

AB 2054 calls for the authorization of a pilot grant program that would allow communitybased organizations instead of the police to respond in emergency situations, including incidents requiring mental health intervention, which often involve people experiencing homelessness.

Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), the author of AB 2054 and a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, hosted a press conference September 22 featuring community advocates and family members of individuals who were killed by police officers while experiencing mental health crises.

When police officers are sent to de-escalate mental health crises, these encounters sometimes turn violent. A 2015 Treatment Advocacy Center survey found that at least 1 in 4 people

killed by law enforcement were suffering from acute mental illness at the time of their death. Also, a 2015 Police Executive Research Forum study revealed that police officers only receive an average of eight hours of mental health intervention training compared to nearly 60 hours of gun training that they undergo.

“Interactions with police can induce terror in many people who historically have been traumatized by law enforcement. Too often, these interactions are deadly. Too often, people just want solutions to their problems. They just want an emergency or a crisis solved, but they are afraid to call the police because of the potential consequences,” said Kamlager.

Addie Kitchen is the grandmother of Steven Taylor, a Black man who was killed in April 2020 by San Leandro police while going through a mental crisis and experiencing homelessness.

“It took them 40 seconds to kill Stephen, 40 seconds. When that officer walked in and saw he was Black and homeless, he already had in his mind, what he needed to do. He didn’t think about, you know, maybe let me step back,” said Kitchen.

Kitchen also spoke about how Taylor’s death

devastated her family, including his two sons.

“Nobody in the world should have to go through losing someone -- by the police. If he had died because he got hit by a car, that wouldn’t have been so hard. But when the police -- they’re supposed to protect us -are murdering us because we’re Black, because we’re poor, because we’re homeless, because we’re going through a mental crisis, we need help. We need help and we are praying that the governor will understand what we’re going through,” said Kitchen.

Hali McKelvie spoke about her mother, Myra Micalizio, who was killed by a Butte County Sheriff’s Dept. deputy in April 2018 while she was going through a mental health crisis.

The interaction between Micalizio and the police was only 11 seconds long before she was shot 11 times.

“That law enforcement agency didn’t show up to serve and protect that day. That law enforcement agency showed up and murdered my mother, who was in a mental health crisis. They took one look at her, put up a bias, and said this woman is a threat to society and it’s my call to kill her,” McKelvie said.

Advocates also spoke about the community groups that have already

Page 11

Making a Difference been providing human crisis response in the state, such as Mental Health First in Sacramento, and their need for more funding.

“This is community response to community crisis, and we are already doing this.

We are on the Lateefah Simon a nationally recognized ground. There advocate for civil rights and racial are grassroots justice in Oakland and the Bay Area. organizations like my own, but we are running these programs on shoestring budgets, out of the generous hearts of volunteers, because we’re clear that we’re tired of our community members dying,” said Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti PoliceTerror Project.

Lateefah Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) Simon, Bay Area Rapid if given the resources Transportation (BART) and the opportunity, can Board Director echoed become an additional that the community force to create safety,” she groups already doing the work need more funding. said.

Gov. Newsom has “AB 2054 is truly a until September 30 to love letter to possibility, sign AB 2054, and other an idea that communities can keep one another safe. bills the State Legislature has passed this year. If That local communitynot, they automatically based organizations and become law. trained professionals in selected communities,

Page 12

September 28, 2020

Happy Spaces

www.valleywater.org

California Coastal Cleanup 2020 Protect your Happy Place every Saturday in September Pollution prevention starts at our front door. The trash in our neighborhood often winds up in storm drains, creeks, rivers, and ultimately travels all the way out to the bay, polluting those waters. Though we can’t work closely with each other for the California Coastal Cleanup during COVID-19, we can join with people in our own households to protect our happy place.

We encourage the community to participate in at least one Saturday morning cleanup by pledging to volunteer at www.cleanacreek. org. Participants should follow social distancing guidelines, wear a face covering, long pants and sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.

Coastal Cleanup Day is California’s largest volunteer annual event.

It is organized statewide by the California Coastal Commission, and locally by the Creek Connections Action Group. In 2019, a record-breaking 2,166

volunteers participated in California Coastal Cleanup at 47 different sites in Santa Clara County. They collected more than 53,297 pounds of trash and cleaned 58 miles of creeks. Across the state, almost 60,000 volunteers responded to the call to action, gathering 900,000 pounds of trash from California’s waterways.

ABOUT VALLEY WATER Valley Water manages an integrated water resources system that includes the supply of clean, safe water, flood protection, and stewardship of streams on behalf of Santa Clara County’s nearly 2 million residents. Valley Water effectively manages ten dams and surface water reservoirs, three water treatment plants, an advanced recycled water purification center, a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory, nearly 400 acres of groundwater recharge ponds, and more than 275 miles of streams.

We provide wholesale

water and groundwater management services to local municipalities and private water retailers who directly deliver drinking water to homes and businesses in Santa Clara County.

For more information, visit www.valleywater. org.

ABOUT CREEK CONNECTIONS ACTION GROUP The Creek Connections Action Group is a consortium of public agencies and nonprofit organizations that share a goal of protecting Santa Clara County’s waterways.

These agencies include the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Santa

Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, the City of San José and various other government agencies and organizations. Since the group’s inception in 1995, thousands of volunteers have participated in hundreds of cleanups, removing thousands of pounds of trash each year from creeks, rivers, and lakes in Santa Clara County. For more information, visit www. cleanacreek.org.

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CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP Coastal Cleanup Day dates to 1985 with a focus on removing litter from California’s beaches and oceans. Since then, the movement has steadily moved inland to include urban waterways. Since most of the marine debris that we find on our beaches starts as urban litter, the goal is to “stop trash where it starts.” For more information, visit www.coastal.ca.gov/ publiced/ccd/ccd.html.

September 28, 2020

Black Caucus Member Concerned About How Much Ban of Gas-Powered Cars Will Cost Low Income Families Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento), who is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, says he supports Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order issued last week that phases out gasolinepowered vehicles. The directive requires all new passenger vehicles sold in California to have zeroemission engines by the year 2035.

But Cooper, who is the chair of the Assembly’s Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration, has some concerns about how the mandate will affect low-income families.

Newsom says his vision is to replace gasoline-powered vehicles with electric vehicles (EV) on California’s highways and surface roads.

“The EVs pictured in today’s signing of the EO (executive order) cost more than $50k each.

How will my constituents afford an EV? They can’t.

They currently drive 11-year-old vehicles,” Cooper tweeted on Sept.

23.

To comply with the governor’s executive order, the Air Resources Board is also expected to develop regulations to mandate that all operations of medium and heavy-duty vehicles be 100% zero-emission

by 2045, where feasible.

Trucks that tow freight will have to become compliant by 2035.

Recently, Cooper, who represents California’s 9th Assembly District, wrote a two-page letter to leaders of environmental organizations, calling out racism and the lack of diversity.

Cooper said prominent environmental organizations in the state, including the Sierra Club California (SCC), the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Environment California, “from their leaders to their funders, are nearly all White.” “(And they) attempt to trade on race issues by branding their efforts as: ‘environmental justice’ — for which they do not apologize,” Cooper wrote in the letter dated Aug. 3.

Now, the Assemblymember is directing his concern to the high costs of EVs and how their unaffordability will be a burden to lower income, working class Californians.

“I, too, believe we must cut emissions to combat climate change.

That’s why I’ve run bills to increase rebates for low-income residents to buy EV’s. But we know @AirResources

regs benefit the well-off, not my constituents,” Cooper tweeted.

Newsom’s said his action will “aggressively” move the state further away from its dependence on climate change-causing fossil fuels and, at the same time, retain and create jobs, which will spur economic growth.

The transportation industry is responsible for more than half of all of California’s carbon pollution, 80 % of smogforming pollution, and 95 % of toxic diesel emissions. Communities in the Los Angeles Basin and Central Valley see some of the dirtiest and most toxic air in the country, the governor pointed out in a written statement.

“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” Newsom said.

“For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe. Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse -- and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.”

In Feb. 2019, the energy foundation reported that the Union of

Page 13

Energy Issues Concerned Scientists (UCS) quantified Californians’ exposure to dangerous air pollution.

UCS’s findings revealed that particulate matter, known as PM2.5, disproportionately affects people Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) of color and lowincome communities cars or selling them on the in California. PM2.5 is used car market, Newsom created by automobiles, says. trucks, and buses.

By the time the new African Americans rule goes into effect, zeroare, on average, exposed emission vehicles, the to 18% higher PM2.5 governor’s office stated, concentrations than the will almost certainly be average Californian, cheaper and better than the report stated. White the fossil fuel-powered Californians have an cars that dominate average exposure that is roadways now.

17% percent lower than The upfront cost the average for the state. of electric vehicles are “Exposure to PM2.5 projected to reach parity (particulate matter smaller with conventional vehicles than 2.5 micrometers within a few years, and in diameter) is linked the cost of owning the to increased illness and car – both in maintenance death, primarily from and how much it costs heart and lung diseases,” to power the car mile the Energy Foundation for a mile – is far less reported. “These particles than a fossil fuel burning are small - 20 times vehicle, the governor’s smaller than the diameter office stated. of fine human hair “I applaud the so they can penetrate Governor’s goals, but deeply in the lungs, and how will @AirResources the smallest particles develop regulations that can even enter into the will actually benefit the bloodstream.” majority of Californians?

The governor’s Last year, (the California executive order also sets Air Resources Board) said new health and safety the overall mean purchase standards that protect price of a CA household’s workers and communities main vehicle was $14,000, from the impacts of oil which is over half of their extraction. yearly income,” Cooper However, it does not tweeted. prevent Californians from owning gasoline-powered

Page 14

September 28, 2020

Schools Out

Legislative, Law Enforcment, Military, and Program Leaders Highlight Power of Afterschool Programs Afterschool programming is an essential resource for school-aged youth, encouraging safety, fostering connections, preventing juvenile crime, and improving academic performance.

These programs can also increase long-term public safety and bolster national security.

That was the compelling message of a panel discussion convened by the national nonprofit Council for a Strong America on Thursday,

September 24 at 10:00am PT. Council for a Strong America unites powerful leaders preparing the next generation to be well-educated, physically fit, and prepared for productive lives.

This virtual panel discussion highlighted details from a Fight Crime: Invest in Kids research report and featured Kevin McCarty, California State Assemblymember, Wendy Carrillo, California State Assemblymember, Anne Marie Schubert,

Sacramento County District Attorney, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Jody Breckenridge, U.S. Coast Guard, and Eric Gurna, President and CEO of LA’s Best.

They discussed the importance of afterschool programming with Catherine Van Ness, Deputy Director of State Operations & Policy with Council for a Strong America.

Afterschool programs serve to positively engage young people, with connections to community and adults, to keep them safe and build their academic, social, and emotional skills. In the aftermath of COVID-19 and school closures across California and the nation, many children have lost access to crucial afterschool programs.

0

The event provided an important spotlight on afterschool programs and their impact on young people.

Assemblymember McCarty and Assemblymember Carrillo highlighted the importance of afterschool programs for youth in their Districts and across California and their shared commitment to support continued investments in these critical programs, especially during these challenging times.

Assemblymember McCarty, who has long championed afterschool

programs during his time in the Assembly, also participated in afterschool programs growing up, and said, “I was a beneficiary of afterschool programs. I grew up here in Sacramento in a singleparent family. My mom hustled during the day, had four kids, and literally afterschool programs kept us out of trouble. So I know them and believe in them.”

Asm. McCarty discussed how afterschool programs are essential to reducing heightened educational disparities throughout California.

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Page 15

Schools Out

Across the state, over 900,000 students are currently enrolled in afterschool programs, with 84% of students being economically disadvantaged and 9 out of 10 students being children of color. Asm. McCarty explained, “These afterschool programs mean so much to our families who are trying to go to work, but also make sure their kids succeed. And we know these are tried and true programs that keep kids safe.”

Assemblymember Carrillo authored AB 1725, which would allow the California Department of Education to set afterschool rates, touched on the fact that 1/3 of children in After School Education and Safety (ASES) programs are English learners, and 25% of California’s homeless students depend on our state’s afterschool programs.

The Assemblymember explained that some of the state’s most vulnerable

security significance of afterschool programs, first highlighting that a jarring 71 percent of recruitingaged young people in this country are unable to qualify for military service due to a variety of factors, including a lack of educational attainment, a lack of physical fitness, or involvement with drugs or crime. Vice Admiral Breckenridge pointed out that afterschool programs help address all three concerns adding that “As a matter of national security, it is absolutely essential we invest in afterschool programs now and in the long-term.”

Eric Gurna shared how afterschool programs can help rectify issues of inequity in our education system and how an LA’s BEST evaluation, which focused on intellectual, physical, and social and emotional development

for youth in grades K-6, found that youth who consistently attended the program were 30 to 50 percent less likely to commit a juvenile crime.

However, Gurna stressed the fact that despite the benefits of afterschool, many students are unable to attend programs because of the financial constraints that programs face due to the lack of adequate funding.

“There’s a huge unmet need for afterschool programming that leaves thousands of students waiting to enroll in programs across the city of LA and across the state,” Gurna said.

“Essentially for every student who gets to reap the benefits of these programs, there are several more who would participate if a program were available.”

students rely on prosecutor, I can afterschool programs, and unequivocally state that these programs are proven the hours after the school to boost a student’s day ends are critical to academic performance. public safety. We know Assemblymember that afterschool programs Carrillo, who was a are proven to keep student of afterschool children safe and build programs herself, shared their academic, social, during the conversation, and emotional skills in a “I think it’s just so number of critical ways,” imperative that we Schubert noted. put funding where Vice Admiral it’s necessary, that we Breckenridge focused continue to champion on the national education, and that we understand the correlation between law enforcement, safety, and education.”

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Page 16

September 28, 2020

Gathering

Local County Health Officials Offer Guidance on How to Celebrate Halloween and Día de Los Muertos Safely Among Friends and Neighbors

[Continued From Page 1] Bay Area contact tracing has shown that gathering and mixing are key contributors to infection.

These holidays are no different than the rest of the year when it comes to reducing the spread of COVID-19. Stay home if you feel sick or have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19; wear a face covering whenever you leave home; and keep your distance from others (even relatives) who don’t live in your household, and remember that being outside is safer than being inside, especially in combination with face covering and keeping your distance.

Consider using a themed cloth mask, as a costume mask is not a substitute.

Avoid

wearing a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe.

County of Santa Clara residents are reminded that local and State Health Officer Orders are still in effect. Halloween gatherings, Día de los Muertos celebrations, events or parties with non-household members are not permitted unless they are conducted in compliance with local and State Health Orders: https://www.sccgov.org/ sites/covid19/Pages/ mandatory-directivesgatherings.aspx.

Local health officials highly recommend community members participate in lower risk activities to celebrate Halloween and Día de Los Muertos this year: LOWER RISK:

Stay home, keep it small • Celebrating Halloween traditions like carving pumpkins or a scavenger huntstyle trick-or-treat search with your household members in your home.

• Visiting an outdoor pumpkin patch, while wearing a mask and maintaining distance from others.

• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at least 6 feet apart while wearing masks, with a very small group of neighbors or friends.

Fewer people with more distance is safer.

• Having a virtual costume contest.

• Dressing up your house, apartment, living space, yard or car with Halloween decoration or decorating homes with images and objects to honor deceased loved ones.

• Preparing traditional

family recipes with members of your household.

• Playing music in your home that your deceased loved ones enjoyed.

• Making and decorating masks or making an altar for the deceased.

• Participating in vehicle-based gatherings that comply with state and local guidance like drive-in movies and drive-through attractions, or car/ bike parades where participants do not leave their vehicles.

- Avoid driving

in areas where there are many pedestrians.

- Spectators should watch from their homes or yards and not gather with people they do not live with.

MODERATE RISK: If you must • Participating in oneway trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to physically distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the

September 28, 2020

Page 17

Gathering

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edge of a yard) - Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.

- Ensure everyone is wearing an appropriate face covering and maintaining a physical distance from others.

- Everyone participating should bring hand sanitizer and use it

frequently AND wash their hands immediately after coming home.

- Candy shouldn’t be eaten while outside the home because that would require both removing the face mask and touching wrappers.

• Having a very small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade or movie night where people are distanced more

than 6 feet apart and are wearing masks.

Fewer people with more distance is safer.

• Enjoying themed outdoor dining that complies with state and local guidance or takeout.

HIGHER RISK: Please avoid • Participating in traditional trickor-treating where treats are handed to children who go door-to-door.

Although this activity is outdoors, it is higher risk because it brings multiple people from different households together.

• Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19.

Doing so can bring COVID-19 into the area and threaten the residents’ lives.

If trick-or-

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treating is occurring in your neighborhood and you are at home and do not want to be disturbed, you may want to post a sign or turn off your porch light.

VERY HIGH RISK or not permitted by State and Local Orders • Attending a crowded party held indoors or outdoors.

Large gatherings, even if they are outdoors, are high risk for spreading COVID-19 and are associated with many cases throughout the Bay Area.

• Sharing, eating, drinking, speaking loudly or singing amongst others outside of your household.

• Haunted houses or indoor mazes.

• Having trunk-or-treat

where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots. Bay Area contact tracing has shown that gathering and mixing are key contributors to infection.

To further protect yourself and your loved ones, be sure to monitor yourself during the 14 days after these holidays and pay particular attention from days 3 - 7 after the holidays when you are most likely to develop symptoms.

If you don’t feel well or you learn someone you had close contact with tested positive, get tested immediately and stay home until your appointment and while you wait for your results.

To learn more about symptoms and testing, visit sccfreetest.org.

Page 18

September 28, 2020

COVID-19 Turbulence

Delta Air Lines Extending Loyalty Benefits Further Into 2021

By Harry S. Johnson

Delta Air Lines announced that it is again extending loyalty benefits and adding more flexibility.

“From extended loyalty benefits to

improving award travel, customers now have even more flexibility for upcoming trips and more time to enjoy benefits when they’re ready to travel again,” said Sandeep Dube, Senior Vice President –

Customer Engagement and Loyalty, and CEO of Delta Vacations. “We are dedicated to ensuring customers’ health and safety during travel above all else, and these changes show how we are continuing to find new ways to be there for them as the pandemic continues.”

To give customers additional time to enjoy their benefits, Delta is extending benefits for some Delta SkyMiles

American Express Card Members, Delta Sky Club Memberships and more – doubling down on the industryleading Medallion Status extension and Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) rollover announced in April.

The following extensions will happen automatically in the coming weeks, with no action needed from customers.

Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members will see select benefits extended through the end of next year: Delta SkyMiles Gold Card Members who earn a $100 Delta flight credit

will have the expiration date for that credit extended to Dec. 31, 2021.

Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve Card Members with unused Companion Certificates will receive an additional extension to book and travel using the Companion Certificate by Dec. 31, 2021.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members with unused Delta Sky Club guest passes will have expiration dates for those passes extended to Dec. 31, 2021.

These extensions are for eligible Card Members with benefits issued Jan. 1 – Nov. 30, 2020.

Unions Condemn Ryanair CEO’s Bonus Pay Amid Mass Layoffs

By Harry S. Johnson

The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemn the shareholders’ decision to pay out a €458,000 bonus to Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary after the carrier made thousands of workers redundant, cut workers’ salaries and took state pandemic support.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary and the company’s unscrupulous methods of making money at the cost of transport workers’ rights are wellknown in the aviation industry and beyond.

Despite widespread low expectations of conduct, the latest €458,000 bonus is a new low of offensive behavior towards workers,

their families and society at large.

The ITF and the ETF condemn the decision of Ryanair shareholders to back the paying out of €458,000 bonus to Michael O’Leary.

Likewise, they condemn the decision of Michael O’Leary to accept the extra pay, at a time when the airline has received state support and, despite this, has let go thousands of workers in massive job cuts and proceeded with salary cuts for remaining employees.

“This is yet another example of disrespectful behavior of an airline top executive,” said Josef Maurer, ETF Head of Aviation. “It demonstrates an absolute disregard for Ryanair’s workers.

It is time for everyone, including policymakers,

shareholders, investors and the travelling public to recognize the disgraceful working conditions of aviation workers and condemn such behavior.”

The Ryanair CEO’s bonus comes after the carrier received state support, provided for from taxpayers’ money, and implemented salary reduction and salary freezes for its staff. If the airline is serious about the need to cut costs and salaries, impacting all its workforce in an attempt to solve the ongoing cashflow problems, massive bonuses are simply unjustifiable.

Instead of rewarding appalling behavior with bonuses, Ryanair should

focus on addressing its terrible track record on workers’ rights: the poor state of working conditions, the spread of precarious employment practices, bogus selfemployment, unionbusting and creating an environment of hostility and fear among its workforce.

These are not the achievements of a person that deserves a €458,000

bonus, on top of a CEO salary.

We take this opportunity to reiterate that substandard working conditions are common to many low-cost carriers operating in Europe. It is therefore urgent that European governments take initiatives to promote decent standards in the sector notably through the promotion of sectoral collective agreements.

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