Take The Initiative

Hello San Jose City Council Member David Cohen:

We are homeowners and residents from the Renaissance drive neighborhood in San Jose. Many of us have been living here for the last several years.

We recently heard about a proposal to make 71 Vista Montana, San Jose as a Safe Parking Site. Several amongst us called the City of San Jose yesterday (Wednesday 1st, Sept 2021) and left messages to learn more about this recent development and to confirm what we heard. Late yesterday evening, you confirmed in a Next-door Neighborhood post that the City has been preparing a temporary Safe Parking Site. Exhibit A shows this Next Door post.

The purpose of this petition (signed by residents/home owners from the Renaissance Drive neighborhood) is to express concern about what this recent development could unfold with respect to (1) Safety of residents/children, (2) Neighborhood Security, (3) Sanitation, (4) Environmental Cleanliness among others. There is also concern about (5) Drug abuse/use in the Safe Parking Site by those staying there or others who could visit them. Moreover, with many children in our non-gated community, there are concerns about (6) Children’s well-being & safety. Finally, there is very little parking available on the streets due to multiple high-rise apartments constructed in the last few years. This development can also impact the (7) Traffic/pedestrian patterns & parking in the neighborhood.

Since we have not been given information about how the above-mentioned concerns would be addressed, we would like to proactively engage and discuss these with you as a community before the movement of RVs and other vehicles which according to the post by you, Council Member David Cohen, may happen next week.

In an effort to make the community stronger and safer, we would like to be part of the decision making process and hence we would like to request the City to engage with the residents in this neighborhood on Friday (9/3/21) to address concerns and collectively move forward. Please have your office contact us to begin coordinating a community meeting. Due to the pandemic, we suggest hosting the meeting outdoors at the park directly adjacent to the proposed Safe Parking Site.

Our community looks forward to hearing from you.

This petition supports the undergrounding of Caltrain from San Jose to San Francisco.

What: Local infrastructure such as public transportation is an important priority to help residents any place they live. One such part in the Bay Area includes Caltrain, a commonly-used rail line in Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Peninsula. Grade separations, physical separation between railroad tracks and a roadway, are being considered for safety and circulation concerns. I support having Caltrain be completely underground (in the form of a tunnel) -- ideally all the way from San Jose to San Francisco -- as a sensible, long-term solution.

Why: Here are the two main reasons for undergrounding Caltrain:

Finance: Caltrain runs through expensive areas in the Bay Area (i.e. Atherton, Menlo Park, etc.), so undergrounding Caltrain makes sense to protect these highly valued lands and use it for other projects.
Quality of life: Undergrounding the railroad would also improve safety, especially for residents who live near railroads. Quality of life would improve as there would be less noise and congestion while also freeing up hundreds of acres of land for projects like new housing, affordable housing, retail space and office space, green spaces, parks, gardens, bike/pedestrian pathways, and sidewalks lined with new trees.
How: To fund the project, we want to “capture” the value of the land by selling development rights in order to fund the undergrounding project. With the high property value and demand in the Bay Area, I feel confident that the development rights could help fund a significant amount of the estimated costs of this project. We should also pursue funding from Biden’s proposed $2.3T infrastructure plan, as federal money should go towards projects that would benefit more populated regions with high economic activity, such as Silicon Valley.

Please sign this petition to show your support for this much needed solution of undergrounding Caltrain!

Please visit https://www.gregtanaka.org/congress-issues for more information.

Below are some links for references:

https://www.qtm.net.au/blog/benefits-value-capture/

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Public-Sector/smart-cities-virtues-of-value-capture-19nov.pdf

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/business/economy/biden-infrastructure-plan.html

There was an event that occurred last weekend were there were multiple parties going on in this building. There were a lot of parties going on in the building last night & too many ppl showed up to the building and security told them no one else can come in the building unless you lived there, then a group of guys didn’t like that so they grabbed one of the big electric scooters and smashed the big glass window on the first floor, glass shattered everywhere & police showed up like 6 police cars. Then a group of guys wearing red masks and bandannas threatened to shoot up the place if they didn’t let them in. I was holding a kickback for some friends that I specifically invited only.

Then people partying from other floors came into the room I was in and the room was floored with so many people we had to shut it down. Because of what happened on Saturday they’re saying my guest could’ve potentially did the vandalization of the building now they’re saying I’m liable for everything that happened and people who were coming into the building were putting my name on a list as my guest when I didn’t know about this list going on nor did anyone ask me if they could be on a guest list. I never had a guest list to begin with. Now they’re trying to kick me out but these people could’ve been coming from a different floor party.. Security didn’t do anything about it. This could’ve easily been prevented. They gave me a three day notice to find another place to stay. I’m fighting to stay here and I need your help! What they’re doing is not right!

Hello fellow Electric Vehicle drivers, future EV owners and colleagues! As you know, the employee garage on 4th St has electric vehicle charging stations. Unfortunately they are nearly the same cost of charging as Tesla chargers themselves. Shouldn’t there be some sort of city employee benefit for owning and driving an electric vehicle? This is something the County of Santa Clara was in support of because Reid Hillview Airport in fact has a charging station (with two charging ports) that are free to use! If the county could fund and support this charging station, then surely the City of San Jose can provide the similar benefit for us City workers. Which is why I am starting this petition to implore the good people of the City Council of San Jose to install payless chargers. These would only be for the use of city employees to charge their EVs and to ensure security, our respective city badges could be issued the clearance to activate the chargers upon use. Please help me in getting this petition passed and heard to the people capable of making change!

This petition is calling for the reduction of tuition fees and price for the Fall 2020 - Spring 2021 semesters. As many know, COVID-19 has changed the way education is now proctored, now moving nearly all classes to an online environment; however, our tuition price reflects the level of learning only attainable and worth paying in an in-person class environment.

With many people continuing to struggle with their finances and overall financial security in these difficult and unprecedented times, we demand that San Jose State University hold themselves accountable for providing a cushioning for its students. Many miscellaneous fees continue to be charged within the price of tuition that can be easily opted-out of, such as the Student Union fee that 90% of students will most likely not use at all due to their absence on campus. Even a reduction in a couple of hundred dollars will make an astounding difference to San Jose State University's students as many provide for themselves or come from families where every dollar counts.

Together, let us make a change and raise our voice to advocate for more financial understanding and safety. Let us make a change that helps every and all students that have pledged their loyalty to San Jose State University to attain their well-deserved degree. Let us make a change. Together, we make a difference.

Encampment fire behind family residences, picture taken by resident of Lyndale Drive, San Jose, CA

Today San Jose and Santa Clara East Foothills are experiencing a growing increase of poverty and homeless encampments. This poses risk to Santa Clara County and San Jose Community safety, assurance and sustainability.

There is a growing population of under privileged residences throughout Santa Clara County that require food, assistance and/or shelter. Unsafe homeless encampments are on the rise, posing risk to homeowners and family residences throughout Santa Clara County and San Jose.

This rise in poverty and homelessness has initially started before the COVID pandemic, due to California Bay Area high cost of living, problematic employment development services, lack of social services availability to all City, County and State taxpaying and non-taxpaying residences. Taxpayers are getting concerned due to safety, assurance, and sustainability during this pandemic.

The public understands that the pandemic has evolved into an even higher growth of public safety and sustainability issues. The public also can easily recognize that even the current reduced income Federal and State programs provide e.g., Employment Development Department, Federal Covid Relief, State Relief are not resolving this safety, assurance and sustainability wide-spread problem.

Actions needed from Santa Clara County Auditor, District Attorney of Santa Clara County and San Jose City Mayor Sam Liccardo for public safety, assurance and sustainability are:

A complete and timely thorough audit of Santa Clara County and San Jose City Leadership programs and budget that address public safety, assurance and sustainability. This audit should be focused on all current programs required to resolve safety, assurance and sustainability addressing the growing poverty, homelessness, and risks to community. The audit should show statistics on County and City programmatic current requirements that pass or fail to meet community safety, assurance, sustainability, policies, and laws; along with statistics and recommendations on current problem reporting and resolutions. Santa Clara County Auditor should ensure that Santa Clara County DA and San Jose City Mayor timely accept or reject findings and ensure a timely public release of all findings (In other words not thrown under a large stack of political audit preferences).
A joint County of Santa Clara County and City transparent programmatic plan meeting accepted audit recommendations timely released to the public (with concise and clear address of roll out of solutions).
A timely joint County of Santa Clara County and City verified, validated and approved implementation meeting all community safety and assurance.
Santa Clara Auditor to follow-up with a final audit within 24 months, verifying and validating that the joint County and City implementation meets all requirements and risk mitigations. Final audit should be timely released to the community of Santa Clara County and San Jose City.

GET VICTIM SERVICES TO PAUL GACKLE. STOP THE RE-VICTIMIZATION!

Paul Gackle was stabbed 14 times during an attempted murder in San Jose, California in 2017. He developed PTSD in the aftermath of the crime, which forced him out of his job as the San Jose Sharks Beat Reporter for the San Jose Mercury News.

WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW

Four years after the stabbing, Gackle has yet to receive a single payment for income loss from the California Victims Compensation Board (CalVCB). He’s fighting debilitating mental health issues while going more than 15 months without any income during a global pandemic. Help us get Paul Gackle some financial help so he can recover from the trauma of being a victim of a violent crime and thrive again.

In spring 2017, Gackle’s attacker, Sydney Whalen, was being held at the local jail in Santa Clara County for stabbing a woman with a box cutter and punching a stranger in the face at Starbucks in Campbell, CA. She was a serial offender. In a five-year span, Whalen got charged with 17 misdemeanors and 5 felonies in Santa Clara County, including charges for attempting to smuggle a knife into jail.

Despite this violent record, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office released Whalen on a plea agreement in July 2017 without any regard for the public's safety.

Following her release, Whalen went on a murderous rampage. First, she stabbed Gackle 14 times and robbed him in his apartment on July 21, 2017. Then, on Aug. 1st, she murdered Daniel Torrez with a hammer in a Hayward hotel room. The next day, she attacked a man with a hammer in Santa Cruz County and was arrested.

VICTIMS RIGHTS VIOLATED

At that point, the California Constitution article I, § 28, section (b), Victims Bill of Rights (aka Marsy’s Law) required the Santa Clara County DA’s office to be transparent with Gackle about his perpetrator. The state passed Marsy’s Law in 2008 to give victims of crime an extra layer of protection against being re-traumatized by the criminal justice process. Victims need as much information about their attackers as possible — names, charges, and court proceedings — to calm their traumatized brains from fears of re-victimization.

Under Marsy’s Law, the DA was obligated to:

● Reveal Whalen’s identity to Gackle.

● Inform Gackle of the murder charges against Whalen and all of her future court proceedings

● Allow Gackle the opportunity to speak at those hearings.


Instead of granting Gackle those rights, the DA’s office kept Gackle in the dark about Whalen’s identity, the murder of Daniel Torrez and all of her court proceedings between August 17, 2017 and September 11, 2018.

Keeping this information from Gackle only heightened his PTSD symptoms as he attempted to perform his job.

When Gackle left work late at night, he feared being murdered by Whalen’s associates, not knowing whether his attacker had gang affiliations. Gackle also struggled with restless sleep, waking up several times a night to make sure his door was locked, fearing an intrusion by someone tied to Whalen. On multiple occasions, he suffered panic attacks in airports, fearing what would happen to him when he returned to San Jose after long work trips. Giving Gackle as much information about Whalen as possible could have mollified these worries and reduced the fight or flight chemicals being released into the body from the brain.

On Sept. 11, 2018, Gackle called the DA’s office demanding to know his attacker’s identity. After a long argument, the prosecuting attorney finally relented and revealed Whalen’s identity. The next morning Gackle received a call from his Editor Bert Robinson, learning that the DA’s office had also tipped off the San Jose Mercury Newspaper about Whalen’s identity. The Mercury News ran a story that further aggravated Gackle’s raging PTSD, leaving him unable to perform his job for three weeks.

LOSS OF INCOME BECAUSE OF PTSD

In the aftermath of the story’s publication, Gackle suffered regular flashbacks of the stabbing; he went nearly two weeks without sleeping. He feared for his life when people posted his picture on Whalen’s Facebook page. The article created even more trouble for Gackle when rival fan bases of the Sharks found it online and used it to cyber bully him. Gackle eventually took a leave from work and went on state disability in April 2019.

As Gackle was preparing to return to work in September 2019, he received a call from the DA’s office informing him that they wanted his cooperation on a new plea deal for Whalen. Learning that his attacker might be released re-ignited the trauma that forced Gackle out of the job just five months earlier. In a well-documented back and forth over email, Mercury News Executive Editor Frank Pine told Gackle that he wouldn’t force him to return to work until he was ready. A day later, the Mercury News reversed course and fired him.

VICTIMS NEED REFORM

Gackle is in intensive therapy, but is not yet healthy enough to return to work. The state is compelled by Marsy’s Law to provide financial assistance to aid victims in their recovery. However, Gackle’s experience has been different. Gackle was cut off from receiving victims services from the DA’s office. He was also blocked from being able to speak with his victims advocate, and from informing Judge Morris Jacobson about the violations of his victims’ rights. In short, Gackle was left to fight for justice all alone, intentionally isolated by the DA's Office once he figured out his constitutional rights were being violated.

In recent weeks, the CalVCB has joined the list of agencies that have ignored Gackle’s cries for help. Under Marsy’s Law, victims of crime are awarded their full salaries with a verified disability that is a direct result of the crime. Gackle clearly meets the criteria. CalVCB has all the necessary documents to process Gackle's wage loss now, without any more unnecessary delays.

On July 19, 2021, Gackle reached out to Mothers Against Murder (MAM) for help with his income loss claim. The following day, we reached out to CalVCB to figure out why Gackle’s wage loss claim was still pending. The analyst assigned to work the claim was supposed to call us back. Instead, the analyst called Gackle on the four-year anniversary of his stabbing to inform him that CalVCB would not be paying out his income loss claim beyond the date of his dismissal from the Mercury News. Gackle called us in a complete state of disarray, prepared to end his life. We had to call the police that evening for intervention.

Between July 20th and August 4th, we asked CalVCB five times to give us a list of the documents necessary to enable them to issue a check to Gackle. In an email from a CalVCB manager on July 27th, we were told a recommendation had been made, but we had to wait for the answer to come by snail mail. We didn’t understand why CalVCB refused to share the decision by email when the staff and top executives knew that Gackle was living in constant fear of having his claim denied. The confusing piece of mail was sent to Gackle without a copy to his newly authorized representative at MAM, when the Program has been informed more than once Gackle is fragile and can't handle this system's abuse of powers......No one at CalVCB cared to do this right. Stand with Paul Gackle, so we get the system to stop abusing victims of crime.

While many in California have survived the pandemic thanks to help from public assistance, Gackle has now gone more than 15 months without receiving a penny of income. He has lost his apartment, his car has been repossessed and his family has taken out loans to help him survive. Gackle still suffers from nightmares, disruptive sleep, intrusive memories, panic attacks and generalized anxiety. The run around and the anticipated rejection of his income loss claim has pushed him to consider suicide as an option for relieving his pain. We can't let Paul Gackle down. He needs your help to be heard by CalVCB. Together, we can help Paul and other victims that the criminal justice system ignores every day.

It is crucial for victims of traumatic violence to receive unconditional support in the aftermath of a crime. Victims must be empowered and believe they can live free of suffering additional trauma. Throughout the legal process, Gackle’s victims’ rights have been violated, impacting his ability to recover and lead a full life. It's sad and unfortunate to see so much more trauma added to this victim's pain. It shouldn’t happen, ever.

We’re asking the California Victims Compensation Board:
o To process Gackle’s wage loss to payment immediately.
Also, we’re asking CA Attorney General Rob Bonta:
o To investigate the retaliation against Gackle by the Santa Clara County District Attorney and the San Jose Mercury News after Gackle started questioning why his victim's rights were violated.
And, we're asking CA Governor Gavin Newsom to:
o To make the necessary changes to CalVCB program so victims can be treated with the dignity and the respect that Marsy’s law require and be compensated for their eligible crime related losses.

Stand up for Paul Gackle by signing this petition. Please share widely!

We’re hoping that this petition will:

1. Secure wage loss funds for Gackle ASAP.

2. Give Gackle the financial security to recover from PTSD.

3. End Gackle’s re-traumatization from the criminal justice system.

4. Bring awareness to the plight of crime victims to make the necessary systemic changes.

Email me, if you have any questions: [email protected]

We are requesting to keep our teacher Mrs. Parris Garcia who currently teaches at the Rollingwood Elementary School in San Bruno, CA. and let her continue to teach our 3rd grade children in distance learning from home for the remainder of the year.

Mrs Garcia has been asked to return physically to campus on March 1st and if not has been given the option to either resign or take a leave of absence. As a mother herself, her children’s school district has yet to be reopened and has no other choice but to stay home.

Also, out of the 26 students, only 3 have signed up to return and the majority of the children will continue distant learning.

Our children have been thorough enough stress with the pandemic and the changes during these times that we don’t see a fit enough reason to not let our children finish the next 3 months of the school year with the teacher whom they all admire.

Mrs Garcia isn’t your average teacher. She teaches with her creativity and music and really takes time to sit with your child until they better understand. She is very passionate about teaching and it would be devastating to have her replaced by a substitute teacher who has to get reintroduced to our kids and yet have another change in their lives that could’ve been unnecessary and stressful.


Please help and support us and our request to keep our teacher Mrs Parris Garcia!
Thank you everyone!

This petition is for the justice of Blanca Kolb, age 15, found killed in San Bernadino on May 28, 2021. Blanca went missing from Long Beach on the 8th, and date of death is May 10th. Her killer has not been caught, and nobody is investigating. Say her name, PLEASE. There is a GoFundMe for Blanca’s funeral expenses, as her father recently got diagnosed with cancer and the family could use any help they can get.

https://gofund.me/27e0d5c8

Blanca Kolb was a Long Beach resident, and loved by her community. She has 4 siblings, and was in the middle of her freshman year at Woodrow Wilson High School. She was incredibly smart, beautiful, and lively. A hard worker, Blanca started working at the age of 14, and was already able to afford a car at 15. She was the type of person to give her last dime to a friend in need, and never hesitated to do so. Blanca enjoyed going to the beach, adventuring LA, & most of all being with her friends. She also loved making tiktoks, so much that she posted almost daily & worked her way up to 80k followers, it was her favorite way to express herself. Blanca had an interest in cars, and was working hard to become a lawyer when she grew up. Her smile was absolutely one of a kind, her laugh lit up every room. We all miss her so much.

Jose Sosa (goes by DK) is who the family suspects did it. Him and Blanca were dating, and was last seen with her. He has not been seen or heard of since, and both of their instagrams were deleted at the same time. He is 22, which makes him a statutory r*pist. He used to frequent the Long Beach, San Pedro, and Los Angeles area. Make him scared.

Please sign to alert the police, & get justice for my friend, my little sister. She did not deserve this, she was irreplaceable, so special. Please give her at least the bare minimum, share her story.

On Saturday, 4/10/2021, a precious life was lost in a horrendous collision between a car and a motorcycle at the intersection of Dalgo Road/Mackintosh Street and Mission Boulevard (Hwy 238) in Fremont, CA. Traffic on south-bound Mission Boulevard was shut for several hours while the Fremont PD performed its investigation. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the deceased.

While details are yet to emerge about the incident, this is an unfortunate and stark reminder of the dangers caused by unregulated traffic, and often speeding beyond the posted limits. In October 2020, an incident occurred near this intersection that mirrored the events of yesterday. This is a definite cause for concern due to the fact that it is a busy intersection. It regularly receives a heavy influx of vehicles during peak hours with automobiles making left turns from Mission to Mackintosh and Dalgo respectively as well as the cross traffic between Mackintosh and Dalgo. All without a traffic light.

Several children that go to Gomes Elementary use the pedestrian crossing on Mission at this intersection in the morning and during their return after school. Besides, members of the neighboring community use the parks (Gomes and Buena Vista) on either side of Mission for recreation and have the need to get across the always busy Mission Boulevard.

As a member of this community and a junior at Mission San Jose HS who is extremely concerned for the safety of my fellow Fremont residents, I propose that this petition be used to request the City of Fremont and our mayor, Lily Mei, to install a full-fledged traffic light system at this intersection at the earliest. Multiple attempts at regulating traffic at this intersection have been made, including adding volunteer traffic patrols during school hours (before the pandemic), but the clear solution to the situation at hand is to add a traffic light at the intersection.

To make sure we can facilitate this change, please sign this petition and spread the word to as many individuals as you can. There currently are no updates to the situation now, but I will regularly do so to the best of my abilities. One life lost is one too many. Let's all join hands in getting this to fruition before another incident happens at this intersection. Thank you so much for your help and consideration and together we can make the streets of Fremont safer for everyone!

Lavande Nail Spa has been your neighborhood nail salon for 17 years, serving our dear customers in San Jose and surrounding cities. You know our technicians' names: Kathy, Le, Leslie, Lieu, Minh, Tuyen, Nancy, Sandy, Vanny, Vinh, Victoria, and Stephanie. And we know your name too. We know what services you like and how you want it done before you even ask. We are not just any nail salon but your nail salon. There is a bond between us. You are like a family to us like we are to you. We want to keep this bond going for another 17 years.

Like any other businesses, we got hit hard by the pandemic last year. We were forced to close for 8 months in 2020. During this time we were still required to pay our rent. Even with support from the government, we are still under water financially. We are trying to renegotiate our lease so we can get some breathing room and continue to operate. We hope you can show your support by signing this petition. This will show our landlord the love and support we have from our customers and the necessity for us to stay open for our community.

You are the best customers we can hope for, and we will be here for a long time to serve you and our community. Thank you so much and we love you.

- Kathy, Le, Leslie, Lieu, Minh, Tuyen, Nancy, Sandy, Vanny, Vinh, Victoria, and Stephanie.

[esp]

Pedimos que se termine de construir la falla de la meditadora y se muestre en la plaza del Ayuntamiento en las próximas fallas.

El monumento de la meditadora se ha convertido en un símbolo mundial de paz y esperanza. Ha sido utilizada internacionalmente como imagen icónica en la lucha contra el COVID19. Es una falla que ya es historia y seguro será una de las fallas más recordadas de Valencia.

Sin embargo, nadie ha podido verla terminada. Su montaje se vio interrumpido por la crisis del COVID19 que provocó la cancelación de las fallas.

Pedimos que la meditadora tenga el final digno que merece una falla, quemandose el día de San José.

En Valencia hay casi 700 monumentos falleros que tampoco pudieron terminarse, pero estos si se se van a terminar y volverán en las próximas fallas. Es increíble que precisamente la falla municipal, que es la falla de todos los valencianos, sea la única falla que no vaya a poder verse terminada. Las falleras mayores que han visto interrumpido su mandato también repetirán en las próximas fallas.

Firma la petición para conseguir que la falla de la meditadora pueda terminarse y plantarse en las próximas fallas de Valencia.



[vlc]

Demanem que s'acabe de construir la falla de la meditadora i es mostre en la Plaça de l'Ajuntament en les pròximes falles.

El monument de la meditadora s'ha convertit en un símbol mundial de pau i esperança. Ha segut utilitzada internacionalment com imatge icònica en la lluita contra el COVID19. És una falla que ja és història i de segur serà una de les falles més recordades de València.

En canvi, ningú l'ha pogut vore acabada. El seu montatge es va veure interromput per la crisis del COVID19 que va provocar la cancel.lació de les falles de 2020.

Demanem que la meditadora tinga el final digne que tota falla es mereix cremant-se el dia de Sant Josep.

En València hi han quasi 700 monuments fallers que tampoc varen poder acabar-se, però amb aquestos si es planteja que s'acaben i que tornen les pròximes falles. És increïble que precisament la falla municipal, que és la falla de tots els valencians, siga la única falla que no vaja a poder veure's acabada. Les falleres majors que han vist interromput el seu regnat, també repetiràn en les pròximes falles.

Firma la petició per a aconseguir que la falla de la meditadora puga acabar-se i plantar-se en les pròximes falles de València.

[eng]

We would like the meditator sculpture, 'Meditadora', to be completed, and shown at the next Fallas celebration in Valencia, Spain.

The 'Meditadora' monument has become a symbol of world peace and hope.

It has been used internationally as an iconic image in the fight against COVID-19.

The sculpture has already become historic and it will surely be one of the most remembered Fallas monuments in Valencia's history.

However, 'Meditadora' remains unfinished because of COVID-19.

We would like the 'Meditadora' sculpture to be completed and be part of Fallas on San Jose day, as previously planned.

Please sign the petition to support the completion of 'Meditadora' to be part of the next Fallas celebration in Valencia.

Thank you!



[fr]

Nous demandons que la sculpture de la méditante soit complété et montré dans les prochaines Fallas a Valencia, Spagne.

Le monument de la méditante est devenu un symbole mondial de paix et d'espoir. Il a été utilisé au niveau international comme une image emblématique dans la lutte contre COVID19. C'est une sculpture qui appartient déjà à l'histoire et ce sera sûrement l'un des monuments de fallas les plus mémorisés de Valence.

Cependant, personne n'a pu la voir terminé. Son montage a été interrompu par la crise du COVID19 qui a provoqué l'annulation des Fallas.

Nous demandons que la sculpture de la méditante ait une fin digne qui mérite un échec, brûlant le jour de San José, comme toute les autres.

Signez la pétition pour vous assurer que la sculpture de la méditante puisse être complété et montré lors des prochaines Fallas à Valence.

Social media is proven to be unhealthy and a detriment to mental health - multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Cell phones are the primary means for students to access social media and many students are addicted to their cell phones. Allowing students unfettered access to their cell phones while in class contributes to the erosion of their mental health. However, now our students aren’t just limited to their cell phones to access social media, students can now access social media right on their school issued devices while in class.

It’s bad enough that SJUSD doesn’t follow their posted technology policy on cell phones which requires they be turned off in class, except when being used for school-related tasks as determined by the teacher or other district employee. Social media is being accessed in SJUSD classrooms, on school issued devices during school hours by our students, allowing for a constant barrage of social media on our students. Our students should be given every opportunity possible in the classroom to maintain their focus on learning, especially after over a year of distance learning and the associated learning loss. If SJUSD is going to continue to put our students in front of a screen while in the classroom then more needs to be done by SJUSD to ensure the students are able to stay on task and be safe. To expect that the teacher can manage the students on task and to be safe from the opposite side of 30+ screens is impossible. SJUSD needs to help the teachers and the students by removing the access to the social media temptation from the classrooms by blocking social media from school issued devices and by enforcing their posted technology policy on the use of cell phones in the classroom.

Support this petition to ban social media from SJUSD school issued devices; specifically, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and Discord. It's SJUSD’s responsibility to employ robust content filtering measures to block the ever evolving world of social media applications that do not provide educational value to our students. SJUSD must do more to ensure our students are safe from the detrimental effects of social media on their mental health while in class on school issued devices and provide enforcement of the existing posted technology policies for the use of cell phones in the classroom.

The San Jose City Council has approved the seeking of funds for Project Homekey, a housing project seeking to build the largest interim homeless housing in the county, an estimated 176 - 204 multi-unit, 3 story modular structure on the small plot of land on the corner of Branham and Monterey Rd in San Jose, CA. Our community is concerned about the impact of Project Homekey on the safety of the local community, neighborhoods, elementary schools, high schools and parks.

The District 10 Councilmember, Matt Mahan, approved use of this site without the consent or considerations of the existing community that is within 30 feet of the site. The residents, directly up against this site were only notified of their plans with 2 days prior notice of the council meeting to seek the funds for this site with very little time for the community to organize and provide feedback and opinions. This is not the way city council should engage the communities and families they are directly impacting.

This project is being imposed on the residents of San Jose without their input and without public participation. There has been no environmental, noise or community impact report. A proposal with such a huge impact on their residents should require full transparency from all elected officials.

An additional $5 million in funds have been promised by donor, John Sobrato for this site specifically rather than providing a donation to HomeKey or the CA Department of Housing for use at any location. In contrast to the the many potential hotel/motel conversions that would be closer to Sobrato's businesses and real estate investments, he has specifically chosen this site to donate. In his own words "we need to move those with substance abuse and mental issues off our downtown streets because they are driving away customers." This site however, has many drawbacks and additional considerations than just being away from downtown businesses.

- The site on Branham and Monterey will require new construction of dwelilng units and installation of utilities vs acquisition or rehabilitation of motels, hotels, hostels, or other sites and other buildings with existing use through Project Homekey. This will undoubtly be more costly and requiremore funding and money from taxpayers.

- The proposed D10 Interim 3 Story Modular Housing Site is located within a “shared” section of District 2 impacting adjacent D2 neighborhoods, D2 Elementary/Junior & Sr High Schools, D2 Library and D2 Parks.

This District 10 Homekey Site proposed at Branham and Monterey is at the furthest edge of the District 10 border so the councilman can check the box that his district is housing a EIHC site, but without any consideration of the existing community.

If the city and the housing department want to build housing without consideration of the neighboring communities they will impact, they can do so in the vast open spaces available throughout the city and county or consider converting the multitude of vacant buildings, hotels/motels. Please join us and demand a stop to plans to build an interim housing project on Branham and Monterey Rd by signing this petition.

Other ways you can show your support/voice your concerns:

1.) Share this petition with friends and neighbors

2.) Reach out to your school board or HOA community

3.) Contact your local district representative or send an email to [email protected] or [email protected]

4.) Join a San Jose City Council meeting Submit written public comments before City Council or Council Committee Meetings:

Use the eComment links located at https://sanjose.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx eComments are directly sent to Council and Committee staff. Send an email to [email protected] by 10:00 a.m. the day of the meeting. Please identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of your email. Emails will be attached to the Council Item under “Letters from the Public,” but will not be read aloud during the meeting.

“So happy to be back with some old friends @SJSU,” Weiss wrote in a Twitter post with a picture holding an Ancient Native American Skull with her bare hands while smiling. These are human remains and should be with their descendants to be properly and respectfully handled. Weiss smiling and holding these remains with her bare hands is very disrespectful to Indigenous people. It is not ethically or morally right, especially as a professor. Indigenous people

To add Weiss states, “this really is about a woke activist mob rather than any real legitimate arguments." This just goes on and proves she has no respect for Indigenous people because this is not a "woke argument" it is the idea of being a decent human being and showing respect to anyone.

Many SJSU students and I do not feel comfortable knowing she can pass on her disrespectful beliefs to her learnings. If you are an SJSU student, please do your research and do not take any class of Elizabeth Weiss. No student should feel uncomfortable or disrespected in their own class. Let's take action and do what we can to get accountability for Weiss' actions.

Can you spare a moment to help my community?

On SAN CLERC ROAD. People use it as a THRU ROAD IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. Ive seen city vehicles, SCHOOL BUSES, utility vehicles, EVEN FREIGHTERS going 50+. Even worse personal vehicles often accede 70!!
we also have frequent street bikes going over 100.
The speed Limit is 30

On average

About 3 vehicles pass my home every 5 minutes exceeding 50-60 MPH. Speed Limit is 30
About 2 vehicles pass my home every 20 minutes exceeding 60-70 MPH. Speed Limit is 30
About 10 vehicles pass my home DURING THE DAY exceeding 70 MPH. Speed Limit is 30
About 10 vehicles pass my home DURING THE NIGHT exceeding 70 MPH. Speed Limit is 30
About 3 vehicles pass my home DAILY exceeding NEAR OR OVER 100 MPH. Speed Limit is 30
If a CHILD or ANIMAL got hit in our neighborhood they would not be INJURED, they WILL Die.

Proposals to consider.

Speed Bumps be built into the road to slow down the flow of traffic in our community.
Stop Signs be added at all intersections.
Permanent radar displaying speed be installed
Increased law enforcement speed traps
Signs displaying ticket prices for speeding in a residential area
Increasing the west bound red light time on San clerc and San jose
Signs Posting "No Thru Traffic"

2.5 on YELP

Change the caterer ASAP. The food is bad and they force students to buy meals 3 times a day, which is unfair to many women and men. You should be able to choose 15 meals over 7 days and open some places on the weekends to spend the dining dollars we are forced to buy

Send this to freinds and family, PLEASE

Thx for your help

East Side San Jose is the home of mainly Latino/Mexican families but increasingly home to people from the Philippines, Vietnam, India and other parts of the world.

Historically East San Jose has been impacted by racist policies and decisions that have left our neighborhoods under-resourced and with limited access to education and economic opportunities. Today, we are impacted by lasting impacts of systemic racism and redlining such as ongoing gentrification, higher rates of COVID, greater amounts of pollution, and poverty. The Reid-Hillview Airport is a product of ongoing systemic issues harming East San Jose residents.

One of the many issues with the airport is the use of lead-based fuel, which is putting our community’s health at risk. More information here. We are especially concerned about the kids in the neighborhood as there are many elementary, middle and high schools as well as a Boys and Girls Club. The planes are low-flying and run the risk of exposing our children to toxic lead.

No amount of lead is safe for humans, especially not children. It causes a number of health issues, lowers intelligence, leads to hyperactivity, issues with attention, etc. Read more about lead poisoning here.

Additionally, student pilots should not be learning how to fly where people live. It is no surprise that on several occasions planes have crashed into homes and just feet away from a kids' playground at Hillview park. News report of plane crashing in park here.

We believe our families deserve to be healthy, access to education, economic mobility, public transportation, high quality green space, shelter, clean air, sleep, and a life without fear of planes crashing into our homes. See news report of plane crashing into home here.

On August 17, 2021, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will be discussing this issue again. Information about the BOS meeting here.

We are asking to Board of Supervisors to:

Immediately close Reid Hillview Airport!

We want our children to be able to grow up healthy in a neighborhood where they can grow and play without fear of being exposed to toxic chemicals or a plane crashing overhead.

If it is not completely immediate then we want a curfew in place until the airport is shut down. We also want the flight school to completely stop operations and a total ban on the use of lead-based fuel.

Last but not least, we want Santa Clara County to commit to a community centered approach allowing local residents impacted by the harmful impacts of the airport to have a say in how the land gets repurposed.

Please sign this petition as a first step to let the Board of Supervisors know that you support immediate closure of Reid-Hillview Airport and a community centered vision for how the land can be better used!

*This messaging was drafted by coalition of various groups and neighborhood leaders including SOMOS Mayfair, Luna, SURJ at Sacred Heart, and the Cassel Neighborhood Association.

ESPANOL

El Este de San José es el hogar de familias principalmente latinas / mexicanas, pero cada vez más es el hogar de personas de Filipinas, Vietnam, India y otras partes del mundo.

Históricamente, el este de San José se ha visto afectado por políticas y decisiones racistas que han dejado a nuestros vecindarios sin recursos suficientes y con acceso limitado a la educación y las oportunidades económicas. Hoy en día, nos siguen impactando el legado de estas politicas racistas como el uso de "zonas rojas," la gentrificación, tasas más altas de COVID, mayores cantidades de contaminación y pobreza. El aeropuerto Reid-Hillview es producto de problemas sistémicos continuos que perjudican a los residentes del este de San José.

Entre los muchos problemas con el aeropuerto está el uso de combustible a base de plomo, que está poniendo en riesgo la salud de nuestra comunidad. Mas informacion aqui. Estamos especialmente preocupados por los ninos.

Ninguna cantidad de plomo es segura para los humanos, especialmente para los niños. Provoca una serie de problemas de salud, reduce la inteligencia, conduce a la hiperactividad, problemas de atención, etc. Mas sobre los impactos del plomo aqui.

Hay varios parques para niños, escuelas primarias, intermedias y secundarias debajo de la ruta de vuelo donde aviones de bajo vuelo sobrevuelan a nuestros niños y los exponen. a mayores riesgos para la salud. Esta es una justicia racial, económica y ambiental tanto como un problema de salud.

La operación de una escuela de vuelo en un vecindario residencial es negligente ya que los estudiantes están aprendiendo a volar donde vive la gente. No es de extrañar que en varias ocasiones aviones se hayan estrellado contra casas y a pocos metros de un área de juegos para niños en el parque Hillview. Aqui esta la historia de cuando choco una avion en el parque el ano pasado.

Creemos firmemente que la visión de Reid-Hillview debe servir a las familias, y especialmente a las personas afectadas por la injusticia social que viven cerca. Creemos que nuestras familias merecen estar saludables, tener acceso a la educación, movilidad económica, transporte público, espacios verdes de alta calidad, refugio, aire limpio, dormir y una vida sin temor a que los aviones se estrellen contra nuestros hogares como lo han echo antes. Aqui esta un reporte sobre una avion que se estayo en una casa del vecindario.

El 17 de agosto de 2021, la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Santa Clara discutirá este tema nuevamente. Mas informacion sobre la junta aqui.

En anticipacion de esta junta estamos pidiendoles a los politicos que agan lo siguiente:

¡Queremos el cierre inmediato del aeropuerto!

Queremos que nuestros niños puedan crecer sanos en un vecindario donde puedan crecer y jugar sin temor a estar expuestos a químicos tóxicos o un plan colapsado. Si no es completamente inmediato, entonces queremos un toque de queda hasta que se cierre el aeropuerto. También queremos que la escuela de vuelo detenga completamente las operaciones y una prohibición total del uso de combustible a base de plomo.

Por último, pero no menos importante, queremos que el condado de Santa Clara se comprometa con un enfoque centrado en la comunidad que permita a los residentes locales afectados por los impactos dañinos del aeropuerto tener voz y poder para decidir que se vay a poner en ese terreno.

¡Firme esta petición como primer paso para informar a la Junta de Supervisores que apoya el cierre inmediato del aeropuerto Reid-Hillview y una visión centrada en la comunidad sobre cómo se puede mejor utilizar ese terreno!

*Esto fue escrito en coalicion con varios groups y miembros de la comunidad incuyendo SOMOS Mayfair, la Asociasion de Cassel, SURJ en Sagrado Corazon, y Luna.

Get rid of Asian racism.A series of violent hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans.Police in Oakland,California, announced this week that they arrested a suspect in connection with a brutal attack of a 91-year old man in Chinatown that was caught on camera. In less than a week, a Thai man was attacked and killed in San Francisco, a Vietnamese woman was assaulted and robbed of $1,000 in San Jose, and a Filipino man was attacked with a box cutter on the subway in New York City.

“Gentle sweet water—quieting pain today, wakening courage for tomorrow -honoring the memory of Ellen Moira Burns.” These powerful and soothing words grace the wall of the Mack E. Mickelson Arthritis and Rehabilitation Center pool.

As many people are aware, public hours at the Mickelson pool were dramatically reduced in January of 2020 with the intention of shifting the pool’s use from support for chronic pain and rehabilitation to a more profitable model of acute care for physical therapy. Independent pool users were very disappointed at the time, and several petitions circulated expressing discontent.

In mid-March of 2020, the pool was closed as a result of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place county directive. While disappointed, patrons understood and patiently waited for its reopening when the pandemic restrictions would be lifted and when it would be safe again to enjoy the facility.

In March of 2021, without any outreach to participants and their families, Sutter Health announced that it will be permanently closing this unique and much-needed facility for independent use by patrons. This is now the third local closure by Sutter of a program benefiting seniors and those with disabilities. (1) In 2019, Sutter Health suddenly closed the Fitness Center on Trousdale Drive that served patients recovering from surgeries. (2) (It was saved by the Peninsula Health Care District and Eskaton). The second program, Senior Focus at 1720 El Camino Real in Burlingame, also was permanently closed by Sutter Health to the dismay of those who depended on the senior care program. (3) Senior Focus offered a safe place for seniors with memory loss or other afflictions brought by advanced age to spend the day while receiving some medical care and socializing with others. Sutter’s decisions are having a detrimental effect on San Mateo county residents’ ability to recover, thrive and enjoy an overall quality of life.

The Mickelson pool at the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (a Sutter Health affiliate) is a unique facility that is designed specifically for standing therapeutic exercise. It is wheelchair accessible and heated to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For decades, the pool has been open to community residents of all ages. Its healing, warm water has provided an invaluable resource for chronic pain management and rehabilitation for seniors, disabled individuals, patients recovering from surgeries, children with special needs, and pregnant women. Because this San Mateo facility is the only pool in the county specifically designed for therapeutic use, patrons drive from all over—Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose—to take advantage of this precious resource. It’s not just a place for physical rehabilitation; it is also a social community that offers mental health benefits to disabled and elderly individuals, many of whom rarely leave home. The Mickelson pool patrons and staff are a close-knit community.

The Mickelson pool was a gift from a local family for the benefit of the community, not just for the pockets of Sutter Health. The $4 million Mickelson Arthritis and Rehabilitation Center was financed entirely by community donations—including $1.5 million from the late philanthropist Mack E. Mickelson. (4)

Pool patrons understand that they may need to be flexible with pool hours and fees. To this end, we, the undersigned, insist that Sutter Health Mills-Peninsula Medical Center CEO Janet Wagner, Sutter Health Mills-Peninsula Medical Center Administrative Director Jillian Thomas, President and CEO of Sutter Health Sarah Krevans, and the Sutter Health Board reopen the Mickelson pool for public use and honor their own mission statement:

“We enhance the well-being of people in the communities we serve through a not-for-profit commitment to compassion and excellence in healthcare services.”

Please support our community by signing this petition!

#WarmWaterMatters

(1) Stahl, Jane and Steve. "Letter to the Editor: Sutter’s senior program closure will have big impact.” San Mateo Daily Journal, 3 Mar. 2021, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/sutter-s-senior-program-closure-will-have-big-impact/article_7a3eb424-7bc4-11eb-97a6-03374d25b8b3.html Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

(2) Thompson, Bruce, "Letter to the Editor: Sutter deserves scrutiny over senior program closure." San Mateo Daily Journal, 3 Mar. 2021, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/sutter-deserves-scrutiny-over-senior-program-closure/article_76b99d0a-7bc4-11eb-bb52-1b14febe1dfc.html Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

(3) Walsh, Austin. “Senior care program’s closure vexes Burlingame community: Frustration over Sutter Health’s decision to terminate Senior Focus in Burlingame.” San Mateo Daily Journal, 1 Mar. 2021, updated: 2 Mar. 2021, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/senior-care-program-s-closure-vexes-burlingame-community/article_64a425fa-7a4c-11eb-9bc8-dbb338e6d059.html Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

(4) "Peninsula Datelines." San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Jan. 1996, updated: 8 Feb. 2012 https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/PENINSULA-DATELINES-3153834.php Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.