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tcv@tricityvoice.com
Vol. 24 No. 3
January 14, 2025
tricityvoice.com
California implements new laws this year
Cities and parks hold MLK celebrations
RETAIL THEFT, ROAD SHOWS, CANNABIS AMONG NEW RULES
LOCALS CAN JOIN A CELEBRATION OR VOLUNTEER
By TODD GUILD
By STAFF
California lawmakers introduced 4,821 bills in 2024. Most of these were tossed out or otherwise rejected during the months-long legislative process. Just 1,206 made it to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, with 1,017 getting signed into law. Here are a few of the more notable Assembly Bills (AB) and Senate Bills (SB) that take effect this year—not least of which are 10 laws targeting retail theft. Among other things, these laws increase penalties for repeat offenders, allowing felony charges for certain crimes.
In 2025, MLK Day will be on Monday, Jan. 20. Local cities are holding their own events to celebrate the civil rights leader. Newark held theirs early, on Jan. 12, with a program by the Afro American Cultural and Historical Society of the Tri-City Area at Newark First Presbyterian Church. But the celebration continues as each city and organization celebrate through arts and gatherings. Local parks will celebrate Jan. 20 with a day of service where locals volunteer to clean up shared wilderness.
Retail theft AB 1779 Prosecutors can consolidate crimes from multiple jurisdictions into one case. AB 1802 Permanently allows felony charges for organized retail theft. Indefinitely extends the CHP’s Property Crimes Task Force. AB 2943 Targets serial retail theft for crimes committed within 90 days of each other. AB 3209 Allows restraining orders against theft suspects. SB 905 Allows prosecution of auto burglary whether the vehicle was locked or not. SB 982 Laws targeting organized retail theft are now permanent. SB 1416 Increases penalties for selling, exchanging or returning stolen property. Food delivery services Sb1490 Requires food delivery services such as DoorDash and GrubHub to specify the fees they charge to both customers and restaurants. Menstrual products for incarcerated people AB 1810 Requires jails and prisons to provide menstrual products to female inmates, without them having to first request the items. Workers rights SB 988 The Freelance Worker Protection Act requires employers to pay freelance workers within the time outlined in their contract, and within 30 days if there is no contract. Housing AB 2347 This law changes the time tenants have to respond to eviction notices from five days to 10. SB 1395 Allows for streamlined zoning and faster building for single-room housing for unhoused people, and lets developers bypass environmental review for the projects.
California introduces new laws that go into effect this year. Photo courtesy of Pixabay continued on page 9
INDEX Arts & Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 13 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Families like the Matsumotos worry about beloved California School for the Deaf. Photo by Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
Deaf community fights for education: Part 1
UNDERFUNDING THREATENS THE NATIONALLY REVERED CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN FREMONT By PANASHE MATEMBA-
MUTASA
“I don’t know how I would be able to live life without my second home,” said student Gabriella Bibb. Since toddlerhood, Bibb has been attending the California School for the Deaf (CSD) in Fremont, a longstanding haven for local deaf children. Now as a high school senior she fears the collapse of the institution, as underfunding has driven away teachers and staff, and those who remain, struggle to make ends meet. Staff are making extraordinary sacrifices to continue serving students. Some live out of their cars, while others endure grueling daily commutes of over 100 miles from more affordable cities. But these measures are not sustainable. After decades of unsuccessful lobbying, CSD staff and families can see the end on the horizon. Without state intervention, Northern California’s only Deaf school could be forced to close its doors, leaving hundreds of deaf students without a culturally-informed learning community. “Our buildings are falling apart and we can’t afford rent,” said Aselefech Tiku, a CSD high school counselor who lives in her car. “If we can’t keep this school open, where will the students go?” There is currently no plan for closure, and CSD’s doors will remain open for the foreseeable future. But with the financial issues and subsequent staffing shortages, the question is, for how long? Since 1860, CSD has been a leader in bilingual education, offering Deaf students language-rich opportunities in both English and ASL. Theophilus Hope D'Estrella, born in 1851, was among the first students at CSD and later became the first Deaf student to attend the University of California, Berkeley. Over a century later, the school
has become a revered model in the Deaf education community, leading trainings at Deaf schools across the country and earning distinction as the only Deaf school ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Despite proving themselves on a national stage, the school has been pushing for staff pay increases since the ‘70s. A firstyear teacher’s salary after taxes at CSD is around $2,750 a month, compared to the state average of just over $4,000 a month, according to the California Department of Education. The CSD community believes that the school’s neglect is rooted in audism: discrimination or prejudice against people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Will Fertman believes in the mission of CSD, and that’s why he drives his 6-yearold son there from Berkeley every weekday. But he and other parents are quickly losing patience as their children continue to bear the effects of understaffing while their emails to the superintendent’s office go unanswered. “Tony Thurman [the State Superintendent of Public Instruction] clearly thinks my children are nothing and will spend nothing on them,” Fertman said. Last year, Fertman’s son was diagnosed with a hand-strength deficiency and was referred to an occupational therapist. But because CSD lacks the funds to hire these specialists, Fertman had to withdraw his son from Kindergarten and send him to a public school in Berkeley where he could see one. Unfortunately, the only available signing therapist was serving another deaf student at the school at the time, and they had to be pulled from that student in order for Fertman’s son to receive services. Stories of deaf students missing out on critical services in mainstream schools are common across the country. The Individuals with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1975 and proposed that the federal government would cover up to 40% of services for students with disabilities. But according to the Special Needs Alliance, federal funding only covers just under 15% of these costs, creating a shortage in the billions of dollars. continued on page 4
San Leandro Each year, San Leandro celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a student oratorical festival and poetry slam with participants from 3rd to 12th grades in the San Leandro Unified School District. The celebration also includes live entertainment, crafts for kids and refreshments. Oratorical Festival and Poetry Slam Saturday, Jan. 18 10:30am - 12pm 15301 Wicks Blvd., San Leandro sanleandro.org/MLK Hayward Civil rights activist and NAACP leader Rev. Amos C. Brown will deliver the keynote address at Hayward’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration. Born in 1941, Brown came of age during the Civil Rights Movement and was even arrested alongside Dr. King at an Atlanta lunch counter sit-in in 1960. Brown has served as pastor of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church since 1976. In addition, Chabot College Choir, Hayward High School Jazz Band and Hayward Unified School District student choirs will give performances. The late Palma Ceia Baptist Church Pastor Rev. Tommy E. Smith Jr. will also be recognized with a community award. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday event Monday, Jan. 20 4:30pm Hayward Unified School District Performing Arts Center 2390 Panama St., Hayward Don Castro Regional Recreation Area Locals ages 10 and up can earn community service hours by picking up litter at Don Castro recreation area in Hayward. Meet at the check-in table near
Rev. Anthony Woods, Palma Ceia Baptist Church, Hayward, was the keynote at the Afro American Cultural and Historical Society of the Tri-City Area’s Jan. 12 event. Photo courtesy of Callie Yuan continued on page 17
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