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Dear Friend and Neighbor,
February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s filled to the brim with activity and moments of significance. This year, the Lunar New Year fell on February 1st, marking the beginning of the “Year of the Tiger.”
I want to join in wishing all my friends in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community a very happy Lunar New Year, as we celebrate the Year of the Tiger. The tiger symbolizes courage, ambition, and generosity – qualities that the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities embody. It’s also worth noting that tigers are tenacious when faced with adversity, something each of us has been called to be while enduring the historic challenges of the past two years.
May this coming Lunar New Year be filled with good fortune, health, fellowship and prosperity, as we continue our work here on their behalf.
The first day of February also marks the beginning of Black History Month, celebrating the contributions and achievements of African Americans and paying tribute to the adversities experienced by those who laid the groundwork for representation, equality and freedom.
February also boasts Groundhog Day (which wintery locales await with bated breath but is otherwise shrugged off by the Golden State), Valentine’s Day (love it or love it), as well as Lincoln’s Birthday and Presidents’ Day. Like I said, our littlest month may be brief, but it’s still full of occasions that spark interest in people young and old.
As always, if I may be of any assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 714-525-2342, or online at https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/contact.
All my best,
Josh Newman
Senator, 29th District
As the saying goes, just because you’re done with COVID, doesn’t mean it’s done with you. Unfortunately, we still find ourselves weathering the pandemic, so here are some of the things happening at the state and federal level to ensure that everyone is as prepared as possible to handle COVID related predicaments:
From California’s Capitol:
- Amid the national surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon reached an agreement to ensure that employees of companies with 25 or more employees will continue to have access to COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave through September 30, 2022. Under the agreement, employers will provide workers with up to two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave to recover from COVID-19 or care for a family member infected with the virus. You can read more about this decision here and here.
- The state has also launched something called the California Mortgage Relief Program. Using $1 billion in federal funds, the program will help homeowners who have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic by covering missed housing payments or reverse mortgage arrearages of up to $80,000. For eligible recipients, relief funds will not have to be paid back. Payment will be conveyed directly to the homeowner’s mortgage servicer. Homeowners who missed at least two home payments before December 27, 2021 may be eligible. Homeowners may check their eligibility and apply online at CaMortgageRelief.org. For further assistance, call 888-840-2594 or email info@camortgagerelief.org. The California Mortgage Relief Program is separate from the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program, which remains open to eligible renters and landlords in need of assistance with unpaid rent.
From the U.S. Capitol:
The Biden Administration has begun the distribution of over a billion free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. At-home COVID tests are available for free through the U.S. Postal Service website or via COVIDtests.gov. The only information you’ll need to provide to receive your tests are your full name, shipping address, and an email address which will allow you to receive updates on orders. Each household is limited to four test kits per residential address. The first orders began shipping in late January, and the White House expects that tests will take anywhere from 7 to 12 days to reach households via first class mail.
January 29th found the district with cold winds but warm spirits. To celebrate the purchase and permanent preservation of 24 acres of West Coyote Hills, I joined Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, O.C. Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, the Friends of Coyote Hills and other fellow Coyote Hills lovers at the Robert E. Ward Recreational Preserve for a community hike. The group enjoyed a spirited hike, led by docent Jeff Townsend of the Friends of Coyote Hills, allowing us all to admire and appreciate a precious piece of the regional open space, now preserved for the future. Local media participated in commemorating the day.
If you’ve been keeping up with these newsletters, you may recall that $6 million of the roughly $50 million in state funding for public land acquisition and preservation that Assemblymember Quirk-Silva and I secured in recent years was applied to purchase this portion of the West Coyote Hills parcel. This was a clear triumph for our local preservationists, who for decades have sought to protect and preserve West Coyote Hills. The preservation of West Coyote Hills is also a victory for endangered flora and fauna and serves as a declaration of intent for this generation and the generations that follow, who are equally deserving of access to the sorts of natural spaces and vistas that allow us all to stretch, breathe, and dream.
The broader goal remains to successfully preserve the remainder of the land in West Coyote Hills and maintain it as contiguous open space for public use and public benefit. The work is far from finished, but Saturday’s commemoration and community hike were a welcome first step toward that goal while appropriately honoring the efforts of so many dedicated advocates and activists throughout the years.
Acknowledgements:
Friends of Coyote Hills; Center for Biodiversity; Endangered Habitat League; National Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Sea and Sage, local OC chapter of the Audubon; The California Native Plants Society; Sunny Hills Church; and Erica, my staffer, who organized this event and handled every detail with Assemblymember Quirk-Silva’s office and ensured its success. Thank you!
Boosting in Brea
Also on January 29th, my office co-hosted a vaccine and booster clinic at the Boys and Girls Club of Brea-Placentia-Yorba Linda. Over the past year, with the very generous and dedicated support of the Albertsons pharmacy team, my office has hosted a number of vaccine clinics throughout the 29th Senate District, with this most recent clinic raising the total number of clinics to 23. COVID-19 vaccines are now available to individuals five years and older, and Albertsons is well stocked with supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (the only vaccine currently authorized for use by the FDA in children age five years and older). For adults, Albertsons also has a full supply of doses for vaccines boosters from both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
A huge thank you to Kathy Truong and Tu Pham, Albertsons’ wonderful staff, and to Christine Marick, Brea Boys and Girls Club CPO and member of the Brea City Council, for all of their support and assistance. As a result of this most recent collaboration, more than 50 individuals were safely vaccinated or boosted - another small step forward toward finally putting the pandemic behind us.
Lions and Tigers and Fullerton Bears, Oh My!
On January 9th, district representative Scott Do and I joined Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, the founder of Fullerton’s Junior All-American Football League in the Fullerton area, at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel to celebrate the Fullerton Bears’ victory in the 2021 Junior All-American Football Superbowl. I had the privilege of presenting certificates to each player on the winning team, and recognizing all of the players, cheerleading teams, parents, coaches and community volunteers whose drive, spirit and commitment contributed to the Bears’ success. The work these young athletes put forth is impressive, and their love for the game is evident in their accomplishments, as was their impressive camaraderie and verve.
A New Base for Business
On January 8th, district representative Nathan Bass was in Placentia to celebrate the grand opening of North Orange County Martial Arts, which recently relocated to a new and improved studio. This festive occasion was but one amid the abundance of recent new business openings, and knowing that existing small businesses are growing and thriving in our region - especially given the obvious challenges created by the pandemic - is gratifying and encouraging. Congratulations to North Orange County Martial Arts on their new studio, and cheers to an expanding base of cardio enthusiasts, self-defense adherents and Brazilian jiu-jitsu lovers! No real proof as to whether Nathan successfully broke any boards or cinder blocks with his bare hands - we’ll just have to take his word for it.
A Community Gathering of the Best Kind
After receiving a request for resources from the Islamic Center of Fullerton, Nathan and Scott coordinated a PPE donation supported by the combined efforts of ICNA Relief of Southern California (represented by Nathan Abdullah), Fullerton Councilmember Ahmad Zahra, Placentia Councilmember Ward Smith and Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung. Between them, Councilmember Zahra and ICNA Relief secured more than 1,000 masks and 160 bottles of hand sanitizer, while Mayor Jung procured 48 packs of antibacterial wipes and Councilmember Smith facilitated a donation of 1,000 KN95 masks. On January 27th, all parties came together to deliver these vital resources to Mohammad Raghib, who gratefully accepted the donation on behalf of the Islamic Center.
The verdict is in: Diamond Bar High School’s Mock Trial coaches are Senate District 29’s Citizens of the Month. DBHS Mock Trial coaches Latitia Thomas, Margaret Ku, Ken Karlson and Deputy DA Angela Brunson have coached the bright students of DBHS through many trials and tribulations, to successfully advance them through a competition in which more than 2,500 high school and middle schools compete at the county and state levels.
Through their expert coaching and tutelage, the DBHS Mock Trial team members have been able to familiarize themselves with the state’s judicial system and incorporate courtroom procedure and trial preparation practices. The coaches’ dedication and support, paired with the team’s intense focus and determination, has elevated this impressive group of young people to competitive success. As LA County champions, the team will next compete in the State Championships in March, where they will vie with 35 other county championship teams to present People v. Cobey, a hypothetical case involving the conviction of a horticulturist.
Diamond Bar High School has participated in the State Championships twice in the school’s history, which makes for high stakes and higher anticipation. This year, Latitia, Margaret, Ken, and Deputy DA Brunson are ready to lead the team to victory. On behalf of the California State Senate, we thank all four coaches for their hard work and commitment to the students of Diamond Bar High School, and wish them the best of trial skills this March. Go Brahmas!
P.S. In other SD-29 school championship news, Walnut Valley Unified School District’s Chaparral Middle School won third place in the competition’s junior division. Go Cougars!
While my district office staffers have become experts in eating their way through the district in search of the next great eatery, they sometimes need a little helping hand (or fork). La Habra Mayor Jose Medrano stopped by the office recently for a chat and happened to mention a delightful spot for Mexican food in the city he represents. Thanks to Mayor Medrano, who gave the office a delicious suggestion, I’m happy to present to you our latest Restaurant of the Month: La Ranchera Mexican Food, located at 911 E La Habra Blvd. La Habra, CA 90631.
Mayor Medrano, Nathan and Erica presented a certificate to Rosa, La Ranchera’s owner. La Ranchera’s home-style Mexican food will warm your heart and palate. They offer a classic fare of dishes, like tacos dorados, tamales, pollo en mole, birria, pozole and chile relleno. On weekends, you may be able to spot tortilla stations at work – there aren’t many things better than homemade tortillas! If your stomach’s feeling empty and in need of a meal of toasty tortillas, scrumptious meats, or savory comfort soups, La Ranchera is probably just the place for you.
Do you have a neighbor, colleague, family member or friend who is making a positive impact in our district? How about a favorite locally-owned restaurant you’d like to share with the community? Every month, my office recognizes and highlights the extraordinary individuals and establishments that make up SD-29. Submit your nominations for Citizen of the Month: https://tinyurl.com/g5oq7fqb and Restaurant of the Month: https://forms.gle/Xpvguqgafi4R3Jv27
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