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Dear Friend and Neighbor,
After celebrating the successful passage of five new laws during the most recent session of the Legislature, my Capitol staff is once again back at the drawing board, diligently researching and planning for next year’s legislative priorities. While Alina, Erin and JP are gearing up for the impending hustle and bustle of a new legislative session, my dedicated staff down here in the district is also hard at work on their home ground, continuing to build upon the relationships they’ve built over the past year, as we continue to explore and reaffirm the needs and interests of the 29th District.
It’s important to remember that a state senate district as vast and diverse as California’s 29th has no boilerplate set of issues. Each day, both my district and Capitol offices correspond with constituents of all kinds, across a wide scope of concerns ranging from the well-established and familiar to the delightfully niche and original.
As my team conveys your messages and concerns to me, I am reminded again and again of how privileged I am to be entrusted with these issues. As your elected representative, I am and will always remain deeply committed to ensuring that my office and I represent you to the best of our abilities. That’s why I’m also immensely grateful to you, for regularly reaching out and informing me about the intricacies of the 29th.
It’s through you and all of the other constituents who contact my office on which I base my sense of the work needing to be done to make our district a better place in which to live, work, and study.
Please don’t ever hesitate to contact me to share your views, concerns or questions regarding our district or about the state of the state overall. I’m always open and eager to hear from you.
All the best to you and your loved ones as we begin making our way into the holiday season,
Josh Newman
Senator, 29th District
Au Revoir, Evan and Tammy!
Small offices like ours - whether because of the nature of our work or the amount of time we spend together - inevitably become like a family. When co-workers leave to take on new professional endeavors, saying goodbye is always sad, but there’s a good deal of gratitude and vicarious excitement mixed in as well. Seeing our good friends and colleagues branching out and finding new opportunities on which to apply their wonderful skills is actually a cause for real celebration.
This month, our office said goodbye to Tammy, our constituent services manager, and Evan, one of our district representatives and communications aides. Tammy and Evan have both been key contributors to our district team. Over the course of the past very challenging year, Tammy established herself as a true superstar caseworker, working with more than 600 constituents in the district to reclaim $4.56 million in EDD benefits for which they were eligible. Meanwhile, Evan has worked with diligence and enthusiasm to represent the cities of Fullerton, Buena Park and Walnut, as well as coordinate our social media presence here in the district.
While we’re saddened to see them leave, we’re also thrilled for them as they embark on the next steps in their respective professional journeys. If you’ve ever had the chance to interact with Tammy and/or Evan, I hope that you’ll join us in wishing them the best of luck in their new endeavors!
Morning Announcement: We’d Like to Thank the Students…
On October 22nd I enjoyed a truly inspiring morning with students and staff at Dr. Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in Anaheim. The students graciously allowed me to join them for their morning announcements (which took the form of an extreme Zoom session - me, Erica, Principal Marcy Chant, and Magnolia School District Superintendent Frank Donavan together in the principal’s office, and twenty-five full classrooms in each of the other little squares on the screen). I was more than impressed by how well they had adapted their morning routine to the Zoom era, even if I was overshadowed by a bunch of talented future newscasters in the making.
I also had the privilege of dropping into one of the fourth grade classrooms, where I was treated to a spirited Q&A session with a bunch of very smart and curious kids about my time in the California State Legislature and the US Army, as well as my own days back in school. I also had the honor of recognizing Magnolia School District for its recent ranking by the California Reading Coalition as first among school districts in Orange County and 16th overall in California for academic achievement among socioeconomically disadvantaged and Hispanic third grade students.
Magnolia’s superior ranking is an exemplary achievement and a vivid testament to the passion and dedication of the school district’s teachers, administrators and staff. Magnolia School District’s emphasis on collective efficacy, social-emotional learning and future-ready instruction serves as a broad and solid foundation upon which students are empowered to explore, engage and achieve. But the bulk of the credit of this accomplishment should be given to the students and their families, and their outstanding academic efforts attest to the discipline and hard work they pour into learning when given the resources and support to thrive.
40th Annual Cypress Community Festival
On October 9th, our “mobile office” wheeled into Oak Knoll Park, where the “Better Senator Ice Cream” Truck handed out ice cream as part of Cypress’s 40th Annual Community Festival. The festival is one of the city’s biggest events each year, with local and area residents treated to a day of music, food, activities and more. This year, the Cypress Community Festival Association rolled out a new and improved event, now redesigned as a two-day affair. Familiar favorites like the Chili Cook-Off, craft booths and the car show returned, along with the addition of a live concert and new activities for children.
Of course, how can we talk about a festival without discussing the food? Tiffany and Scott enjoyed some delicious barbecue on this day even as they also managed to do their part and distribute more than 1,000 free ice cream sandwiches to attendees. Of all the festival desserts offered, our office is certain that the Better Senator ice cream sandwiches were this year’s festival favorite.
Thank you to the City of Cypress and to the Cypress Community Festival Association for putting on a fantastic two-day community event that was enjoyed by all!
As anyone who knows me well knows, I make it a point to continually stress the significance of civic engagement, since I fully believe that civic knowledge and citizen participation are the keys to a healthy democracy and vibrant communities. That’s why it’s wholly fitting that our most recent “Citizen of the Month” is Diamond Bar resident Rachel Kirk, who has made it her personal mission to educate and encourage her community on exercising their civic rights and responsibilities.
Rachel is constantly busy, whether it’s participating in letter-writing campaigns or canvassing at events. But her standout work has been as a shining light to our youth through the promotion of voter registration. Voting is the most basic, most essential part of our democratic process, and by encouraging young people to vote, Rachel is admirably and selflessly planting the seeds for lasting civic participation.
It’s a huge privilege to be able to honor Rachel Kirk as our latest “Citizen of the Month,” and we wish her the very best as she continues to build a legacy of community service and civic activism that can only make the 29th Senate District a better place for everyone.
Do you have a neighbor, colleague, family member or friend who makes a positive impact in our community? If so, I'd love to hear more about them. Each month, I'll be honoring constituents in the 29th District who are doing extraordinary work. You may submit your nominations here: https://tinyurl.com/g5oq7fqb
Delectable Breakfast Fare, Served by Eggstraordinary Yolks
In my last newsletter, I emphasized the fact that small businesses make up the bulk of California’s economy. Despite having suffered the full brunt of economic disruption that the pandemic has imposed on the state, small businesses still dominate. And through their tenacity, perseverance and commitment to their communities, many of our small businesses are finally beginning to recover, slowly but surely.
Take the case (or the carton, if you will) of Eggslice, which, along with Buena Park Councilmember Susan Sonne, I had the opportunity to honor as our latest “Restaurant of the Month.” Located in Buena Park Downtown’s new food hall, Eggslice is a shining example of the best kind of local business: truly dedicated to serving the local community. Prior to opening Eggslice, owner Bill McMullan, who was born and raised in West Anaheim, journeyed throughout Europe and Australia, with a series of successful business ventures which also allowed him to perfect his version of the ultimate breakfast sandwich. Bill’s peripatetic travels eventually looped around and brought him back to his home turf, where he got to work setting up shop to showcase the dishes and flavors collected over his decades-long adventures.
Eggslice first opened its doors in October 2020 - mere months before the emergence of an unprecedented global emergency. Running a small business is challenging in even the best of times, and operating a restaurant is particularly hard - especially one newly established during the worst public health crisis in more than a century. Yet even as Eggslice floundered in the onslaught of the storm, with customer volume crushed by the pandemic and the restrictions it spawned, Chef Bill went far above and beyond. In addition to providing free meals to Buena Park city staff, Bill kept his employees on full payroll to support them throughout the pandemic.
Small business owners like Bill contribute enormously to our local economy and community. Our office honors Eggslice with sincere gratitude for its service as Senate District 29’s “Restaurant of the Month,” and we wish Bill the best as he continues to grow Eggslice and solidifies his place as a valued member of our community.
Eggslice’s menu is delicious from top to bottom - the realization of recipes perfected with patience and love over 18 years. That time and dedication, I think, make its egg sandwiches “poultry” in motion. For an “eggstra” special start to your morning (or afternoon), stop by Grange Hall 39 (8340 La Palma Ave Unit A Buena Park, CA 90620) and treat yourself to a sandwich!
Do you have a favorite locally-owned restaurant in the 29th Senate District? We'd love to hear about it. Submit your nomination for Restaurant of the Month here: https://forms.gle/Xpvguqgafi4R3Jv27
I’ve exhausted my unemployment benefits. Now what?
As a reminder, most federal unemployment benefits expired on September 4, 2021, including:
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
- Pandemic Additional Compensation (PAC), also known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment. Compensation (FPUC) supplement.
- Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC).
While these benefits have expired, the American Rescue Plan and California Comeback Plan have expanded other vital benefits to assist eligible California families. These benefits include:
- Up to $234 per person per month in food assistance through CalFresh, whether or not a person is working.
- Rental and utility assistance through Housing Is Key.
- California eviction protections have changed starting October 1, 2021, but renters continue to have special protections under state law. The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program is still available - apply at Housing Is Key as soon as possible. For more information on eviction protection, please click here.
- Free or low-cost health insurance through Covered California or Medi-Cal.
- Californians who received unemployment insurance in 2021 may be eligible for Covered California’s best coverage for $1 per month.
- Cash aid and services for families with children through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program.
- Golden State Stimulus payments for millions of qualified residents who file taxes, even if not required.
- Filing taxes also may qualify you for the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan.
Both UI Online, where claimants certify for benefits, and EDD’s Additional Resources page have information about how to apply for these vital benefits. EDD also provides job resources to assist claimants to find jobs and receive job training. These resources include CalJOBS, California’s largest no-cost virtual job center, with more than a million job listings from more than 30,000 private job boards and recruitment sites, corporations, educational institutions, local, state and federal agencies, healthcare organizations and many more public, private and nonprofit employers.
My office continues to work with EDD liaisons to assist constituents who are having trouble with receiving their unemployment insurance benefits. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at 714-525-2342 or https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/contact. We will do our best to help resolve any issues that you are experiencing with EDD.
Where’s my Golden State Stimulus?
Many constituents have written in to inquire about their missing state stimulus checks. If you quality for Golden State Stimulus I or II and have not received either, our office would be happy to be of assistance and make a legislative inquiry on your behalf.
As a reminder, to qualify for Golden State Stimulus II, you must:
- File your 2020 taxes by October 15, 2021.
- Have a California Adjusted Gross Income (CA AGI) of $1 to $75,000 for the 2020 tax year. For this information, refer to:
- Line 17 on Form 540
- Line 16 on Form 540 2EZ
- Have wages of $0 to $75,000 for the 2020 tax year.
- Be a California resident for more than half of the 2020 tax year.
- Be a California resident on the date payment is issued.
- Not be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer.
- A dependent is a qualifying child or qualifying relative. Go to FTB Publication 1540 for more information about a qualifying child and qualifying relative.
For more information on Golden State Stimulus I, please click here.
For more information on Golden State Stimulus II, please click here.
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