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COVID UPDATES & County Mask Policies
Since we last connected we continue to see an increase in vaccination figures - 90.4% of ages 5+ are fully vaccinated and more than 1 million residents have received their booster, 68.9% ages 12+. These figures are two of the important milestones that will allow us to move beyond this pandemic. We’re working to get there, but we’re thankful that Santa Clara County has chosen to be a healthy community. This week, President Biden's 'Test to Treat' Program began distributing oral anitviral pills to participating pharmacy-based clinics so Americans can get tested and treated in one location. Remember the best protection against this pandemic and virus is to Get Tested, Get Vaccinated, and Get Boosted. THANK YOU!
The other big achievement for Santa Clara County is that as of March 2, 2022 we have relaxed our indoor mask requirement to a recommendation. This has only been possible because our community stepped up to take collective action to keep us safe, healthy, and save lives. We had to meet several metrics, which included vaccination and case rates. After seven days of cases below 550, we achieved what was needed locally to protect our community and stay ahead of this pandemic. New variants and Long-COVID are still very real concerns.
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District 3 Community Roundtable & Getting Involved
We would like to thank Public Health Director Dr. Cody for joining our February D3CRT meeting. We had a thoughtful conversation about the pandemic and our community health. We are grateful for her taking the time to connect with D3 residents and for all the work she is doing for the health and well-being of Santa Clara County.
Our next D3CRT meeting is on March 24, 2022. We’re still looking for more members to join this community group. It’s a great way to let us know what’s going on in your neighborhood and stay connected with us about the latest from the County. Click HERE for more information.
Being involved in a neighborhood association, community group, or joining a County Board or Commission is the best way to improve the quality life of our community for our families. Connect with us if you want help getting involved.
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As we have discussed, Santa Clara County underwent a redistricting process to readjust the Supervisorial boundaries in 2021. This happens every ten years under federal law to ensure that populations are evenly distributed. The new district boundaries went into effect on January 13, 2022.
Santa Clara County District 3 now encompasses all of Sunnyvale, whereas the older borders just included the northern half of the city. The following Sunnyvale neighborhood associations are now in Supervisorial District 3: Braly Corners; Charles Street 100; Cherry Chase; Cherry Orchard; Cherryhill; Cumberland South; Cumberland West; Gavello Glen; Hazelheads Group; Lakewood Village; Ortega Park; Panama Park; Ponderosa Park; Raynor Park; Stevens Creek; Sunnyarts; Valley Forge; Washington Park; and Wrightmont Corners. We welcome these new neighbors to District 3 and will continue to serve every resident of Santa Clara County.
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Keeping our community safe is a top priority. More than 400 ghost guns were taken off our streets in 2021, an increase of more than 200% from 2020. Supervisor Chavez and I recently joined District Attorney Rosen at a press conference to call more attention on this issue to stop the violence. I am grateful to my colleagues and community for their support of this measure. It’s time to nip this issue in the bud before things gets worse. Click HERE to read the referral and Click HERE for coverage of this very important action that will keep our families safe.
My referral to invest resources into our Emergency Assistance Network partners to sustain and expand our Homeless Prevention Services countywide into regional hubs was supported unanimously by my colleagues. These organizations and partners have cared for the community on our most pressing issue and for those in most need. We need to care for them as they grow to meet the demand for services as we continue to recover from the pandemic. This support will help us end homelessness in Santa Clara County and we look forward to our report back from staff. on my joint referral with Supervisor Ellenberg from September 2021 on the neighborhood impacts and benefits of Short-Term Rentals and Accessory Dwelling Units, ADUs. We feel optimistic about this report to utilize these options to increase our housing stock and implement better local protections for renters.
The Board proclaimed March 18, 2022 as Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Transit Drivers Appreciation Day in Santa Clara County. VTA is family. We are grateful to our transit drivers for their service and commitment to our community - especially through the pandemic and after last year's tragic events. We encourage you to always be kind to our transit drivers, but on March 18 please take the extra moment to say thanks to our drivers and operators and share on social media using #ThankYouVTADrivers or by calling (408) 321-2300. Click HERE to learn more.
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AROUND THE COMMUNITY
February was another very busy month for the District 3 Team. We attended several Lunar New Year events including hosting the winners of a lantern design contest at the County Government Building. The D3 Team also attended the Lunar New Year celebration at the Blanca Alvarado Community Resource Center in East San José.
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I was honored to join our community for the opening of Center for Mandarin Learning at their new site at Jumping Up Learning Circles in San José.
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We were also with friends at grand opening of the Sunnyvale Downtown Association's new office.
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UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS & IMPORTANT RESOURCES
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FREE PPE & RAPID TESTS - Drive-Thru Event
Our friends from North East Medical Services, NEMS are hosting a Free PPE and Rapid Test giveaway drive-thru event on Tuesday, March 15th from 3:30-5:00 pm in San José. Anyone may receive 4 rapid tests, 4 N95 masks, and 1 bottle of hand sanitizer. See flyers for more details - in English, Español, 中文, and Tiếng Việt. Click HERE for more details.
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COMMUNITY CONVERSATION with Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department
Join us for a special event focused on the mental health and substance use service needs of our community on Friday, March 18th, from 4 – 5:30 PM! See flyer for details or Click HERE to learn more.
We're collaborating with the Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department to host a Community Conversation focus group. Our goal is to gather input and feedback from Santa Clara County residents on mental health and substance use services in our County. This feedback will inform future mental health/substance use priorities, programs, and policies in Santa Clara County for the FY24-26 3-year plan. All community members are invited to participate; registration for this event is not required. Please get in touch with MHSA@hhs.sccgov.org for any questions about this effort.
The BHSD is also currently conducting a very important survey about the health of our community. Click HERE to take the survey - available in English, Español, 中文, Tiếng Việt, Tagalog & Farsi.
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LIBRARY EVENTS - Santa Clara County Libraries
The Santa Clara County Library is hosting several events in March 2022. Visit SCCLD.org for a full list of events and activities.
SVR Special Event: Connecting with Nature to Build Resiliency Saturday, March 19, 10 – 11 a.m. (Register for Zoom link) Learn how MidPeninsula Regional Open Space District preserves are kept in a natural condition to protect the environment and wildlife habitat. Also, find out about year-round programming that connects people to nature through enriched experiences including environmental interpretation, docent-led activities and volunteer opportunities.
Get Ready for Kindergarten Virtual Workshop Series #2 Saturday, March 19, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Register for Zoom link) Led by early childhood educator Dr. Gerardo Lopez, these workshops focus on certain skillsets that children need to develop before they start kindergarten. This workshop will focus on math and science.
SED Talks for Teens Saturday, March 19, 3 – 4:30 p.m. (Register for Zoom link) The theme is “A Greener Future.” Our speakers will talk about environmental topics.
Special Virtual Event: Author Q&A with Chef Bryant Terry Tuesday, March 22, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. (Register for Zoom link) James Beard Award-winning Chef Bryant Terry is the chef-in-residence at the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco, who is known for his activism to create a healthy, just and sustainable food system. He will discuss his new book, Black Food: Stories, Art & Recipes from Across the African Diaspora.
Get Ready for Kindergarten Virtual Workshop Series #3 Saturday, March 26, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Register for Zoom link) Led by early childhood educator Dr. Gerardo Lopez, these workshops focus on certain skillsets that children need to develop before they start kindergarten. This workshop will focus on social emotional development, health, and well-being
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POSTER CONTEST - High School Students
District Attorney's Office is asking all eligible Santa Clara County high school students to create a poster for this year’s “Justice for All” contest that illustrates how the fentanyl overdosing epidemic is affecting them and their community. All art mediums are welcome: paint, pencil, charcoal, photography, graphic design, etc. All Santa Clara County high school students are invited to submit their work by May 6, 2022 . Winners will be announced on May 23, 2022 on the District Attorney’s website, Facebook, and Twitter. Click HERE for more information.
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SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - AIR Communities
The AIR Gives Opportunity Scholarship, sponsored by AIR Communities in partnership with the National Leased Housing Association, is accepting applications for the 2022-23 school year, now through Friday, April 15th at 5:00pm ET. This scholarship is available to eligible students living in affordable housing who demonstrate both merit and need. Graduating high school seniors and current undergraduates pursuing a degree are encouraged to apply. You can find more information or apply at: http://hudnlha.com/education-fund/.
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ARTS EVENT - Teatro Visión's "Becoming (MAR)"
Join our friends from Teatro Visión for their upcoming world premiere of Becoming (MAR). This beautiful piece is by local playwright Maribel Martínez about a gender non-binary young person connecting with their ancestors. There are both live and virtual viewing options available. In-person premiere is April 7-10, 2022. Visit www.teatrovision.org/becomingmar for more information.
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SILCION VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY SHORT-FILM COMPETITION
The 2022 EmPower Silicon Valley Short-Film Competition opened March 10. Our climate is changing, and we are responding. By prioritizing clean energy, our communities are transforming our world into a climate-friendly one. But what this clean energy future will look like is uncertain. So, we need your ideas, stories, and films about a clean energy future and how we will get there. Share Your Vision of Our Clean Energy Future. Silicon Valley Clean Energy invites local students to share their stories and solutions to climate change for $20,000 in scholarship awards. Students will have two months to create and submit a film that captures their vision of a clean energy future, deadline is May 2, 2022. Click HERE for more information. |
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STARS AND STRIDES 5K/10K
On your mark, get set, Register! Registration for the Bloom Energy Stars and Strides 5K/10K opened March 1st. This year’s Stars and Strides will take place on July 2nd at Discovery Meadow in San José and will be followed by a post-race festival including food & drinks, music, a Kids Fun Run, and plenty of family-friendly activities. All proceeds from the Stars and Strides 5K/10K benefit the Valley Medical Center Foundation and the important work of the Valley Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics. Visit www.starsandstridesrun.com.
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BLOOD DONORS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The American Red Cross is facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade. This directly poses a concerning risk to patient care. Blood product distributions are outpacing donations. At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met. Why is this happening? The pandemic has impacted the national blood supply and the current surge in COVID-19 cases may compound the already dire situation, but you can help!
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Did you or someone you know lose your vaccination card?
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