Danielle Echeverria
Agriculture, Politics

Newsom Wants Farmers to Help Fight Climate Change But Provides No New Funding for the Effort

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Judith Redmond, a California farmer, wants people to know that agriculture is a tool, not an enemy, in the fight against climate change. “Not a lot of people understand how important agriculture is if we want to reach our climate, greenhouse gas reduction goals,” she said. Sacramento seems to understand. In October, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order calling on the state’s agricultural players to join the fight against climate change by preserving California’s biodiversity and storing and removing carbon from the atmosphere – all with the goal of conserving 30% of the land by 2030. But the order gives farmers and ranchers little guidance on what that means,…

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Election 2020

Palo Alto Voters Feeling “Nervous” About the Election

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Voters in Palo Alto are feeling nervous about the election as the polls come to a close. Kevin Duan, who said that he’s lived in Palo Alto for about 16 years, felt stressed after casting his vote. “If I had to summarize it, mild anxiety, a lot of dread, indignation,” he said, adding that his friends have been calling it “doomsday.” Ching-Pei Hu said that she’s feeling “super nervous.” “No matter what happens,” she said, “let’s just hope it’s fair and square.” Another voter, who gave her name as Laila, said she was “terrified” of what would happen if Trump won again. “It’ll be a different place around here,” she…

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Election 2020

East Palo Alto Voters Hopeful on Election Day

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Voters in East Palo Alto are feeling motivated to have their voices heard in this year’s election. Henry Fields, 50, voted for the first time ever this year. “I want to stand for something,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.” Saraí Esfuerza, another East Palo Alto resident, said that California’s propositions this year are “really going to pave the way for our communities.” “As a state, we still need to look into more progressive legislation,” she said, adding that she was particularly concerned about the “unjust” criminal court system. East Palo Alto City Council candidate Antonio Lopez said that after the election, organized, peaceful protests may be the…

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Agriculture, Food, Politics

Monterey County served as inspiration for Farmworker Relief Package. But lawmakers and advocates say more help is needed.

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 Peninsula Press · What it’s like to work on a farm during the pandemic On Sept. 28, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation focused specifically on farmworker health and safety during the pandemic. But some advocates say more is needed to help this vulnerable population. “Although (the bill) is a good start to educate farmworkers and to bring about awareness, we still need to tighten up the bolts more,” Hernan Hernandez, president of the California Farmworker Federation said, saying that the bill is “watered down.” Farmworkers, as essential, often poor workers who live in overcrowded housing, have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. The package aims to alleviate…

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