Here's what's happening in the Bay Area, as curated by KALW news:
San Francisco Considers Tax on Tech Companies to Pay for Boom’s Downside // New York Times
"Maria Poblet, who leads an organization that assists Latino families facing eviction in San Francisco, says she appreciates the philanthropy that the city’s technology companies do in far-flung places to address global poverty and the environment. But what she really wants to see them do is pay more taxes to help with homelessness and lower-cost housing in San Francisco.
“You have a C.E.O. who cares about kids in Ghana one week or dolphins the next week. Those are important,” she said. “But the people impacted by displacement in San Francisco are a worthy cause, too.”
Ms. Poblet is part of a group of activists behind an initiative by three city legislators to impose a payroll tax that would apply only to technology companies, which have been the engine of a booming economy that now appears to be slowing.
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California's glaring shortage of school nurses// East Bay Times
"California falls significantly short of a new recommendation by an influential group of pediatricians calling for every school in the United States to have at least one nurse on-site.
Fifty-seven percent of California's public school districts, with 1.2 million students, do not employ nurses, according to research from Sacramento State University's School of Nursing.
The call for a nurse in every school appeared recently in a policy statement by the Illinois-based American Academy of Pediatrics. The group's new guideline replaces its previous one, which recommended that school districts have one nurse for every 750 healthy students, and one for every 225 students who need daily assistance.
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Why Dublin allows personal fireworks// East Bay Times
"The sale of safe and sane fireworks continues this year in Dublin, one of only three Alameda County cities to authorize the sale and use of the popular fountains, sparklers and ground-spinners.
Firework sales also are allowed in Newark and Union City.
The legal fireworks are sold in Dublin at booths run by various local nonprofit groups and service organizations. There are 17 sales booths scattered around the city this year, operated by groups including Dublin High School Athletic Boosters, Tri-Valley YMCA, Dublin Host Lions Club and multiple church organizations. Organizations often partner up to operate a booth, hoping to bring in needed funding for the group's operation. The number of booths is based on population; city ordinance requires a specific ratio of booths to the number of residents. "This is a major fundraiser for some of them, and for some it's the biggest and most important fundraiser," said Lori Taylor, a spokeswoman for Dublin."
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Mission District Goodwill Store to Close in August// SFGate
"Following the closure of Goodwill’s mid-market store on Thursday, the discount retailer’s smaller, location at 2279 Mission near 19th street is also set to close this summer after the building that housed it was sold.
Customers will have until August 21 to shop for donated household goods, clothing, and other necessities and can expect clearance sales, according to the store’s employees. But many Mission community members who shop at Goodwill regularly and depend on the store’s affordable prices expressed concern at its impending closure.
“Not everybody can afford to shop at Macy’s or JC. Penny’s, and the Goodwill has quality clothes at reasonable prices,” said customer Janice Mcbrian. “For those of us in the lower income bracket, it’s been a good way to do our shopping.”
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From Seal to Silicon Valley, Special Ops Vets Head to Start Ups // CBS News
"Keith David spent years flying around the globe on covert missions, making life-and-death decisions and overseeing multiple units unleashing airstrikes against insurgents. The former Navy SEAL now realizes it was the perfect training for a career in Silicon Valley.
A growing number of U.S. special forces veterans are veering off the traditional path of working for private security firms and law enforcement agencies, and instead are heading into the tech industry. Companies are discovering their abilities to build teams and think outside the box make them a good fit for the innovative businesses.
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San Jose and Oakland homicides: What crime trends say about the two cities // San Jose Mercury News
"But another set of numbers seems to confirm the perception that Oakland is doing a better job of combating violent crime than it has in recent years, while the opposite is true in San Jose. Violent crime is down 10 percent in Oakland in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2015; violent crime has risen by 15 percent in San Jose.
"Gritty Oakland is still far more violent than mostly suburban San Jose: According to the latest complete FBI data, the East Bay's largest city has a violent crime rate of 16.85 incidents per 1,000 residents, while San Jose, which at 1 million residents has more than double the population, has a violent crime rate of 3.21 per 1,000 residents. But Oakland, at least, is headed in a good direction. Oakland officials say the downward trend in homicides and violent crime can be attributed to its Ceasefire program, where Oakland police have engaged residents to help identify and arrest people disproportionately responsible for the back-and-forth violence that plagues certain neighborhoods.
