By Yvette tenBerge
Officers from the Vista Sheriff's
Department stopped into their West Office, located at 1447 Moon
Street, on Thursday, December 20, not to file reports, but to
cheer for "Santa" and his lucky "elf" as they
handed out hundreds of presents to children from 15 local, under
privileged families.
For the fourth year in a row, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department has made giving back to the community a major part of their Christmas celebration The families, whose need is determined based on the number of children and their income, began arriving as early as 10:00 a.m. to sit on Santa's lap, whisper their wishes into his ear and eat their fill of a home-cooked lunch.
Rick Castro is the deputy responsible for organizing the event,
but he makes it clear that a number of officers and organizations
had a hand in making the event possible. "In Vista, all deputies
are assigned to specific elementary schools. Each deputy submits
names of needy families to the schools, and then I compile a list
of these names," says Rick Castro. Heading to a back room
filled with piles of unwrapped toys, he explains how at least
80 percent of the children walk away with the toy of their dreams.
"It would be impossible for us to wrap each of these gifts
in time, and this way we know that most of the kids are getting
exactly what they asked for."
Although Corporal Steve Litwin,
36, does not usually come to work dressed in a red suit and sporting
a long beard, he comfortably lifts hesitant children onto his
lap and encourages them to share their Christmas lists. With the
help of Deputy Rhonda Fortson, 31, his bilingual "elf",
children between the ages of one to 14 each receive at least three
to four toys.
Ms. Fortson describes her experience as "unreal"
and claps with glee each time a knock on the front door signals
the arrival of another family. "Some of these children do
not speak English, but some things can be said without words,"
says Ms. Fortson. "Santa is an international language."
The toys for the event were donated by Camp Pendleton's Toys for Tots Campaign and the food was donated by Vista businesses.
Janitors Sweep Through Horton Plaza
On December 8, Horton Plaza holiday shoppers saw a different
side of the wealthy "Shoppingtown" as members of the
Justice for Janitors campaign protested against poverty wages
and the recent beating of a union organizer by mall security.
Organized by the Service Employees International Union Local 2028,
the group included janitors, their families, and community supporters
from the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice (ICWJ), the Students
for Economic Justice (SEJ), the International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers and other labor unions.
Tangled Roots — Argentina's Economic Crisis
Runs Deep
by Marcelo Ballve
The once-elegant El Molino coffee shop in Buenos Aires, now
a bankrupt ruin filled with cobwebs, is an apt symbol for Argentina,
a proud country that has gone from enjoying some of the highest
standards of living in Latin America to becoming the world's economic
basket case.
Agua Prieta's Comité Fronterizo de Obreras
by Greg Bloom
Facing the economic uncertainty of an ever-changing, global
economy and resistance from existing unions and companies, it's
not easy for a group like Agua Prieta's Comité Fronterizo
de Obreras to advance toward its goals of better unions, wages
and protections for Mexican workers. Originally founded along
the Tamaulipas border, the Comité Fronterizo de Obreras
(Women Workers' Border Committee, CFO) has been active in Agua
Prieta, Sonora for four years. However, because of the problems
that people in Agua Prieta are faced with, it has been impossible
for the CFO to move quickly toward replacing unions that it calls
"junk."
Feliz Navidad!
Por Gilberto E. Chávez
Obispo Auxiliar de San Diego
En estos días tenemos la oportunidad de reflexionar
seriamente sobre el significado de estos festejos. El motivo de
este artículo es comprender la importancia de este evento
Navideño, especialmente en este mundo moderno.
LA
COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Yhamel Catacora
El Verdadero Regalo de Navidad
"Este año las fiestas de fin de año
tienen un aire singular", es un comentario que escuché
en el Zócalo, en mi primera visita a la ciudad de México,
hace pocos días. Era uno de los miles de comentarios que
fluían en el ambiente de la gran plaza mexicana, al contemplar
el alzamiento del típico árbol navideño.
El repique de las campanas de la catedral parecía también
afirmarlo. Sólo el sonido de los tatacas, el júbilo
y la inocencia de los niños, que también resenciaban
el evento, querían desmentirlo.
Encienda
Una Vela
Mons. Jim Lisante
La Navidad y un Momento Cristóforo
No es difícil reconocer un "momento Cristóforo"
cuando se presenta. Esos momentos cuando la gente puede lograr
un cambio inesperado con un acto de bondad, de compasión
y caridad, reflejando así la bondad de Dios. Es hermoso
ver ese acto de bondad en la acción de un ser humano, pero
también es reconfortante cuando grupos de gente se unen
para hacer de éste un mundo mejor. Y ésto me lleva
a una anécdota de Navidad.
Las Tradiciones de la Navidad
Sin duda, una de las tradiciones más populares
en el mundo es la celebración del nacimiento de Cristo
—en Occidente principalmente— y el arribo de la época
invernal. Podemos imaginar la inmensa variedad de ritos y fiestas
que se llevan acabo en el mundo; por desgracia, el espacio con
el que contamos es insuficiente para mencionarlas todas.
La Flor de Nochebuena: Planta Navideña
Legendaria
Muchas de las plantas que asociamos con las fiestas decembrinas,
tales como el muérdago (mistletoe), hiedra (ivy) y el acebo
(holly) provienen de Europa o de la zona del Mediterráneo,
reflejando el origen de muchas de nuestras tradiciones navideñas
que se derivan de antiguos festivales y ceremonias griegas, romanas,
inglesas y nórdicas. Sin embargo, la Flor de Nochebuena
tiene sus orígenes en una leyenda navideña de las
Américas.
Mariposas Program Matches Sherman Elementary
Girls With Mentors
By Yvette tenBerge
Questions from 43 excited fifth-grade girls and answers from
10 "mentors" filled down-town's Old Spaghetti Factory
on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 19, as the fifth annual
San Diego Youth & Community Services and Sherman Elementary
"Mariposas" group luncheon got underway.
Migrant agreement signed amid budget cuts
By Stevenson Jacobs
December 18, 2001 -- The Foreign Relations Secretariat and
the human rights commission of the state of Oaxaca on Monday agreed
to work together to protect the states' migrants working in the
United States.
NAHJ TV `Network Brownout' Report
The percentage of stories about Latinos that aired on
the evening network newscasts declined from 1.3 percent in 1999
to 0.53 percent in 2000, according to the National Association
of Hispanic Journalists' 2001 "Network Brownout" report.
Manipulación de los Derechos de la Mujer
Por Arnoldo Varona
Hace apenas unos días la prensa internacional dió a conocer la designación de Sima Samar, una doctora Afgana de 44 años, como Diputada Primer Ministro de un país que hasta hace pocas semanas hacía de la mujer el objeto oscuro de una sociedad cerrada, extremo del espectro social donde los derechos y poder sobre su cuerpo y sexualidad fueron inexistentes o denegados.
Programa Ataca la Obesidad Infantil en los Niños
Latinos en el Norte del Condado de San Diego
Escondido — En California, uno de cada cinco niños
están pasados de peso u obesos y los niños Mexicanos-Americanos
parece ser son los más afectados. El programa de Childhood
Obesity Advisory Committee for Health de Escondido Community Health
Center se propone a mejorar el estado físico, nutrición
y la salud mental de niños Latinos de bajos recursos con
obesidad que sean clínicamente diagnosticados en el Norte
del Condado de San Diego. Un financiamiento mayor para el programa
se ha proveído con una subvención de $398,243 por
3 años de California Endowment, la fundación de
Salud más grande del estado.
San Diego Housing Commission Partners With The
Family Health Centers of San Diego to Make
"House Calls"
The San Diego Housing Commission has partnered with the
Family Health Centers of San Diego to offer a "Mobile Medical
Clinic" for public housing residents. The clinic debuted
at a grand opening ceremony on November 30.
Bill to Increase Number of Dentists and Improve
Access to Dental Care Signed by Governor Davis
San Diego's community health centers are all smiles with
the recent news from Sacramento that a bill designed to relax
restrictions for licensed out-of-state dentists seeking work in
California has been signed by the Governor.
State lauds GCCCD for UniversityLink transfer
program
Student response strong to UCSD guaranteed-admission pact
EL CAJON - The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
has received a commendation from the California Community Colleges
Board of Governors for its partnership with UCSD and the Grossmont
Union High School District to create UniversityLink.
UCSD Early Academic Outreach Program Honored for
its Commitment to Diversity
The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) of the University
of California, San Diego is a recipient of the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action and Diversity Award from the Office of the Chancellor at
UCSD.
African-Americans, Hispanics and Women Benefit
from Buying Cars on Internet
Does the Internet affect the pricing of new cars for women
and minorities?
Minimum Age Lowered to Qualify for Brand-New
Senior Apartments at Rolling Hills Gardens in
Chula Vista
Chula Vista, Ca — The City of Chula Vista and Pacific
Bay Homes have announced that minimum age requirements to qualify
for one of 116 apartments homes for seniors at Rolling Hills Gardens,
located in the award winning master-planned of Rolling Hills Ranch
in Chula Vista, have been lowered from 62+ years of age to 55.
Editorial
Christmas Time: A Time For Festivity
It's that time of the year when one and all should be
in a festive mood. The malls are tingling with the glow of good
will that the Christmas Season brings to one and all. The spirit
of Christmas abounds and the streets are full of cheery people
wishing each other a "Merry Christmas."
Commentary
Harnessing the Power of Unity and Innovation
By Gail Christopher and Stephen Goldsmith
The events of September 11th sparked a level of
patriotism the U.S. has not witnessed since World War II. Americans
can be deeply proud of how we have come together in the face of
adversity. Wouldn't it be truly remarkable though, if we could
harness the power of this newly minted unity - not only to protect
our nation against terrorism, but also to help eliminate the socioeconomic
disparities that still burden so many of our citizens?
Comentario
¿Qué no lo importante es hacer
el bien y amar al prójimo?
Por Enrique Davis Mazlum
México D.F. - En los últimos dos meses uno de
los temas principales de conversación ha sido el de la
religión. Estos ejemplos son experiencias personales y
no estoy diciendo que todas las personas que practican las diferentes
religiones de las que voy a hablar son así. Después
del los atentados en Estados Unidos, muchas personas se preguntan
¿Existe Dios? ¿Qué Dios? ¿Por qué
permitió que murieran esas personas de esa forma? ¿Todos
los musulmanes son terroristas? ¿Es diferente el Dios de
los musulmanes y el de el Presidente George Bush? ¿Cuál
es la verdadera religión? ¿Dónde estaban
los lideres religiosos después de los atentados? Estas
han sido preguntas y discusiones que he escuchado durante estos
dos meses y pienso que no son las religiones las que han fallado,
sino las personas que las practican y malinterpretan las religiones
y sus propósitos.
The Public Forum ... El Foro Publico
Where is the political leadership in San Ysidro?
For years the Community of San Ysidro has been under ecenomic
duress (see editorial "San Ysidro Under Economic Duress!"
12/14/01). Even long before the Sept. 11th attack. Certainly
the results, as a result of the Sept. 11th attack, have had a
negative impact on the local economy. Nevertheless, San Ysidro,
as well as other "Latino" neighborhoods within the San
Diego City Limits have for years been neglected.
Tezezomoc Speaks
JINgole CAMPANAS ...JINgole CAMPANAS HERE COMES DE MAN
BEARING GIFTS TO OUR FAVORITE AMIGOS. ESTE AñO EN Tijuas
there are more Xmas trees EN La Avenida Revolucíon THAN
ON BROADWAY!
Extraordinario Compositor Es David Horta Camacho
Por: Paco Zavala.
El estado de Jalisco en la república mexicana, es un
lugar de una extraodinaria belleza natural, sitio en donde se
encuentran bellísimas mujeres, semillero de futbolistas,
residencia permanente del mariachi, aportador de insignes hombres
de ciencias y letras, terruño en donde han nacido grandes
artistas en todos los géneros, cuna de extraordinarios
poetas y compositores y dueño de otras maravillosas estampas
mexicanas.
Ganó Importante Concurso al Escribir un
Himno
Por: Paco Zavala.
El Gobierno del Estado de Baja California a través
de la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado y del
Instituto Estatal de Policía lanzó una convocatoria
para crear el Himno de la Academia Estatal de Policía de
Baja California, a este importante llamado acudieron un gran número
de compositores del estado resultando ganador absoluto el actor,
músico, compositor y cantante Héctor Rafael Martínez
Zamarripa.
"Idos de la Mente", Novela Donde la
Música Norteña Se Vuelve Literatura
Un acordeón.
Un bajo sexto.
Dos amigos.
Mucha música.
Una novela.
Si, una novela donde la música norteña se vuelve
literatura; una novela donde la música norteña,
la música del norte de México, hace bailar al lector
con sus rancheras y cumbias; una novela donde la música
norteña nos regala un corrido de amistad, traición
y muerte.
"Idos de la mente" where Norteña
music becomes literature
By Pablo De Sainz
An accordion.
A bajo sexto.
Two friends.
A lot of friends.
A novel.
Yes, a novel where norteña music becomes literature;
a novel where norteña music, the music from northern Mexico,
makes the reader dance with its rancheras and cumbias; a novel
where norteña music gives us a corrido about friendship,
betrayal, and death.
Ozomatli Forges Ahead In Trying Times
By Francisco H. Ciriza
There is a sort of strength and wisdom that allows people
to remain steadfast when others may find it easier to succumb
to the pressures of life in today's world. Some demonstrate false
bravado creating spectacles of themselves and the circumstances,
while others face the challenges presented them and negotiate
accordingly with honesty and patience acutely aware of all the
dynamics involved. And still others, due to social standing or
other preference are somehow allowed to sidestep responsibility
or any real semblance of it and only appear to be an active part
of a solution.
Sockers Strive for 11th Indoor Title Saturday
by John Philip Wyllie
The tradition continues at the Sports Arena Saturday night
when the San Diego Sockers battle the Dallas Sidekicks for the
WISL championship. Like many of the previous teams that have donned
the Sockers trademark blue and gold, the 2001 Sockers reincarnation
has set the league standard. Scoring goals in droves while defending
their own net with great effectiveness, the Sockers have risen
to the top of the five team league. None of that will matter on
Saturday night however.
Return to Index Page