A San Francisco woman has spent more than a quarter century helping older adults and people with disabilities stay safely in their homes.

Daisy McArthur lives a life of service because she loves people.

“I say, 'Whatever you do, be patient, be kind and listen to them,'” she said.

At age 76, McArthur has worked for the city's Department of Home Support Services for more than 25 years. It helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities so they can stay in their own homes instead of moving into a facility.

She also serves as secretary to the board of directors. Her service is rooted in her Southern upbringing. As a child, she accompanied her mother and her neighbors during emergencies.

“We watched them take care of the elderly. People who got sick or were bitten by snakes broke a leg or an arm,” she described.

McArthur helps her clients with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, cooking and laundry. She cared for a client for more than 30 years until he recently passed away at the age of 101. Before that, she looked after his 102-year-old mother.

The job isn't easy and can be lonely, but McArthur knows she's making a difference.

“I want to treat myself the way I would treat you, and that is kindness. The golden rule,” McArthur said.

Executive Director Eileen Norman says McArthur is the perfect role model, mentor and trainer for 22,000 home support service providers in San Francisco.

“Ms. Daisy is warm, loving, sensitive and matter-of-fact,” Norman said. “Above all, Ms. Daisy fights for what she believes in.”

When a fire destroyed her Bush Street apartment building 25 years ago, she fought for emergency relief and housing for three dozen other homeless tenants, earning her the nickname “Mayor of Bush Street.”

At the start of the COVID pandemic, McArthur and one of her clients became advocates for vaccinating older adults when many were skeptical of the vaccine.

She also organized memorial services and funerals for several homeless people she met.

Ultimately, McArthur just wants to help people succeed.

“I hope they remember the kindness, the goodness and the work I did,” she said. “There’s an old song: ‘May the work I do speak for me.”

This week's Bay Area Jefferson Award goes to Daisy McArthur for going above and beyond in providing home care and training.

More from CBS News

Sharon Chin

Sharon Chin is a general assignment reporter who also profiles Jefferson Award winners for KPIX 5 Eyewitness News. Since joining KPIX 5 in 1997, Chin has covered everything from fires to features, from politics to perspectives, but she is especially proud of bringing viewers the stories of Jefferson Award winners. She feels inspired when she tells the stories of our community's heroes.

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April 21, 2022

On February 24 at San Francisco City Hall, software engineer Zsombor Szabo said “I do” to his now-wife, Mehrnaz. February 24 was also the day that Russia invaded Ukraine.

Little did the groom know that something he created years ago to help him find love, would later bring him to the city where he would meet the love of his life and be the way loved ones in war-torn Ukraine can connect.

“It started about four years ago,” explained Szabo. “At that time I was single and what does a single software developer do? He develops a dating app.”

CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Members of the Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation are trying to help eligible local homeowners replace their faulty HVAC equipment with a new program.

The home equity rehabilitation program aims to make home renovation more affordable for low- to middle-income homeowners in the city.

The program provides eligible applicants with loans and grants for emergency home repairs. City officials clarified that the program is NOT intended for routine maintenance repairs to systems or equipment.

Eligible emergency responses under the program include replacement of defective air conditioning units; remediation of electrical, gas and plumbing hazards; correcting defective roof/ceiling assemblies in life-threatening situations; and make changes to accessibility and usability.

Assistance is granted based on the availability of funding for applicants who meet income and other eligibility requirements. Program details can be found HERE.

Download the WAVY News app to stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports from WAVY-TV 10. Available in the Apple and Google Play stores.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – According to a recent survey by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1 in 5 American households added a new cat or dog to their families during the pandemic.

During the lockdown, our pets provided a lot of comfort and joy in the stressful time. But now experts and households alike are wondering how our furry friends will fare when the world slowly opens up again.

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Many are like Rob Woodcock and Sarah Sharifi. They adopted Heinz when he was a puppy.

“Neither of us left home to work. So we had the time, “remarked Rob.

Now is the time to sit back and analyze the situation. The goal: to develop a strategy for how Heinz and other pandemic pets get along when their owners leave for a vacation get-together or venture back into the office in the New Year.

“He’s very well trained here, but he’s definitely prone to distractions,” remarked Rob.

Before you get up and leave Fido or Fluffy and think it’s going to be easy, chew on it. Animal shelters, dog day care centers, pet sitters and dog walkers are back in business and in high demand.

“300 new dogs this year alone. It has really grown since May, ”said Victoria Robinson.

Robinson is the owner of the High Tail Dog Hotel in San Francisco. The High Tail offers both day care and overnight service.

Since the introduction of COVID vaccines and the easing of restrictions, the high tail has seen a dramatic increase in new customers.

KPIX 5 reviewed the situation with some random polls at Bay Area facilities and found that dog day care centers are back in fashion. That said, if you’re leaving town for the holidays or want to set up a daycare center for the New Year, cheer up.

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“If you haven’t already booked with a local pet sitter or boarding house, you’re probably out of luck,” said Robinson.

Dog sitters are also getting harder and harder to find.

“The pet industry is suffering from the same pressures that many other industries face from labor shortages,” noted SF SPCA Director Dr. Jennifer Scarlett.

Dr. Scarlett said she advises pet owners to get help beforehand. But equally critically, she urged, pet parents must ensure that their pets are prepared

“It’s about routine and positive rewards. You want to get your dog used to getting to know new people and other dogs so that they can feel more comfortable in the guesthouse, ”said Dr. Scarlett.

She recommended that owners immediately start new routines with their pets.

If you’re expected to be at work by 9 a.m. and leave by 7 a.m., go out at 7 a.m. and leave your dog alone for a few minutes, go around the corner and get some coffee and back “, offered Dr. Scarlett on.

As for Heinz, Rob and Sarah are motivated to help him manage their periodic absences. They are planning a two week honeymoon this summer and want him to be ready. But Heinz is not the only one who suffers from a small “separation anxiety”.

“We feel so bad when we leave him, you know, we go and he’ll stand by the window and he’ll put his paws on the window and he’ll watch us go and it’ll break your heart”, said Sarah.

The couple are planning a strategy for the New Year that will be a hybrid model: working from home for a few days, using dog walkers, and sometimes a daycare.

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One more tip: make sure your dog has their vaccinations. Canine flu is spreading very quickly in Southern California, and experts told KPIX 5 that it is only a matter of time before it reaches the Bay Area.

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CONCORD (KPIX) – After nearly 20 years, the United States officially left Afghanistan on Tuesday. But it leaves a nation in turmoil and thousands of refugees who are looking for new homes in America and for some in the Bay Area.

Over the weekend, volunteers met at the Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Concord to start planning relief efforts for Afghan refugees. This includes food, shelter, interpreters, social services and assistance for families with children from infants to teenagers.

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“They left the country with nothing but what they were wearing. So we plan to provide everything for them, ”said Sadique Popal, chairman of the board of the Islamic Center.

On Tuesday afternoon, local Afghans met with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, who says the state is ready to do its part despite the cost of living in California.

“We have relocated more people from around the world who came here as refugees than in any other state,” said DeSaulnier. “And so we have a good infrastructure. Is it perfect No, but we’re getting better and better. “

But the Afghans also want the federal government to put international pressure on the Taliban to end their brutal oppression of the Afghan people, especially their women, which has made so much progress over the years.

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“They had an education to which they previously had no access. They had prestige that they had no access to before, ”said Popal. “That’s why – we’ve brought them this far, it hurts so much right now! It’s so sad to just leave them there. “

“It just feels like everything that has moved forward in the last 30 years has somehow crumbled,” said Henah Akbar, a young Afghan American who lives in Clayton. “People ask, why has the US been there for 20 years when the Taliban are still there? So it almost feels like a failure. “

But unlike when the Russians left, few Afghans wanted to see the Americans leave, according to Fazel Adiani.

“You have withdrawn a lot of problems,” he said. “They couldn’t bring peace, they couldn’t bring a solution, and they couldn’t decide what to do. But they left the country, left great unrest in the country. “

With the US going as it did, there is little military influence left, but DeSaulnier said the Taliban must be careful or risk isolation from the global community. But will the Taliban even care? Many Afghans believe that they are less interested in building a nation than simply demolishing it.

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The organizers say the relief efforts in the Bay Area will encompass every aspect of life for Afghan refugees. For more information on the required requirements, visit noorislamicandculturalcommunitycenter.com.

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Berrien County, Michigan, ist nicht der Ort, von dem man erwarten würde, dass er Einwohner verliert. An der Küste des Michigansees gelegen, sind die „Hamptons des Mittleren Westens“ weithin bekannt für ihre Sandstrände und Weinberge, die viele Touristen aus dem nahe gelegenen Chicago und Indianapolis anziehen. Aber der Landkreis hat diese Touristen noch nicht zum Bleiben überredet, und seine Bevölkerung ist seit den 1970er Jahren rückläufig. Letztes Jahr wurde Rob Cleveland, der Leiter einer regionalen Organisation für wirtschaftliche Entwicklung, kreativ. Wenn Sie ein Telearbeiter aus einem anderen Bundesstaat sind, der ein Haus kaufen und sich in Berrien niederlassen möchte, können Sie sich bei Clevelands Gruppe, der Cornerstone Alliance, bewerben und erhalten 10.000 bis 15.000 US-Dollar.

Seit dem Start des Programms im September haben sich mehr als 2.500 Menschen aus dem ganzen Land gemeldet, um ihr Interesse an den Anreizen zu bekunden, sagte mir Cleveland. Er verband mich mit einer von ihnen, Jill Urbanski, einer langjährigen Einwohnerin von Chicago, die im Oktober im Radio von dem Angebot hörte. Ende Februar war sie nach St. Joseph, Michigan, gezogen und hatte ihre 10.000 Dollar gesammelt. „Es machte absolut Sinn“, sagte mir Urbanski. “Alles ist für mich aufgereiht.”

Es gibt nur ein Problem. In den 10 Monaten seit dem Start des Programms ist Urbanski die einzige Person, die das Angebot der Cornerstone Alliance angenommen hat. Cleveland sagte, dass zwei weitere Familien bald in die Grafschaft ziehen werden, aber er ist noch lange nicht in der Nähe seines ursprünglichen Ziels, bis Ende dieses Jahres 25 Anreize zu verteilen. Jetzt hofft er, dass er fünf schlägt.

Umzugs-Incentives wie in Berrien liegen derzeit voll im Trend. Laut der Website MakeMyMove geben mehr als 40 Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten Menschen Geld für den Umzug. Die Shoals, Alabama, zahlen Ihnen 10.000 US-Dollar. Im Nordwesten von Arkansas erhalten Sie außerdem 10.000 US-Dollar – plus ein kostenloses Fahrrad. Topeka, Kansas, bietet Jimmy Johns Sandwiches im Wert von bis zu 15.000 US-Dollar und 1.000 US-Dollar an. Morgantown, West Virginia, hat eine Welle der Medienaufmerksamkeit erhalten, indem es das vielleicht großzügigste Angebot gemacht hat: eine Kombination aus Geldzuschüssen, kostenlosem Verleih von Outdoor-Ausrüstung, kostenlosen Skitickets und anderen Vergünstigungen im Gesamtwert von 20.000 USD.

Diese Initiativen variieren je nach Größe der Stadt und wie sie finanziert werden (einige, darunter Berriens, werden vollständig mit privaten Dollars finanziert), aber die Idee dahinter ist die gleiche: Durch baumelnde Belohnungen hoffen schwächelnde Gemeinden, neue anzuziehen Einwohner – insbesondere Telearbeiter – aus wohlhabenderen Teilen des Landes. Diese Programme stammen aus der Zeit vor der Pandemie, aber sie haben an Popularität gewonnen, da ein Teil der Unternehmen die Remote-Arbeit dauerhaft einsetzt. „Vielleicht treffen die Leute die Entscheidung, sich von den beengten Büros in Downtown Manhattan zu entfernen“, sagte mir Craig Armstrong, der Architekt des Incentive-Programms in Newton, Iowa. “Wir sind wahrscheinlich gut aufgestellt, um die Vorteile zu nutzen.” Sogar das Wall Street Journal hat bewegende Initiativen gefeiert und gesagt, dass sie neue Wege für “die heutigen Legionen von Remote-Arbeitern, die es jucken, von ihren hochpreisigen, dicht besiedelten Grenzen in Städten wie San Francisco und New York zu springen”, eröffnen.

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Aber die Art und Weise, wie diese Programme ablaufen, entspricht nicht ihrem ursprünglichen Versprechen. Anstelle von etwas, das den Wohnort der Amerikaner grundlegend neu ausrichten kann, sehen fast alle diese Initiativen aus wie in Berrien: Sie bringen einige neue Einwohner an, aber nicht genug, um die Bevölkerungsprobleme der Städte nennenswert zu verändern. Bei all dem Hype um Remote Work tut es für viele schrumpfende Städte eindeutig wenig bis gar nichts.

Umzugsanreize gibt es schon seit einiger Zeit, aber 2018 gingen sie zur Hauptsendezeit. In diesem Jahr begann eine Stiftung in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 10.000 US-Dollar für Remote-Mitarbeiter anzubieten, die in die Stadt gezogen sind. Die Idee – Geld verdienen mit Umzug! – wurde schnell zu einer Mediensensation, die Tulsa genau die Aufmerksamkeit bescherte, die sie suchte. In den letzten drei Jahren haben sich rund 47.000 Menschen für das Programm namens Tulsa Remote beworben. Zwischen den aufgenommenen und den mitgezogenen Familien sind mehr als 1.000 Menschen aus dem ganzen Land in die Stadt gezogen. Der Erfolg von Tulsa ist einer der Hauptgründe, warum so viele andere Gemeinden ihre eigenen Anreize geschaffen haben.

Aber im Gegensatz zu fast allen anderen Orten, die diese Programme anbieten, ist Tulsa eine Großstadt mit Hunderttausenden von Einwohnern. (Die einzige größere Stadt mit Anreizen ist Baltimore, die nur 20 Stipendien pro Jahr vergibt.) Angesichts der Größe der Stadt machten die neuen Einwohner nur einen unbedeutenden Bevölkerungszuwachs von 0,25 Prozent aus. Und weil Tulsa den Trend ankurbelte, hatte es einen Vorsprung bei der Gewinnung neuer Bewohner. „Ich denke, Tulsa hatte einen großen Vorteil, weil es der First Mover war und sich einen Namen gemacht hat“, sagt Richard Florida, Professor für Wirtschaftspolitik und -analyse an der University of Toronto.

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Um herauszufinden, ob andere Programme den kleinen Erfolg von Tulsa Remote wiederholt haben, habe ich 10 von ihnen kontaktiert und mich auf diejenigen mit den großzügigsten Anreizen konzentriert. Ich habe von acht von ihnen gehört und Vertreter von ihnen interviewt. Alle waren gespannt, was ihre Stadt geleistet hatte. Aber keine Stadt kam auch nur annähernd an Tulsas Rekord heran.

Denken Sie an Topeka: Die Wirtschaftsförderungsagentur der Region hat im Dezember 2019 ein Anreizprogramm gestartet. Seitdem hat sie etwas mehr als 65 neue Einwohner zu einer Stadt mit mehr als 125.000 Einwohnern hinzugewonnen. Die Shoals, die Heimat von mehr als 70.000 Menschen, haben seit Juni 2019 nur 25 neue Bewohner durch ihre Initiative angesiedelt. Cleveland aus Berrien County ist stolz auf sein Programm und führt die Underperformance auf den verrückten Wohnungsmarkt zurück. Aber wenn die Cornerstone Alliance schließlich alle 25 budgetierten Plätze besetzt, werden die Gewinne im Grunde genommen nichts ausmachen. Der Landkreis hat 153.000 Einwohner. Selbst wenn die verbleibenden 24 Plätze an Familien mit vier Kindern gehen, würde die Bevölkerung um knapp 0,1 Prozent steigen.

„Ich bin ziemlich skeptisch [that these programs] die Einwohnerzahlen einer Stadt oder eines Bundesstaates spürbar werden“, sagte mir Brett Theodos, Senior Fellow am Urban Institute. Er verglich die Anreize mit einem teuren Marketingprogramm mit begrenztem Nutzen. “Es wird nur so viele Nachrichtenartikel über dieses Phänomen geben”, sagte er.

Das Problem ist nicht nur, dass die meisten dieser Anreize sporadisch mediale Aufmerksamkeit erhalten. Sogar Programme, die vor oder neben Tulsa gestartet wurden, hatten nur minimalen Erfolg. Armstrong schätzt, dass Newtons Initiative seit ihrem Start im Jahr 2014 zwischen 125 und 150 neue Menschen in die Stadt gebracht hat – ein Bevölkerungszuwachs von 1 Prozent, verteilt über mehr als sieben Jahre. Britt, Iowa, hat eines der effektivsten Programme, und die Ergebnisse sind noch recht bescheiden. Es hat seit Beginn des Angebots im Jahr 2018 acht Grundstücke an Familien verschenkt; nach Abschluss der Bauarbeiten und Ankunft der neuen Einwohner wird die Einwohnerzahl der Stadt um 1 bis 2 Prozent steigen.

Das bedeutet nicht, dass die Anreize keine Vorteile haben. Newtons Programm sei teilweise geschaffen worden, um widerstrebende Baufirmen zum Bauen in der Stadt zu bewegen, sagte Armstrong, und dies sei gelungen. Die Grundstücke, die Britt verschenkt hat, sollten sowohl die Bevölkerung der Stadt vergrößern als auch dazu beitragen, unbebautes Land loszuwerden. Britts Bürgermeister Ryan Arndorfer sagte mir, dass das Programm bei Letzterem sicherlich geholfen hat. Und jeder neue Einwohner bringt den schrumpfenden Städten einen gewissen Nutzen, insbesondere wenn es sich um hochverdienende Fachkräfte handelt – was überproportional bei Remote-Arbeitern der Fall ist. Solche Leute geben im Allgemeinen mehr in lokalen Geschäften aus und zahlen mehr Steuern. Außerdem sind sie dafür bekannt, Cluster zu bilden. Wenn sich genügend Angestellte an einem Ort versammeln, ziehen sie Gleichgesinnte an und wachsen die Bevölkerung organisch.

Aber Experten sagten mir, dass es unwahrscheinlich ist, dass die Programme eine kritische Masse von Angestellten an diese Orte verlagern werden. Ein Teil des Problems besteht darin, dass die Beamten hinter diesen Programmen zwar davon träumen, aus großen kosmopolitischen Städten wie Seattle und Austin, Texas, zu ziehen, die Anreize jedoch in Wirklichkeit nur Gemeinden mit ähnlicher Größe und ähnlichem Wohlstand stehlen. Von den acht Familien, die nach Britt zogen, kamen sechs aus anderen Teilen Iowas. Die beiden, die es nicht taten – einer aus New York und einer aus Kalifornien – hatten immer noch Verbindungen zum ländlichen Iowa.

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Diese Programme „sind ein Nullsummenwettbewerb“, sagt Cristobal Young, ein Wirtschaftssoziologe an der Cornell University, der untersucht, wie Staaten Steuern verwenden, um Einwohner anzuziehen. Wenn die Programme öffentlich finanziert werden, sagt er mir, ist es „schlechte Politik, nur Geld von sesshaften Einwohnern zu nehmen und es mobileren Menschen zu geben“. Selbst wenn sie privat finanziert werden, besteht die Gefahr, dass die Programme Druck auf die Peer-Gemeinschaften ausüben, ihre eigenen Anreize zu verteilen, was einen Wettlauf nach unten antreibt.

Die grundlegende Tragödie von Umzugsanreizen besteht darin, dass diese Gemeinschaften dringend mehr Menschen und mehr Arbeitsplätze brauchen. Im Jahr 2006 verlor Newton einen Fortune-500-Arbeitgeber namens Maytag, dessen Hauptsitz mehr als ein Jahrhundert lang zur Erhaltung der lokalen Wirtschaft beigetragen hatte. Als Maytag von Whirlpool übernommen wurde, verlor Newton weit über 1.000 Stellen. Jetzt hat Whirlpool seinen Hauptsitz in Berrien County. Die Geldgeschenke, sagte Cleveland von der Cornerstone Alliance, sind letztendlich zweitrangig gegenüber seinem Pitch. Whirlpool – und das damit verbundene Talent – ​​ist ein weitaus größeres Verkaufsargument. “Die Leute werden nicht für 15.000 Dollar umziehen”, sagte Cleveland. “Es muss Annehmlichkeiten und Möglichkeiten geben.”

Ich war überrascht von der Offenheit, aber er hat recht. Im Kampf um Remote-Arbeiter können Städte nicht einfach für den Sieg bezahlen. Wenn sie nicht die Arten von Restaurants und begehbaren Vierteln haben, nach denen Profis suchen, werden 15.000 US-Dollar einfach nicht ausreichen. Möglicherweise müssen sie sogar attraktive, persönliche Jobs anbieten: Neue Bewohner arbeiten bei ihrer Ankunft möglicherweise aus der Ferne, möchten oder müssen jedoch möglicherweise den Beruf wechseln.

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Die Sieger werden wahrscheinlich Orte wie Boise, Idaho sein; Salt Lake City, Utah; und Nashville, Tennessee – Städte, die vor der Pandemie größer und wohlhabender wurden. Mit anderen Worten, Städte, die bereits gewonnen haben. Anreize „könnten in einem Bozeman funktionieren“[, Montana]“, sagte mir Florida. „Du könntest das vielleicht in einer Traverse City machen[, Michigan]; a Hudson, New York – all die Orte, an denen, wenn man sich die Volkszählungsdaten ansieht, eine Migration stattgefunden hat. Aber es ist immer noch eine kleine Untergruppe von Orten.“

Dass Bewegungsanreize so laue Ergebnisse gezeitigt haben, verheißt nicht gerade etwas Gutes für die Vorstellung, dass Remote-Arbeit den Wohnort der Amerikaner grundlegend verändern wird. Sicher, einige Outdoor-Typen ziehen vielleicht in angesagte Bergstädte. Kostenbewusste Leute könnten in billigere, aber immer noch coole Städte im Landesinneren aufbrechen. Aber bei allem Gerede über die verschwommene Zukunft der Großstädte scheint die Remote-Arbeit nicht viel daran zu ändern, wie sich diese Orte vom Rest des Landes entfernt haben.

Diese harte Realität wird den Boom der beweglichen Anreize wahrscheinlich nicht stoppen. Aber Bargeld und Spielereien sind kein Ausweg aus dem Teufelskreis, in dem sich kämpfende Gemeinden befinden. Stadtprofis ziehen an Orte, um hochwertige Möglichkeiten und Annehmlichkeiten zu erhalten. Und die meisten kleinen Städte werden Schwierigkeiten haben, diese Dinge zu generieren, bis sie genügend Fachkräfte haben. Letztendlich sind die einzigen wirklichen Gewinner von Moving Incentives die buchstäblichen Gewinner: die Empfänger. Das Stipendium von 10.000 Dollar war großartig für Jill Urbanski. Aber war es eine gute Investition für Berrien County? Urbanski hatte bereits versucht, Chicago zu verlassen, und liebte die Grafschaft, weil er dort Urlaub machte. Ich fragte sie direkt, ob sie auch ohne all das Geld umgezogen wäre. Sie zögerte nicht: „Ja.“

The post Transferring Incentives Aren’t Serving to Cities Lure Distant Staff appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

UNITED STATES – Life is hard. There is a constant battle between mind and muscle to make a living. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to put food on the table by honest means. Some like to make easy money by deceiving other people. Disappointing, yes, but it happens a lot.

However, the moving industry is not short of scammers. Fortunately, the good guys still exist. Well-known moving companies work hard to keep their customers safe. And if you’re moving to a big city like LA, here are some tips on how to protect yourself.

But first…

Why hire a moving company?

Why spend money asking other people to do the job when you can do it yourself? Because moving is not as easy as it sounds. You have to take into account the associated psychological stress, physical exertion and financial burden.

Hiring professionals will save you heavy work while you can focus on more important things. It makes even more sense to hire moving companies if you’re moving to a busy subway like LA. They know how to navigate traffic and meander through neighborhoods.

Did you know that moving trucks are also inexpensive? Yes! Imagine the hospital bill if you injured yourself lifting a heavy box. Or the price of a new TV if you break your current one. With moving companies, you may not save upfront, but you protect yourself and your belongings in the long run.

Common moving scams to watch out for

Alright. You understand it. Moving companies are critical to the success of your move. However, this does not mean that you should grab the first offer on the table. Does anyone know what type of company you are dealing with? Keep in mind that renegade movers keep getting smarter with their modus operandi.

One of LA’s top movers, Imperial Moving & Storage, hopes to help you avoid financial disaster by sharing some approaches that fraudulent moving companies typically use:

• Tempting cheap offers. The makers will try to lure you by naming a price that sounds too good to be true. Some people fall for it in hopes of saving more money. Unfortunately, moving companies increase costs at the end of the move or, worse, disappear without a trace.
• Wrong references. Most villains don’t have a website because they don’t want to leave an online footprint. But some might show you decent websites filled with fake testimonials that they wrote themselves. This can lead you to believe that this is a legitimate company with a list of satisfied customers.
• Estimates on the phone. A moving company that doesn’t personally rate your home is a big red flag. It’s even more shady when they tell you the prices on the phone. Can you guess the price? While many companies will give you an estimate over the phone, if you are traveling long distance (and based on the weight of the cargo) you should request a home estimate.
• Big deposit. Reputable LA Movers let their work do the talking before collecting payment. A moving company asking you to pay a large sum before you start moving is a huge red flag. You can either hold your belongings hostage or take it off without another word.
• Suspicious documents. Be careful before putting your signature on a piece of paper. Rogue movers sometimes give you contracts with missing terms or shady clauses. Make sure to go through everything twice or even three times before signing!
• Lost items or damaged goods. Even if a moving company has good intentions, you can’t be sure about everyone on their team. So don’t leave valuables lying around on the day of the move. Compare every box in your new home with your household’s inventory.
• Unlicensed company. The FMCSA registers moving companies to filter out the black sheep from the rest. Rogue movers typically use outdated equipment, hire inexperienced people or day laborers, and drive rented trucks. All of this makes an obvious recipe for disaster.

How to protect yourself from fraud

Scams will always be present no matter how much the government weed out the villains. The best way to protect yourself is to educate yourself. Since you already know the patterns of common moving fraud, the next step is to check the credibility of your potential moving company.

You can do this by:

• Ask them to provide proof of their license or type approval issued by the California Bureau of Household Goods & Services.
• Evaluation of the online presence. Check the validity of the website and the authenticity of the people who gave their testimonials.
• Read reviews on credible websites like Google and Yelp. It would also be helpful if you could reach out to these people and ask them about their experiences.
• Insist on a binding cost estimate in-house. Firstly, a binding quote ensures that the moving companies cannot rip you off with hidden fees. Second, you can meet the moving companies at home with a quote and assess their professionalism.
• If possible, pay by credit card or PayPal. Credit cards allow you to quickly abandon the transaction if something seems fishy while filing a dispute with PayPal and getting your money back.

Summarize things

Moving can be daunting, especially if it’s your first time. LA is a huge city with lots of nooks and crannies that are easy to get lost in. Additionally, the chances of being scammed are real, not to mention COVID-19 added restrictions on movement. But don’t worry! As long as you avoid the red flags mentioned above and get to know your company, you are good to go.

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The Dutch Sinterklaas differs from Santa Claus in a few essential ways. His physique is slimmer (less belly under the white beard), he does not live at the North Pole, but in Madrid – and instead of driving a reindeer sleigh, he takes a boat to the Dutch coast to bring presents.

And instead of relying on helper elves, Sinterklaas is supported by a character called Zwarte Piet or Black Pete – traditionally portrayed by whites wearing black faces, Afro wigs and red lipstick.

After Prime Minister Mark Rutte long defended the character and even admitted in the past to painting his own face black, he announced in June that his views on Black Pete had changed. Although he was on the verge of calling for a ban, he said social pressures would soon force the figure to retire. He also acknowledged that there were “systemic problems” with racism in the Netherlands.

Rutte’s announcement came after the Minnesota police murder of George Floyd, when large crowds of protesters took to the streets of Amsterdam and other Dutch cities to protest against racial injustice.

For Jerry Afriyie, who runs an Amsterdam-based advocacy group called Kick Out Zwarte Piet, Rutte’s words were long overdue. Getting others to see Black Pete as a racist has been his mission for a decade.

Over the years, Afriyie has been pelted with beer cans and bananas for his stance on Black Pete and has been targeted with death threats. Last November in The Hague, a group of masked men armed with baseball bats and fireworks tried to end a peaceful meeting between Afriyie and other activists.

Still, Afriyie (whose middle names are Luther and King) is committed to dialogue. Every Sinterklaas season he leaves his home in Amsterdam and travels to Dutch cities and villages where Black Pete is still publicly celebrated in an attempt to reach a consensus that Black Pete is racist.

“You talk and talk and talk and talk until you reach a consensus”

Last year, committees in several Dutch cities agreed that Black Pete should not appear in their city’s Sinterklaas parades, but more than a dozen smaller cities affirmed the opposite: Black Pete would be welcome at their parades and school performances.

He has been told by many of Afriyie’s associates that it is impossible to reach consensus on Black Pete’s issue; the country is too divided. But consensus building has a unique place in Dutch politics and society.

Some scholars say that the Dutch value attached to collective action is built into the landscape. Much of the Netherlands would be under water if it weren’t for a system of dikes to protect the country from flooding. The Dutch “polder model” of consensus building takes its name from the Dutch word for land below sea level, which used to be the seabed.

Former Prime Minister Wim Kok used his polder consensus-building skills to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001. This made the Netherlands the first country in the world to do this.

Amma Asante, a former MP and the only black woman in office during her tenure, says the polder model means “you talk and talk and talk and talk until you reach consensus” and “it works best when we do.” are able to”. to put aside our strongest beliefs about how things should be done or what the world should be like. “

From Black Pete to Chimney Pete?

Black Pete first came to prominence in the 1850s when minstrel shows became popular in the United States. The Netherlands outlawed slavery in their colonies in 1863, but previously some wealthy families were bringing enslaved people from those colonies to their homes in Amsterdam for work. Black Pete’s original costume with brightly colored satin sleeves mimicked the way families dressed enslaved black children.

Yet defenders of tradition often claim that Black Pete is “dirty” simply because he came down the chimney – he’s not even Black.

Afriyie always saw the chimney explanation as a way to silence black perspectives. He, Asante and many other black Dutch people were called “Black Pete” as an insult.

“The country is telling you, ‘Try not to see it,’” says Afriyie. “As if what you see is not true.”

But he wondered if this denial of the problem might actually offer a solution. He suggested replacing Black Pete with a new character named Chimney Pete with just one soot stain on his face – someone like Bert, the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.

Black Pete’s defenders hated the idea. Blackface is the tradition, they argued. But many Afro-Dutch thinkers also disagreed. Gloria Wekker, author of White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race, says Chimney Pete is “a surface solution.” Soot or black face, tradition itself was tainted.

But Chimney Pete prevailed. In cities where Black Pete has been banned from Sinterklaas parades, Chimney Pete has taken his place. This November, the boat with Sinterklaas will again reach the Dutch coast, accompanied by an entourage of Chimney Petes.

Asante admits she doubted consensus building on racism could work, and she was surprised to see large crowds gathering in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the Netherlands this spring. Without all the years of “poldering” and dialogue about Black Pete, she wondered if the murder of George Floyd in the Netherlands would have sparked a conversation about racism.

“There is a danger that we could have said, ‘Oh, this is in the United States. This is not us,'” she says. “And now there is no more denial.”

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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The Business Journal asked these seven lenders who are working with firms in North Bay to secure funding from the US Small Business Administration about the problems local employers have faced over the past 14 months with coronavirus pandemic restrictions. and the sometimes challenging application process for billions of federal aid.

Jeff Clark

Senior lender

Live Oak Bank

100 B St., Suite 100, Santa Rosa 95401

707-921-1102

jeff.clark@liveoak.bank

Years in banking: 25 years

Years in your current position: 6 years

Tell us about yourself: I have worked with wineries, breweries, distilleries, and craft beverage manufacturers in the United States. My experience spans the spectrum from small family businesses to listed companies.

Important news in your company in the past year: Despite the conditions, we survived and thrived. What a year!

What direct impact has the coronavirus had on your activity level?

It has affected us in several ways. The provision of Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans took several months of our time and took us away from loan production.

This also affected our borrowers with an on-premise exposure, excluding many of them for months. We usually travel several months a year for site visits, trade shows, etc. and that has not happened.

Tell us how the SBA program in support of those who have received SBA loans changed to provide loans to small businesses, and how did it have to adapt programs for those with existing SBA loans?

In addition to the PPP and EIDL (Economic Disaster Disaster Loan) programs, the SBA provided payment deferrals and payment grants and waived the guarantee fee.

Assuming the COVID pandemic has subsided significantly, what will the SBA credit market look like in two years? Will it have reverted to what it was before the pandemic or will it be different and why?

Neither of us have been in this situation before so it’s really hard to tell. However, companies will always need capital to grow. There could be pent-up demand beyond normal credit levels.

As for the untapped resources on the business just getting started, which ones most borrowers don’t know but should and why?

Small Business Development Centers are an SBA funded resource that can help with business plans, financial projections, and advice.

Brian Kilkenny

Business Services Administrator

Redwood Credit Union

3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa 95403

707-576-5422

BKilkenny@redwoodcu.org

Years in banking: 10

Years in your current position: 2

Organic: Brian Kilkenny is the Redwood Credit Union (RCU) loan administrator responsible for the growth, quality and maintenance of the RCU’s business loan portfolio.

Prior to joining RCU, Kilkenny was with Exchange Bank for over six years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Oregon State University and began his banking career with Bank of America.

Important news in your company in the past year: From 2020 to 2021, the RCU grew by $ 1.7 billion. We had planned well for the unexpected and that kept us strong and able to support members, team members and the community when they needed us.

Nobody knew exactly what to expect from the loan, but a year later we are optimistic about the performance of our business portfolio. The resilience of our local small businesses was evident as we watched them change and modify their approach and delivery to customers to meet customers where they are.

Despite all the adversities, many of them remained solvent, kept the doors open and continued to pay employees. RCU is proud to have supported this effort through close partnerships with our business members and borrowers.

What direct impact has the coronavirus had on your activity level?

We were pleasantly surprised to see a strong pipeline of growth and credit opportunities in 2020 and 2021. We have watched companies grow, borrow, and invest in themselves. This is a positive sign and will prepare you well for future success.

This high demand for conventional business coupled with two rounds of the SBA’s Payment Protection Program (PPP) has meant a lot of activity for the credit union.

Tell us how the SBA program in support of those who have received SBA loans changed to provide loans to small businesses, and how did it have to adapt programs for those with existing SBA loans?

The SBA has been offering Economic Damage Disaster Loans (EIDL) for years, which recently came into play to help local businesses.

However, COVID spurred the SBA to open a restaurant revitalization fund to provide restaurants with funding to match their pandemic-related loss of revenue, and they offered a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) to help hard-hit small businesses, nonprofits and venues to help.

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One of the scariest things about COVID-19 is that it spreads through the air we breathe. People infected with the virus breathe it out, which means people around them have a good chance of inhaling it and infecting themselves.

Robust heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems may be required to reduce this risk indoors. With restaurants and other businesses allowed in many parts of the country to let customers return, their owners have put a lot of money and effort into upgrading their HVAC systems.

About a month ago, Jennifer Vitagliano’s Michelin-starred Manhattan restaurant, The Musket Room, made an announcement stating that it was open for indoor dining for the first time in months.

The announcement mentioned the menu’s new half-fried chicken in salsa verde on sourdough stir-fry, an endive salad with pecorino, pistachio and currents, and an improved HVAC system with highly efficient filters.

“More than the style of the kitchen or what’s on the menu right now, people want to know, ‘What precautions are restaurants taking to ensure my safety?'” Vitagliano said.

Vitagliano said she spent a few thousand dollars upgrading her existing HVAC equipment with a new addition: a needle-tipped bipolar ionization system.

“It basically creates positively and negatively charged ions in your air,” said Matt Justus, senior sales engineer at Norman S. Wright Mechanical Equipment in San Francisco. “As these particles carrying the coronavirus pass through the air, the negative ions attach to the coronavirus spike proteins and transmit that particular virus [particle] ineffective.”

According to Justus, needle-tipped bipolar ionization systems costing around $ 2,000 per dining room have blown off the shelves. Do you also have other technology, like a ceiling fan that emits ultraviolet light to neutralize the virus.

“Our industry really got a boost from this emphasis on building clean, safe and healthy interiors,” said Justus.

Restaurant, nail salon, and other business owners considering such devices are hardly HVAC experts. Because of this, they may turn to someone like Kate Turner, a facility management consultant in New York, who helps restaurant owners figure out how to upgrade their systems – even if their existing equipment can upgrade at all.

“Unless you have someone skilled to negotiate with vendors on your behalf, it can be very easy to accidentally switch in a direction that will cost you a lot more money,” said Turner.

The return of limited indoor eating in New York City has been a boon for Arista Air Conditioning Corp., a New York HVAC service provider. Owner Scott Berger said that currently about a third of the company’s work is in virus-affected companies, including restaurants, gyms and movie theaters.

However, that increase did not offset the general downturn this year. With people working from home, many office buildings have been left empty – and don’t need HVAC service.

“Our business is definitely going badly,” said Berger. “We are down 23% year over year.”

As a result, Berger said he wanted to expand his customer base beyond New York City.

This story was edited to clarify the role negative ions play in neutralizing individual virus particles.

When will we see more COVID direct payments?

These stimulus checks, as they are commonly called, cost $ 1,400, but having one last time doesn’t mean you’ll get one this time. Now there’s a tough limit for singles who make more than $ 80,000 or married couples who make more than $ 160,000. From the time President Joe Biden’s COVID Relief Bill is passed and legally signed, payments will likely show up in bank accounts within a few weeks. This is for direct deposit. Paper exams take a little longer.

I hear a lot about interest rates. Is it getting more expensive to borrow?

The expectation of higher inflation as the economy recovers is causing investors to demand higher yields to compensate. The recent surge in bond yields, in turn, increases the interest rates consumers pay on mortgages and other loans. Moody’s Analytics economist Scott Hoyt said rising interest rates could dampen housing demand a little and refinance a little more. Other types of consumer spending are less likely to be affected. Car loan and credit card rates are tied to short-term interest rates that have not risen as much.

How will the federal government’s latest round of pandemic aid help women?

More than 2 million women have left the workforce since 2020. Many of them originally did this to look after children. The American bailout plan, due to be passed this week, includes an expanded child tax credit that can bring in up to $ 300 per month per child under the age of 6. It also includes nearly $ 15 billion to support childcare facilities. Even so, experts say that childcare is still the biggest stumbling block for many women who want and need to go back to work.

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