Tuesday, Volume 154 Feb. 4, 2020 No. 5 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY Coronavirus reaches county By Chris Padilla & “With our large population and 11 with no deaths so far, according Mauricio La Plante the amount of travel to China to the World Health Organization. STAFF WRITER & for both personal and business Computer science senior Trinh Numbers at a glance: ASST. NEWS EDITOR reasons, we will likely see more Nguyen said she is worried about cases, including close contacts to the spread of the virus at SJSU. cases At least two people are infected our cases,” Cody said. “I hope the school does something confi rmed globally with the new coronavirus in Santa The virus can be transmitted about it, like hand out (medical) 17,391 Clara County, according to a news after close contact with someone masks and hand sanitizer,” Nguyen release from county health officials infected, according to the World said. deaths Sunday. Health Organization. She wears a medical mask and confi rmed globally Both patients are in isolation The symptoms of novel has hand sanitizer on hand. 362 as of Sunday, according to the coronavirus are similar to those of Nguyen said she is worried about Santa Clara County Public Health the common cold or flu, Barbara how dangerous the virus can be, cases in Department. Fu, San Jose State interim clinical because there is no known vaccine, California “I understand that people are supervisor, said. and carriers of the virus might 6 concerned, but based on what we Two more people in San Benito spread the virus while remaining know today, the risk to [the] general County are infected with novel asymptomatic. cases in Santa Clara public remains low,” Dr. Sara Cody, coronavirus, according to The Fu recommends frequent hand Santa Clara County Health Officer, Mercury News, bringing up the washing to help minimize the risk 2 County as of Feb. 3 said. total confirmed cases in California of catching the virus. However, public health officials to six as of Feb. 3. SOURCES: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, THE MERCURY are prepared for more infections to The total confirmed cases of new Follow The Spartan Daily NEWS; INFOGRAPHIC BY CHRISTIAN TRUJANO, arise, Cody said. coronavirus in the United States is on Twitter @SpartanDaily MAURICIO LA PLANTE Lawmakers to sustain county initiatives Briana Conte STAFF WRITER Environmental We need to preservation efforts and access to affordable focus energy and housing for people resources to teach vulnerable to displacement took the spotlight during people not to hit, Santa Clara County’s not to rape and not Annual State of the County Address Wednesday night. to assault other “This will require human beings. every department to think about how we Cindy Chavez deal with sustainability,” Santa Clara County Board Cindy Chavez, Santa of Supervisors president MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY Clara County Board of Supervisors president, said. Santa Clara County Chavez addressed the Advocates petition to Supervisor Dave Cortese continued need for reform asked the board to declare within the justice system a climate emergency in to prevent violence against September, last year. women. preserve sacred land “It passed unanimously Chavez advocated for on our board and we are taking more preventative finishing up a sustainability measures against sexual Briana Conte master plan,” Chavez said. assault as well as reforming STAFF WRITER The Santa Clara Valley evidence processing Water District, labor procedures. Without federal recognition, the Amah unions and various local “We need to focus Mutsun Tribal Band continues to petition 101 nonprofit organizations energy and resources to throughout Santa Clara County to protect gathered for the State of the teach people not to hit, not their ceremonial place from approval as a sand County address, which fell to rape and not to assault and gravel mine. on the 100th anniversary of other human beings,” “The destruction of spiritual sites is a crime the 19th Amendment. Chavez said. against humanity,” Valentin Lopez, chairman In honor of the women’s of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, said. suffrage movement, COUNTY | Page 2 The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Gilroy hosted a panel on the culture and ecology of the tribe’s sacred homeland, Juristac, Thursday evening. Sports Lopez, conservation ecologist Stuart Weiss and Alice Kaufman, legislative advocacy Women’s tennis director for the Committee for Green team serves up Foothills shared their insight on the cultural victory and environmental damage the project could Proposed Mine cause. Lopez said he believes preserving the land Page 3 is a cultural responsibility and expressed his desire to care for Mother Nature, which he calls “Creator.” “When the people started taking care of A&E Mother Earth, they learned that the lands were sacred,” Lopez said. “They recognize Insta-worthy that [the] Creator made these lands perfect cafe serves . They created prayers, ceremonies and protocols such as reciprocation. Such as not mediocre sweets taking more than what you need.” Lopez anticipates that lawmakers will Sargent Page 4 ignore the sacred significance of the Amah Mutsun Tribe’s land. Ranch “If this was Catholic, if this was Buddhist, if SOURCE: PROJECTJURISTAC.ORG; INFOGRAPHIC BY JOHN BRICKER this was Muslim, they would not dare think of Opinion Top: The Amah Mutsun sacred lands stretch along mining a spiritual site,” Lopez said. the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The space stretches along the Southern ‘Wokeness’ is Foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains near counterproductive Gilroy, California. Below: The zoning of the mine borders Highway 101 and the in creating The area was purchased in 1992 and many hillside of the Santa Cruz Mountains southwest of Gilroy. political change Critics of the project say that construction would destroy FOOTHILLS | Page 2 sacred land and an essential wildlife corridor. Page 6 sjsunews.com/spartan_daily 2 TUESDAY, FEB. 4, 2020 NEWS COUNTY Continued from page 1 She announced the employment of a dedicated group in Santa Clara County to process rape kits within 30 days. ABOUT In 2019, a rape kit was processed within 14 days, The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose on average, Chavez said. State community’s top news “We have set a new source. New issues are national standard. This is published every Tuesday, something we are going to Wednesday and Thursday be asking all counties in throughout the academic year and online content the State of California and updated daily. the nation to follow,” said Chavez. The Spartan Daily is written She also seeks funding and published by San for housing survivors of Jose State students as an expression of their First domestic violence and Amendment rights. human trafficking. “I really want to think Reader feedback may be about the county in its submitted as letters to the biggest terms. So let’s talk editor or online comments. about our community.” said Chavez. BRIANA CONTE | SPARTAN DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF Top priority for the board Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors president, evokes applause from listeners while EXECUTIVE EDITOR of supervisors president CHELSEA NGUYEN FLEIGE discussing environmental issues, the county’s housing crisis and other issues during the 2020 State of the County. was the homelessness MANAGING EDITOR BRENDAN CROSS epidemic in Santa Clara County and its correlation to afford an apartment,” Supervisor Cortese programs. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JOHN BRICKER to the lack of mental health said Chavez. is taking preventative The county is almost CREATIVE PRODUCER resources and income But Chavez looked measures to provide halfway through building MELODY DEL RIO inequality trends. beyond the high cost of We have the children with mental the 4,000 new homes NEWS EDITOR “We have the largest living as the main cause largest income health programs. promised by the Board last CHRISTIAN TRUJANO income gap in the of housing insecurity and “Susan and I will year. ASST. NEWS EDITOR gap in the state MAURICIO LA PLANTE state of California, the said income inequality be putting together an She said she aims to build fourth highest homeless is most likely to affect of California, office of child policy 1000 new homes through A&E EDITOR ALYSON CHUYANG population in the nation children the most. the fourth and advocacy,” Chavez Measure A funding, an OPINION EDITOR right here in our valley,” “One to five [people] in highest homeless promised. affordable housing bond, CHRIS CORE said Chavez. the homeless community In the past year, Santa and have it approved this SPORTS EDITOR She acknowledged that at some point were in the population in the Clara Supervisor Susan calendar year. JESUS TELLITUD since last year the rate of foster care system,” Chavez nation right here in Ellenberg put forward PHOTO EDITOR homelessness has increased said. the first budget proposal JOHANNA MARTIN our valley. 31%. Chavez promised to for such mental health SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR VICENTE VERA “In order to afford a rent reform foster care and Cindy Chavez programs, consolidating Follow Briana on SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR here, you need to make an government aid in the Santa Clara County Board over $70 million dedicated KUNAL MEHTA average of $108,000 a year county. of Supervisors president to children’s services and Instagram @muaybri SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR JAILEANE AGUILAR CONTENT EDITOR VICTORIA FRANCO FOOTHILLS COPY EDITORS OLIVIA BOWMAN ERICA LIZARRAGO Continued from page 1 COURTNEY VASQUEZ SPANISH COPY EDITOR requests to modify Juristac If this was DIANA AVILA for residential development Catholic, if this GRAPHICS EDITORS were rejected, Kaufman CINDY CUELLAR NATHAN DOYLE said. was Buddhist, if “It was completely out SENIOR STAFF WRITERS this was Muslim, DIANA AVILA of line with what’s in the PAUL HANG BRIANNA SHEATS county’s general plan for the they would not EDUARDO TEIXEIRA area, which is agricultural AUSTIN TURNER dare think of ranch lands,” he said.