Latest news with #SanJoaquinCountyBoardofSupervisors
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
San Joaquin County, Dignity Health reach extension on management services
May 15—The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved a three-year extension of its management services agreement with Dignity Health to manage San Joaquin General Hospital. The deal, which runs from July 1 of this year to June 30 of 2028, is worth just over $5.7 million. The county and Dignity Health, which is now known as CommonSpirit, have partnered on the hospital since 2022, when the board of supervisors found that San Joaquin General could operate more efficiently with a management agreement. The deal was originally for an 18-month period with a 10-year option. The supervisors extended it for an additional 18 months in 2023, and the current deal was set to expire on June 30 of this year. According to a press release from San Joaquin County, Dignity Health has implemented several changes in its time acting as management, including lowering the rate of SJGH-acquired infections, raising the hospital's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hospital safety grade rating from an F to a C, reducing incomplete patient records from 15,000 to less than 200, and financial improvements. "Since the implementation of the Management Services Agreement, CommonSpirit Health and St. Joseph's Medical Center have had a profound impact on both financial and quality measures at San Joaquin General Hospital," said BJ Predum, Market President of Dignity Health Central Valley. "By improving and standardizing processes, I am proud of all that we have accomplished together to enhance the health and well being of the San Joaquin County community." Added Paul Canepa, Chair of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, "Since the agreement began, the hospital has made great progress in improving patient care and its finances. We're excited to keep working together to build a strong, unified healthcare system that provides excellent care to everyone—no matter their ability to pay."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
San Joaquin County gets seal of approval for 175th celebration
May 7—STOCKTON — The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors unveiled its 175th Anniversary Commemorative Seal on Tuesday, which will be used in official communications throughout 2025. Designed by student A. Vasquez and titled "How Far We've Come," the seal was selected through an art contest, which invited children in grades 7-12 across the county to submit artwork inspired by the theme "175 Years of Growing Greatness." Vasquez's entry was selected for its artistic depth, historical symbolism, and forward-looking message, the county said. "The clock represents the evolution of San Joaquin County throughout time, including its festivals, agriculture, engineering, and advancements in the economy," Vasquez said. "If you look closely, the clock marks 2:09 to represent our area code. I hope this logo inspires others to recognize how far we've come, and the hope of where we are going, because time never stops." The seal will appear on official county documents, certificates, websites, social media platforms and public materials during the anniversary year, and be prominently featured at events and celebrations. "Ms. Vasquez's artwork perfectly captures the spirit of San Joaquin County — not just where we've been, but where we're going," board chair Paul Canepa said. For more information on the 175th Anniversary and upcoming events, follow the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Facebook and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lodi-area religious and political leaders pay respects to Pope Francis
Apr. 22—STOCKTON — Several local religious and political leaders commented on the death of Pope Francis Monday, offering prayers and condolences to remember the life of the 266th leader of the Catholic Church. "Today, we join with people across San Joaquin County and around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis," San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Paul Canepa said. "As the leader of the Catholic Church, he was a powerful voice for compassion, dignity, and justice. His humility, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalized resonated far beyond religious boundaries. For the many Catholics in our community and for countless others of all faiths, his legacy of kindness, service, and humanity will continue to inspire. May he rest in peace." Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Pope Francis was the church's first Latin American pontiff, appointed to the post in 2013. Taking his name from St. Francis of Assissi, he was also the first pope from the Jesuit Order and the first born or raised outside of Europe since the eighth century Syrian pope Gregory III. The Vatican said Pope Francis died of a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure. Bishop Marion Cotta of the Stockton Diocese asked those in local Catholic congregations to remember Francis in their prayers during the Octave of Easter. "Let us keep him and the Church in our prayers during this Easter Season," Cotta said. "May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace." The Cathedral of the Annunciation, located at 400 W. Rose St. in Stockton, hosted a bilingual Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass beginning on Monday evening. The diocese said parishes throughout the county were planning special services to honor Francis, but details were not available at press time. In a social media post Monday, St. Mary's High School in Stockton said students were able to meet Francis during a European excursion to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City several years ago. "In the summer of 2018, student representatives from Saint Mary's waited patiently for hours to share a blessed moment with our beloved Pope Francis," the school said. "It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for members of our Ram Family." Bishop Jaime Soto of the Sacramento Diocese said he remembered the day Bergoglio stepped out on St. Peter Basilica's balcony as pope. Before imparting his first apostolic blessing, Soto said Francis asked the crowds of the piazza, as well as those watching online, to pray for him. "What followed was a stillness — a calm — that may have encircled the globe," Soto said. "We were one Church united in prayer for the newly elected Holy Father as he began his pilgrimage of hope." Soto encountered Francis several months afterward during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, where he spoke about Jesus planting the seed of his word into the hearts of the young. "He asked the boisterous multitude to be quiet, to let the seed go deep into their souls, and let Jesus speak to their hearts," Soto said. "The rowdy rustling of the youthful crowd took on the stillness of sacred sanctuary, with only the soft rhythmic murmurs of the waves lapping on the sands. Everyone waited for the word of Jesus to speak to them." In a statement issued Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Francis led with his love of peace and creation, and sought to protect and lift up the vulnerable. "He championed human dignity, especially that of the poor, called the world to urgent climate action, condemned the death penalty, and confronted painful truths — including the Church's role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples," Newsom said. "His papacy was characterized by moral courage, a profound respect for all creation, and a deep conviction in the transformative power of love to heal and unite. As we mourn His Holiness, we honor him by choosing to believe that a better world is possible through grace and kindness, and through fellowship with our neighbors, no matter our differences."
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supervisors vote to place temporary moratorium on smoke shops in San Joaquin County
Mar. 12—Business owners hoping to open smoke shops outside city limits in the next few weeks might see their dreams go up in smoke. The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on allowing smoke shops to open in the unincorporated areas. The moratorium will last 45 days, at which time supervisors can approve a 10-month extension, county counsel Edward Kiernan said. He added that at the end of the first extension, supervisors could add another year on the moratorium if they wanted. Kiernan said the point of the moratorium is to allow the county time to create appropriate regulations, as well as a new business license applicable to smoke shops. "I've looked at what Stockton has done, and they seem to have an approach that is well thought out," he said. "And it would require smoke shops to obtain a business license, that is yearly reviewed, and it can be taken away. If that license is taken away, they could not operate legally." Last year, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office conducted operations at tobacco retailers and smoke shop businesses and found evidence that they were often a front for criminal activities, staff said. Those criminal activities included the sale of cannabis or cannabis-infused items and hemp products containing THC without the required permits and licenses, as well as illicit drugs, flavored tobacco products, and illegal gambling machines. The Sheriff's Office also found that because of the illegal activity, tobacco retailer/smoke shop businesses are also a target for theft, vandalism, and loitering, staff said. The department's operations resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs and the arrest of several individuals involved in these illegal activities. Gas stations, grocery stores larger than 10,000 feet, and liquor stores with valid licenses will be exempt from the moratorium. Supervisor Steve Ding said while he supports delaying approval for smoke shops, he felt the suggestion to create an entirely new business license for such establishments "missed the mark" of the moratorium's actual purpose. "It isn't about the establishment of these shops," he said. "What we're trying to do is get out the illegal distribution of products that aren't supposed to be for sale. We're going after existing businesses breaking the law. I don't see what (the business license suggestion) does except add another layer of paperwork for businesses to fill out." In November of 2022, California voters upheld SB 793, which prohibits tobacco retailers or their employees from selling most flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes, as well as tobacco product flavor enhancers. In addition, the California Department of Public Health created emergency regulations last year related to the sale of industrial hemp food and beverage products and the threat they pose to public health, particularly in minors. The emergency regulations aimed to combat hemp products containing THC that skirt the age and sale restrictions placed on legal commercial cannabis sold through licensed and regulated retailers. "I'm honestly disappointed that a moratorium wasn't already put in place," Supervisor Mario Gardea said. "This buys us time to look at other things that may affect our community, and maybe get ahead of in the permit process." There are about eight smoke shops operating in the county's unincorporated areas, although the Sheriff's Office believes there could be as many as 20. In Lodi, there are about 20 operating within the city limits. "As soon as the County posted the moratorium, I forwarded it to our city manager requesting a similar moratorium," councilwoman Lisa Craig-Hensley said. "But, an even more important concern is the proliferation of vaping products in gas stations and convenience stores, too near our schools. With the strong interest in Blue Zones and healthier living, banning new smoke shops and vaping products is a good first step." A Blue Zones team visited Lodi last week to begin its assessment of the city's health status. The team toured nearly 60 locations in the city and met with a variety of community members as part of its evaluation. A final report of Lodi's health status should be completed by May. Craig said there are dozens of communities that prohibit the sale of tobacco-related products within 1,500 feet of a school, park and playgrounds, and that she would support applying that regulation to new retailers. "I'd also support not adding additional tobacco sales in a new establishment that is within a similar distance of an existing tobacco sales establishment," she said. "Really, how many gas station convenience stores do we need selling cigarettes or vape products on a single intersection?"
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lodi Unified essay winners share their inspiring stories with county supervisors
Feb. 26—Two Lodi Unified School District students showed county leaders what it means to never lose hope this week. Vince Sinigaglia and Kanaan Taha read their Art Raab Memorial Essay Competition entries to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Tuesday as a way to close out Black History Month. Sinigaglia and Taha, who are fifth and sixth-grade students, respectively, were asked to read their essays by Supervisor Steve Ding, who represents Lodi on the board. Ding attended the Breakthrough Project For Social Justice in Lodi's annual Celebration of Unity last month, where the two youngsters read their compositions about the event's theme, "Infinite Hope." The theme was taken from Martin Luther King Jr's quote that "We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." "Words can be joyful. They can be hurtful," Ding said. "They can be poetic. But they can be interpreted differently by all individuals. When I heard these two read their essays and what Martin Luther King Jr's words meant to them, it was really inspiring." Sinigaglia took King's quote about hope and used it to recount the experience he and his family felt when his stepfather died from stage 3 cancer in 2023 after a five-month battle. He said he learned a lot of lessons throughout the ordeal, but never gave up hope in the end that his stepfather would pull through, just like King had done with faced with numerous challenges during the Civil Rights Movement. "It was very difficult to watch my dad suffer for five months and see how cancer destroyed him," Sinigaglia said. "It is still difficult because I have to live every day without him. I learned life is truly short and we never know when it's our time to go." Sinigaglia said his father taught him to never give up hope, and he has since lived his life doing his best to make good choices and treat everyone with respect. It was something his father did during his life as well. "During difficult times, life can turn very dark," he said. "Having hope gives you the will to look forward to good things to come in your life." Taha used King's quote to show the spirit of the Palestinians who have experienced starvation, torture, and even death on the Gaza Strip for decades. He said he had read and viewed news reports about the goings-on in Gaza every day, and wanted to be a representative of Palestine wherever he set foot. "I began to realize that no matter how hard I thought, I was at least safe to go to school every day," Taha said. "Palestinian children living in the woods on the Gaza Strip probably never felt this way." He added that he wanted to represent Gaza because many people were most likely unfamiliar with what was happening in the war-torn region. "It's clear to me that the works of Martin Luther King, Jr. can also be used to describe what Palestinians continue to go through," he said. "We shall strengthen hope as we continue to fight for our fundamental rights to human rights." Sinigaglia and Taha both placed first in their respective grades for the Art Raab contest, which is held annually each year. The contest is named after a former Lodi High School teacher and local activist who marched alongside Cesar Chavez and helped form the Breakthrough Project in 1998 after a cross burning at Tokay High School in 1998. "If that doesn't warm your heart, I don't know. I guess you have a bad heart," board chair Paul Canepa said after the students read their essays. "One of my goals this year was to celebrate youth," he added. "And if this isn't a celebration of youth, I don't know what is."
