Latest news with #Speier
Business Upturn
06-05-2025
- General
- Business Upturn
Supervisor Jackie Speier Inspires Notre Dame de Namur University Class of 2025 with Resilient Message at Commencement
Belmont, CA, May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — San Mateo County Supervisor and former U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier delivered a moving and inspiring commencement address to the Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) Class of 2025 on Saturday, May 5th, sharing powerful life lessons from her five decades of public service and personal resilience. Speaking to graduates and families gathered on the historic Belmont campus, Speier opened by honoring the supportive roles of loved ones and praising NDNU's enduring values of community, dignity, justice, peace, and care for creation. She urged graduates to carry these ideals forward, especially when they come under threat. Citing anthropologist Margaret Mead, Speier reminded students, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.' Drawing from her storied career and deeply personal experiences, Speier shared three guiding principles with the graduating class: Don't fear failure – She spoke candidly about losing three major elections before finding success in public office, underscoring that setbacks are often steppingstones to achievement. Don't waste time – Recounting her harrowing survival of the 1978 Jonestown massacre—where she was shot five times and lost her mentor, Congressman Leo Ryan—Speier reflected on the preciousness of time and the urgency to live with purpose. Always have a Plan B – She offered a heartfelt story of losing her husband in a car accident while pregnant with their second child, facing personal bankruptcy, and ultimately rebuilding her life through perseverance, community support, and a continued commitment to public service. Speier also called attention to opportunities in local government, inviting graduates to consider careers in public service. She noted that San Mateo County currently has 600 open positions, particularly in areas like social work and behavioral health. In a memorable closing moment, Speier asked graduates to stand if they believed they could not fail—sparking a wave of optimism and unity across the ceremony. Notre Dame de Namur University President, Dr. Beth Martin, praised Speier's address as 'a deeply personal and empowering message that captured the spirit of our mission and the courage we hope our graduates carry into the world.' About Notre Dame de Namur University Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) is a Catholic, not-for-profit, coeducational institution serving adult learners from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDNU is the third-oldest college in California and the first authorized to grant women a baccalaureate degree. The university is WSCUC accredited and offers master's degrees in business, education, and psychology, undergraduate degree completion programs in business and psychology, and teacher credentials. NDNU maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. For more information, visit Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
San Mateo Sheriff Christina Corpus faces new questions over spending requests for radios, massage chairs
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors raised concerns over spending in the Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, though Sheriff Christina Corpus did not attend the meeting to discuss her request for millions to cover the purchase of new radios. At Tuesday's meeting, the Board was set to vote on approving the allocation of $4.2 million dollars to the Sheriff's Office for covering the one-time cost of updating and replacing outdated radio equipment. The agenda item was unrelated to potential proceedings by the Board to possibly remove Corpus from her role as sheriff. Last month, voters passed Measure A, granting the Board temporary power to oust the sheriff after the release of a scathing, 400-page investigation into alleged misconduct of Corpus. What was supposed to be a routine approval in the consent agenda with no required discussion became an argument that put Corpus and her office in yet another contentious situation. The discussion revealed an attempt by the department to buy 10 massage chairs with county money. Supervisor Jackie Speier requested that the decision to appropriate funds to the Sheriff's Office be moved off the consent calendar and onto the regular agenda because she wanted to discuss it further, directly, with Corpus. A few hours later when the item was up for discussion, Corpus was not present to address the Board's questions. Instead, Undersheriff Dan Perea came as a representative of the Sheriff's Office, saying that Corpus was busy at another meeting. Speier openly chastised Corpus for her absence. "We expect department heads to appear when they have issues before the Board of Supervisors," Speier told Perea sternly. "Moving forward, please alert her that if she has an item on the agenda that she should be prepared to come to the Board meeting." The Sheriff's Office has already purchased the 425 radios at $10,000 apiece, but allocating money from the county's Public Safety Augmentation Fund to the Sheriff's Office State Aid Public Safety budget to cover the cost needed approval from the Board. While large purchases from county departments are sometimes able to move forward without Board approval, the $4.2 million expenditure raised concerns for Speier, who is actively working on a resolution to bring more Board oversight to spending in county departments, she said. "Departments do have the authority to make goods purchases, sometimes through the procurement department, without coming to the Board," said County Attorney John Nibbelin during the meeting. But Speier pointed out to Perea that her concern also stems from other attempts by the Sheriff's office to make significant purchases, some of which may be considered unnecessary. "I've been made aware that there have been 10 massage chairs that were requested through procurement," Speier said, adding that the Office of Procurement had "thankfully" declined the request. Perea said he was aware of the attempted purchase but could not provide details on how the idea arose to buy massage chairs with county funding. He said he didn't believe he was involved in the approval and could not answer if Corpus approved it. "It was part of 'officer wellness,' as I understand it," Perea said. "I don't think I'm the best person, the most informed person right now to speak about that." The Board ended up unanimously authorizing the appropriation of funds to cover the cost of the new radios. But the lack of clarity about how the Sheriff's Office approves purchases, such as the 10 massage chairs, led the Board to request that Corpus appear at a future meeting to discuss the department's procurement process. "The whole procurement process is something that I think we need to have a better understanding of," Speier said.
