San Francisco Democratic Party leaders voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt a new set of sexual harassment and assault policies and code of conduct following allegations levied against prominent party members earlier this year. “The unanimous vote speaks to the strong coalition of collaborators we created with stakeholders from democratic clubs, survivors, experts, and advocacy groups,” said Lily Ho, the chair of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee’s special committee responsible for drafting the new rules, in a statement Thursday. “Next, we will focus on ensuring the integrity of implementation to see these policies to fruition.” The new policies outline proper procedures for identifying, reporting, recording, and investigating incidents of harassment and assault among the members of San Francisco Democratic clubs. Harassment- and assault-prevention trainings are now required, and the local party website will provide reporting forms and access to resources. The party governing body will also retain an independent evaluator who will decide if reported code-of-conduct violations warrant further investigation. Members of affiliated clubs spoke in favor of passing the guidelines during the public comment portion of Wednesday’s DCCC meeting. “All voices have come to the table, and we have been able to come up with a really inclusive and really amazing platform and amazing policy to move forward and change the culture of our democratic clubs and our party,” said Ernesto Cuellar, the vice president of the San Francisco Young Democrats. “As San Francisco Democrats, we have some of the most vulnerable folks to this kind of abuse that happens in our field of work in politics.” The DCCC formed the special committee in April following reports centered on a pair of prominent figures in the local party: former TODCO director Jon Jacobo and Kevin Ortiz, who was then the co-president of the San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club. That month, The San Francisco Standard reported that three women filed police reports accusing Jacobo of domestic violence and sexual assaults not long after he was publicly accused of rape in 2021. The Standard also reported in April that the DCCC’s announcement of “a recent second allegation against a current president of a chartered Democratic club” referred to Ortiz. In July, Zahra Hajee told the San Francisco Chronicle told police that Ortiz sexually assaulted her twice in 2021 . Ortiz stepped down soon after. “These changes reflect a commitment to building an environment where survivors can come forward without fear of retaliation or losing control of their narrative,” Hajee said in a statement Thursday. While voicing support for the new rules during Wednesday’s meeting, others also shared lingering questions about how the guidelines would be implemented moving forward, particularly as one of the penalties for not coming into compliance is a club losing its charter. All clubs are expected to adopt the new guidelines by May 2025. Dennis Hendricks, the vice president of communications for the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, suggested “decoupling” the new guidelines from “the chartering process so that the clubs can absorb this as a way to move this forward, separate from the punitive measure.” “The implementation is really a factor,” he added. “An ineffective implementation pushes all the rest of it kind of down the hill.” Nancy Tung, the chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, acknowledged the months of work that went into drafting the policies by the special committee, but assured those concerned that the current version was not necessarily set in stone. “This is something that I think we should treat as a living document,” Tung said. “I don't think that anyone believes that it can't be improved in some way, shape or form, as we attempt to implement it.”Innovating in an era of heightened conflict and contracting co-operationGen Z seems to have got the workplace right, artifically. With 31 per cent of them reporting a healthy relationship with work, it places them ahead of Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials. A significant factor behind this shift is Gen Z’s willingness to embrace artificial intelligence (AI). Data from HP shows that 83 per cent of Gen Z workers use AI tools at work, outpacing the 75 per cent Millennials who use it. “Gen Z, being digital natives, is super comfortable with tech and loves experimenting with new tools,” Divya Dixit, Chief Growth Officer at One Health Assist explains. Since they value productivity, AI frees them from mundane tasks, giving them more time for meaningful work, which directly boosts job satisfaction. This tech-savvy generation expects workplaces to stay ahead of the technology curve, and AI-driven roles feel “future-focused,” complementing Gen Z’s attraction to innovation and flexibility. Devroop Dhar, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Primus Partners, says, “For India’s 377 million Gen Z individuals, AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a co-pilot unlocking their potential and reshaping the way they learn, work, and innovate.” This sense of alignment between their roles and personal values fosters a strong sense of fulfillment and growth. Gen Z is highly motivated by work-life balance, purpose-driven tasks, and flexibility. “By using AI to automate repetitive tasks, they can save time and focus on creative, strategic work—factors they deeply value,” says Kamaljeet Singh, CHRO at The Sleep Company. Gururaja Yellapur, Vice President and Head of Product Engineering at Omega Healthcare, echoes this sentiment: “AI minimises time spent on mundane tasks, enabling Gen Z to concentrate on creative and impactful projects, fostering both balance and engagement.” Mili Panicker, Director of HR & People Operations at WebEngage, emphasises that Gen Z’s focus on purpose and growth is supported by AI’s role in enhancing efficiency and enabling greater career focus. Automation allows them to shift their energy toward innovative projects and collaborative efforts, increasing engagement. She notes, “AI-driven personalisation in feedback and development pathways also aligns with their desire for continuous growth, fostering a culture of engagement and retention.” As 59 per cent of workers report increased job satisfaction from AI, it’s clear that for Gen Z, AI isn’t just a tool but a catalyst for deeper engagement and job fulfilment,” she adds. Recent data shows 26 per cent of Gen Z frequently uses generative AI, compared to 22 per cent of Millennials. Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO and Co-founder of Kelp, explains: “80 per cent of Gen Z AI users believe these tools help achieve a better work-life balance by automating repetitive tasks. This allows them to reclaim mental well-being and personal time while aligning with their need for flexibility.” At Mitgo, Managing Director Neha Kulwal shares that Gen Z employees benefit significantly from AI in areas like anti-fraud and fintech, where AI reduces repetitive tasks by hundreds of hours each month. This allows Gen Z employees to focus more on creative, high-impact tasks. Kulwal explains, “AI integration in the workplace lets Gen Z concentrate on creative and significant areas of their profession, as digital natives prefer customised tools tailored to their unique working style, which boosts productivity.” Despite enthusiasm, AI brings workplace pressures. Dixit points out that while it enhances satisfaction, fears of job replacement create anxiety. The potential for automation to replace certain jobs can impact their happiness if not managed effectively. Yellapur stresses: “Clear communication and upskilling opportunities are critical to strengthening Gen Z’s confidence in AI as a career enabler rather than a threat.” Gen Z values mentorship, seeing it as a chance to innovate while honing their skills with AI. Maya Nair, Executive Director at Elixir Consulting, mentions “Gen Z employees are motivated to incorporate AI tools in tasks like documentation or reporting, ensuring efficient task completion.” By embracing AI, they can better manage their workload, remain engaged, and benefit from meaningful mentorship.
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Fernanda Galan | (TNS) The Sacramento Bee Is your Thanksgiving turkey safe to eat? As poultry farms and dairies across California continue to battle bird flu outbreaks, residents may be worried about food safety this holiday season. Related Articles Health | Political stress: Can you stay engaged without sacrificing your mental health? Health | Trump chooses controversial Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead NIH Health | Abortion bans could reverse decline in teen births, experts warn Health | Sentara plans to increase access to primary care providers: Here’s how Health | An ambulance ride in Virginia Beach could cost you: City to consider billing for service Highly pathogenic avian influenza surfaced in the United States in January 2022, the virus has been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry, according to the Fresno Bee’s previous reporting. As of Nov. 18, a total of 294 dairies in California were under quarantine due to the avian flu, state agriculture officials confirmed. More than 4 million turkeys and chickens have been killed at poultry ranches across the state in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading. Meanwhile, the bird flu virus was detected in a batch of raw milk from Raw Farm in Fresno County, the California Department of Public Health reported. The Fresno Bee talked to María Soledad, a food safety inspection service spokeswoman at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to learn more about the virus and how it affects food safety. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, highly pathogenic avian influenza — also known as bird flu or H5N1 — is a highly contagious and often deadly disease primarily found in poultry. It is “caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) and A (H7) viruses,” the agency said on its website. HPAI can spread from wild birds to domestic poultry and other animals. The virus can also infect humans in rare cases. “It is important to note that ‘highly pathogenic’ refers to severe impact in birds, not necessarily in humans,” the agency said. Unlike seasonal influenza viruses, which are typically contracted through human-to-human transmission, avian influenza viruses are spread by infected birds through saliva, mucus and feces, according to the CDC. The virus can also be present in the respiratory secretions, organs, blood, or body fluids of other infected animals — including milk. Human infections occur when the virus enters the eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled through airborne droplets, aerosol particles or dust. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face. “Illness in humans from avian influenza virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death,” the CDC said. “Consumers can safely enjoy turkey this holiday season,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wrote in an email to The Bee, noting that food safety inspectors examine turkeys for disease “before and after slaughter.” That includes your Thanksgiving bird. “The turkeys from farms with confirmed avian influenza don’t even get sent to slaughter,” Soledad said. “They are destroyed on premises.” During an avian flu outbreak, “The chance of infected poultry or eggs entering the food chain is low,” the FDA said on its website in April, “because of the rapid onset of symptoms in poultry as well as the safeguards in place, which include testing of flocks and federal inspection programs.” “When food is properly prepared and stored, the risk of consumers becoming infected with HPAI is reduced even further,” the FDA said. UC Davis professor Linda J. Harris, who focuses on microbial food safety, says you should prepare your Thanksgiving turkey using four essential steps: clean, cook, chill and separate. You can watch the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Holiday Food Safety video for tips on how to prepare a turkey the safe way, or check out the turkey recipe developed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce food-borne illness risks. According to the USDA, any traces of highly pathogenic avian influenza in your turkey are inactivated when food reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The USDA recommends following this rule anytime you’re preparing raw poultry, including chicken. On its Thanksgiving food safety website , the USDA has videos and information including calculators that help you determine the appropriate amount of time to thaw and cook your turkey. “Simply select your turkey’s weight, along with your preferred thawing and cooking methods, and you’ll immediately receive guidance on how to safely prepare your turkey this Thanksgiving!’ USDA congressional public affairs specialist Maria Machuca wrote in an email to The Bee. “There is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted to humans through properly prepared food,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on its website. Pasteurized milk and other dairy products are safe to consume and cook with, according to Hebah Ghanem, infectious disease specialist at University of California San Francisco, Fresno. “The most important thing that it has to be pasteurized, because the virus is killed with heat,” Ghanem told The Bee. “Pasteurization of milk was adopted decades ago as a basic public health measure to kill dangerous bacteria and largely eliminate the risk of getting sick,” the FDA said on its website. All egg products are pasteurized as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This means that they have been rapidly heated and held at a minimum required temperature for a specified time to destroy bacteria,” the agency said. However, eggs that are still in their shells aren’t required to be pasteurized, leading to potential health risks if eaten raw or uncooked. According to the CDC, avian flu symptoms in humans may include: California dairy workers infected with avian flu have experienced mild flu-like symptoms, The Bee previously reported. “All the cases that we have here in California are very mild,” Ghanem told the Fresno Bee in October. “They haven’t needed hospitalization.” To prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, people should avoid exposure to dead animals, Ghanem said in October. That includes wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds and cows. People should also avoid exposure to animal feces as well as fluids. Here are other tips from Ghanem: ©2024 The Sacramento Bee. Visit at sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mpaka 4-4 0-0 8, Benjamin 5-11 3-4 15, N.Krass 1-8 0-0 3, Martinez 1-2 0-0 3, Miles 1-6 2-2 4, Harrison 10-18 6-8 27, Mizell 0-0 1-4 1. Totals 22-49 12-18 61. Graham 1-1 0-0 2, Aranguren 6-14 5-8 21, Davis 0-9 5-6 5, Gadsden 2-3 1-2 6, Sanders 2-11 2-2 7, Farmer 1-3 2-2 5, Sunday 1-3 1-1 3, Robinson 2-4 0-0 6, DeCady 1-2 1-1 3, Plotnikov 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 16-50 18-24 59. Halftime_Tarleton St. 31-26. 3-Point Goals_Tarleton St. 5-10 (Benjamin 2-5, N.Krass 1-1, Martinez 1-1, Harrison 1-2, Miles 0-1), Hofstra 9-28 (Aranguren 4-10, Robinson 2-4, Gadsden 1-1, Farmer 1-2, Sanders 1-6, Davis 0-5). Fouled Out_N.Krass, Graham. Rebounds_Tarleton St. 37 (Miles 9), Hofstra 28 (Sunday 7). Assists_Tarleton St. 10 (Martinez 4), Hofstra 11 (Davis 7). Total Fouls_Tarleton St. 18, Hofstra 18. A_362 (4,000).