Happy New Year. As we embark on 2021—after what has felt like a very long 2020—there are unknowns and challenges ahead of us, but also opportunities.

January is all about fresh starts, from taking down decorations to writing up resolutions. That's certainly true for the California State Senate, as our 2021 session starts in earnest on Monday, January 11. This year though, more than most, our fresh start begins with meeting ongoing challenges.

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Our regional watersheds are each very special, and we are fortunate to have strong local partnerships with organizations that work to protect the habitat and expand public access to natural lands throughout the 39th Senate District.

The latest good news comes from the nonprofit San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's contribution of $1.5 million, combined with a $453,200 grant from the State of California's Wildlife Conservation Board, 103 acres of preserved land has been acquired near Lake Hodges.

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Additional immediate assistance is available for small businesses, nonprofits, and arts institutions impacted by COVID-19.

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In December, California added an important new tool to its COVID-19 response toolkit—the CA Notify app. The new exposure notification app will rapidly alert people who may have been exposed to COVID-19, giving them the opportunity to get tested and avoid potentially exposing others until they are certain they have a clean bill of help. This free, confidential, and voluntary technology, developed in partnership by our own UC San Diego Health, the California Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Technology, will help slow the surge of COVID-19. Click here to add CA Notify to your phone, for free, today.

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It was my honor to participate in San Diego's virtual inauguration on December 11, 2020 to swear in my friend and former colleague, Mayor Todd Gloria. From humble beginnings to becoming the first person of color and first openly LGBTQ mayor of our fine city, Mayor Gloria is an inspiration to all who have been marginalized and overlooked. He is a beacon of hope for those who have long yearned to see themselves reflected in leadership.

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