WATCH: Judge Jackson tears up, Senator Booker says ‘No one’s stealing my joy!’

Senator Cory Booker is my hero…

Check out this incredible video of Senator Booker addressing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.  She wasn’t the only one brought to tears.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson wiped away tears as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., delivered a passionate speech on how she earned her spot to become the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court.

“You are worthy. You are a great American,” he told Jackson. In lieu of asking questions, Booker later told Jackson that “I know what it’s taken for you to sit in that seat.”

As the Senate Judiciary Committee continued its Supreme Court confirmation hearings March 23, Booker also railed against GOP senators pulling out specific cases from Jackson’s past and said it would not steal his joy.

The senator referenced abolitionist Harriet Tubman and Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge in 1966, as role models in his life and who paved the way for Jackson’s historic path.

“Today, you’re my star. You are my harbinger of hope,” Booker told Jackson.

Wednesday was senators’ final day to question Jackson, who was nominated by President Joe Biden in February to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. If confirmed, she will be the first Black woman on the high court. On the final day of the hearings March 24, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear from friends and colleagues of Jackson about her temperament and approach to the law.

Solano County reporting large number of COVID hospitalizations, Benicia sees zero new cases

NOTE: The information below is not the latest.  TAP HERE for today’s latest information.

By Roger Straw, Thursday, March 24, 2022

Solano County’s Monday report: 91 new COVID infections, 46 hospitalizations and 1 new death.  Reports of hospitalizations up dramatically this week.  Fifteen deaths reported in February, seventeen so far in March.

Solano Public Health COVID dashboard, Thursday, March 24, 2022:

DEATHS:  Solano reported 1 new COVID-related death in today’s report, someone age 50-64.  Fifteen new deaths were reported in February, ALL over 65 years of age.  So far in March, 17 County residents were reported to have died with COVID.  A total of 413 Solano residents have now died of COVID or COVID-related causes over the course of the pandemic.

TRANSMISSION RATE: With today’s report, Solano dipped for the first time since July 9, 2021 into the desired MODERATE transmission rate.  Solano has seen 211 new cases in the last 7 days, just barely under the CDC’s SUBSTANTIAL rateCDC FORMULA: Based on Solano County’s population, 450 or more cases in 7 days places Solano in the CDC’s population-based definition of a HIGH transmission rate.  We need to drop below 225 cases in 7 days to show MODERATE community transmission.  Numbers between 225 and 450 are considered SUBSTANTIAL transmission.

ACTIVE CASES: Solano reported 251 ACTIVE cases today, up from 215 at last report.

CASES BY CITY – Thursday, March 24:

  • BENICIA added 0 new cases today! This was Benicia’s first report of no increase in cases since June 30, 2021. Benicia has seen a total of 3,118 cases since the outbreak began.  That’s over 11% of Benicia’s total population.  TRANSMISSION RATE: Benicia’s 7-day case count dipped into the MODERATE range last Monday and rose slightly to 15 on Thursday, but fell again this week to only 10 on Monday and only 5 today, firmly back into the highly desirable MODERATE rate of transmission.  For a city with Benicia’s population, anything over 27 cases in 7 days is considered HIGH TRANSMISSION.  14 to 27 cases is considered SUBSTANTIAL.  Below 14 is rated MODERATE. (See chart below.)

  • Dixon added 3 more cases today, total of 4,333 cases.
  • Fairfield added 33 new cases today, total of 22,606 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 2 new cases today, total of 1,189 cases.
  • Suisun City added 10 new cases today, total of 5,934 cases.
  • Vacaville added 18 new cases today, a total of 21,573 cases.
  • Vallejo added 25 new cases today, a total of 25,449 cases.
  • Unincorporated added 0 new cases today, a total of 199 cases.

TEST RATE:  Solano County’s 7-Day Percent Positive TEST RATE fell dramatically in March, and remains at only 4% today. Even at this lower rate, SOLANO DOES NOT COMPARE FAVORABLY: The CALIFORNIA 7-day % positive rate remained at only 1.7% today.  [Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracking Center] and the U.S. 7-day % positive rate remained at only 2.2%. [Source: CDC COVID Data Tracker.] 

HOSPITALIZATIONS:

CURRENT: The number of those currently hospitalized with COVID in Solano County rose today from 7 persons to 10Current hospitalizations don’t tell the whole story, though, as this number reflects both admissions and discharges.  Only from the increase in total hospitalizations (below) can we know how many new admissions have come into our hospitals as of this date.

TOTAL hospitalizations: Solano played “catch-up” in its Age Group and Race/Ethnicity charts for the second day in a row today, adding 46 new hospitalizations. These 46, on top of Monday’s addition of 35, (only some of which are new this week), give us a March total of 157 newly reported hospitalizations.  Compare: Solano reported 284 hospitalizations in January and 184 in February.   Solano’s pandemic total of hospitalizations is now 3,850(The County’s hospitalization numbers for Race/Ethnicity is less accurate, but presented here to show relative percentages.)

ICU Bed Availability in Solano County dropped today from 49% to 40%, still in the County’s GREEN safe zone .

Ventilator Availability in Solano County rose today from 67% available to 71% available, in the County’s GREEN safe zone. 


HOW DOES TODAY’S REPORT COMPARE?  See recent reports and others going back to April 20, 2020 in my ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).

Click green text above or on the image.

>The data on this page is from the Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and (as of 3/14/2022) is updated Monday and Thursday between 4 and 6pm.  On the County’s dashboard, you can hover a mouse or click on an item for more information.  Note the tabs at top for “Summary, Demographics” and “Vaccines.”  Click here to go to today’s Solano County Dashboard.

See also my BENINDY ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).  I have also archived the hundreds of full CORONAVIRUS REPORTS posted here almost daily on the Benicia Independent since April 2020.

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Benicia FINALLY gets a seat on the Air District Board

By Roger Straw, March 22, 2022

Benicia Mayor Steve Young chosen to sit on Bay Area Air District Board of Directors

Benicia Mayor Steve Young

Benicia Mayor Steve Young has been appointed as a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Board of Directors.

The appointment was made by the seven Mayors in Solano County. The seat was vacated when the current representative, Suisun City Mayor Lori Wilson, was elected to the State Assembly and resigned her position as Mayor.

Said Mayor Young “I want to thank my fellow Mayors for their support in making this appointment to the BAAQMD Board. As the only City in Solano County with an oil refinery, it is past time that the City was represented on this important regional board.”

Asked to confirm that Benicia has never had a mayoral seat on the BAAQMD Board, former Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson  recalled that some years ago, she was “appointed to the Air District Board but on a technical mistake, and had to turn badge and binder back.”  She explained that “the district had miscalculated the population numbers to qualify the county for a city representative.” Later when Solano County qualified, Patterson received “a commitment from Mayor Price of Fairfield, but Solano Supervisor Jim Spering helped Price renege on his commitment, and Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis was appointed.”  Patterson’s recollection is that Davis’ attendance on the Board was minimal. More recently, Patterson sought to be appointed again, but Mayor Lori Wilson of Suisun City was appointed.

Solano County currently has two of the 23 seats on the BAAQMD Board.  Solano’s mayoral representative is chosen by the seven mayors in the county.  The Solano County Board of Supervisors has its own representative, currently Supervisor Erin Hannigan of Vallejo District 1.

Young’s appointment will be official when sworn in by the Board at their next meeting on April 6.

Mayor Young will also be taking a seat on the Executive Committee of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Association of Bay Area Governments (MTC/ABAG).

Solano’s Monday COVID update: Deaths reported in March already exceed total reported in February

NOTE: The information below is not the latest.  TAP HERE for today’s latest information.

By Roger Straw, Monday, March 21, 2022

Solano County’s Monday report: 120 new COVID infections, 35 hospitalizations and 2 new deaths.  Fifteen deaths reported in February, sixteen already just 21 days into March.

Solano Public Health COVID dashboard, Monday, March 21, 2022:

DEATHS:  Solano reported 2 new COVID-related deaths in today’s report, one age 50-64 and one age 65+.  Fifteen new deaths were reported in February, ALL over 65 years of age.  So far in March, 16 County residents were reported to have died with COVID.  A total of 412 Solano residents have now died of COVID or COVID-related causes over the course of the pandemic.

TRANSMISSION RATE: With today’s report, Solano remained just barely in the SUBSTANTIAL transmission rate with 231 new cases in the last 7 days.  Less than 225 new cases over 7 days would move the County into the MODERATE rate for the first time since July 9, 2021.  CDC FORMULA: Based on Solano County’s population, 450 or more cases in 7 days places Solano in the CDC’s population-based definition of a HIGH transmission rate.  We would need to drop below 225 cases in 7 days to show MODERATE community transmission.

>ACTIVE CASES: Solano reported 215 ACTIVE cases today, down significantly from 306 at last report, and our lowest numbers since July 6, 2021.

CASES BY CITY – Monday, March 21:

  • BENICIA added 5 new cases today, a total of 3,118 cases since the outbreak began.  That’s over 11% of Benicia’s total population.  TRANSMISSION RATE: Benicia’s 7-day case count dipped into the MODERATE range last Monday and rose slightly to 15 on Thursday, but fell again today to only 10, back into the highly desirable MODERATE rate of transmission.  For a city with Benicia’s population, anything over 27 cases in 7 days is considered HIGH TRANSMISSION.  14 to 27 cases is considered SUBSTANTIAL.  Below 14 is rated MODERATE. (See chart below.)

  • Dixon added 8 more cases today, total of 4,330 cases.
  • Fairfield added 32 new cases today, total of 22,573 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 2 new cases today, total of 1,187 cases.
  • Suisun City added 26 new cases today, total of 5,924 cases.
  • Vacaville added 15 new cases today, a total of 21,555 cases.
  • Vallejo added 32 new cases today, a total of 25,424 cases.
  • Unincorporated added 0 new cases today, a total of 199 cases.

TEST RATE:  Solano County’s 7-Day Percent Positive TEST RATE fell dramatically in March, and remains at only 4% today. Even at this lower rate, SOLANO DOES NOT COMPARE FAVORABLY: The CALIFORNIA 7-day % positive rate remained at only 1.3% today.  [Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracking Center] and the U.S. 7-day % positive rate was up slightly today from 2.2% to 2.4%. [Source: CDC COVID Data Tracker.] 

HOSPITALIZATIONS:

CURRENT: Good news: the number of those currently hospitalized with COVID in Solano County fell today from 13 persons to only 7 personsCurrent hospitalizations don’t tell the whole story, though, as this number reflects both admissions and discharges.  Only from the increase in total hospitalizations (below) can we know how many new admissions have come into our hospitals as of this date.

TOTAL hospitalizations: Solano played “catch-up” in its Age Group and Race/Ethnicity charts today, adding 35 new hospitalizations, (only some of which are new this week), for a pandemic total of 3,804(The County’s hospitalization numbers for Race/Ethnicity is less accurate, but presented here to show relative percentages.)

ICU Bed Availability in Solano County increased slightly today from 46% to 49%, in the County’s GREEN safe zone .

Ventilator Availability in Solano County fell dramatically today from 80% available to only 67% available, but still in the County’s GREEN safe zone. 


HOW DOES TODAY’S REPORT COMPARE?  See recent reports and others going back to April 20, 2020 in my ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).

Click green text above or on the image.

>The data on this page is from the Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and (as of 3/14/2022) is updated Monday and Thursday between 4 and 6pm.  On the County’s dashboard, you can hover a mouse or click on an item for more information.  Note the tabs at top for “Summary, Demographics” and “Vaccines.”  Click here to go to today’s Solano County Dashboard.

See also my BENINDY ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).  I have also archived the hundreds of full CORONAVIRUS REPORTS posted here almost daily on the Benicia Independent since April 2020.

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