Benicia School Board, Benicia Unified School District, BUSD Superintendent Charles Young, Coronavirus, Covid 19, In-person learning, Vaccine

Benicia School Superintendent: Goal to begin in-person learning on March 22

Update from Superintendent Dr. Young 2/11/2021

Feb 11, 2021 | BUSD Latest News

Dr. Charles F. Young, Superintendent, Benicia Unified School District

Dear Community and Staff,

As we head into the four-day weekend, Monday being President’s Day and an opportunity to pause and reflect on the long lineage of presidents in our great country, I wanted to provide a quick update on matters related to in-person learning.

In-person Learning Review:  During the January 14 Board meeting, the Trustees voted to remain in distance learning through March 19, 2021, with the desire to return to in-person instruction, implementing the approved hybrid learning plan, on March 22, 2021, which is the first day of the 4th quarter, State rules permitting.

The good news is recent COVID-19 case rate data is showing positive signs of trending in the right direction in the three primary categories:  New COVID-19 positivity rates per day per 100k, positivity rate (7 day average) and ICU availability.

Please use the following link for detailed COVID-19 data.  Hover your cursor over Solano County for our data. https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/)

As a follow-up to the February 4th Board meeting, the Trustees asked that we explore options related to small group, in-person instruction before the implementation date of the larger hybrid plan mentioned above.  We will be discussing this item at the upcoming Board meeting on Thursday, February 18th.

Safety Plans:  Since the January 14th Board meeting, the State established a new requirement called the COVID-19 Safety Plan, which consists of a COVID-19 Prevention Program and COVID-19 Guidance Checklist.  Districts are required to submit this plan to the County Health Director for approval before heading back to K-6 grades in-person hybrid learning.  Fortunately, we worked very closely with our two unions earlier in the year and passed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU’s), which outline, in considerable detail, the required safety elements for in-person instruction.

Most, if not all, of the safety requirements are included in the MOU’s and we were able to transfer them to the COVID-19 Prevention Program which is nearing completion for submission.  Please find the COVID-19 Prevention Program linked here.  If you have any feedback or comments, please email them to Dr. Gill, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources:  kgill@beniciaunified.org.

Vaccine:  Although the COVID-19 vaccination is not required for in-person learning, the enhanced protection and sense of safety it provides, is obvious.  The main challenge, as per Dr. Matyas, the Solano County Health Director, and who presented at the last Board meeting of February 4th (recording), centers on the demand for the vaccine being greater than the supply.  We are continuing to work closely with Dr. Matyas regarding a specific date and plan for the availability and distribution of the vaccine in BUSD.

The following link will take you to the Solano County Health Department’s COVID-19 Vaccination plan.  This is a VERY useful website and provides all related information related to the vaccine and its distribution, including the following COVID-19 interest form sent to all staff last week.  https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/coronavirus_links/covid_19_vaccines.asp

Governor’s Safe Schools for All Plan:  In my last newsletter, I referenced the Governor’s plan and that it was still being negotiated in the legislature.  As of today, we do not have any clear updates regarding this plan and whether or not it will be passed.  I will provide more information as it is made available to us.

LCAP/Strategic Plan Survey:  We are beginning the process of collecting information on key goals and initiatives for our LCAP/Strategic plan.  This document plays a central role in providing clear direction for key initiatives and goals for our district.  Your input is vital to this process.  Please watch for an additional email with a link to the survey.

Thank you!
Charles Young

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

Two mass vaccination events coming up on Feb. 12 & 13 at Vallejo Fairgrounds

From an email sent by Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown.  Thanks, Monica!
COVID-19 Info & Resources
February 10, 2021

TWO ADDITIONAL MASS VACCINATION EVENTS

Solano County Public Health is again partnering with Kaiser Permanente, NorthBay Healthcare, Partnership HealthPlan of California, Medic Ambulance and Touro University California to host two large scale vaccination clinics, including 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13 in the Exposition Hall at the Solano County Fairgrounds campus in Vallejo.

4,000 VACCINATIONS AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT

Vaccinations are available by appointment only for 4,000 Solano County residents who meet the eligibility requirements. This currently includes health care workers, first responders, and Solano County residents over the age of 75.  Vaccination appointments are open to all those who are in an eligible tier, regardless of where they receive medical care.

SIGNING UP TO RECEIVE A VACCINE / SHAREABLE LINKS

Those who fall into an eligible tier may make an appointment using the links below. The person signing up for their first dose would automatically be signed up for their second dose exactly four weeks from the date of first dose.  Those without access to the internet may call 707-784-8655 for registration assistance.

ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Solano Transportation Authority/Solano Mobility also has multiple options for transportation if need be: https://www.solanomobility.org/. Folks needing transportation assistance can call the Solano Mobility Call Center 800-535-6883 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.).

OUTREACH TO ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS / COMMUNICATION PLAN

Starting this afternoon Public Health will be sending out mass communications (emails, automated phone calls, text messages) to eligible individuals who have registered using the Vaccine Interest Form, along with IHSS Care Providers, and eligible IHSS recipients (75+). We will allow those folks to have priority signing up, and at the end of today, we will start pushing the event on social media, following up with a press release and website posting tomorrow.

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Keeping Watch on Earth News, Solano County CA

Solano County COVID-19 Update: 132 new cases overnight, 81 currently hospitalized

By Roger Straw, Wednesday, February 10, 2021

COVID is still spreading and dangerous in Solano County – stay safe!

Wednesday, February 10: 132 new Solano cases overnight, no new deaths.  Since February 2020: 29,172 cases, over 850 hospitalized, 140 deaths.Compare previous report, Tuesday, February 9:Summary

[From Solano County Public Health and others, see sources below.  For a running archive of daily County updates, see my Excel ARCHIVE. 
    • CASES – Solano County reported 132 new cases overnight, a total of 29,172 cases since the outbreak started.  In the month of January, Solano added 8,495 new cases, for an average of 274 new cases per day.
    • DEATHS – the County reported no new deaths overnight, a total of 140 Solano deaths since the pandemic began.  18 Solano County COVID deaths have been reported in the first 10 days of February, and in the month of January, Solano recorded 24 coronavirus deaths.  While many other COVID stats are improving, the recent surge in deaths is no doubt the final sad result of our holiday surge.
    • ACTIVE cases – Solano reported 59 more active cases today, a total of 824 active cases.  Compare: Solano’s average number of Active Cases during October was 284, average in November was 650, in December 1,658, in January 2,185 – and TODAY we are at 824.  Better, but still, is the County equipped to contact trace so many infected persons?  My guess is we just sit back and wait for a voluntary 10 day quarantine to expire.  Who knows?  To my knowledge, Solano has offered no reports on contact tracing.
    • HOSPITALIZATIONS – (See expanding ICU capacity and ventilator availability below.)  Today, Solano reported 5 fewer currently hospitalized cases, total of 81.  The County also reported no new hospitalizations among age groups, a total of 855 hospitalized in all age groups since the pandemic began. Accuracy cannot be certain – note>>  In a Dec. 31 Fairfield Daily Republic article, reporter Todd Hanson wrote, “Since the start of the pandemic, and as of Wednesday, 9,486 residents have been hospitalized.”  This startling number is far and away above the number of residents hospitalized as indicated in the County’s count of age group hospitalizations, and not available anywhere on the County’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Asked about his source, Hanson replied that Solano Public Health “had to do a little research on my behalf.”  It would be good if the County could add Total Hospitalized to its daily Dashboard update.  [For the numbers used in my manual calculation of total hospitalizations, see age group stats below.  For COVID19-CA.GOV numbers, see BenIndy page, COVID-19 Hospitalizations Daily Update for Solano County.]
    • ICU BEDS – In late January, Solano hospitals expanded their ICU capacity [see BenIndy, Jan. 25]  Even with the expanded ICU capacity, Solano County remains in the YELLOW DANGER ZONE, reporting 28% available today, down from 30% yesterday.  The State’s COVID19-CA.GOV reports that Solano County had 14 AVAILABLE ICU BEDS as of yesterday, February 9.  (For COVID19-CA.GOV info see BenIndy page, COVID-19 Hospitalizations Daily Update for Solano County, and for REGIONAL data see COVID-19 ICU Bed Availability by REGION.)
    • VENTILATORS available – Today Solano hospitals have 62% of ventilators available, up from yesterday’s 58% but down substantially from last summer’s reports of 82-94% available.
Positive Test Rate – SOLANO TEST RATE of 10.3% – STILL HIGH, VIRUS STILL SPREADING, STAY SAFE!

Solano County reported our 7-day average positive test rate of 10.3%, up from yesterday’s 10.2%, and still above the State’s purple tier threshold of 8%.  Average percent positive test rates are among the best metrics for measuring community spread of the virus.  COMPARE: The much lower and more stable California 7-day average test rate was 4.8% today, same as yesterday.  (Note that Solano County displays past weeks and months in a 7-day test positivity line graph which also shows daily results.  However, the chart does not display an accurate number of cases for the most recent days, as there is a lag time in receiving test results.  The 7-day curve therefore also lags behind due to unknown recent test results.) 

By Age Group
  • Youth 17 and under – 23 new cases overnight, total of 3,390 cases, representing 11.6% of the 29,172 total cases.  No new hospitalizations were reported today among this age group, total of 18 since the outbreak began.  Thankfully, no deaths have ever been reported in Solano County in this age group.  But cases among Solano youth rose steadily over the summer, from 5.6% of total cases on June 8 to 11% on August 31 and has remained at over 11% since September 30.  Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11% may seem low.  The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 18 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
  • Persons 18-49 years of age – 76 new cases overnight, total of 16,116 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents 55.3% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today.  A total of 243 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 9 deaths.  Some in this group are surely at high risk, as many are providing essential services among us, and some may be ignoring public health orders.  I expect this group is a major factor in the spread of the virus.
  • Persons 50-64 years of age – 22 new cases overnight, total of 6,100 cases.  This age group represents 20.9% of the 29,172 total cases.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today, a total of 233 reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  No new deaths were reported in this age group today, a total of 23 deaths.
  • Persons 65 years or older – 11 new cases overnight, total of 3,555, representing 12.2% of Solano’s 29,172 total cases.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today, a total of 361 hospitalized since the outbreak began.  No new deaths were  reported in this age group today.  A total of 108 of our elders have died of COVID, accounting for 77% of Solano’s 140 total deaths.
City Data
  • Benicia added 1 new case overnight, total of 828 cases since the outbreak began.
  • Dixon added 3 new cases overnight, total of 1,704 cases.
  • Fairfield added 28 new cases overnight, total of 7,949 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 3 new cases overnight, total of 294 cases.
  • Suisun City added 17 new cases overnight, total of 1,982 cases.
  • Vacaville added 29 new cases overnight, total of 7,715 cases.
  • Vallejo added 51 new cases overnight, total of 8,614 cases.
  • Unincorporated areas remained steady today, total of 86 cases.
Race / Ethnicity

The County report on race / ethnicity includes case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths and Solano population statistics.  This information is discouragingly similar to national reports that indicate significantly worse outcomes among black and brown Americans.  Note that all of this data surely undercounts Latinx Americans, as there is a large group of “Multirace / Others” which likely is composed mostly of Latinx members of our communities.

  • Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 12% of cases, 12% of hospitalizations, and 17% of deaths.
  • Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 11% of cases, but 17% of hospitalizations, and 21% of deaths.
  • Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 13% of cases, 21% of hospitalizations, and 13% of deaths.
  • Multi-race / Others are 7% of Solano’s population, but account for 35% of cases, 18% of hospitalizations, and 12% of deaths.
  • White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 29% of cases, 31% of hospitalizations and 34% of deaths.
More…

The County’s Coronavirus Dashboard is full of much more information, too extensive to cover here on a daily basis.  The Benicia Independent will continue to summarize daily and highlight significant portions.  For more, check out the Dashboard at https://doitgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=055f81e9fe154da5860257e3f2489d67.

Source
Source: Solano County Coronavirus Dashboard (posted on the County website late today).  ALSO see important daily updates from the state of California at COVID19.CA.GOV, embedded here on the BenIndy at Cases and Deaths AND Hospitalizations AND ICU Beds by REGION.
Anti-government, Militia, Solano County Sheriff, Vacaville CA

Investigation: Solano Sheriff officer promoted far-right imagery

Chris Pratt’s Solano Sheriff officer brother promoted far-right imagery, investigation shows

While the ‘Jurassic Park’ star has long faced questions about privately supporting conservative politics, his older brother has been promoting extremist Three Percenter imagery for years, a new report alleges.
Actor Chris Pratt accepts the Guy of the Year award onstage during Spike TV’s Guys Choice 2015 at Sony Pictures Studios on June 6, 2015 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Spike TV)
Actor Chris Pratt accepts the Guy of the Year award onstage during Spike TV’s Guys Choice 2015 at Sony Pictures Studios on June 6, 2015 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Spike TV)

Vallejo Times-Herald, by Martha Ross, February 10, 2021

Over the years, Chris Pratt has supported his brother, Daniel “Cully” Pratt, in his efforts to promote the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, charitable groups and a side business making and selling decorative wood carvings.

But did the “Jurassic Park” star pay close attention to the way that Cully Pratt, the department’s former public information officer, used his personal social media platform and wood-carving business to seemingly promote the right-wing group, the Three Percenters?

According to an investigation by the independent news website Open Vallejo, Cully Pratt for years has promoted extremist imagery connected to the right-wing group on social media and in his wood carving.

The Three Percenters are a loose-knit coalition that, with the Oath Keepers, are part of the antigovernment militia movement whose followers express anti-government views and a willingness to defy the federal government, according to the Southern Poverty Law Project. At least one person with ties to the Three Percenters was charged in the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, where five people died, including one police officer. Other people with ties to the Three Percenters have been connected to bombings and kidnapping plots.

Open Vallejo investigative reporter Scott Morris also found that at least two other members of the Solano County Sheriff’s Office posted Three Percenter imagery on their public social media pages.

“Their friends and followers include staff at the sheriff’s office,” Open Vallejo reported. “While not all interacted with the deputies’ Three Percenter posts, (the deputies’) identity and stated views were clear.”

An Instagram post by Cully Pratt, for example, shows him displaying one of his wood carvings with the hashtag “#3percent.” This carving apparently was made for his colleague, Sgt. Roy Stockton, who was elected to the Vacaville City Council in November. Open Vallejo also said Stockton, a 15-year law enforcement veteran, has a side business selling items referencing far-right imagery, including Gadsden flags with coiled rattlesnakes, and other coiled snake figures.

As the news site reported, Cully Pratt’s gift to Stockton resembles a California flag, but instead of a bear, it features hooks to hold an AR-15 rifle above the words, “WILL NOT COMPLY.” The piece also shows 13 shotgun shells, arranged like the stars of the Betsy Ross flag and forming a circle around the Roman numeral III.

Cully Pratt’s Instagram account, where he once boasted more than 29,000 followers. is no longer available. His #3percent reference stems from the dubious historical claim that only 3 percent of American colonists fought against the British during the War of Independence, the Southern Poverty Law Center said.

Open Vallejo said that Cully Pratt did not respond to a request for comment about his Three Percenter content. Solano County spokesperson Matthew Davis declined to comment on whether anyone in the county, including in the sheriff’s office, are active members of any anti-government militia.

When reached for a comment, Stockton told Open Vallejo that he “strongly condemned the violent and racist views of these extreme right, militia, and anti-government groups.”

He also said in an email: “I believe that law enforcement officers and other public officials cannot keep their oaths to uphold the Constitution if they are associated with any extremist or anti-government groups.”

The news about Cully Pratt’s apparent affinity for far-right ideology comes after his younger brother has long faced questions about whether he privately holds conservative political views, including whether he voted for Donald Trump.

Such questions have persisted because Chris Pratt won’t comment on his politics, even as his famously political in-laws, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, expressed strong anti-Trump views.

Open Vallejo reported that the mega-movie star has promoted his older brother’s wood carving business to his 30 million Instagram followers and appears to share his brother’s fondness for patriotic imagery.

In 2017, Cully Pratt took a selfie with Chris, flashing one of the coiled snake figures sold by Stockton. Chris Pratt also appeared at a Solano County sheriff’s fundraiser — a screening of “Jurassic World” — wearing a hat with the 13 stars of the Betsy Ross flag.

In July 2019, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star drew criticism when he was photographed, walking with his wife, wearing a “Don’t Tread on Me” shirt. People said he was showcasing an image associated with groups such as the Tea Party and Second Amendment advocates, which express concern about government overreach. Others were more harsh in their criticism, accusing Pratt of wearing “a white supremacist dog whistle,”

Chris Pratt’s suspected politics and conservative religious beliefs have made him the red-hot focus of recurring debate about which movie star named Chris is Hollywood’s “worst Chris.” The debate heated up around the Nov. 3 presidential election with some of Pratt’s Marvel Cinematic Universe co-stars, including Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, rushing to defend his reputation as a “good” person who tries to stay out of politics.

As Chris Pratt has been in the hot seat, his less famous brother and others in the Solano County Sheriff’s office have largely escaped consequences for openly expressing affinity for a far-right group, Open Vallejo reported.

Instead, “they have risen in the ranks of the sheriff’s office and have been trusted with high-profile public assignments,” Open Vallejo said.

In addition to serving as the department’s office public information officer up until recently, Cully Pratt has been lauded in Solano County for his support of philanthropic causes. A glowing 2018 CBN profile said Cully Pratt was Army veteran who shares his brother’s charisma and “incredible” artistic talent for woodworking. The profile also said he worked previously as a police officer in Pittsburg and Rio Vista.

With Stockton, Cully Pratt has run the nonprofit Solano Family First Responders. Pratt also has been known for getting Bay Area law enforcement luminaries and other high-profile figures, such as as his movie star brother, to attend gala fundraisers for his favorite organizations.

In September 2018, Chris Pratt served as the auctioneer at a gala in Napa Valley to raise awareness and money for The Leaven, a Fairfield faith-based nonprofit that Cully Pratt is involved with.

As it happens, Chris Pratt’s Napa Valley getaway that September was mostly notable because of photos posted on social media that showed Katherine Schwarzenegger, who was then his girlfriend, hanging out with Cully Pratt. Fans took the get-together as a sign that the actor and Schwarzenegger were getting serious.