Category Archives: Benicia

Benicia, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Dixon CA, Fairfield CA, Keeping Watch on Earth News, Rio Vista CA, Solano County CA, Suisun City CA, Vacaville CA, Vallejo CA

Solano County sets single-day record for new positive COVID-19 cases, 486 reported ill today

By Roger Straw, December 24, 2020  [Sources: see below.]

Thursday, December 24: 486 new cases overnight, no new deaths.  Since Feb: 17,330 cases, more than 725 hospitalized, 95 deaths.Compare previous report, Wednesday, Dec. 23:Summary

    • Solano County reported 486 (!!) new cases overnight, A NEW SINGLE-DAY RECORD INCREASE IN POSITIVE CASES.  In just the last 14 days, Solano has seen an increase of 4,764 new cases.  We’re averaging 340 (!!) new cases every day! (source: covid19.ca.gov)  Total of 17,330 cases since the outbreak started.
    • Deaths – No new deaths reported today, a total of 95 Solano deaths since the pandemic began.
    • Active cases – Solano reported 135 more active cases today for a total of 1,555 active cases.  Solano’s average number of Active Cases during October was 284, average in November was 650 – and TODAY we are at 1,555!  Is the County equipped to contact trace so many infected persons?  Who knows?  To my knowledge, Solano has offered no reports on contact tracing.
    • Hospitalizations – CAUTION ON SOLANO HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTING: According to Solano Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas, the County “occasionally” updates Age Group hospitalizations retroactively, adding substantial numbers.  Thus, many hospitalizations are never reported as CURRENTLY hospitalized.  Today, Solano reported 4 fewer CURRENTLY hospitalized persons, total of 118.  And among the age groups, the County reported no change in hospitalization numbers, for a continuing total of 728 persons hospitalized since the outbreak began.  [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 – Solano County reported only 21% available today, up from 15% yesterday, still in the YELLOW DANGER ZONE.  COVID19-CA.GOV reported today that Solano hospitals had 12 available ICU beds as of yesterday, December 23.  (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.)
    • Testing – The County report on COVID-19 testing today showed “UNAVAILABLE.”  As of yesterday, Solano had tested a total of 159,358 unduplicated residents since the outbreak began.  35.6% of Solano County’s 447,643 residents (2019) have been tested.
Positive Test Rate – 1 IN EVERY 5 TESTED IS POSITIVE – VIRUS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE

Solano County reported our 7-day average positive test rate today at 20.9%, up from yesterday’s 18.6%, far and away over 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.  The much lower and more stable California 7-day average test rate has also been on an alarming rise lately, down from yesterday’s 12.6% to 12.1% today.  (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 – Continuing the post-Thanksgiving surge, especially in age groups 18-49 and 50-64 years
  • Youth 17 and under – 42 new cases today, total of 1,931 cases, representing 11.2% of the 17,330 total cases.  No new hospitalizations reported today among this age group, total of 17 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 plateaued at over 11% since September 30.  Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11.x% may seem low.  The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 14 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
  • Persons 18-49 years of age – 237 (!!) new cases today, total of 9,945 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents nearly 60% 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 233 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 7 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 – 142 (!!) new cases today, total of 3,552 cases.  This age group represents just over 20% of the 17,330 total cases.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today.  A total of 196 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  No new deaths in this age group today, a total of 16 deaths.
  • Persons 65 years or older – 65 (!) new cases today, total of 1,828, representing 10.9% of Solano’s 17,330 total cases.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today.  A total of 282 have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  No new deaths were reported in this age group today.  A total of 72 of our elders have died of COVID, accounting for 76% of Solano’s 95 total deaths.[sta_anchor id=”citydata” /]
City Data
  • Benicia added 9 new cases today, total of 469 cases since the outbreak began. 
  • Dixon added 19 new cases today, total of 1138 cases.
  • Fairfield added 91 (!) new cases today, total of 4,957 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 4 new cases today, total of 143 cases.
  • Suisun City added 27 new cases today, total of 1,207 cases.
  • Vacaville added 265 (!!!) new cases today, total of 4,185 cases.  Something is happening in Vacaville – stay tuned!
  • Vallejo added 71 new cases today, total of 5,170 cases.
  • Unincorporated areas remained steady today, total of 61 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 10% of cases, 12% of hospitalizations, and 18% of deaths.
  • Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 11% of cases, but 16% of hospitalizations, and 21% of deaths.
  • Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 18% of cases, 25% of hospitalizations, and 17% of deaths.
  • White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 28% of cases, 29% of hospitalizations and 32% of deaths.[sta_anchor id=”below” /]
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, around 8pm).  For a complete archive of County updates, see my Excel ARCHIVE.  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.
Benicia, NorCal Rapist, Sexual assault

Latest on Sacramento trial of Benicia man accused of being NorCal Rapist

‘NorCal Rapist’ Roy Charles Waller – trial continues with Sacramento victims testifying

KCRA3 Sacramento, By Vicki Gonzalez, November 2, 2020

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —The third week of the “NorCal Rapist” trial began with Sacramento victims testifying on Monday.

Roy Charles Waller, 60, faces 46 counts — including rape and kidnapping — for crimes committed between 1991 and 2006.

The charges involve nine women across six counties — Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano, Butte, Yolo and Sacramento.

[Warning: The testimony may be too graphic for some.]

Monday included testimony from a former UC Davis Medical Center nurse practitioner who conducted a sexual assault exam on the Davis survivor in 2000. The then 21-year-old referred to as “C. Doe” was admitted to the emergency room with pieces of duct tape on her ankles and duct tape residue on her mouth.

However, the majority of trial Monday focused on two roommates raped in Natomas in 2006 — referred to as “Y. Doe” and “K. Doe.”

“Y. Doe” began her testimony by recalling that she came home late at night and saw an unknown SUV parked in the garage next her roommate’s vehicle. When she entered the home, the suspect jumped at her and pushed her to the bedroom at gunpoint.

“’Don’t do anything stupid. I just want some money,’” Y. Doe testified. “I was really, really scared for my life.”

When she entered the bedroom, K. Doe was lying face down on the bed covered with a towel. She was duct-tapped on her eyes, mouth, wrist and ankles.

“Really afraid of him, yes,” Y. Doe testified. “I don’t want to piss him off. I just want him to take the money and go.”

Y. Doe was bound as well and carried to the closet in the bathroom, where she testified the suspect began sexually assaulting her.

“He told me he had a gun and his car was stolen. He had nothing to lose,” she testified. “I feel so violated and so scared for my life.”

Y. Doe said both she and her roommate eventually laid side-by-side on the bed and the suspect raped both of them repeatedly, going back and forth between them and the living room where he looked for items to potentially steal.

“I didn’t even want to cry because I didn’t want him to know I was suffering and get him excited,” Y. Doe testified. “At one point, he kissed my mouth over the duct tape.”

He washed both women off in separate bathtubs before putting them back on the bed and leaving.

“At one point, he mentioned, ‘Don’t call the police,’” Y. Doe testified. “He said he has been watching me for a while.”

When she broke free, she found $200, her driver’s license and ATM card stolen, as well as a picture of herself in her wallet missing. Y. Doe also believes the suspect stole her camera and took photos of her naked before leaving.

Waller, a former UC Berkeley employee living in Benicia, was arrested in September 2018. Investigators credit advancements in DNA genealogy that also led to the arrest and conviction of Joseph DeAngelo, known as the “Golden State Killer.”

Prosecutors said DNA from a drinking straw connected Waller to eight of the women. The ninth came from a surveillance photo allegedly showing Waller using the woman’s ATM card.

Prosecutors argue the assaults had a similar modus operandi. The women were tied to the bed with their eyes taped shut. The assaults would take place over the course of hours, and the suspect would caress, kiss and cuddle the bound women. He would also steal valuables, like jewelry or an ATM card, before leaving.

Waller pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces life in prison. The trial began Oct. 19 and is scheduled to last through December.

*** If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or you can chat online here. ***

#VOTE, 2020 elections, 2020 Presidential campaigns, Benicia, Benicia elections, Solano County CA, Solano County Registrar of Voters

In Benicia and Solano County new voters can REGISTER TO VOTE now or anytime, even at your polling place on Nov. 3

From “City of Benicia This Week” newsletter, October 26, 2020

Latest info from Solano County Registrar of Voters

The Solano County Registrar of Voters (ROV) is reminding residents that Tuesday, October 27 is the last day the ROV can mail ballots to voters for the November 3 General Election. Voters who have not yet received a ballot for this election should contact the ROV by or before Tuesday.

“Starting back on Monday, October 5, we’ve been busy mailing out ballots to the more than 258,000 registered voters here in Solano County,” said Tim Flanagan, Solano County Chief Information Officer and Registrar of Voters. “I want to remind everyone that after next Tuesday, October 27, all ballots must be picked up in-person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at a polling place on Election Day.”

The ROV has extended its office hours on Saturday, October 24 and Saturday, October 31 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. to give voters additional time to register to vote. Voters who are still not registered by Election Day can visit any polling location for same-day registration, giving them the option to participate in the General Election.

The ROV encourages voters to take advantage of NO-CONTACT VOTING OPTIONS by using one of 16 secure ballot boxes located throughout the County. Starting on Thursday, October 29, an additional 10 curbside ballot drop-off locations will open, allowing voters a convenient and safe way to drop off their ballots. For more information, including ballot box and curbside drop-off locations, visit the ROV website at www.SolanoCounty.com/Elections and click the “Ballot Drop-Off Sites” and Curbside Drop-Off Sites links.

Early Voting is available at the Registrar of Voter’s Office, located at the Solano County Administration Center, 675 Texas St, Suite 2600, in Fairfield.

Details on voting options, polling locations and key election dates are all available on the Registrar of Voter’s website, www.SolanoCounty.com/Elections, by email at Elections@SolanoCounty.com and by phone at 707.784.6675.

Benicia, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Marin County CA, Napa County CA, Solano County CA

Should Benicia and Solano impose fines on COVID violators like Napa and Marin?

Coronavirus: Marin County votes to impose fines on violators of public health orders

Individuals can be fined up to $500 and businesses up to $10,000 — but the goal is to be educational, not punitive
A man leaves a restaurant with a take-out order in between outdoor eating tables at City Plaza on Fourth Street in San Rafael, Calif. on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)
Mercury News, by Evan Webeck, July 22, 2020

Another North Bay county has the newfangled authority to fine anyone not wearing a mask or complying with social distancing protocols.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors approved a temporary measure to make violations of public health orders punishable by administrative fines, following in the footsteps of officials in Napa County, who put a similar measure in place last week.

The move authorizes city and county employees, as well as police officers, to cite businesses and individuals not complying with the orders, though the priority is first to intervene and educate. Depending on the severity and frequency of the violations, individuals can face fines between $25 and $500, while businesses can be fined between $250 and $10,000.

The policy suggests a “grace period” of up to 72 hours before an enforcement officer would issue a fine, but it doesn’t prevent a citation from being issued on the spot. It also does not eliminate the misdemeanor penalty that such violations were originally categorized as, but supervisors said that enforcement mechanism had rarely been used.

Officials’ goal is to move public health citations out of the lengthy legal system and allow to enforce the orders without levying a misdemeanor the heftier financial penalty that accompanies it.

“It was a pretty steep fine that police officers were reluctant to give,” County Administrator Matthew Hymel said during the virtual board meeting. “A lower-level fine, they’re more comfortable giving that out.”

In a staff report sent to the board recommending the measure, officials also emphasized Gov. Gavin Newsom’s threat to withhold federal stimulus funds — up to $26.5 million from Marin County — from counties that don’t follow the state guidelines.

The county also recently launched a new email address that residents can send complaints about businesses violating the public health orders. Supervisors said they had received about 60 responses since the tool launched last week.

The public can submit complaints to SIPViolation@MarinCounty.gov.