Coronavirus updates: Another nursing home outbreak; Can state, federal aid keep farms afloat?

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavius continued to rise in the central San Joaquin Valley over the weekend, though at a slightly slower pace than the previous week, which saw large daily increases.

There were 79 new cases reported in the six-county region on Saturday, the majority coming from Tulare County. Fresno and Kings counties each saw an increase of a dozen or more new patients on Saturday. There were 39 new cases in the region on Sunday, though Fresno and Mariposa counties did not update.

By midday Monday, more than 1,700 people have tested positive for the coronavirus across the region, with Tulare County adding more than a dozen new cases to its total count and Merced and Mariposa each adding one case. The county also confirmed an outbreak at another nursing home. Sierra Valley Rehab Center in Porterville has 12 residents and one staff member with coronavirus, health officials said.

Fresno County on Monday afternoon reported 672 positive cases from 7,896 tests, with 236 recoveries. Nine people have died.

Also on Monday afternoon, Madera County reported three new positive cases for a total of 54. Two people have died and 30 have recovered.

Closed Goodwill stores overwhelmed with donations

Goodwill stores in the central San Joaquin Valley have a request that six months ago would have seemed absurd: Please don’t donate.

More accurately, please don’t dump your donations outside their stores.

The organization has 15 stores across 13 counties, all of which are closed during the coronavirus pandemic as the stores are following the governor’s orders, she said. Second hand and thrift shops are listed as non-essential businesses by both Fresno and Clovis. Goodwill has furloughed 350 employees.

But people are dropping off donations outside the stores anyway. Piles of clothing and toys have been left at store doors, which then are picked through and scattered around and costing the organization thousands of dollars in cleanup at a time when they don’t have income coming in, said Denise Ost, president and CEO of the Goodwill of the San Joaquin Valley.

“We are really getting dumped on. I understand people are cleaning house while they’re home sheltering in place,” she said. “We’re closed and we can’t staff our donation sites, so the stuff that people are leaving is getting pilfered and then turned into trash.”

Parents worry special needs students falling behind

Parents of special education students in Fresno Unified School District are worried their children are falling behind, after seven weeks of distance learning.

Parents, like Julie Rodriguez, have had to hire tutors and buy supply and say they are frustrated with the district for the lack of guidance and support they have seen from the district. About 11% of Fresno Unified’s 74,000 students are identified as special needs, according to school officials. Student participation ranges from all-day special education classes to receiving extra resources, such as speech therapy.

Since spring break ended in early April, case managers have been “reaching out to students and families at least once a week or connecting with them, (and) providing learning experiences,” according to the district.

Will billions in aid money be enough for farms?

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday a $3.6 million program to help farms and food banks stay afloat, coupled with a philanthropy pledge of $15 million. The promise came on the heels of a much larger federal aid package of $19 billion for farmers and ranchers across the country.

Yet, farmers in the central San Joaquin Valley worry that the money won’t be enough to cover the losses they have incurred as restaurants and other businesses shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen expects the problem to grow as the region approaches harvest season and restaurants and ports remain closed or barely operating. A second round of federal funding is expected, but not yet guaranteed.

The aid will help food banks stay afloat, but isn’t enough for most farmers, according to industry professionals who spoke with The Fresno Bee. Steve Linkhart, director of Farm to Family at the California Association of Food Banks, said the federal government “turned on a fire hose and they don’t know what they’re pointing it at.

Can shelter-in-place lawsuits order be successful in court?

Could the lawsuits filed against California’s shelter-in-place order by business owners in the state — and threatened by Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld — be successful in court?

Former U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger said there is “next to zero” chance.

While, opponents of the shelter order cite the Constitution, Wanger said protecting the “existence of our population” would cause the Constitution to have no precedent in the public health decisions by state governments and that the constitution grants state’s rights, which would prevent the president or the federal government from ordering nationwide orders or lifting state orders.

Furthermore, he said that higher courts have not been able to overturn public health measures.

Kings Fair canceled

The Kings Fair has been canceled, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic and community spread of the disease.

The four-day county fair was scheduled for May 28-31 in Hanford. The fair’s board of directors made the announcement in a statement on Facebook on Thursday and said they worked closely with the governor’s office, the state department of food and agriculture and the Kings County Department of Public Health to make the decision.

“Canceling our 74th annual fair is heartbreaking, but it’s the right thing to do at this time. The health and safety of the community, exhibitors and staff is our number one priority. We are working with partners, sponsors and the community to assure the best solution for every exhibitor and the hard work and commitment they have invested in their projects,” the statement reads.

The fair has a plan of action for junior livestock exhibitors that includes an online auction.

This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 8:23 AM.