Coronavirus updates: Campaign tops $1 million in donations; Regional cases, deaths climb

For a second straight day, the central San Joaquin Valley reported an increase of more than 100 new cases of the coronavirus, with Fresno and Tulare counties both adding at least 50 cases each Wednesday.

The surge continued in Tulare County on Thursday. Health officials confirmed an additional 53 cases and two more deaths countywide.

The total case count in the six-county region is now 2,204. The death toll from the disease is 58 as of Thursday morning.

Wednesday was Fresno County’s second consecutive day seeing more than 50 new positive tests and comes as the number of coronavirus patients at intensive-care units in local hospitals increases. As of Tuesday, about 27 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients were sick enough to be hospitalized in intensive-care beds countywide, according to Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer. That’s just under 20% of the total ICU capacity of about 150 beds in hospitals across the county.

“Right now, they’re getting all the attention they need,” he said.

That could change if more people get seriously ill and require ventilators or other advanced life support as treatment.

GiveHelpNow tops $1 million in donations

GiveHelpNow, the one-month campaign spearheaded by Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer, concluded on Thursday. The donations topped $1 million and were presented to four local nonprofits charities that are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fresno restaurant defies city, state mandates, opens to dine-in

The Waffle Shop in northwest Fresno opened for dine-in customers Thursday, defying city and state orders mandating it do takeout orders only. The breakfast restaurant on Figarden Drive at Brawley Avenue opened at 50% capacity, after the owner announced it would do so on a Facebook group.

The restaurant had about 10 tables of customers dine in throughout the morning – not all at the same time.

Two City of Fresno employees showed up to remind restaurant’s owner that he is only allowed to do carry-out business. They give him a copy of the city’s emergency order. Businesses that violate the order first receive a visit from code enforcement, after which most businesses comply with the rules voluntarily, a city spokesman has said.

If they don’t, businesses can then be fined $1,000 for the first violation, and $5,000 and $10,000 for the second and third violations. They can also be shut down completely.

Despite the warning, “I’m still going to operate,” owner Ammar Ibrahim said. “They’ll end up giving me a fine and I’ll take the fine.”

DMV to reopen Fresno field office

The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles will reopen some 25 field offices on Friday for appointments and transactions that require an in-person visit.

That includes the Fresno office on Olive Avenue. It will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Wednesdays, when it will open at 9 a.m.

The DMV temporarily closed all public offices March 27 as a safeguard against the coronavirus. Employees at the remainder of DMV’s 170 offices will provide services through the Virtual Field Office, though the department said it plans to open these offices in phases during the coming weeks.

Customers at the open field offices will be required to wear a face covering and remain six feet apart in line. They will be allowed to wait outside the building until notified via text message that a worker is ready to see them. Entry into the building will be metered and there will be extended wait times, the department said. Those without an urgent need to go to a DMV field office should delay the visit.

Old Town Clovis Farmers Market opens Friday

Clovis’ Old Town Farmer’s Market will open as scheduled on Friday – with some restrictions.

The city’s year-round Saturday Farmer’s market closed briefly in March due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. It reopened in April with fewer vendors and safety protocols for vendors and guests.

Similarly, the Friday night market, which has run for more than 30 years, will be following rules set in place by the Centers for Disease Control, California Public Health, California Department of Food and Agriculture and Fresno County Public Health department. The market will be farmers only, in maintaining its designation as an essential business. So, no live bands or other entertainment.

Those attending are asked to leave families at home.

Will Fresno be impacted by Census count?

A month after the official Census date for 2020, response rates are lagging behind the last decade’s count, as the process has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.

About 55% of Fresno County households have responded to the Census – 3 percentage points less than the statewide response rate and more than 11 points lower than the county’s final self-response rate in 2010.

The census count plays a significant role in determining the allocation of legislative representation and drawing of district boundaries and is a key component of funding formulas for federal money that is awarded based on an area’s population. Without an accurate count, communities in Fresno and surrounding counties could miss out on a variety of funds and resources.

Shuttered processing plants cause concern for meat industry

At a news conference Wednesday, ranchers and grocers said the meat industry in California was experiencing a bottleneck in getting the meat from pastures to stores and restaurants.

While the beef supply remains stable, coronavirus infections have shuttered meatpacking plants, making it a challenge to get the product to market.

Already, some fast food chains – Wendy’s for one – have struggled to find enough ground beef for their burgers. Local grocery store shelves may be next. Customers can expect higher prices and fewer options on specific cuts of meat, like boneless steaks.

A second Fresno Amazon employee tests positive

Another employee at Fresno’s Amazon warehouse has tested positive for COVID-19, at least the second worker who has contracted the virus at the southeast Fresno facility.

In a text message to employees late Tuesday, Amazon said the employee had not been at work since May 2. The company told The Fresno Bee the employee was tested Monday and received the result Tuesday.

“We continue to follow the CDC’s guidance and will inform any co-workers who may have been in close contact with the affected individual,” the text message reads. “If someone is found to have been in close contact, we will proactively reach out to them individually to advise them of their possible exposure to COVID-19.”

DA responds to ACLU condemnation

In a statement on Wednesday, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California condemned actions by Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward and Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager for what the group called “circumventing and opposing the emergency bail schedule.”

Responding to the statement, Ward said his office has been vocal in its displeasure of the implementation of the order, which he said was a “slap in the face” of victims. He has filed motions to have bail amounts attached, in certain cases, at the judge’s discretion, which is allowed under the order.

The ACLU was “uninformed to the situation on the ground in Tulare County,” Ward said.

United Way receives Students4Giving project grant

United Way Fresno and Madera Counties is receiving a $7,000 grant, thanks to students in Fresno State’s Humanics Program.

The students are part of the Students4Giving project, which provides experience in philanthropy and leadership by allowing students to develop contacts with community benefit organizations, assess community needs, and learn how to request and evaluate funding proposals.

The grant will be awarded on Monday. The money will be used for the United Way’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which supports 2-1-1, and fellow community benefit organizations and their community members. 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find local resources and supports communities by helping to respond and ensure that people get accurate information.

And additional $13,000 in grants will be given to three other community benefit organizations: LifeLine Community Development Corporation, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center and Marjaree Mason Center.

World Central Kitchen, UFW distributes meals to farmworkers in Madera

More than 3,000 prepared meals will be distributed to farmworker families Thursday afternoon, in a partnership between the United Farm Workers and World Central Kitchen.

The meals, prepared by local restaurants, will be made available from 4-6 p.m. Thursday at the Madera Fairgrounds in a drive-through pick-up fashion.

This is the second in what organizers plans to be a regular event. People are being notified of the food distribution with help from the Cesar Chavez Foundation radio networks, La Campesina and Forge. Campesina and Forge radio stations will broadcast live in Spanish and English, respectively, from booths set up on the fairgrounds.

Local businesses donate food for CRMC workers

Employees at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno are being treated to lunch (and a bit of dessert) on Thursday, thanks to two local businesses.

Harris Ranch donated some 300 boxed lunches and had a local restaurant at hand to make ranch beans and potato salad and grill New York strip steak sandwiches. In the afternoon, Heavenly Freeze brought out the Italian Ices Food Truck to the hospital’s park area.

This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 8:28 AM.