Coronavirus updates: Longtime Sun-Maid worker dies; Inequality, food insecurity exposed

Fifteen more people have died on the coronavirus in the central San Joaquin Valley, according to updates from the six counties in the region released on Wednesday and Thursday.

Tulare County reported nine deaths over the two days, while Fresno County reported four and Kings and Merced counties added one death each on Wednesday.

That was the second-highest one-day increase in deaths since the pandemic began. The six counties reported 15 deaths on May 15.

Nearly 200 people have now died from complications of the coronavirus in the Valley. The region’s first death was reported March 26.

Wednesday also saw a spike in the number of confirmed infections, with 316 new cases reported across the region. Fresno County added the most cases for the day, with 112. Tulare County added 83. Mariposa County added a single case.

Tulare County reported another 123 cases on Thursday, putting the countywide total at 3,004.

Fresno County had 2,900 cases as of Wednesday night.

There have been more than 8,600 positive cases in the Valley to date. Nearly 4,000 are considered active. More than 4,400 people have recovered

A second TulareWORKs office closed due to covid infection

For the second time in as many days, Tulare County’s Human Services Branch has closed a TulareWORKs District Office after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus.

On Wednesday, TulareWORKs closed its District Office in Visalia.

On Thursday, the county announced an employee at the Dinuba TulareWORKs and Child Welfare Services District Office had tested positive for the coronavirus. Like the Visalia office, the location has been closed for cleaning and the agency is notifying all employees who may have had potential contact.

This is the second time the Dinuba District Office location has closed due to COVID-19. On May 14, the location fully closed because another employee had tested positive. The office was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, allowing employees to return to work on June 1, following proper protocols.

With the Dinuba District Office closed, those needing services through TulareWORKs can contact the call center at 800-540-6880. Anyone needing hild Welfare Services can call 559-623-0500.

Longtime Sun-Maid employee dies

Among those who have died from the coronavirus is a longtime employee of the Sun-Maid raisin factory in Kingsburg.

Leo Diaz, 60, was a machine operator who had worked with the company for more than two decades. He was one of 14 Sun-Maid employees who tested positive for the virus. He died in mid-May according to co-workers.

Pandemic exposes Central Valley’s racial inequality, food insecurity

Months into the pandemic, those working and living in the Valley’s traditionally vulnerable communities say the coronavirus has exposed already existing gaps of inequality.

It has intensified an existing food insecurity issue, making it even tougher for families to afford healthy and nutritious meals.

Pre-COVID-19, one in four people and one in three children “struggled with hunger.” The Central California Food bank delivered food to approximately 280,000 people each month.

A comparison of April 2020 and April 2019 reveals that food distribution in the agency’s five-county service area jumped 43 percent — 38-39 percent in Fresno; 150 percent in Madera; 45 percent in Tulare; 2 percent in Kings, and 59 percent in Kern. More than 7.6 million pounds of food has been distributed since March 1. Twenty-five percent of recipients were new.

Eagle Mountain Casino delays reopening

One of the first tribal casinos to close in the central San Joaquin Valley back in March, will be the last one to reopen.

Eagle Mountain Casino, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Tulare County east of Porterville, closed its doors at 4 a.m. on March 18, after having already canceled a couple of entertainment performances that were planned for March and April. What was initially planned as a two-week closure, however, has stretched to more than three months.

The casino expects to open July 1.

Because the casino sits in the middle of Tule River tribe reservation, visitors to the casino represent a considerable potential for exposure to the virus from outside the community directly into the midst of the reservation’s residents. The reservation has also been closed to non tribe members and a shelter-in-place is in place for the residents.

Bass Lake, Huntington Lake now open

Twenty-three campgrounds and a number of picnic sites and boat launches reopened in Sierra National Forest on Thursday, including popular recreation areas around Bass Lake and Huntington Lake above Fresno.

Forest Service officials listed the now-open developed recreation sites in a news release.

Visalia high schools return to extracurricular activities July 1

Visalia Unified high schools are planning a modified return to extracurricular activities July 1.

In a news release the district said that those activities, including athletics, visual and performing arts will follow state and local health guidelines. That means limiting participation and maintaining social distancing. Students, coaches and staff will take part in daily health screenings prior to participation. Anyone with symptoms, including a temperature over 100 degrees, will not be allowed to take part.

Custodial staff will be implementing cleaning schedules within the facilities where any activity takes place.

Athletic conditioning activities are optional and will not be mandated or a prerequisite for participation in athletics.

Rural residents receive help from Fresno Transit Agency

When senior meal sites and community centers began to shut down because of the pandemic, Fresno County Rural Transit Agency shifted its service and began making deliveries.

The agency delivers almost 150 meals each weekday to residents in Selma, Kingsburg, Huron and Firebaugh who would normally be transported to those meal sites and community centers.

“We’re doing this because we have the ability and time,” the agency’s general manager said in a release.

Along the regular routes, drivers now pick up the food from schools, community centers, restaurants, grocery stores and food banks and delivers to those who are confined to their homes.

As part of that cause, the electronic vehicle company BYD has donated masks and sanitizer to the agency. The supplies were given to agency staff, including drivers, maintenance crews and dispatchers.

In addition, some of the supplies were shared with first responders in its service area.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 8:45 AM.