Coronavirus update: Tulare spike continues with 9 deaths; Clovis city council masks up

The central San Joaquin Valley is at an all-time high of patients who have been hospitalized by COVID-19.

Three-hundred fifty-eight people were in the hospital due to the coronavirus across the six counties on Tuesday, according to the California Department of Public Health. The previous high for the area was 326, reported on Monday.

Cases, deaths in the region

Those numbers come as the region adds an average of nearly 500 positive cases each day. A total of 17,415 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare counties since the pandemic began.

Fresno County has the largest number of actives cases at 5,389.

Mariposa County’s case count remains in double digits. The county has reported no new cases this week.

Tulare County reported nine coronavirus-related deaths in its update on Wednesday, brining its total to 148 since the pandemic began.

This follows the six coronavirus-related deaths that were reported Tuesday, split equally between Fresno and Tulare counties.

Total through midday Wednesday, 285 people have died across the six counties.

Clovis City Council: “We’ll wear the mask.”

The Clovis City Council on Wednesday, made it clear that they will wear masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The council posted the reasons on their Facebook page along with a photo of the five-member council standing side-by-side, all wearing face masks. In their message, the council said the only way to get back “to normal” includes following the advice of health experts.

Companies linked to Devin Nunes, TJ Cox took PPP loans

Two San Joaquin Valley Congress members and a former lawmaker seeking a return to elected office are affiliated with businesses that got money from the small-business lending program known as PPP, or Payment Protection Program.

The money was approved by Congress and President Donald Trump in late March in order to help businesses that struggled with the sudden economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. About 60,000 businesses received at least $150,000 each from the program.

Reps. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, and TJ Cox, D-Fresno, as well as former Rep. David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford who is challenging Cox, had businesses affiliated with them accepting loans from the PPP in April.

Neither of the congressman is involved in the day-to-day decisions of those businesses, as it is typically against congressional ethics rules for congressmen to run businesses while in office. Valadao currently works at his family farm, which took out a loan in April, but he no longer has an ownership stake in the farm.

Community colleges need more enrollment amid budget concerns

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, State Center Community College District is getting a better look at its finances after anticipating drastic cuts to funding just two months ago.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new budget, a slightly rosier version of the college’s finances was presented by Cheryl Sullivan vice-chancellor of finance and administration. But enrollment growth could still be a problem, as funding is based on student population numbers.

While Reedley College this summer saw a 6.2% jump in enrollment from summer 2019, fall isn’t looking as good, officials said.

Fresno State sports on standby

Monday was supposed to be the day sports returned to Fresno State.

The Bulldogs were to report to campus, take a coronavirus test, head into quarantine for seven days and on July 13, when allowed by the NCAA to start eight hours per week of mandatory workouts and film review, they would be ready to go.

But Fresno State as well as San Diego State and San Jose State remain in a holding pattern, waiting for the California State University and state officials to approve plans to get student-athletes back on campuses.

That reset the timeline for the university’s football season.

For two Bulldogs basketball players it continues the wait for a homecoming that has been months in the making.

The COVID-19 pandemic played large parts for Deon Stroud and Isaiah Hill when they were deciding to transfer to Fresno State – to transfer home, really. Stroud, a transfer from Texas El-Paso played his freshman and sophomore seasons in high school at San Joaquin Memorial and is the nephew of former Bulldogs star Carl Ray Harris. Hill, a Tulsa transfer, is from Bakersfield where he set a Liberty High scoring record with 1,822 points.

An athletics department source said the school is in the process of putting together and filing the needed transfer waiver requests.

Visalia restaurants can use sidewalks, parking for dining, takeout

The city of Visalia on Tuesday issued an emergency order allowing restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for dining and take out services, following new guidelines issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week.

“We want to do our part to help our local restaurants quickly adapt to the changes that have been put in place surrounding the restriction of in-door dining,” Paul Bernal, a Visalia city planner, said in news release.

“Since Tulare County is on the list of counties that can only allow takeout, delivery or outdoor dining, this ordinance will better serve our restaurants and our community.”

Restaurants can apply for temporary conditional use permits for portions of the public right of way.

The order states: “Sidewalk dining must have a minimum four-foot wide accessible path of travel for pedestrians and a minimum six-foot separation between the chairs and dining tables for social distancing.

“Up to two public parking spaces located only in front of a restaurant / eating establishment may be reserved for pick-up and take-out orders.

“Consumption of alcohol will only be allowed if the business is expressly permitted to offer such sales in the specified area, under an existing state license as issued by the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.

“Compliance with applicable public health laws is required.”

The emergency regulation takes effect immediately, but is subject to ratification by the city council, which could happen at the July 20 meeting.

This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 8:19 AM.