Cities are rebelling over Tulare County Board of Supervisors’ vote to advance to Stage 3 of opening the economy in defiance of the Governor’s Executive Order and the state’s Public Health Department.
Governor Newsom said in a press conference that Stage 3 is still weeks away and only for parts of the state that have control over COVID – 19. Tulare County is currently experiencing a surge in infections and deaths and is one of five counties out of 58 that does not qualify for Stage 2.
The director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services sent a letter Tuesday night to the Tulare County Supervisors saying they are at risk of losing COVID-19 disaster funding and $47 million in CARES Act funding allocated by the state.
“If Tulare County believes there is no emergency, such that it can ignore the Governor’s Executive Orders or the State Public Health Officer’s directives, the county would not be able to demonstrate that it was extraordinarily and disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. This could jeopardize its disaster funding.”
The letter also stated, “Further, disaster assistance programs prohibit a jurisdiction from receiving funding for a condition caused by its own negligence. Should Tulare County experience a surge in COVID-19 cases as a result of hasty and careless actions, the county may be ineligible for reimbursement.”
According to the Fresno Bee, “Visalia City Manager Randy Groom said in a letter on Wednesday to Cal OES that it would be ‘harsh and unreasonable’ to penalize cities for the county’s actions. He called the county supervisors’ actions ‘abrupt.’ He urged the director of Cal OES not to penalize the incorporated cities within the county.”
The City of Tulare stated that it was going to continue to “follow the recommendations of the State and the CDC and to provide its position to the citizens of Tulare on this very important health issue.”
The city issued the following statement after its city council discussed the matter at their Tuesday night meeting.
“Although the Board of Supervisors oversees the unincorporated areas of Tulare County and does provide county-wide services, their vote does not direct businesses and/or residents of the City of Tulare. The Tulare City Council strongly encourages residents to proceed with caution in acting outside of the State and Federal guidelines, understanding that local law enforcement may still enforce any State order and that even through Stage 3 of the State’s reopening plan, social distancing measures must be taken in order to be in compliance. Prior to the May 19 action of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors the County, as a whole, had not yet advanced through the first phase of Stage 2.”
The Mayor of Farmersville, Greg Gomez, said in a tweet, “I am deeply disappointed in the unilateral decision taken by our county supervisors to reopen our county through phase 3 in direct violation of our Governor’s executive order and the advise given to them by their own health officer. They did so without any input from the cities…….Caving to political pressure is not leadership. Getting into a p*ssing contest with the Governor is not leadership.”
My whole family is at risk. This cannot happen too soon. Baby steps please. Id like to be able to see my family alive. Not visit their graves.
I’m certain you’ve heard it before, but I will say it again with all due respect….please exercise your freedoms and keep your family at home if you are afraid of the risk life imposes. My family and I prefer the freedom to choose for ourselves. I do not dispute the virus, as I am aware it has its risks, however I do believe this is a battle to protect our liberties and freedoms that are being stripped from us by fear mongering.
I applaud the three Board of Supervisors that made the courageous decision to open the County. Thank you. Those of us that do not work for the school district and government need this County to open so our businesses and livelihoods can survive. Blessings.
On the day these fools decided to take this step in an illegal, improperly noticed meeting, Tulare County reported the most new cases of covid-10 ever in one day at 103.
Dear Give me Death, the problem is what you want to do can spread the virus to others. There is a belief that we do what is best for the common good. Our country has used this belief many times in its history. Take care of yourself and you take care of others who have no choice but to go out .
I live in another county and there is no way that I would ever shop in Tulare County let alone visit there.
Before you comment you need to review the facts. We have only lost a total of 71 people in the Central Valley and most of them were in convalescent homes that were forced by the Governor to accept COVID19 patients. If you are immune compromised stay home or wear a mask but this is not even close to the number of deaths that we have each year from the FLU so people need to wake up!
For those who like actual facts instead of Kellyanne Conway “alternate facts”, a typical flu season is about 40,000 deaths. Some more, some less. Covid-19 has already killed more than twice that many, even with distancing and quarantines.
The idea of Newsom forcing covid patients into convalescent homes is some real Ping Pong Pizza nuttiness.
It is not ping pong pizza nuttiness as you say. It is true that convalescence and similar care type facilities are given up to $1,000 PER DAY to accept and care for patients recovering from COVID-19. That is the LAST place someone who is recovering from this virus should go.
You are actually saying that these facilities are being paid incentive money ($1000 per day) to “take” these patients…..there is no one being “forced” to take these patients, it is by these facilities “choice” to take them.
Let the Free Market decide the businesses that stays open and who does not. If enough people feel that a business is to risky to patronize they will go out of business. There are a lot of people in the San Joaquin Valley who don’t believe in Socialism.
I love how people just forgive their civil liberties because some power hungry liberals tell us what they think is safe for us to do. Don’t fall for their scare tactics. This is all for political. Do you really think Newsom cares about you? He doesn’t. Take your rights back if your scared don’t leave your house. But don’t tell me what is essential and what I can and can’t do. Stand up people.
I will take my chances with the Covid. As Governor Gavin already put me at the most risk for being a victim of a crime because of his idiotic “Emergency Bail Rule 4” policy. Google – ” Christopher Simmons Fresno County Jail.” Make sure you read this POS rap sheet and let that sink in. This is the types we now have walking our streets thanks to the state legislature and Newsom. So keep voting for the super majority democrats, because this is the results.
I feel clarification is warranted and necessary regarding the comments made in the Visalia Times Delta where after quoting Tulare Council Member Mederos. The article stated that “Tulare has 178 of the county’s 1,552 cases”. This could lead the reader to believe that since the article is interviewing a Tulare City Council member that the City of Tulare has 178 cases. That is not the case. As confirmed with Tulare County HHSA the 178 cases are within the 93274 zip code which covers roughly 214 sq. miles and has a population of 70,000 people. The county stated that they had no way to report cases by the city of residence, only by zip code. If you look at Visalia they report three different sets of numbers based on three zip codes.
If the zip code where a person is residing is a 93274 zip code then that person is considered a Tularean regardless if living one is living in the heart of the city limits or in the outskirts of town.
All you people talking about “only 71” people died (shame on you) and most of them were from convalescent homes. A convalescent home is not only for old people! People of any age are there “convalescing” from an illness or an injury. Older people are never going to get to come outside as long as you healthy, bored people keep spreading the virus!
Well, having a beauty salon in Porterville, the Stylists were excited, but when I discovered that the State licensing could cancel license, what the devil did it gain anyone with any kind of a state mandated license. The item was on their agenda as information only, so why the sudden decision? Only they know. But there are so many disgusted member in District 5 the supervisor may only be a one term member. Haste makes waste and harms people lives.
The point is what it was the right thing to do. The State is like a mafia boss, and we should tell them we are a sanctuary city.
Tulare County Supervisors have ignored the dangers of their decision. I am very disappointed in their action.
Here’s another “inspiring” story about the brave “freedumb warriors”:
Nine cases of COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, are now linked to the May 10 service held by the Assembly of God in the Mendocino County city of Redwood Valley. The service was livestreamed to congregants and included singing, county public health officials said Friday.
Officials announced last week that three people had become infected after physically attending the service, with two of them participating. One person was hospitalized.
On Tuesday, the county launched a large-scale drive-through testing site in Redwood Valley for the purpose. Officials learned Friday morning that six more people had tested positive, all of them connected to the Assembly of God church, Doohan said.
“When we have an outbreak of such a large magnitude, it’s very concerning because we know that these individuals have had other contacts since contracting the disease,” she said.
Billy, you obviously need to stay in your room. Gavin can let you know when it is safe to come out.
Actually they seem to be more concerned about showing loyalty and support for Trump than they are about stopping the spread of the virus to those around them. They are so caught up in their support of their fearless leader that to them to wear a mask and care about the health and well being of one’s neighbors is, as Trump touts, a sign of weakness and disrespect toward him. It’s all about him and them. Sad