Fresno County launches Ag Worker vaccination effort

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Health (FCDPH), in collaboration with Pappas Family Farm, recently hosted the County’s the first COVID-19 vaccination event for agricultural workers.

“Farmworkers are among our most vulnerable populations because they work in close proximity to each other and then go home, often to households with multi-generational living arrangements, reducing their abilities to social distance,” says Fresno County District 1 Board of Supervisor Brian Pacheco. “Vaccinating essential farmworkers, ensures safety to their workplaces, their homes and families, our food supply, and the vital service they perform.”

As part of an effort to efficiently deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to the 70,000 Food and Ag workers in Fresno County, the FCDPH has designed a small-scale project called the “Food & Ag Vaccination Initiative”, with the goal to vaccinate 3,000 food & Ag workers beginning the final week of January 2021. The initiative will help to exercise processes and efficiencies that will ultimately help to provide vaccines to the Valley’s most critical and underserved workforce.

This initial vaccination effort will be carried out in various facilities (including both indoor and outdoor workers). In addition, this initiative will help Fresno County streamline procedures as the county prepares for the mass vaccination of this industry and will foster implementation strategies in other sectors of the workforce.

This first vaccination event was only available for Pappas employees and saw 50 staff receive their initial vaccine dose.

Fresno County Board of Supervisors announce COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic, provide update on County vaccination efforts

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors recently held a press conference to announce the opening of a large scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Fresno Fairgrounds. The clinic is designed to deliver as many as 1,500 vaccine doses per day for those eligible in accordance with the vaccine schedule established by the State of California.

Those first to receive vaccine doses at the Fairgrounds Clinic include frontline healthcare workers and Fresno County resident aged 75 years and older. Appointments will be made available and additional groups will become eligible to receive the vaccine as the State allocates more doses for distribution in Fresno County and the supply becomes available.

Those interested in receiving a COVID-19 are asked to stay connected to Fresno County’s vaccination website for details of vaccine availability, appointments/registration, eligibility criteria, and additional information as it is updated regularly at www.fcdph.org/covid19vax.

Schedule updated 1/14/2021

State Route 41 detour in Fresno County scheduled for January 12, 2021

News release issued by Caltrans District 6, Wednesday, January 6, 2021

The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the temporary closure of State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue in Fresno County. Caltrans maintenance crews will be performing striping operations during this time.

The following closures will be in effect on Tuesday, January 12, weather permitting:

  • Northbound and southbound State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue between 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

A signed detour will be available; see attached detour map. Significant delays are expected. Please remember to allow additional time to safely arrive at your destination. Seeking alternate routes is highly suggested while these operations occur.

After the completion of this safety project, this 5-mile stretch of State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue will permanently transition to a no-passing zone. For added safety, permanent “No Passing Zone” signage will be added to this stretch of highway as well. Temporary Changeable Message Signs (CMS) will remain in the area for several days following the completion of the project to help inform motorists of these changes.

Caltrans wants to remind motorists to stay attentive and undistracted while driving and to be cognizant of workers and vehicles in maintenance work zones.

Caltrans would like to thank residents and commuters for their patience and remember to please “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

# # #

Fresno County District 2 Supervisor, Steve Brandau, named 2021 Board of Supervisors Chairman

Today the Fresno County Board of Supervisors marked their first meeting of 2021 with the designation of Board officers and the swearing in of elected officials.

District 2 Supervisor, Steve Brandau, was named Board of Supervisors Chairman through 2021, while District 1 Supervisor, Brian Pacheco, will serve as Vice Chairman. The roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman were held in 2020 by Supervisors Buddy Mendes and Brandau, respectively.

Continue reading “Fresno County District 2 Supervisor, Steve Brandau, named 2021 Board of Supervisors Chairman”

Fresno County Dept of Social Services reminds public of multiple ways to apply for and access services

In these difficult times, there may be services available that can help families get through. Many families are experiencing challenges that they never thought they would face. The Fresno County Department of Social Services (DSS) may be able to help. There are a variety of ways for Fresno County residents to apply for and access assistance and services.

Continue reading “Fresno County Dept of Social Services reminds public of multiple ways to apply for and access services”

County of Fresno Response to California’s COVID-19 Mitigation Measures

A message from:

Jean Rousseau, Fresno County Administrative Officer;

David Pomaville, Director, Fresno County Department of Public Health;

Dr. Rais Vohra, Interim Health Officer, County of Fresno

In response to the continued surge of COVID-19 cases throughout Fresno County, the State of California, and much of the country, California has again imposed strict measures to help curb the increases and protect public health and safety from this dangerous virus.

In Fresno County we are again faced with the closure of schools and businesses, continued economic hardships, and a challenged healthcare system working tirelessly to keep up with the demands of this typically taxing time of year compounded by a growing influx of COVID-19.

As the pandemic stretches on into yet another month of restrictions and health orders, it has long been exhausting. It’s emotional. It’s overwhelming, stressful, and frustrating.

Many families and teachers are struggling to navigate the uncharted waters of distance learning to deliver an education to our children. Others are challenged by the continued isolation and separation from loved ones. And while we continue our efforts to offer support and resources for our struggling business community in any way that we can, we recognize that the hardships brought by continued restrictions and closures for many are becoming too overwhelming to overcome.

The County has been hard at work all year doing our best to provide the information, tools and necessary resources to all corners of our community to help educate and provide protective measures that will help keep people safe and return our whole community to a state of normalcy.

The work and measures being taken are not arbitrary actions of an overbearing, anonymous government entity. Rather these are the thoughtful and reasoned actions of fellow community members with expertise in healthcare, science, and public safety, charged to make these difficult decisions and implement measures that can protect against threats like COVID-19.

None of these decisions are taken lightly. Stay at home orders, school closures, business closures, isolation and all that continues to accompany the response to COVID-19 is not what anyone wants, and the impacts affect everyone.

However, it’s important to realize that without these types of measures in place and in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine, the impacts of an unchecked pandemic beyond what they have already been would be tragically exponential.

Despite our personal feelings, we all share in our responsibility to maintain effective safety measures to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, our coworkers and our community from further spread of COVID-19.

If we want our kids back in school and businesses to open back up, we all need to wear masks to prevent further spread and drop our case numbers down.

If we want to get back to traditional celebrations, large family gatherings and regular church services, we all must continue to practice social distancing and virtual alternatives to prevent further outbreaks.

If we want sports and entertainment options for our kids, ourselves and our community, we all must maintain good hygiene practices to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

If we want a healthcare system and public safety workforce back to full strength, we all must stay home if we feel sick so that we stop exposing others, particularly those most vulnerable, to this devastating virus.

There is understandably some uncertainty about enforcement of this new mandate. Considering that Fresno County is more than 6,000 square miles with a population of more than 1,000,000 people, it is unrealistic to task code enforcement and public safety officials numbering in the hundreds with monitoring curfew requirements, business practices, mask usage and private family gatherings across this expanse in addition to their standard duties to protect life and safety.

However, this does not absolve us of our individual and collective responsibility to take these measures seriously and practice them for the benefit of our whole community. It will take us all working together to turn the corner on this pandemic.

In the meantime, our hospitals, critical care facilities, trauma centers, and the rest of the emergency medical care system are experiencing extraordinary burdens as a result of direct and indirect effects of this ongoing pandemic.

Make no mistake: we are at a critical, and hopefully final, stage in a war against a microscopic enemy that has substantially disrupted our lives, our traditions, and our livelihoods. We may disagree about how best to beat this virus, but we need to recognize that we are on the same team, united against a common enemy. So, let’s finish strong, Fresno County!

We must come together, act together, and work together at this critical point. Our choices now will help to determine our path moving forward and allow us to recover as quickly as possible. Working together and making safety our top priority will help get our kids back in school, open our businesses, get our economy back on track and, most importantly, help save the lives of those we love.

For more info: https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/

# # #

Fresno County Holiday Office Closures

The County of Fresno wishes you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

In observance of the upcoming holidays, please note that Fresno County offices will be closed to the public on the following dates:

  • Thanksgiving – November 26-27, 2020
  • Christmas – Friday, December 25, 2020
  • New Year’s Day – Friday, January 1, 2021

The following County offices will observe additional closures or modified hours as noted below from now through the end of the year:

Assessor

  • Closed Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 through Jan. 1, 2021

Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 through Jan 1, 2021

County Administrative Office

  • Closes at Noon, Thursday, Dec. 24
  • Closed Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 through Jan. 1, 2021

Department of Agriculture

  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Department of Public Health

  • Closes at Noon, Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31.

District Attorney

  • Closes at Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 25, and Thursday, Dec. 31
  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24,

Child Support Services

  • Closed Wednesday, Nov. 25; Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 31.

Fresno County Employees’ Retirement Association

  • Closed Wednesday, Nov 25; Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 31.

Human Resources

  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Internal Services

  • Closes at Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 25 and Thursday, Dec. 31
  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24
  • Closes at 4pm, Dec. 28-30

Probation Department

  • Closes at Noon, Nov. 24, Dec. 24 and Dec. 31

County Public Library

  • Closes 5pm, Wednesday, Nov. 25
  • Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Public Defender

  • Closes at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, Nov. 25, Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Public Works and Planning

  • Closed Thursday, Dec 24 and Thursday, Dec 31

Fresno County’s 2020-21 Secured Property Tax Bill – First Installment Delinquency Date is Thursday, December 10, 2020

Fresno County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, Oscar J. Garcia, reminds all taxpayers that the first installment of the 2020-21 Fresno County Secured Property Tax Bill will be considered delinquent, if not paid by 5:00 PM on December 10, 2020.

Continue reading “Fresno County’s 2020-21 Secured Property Tax Bill – First Installment Delinquency Date is Thursday, December 10, 2020”

Groundwater mapping helicopter to make low-level flights over areas surrounding Fresno

SkyTEM Airborne Electromagnetic System in flight (from https://skytem.com)

The following information was released by Aqua Geo Frameworks, LLC on Monday, November 18, 2020.

Beginning approximately November 23, 2020 residents of the areas surrounding west and south of Fresno – including the communities of Fowler, Kingsburg, Lemon Cove, Orange Cove, Orosi, Parlier, Piedra, Reedley, Sanger, Selma, Woodlake – may see a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame. This unique equipment is part of a project to further map groundwater aquifers and subsurface geology in the area.

Continue reading “Groundwater mapping helicopter to make low-level flights over areas surrounding Fresno”

Security Alert: Official County Ballot Drop Boxes

There have been recent reports of groups promoting unofficial ballot drop boxes that are not affiliated with Fresno County Elections. In some instances they are promoting these ballot drop boxes as “official” or “secure.” The use of unauthorized, non-official ballot drop boxes is prohibited by state law.

Voters who want to return their ballot at a drop box should only use official county drop boxes. Official ballot drop boxes are clearly recognizable, designed to meet state standards for security, and bear the official Fresno County Elections logo. Fresno County’s Official Ballot Drop Boxes look like this:

Continue reading “Security Alert: Official County Ballot Drop Boxes”