City of Benicia This Week
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In this edition: Holiday Closure, Solano County Moves to Purple Tier, State Issues Limited Stay at Home Order, Support Benicia Businesses During Small Business Saturday, Bucket Brigade Blood Drive Challenge, Rose Drive Tree Planting, Soltrans Token Transit App
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Message from the Interim City Manager
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November 23, 2020
Hello Everyone,
2020 seems a dubious place to be looking for what to be thankful for, however, it is in just these moments we should take time to look around at the many wonders that surround us.
Melody Beattie, a well-known author, and someone who had an incredibly difficult upbringing, said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
As difficult as it is to remain isolated from family and friends as we struggle through this resurgence, we are also fortunate to have a moment where things have slowed down around us and we can take a moment this week to think about all the wonderful people we have in our lives, our amazing community, and the bright future we are going to make for ourselves.
I’m thankful for making the choice to come to Benicia 5-1/2 years ago, and thankful that I get to work around so many wonderful community members and an amazing team of City employees. Of course, I’m thankful for my family and friends. Also, I want to take a moment to thank one special community member who seems to find something positive to say about our staff and their hard work every week. Constance Beutel, I am thankful for you!
If you are aware of anyone struggling over this holiday week, I encourage you to contact the Police Department’s Family Resource Center at 707.746.4352. There is help available.
Thank you for your interest in the City of Benicia This Week!
Erik Upson
Interim City Manager
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Benicia City Offices and Benicia Community Center will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. In addition, Alternate Friday closure will move to Wednesday, November 25.
Requests for emergency water and sewer service may be made at the Benicia Police Department at 200 East L Street or by calling 707.745.3411.
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Solano County Moves to Purple Tier
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The recent surge is the fastest increase that the State has seen since the beginning of the pandemic. In response, the State has made several changes to the tier assignment of the ‘Blueprint for a Safer Economy’ framework to expedite movement of counties into more restrictive tiers.
The state’s decision to move Solano County into the Purple Tier means that some indoor business operations and activities must close or reduce capacity. A return to the Purple Tier will adversely impact small businesses throughout Solano County, including those who have been able to provide indoor services in the Red Tier for the past several weeks after having their operations restricted over the course of the pandemic.
Effective November 17, the following businesses and activities have these restrictions:
- Gatherings: Maximum of three households
- Gyms and fitness centers: Outdoors only with modifications
- Movie theaters: Outdoors only with modifications
- Museums, zoos and aquariums: Outdoors only with modifications
- Places of worship: Outdoors only with modifications
- Restaurants: Outdoors only with modifications
- Family entertainment centers: Outdoors only with modifications
- Retail: Open indoors with a maximum of 25% occupancy
- Shopping centers: Open indoors with a maximum of 25% occupancy
Schools that have opened while the County was in the Red Tier can remain open; however, any schools that have not yet opened are no longer able to open except under the elementary school waiver.
“We urge residents to continue to be very careful about getting or spreading COVID-19, especially coming into the holidays. Maintain 6-feet distance, wear a mask, wash hands frequently, and stay home if you are sick,” said Dr. Bela Matyas, Solano County Health Officer.
CDPH also encourages everyone to consider these practices:
- Stay home if you have symptoms of illness or are high-risk
- Maintain six feet of distance or more from those not in your household
- Wear face coverings
- Practice healthy hygiene habits
- Organize small gatherings outdoors with limited number of guests
- Stay local as much as possible
- Get tested through your healthcare provider or at community testing sites if you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 or have COVID-19-like symptoms
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State Issues Limited Stay at Home Order
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In light of an unprecedented, rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across California, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced last Thursday a limited Stay at Home Order requiring generally that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 PM and 5 AM in counties in the Purple Tier. The order took effect at 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 21 and will remain in effect until 5 a.m. on December 21. This is the same as the March Stay at Home Order, but applied only between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and only in Purple Tier counties that are seeing the highest rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.
“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” said Governor Newsom. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”
This limited Stay at Home Order is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. Activities conducted during 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are often non-essential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings that have a higher likelihood of leading to reduced inhibition and reduced likelihood for adherence to safety measures like wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance.
“We know from our stay at home order this spring, which flattened the curve in California, that reducing the movement and mixing of individuals dramatically decreases COVID-19 spread, hospitalizations, and deaths,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “We may need to take more stringent actions if we are unable to flatten the curve quickly. Taking these hard, temporary actions now could help prevent future shutdowns.”
“We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge. We must be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distanced during this critical time. Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives in danger and cripple our health care system,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s acting Public Health Officer. “It is especially important that we band together to protect those most vulnerable around us as well as essential workers who are continuing their critical work amidst this next wave of widespread community transmission across the state. Together we prevented a public health crisis in the spring and together we can do it again.”
COVID-19 case rates increased by approximately 50 percent in California during the first week of November. As a result, Governor Newsom and California’s public health officials have announced a list of measures to protect Californians and the state’s health care system, which could experience an unprecedented surge if cases continue their steep climb.
On Monday, the state pulled an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy putting more than 94 percent of California’s population in the most restrictive tier. The state will reassess data continuously and move more counties back into a more restrictive tier, if necessary. California is also strengthening its face covering guidance to require individuals to wear a mask whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions.
Late last week, the state issued a travel advisory, along with Oregon and Washington, urging people entering the state or returning home from travel outside the state to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus. The travel advisory urges against non-essential out-of-state travel, asks people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourages residents to stay local.
Questions may be directed to the Governor's Press Office at 916.445.4571.
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Support Benicia Businesses During Small Business Saturday
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During the return to Purple Tier and more restrictive Shelter at Home order, it's more important than ever to support local small businesses. Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is the perfect time to support Benicia businesses and find unique gifts for the upcoming holidays.
As an added bonus, many retailers have offers special to Small Business Saturday. Benicia Main Street is offering not one, but two entries in their Holiday Shopping Spree! For every $10 spent at participating businesses, shoppers will receive two entries in the drawing for $500 in Downtown Dollars, which spend like cash at more the 60 downtown retail and restaurant locations. The drawing will be on December 4, just in time for holiday celebrating.
Remember, when you support Benicia businesses, you support Benicia families. Show them you value them. Keep them open. Keep them thriving.
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Bucket Brigade Blood Drive Challenge
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Benicia Fire Department invites you to join them in the 1st Annual Solano & Napa County Bucket Brigade Blood Drive Challenge on Tuesday & Wednesday, December 8 & 9.
Co-sponsored by Amports, Benicia Fire Department will host their 2 day challenge at the Benicia Community Center, 370 East L Street. COVID-19 antibody testing will be available to discover donors who may be able to donate convalescent plasma (CCP) in order to help patients fighting COVID-19.
If you are currently healthy, Benicia Fire Department asks you to please consider donating blood in the coming weeks. Patients rely on blood from volunteer donors to see their tomorrows. Your donation can potentially save as many as 3 lives! Make your appointment by calling 877.258.4825 or click here. Reservations are limited and filling quickly.
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On Saturday, November 14, the Benicia Tree Foundation, in cooperation with the City of Benicia Parks & Community Services Department, planted 15 trees along Rose Drive between Benicia Community Park and Jack London Park. The Benicia Tree Foundation planned and organized the event in which approximately 20 volunteers dug holes, planted trees, installed tree stakes, and added mulch around the newly planted trees.
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Soltrans Token Transit App
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To reduce surface touch points on buses, SolTrans, our local transit company, strongly recommends using cash free fare options like Clipper and the Token Transit App. And to encourage riders to use cash free fare options all Local Passes will be 50% with the Token Transit App from November 27 through December 31, 2020.
The Token Transit App can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store. 50% off does not apply to SolanoExpress passes and Paratransit. Click here to read more.
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Save the Date
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Nov 25 - City Offices closed for Alternate Friday.
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Nov 26 - City Offices and Community Center closed for holiday.
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Nov 27 - City Offices and Community Center closed for holiday.
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Modified service due to COVID-19
City Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you require entrance to City Hall offices outside of these hours, please make arrangements with staff from the department that you will be visiting.
All visitors shall be required to enter City Hall from East L street through the door located on the left (East) side of the building closest to the Post Office. Please check in with the staff person at the designated Welcome Window.
You will be required to wear a face covering over both your nose and mouth for the duration of your visit to City Hall. Please maintain 6 feet of social distancing between other visitors and staff. Do not visit City Hall if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments can always be rescheduled.
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City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!
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City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!
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