Snowpack Measurement will improve with recent snowstorm (Photo courtesy DWR)
Ironically, Tuesday’s meeting of the Inyo County Board of Supervisors started with Water Department head Aaron Steinwand delivering the grim news that, at best, rainfall could hit just 60-percent of normal. By Wednesday morning, the Owens Valley sat under a thick blanket of snow and it’s still coming down. This is good news, for the future.
The balance of the meeting was consumed with COVID, Governor Gavin Newsom’s lifting of the Stay-at-Home order and a reminder of what the Purple Tier looks like.
Inyo County Coronavirus Update on COVID-19
While the past weekend resulted in an additional 44 COVID cases, Marilyn Mann, director of Health and Human Services, reported that as of early Tuesday morning only five new cases had been reported. Inyo will be stuck in the most restrictive tier for at least three weeks and have a case-rate of one case a day and a positive test rate of 8-percent for two consecutive weeks to drop the next, less restrictive, tier.
As of Wednesday, Inyo County recorded 1,058 cases with 29 deaths.
Anna Scott, deputy public health director, went through the vaccination regime. Inyo is currently working on California’s 1B, Tier 1 categories: age 65 and older plus specific industries considered essential without the ability to work remotely. The County still can’t schedule vaccine clinics until the supply chain is predictable and consistent.
Covid-19 vaccinations will eventually be given at Vons Pharmacies in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes as well.
Both southern and northern Inyo hospitals are the vaccine sites with Vons prepping to administer vaccines as well.
In response to a question regarding Mono County residents heading down the Sherwin Grade to get vaccines in Inyo, Scott said Inyo residents who work in Mono have been getting shots in Mammoth Lakes. “It generally balances out,” she said.
While Scott indicated she didn’t see a big increase in vaccine deployment, later Tuesday President Joe Biden asked for all available vaccines to be immediately distributed to the States.
Inyo County Public Health Director Dr. James Richardson
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Josh Nicholson, who has indicated he will run for a District supervisor’s seat, questioned the source of Public Health Director Dr. James Richardson statistics on new strains of COVID and the rate of transmission. Richardson’s source was fairly unimpeachable: an article in the Harvard Review by an epidemiologist who was a former director of the Center for Disease Control.
Over the last few Supervisor meetings, Nicholson has maintained the COVID restrictions and masking guidelines are an infringement of his rights. [edited/correction requested: 1/28/2020]
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Why on earth would they bother? The thumbs down rating on his comments speak for themselves, as do the thumbs up in support of Dr. Richardson. Mr. Nicholson might be well advised of that saying that “It is better to keep your mouth shut and thought a fool, than to open it and prove it.”
Well, this is news to me. I would love to know when and where I “indicated” I will run for a district supervisor’s seat. I have never spoken about or even hinted at running for district supervisor.
These last board meetings I have addressed the board in regards to lack of services for Veterans and government overreach in private homes, businesses, and churches. I have not addressed the board in regards to my own personal rights.
Sierra Wave, I would kindly ask that you report in facts and truth, not opinion and conjecture. That is just adding fuel to the fire where it is not needed in our community. Thank you.
Actually, I was listening in on one BOS meeting, and you definitely advocated for your personal right to attend church without a mask, citing that you believe it’s safe, so…you may sound like your advocating for yourself personally more than you think….
I think it’s quite telling that Deb Murphy or any Sierra Wave staff haven’t responded to Josh’s comments, considering the fact that they regularly respond to comments.
Dr Richardson reported that indoor gatherings were 20 more likely to spread he virus. I don’t understand why the county continues to allow indoor church gatherings especially when many attending these services continue note to wear masks. If the goal is to allow keep business to open then why is the county allowing risky behavoir that could lead to super spreader events. If just one of these non compliant churches has an outbreak it could have consequences for many businesses that are finally allowed to open. For the good of local businesses these churches should be asked to comply fully with the guidelines including mask wearing and defering indoor gatherings until we are in the red tier