Halloween on Covid radar as Solano numbers grow A3
Jake Shimabukuro brings new tunes to VPAT B1
sunday | October 31, 2021 | $1.50
dailyrepublic.com | Well said. Well read.
Redistricting maps will be reviewed by Supervisors Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
Katie St. Clair/Daily Republic
Members of Mariachi Trio Generacion tune their instruments for a day of celebration and music to mark the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, at the Fairfield Community Center, Saturday.
Fairfield marks Day of the Dead with festive gathering at hand K aty St. Clair
katy@dailyrepublic.com
FAIRFIELD — No stone was left unturned during the Dia de los Muertos celebration Saturday at the Fairfield Community Center as the Parks and Recreation Department went all out to honor the spirits of those who went before us. Beautiful banners and colorful posters flanked the walls to promote the Mexican Day of the Dead – now an American staple as well. Emcee Jesus “Jesse” Orfin said the United States is really where he began to see the holiday fully celebrated, despite coming here from Mexico 40 years ago. He said knew of the holiday as a child, but even in his country of origin, the celebrations have transformed into days-long, marigold-strewn fiestas to remember not only the dead but
INSIDE Drive-thru entertainment for kids at the Kroc Center. Page B3.
to celebrate the living. “It’s one of the most important days of the year, just like Christmas,” Orfin said, adding that he was “overwhelmed and excited” to serve as emcee for the event. Orfin said he first noticed the huge explosion of the holiday’s popularity while watching the James Bond film “Spectre,” which opens with a festive Dia de los Muertos scene in Mexico City. Another movie also brought a resident to fully appreciate the holiday. Linda Marsh, executive assistant to Superintendent Kris Corey, at the Fairfield-Suisun School District said the Pixar film “Coco”
enchanted her and made her want to come to the community center to share in the celebration. “I came to check it out,” she said. The center was filled with activities such as crafting and storytelling. Fairfield City Councilwoman Doriss Panduro read “Gustavo, The Shy Ghost” to a gaggle of wee gremlins, followed by more storytime with Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson, Suisun City Councilwoman Alma Hernandez, and Leo Callejas from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The main stage was host to dozens of performers from Ballet Folklorico Netzahaulcoyotl and Folklorico Juvenil, as well as Aztec-inspired dancers. Those gathered also took into See Festive, Page A9
Munchkin Masquerade takes on new feel due to Covid, but offers same fun K aty St. Clair
katy@dailyrepublic.com
FAIRFIELD — It only happens every seven years or so, but when Halloween falls on a weekend, you can be sure that everyone jumps to celebrate the fall holiday for 72 hours straight. The Jelly Belly Factory got in on the action Saturday when it hosted its annual Munchkin Masquerade. Though the event is usually a train of children proudly marching in their costumes for all to see, this year it was done a little
bit differently. “Normally we’d have a parade,” said John Jamison, vice president of retail operations. “But because of Covid, we are opening up the inside tour today.” Justin Wagner, 8, from Bay Point, dressed as a ninja and had double reason to celebrate Saturday: Halloween is his birthday. Five-year-old Kingsten Duncan also just had a birthday, not that age matters to Count Dracula, his costume. See Munchkin, Page A9
Katy St. Clair/Daily Republic
A girl dressed as a beautiful princess does a spin for Kelly the Clown during the Munchkin Masquerade at the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, Saturday.
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FAIRFIELD — The Solano County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will conduct a public hearing on three draft census redistricting maps and plans. The hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. The board meets at 9 a.m. in the first-floor chamber of the government center, 675 Texas St., in Fairfield. A closed session is scheduled after the morning session, during which the supervisors will be updated on property negotiations involving the county fairgrounds in Vallejo. “Each of the three proposed boundary maps show the suggested changes that would be made to supervisorial districts based on data from the 2020 Census and input from the community,” a statement released Thursday by the
Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — Solano County supervisors on Tuesday are scheduled to receive a presentation on establishing a civilian oversight board for the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office has come under some criticism for what at least one community group – the Black Lives Matter organization in Benicia – asserts is Sheriff Tom Ferrara’s willingness to allow white, right-wing extremists working within the department. A civil grand jury report also was critical of levels of racial bias in area law enforcement. The issue is borne out of “3 Percenters” images on social media accounts linked to three sheriff’s deputies. And while
Solano Sheriff Tom Ferrara speaks at a ribbon cutting event for the Rourk Vocational Training Center, in 2019. the images date back a number of years, the group has been identified by the FBI in recent years as a domestic terrorist militia. Supervisors Erin Hannigan and Monica Brown asked in August to have the matter brought See Sheriff’s, Page A9
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county said. Plan A “. . . reflects minimal changes to existing supervisorial district boundaries with a focus on minor adjustments between Districts 4 and 5 to close the gap in the overall population . . . and bring their populations closer to ideal population size of 89,571. This is primarily accomplished by shifting a small area of southeast Vacaville from District 5 to District 4,” according to information provided by the county. Plan B “. . . builds on Plan A and makes additional changes from ‘communities of interest’ input. It incorporates all neighborhoods in Green Valley into District 2 and Travis Air Force Base and the eastern Fairfield together into District 5. District 3 also expands to include all of Suisun City and the rural area
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