State: Masks to be required in indoor public places A3
Strong decides to pass up bowl game, final season B1
wednesday | December 15, 2021 | $1.00
dailyrepublic.com | Well said. Well read.
Supervisors look to ‘reboot’ Solano Family Justice Center Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — Solano County supervisors are looking for new leadership at the Family Justice Center. “I think I had my hair blown back,” Supervisor Erin Hannigan said about her reaction to a highly critical report on the center’s management structure and operations. That review was conducted by the Alliance of Hope International, a recognized leader on developing organizations and systems to address domestic violence and related issues, which found the center lacking in a number of areas. Casey Gwinn, the president hannigan and co-founder of the group, called into the meeting and told the board that the Solano center does not come close to meeting the alliance’s standards of what a family justice center is, nor does it comply with the state’s Penal Code definition. Gwinn said the alliance’s review was not an audit or even a comprehensive review, which spering he said would take months to complete. However, two experts, both with backgrounds in district attorney-run centers, observed problems with the Solano operation. “We believe this needs a fresh look in Solano County,” said Gwinn, adding later that “survivors are desperate for services in Solano County.” Gwinn tempered the comment by saying the remarks are not meant as criticism of the efforts by the center director or staff, but that a change See Reboot, Page A5
Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic file (2020)
Firefighters fight a burning house from the Lightning Complex Fire in Vacaville, Aug. 19.
Supes direct staff to bring back sales tax proposal for June ballot
Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — The Solano County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed staff to come back in February with the needed documents to place a one-eighth cent sales tax increase on the June ballot. The tax, if approved by a majority of voters, would generate an estimated $9 million to $10 million in general tax revenue that the supervisors said would go toward fire prevention and response. “We have a responsibility to bring this issue forward and let the citizens decide if this is a very important issue for them,” said Supervisor Jim Spering, who sits on the ad hoc committee with Supervisor John Vasquez that brought the recommendation to the board. The tax would have a sunset clause, recommended by the committee to be 10 to 12 years, but likely extended to 15 years on
The tax, if approved by a majority of voters, would generate an estimated $9 million to $10 million in general tax revenue that the supervisors said would go toward fire prevention and response. the suggestion from Supervisor Monica Brown. Also incorporated into the language were comments from Supervisor Erin Hannigan that at least a portion of the dollars, perhaps 5% she said, should go toward improving public access to county parks and open spaces. While Spering and Vasquez emphasized the tax would benefit every citizen in the county, if only by saving resources that would otherwise go to other needs, Hannigan suggested that would not be true in Vallejo.
“You will be asking (Vallejo residents) to pay into a sales tax they may never see the benefit from,” said Hannigan, the leading proponent for a countywide park and open space district, including a tax source to support the district. It was not immediately clear what percentage of Vallejo residents would take advantage of increased access to parks and open space. “It matters to all county residents,” said Supervisor Mitch Mashburn, whose district touches four cities. Mashburn noted that people coming in and out of the county, many who use Solano’s parks and open spaces, do represent some level of fire threat, and with a sales tax, would be contributing to the tax revenue. Hannigan said that because it would be a general tax, the funds could be used for anything, See Ballot, Page A5
J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images/TNS file
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Capitol Hill, July 20.
CDC: Omicron could dominate in the US within ‘weeks’ Tribune Content Agency WASHINGTON — Omicron is rapidly spreading and could become the predominant variant of the coronavirus in the United States “on the order of weeks” over the delta variant, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday. New CDC data released earlier Tuesday showed that omicron now makes up 3% of all sequenced cases of Covid-19 across the country, and roughly 13% in New York and New Jersey. “We’ve seen it compete pretty aggressively with the delta variant in other countries, namely the U.K. and Denmark, and we are anticipating that we will have more cases,” Walensky said in an interview with McClatchy. “It may well be able to outcompete delta. I think we’re still on the order of weeks.” “What we have seen in these other countries is a doubling time of omicron of around two days, which is really rapid doubling time. So I anticipate if the same were to hold true here that that See CDC, Page A5
Text messages renew focus on Trump’s inaction during Jan. 6 attack at Capitol The Washington Post Newly released text messages that were sent on Jan. 6 to Mark Meadows, a former chief of staff in the Trump White House, have put a renewed focus on President Donald Trump’s failure to act quickly to stop the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as it was unfolding, despite real-time pleas from lawmakers, journalists and even his eldest son. At least half a dozen people reached out during the riot to Meadows to ask – in some cases, beg – Trump to intervene, according to text messages detailed this week by Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the vice chair of the House select committee investigating the attack. The bipartisan panel is investigating the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob that tried to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral college
INDEX Arts B4 | Classifieds B7 | Comics A7, B5 | Crossword A8, B4 Obituaries A4 | Opinion B3 | Sports B1 | TV Daily A7, B5 WEATHER 51 | 49 Partly sunny, then rain likely after 2 p.m. Five-day forecast on B10.
win, a siege that resulted in five deaths and left some 140 members of law enforcement injured. On Tuesday, Cheney read aloud texts that Republican members of Congress had sent Meadows on Jan. 6 after rioters breached the Capitol. The disclosures came as the House was poised to vote to hold Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress for defying the committee’s subpoena. “It is really bad up here,” one said, according See Focus, Page A5
Dz ǥdz
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chair of the House panel probing the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, testifies before the House Rules Committee, whose chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., is at her right.
" Big Savings
Residential and Commercial Service 24/7 New location in Vacaville to better serve Vacaville, Dixon, Winters & Davis
(707) 368-4055 www.BeniciaPlumbing.com CA Lic. #329632
, 7
30% OFF
Home Accessories!
10% OFF Special Orders!
Benicia Grill II in Fairfield 6 +<, ;=09<: We are practicing ( 37 social distancing 5 6 9 *6 ;6 /, (5+ .<,:;: and sanitizing 6<9
protocol with your safety in mind.
Buy One Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner - Get One
FREE With the purchase of 2 drinks.
Up to $7.00 value. One coupon per table. Not good with any other offers or on Senior menu items. Must present coupon. Offer expires 12/31/21.
Open Mon-Thurs 7am-2pm • Fri-Sun 7am-3pm
Delivery via Doordash, Grubhub, Postmates and UberEats
(707) 428-0555 • 2390 North Texas St, Fairfield