GOING LIVE » Nevius on what to SUPPLY STRAIN » Stores struggle to

expect during virtual NFL draft. C1 meet customers’ new demands. E1

z
WINNER OF THE 2018 PULITZER PRIZE

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 • SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA • PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM

INCREASED HUNGER » BYPRODUCT OF PANDEMIC CORONAVIRUS

Need for food aid

County
waits for

reaches historic level

antibody
virus test
Health officer says effort
will determine true
number of infected
By WILL SCHMITT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sonoma County’s health offi-

cer is looking to first responders
as part of an impending testing
strategy to gain more insight on
the true local spread of the coro-
navirus pandemic.
The plan to determine how
many people might have corona-
virus antibodies — a clear sign
of prior infection — is on hold
until Sonoma County receives
the necessary examination ma-
terials, which are called serolo-
gy tests, Dr. Sundari Mase said
Friday in a conference call with
reporters.
“The test itself has been or-
dered,” Mase said. “As soon as
we get that serology test, yes, I’m
going to come up with a plan for
testing a representative sample
of our county to see how many
people may have been infected
that we didn’t know of.”
A study of 3,300 people in San-
ta Clara County conducted this
month by Stanford University re-
searchers estimated that between
2.5% and 4.2% of residents there
PHOTOS BY BETH SCHLANKER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
had antibodies to the coronavi-
rus in their blood. That finding
Jannet Santos, from left, Rosa Lara, and Glenn Rochemont load a car with boxes Wednesday during a Redwood Empire Food Bank distribution
event in Santa Rosa. Last month, Sonoma County received close to 2,000 new applications for CalFresh benefits, formerly known as food stamps.
TURN TO ANTIBODY » PAGE A2

Businesses, nonprofits and government agencies rally to help the hungry

PANDEMIC
By AUSTIN MURPHY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Millions of
I masks sent to
t was Friday morning and Mark Weiss
was working on four hours of sleep.
He’d just finished
baking and wrapping
400 loaves of bread for
two area food pantries.
INSIDE
■ Increase in China by US
digital borrowing
His lower back hurt. His causes new shift By JULIET EILPERIN
feet were sore. On the for libraries / A3 AND JEFF STEIN
bright side, he said, “my WASHINGTON POST
arms and shoulders are ■ Nurse’s story of
going to be ripped from working in NY U.S. manufacturers shipped
rounding all this bread.” hospital, leaving millions of dollars of face masks
Weiss, the owner of family / B1 and other protective medical
Raymond’s Bakery in ■ French officials equipment to China in January
Cazadero, is beloved by brainstorm ideas and February with encourage-
locals for his generosity, to reopen country ment from the federal govern-
whether feeding the hun- safely / B7 ment, a Washington Post review
gry or lodging people in ■ Petaluma of economic data and internal
his B&B, free of charge, artists create government documents has
during floods and fires. Quarantine Clay found. The move underscores
“When there’s a need,” Club for kids / D1 the Trump administration’s fail-
he said, “I make stuff ure to recognize and prepare for
happen.”
■ Locals are the growing pandemic threat.
Ana Bermudez packs produce into her grocery bags after picking up boxes of food Wednesday
Lately, he’s been blown learning to from a Redwood Empire Food Bank distribution event at Monte Vista Apartments in Santa Rosa. In those two months, the
away by the scale of grow their own value of protective masks and
the need. Where Weiss vegetables / E1 one of Sonoma County’s food soldiers — rate — over 22 million Americans filed related items exported from
baked, on average, 50 to individuals, businesses, nonprofits and new unemployment claims in the past four the United States to China
100 loaves a week to give away before the government agencies — rallying to fight weeks, according to the U.S. Department grew more than 1,000 percent
coronavirus tanked America’s economy, the most serious health threat ushered of Labor — the need for food assistance
he’s now up to 2,000 loaves some weeks. in by the pandemic, other than COVID-19 has also reached historic, Great Depres- TURN TO MASKS » PAGE A15
“In 18 years of doing this,” he said Fri- itself. sion-level highs. That demand was on
day, “this is the most I’ve ever baked.” That’s food insecurity. With the econ-
You’ve heard of foot soldiers. Weiss is omy shedding jobs at an unprecedented
INSIDE
TURN TO HUNGER » PAGE A14

“The crisis we’re seeing right now is just the beginning. We need to gear up
ita l sub s cr
Dig ibe
t& r

50
in

s
Pr

le s!
All

zz

ew pu
-n

for the new wave of need coming our way.”

wo rd

!
les
zz
pu
rd

JENNIELYNN HOLMES, Catholic Charities chief program officer on the amount of help some residents need nli
n ec
ro
ss
wo

so
nu
Bo

25

Stay-home order transforms county

PUZZLE BOOK OF GAMES:
D BY:
SPONSORE
$ 6.00

Press Democrat home

delivery subscribers will
find an extra book of
puzzles to pass the time
in today’s newspaper.
1 MONTH IN » Region tested positive for COVID-19 in
Sonoma County but public health
avoids deadly surge, but officer Dr. Sundari Mase said she
SANTA ROSA
High 64, Low 45
not without sacrifice believed even the limited testing
data showed the virus was circu- THE WEATHER, C4
By JULIE JOHNSON lating in the community.
Two days after her March 18 Books D7 Lotto A2
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
public health order came into ef- Business E1 Nevius C1
One month ago, a half-mil- fect, a man in his 60s died from Classified E4 Obituaries B4
lion people in Sonoma County complications of the disease. One Community B8 Sonoma Life D1
were ordered to stay home, an of the earliest Sonoma County Crossword C3 Smith A3
unprecedented sacrifice to help residents hospitalized locally Forum B9 Towns T1
stem the tide of a pandemic ill- with the coronavirus, he had
ness devastating communities been cared for by nurses and doc-
across the globe.
KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT At that time, just six people had TURN TO ORDER » PAGE A11
Thomas Johnke of California Sate Parks mans a roadblock Saturday
leading to Bodega Head in Bodega Bay. INSIDE No one knows what the future holds for United States after crisis / B1 ©2020 The Press Democrat
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 A3

The North Coast

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC » PRECAUTIONS FOR VULNERABLE
State,
SR seeks to improve counties
spar over
safety for homeless inmate
Prison officials blame
Stanislaus for travel pass;
sheriff says hands tied
By WILL SCHMITT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

State prison officials acknowl-

edged Saturday that a former
state prisoner was exposed to
the coronavirus April 7 and re-
leased about a month early the
very next day, though the state
and Stanislaus County officials
disagree on who’s to blame
for allowing the man to make
his way to Mendocino Coun-
ty, where he tested positive for
COVID-19 last week.
The former inmate, a man be-
tween the ages of 19 and 34, was
one of roughly 3,500 whom Gov.
Gavin Newsom’s administration
released early to prevent the
coronavirus from spreading in
state prisons. He did not show
COVID-19 symptoms during a
pre-release screening at the Cal-
ifornia Institute for Men in Chi-
no in San Bernardino County, a
spokesperson for the California
Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation said Saturday.
Although the inmate was not
tested while at the prison, he
PHOTOS BY KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
was told to immediately report
Jeff Whitter, left, and Ron Dixon shelter in place Saturday at their encampment underneath Highway 101 between Third and Fourth streets in
Santa Rosa. Homeless individuals are using the underpass, sidewalks and parking lots to set up their camps. TURN TO INMATE » PAGE A4

Some who are older, sick have been moved into Sandman Hotel
By WILL SCHMITT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
A for services
s unsanctioned homeless camps
grow downtown, Santa Rosa will try
to steer more than two dozen people
living on the street into hotel rooms or dor-
mitories during the coronavirus pandem-
ic, creating temporary opportunities for
social distancing for a fraction of the local
unsheltered population as officials decide
whether to create some sort of managed
encampment on city property.
Homeless outreach workers in a recent
survey found 187 unsheltered people in
Santa Rosa at known encampments that
were growing in population and density,
including 26 particularly vulnerable home-
less people the city was working to place
in rooms at the Sandman Hotel, said Dave
Gouin, the city’s housing and community
services director.
The city, which owns the Samuel L. Jones
Hall homeless shelter, moved 45 people into
the Sandman Hotel on March 20 to create
more room between beds in Sam Jones, the
largest shelter in Sonoma County. Among
the two sets of relocated residents, those
chosen for motel lodging are either seniors,
have an underlying medical condition, or
People congregate Saturday around tents erected on the sidewalk at the Highway 101 underpass.
both, Gouin said.
“First, we have to get the most vulnera-
ble safe, and then make decisions on how
to create social distancing within our en-
campments,” Gouin said, referencing clus-
ters of homeless people underneath High-
way 101, near Doyle Park and along the
Prince Memorial Greenway.
SONOMA COUNTY LIBRARY
Demand
online jumps
By GUY KOVNER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County residents are
borrowing more books, maga-
zines, movies, music and comics
than ever, all without setting
foot in any of the public library
system’s 15 locations that were
closed a month ago.
The deluge of digital borrow-
ing prompted by the coronavi-
rus pandemic marks a dramatic
Santa Rosa’s homeless population was shift for the libraries, which cur-
last pegged at about 1,800 in the county’s rently hold about 668,000 books,
2019 census, and about a quarter of all CDs, DVDs and other physical
homeless individuals in the area live with assets. Library officials think
at least one chronic health problem, ac- the trend may continue after the
cording to the county. Results from this stay-home and social distancing
mandates have been lifted.
TURN TO HOMELESS » PAGE A5
TURN TO LIBRARY » PAGE A5

Their 100th, 102nd birthdays aren’t ruined by all this

H CHRIS SMITH
enny Miller, who
survived World War
II and came to despise
Adolf Hitler but was pained to
emigrate from her beloved Ger-
many, just days ago marked her
100th birthday while standing
in isolation on a second-floor
apartment patio in Petaluma.
A few miles away and two
days later, Betty Greenway of
southern Sonoma County’s
historically prominent Behrens
family turned 102 in the com-
pany of a few family members
from whom she stood prophy-
lactically separated by a steel
road gate.
You’d have thought from
their reactions that both cente-
narians were the guests of hon-
or of birthday galas reserved
for queens.
HENNY SMILED sweetly on
Tuesday as nine Kaiser Perma-
nente staffers in bright yellow
face masks cheered her and
displayed congratulatory signs
and balloons below her assist-
ed-living unit at Petaluma’s
Valley Orchards retirement
complex.
“Oh, it was fantastic, wonder-
ful,” Henny marveled.
The visiting Kaiser crew,
which included her eye doc,
James Carolan, sang to her and
left for safe delivery to her room
a couple of her favorite things:
bubbly and chocolates.
Janice Cullen, an ophthal-
mology tech at the Kaiser
medical center on Lakeville
Highway, explained how the
birthday surprise at Henny’s
place came to be.
Henny functions quite well
despite dealing with the eye
disorder macular degeneration,
for which she receives JAMES CAROLAN
Henny Miller reacts Tuesday to the birthday surprise pulled off outside
TURN TO SMITH » PAGE A4 her Petaluma assisted-care apartment by Kaiser Permanente staffers.

SEEKING VOLUNTEER MEDICAL - Today’s nonprofit is sponsored by -

Expanded counseling
services are now available.
For information regarding
current JCFC services,
please call and leave a
message at 585-7780 and
we will call you back.
Our website will
PROVIDERS AND NURSES
“The clinic lifts me up. It’s such a wonderful
opportunity to give. I feel lighter every time I
drive home after an afternoon or evening clinic!”
--JCFC Provider
The JCFC provides completely free
medical care and social services to anyone
in need, regardless of religion, always in
an atmosphere of respect and compassion.
TE COM
RA A proud Celebrate
MU

50 Montgomery Drive
C E LE B

Community Partner
N ITY

continue to include
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
general service updates. Call us at 707-585-7780 AR
TN E R S HI
P

www.jewishfreeclinic.org
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 NORTH COAST A5

HOMELESS
CONTINUED FROM A3
year’s survey, delayed until Feb-
ruary due to the encampment on
the Joe Rodota Trail, have not yet
been released.
More moves to improve social
distancing among the homeless
may be forthcoming, Gouin said.
The options include a temporary
shelter site on a city-owned site,
akin to the no-frills encampment
established recently on the top of
a parking garage in Las Vegas.
“It’s all about creating social
distancing among the homeless
population,” Gouin said.
Gouin and a city spokeswom-
an, Adriane Mertens, declined to
say which specific sites were be-
ing considered, how quickly the
city would move on a plan, what
the capacity of a facility might
be, or how much it would cost.
“The city is currently assessing
the vulnerability of unsheltered
individuals and developing strat-
egies with our other government
partners to mitigate the trans-
mission of COVID-19 in our com-
munity,” Mertens said in a state- PHOTOS BY KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
ment. “This includes evaluating Homeless individuals have been setting up camps beneath Highway 101, on sidewalks and in parking lots between downtown and Railroad Square in
locations that will address social Santa Rosa. City officials and homeless advocates are seeking options to improve social distancing among the population.
distancing requirements. ... Also,
costs are being developed for a to be open for up to three to four bound by a federal injunction
safe social distance program.” months, was erected quickly af- that limits enforcement action
Santa Rosa decided in mid- ter a person in a homeless shel- against illegal encampments.
March not to break up existing ter in the region tested positive Local authorities went ahead
encampments, as the Centers for COVID-19, shutting down the and cleared a historically large
For Disease Control and Preven- shelter, the Sun reported. encampment along the Joe Rodo-
tion has warned that rousting To date, Catholic Charities ta Trail in west Santa Rosa ear-
illegal campsites might further of Santa Rosa, which runs Sam lier this year — a close-quarters
spread COVID-19. Sonoma Coun- Jones, has not reported any linear village that would have
ty’s shelter-in-place order — set cases of COVID-19 among shel- provided the coronavirus with
to run through May 3 — absolves ter residents, said Jennielynn ample opportunity to quickly
homeless people of the require- Holmes, chief program officer spread from campsite to camp-
ment to stay at home and allows for the religious nonprofit. Sam site.
for other homelessness-related Jones’ occupancy has hovered While the city has refrained
projects and facilities to remain near its new, smaller capacity of from strict enforcement during
active. It also prescribes 12- roughly 180 beds in recent days, the shelter-in-place order, offi-
foot-by-12-foot sleeping spaces she said. cers’ hands aren’t totally tied.
for homeless individuals and The temporary relocation of Officers recently issued written
says that “government agencies shelter residents to the Sand- warnings for occupants of cars
should provide restroom and Edward Montez, who grew up in Santa Rosa, passes the time while social man Hotel is set to expire at the parked illegally on Doyle Park
hand-washing facilities for such distancing Saturday on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa, as he attempts to end of the month unless the city Drive, the road leading up to the
individuals” per CDC guidelines. figure out a place to set up camp for the night. decides to extend or expand the city park of the same name. The
Any temporary managed en- initiative, Gouin said. forested, creekside park is a com-
campment would need to adhere known to congregate. to just 20 additional people since By May, Sonoma State Univer- mon gathering place for people
to the 12-by-12 guideline, which County officials, meanwhile, the local shutdown went into ef- sity, where a gymnasium and without permanent addresses.
would necessarily limit how have yet to place people in the 10 fect March 18. campus housing are being trans- Now many are parked outside
many people it could hold, Gouin trailers received from the state In Las Vegas, city and county formed to serve as patient care the closed gate.
said. in late February. After floating officials opened a tented shelter and coronavirus isolation spots, “We’re still not moving home-
Sonoma County already set a plan to procure up to 450 hotel for 500 homeless people on the could take the 71 relocated home- less encampments,” Sgt. Chris
up dozens of restrooms and rooms for homeless people, the top deck of a parking garage, less people, Gouin said. Mahurin said.
hand-washing stations across county pivoted this month and staffed by medical students and “Ideally, we’ll be able to move
the county, mostly in Santa put most of that money to out- volunteers, at a cost of roughly them before the end of the You can reach Staff Writer Will
Rosa and Petaluma, at plac- reach and sanitation services. By $8.8 million, the Las Vegas Sun month,” he said. Schmitt at 707-521-5207 or will.
es where homeless people are Tuesday, it had provided shelter reported. The site, which is set The city and county remain schmitt@pressdemocrat.com.

“A lot of people are seeing Exchange Bank Presents: At-Home Activities

how easy it is — and they
will keep doing it.”
ANN HAMMOND, Sonoma County Library director. Help the thumb get to
LIBRARY the New York Times, all at
no cost with a library card,
which is also free.
the Exchange Bank
Mobile App and start
CONTINUED FROM A3 “We don’t see this shift
as temporary,” Hammond
“A lot of people are see- said.

banking from home!

ing how easy it is — and The library system re-
they will keep doing it,” vamped its website to open
said Ann Hammond, the with a page that says “Your
Sonoma County Library library at home,” with il-
director. lustrated links to resourc-
The libraries, without foot es including ebooks, pe-
traffic or librarians on duty, riodicals, entertainment,
are “in some ways busier online learning, youth con-
than ever,” she said. Circu- tent and an “ask a librari-
lation of ebooks and other an” feature. The site is at
online materials “has gone sonomalibrary.org.
off the charts,” she said. Since some households
OverDrive, a lack reliable in-
popular way to ternet access, the
check out elec- branch libraries
tronic books and all have free high-
audiobooks, had a speed Wi-Fi on
356% increase in during the shut-
website page views down that can
in the 23 days from often be accessed
March 17 to April from outside the
8. The library’s Ann building.
Hoopla platform, Hammond None of it, how-
which offers Director of ever, takes the
books, films, TV, Sonoma County place of a clean,
music, comics and Library well-lit location to
more, had a 786% read, with story
uptick in the same period. times for children and oth-
The system’s biggest er programs and “just be-
bulge came from RBDigi- ing with friends and neigh-
tal, which provides access bors in a happy gathering
to thousands of current place,” Hammond said.
and back issues of mag- When the pandemic lim-
azines, with a 2,434% in- its are lifted, people may
crease in page views. still be wary of entering
Prior to the shutdown, closed spaces, especially
digital and physical library with children, she said.
activity was nearly equal. Libraries are considering
Patrons checked out changes, such as removing
2.9 million books and oth- every other computer to
er physical items during create space between users,
the year ending in June, limiting the number of chil-
while the library recorded dren attending story time
2.4 million website visits and setting appointments
and nearly 830,000 elec- for reference services.
tronic uses of materials. “It’s comforting to peo-
Since March 17, the li- ple to know we are looking
braries have recorded out for their health,” Ham-
95,509 digital checkouts, mond said. Download the Exchange Bank mobile app
amounting to more than The Sonoma County to navigate your finances from home.
3,100 a day, said Ray Holley, Library is a tax-support-
a library spokesman. ed public agency with 186
Library patrons are full-time employees and an
learning languages with annual budget of about $36
Mango, improving soft- million. Download or update our app on the iTunes App Store or Google Play.
ware skills with Lynda,
evaluating products with You can reach Staff Writer
Consumer Reports, re- Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457
searching auto repairs or guy.kovner@pressdemo-
with Chilton and reading crat.com.
A10 THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020

CORONAVIRUS » Deserted plazas, shuttered shops are a sign of the times

County at standstill
PHOTOS BY KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

LOOKING TO BRIGHT SIDE: The Sonoma Plaza is nearly empty Tuesday. The marquee of the Sebastian Theatre has also been shut off during the statewide shelter-in-place orders.

SLOWING SPREAD OF COVID-19: Daysi’s Barber & Beauty Salon in Roseland is closed Saturday. Nonessential businesses like salons and bars are closed because of the coronavirus.

ABSOLUTELY QUIET: In what would normally be a busy time on Lakeport’s Main Street, the road is devoid of traffic Friday and decked out in blue lights for first responders.

SIGN OF POSITIVITY: A banner hangs along Bodega Highway on Saturday in Sebastopol. COLORFUL DECOR: Chairs have been left out Saturday at the closed Bodega Harbor Inn in Bodega Bay.
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020
ORDER
CONTINUED FROM A1
tors with Sutter Santa Ro-
sa’s intensive care unit who
tried but could not save him
from an entirely new illness.
Sonoma County Board
of Supervisors Chairwom-
an Susan Gorin recalled
the sense of alarm for the
well-being of the entire
county. Even one death
here signaled the county
could be at risk for experi-
encing the kind of devasta-
tion that had caused China
and Italy to totally shut
down.
Four weeks in and with
increasingly restrictive or-
ders — parks closed to the
public, school campuses
shut for the remainder of
the year and masks required
for all in public — the strate-
gy seems to have limited the
coronavirus’s spread, albeit
with serious costs.
“We recognize now one
month in, the economic
impacts are resting heavily
on those in our communi-
ty who can least afford it,”
Gorin said.
Despite clear warning of
the serious nature of the
disease that emerged out
of China in December, the
United States had failed
to prepare for the type of
widespread testing that
might have allowed for ear-
ly detection and prevention
measures.
Locking down society
and arresting commerce
were measures of last re-
sort to buy time for officials
to prepare for a surge of
people seriously sick from
the respiratory disease that
experts warned could over-
whelm hospitals.
Sonoma County received
its first local testing kits
for COVID-19 on March 6
and since then a network of
public and commercial labs
have run 4,200 tests for the
disease — with 96% coming
up negative.
On March 16, about
7 million Bay Area resi-
dents were ordered to shel-
ter at home. Sonoma Coun-
ty Public Health Officer Dr.
Sundari Mase issued a sim-
ilar isolation order effective
12:01 a.m. March 18. Gov.
Gavin Newsom followed the
next day with a statewide
order.
On Friday, Newsom
acknowledged the state
had entered a “pandemic-
induced recession.” Mase
and other health officers
across the San Francisco
Bay Area are now looking
for ways to lessen the eco-
nomic blow in phases. They
might start by gradually
opening the door for people
to enjoy parks and for some
businesses to reopen with
new measures in place to
ensure physical distance
between people.
But Mase and other pub-
lic health experts warn they
may be forced to yank back
the leash if the number of
infections deviate from a
consistent downward path.
“We’ve never done this
before,” Mase said.
This massive community
sacrifice appears to have
had an unexpected “expo-
nential” impact decreasing
the virus’s spread, she said.
That first week of the
public health order, Sono-
ma Valley nonprofit La Luz
Center gave out $16,000 in
rental assistance to fami-
lies, mostly undocumented
immigrants, said family
services advocate Maria
Calvillo Moncada. Since
then, it has fielded 40 to
50 applications for help
each week and given out
about $90,000 in rental as-
sistance to local families.
Calvillo Moncada has
hourlong phone appoint-
ments with five to seven
clients each day, which she
fits between home-school
help for her two children,
ages 10 and 16.
“Oh my goodness, this is
overwhelming and stress-
ful, but doable and hope-
ful,” Moncada said.
Our high-risk area
Santa Rosa infectious
disease specialist Dr. Gary
Green described the po-
tential for an outbreak in
Sonoma County, which has
a sizable older population,
as having “a brush fire with
weeds really high.” About 1
in 5 residents in the county
is over the age of 65, a pop-
ulation group at higher risk
for severe illness, according
to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Earlier this year as Green
pored over epidemiological
models coming out of Chi-
A11
PHOTOS BY KENT PORTER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Highway 101 at Shiloh Road in Windsor has no traffic on Thursday. On March 16, about 7 million Bay Area residents were ordered to shelter at home.
Sonoma County Public Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase issued a similar isolation order effective 12:01 a.m. on March 18.
“I used to get her family and the commu-
nity because of her rela-
overwhelmed tively youthful age, 43, and
the fact that her family has
with balancing said she lacked underlying
health conditions, such as
my personal asthma, that might have
explained the ferocious
life and my hold of the disease.
Armer was unexpected-
work life. This ly hospitalized on a day in
late March when she went
is 10 times to the hospital to get a test
for COVID-19, after having
harder trying been denied testing twice,
according to her family.
to balance it all The doctors were alarmed
in one place.” by the dangerously low lev-
els of oxygen in her blood-
AMY ENG, mother of two stream, her sister said.
Someone walks past an empty store Thursday in The Healdsburg Plaza shopping district. and sixth-grade teacher at Her loss is deeply per-
Roseland Elementary School sonal while also part of
na, he began to develop a mated 43% of residents tirely new level of ob- a worldwide tragedy, one
picture that Sonoma Coun- have a high risk of losing ligation. She plans her who retired last year as a that has prevented those
ty could be in for a three- their jobs if the pandemic video classes around her 12- lieutenant with the Sono- who loved her from gath-
month event should the causes persistent and se- year-old son’s schoolwork ma County Sheriff’s Office ering, even in casual mo-
coronavirus cross the globe. vere economic shutdown, and must ensure her 5-year- and continued to work ments at work, and griev-
But the public health di- according to Los Angeles- old daughter gets to play part time as a bailiff at ing together, said Armer’s
rectives have been highly based nonprofit Economic outside and release ener- Sonoma County Superior longtime colleague and
effective, Green said. He Roundtable. gy before mom needs her Court, was hospitalized for friend, Stephen Bussell,
credits the experiences that It’s the mom-and-pop- to play quietly inside — or 20 days in March. It was a president of the Santa Rosa
Sonoma County residents style businesses that create with her husband when true fight for his life from Police Officers Association.
have had while withstand- the character of a city, at- he’s home from work. some of the most serious Armer was a bridesmaid
ing disasters, which have tracting residents and visi- Simple things fall away, effects of the respiratory when Bussell married his
contributed to the increas- tors alike, and have the most like regular showers and disease. He is now recover- wife in 2005.
ingly positive outlook. to lose in this crisis, said remembering there’s pizza ing at home. “We haven’t been able to
“Being in a semi-ru- Raissa de la Rosa, economic in the oven. The deaths, while small come together as our fami-
ral community that has development manager with “I used to get over- in number on the North ly, as our coworkers, to talk
been through two fires, I the city of Santa Rosa. whelmed with balancing Coast, are massive in im- about things and grieve
think our community is The shutdown has forced my personal life and my pact. normally,” Bussell said.
not so rattled,” Green said. innovation. Smaller busi- work life,” Eng said. “This Longtime Guerneville She is among at least
“That’s why I think we’re nesses are creating an on- is 10 times harder trying to resort owner and commu- 10 law enforcement per-
going to weather it well.” line presence for the first balance it all in one place.” nity leader Alby Kass, 89, sonnel and staff in Sono-
Still, Green, who among time, clothing retailers are died March 31 while conva- ma County to contract the
several roles serves as medi- offering virtual person- Lots of uncertainty lescing at a Hayward nurs- disease, including Basur-
cal director of infection con- al shopping experiences, Each day, the number of ing home hard hit by the to and eight of Armer’s
trol with Sutter Santa Rosa restaurants are pivoting to people who have recovered disease. colleagues with the Santa
Medical Center, remains curbside pickup. from the illness increases. There are at least two Rosa Police Department.
concerned about protective Santa Rosa stands to lose Among the 87 known cas- other Sonoma County res- Some have had mild
measures for nurses, doc- key revenue from cancel- es the county puts in this idents who have died from symptoms or none at all,
tors and all hospital staff. lation of big events that category are people like the disease. They have not while others have been
fill hotels and restaurants, Sonoma County Superior been publicly identified. very ill, he said.
Workforce affected such as the Ironman race, Court Judge Jamie This- The same day Kass suc- “There are still a lot of
Thousands of Sonoma Levi’s Gran Fondo annual tlethwaite, 68, and her hus- cumbed to the illness, San- unknowns and uncertain-
County residents must con- cycling ride and the sum- band, Steve Weiss, 71, a re- ta Rosa Police Detective ty,” Bussell said. “We’re
tinue working, especially mertime cannabis cup held tired public defender. They Marylou Armer, a Napa taking every precaution
those keeping the stores and by High Times. The 70.3- battled the illness at home County resident, died at we can. But we’re used to
hospitals running, risking mile Ironman race alone and are feeling better. a hospital in Vallejo after working in team environ-
their health for the benefit generated $11 million in lo- Former Windsor Police contracting COVID-19. ments, and that’s been bro-
of others. cal spending, according to a Chief Carlos Basurto, 51, Armer’s death shocked ken.
Statewide, 3,370 health 2018 analysis.
workers have tested posi- “It’s going to be painful
tive for COVID-19, accord- and we must support our
ing to data released Satur- local businesses,” de la Rosa LET US BRING THE FLOWERS TO YOU THIS SPRING!
day. That includes at least said. “This is not just on gov-
33 health care workers in ernment. This is on all of us
Sonoma County. to really take seriously.”
Thursday, Newsom an- The future remains un-
nounced the state would certain and dependent on
provide sick leave benefits
for a broad category of food
industry workers, from
scientists developing an ef-
fective vaccine.
When schools reopen,
WILD ABOUT
WILDFLOWERS?
farmworkers and grocery classrooms could be funda-
store employees to delivery mentally changed with half
drivers and restaurant staff. the number of students in
That, however, will not each class and new limits
dispel the financial insecu- on physical proximity, fun-
rity that has set in for thou- damentally changing in-
sands in Sonoma County. struction, recess and lunch.
At least 2,000 people lost DOWNLOAD OUR FREE GUIDE — SONOMALANDTRUST.ORG
work in the county in early New level of obligation
March, the state Employ- Already, more than
ment Development De- 4,000 elementary school
partment reported Friday. teachers in Sonoma County
The monthly survey was have transformed educa-
conducted shortly before tion from in-class instruc-
Mase issued her shelter-in-
tion to video sessions and
place order and excludes online assignments.
untold layoffs over the last Amy Eng, a sixth grade
four weeks as businesses teacher at Roseland Ele-
shut down. National fig- mentary School, said the
ures show unemployment challenge has brought the
claims tripled over the diversity of her students
last month, surpassing to the forefront. Some
20 million. Some 2.7 million
children are looking af-
Californians have filed un-
ter younger siblings while
employment claims in the their parents work. Some
last month, Newsom said don’t have stable inter-
Wednesday. net access. Some relied on
“Everyone to some ex- school for food. But they
tent is impacted by this are all mostly showing up
to her virtual classes with
crisis,” said Sheba Person-
Whitley, executive direc- an eagerness to learn.
tor of the Economic Devel- “Sixth graders are very
opment Board of Sonoma social. They need that in-
County. “It’s certainly a teraction with their peers,”
Eng said. “They’re fully
public health crisis and an
economic crisis that we’reattentive, even with all of
dealing with.” their distractions.”
Like so many work-
Innovation transpires ing parents, Eng’s days
In California, an esti- are packed with an en-
A12 THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020

ERIC RISBERG / ASSOCIATED PRESS

MARCH: The Grand Princess cruise ship, with 21 confirmed cases of coronavirus among about 2,400 people aboard, passes beneath the Golden Gate Bridge on March 9.

CORONAVIRUS » RAPID SPREAD IN MATTER OF MONTHS

Tracking a pandemic
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT DECEMBER

T
he first reports on the worldwide corona-
virus pandemic were scattered and few,
starting with brief bulletins from a remote
part of China in December. The news began to
spread sporadically during January as the virus
turned up in other countries.
By February, concern increased as the first
coronavirus death outside China was reported.
In March, the international news became a local
story, with the report of the first Sonoma County
resident diagnosed with the disease. Now the
updates are coming in hourly, as the county, state
and federal governments move to address the
threat.
This timeline, which includes reporting from
Press Democrat news services, illustrates how
the pace of the reports and responses have quick-
ened month by month, and now day by day.
DEC. 31
The government in Wuhan, China,
says health authorities are treating
dozens of cases of pneumonia of
unknown cause. Days later, re-
searchers in China identify a new
virus that had infected dozens of
people in Asia. Officials at the time
say there is no evidence that the
virus is readily spread by humans.
Health officials in China say they
are monitoring the disease.
LAM YIK FEI / NEW YORK TIMES
JANUARY: Paramedics transport a man believed to be Hong Kong’s
first patient with the novel coronavirus to a hospital on Jan. 22.

To our Community Heroes

THANK YOU!
The American Heart Association sends a
heartfelt thank you to all of the
frontline and essential workers
who are keeping our community We’re in this together.
safe, healthy and running.
The American Heart Association also thanks these
generous companies, which are helping us fight
COVID-19 on a global scale.

Their support means we’re able to mobilize scientists,

medical experts and so many more throughout the world
and bring the latest science-based knowledge back to the
North Bay and protect our community.

Kenwood Hearing Centers is here to help you with

essential hearing healthcare needs
in this unprecedented time.

If you are having a problem with

Local Print Media Sponsors: your hearing aid, which is causing
significant communication problems
or personal safety concerns, please
contact us for curbside drive-up service
ARROW BENEFITS GROUP • BIAGI BROS • ENCORE EVENTS RENTALS
at one of our offices.
EXCHANGE BANK • FIRST TECH FEDERAL CREDIT • GHILOTTI CONSTRUCTION
LUTHER BURBANK SAVINGS • NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATES
PETALUMA HEALTH CARE DISTRICT • POPPY BANK • SUMMIT STATE BANK This essential service is available for all
kinds of hearing devices, regardless of where they
were purchased.
For more information on COVID-19
www.heart.org 707-509-8267
#NorthBayHasHeart www.goodhearing.com/covid-19
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 TRACKING A PANDEMIC A13

NOAH BERGER / ASSOCIATED PRESS BETH SCHLANKER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

MARCH: Passengers aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship celebrate as they arrive March 9 in Oakland. MARCH: Dr. Sundari R. Mase, Health Officer for the County of Sonoma who attends a press conference on
The ocean liner had maintained a holding pattern off the coast for days. March 15, expressed confidence the measures being taken in the county will pay off in the long run.

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

JAN. 11 JAN. 20 JAN. 30 JAN. 31 FEB. 7 FEB. 24 MARCH 2

Chinese state media Other countries, WHO declares a “public The Trump adminis- A Chinese doctor A passenger who had A Sonoma County
report the first known including the United health emergency of tration restricts travel who tried to raise been quarantined resident who recently
death from an illness States, confirm cases. international concern” from China. An exec- alarm about the novel at Travis Air Force returned from a cruise
caused by the virus, The first confirmed in response to thou- utive order suspends coronavirus dies. Dr. Li Base in Fairfield after on the Grand Princess
which has infected cases outside main- sands of new cases entry into the United Wenliang is hailed as contracting coronavi- to Mexico is the first
dozens of people. The land China occur in emerging in China. States by any foreign a hero by many for his rus on the Diamond local person to test
61-year-old man who Japan, South Korea and A foreign ministry nationals who have warning to colleagues Princess cruise ship positive for coronavi-
died was a regular Thailand, according spokeswoman in China traveled to China in in late December that in Japan is transferred rus, prompting county
customer at a market to the World Health says her government the past 14 days, ex- a cluster of infections for quarantine to an health officials to
in Wuhan where the Organization’s first would continue to cluding the immediate LI WENLIANG could spin out of undisclosed Sonoma declare a local public
illness is believed situation report. The work with WHO and family members of FEBRUARY: Dr. Li control. The doctor, County hospital. health emergency. The
to have originated. first confirmed case other countries to pro- American citizens or Wenliang, who was whose comments were Though the patient resident was one of 78
He had previously in the United States tect public health. The permanent residents. hospitalized in China published online, was has tested positive for people from Sonoma
been found to have comes the next day U.S. State Department By this date, 213 people on Jan. 31, died Feb. 7. warned by police for the virus, they are dis- County who took the
abdominal tumors and in Washington state, warns travelers to have died and nearly speaking out. He has playing no symptoms. cruise. A second pas-
chronic liver disease. where a man in his 30s avoid China. 9,800 have been infect- FEB. 2 since been exonerated That person has since senger from the cruise
The report of his death developed symptoms ed worldwide. The first coronavirus by the Chinese govern- left the area. living locally would
comes not long before after returning from a death, a 44-year-old ment, which issued a later test positive for
one of China’s biggest trip to Wuhan. man in the Philip- “solemn apology” to the virus.
holidays, when hun- pines, is reported his family.
dreds of millions of outside China. By this
people travel across the point, more than 360
country to celebrate people have died.
the Lunar New Year.

MARCH

MARCH 3 MARCH 8 MARCH 11 MARCH 13 MARCH 15 MARCH 18 MARCH 21 MARCH 25

A Placer County man, Italy locks down 16 The World Health President Trump Gov. Gavin Newsom As Sonoma County On the first weekend The Sonoma County
71, who fell ill with million people, roughly Organization declares declares a national calls for the closure of awakens to empty following Sonoma Office of Education
COVID-19 on the Grand a quarter of its popula- the coronavirus a emergency and bars, winery tasting streets and closed busi- County’s stay-at-home recommends school-
Princess cruise dies, tion, in an attempt to global pandemic. announces he will free rooms, nightclubs and nesses, the BottleRock order, thousands of children be kept out of
becoming the first prevent coronavirus President Donald up $50 billion in feder- brewpubs, and tells music festival in Napa people flock to the the classrooms through
death from the illness from spreading. The Trump suspends most al resources to combat restaurants to reduce is postponed. The county’s beaches, May 1, and all school
in California. U.S. death toll rises to travel from continental coronavirus. Sonoma their occupancy by sold-out eighth annual from Jenner’s Goat districts in the county
21, nearly all of them Europe to the United County’s public health half. He calls it a event, originally sched- Rock Beach to Dillon adopt that recommen-
connected to a nursing States during an ad- officer bans family “pragmatic response to uled for May 22-24 in Beach, and Bodega dation, extending
home in Washington dress from the White visits to senior care the moment.” downtown Napa, has Bay is overwhelmed home learning through
state. House. The National facilities and public been moved to the with visitors. Sonoma that date, at least.
Basketball Association gatherings with more MARCH 16 weekend of Oct. 2-4 County officials raise
suspends its season than 250 people. because of concerns the alarm that proper
MARCH 9 Six Bay Area counties, MARCH 26
indefinitely after Rudy for public safety. social distancing must
The Grand Princess but not Sonoma Coun- Oakmont marks its
Gobert, a player for the be maintained.
cruise ship, with 21 MARCH 14 ty, tell all residents to first positive test for
Utah Jazz, tests positive MARCH 19
confirmed cases of Sonoma County stay home and that coronavirus, bringing
for coronavirus.
coronavirus among reports its first case only essential errands Gov. Gavin Newsom MARCH 23 the number of cases in
about 2,400 people on of coronavirus not and travel to jobs orders all Califor- All parks in Sonoma Sonoma County to 49.
the ship, is allowed MARCH 12 linked to a cruise ship considered essential nians to stay home. County are closed to
MARCH: Gov. Gavin to dock in Oakland, The National Collegiate or travel to China. The are allowed. Newsom California’s 40 million the public. The order
Newsom declared where its passengers Athletic Association first person to contract orders restaurants residents should stay includes all city, coun- MARCH 27
a state of state of will be processed and cancels its spring bas- COVID-19 locally is statewide to close home indefinitely Sonoma County health
ty, state and federal
emergency. quarantined at sites ketball tournaments, identified as a Rohnert dining rooms, limiting and venture outside officials announce
parks, and comes as
around the U.S. The March Madness. Major Park Health Center em- food sales to takeout or only for essential jobs, health officials try to that nearly half of the
MARCH 4 delivery only. errands and some
ship, set to return from League Baseball post- ployee. Public school further enforcement county residents to test
Gov. Gavin Newsom a round-trip voyage pones the start of its districts in Santa Rosa, exercise, the governor of social-distancing positive for the corona-
declares a state of to Hawaii, was held season and the Nation- Windsor, Sonoma and says. practices. virus are between the
emergency designed to MARCH 17
off the coast of San al Hockey League and Healdsburg announce ages of 18 and 49.
ramp up efforts to com- Francisco for two days Sonoma County offi- MARCH 20
Major League Soccer they will not resume
bat the coronavirus. while federal, state cials order all residents MARCH 24
suspend their seasons. classes immediately The first person infect-
to stay home. Sonoma Senate leaders and the MARCH 28
and local officials Disneyland closes after spring break. ed with coronavirus
MARCH 6 worked to develop a County’s public health White House strike an Dr. Sundari Mase, Sono-
and Sonoma State Spain joins Italy in im- dies in Sonoma County
The first coronavirus plan for its passengers. officer, Dr. Sundari agreement on a $2.2 ma County’s newly
University and Santa plementing a national as New York and Illi-
test kit for use by Sono- The S&P 500 stock Mase, orders residents trillion measure to aid installed health officer,
Rosa Junior College lockdown. nois tell all residents to
ma County hospitals index loses about 8% of to stay home — apart workers, businesses said she’s confident the
suspend classes. The stay home, meaning 1
arrives. The Sonoma its value. Italy expands from crucial errands and the health care measures being taken
stock market posts in 5 Americans is now
County Farm Bureau its lockdown to the — and limits all but system. Three Santa will pay off in the long
its worst one-day loss under a shutdown
cancels its annual Ag entire country. essential business and Rosa police officers run. “There will be relief
since 1987, with the order.
Days celebration at government opera- and a Sonoma County from this, and we will
S&P 500 losing 9.5% of
the Sonoma County tions. The mandatory sheriff’s deputy test look back and say, ‘Wow,
its value.
Fairgrounds, among and unprecedented positive for COVID-19. it was a good thing
the first set of local directive goes into we put those orders
cancellations related to effect a minute after in place. Because we
the coronavirus. midnight on March 18. saved lives,’” she said.

MARCH APRIL

MARCH 30 APRIL 1 Coronavirus cases in Prime Minister Boris APRIL 9 becomes the world’s APRIL 14 APRIL 16
Coronavirus cases Sonoma County’s Sonoma County rise Johnson is admitted With more than 17 mil- highest total of fatali- Gov. Gavin Newsom Federal data show
rise to 73 in Sonoma colleges and public to 105. to an intensive care lion Americans having ties related to the coro- lays out six goals that 22 million people
County, and a mail schools make it official: unit with coronavirus filed for unemploy- navirus, surpassing It- to reach before the have lost their jobs
carrier tests positive students won’t return symptoms. ment in a four-week aly. Close to home, the stay-at-home order in since the coronavirus
APRIL 4 span, the United States Luther Burbank Rose
for COVID-19. to campus this school California can be lifted, outbreak reached the
year. Meanwhile, New Public health officer is experiencing the Parade in Santa Rosa including the ability U.S., roughly the same
Dr. Sundari Mase rec- APRIL 7 worst job loss since is canceled for the first
York state continues to closely monitor and number of jobs as were
breaking away as the ommends that Sono- Gov. Gavin Newsom the Great Depression. time in 70 years. The track potential cases created over the pre-
American epicenter ma County residents announces that Cali- Meanwhile, patients 126th annual parade and to prevent infec- vious 9½ years. After
of the crisis, with should cover their fornia has secured a with lupus and other had been scheduled tion of high-risk people. previously asserting he
the state’s death toll mouths and noses monthly supply of 200 disorders are facing for May 18. Sonoma County will had the final say when
doubling in 72 hours to with scarves, bandan- million N95 respiratory shortages of a key drug create its own strategies states began to loosen
more than 1,900. nas or other makeshift and surgical masks to for their health — for lifting its shelter- shelter-in-place orders,
MARCH: Santa masks when leaving help protect health- APRIL 12
hydroxychloroquine, a in-place restrictions in President Donald
Rosa police detective the home for essential care workers on the As of Easter Sunday,
drug President Donald part because the timing Trump concedes that
Marylou Armer dies APRIL 2 errands and duties, af- front lines of the coro- Sonoma County
Trump has touted of the pandemic’s peak, states will make their
from complications firming recommenda- navirus crisis. Also, the confirms 147 county
Capt. Brett Crozier, a numerous times in projected to arrive own decisions.
caused by COVID-19. tions from the Centers acting secretary of the residents with the new
Santa Rosa native, is press briefings as a in Sonoma County
removed as captain of for Disease Control and Navy, Thomas Modly, potential coronavirus coronavirus. Of those, between May 28 and
MARCH 31 Prevention. resigns days after 21 were hospitalized, APRIL 17
the stricken aircraft treatment. June 2, is several weeks
Veteran Santa Rosa carrier Theodore Roos- publicly disparaging 61 had recovered and later than statewide A new rule requir-
police detective Mary- evelt. The move comes Capt. Brett Crozier of two people had died. models. ing face coverings
lou Armer dies from APRIL 5 Santa Rosa, the former APRIL 10
days after Crozier sent outside the home in
complications caused a letter, leaked to the The New York Times captain of the USS Sonoma County Sonoma County goes
by the coronavirus. and others report that Theodore Roosevelt. sees its second death APRIL 13 APRIL 15
media, that implored into effect. President
Armer, an American his superior officers for Brett Crozier, the Navy attributed to the Dr. Sundari Mase, U.S. retail sales, which Trump takes to Twitter
Canyon resident, was more help as a corona- captain from Santa coronavirus. The death Sonoma County’s include purchases in to urge residents of
43 and had served in Rosa who was relieved APRIL 8 comes three weeks health officer, unveils
virus outbreak spread stores and online as some states to defy
the Santa Rosa Police aboard the ship. of his command days Sonoma County sees after the first fatality a new requirement: well as money spent at shelter-in-place orders,
Department for more earlier, has tested posi- its biggest one-day linked to the corona- everyone must wear bars and restaurants, tweeting, “LIBERATE
than 20 years. She is tive for COVID-19 and is jump in coronavirus virus was reported. a face covering when fell 8.7% from the pre- MICHIGAN,” “LIBER-
the first Napa County APRIL 3 in quarantine. cases with 16 new Health officials put they go inside any vious month nation- ATE MINNESOTA” and
resident to die from Capt. Brett Crozier’s cases, bringing the stricter quarantine building other than ally, the Commerce “LIBERATE VIRGIN-
COVID-19. Also, Sono- crew cheers him as county’s total to 83. orders into place. home, or when outside Department announc- IA” as protesters in
APRIL 6 Fifty-two of those if unable to remain
ma County extends he exits the Theodore es. The decline is by those states ignore
its shelter-in-place ad- Roosevelt. A massive The coronavirus death first 83 patients had at least six feet away
APRIL 11 far the largest in the rules requiring social
visory through May 3, motorcade pays tribute toll in the United recovered. from others. The mea- nearly three decades distancing.
with new restrictions. to fallen Santa Rosa States surpasses 10,000. The U.S. death toll sures become official the government has
officer Marylou Armer. Overseas, British surpasses 20,000 and at the end of the week. tracked the data.
A14 THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Forklift drivers move supplies around the Redwood Empire Food Bank warehouse Friday in Santa Rosa. Last year, the Redwood Empire Food bank served 82,000 people in Sonoma County.

HUNGER
CONTINUED FROM A1
staggering display last week as
10,000 cars queued up outside
a food bank on the outskirts of
San Antonio, Texas.
The specter of hunger also
hangs over Sonoma County,
where food insecurity is a prob-
lem during the best of times.
Last year, the Redwood Empire
Food bank served 82,000 people
in the county — 1 in 6 of its res-
idents, according to CEO David
Goodman.
With the economy in tatters
for the foreseeable future, “We CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
expect that to double,” he said. Redwood Empire Food Bank volunteer Al Lenhardt loads boxes of food
For Redwood’s Thursday food into a client’s vehicle Wednesday during a food distribution event at
distribution at Santa Rosa’s Res- Shiloh Neighborhood Church in Santa Rosa.
urrection Church, staffers de-
vised a six-lane drive-up system “not everyone’s going to have a “Usually, we volunteer here,”
to keep traffic off nearby Stony job to go back to.” said the husband. “Now we’re …
Point Road. Good thing they did: Just because rent payments trying it ourselves.”
over 500 cars were served in a for some may have been delayed, Josh Ratiani, Shiloh’s pastor,
two-hour period. “that doesn’t mean it’s not explained the couple’s discomfort.
And that was for just one of owed,” said Holmes, who noted “People who are used to helping
the food bank’s dozens of weekly that people will soon be hit with
aren’t used to asking for help.”
handouts. Over the past month, a backlog of bills. All over the county — and
the number of needy people “The crisis we’re seeing right
country — people unaccustomed
lining up to get food at those now is just the beginning. We to seeking charity, are having to
distributions has jumped 50%, need to gear up for the new wave
put their pride aside.
said Goodman. As it has during of need coming our way.” Last month, Sonoma County
previous disasters, the Redwood Meanwhile, she’s had to received close to 2,000 new ap-
food bank has activated an reassign staff just to help return
plications for CalFresh benefits,
elevated alert level called 3990 — the surge of calls from people in-
formerly known as food stamps
which doubles as the nonprofit’s quiring about food distributions.
— up nearly 90% from March
Brickway Boulevard address She described the difficulty 2019. Another 965 applications
— triggering additional distribu- of having to reassure people arrived in the first half of April,
tions of food. calling for the first time “andsaid Felisa Pinson, economic as-
Following the Tubbs fire of just breaking down, because thesistance director for the county’s
October 2017, the Redwood food never thought they’d have to ask
Human Services Department.
bank itself was the site of two, ex- for charity.” In response to the extreme need,
tra drive-thru food distributions she added, the state is giving
per week. Those events were Putting pride aside Calfresh recipients its maximum BETH SCHLANKER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
canceled once the need abated — It was only a month or so ago allotment, meaning a family of A man leaves on his bicycle after picking up boxes of food from a
14 months after the fires. that Michael thought people were four is now eligible to receive Redwood Empire Food Bank distribution event Wednesday in Santa Rosa.
The dire need created by overreacting, lining up before $646 a month.
this pandemic is all but sure to stores opened their doors, “freak- While need has gone up re- Thought officially expanded lining, more people will “become
exceed that, Goodman believes. ing out about toilet paper.” cently in the wake of the North its mission in 2014 to providing empathetic to what it means to
Despite happy talk from the na- These days, he’s sharing that Bay’s natural disasters the past “healing food and nutrition” to be hungry. They’ll learn that
tion’s capital about the country alarm. Recently laid off, the few years, said Pinson, “This is those dealing with critical ill- it’s not the lazy, or undeserving,
soon reopening, he’s preparing 26-year-old Santa Rosan has a totally unlike anything we’ve nesses including but not limited who need help.”
for slower, more painful recov- line on another job. But the coro- gone through before. This a to HIV. When the crisis has finally
ery. “Hoping for the best isn’t navirus halted progress on his whole different level.” It was chugging along, serving passed, he went on, all of us will
going to help us,” he said. As a background check. Now there’s The need for food assistance meals to 850 people per week, have to answer certain ques-
nonprofit tasked with feeding no telling when he might work will be “prolonged,” agrees Sono- until a month or so ago. Since tions:
the hungry, “we need to prepare again. As the weeks went by with ma County Supervisor Lynda then, said executive director Ron “Did you help, or did you
for the worst.” no paycheck coming in, he and Hopkins, who already knows of Karp, “we’ve been getting a huge hide?”
his wife grew more concerned. several businesses in her district surge of calls for our services Taking her place on the front
‘Just the beginning’ They have a 2-year-old boy. which won’t be coming back — more than we’ve had in the lines is his colleague, program
Mary Scott was excited. After Finally, said Michael, who shared when lockdown orders are lifted. history of our agency.” coordinator Juana Renovato,
being burned out of her apart- his struggles with the condition Hopkins expressed concern that The spike in demand comes now in her 17th year with the
ment by the Tubbs fire, she was his last name not be published, “I many of her rural, West County at a time when the nonprofit food bank.
finally moving back in on Friday decided to reach out for help.” constituents — especially those has lost significant funding. In Renovato set up Wednesday
— 2½ years later. Meanwhile, she On Wednesday, he pulled into with limited transportation addition to postponing its fund- morning’s distribution at the
said, she had a 14-year-old son at the parking lot at the Shiloh options — don’t have access to raising gala because of the risks Monte Vista apartments near
home and “no food in the pantry.” Neighborhood Church, site of a frequent food distributions. posed by large gatherings, the Coddingtown. The event was
That’s why she was in her sil- Redwood Empire Food Bank dis- Six months ago, the nonprofit group canceled food drives that scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., but
ver Hyundai on Thursday, a Si- tribution, where he was greeted Corazon Healdsburg was feeding would’ve brought in $200,000. cars lined up long before then.
berian Husky pacing impatient- warmly by volunteers and given some 300 families per month. While individual donations and Some arrived on foot, includ-
ly in the backseat, waiting along a box of mixed produce, a box Today, said the group’s CEO, emergency grants have come ing an elderly woman pushing a
with more 100 other motorists to of “shelf-stable” nonperishables Ariel Kelley, “we’re seeing 300 a in,they’ve been nowhere near cart. Translating for her, Reno-
pick up three containers of food and a frozen pork loin roast. week, or more.” enough to offset the $500,000 the vato said the woman was picking
at Catholic Charities on Airway The experience must not have Many of those seeking assis- organization will lose over the up food for herself and disabled
Drive. been too traumatic: he returned tance for the first time ask what next several months. daughter, who lives with her.
“I am so grateful,” said Scott, a short time later with his paperwork they should bring, While the woman was thank-
who was taking advantage of the mother. to prove they’re in need. “They Increased empathy ful for this program, said Ren-
nonprofit’s food handout for the Anxiety levels varied through- answer is ‘Nothing,’ ” said Kel- As donations contract and ovato, “she is not too good. She
first time. out the line. A woman driving a ley. After providing their name, volunteers become more scarce, has hunger.”
As a newbie, she has plenty of red Blazer talked about her heart address and the number of peo- neither Karp, nor Holmes of For an event at this complex
company. palpitations and difficulty sleep- ple in their household, they’re Catholic Charities, nor Good- a month earlier, Renovato had
Catholic Charities normally ing because of the pandemic. But given food without judgment or man of the Redwood food bank, ordered food for 150 families.
serves around 1,000 people per her son had recently moved in, further questions. can say precisely how they will This time, to be on the safe side,
month with food. Since the econ- which made her happy. It was a different virus, three find the wherewithal to meet the she ordered for 200. But those
omy went south, that number is Idling behind her in line in a decades ago, that brought the coming, unprecedented demand pulling into the lot after 9:30 got
up to 1,700 — “an astronomical Saturn sedan, a 60-something Forestville-based nonprofit Food for food. bad news:
amount of need,” said Jennie- couple was asked how they were For Thought into existence. In Nor do any of them seem They’d already run out of food.
lynn Holmes, the nonprofit’s doing. the late 1980s, residents of the daunted by the challenge.
chief program officer, “and it’s “Bored stiff,” joked the hus- Russian River valley began col- Because so many will be You can reach Staff Writer Aus-
only going to grow.” band. lecting food and raising money finding out for the first time tin Murphy at 707-521-5214 or
Even after the shelter-in-place “We’re doing OK, getting yard for their neighbors with HIV. what it means to be hungry, said austin.murphy@pressdemocrat.
order is lifted, she pointed out, work done,” added his wife. Founded in 1988, Food For Goodman, searching for a silver com. On Twitter @ausmurph88.