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MONDAY, JULY 6, 2020 • SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA • PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM

County scrambling for space

Sonoma State rejects request
to continue using campus
to house hospital patients
By TYLER SILVY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County officials are scram-
bling amid a harrowing spike of coro-
navirus cases and deaths to secure
extra space if needed for hospital
patients, in the wake of a Sonoma
State University decision to reject the
county’s request to continue using the
campus.
The university’s decision, an-
nounced in a Wednesday letter that
surfaced Sunday to county and state
leaders, is key to its plan to welcome
students back to the Rohnert Park
campus Aug. 10.
Although the county knew since
late May that retaining the space at
SSU was going to be a long shot, of-
ficials have yet to identify a replace-
ment site.
In its July 1 letter, SSU calls on
Sonoma County to vacate its campus
by Sunday, but several officials with
the university and the county called
that a soft deadline. There was no ev-
idence of a coordinated moving effort
Sunday afternoon.
“It’s somewhat fluid,” Robert Eyler,
a university spokesman, said. “I be-
lieve it’s going to be lengthened. There
was going to be some work on that.”
The SSU rejection letter also comes
amid the county’s worst stretch so far
in fighting the virus, at the end of a
two-week period that saw the county
add 540 cases, including a record 92 on
Friday, and in the middle of the coun-
ty’s deadliest week — when six more
people died, bringing the death toll to
11.
“Personally, I would implore Sono-
ma State to reconsider,” Sonoma
County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins
said. “We are in the middle of unprec-
edented numbers of cases, and now
is the absolute worst time to lose our
alternate care site.”
Sonoma County has since late April
used SSU campus space to house peo- BETH SCHLANKER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
ple in isolation or quarantine, and Nurses Sandra Castano, from left, and Nicole Garcia
some of the county’s most vulnera- suit up with help from Rachael Lopez as they prepare
Sunday to check on some of the temporary residents
TURN TO COUNTY » PAGE A2 quarantining on the Sonoma State University campus.

WINE COUNTRY » DELAYED BIG DAY Disease

Pandemic jolts wedding outlines
racial
plans for many couples disparity
CORONAVIRUS » Black,
Latino families in US
communities hardest hit
By RICHARD A. OPPEL JR.
AND ROBERT GEBELOFF
NEW YORK TIMES

Teresa and Marvin Bradley

can’t say for sure how they got
the coronavirus. Maybe Tere-
sa Bradley, a Michigan nurse,
brought it from her hospital.
Maybe it came from a visiting
relative. Maybe it was some-
thing else entirely.
What is certain — according
to new federal data that pro-
vides the most comprehensive
look to date on nearly 1.5 million
coronavirus patients in Ameri-
ca — is that the Bradleys are not
outliers.
Racial disparities in who con-
tracts the virus have played out
in big cities like Milwaukee and
New York, but also in smaller
metropolitan areas like Grand
Rapids, Michigan, where the
Bradleys live.
Early numbers had shown
that Black and Latino people
were being harmed by the virus
at higher rates. But the new fed-
eral data — made available after
the New York Times sued the
CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT Centers for Disease Control and
Pedy Lawson, owner of Pedy’s Petals, puts together a bridal bouquet on Wednesday in Santa Rosa for an upcoming wedding ceremony. Prevention — reveals a clear-
er and more complete picture:

Some choosing to postpone; county allowing nuptials with no receptions Black and Latino people have
been disproportionately affect-
ed by the coronavirus in a wide-
By ETHAN VARIAN East Bay city of Fremont. Marina Kaga- spread manner that spans the
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT Only the couple’s immediate wa’s daughter country, throughout hundreds

M
arina Kagawa and
Stephen Kleshinski
were determined to
have their wedding this spring,
the season marking nine years
together as a couple. So once it
became clear they would have
to cancel their planned nuptials
at the Gundlach Bundschu
Winery in Sonoma due to the
coronavirus pandemic, they
decided to hold a last-minute
ceremony at their home in the
family, an officiant and a small checks on the of counties in urban, suburban
camera crew were on hand livestream on and rural areas, and across all
for the backyard wedding on a May 24 during age groups.
sunny afternoon in late May. Kagawa’s back- In Sonoma County, there’s
Another 125 guests attended the yard wedding been a wide racial disparity be-
ceremony virtually via Zoom, ceremony at tween how the virus is affected
dialing in from as far as South her home in white people and the Latino
Korea and Germany. Fremont. community. Three of every four
“It was a wonderful time,” infections involve Latino resi-
KAGAWA FAMILY
Kagawa said. “The response dents, although they only com-
from everyone was how person- prise 27% of the county’s popu-
able it still was and that it felt lation of about 500,000.
TURN TO WEDDINGS » PAGE A6 TURN TO FAMILIES » PAGE A2

INSIDE

Virus can linger indoors, experts say

MISSING SOLDIER DEAD:
Army identifies human
remains as woman who
disappeared from Fort
Hood / B2

AIRBORNE CONTAGION » Crowded areas with poor Ventilation systems

ventilation are high risk, according to researchers
By APOORVA MANDAVILLI
NEW YORK TIMES
The coronavirus is finding
new victims worldwide, in bars
and restaurants, offices, mar-
kets and casinos, giving rise to
frightening clusters of infection
that increasingly confirm what
many scientists have been say-
ing for months: The virus lin-
gers in the air indoors, infecting
those nearby.
If airborne transmission is
a significant factor in the pan-
demic, especially in crowded
spaces with poor ventilation,
the consequences for contain-
ment will be significant. Masks
may be needed indoors, even in
socially distant settings. Health
care workers may need N95
masks that filter out even the
smallest respiratory droplets
as they care for coronavirus pa-
tients.
schools, nursing homes, res-
in
idences and businesses may
need to minimize recirculating
air and add powerful new filters.
Ultraviolet lights may be needed
to kill viral particles floating in
tiny droplets indoors.
The World Health Organiza-
tion has long held that the coro-
navirus is spread primarily by
large respiratory droplets that,
once expelled by infected peo-
ple in coughs and sneezes, fall
quickly to the floor.
But in an open letter to the
WHO, 239 scientists in 32 coun-
tries have outlined the evidence
showing that smaller particles
SANTA ROSA
High 86, Low 50
can infect people and are calling THE WEATHER, B10
for the agency to revise its rec-
ommendations. The researchers Advice B9 Lotto A2
plan to publish their letter in a
Comics B8 Nation-World B1
scientific journal.
Even in its latest update Crossword B9 North Coast A3
on the coronavirus, released Editorial A8 Obituaries B3
June 29, the WHO said airborne Horoscopes B7 Sports B5
transmission of the virus is pos- Legals B4 State news A5
sible only after medical proce-
dures that produce aerosols, or
droplets smaller than 5 microns.
(A micron is equal to 1 millionth
TURN TO VIRUS » PAGE A5 ©2020 The Press Democrat
A6 THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • MONDAY, JULY 6, 2020

WEDDINGS happy for the work, those

orders are small compared
to the many Wine Country
CONTINUED FROM A1 weddings that normally
buy her floral arrange-
like they were still at our ments.
wedding.” “It’s just a bridal bou-
The countywide halting quet, corsage and bou-
of large events and gather- tonniere,” she said of the
ings to curb the spread of smaller orders. “I haven’t
the virus has forced thou- done any centerpieces for
sands of couples to cancel those.”
or postpone their Sonoma Karen Payne, lead event
County spring and sum- planner at Preferred Sono-
mer weddings. That has ma Caterers in Petaluma,
crippled the once-boom- is hoping to start deliv-
ing local wedding sector, ering packaged meals to
which last year hosted wedding ceremonies once
over 3,300 events totaling she gets approval from the
an estimated $114 million county. As business dried
in revenue, according to up during the pandemic,
the Wedding Report, an her company has gained
Arizona-based market experience preparing
research firm. packaged meals by donat-
In June, the state and ing to local police depart-
county health depart- ments and other groups.
ments officially cleared “If we can just take a
the way for scaled-back baby step forward, that
marriage ceremonies like will lead to better things
Kagawa’s and Kleshinski’s down the road,” she said.
to resume. In turn, some in Even with the growing
the Wine Country wedding CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT interest in socially distant
industry are aiming to re- Maryssa Souza, the owner and lead event planner of Save The Date! Weddings & Events, pauses at Encore Events Rentals. marriage ceremonies,
bound from a three-month She says the pandemic has caused some couples to postpone their large weddings until next year, while other couples have local wedding planners
shutdown by pivoting to opted for smaller, socially distant ceremonies. and vendors say most
small, socially distant couples would rather wait
ceremonies. the state guidance for reli- gave the go-ahead last two local venues, including they need to leave their until they’re allowed to
Maryssa Souza, owner gious services and cultural month for nuptials even the Gloria Ferrer Winery homes,” Hattar said. go through with their full
of Save The Date! Wed- ceremonies, allows for though COVID-19 cases in Sonoma, which opened Tony Muzzin, a DJ and wedding plans.
dings and Events in Sono- both indoor and outdoor were on the rise, and have its tasting room at 25% owner of Nor Cal Pro Amanda Vineyard,
ma, has had to postpone wedding ceremonies, as not retreated despite a capacity last month. Sounds in Cloverdale, has marketing and event plan-
roughly half of the 50 or long as attendees follow sharp case spike the past Colleen Patten, private organized a handful of ner at Milestone Events
so weddings she had on physical distancing and two weeks. events manager at the win- Zoom parties for couples Groups, which books
the books for spring and hygiene requirements and In an email, coun- ery, said she will start by whose weddings were can- weddings at 10 wineries
summer to next year. For wear face coverings at all ty health department limiting events to just 10 celed this year. He expects and venues in Sonoma and
couples who decide they’d times. spokesperson Rohish Lal attendees. livestreaming to become Napa counties, has had
still like to get married Indoor weddings must said couples should keep “Right now, we’re being commonplace at wedding discussions about hosting
this year, she’s offering a be limited to 25% capacity the number of wedding very conservative with ceremonies and receptions smaller ceremonies but is
$5,000 “modest minimony” of the venue or a max- attendees as small as those parameters,” Patten into the future. focused on rescheduling
package for ceremonies of imum of 100 attendees, possible, and ceremonies said. “My plan is to be “It's something I see hundreds of weddings for
25 guests or fewer. whichever is lower. There as short as possible, to prepared for all different being incorporated in wed- 2021.
The deal includes a flo- is no set attendance limit guard against spreading phases (of reopening).” dings even when we return “The virtual experience
rist, photographer, and DJ for outdoor weddings, the virus. Samar Hattar, a wed- to normalcy,” Muzzin said. definitely doesn’t substi-
to play music during the which can be held at any To help keep everyone ding planner and owner “Everyone has a grandpar- tute for (a large wedding),”
ceremony, as well as the public or private setting, safe during her weddings, of Petaluma’s Blissful ent or someone who can’t Vineyard said. “Everybody
option to livestream the but guests from different Souza has ordered cus- Events, has two socially make their wedding. This wants to proceed with
event to family and friends households must keep at tom-colored face masks for distant weddings in the is a way for them to still plans as they intended.”
who are unable to attend. least 6 feet apart. guests. works, including a virtual share the experience.” That means if the pan-
“We’re trying to make While wedding ceremo- “If someone is wearing ceremony and reception Like most local wedding demic is under control by
it a fun thing for our nies are allowed, recep- a green mask, that means with no guests. The lives- vendors, Pedy Lawson, next spring, the wedding
couples,” Souza said. tions, parties or post-cer- it’s OK to approach the treamed reception will owner of Pedy’s Petals industry can look forward
“It’s so stressful having emony gatherings of any person and have a con- include music for a remote flower shop in Santa Rosa, to an extremely busy run.
to postpone and replan size are prohibited. Food versation,” she said. “If dance party, instructions has been hit hard by the “We’re basically com-
everything, and if we have and drink services also are it’s a yellow mask, then for guests to prepare a shutdown of gatherings. bining two years into one,”
this package already struc- not allowed, and only ven- they’re being cautious, cocktail at home and a She’s had 70 weddings Vineyard said.
tured, it’s so much easier dors that are “necessary and if you’re wearing a red virtual photo booth where postponed until late fall at
for them to hop on board to the ceremony” can be mask, it’s a ’please stay they can snap selfies with the earliest. You can reach Staff Writer
and let us do the rest.” on hand during weddings, away’ situation.” their phone or laptop. Still, Lawson has Ethan Varian at ethan.
The county’s revised according to county health Souza said she plans to “We’re making the received a half dozen varian@pressdemocrat.
public health emergency officials. hold outdoor ceremonies experience still really fun requests for more intimate com or 707-521-5412. On
order, which aligns with County health officials at private homes and at without people feeling like ceremonies. While she’s Twitter @ethanvarian.

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