ullerton bserver FFULLERTON’S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS • Est.1978O • YEAR 43 #9 • MID-MAY 2021 Submissions: [email protected] • Call: (714) 525-6402 • Daily Stories at: www.fullertonobserver.com COVID-19 Cases and Vaccinations in Decline by Matthew Leslie In early May, Orange County official- ly passed the mark of 5,000 of its resi- dents dead from COVID-19. Deaths reported daily on the County’s COVID- 19 Dashboard site are now in the single or low double digit range. Fullerton’s mortality rate reached its own milestone with 302 deaths now officially attributed to the virus, 94 of them in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Since the beginning of the pandemic over a year ago, 11,428 cases have been recorded in Fullerton, a case rate of just over 8,000 per 100,000 residents. On May 12, OC’s Adjusted Daily Case Rate per 100,000 residents dropped to 1.8, becoming the last of the three measurements to reach the Yellow or “Minimal” Tier in California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Yellow is the final and least restrictive tier in the framework. Rally for Voting Rights: A group of residents, elected officials, and community groups gathered at City Hall for a rally for voting rights. See story on page 2. PHOTO BY JESSE LA TOUR See COVID-19, Page 2 AMID PANDEMIC LOSSES AND FEDERAL RELIEF, COUNCIL CONSIDERS NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET Sign up for by Jesse La Tour cannot use these funds, so these specific Your Vaccine details have not yet been factored into PRESORTED PRESORTED As Fullerton slowly emerges from a next year’s budget projections. Everyone is encouraged to register POSTAGE PAID PAID POSTAGE STANDARD U.S. STANDARD FULLERTON CA FULLERTON PERMIT NO. 1577 PERMIT pandemic that saw businesses and facil- At the May 4 study session, and inquire through all available ities close, City staff laid off, and a Fullerton’s Director of Administrative resources. Go to the California reduction in sales tax revenues, Services, Ellis Chang, and budget ana- Vaccine scheduling site at: Fullerton City Council is set to officially lyst, Steven Avalos, gave an overview of myturn.ca.gov. adopt the budget for fiscal year 2021/22 the City’s projected budget and then Or, for Othena, go to these sites: on June 1. In advance of this, Council asked for Council to give direction for • English held a budget study session on May 4. how to balance it. othena.com Though Fullerton is facing an overall The City’s total budget is comprised • Español - Spanish deficit of around $2.4 million for the of the General Fund as well as other spe- othena.com/?lang=es next fiscal year, the City is set to receive cial/dedicated funds such as the Water • Tiếng Việt - Vietnamese COM . nearly $35 million in federal relief over Fund and Capital Improvement Fund othena.com/?lang=vi the next two years from the American (for infrastructure). Fullerton’s total “all • 한국어 - Korean BSERVER Rescue Plan Act, which President Biden funds” proposed budget is $213.8 mil- othena.com/?lang=ko signed this year. The US Department of lion with a total projected deficit of $2.4 O RESIDENT the Treasury has not yet released million. THE detailed guidance on how cities can and See Budget, Page 4 EMAIL IN OR 714-525-6402 CURRENT City Council Votes to Settle Lawsuit Against FULLERTONOBSERVER @ Friends for Fullerton’s Future Blog DVERTISE OR A ADS by Matthew Leslie A statement, part of the full settlement agreement made available by the City The city of Fullerton has authorized a immediately following the May 12 settlement offer in its civil lawsuit meeting, is as follows: against the Friends for Fullerton’s “We have dismissed the lawsuit the Future (FFFF) Blog and two of its blog- City filed against Joshua Ferguson, gers, Joshua Ferguson and David David Curlee, and Friends for Curlee. The settlement, approved by the Fullerton’s Future. Fullerton City Council (in a 3-2 vote) Initially, City staff were placing fold- during a Special Closed Session meet- ers and files on ing held on the afternoon of Wednesday, CityofFullerton.com/outbox, a shortcut May 12, requires the return of confiden- to a shared file account, because they tial City documents in the possession of believed the folders were secure and FFFF bloggers but also has the City with restricted access. However, due to BSERVER PO BOX 7051 retracting its claim that the bloggers errors by former employees of the City ULLERTON O acted illegally in accessing the docu- F See FFFF Blog, page 3 FULLERTON CA 92834 CA FULLERTON ments from the City’s Dropbox account. Page 2 FULLERTON OBSERVER NEWS MID-MAY 2021 Cars rallied through Downtown Fullerton for voting rights on May 8. Cars Rally for Voting Rights Photo from 2019 Memorial Day celebration in Fullerton. by Jesse La Tour racial justice—based on the key idea that the best way to defend democracy is Local residents, elected officials, and to strengthen democracy.” MEMORIAL DAY by Ed Paul community groups participated in a car President of League of Women Voters rally for voting rights in front of of North Orange County Pearl Mann Although there have been great strides interred at Loma Vista Memorial Park Fullerton City Hall on Saturday May 8. said that HR 1 and HR 4 will expand made in dealing with the Coronavirus, by placing a flag and cross/Star of David Speakers urged Congress to pass HR 1: voting rights, reduce the influence of regrettably, we will not be having our on their graves will continue on a very The For the People Act, and HR 4: The money in politics, and limit partisan ger- traditional Memorial Day ceremony in small scale. Prior to Memorial Day, and John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and rymandering. 2021. On behalf of the American practicing social distancing, we will spoke against recent bills passed in other Patricia Hanzo from the group Veterans Memorial Association and our place a flag, a cross, and a Star of David states that have restricted access to vot- Indivisible CA-39 pointed out that co-sponsors Loma Vista Memorial Park for each service branch—Army, Navy, ing. Representative Young Kim voted and the City of Fullerton, we regret the Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marine Alicia Rivera of the Orange County against HR 1 and HR 4. “Blocking need to make this decision but it is in the Corps—near the flagpole in front of the Congregation Community Organization access to the ballot box is unAmerican interest of safety for all. mausoleum. (OCCCO) spoke in support of HR1 and and undemocratic. We demand that Beginning Friday, May 28, flags will Thank you for your understanding. HR4. “These laws open the opportunity Congress pass national legislation to be made available at the entrance of We hope to resume our regular program to respond to two important crises in our protect voter rights and denounce voter Loma Vista Memorial Park [on next year. country—the attack against democracy, suppression tactics,” she said. Bastanchury] so families can place them Any other questions, please call (714) reflected in the assault in the capitol on After the speeches, cars paraded on their loved one's graves. Last year 871-2412 or visit the AVMA website at January 6, and the subsequent avalanche through Fullerton with signs in support over 500 families participated. www.avmafullerton.org and see photos of bills to suppress votes throughout the of protecting voting rights. The tradition started by the Chapman and videos of past ceremonies. Country and the urgent demand for family in 1939 to honor veterans given time. A month later, no lines at all mutate into new and deadlier strains. COVID-19 Continued from front page were visible anywhere, and just a hand- Booster shots could become necessary ful of people waited in the same obser- for those already vaccinated. The County must maintain this Case ing masks for many businesses and pub- vation area. The site no longer even Rate figure below a value of 2, as well lic activities. requires advance appointments. City Committees and Commissions The reduced demand for vaccines is to Resume In-Person Meetings as maintain its already Yellow level Test The Orange County Healthcare not exclusive to Orange County, and is Positivity Rate (now at 1%) and Health Agency (HCA) reports that the number Fullerton’s various committees and worrying to healthcare officials across Equity Quartile Positivity Rate (now of persons fully vaccinated is now near- commissions who are not already meet- the country, raising serious concerns that 1.2%) to officially ascend to the Yellow ly 1.3 million, However, demand for ing in person are preparing to do so, “herd immunity” may be a lost cause Tier. Doing so will allow vaccinations has dropped many for the first time in over a year. because so many Americans simply outdoor social gatherings so much, at least among The City Council has previously indicat- refuse to get the vaccine, providing the of up to 100 people, a adults, that the HCA has ed that it will continue the practice of potential for a steady supply of host maximum of 50% capac- announced the closure of accepting public comments via Zoom. ity in indoor gatherings The County has all of its Super Point of individuals within whom the virus may where capacity limits announced the Dispensing (POD) sites, exist (up to 50 people), closure of all of its where mass vaccinations and a maximum of 200 have been offered to people for private events, Super Point of County residents and with mitigation measures Dispensing (POD) workers on June 6, and Grand Jury Releases Report Critical of including full testing and sites on June 6 will concentrate its County’s Pandemic Preparedness proof of vaccination for in favor of efforts in smaller, more all guests.