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Santa – with police escort – tours Fairfield neighborhoods Storm delays final pass through city until Tuesday Daily Republic Staff
DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET
FAIRFIELD — The jolly old elf himself toured several neighborhoods Friday to bring a taste of holiday cheer to children across town. He did so as part of the Fairfield Police Department’s Operation Santa. Santa and his elves visited Crowley Lane, Park Lane, the Kentucky Street pocket park, Fairview Elementary School and the Linear Trail Park at Second Street. Friday’s rounds represented Day 1 of a six-day tour of Fairfield that was scheduled to continue Saturday. However, Mother Nature – specifically a winter storm that’s expected to move through the area – caused the police to postpone the Day 2 schedule. See Santa, Page A12
Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic
Vessels cruise during the Suisun City Christmas Boat Parade in the Suisun Harbor, Saturday.
Suisun welcomes families to waterfront for boat parade, tree lighting Susan Hiland
SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET
Courtesy photo
Santa Claus poses with two children during the Fairfield Police Department’s Operation Santa at Fairview Elementary School in Fairfield, Friday.
Covid-19 cases surging in state after Thanksgiving Tribune Content Agency SAN JOSE — Covid-19 cases are surging in the Bay Area and California since Thanksgiving, as holiday gatherings appear to have fueled the virus’ spread among a pandemic-weary public no longer masking or lining up for the latest vaccine booster. Cases in the nine-county Bay Area have jumped from an average of eight daily cases per 100,000 residents in late October to over 13 at the end of November, an 80% increase. Every Bay Area county is in at least the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s second-highest substantial transmission level, and Santa Clara and Solano counties already are at the high level. Santa Clara and Marin counties have risen from the CDC’s low to medium community level, reflecting the virus’ impact on local hospitals. “We are seeing a Thanksgiving effect,” said Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeley. But he’s not surprised, as the rise started before the recent holidays. And with Christmas and New Year’s celebrations around the corner “there is no question in my mind that we’re going to see a rise in cases,” he said. “The question is what the slope See Covid, Page A12
SUISUN CITY — People waited Saturday for the lights on the newly planted Christmas tree to shine. The rainy and gloom kept many people away until the evening for the annual Christmas on the Waterfront event. City crews planted a 24-foot tall Blue Aptos, a type of redwood, back in August as the official community Christmas tree after the previous tree died. That tree’s planting bed had limited space for it to grow. Although city staff attempted to prolong its life, their efforts were unsuccessful. The new tree has a proper planting bed and is located about 40 yards from the previous tree – adjacent to the waterway in downtown Suisun City. The prior tree was removed in September and staff is discussing plans for the now empty planting bed, according to the city website. Families have made a tradition out of attending See Suisun, Page A12
Susan Hiland/Daily Republic
Audrey Simmerman of Vacaville sells some bread to Inna Rosendo, also of Vacaville, who came out for the annual Christmas on the Waterfront in Suisun City, Saturday.
Fairfield ushers in Christmas with tree lighting, music, Santa, exultation Todd R. Hansen
THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET
FAIRFIELD — Kenny, 7, is asking Santa Claus for a Monster Vision and Blaster Set. Scott, 8, wants a baseball first baseman’s glove and bat. His favorite player was Buster Posey, the retired San Francisco Giants catcher. Amrit, 11, well, her wish for Christmas is a secret. Those youngsters were joined by many others at Fairfield’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony held in the downtown area Friday night. The threat of rain
was only that, a threat, and the hundreds of yuletide visitors were greeted with appropriately cool temperatures, holiday music and good tidings. There were pony rides at one end of the celebration, near Jackson Street, and train rides around the county building courtyard where the tree would later light up the corner. Santa Claus arrived on a Fairfield fire truck at 6:40 p.m., and four minutes later, atop the stage at Texas and Jefferson streets, following a countdown from the crowd, he hit the switch and the tree came to life.
“I love this event,” Amy Carter, Kenny’s mother, said as her son waited to sit on Santa’s lap. “I grew up in Sturgeon Bay in Wisconsin and
Christmas was always a special time,” said Carter, who has lived in Fairfield for about 11 years. “I wish See Tree, Page A12
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