Daily Republic: Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 by mcnaughtonmedia

Holiday Cookie Contest 2022 winners B2 Solano cities celebrate Hanukkah A3

Messi and Argentina defeat France for World Cup title B1

MONDAY | December 19, 2022 | $1.00

DAILYREPUBLIC.COM | Well said. Well read.

Air pollution alert in place, covers western Solano Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued an air pollution alert Sunday for Monday. The alert is based on an anticipated accumulation of ground-level smoke. The alert bans burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors, throughout the day. Air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups Monday in Vallejo, moderate throughout the rest of Solano County, the Bay Area air district and its companion agency report. High pressure over Northern California will act like a lid, trapping wood smoke at ground level, the air district reports. Freezing overnight temperatures, Tule fog and light offshore winds, combined with high air pollution levels in the Central Valley are expected to cause unhealthy air quality across the Bay Area. “Wood smoke is

expected to create hazy skies and unhealthy air quality throughout the Bay Area tomorrow,” Sharon Landers, interim executive officer of the air district, said Sunday in a press release. “By not burning wood, we can reduce the harmful health impacts on our families and neighbors this holiday season.” It is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use their fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other woodburning devices during a Spare the Air alert for fine particle pollution, which includes smoke. Exemptions are available for homes without permanently installed heating, where wood stoves or fireplaces are the only source of heat. Anyone whose sole source of heat is a wood-burning device must use an EPAcertified or pellet-fueled device that is registered with the Air District to qualify for an exemption. An open-hearth fireplace See Air, Page A8

Reports of Beijing Covid deaths fuel speculation about China cover up Bloomberg News The number of Covidpositive dead arriving at Beijing’s funeral parlors and crematoriums is rising, according to media reports, despite China not reporting a fatality from the virus for two weeks. The Chinese capital is in the grip of its worst Covid-19 wave yet, after officials nationwide abruptly abandoned the stringent curbs that have kept the virus at bay for much of the past three years. Staff at a Beijing crematorium told the Financial Times they cremated the bodies of at least 30 Covid-19 victims on Wednesday, while a relative of one of the dead said their family member had been infected with the virus, according to The Associated Press. Reuters reported funeral homes in Beijing being overwhelmed.

Still, China hasn’t recorded a death from Covid-19 since Dec. 4, when two were lodged, that of an 84-year-old man in Sichuan province with underlying health conditions and another in Shandong province. The last official Covid-19 fatality reported for Beijing – which was seeing thousands of cases a day even before China’s swift u-turn on “zeroCovid” – was recorded on Nov. 23: A woman, 87, authorities said had chronic heart disease. It’s becoming increasingly hard to get a handle on the scale of China’s Covid-19 onslaught, with the country last week halting reporting of asymptomatic cases, which typically made up the bulk of the infection tally. Even before that move, the See China, Page A8

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic

Jeremy the Juggler entertained at the 14th Annual Menorah on Main in Downtown Vacaville, Sunday.

Downtown Vacaville lights up for first night of Hanukkah

Susan Hiland

SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

VACAVILLE — Hanukkah started Sunday with the 14th Annual Menorah on Main celebration downtown. A celebration of light overcoming the darkness is at the heart of Hanukkah, according to Rabbi Chaim Zaklos of Chabad of Solano County. The purpose of Hanukkah, observed for eight nights and days, is a celebration of miracles. It commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is observed by lighting a Hanukkah menorah, one additional candle each night. The celebration featured latkes, lattes, Bavarian custard, jelly sufganiyot (doughnuts), dreidels and chocolate gelt (coins). Children could decorate their own

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic

Rabbi Chaim Zaklos, of Chabad of Solano County, lights the menorah on the first night of Hanukkah for the 14th Annual Menorah on Main in Downtown Vacaville, Sunday. cookies this year. Jeremy the Juggler rolled around on his flaming unicycle while performing other feats with some volunteers from the crowd. Vacaville City Council member Mike Silva came out representing the City Council. “I think this is so beautiful because it is the celebration

See Lights, Page A8

Trump faces more woes in Jan. 6 panel finale Bloomberg News WASHINGTON — Donald Trump awaits the most serious blow yet from House lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack – a possible recommendation that he be prosecuted just as he’s launching a comeback bid for the White House. The committee is poised to decide Monday whether to refer Trump and several advisers to the Justice Department for criminal charges for their conduct in con-

a massive report. In Trump’s case, the nine members will vote on whether to recommend a prosecution for obstructing an official government proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the U.S., according to people familiar with the plans. A charge of insurrection is also under consideration, one of the people said. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images/TNS file (2021) While a criminal referPresident Donald Trump greets the crowd at a “Stop The ral by the panel won’t have Steal” rally, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 6, 2021. a formal legal impact, it would be a powerful nection with the deadly 17-month investigation statement. And it would insurrection in 2021. It by the panel, which will See Trump, Page A8 is the culmination of a also unveil its findings in

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of different cultures we have in Vacaville,” Silva said. “It’s a great family event and that is what America is about – family.” About 100 people came out in the biting cold weather for some tea and cocoa, along with latkes. Zaklos said this was a year of gathering as part of a seven-year cycle for those of the Jewish faith. “It is bringing people together and dedicating themselves to another year of devotion,” he said. Zaklos advocated that everyone should or could be a leader in the sphere of influence at home with family. “You can be the light in your surroundings,” he said. Being a little beacon of light is the best difference we can make against the darkness we are all experiencing, Zaklos said during the ceremony. “The only way to beat the

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