Daily Republic: Friday, March 10, 2023 by mcnaughtonmedia

Work on wildfire fuel break gets underway A3

Vanden deals with abrupt end to hoops season B1

FRIDAY | March 10, 2023 | $1.00

DAILYREPUBLIC.COM | Well said. Well read.

County expects to start next fiscal year with more dollars Todd R. Hansen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Fernando Gomez, left, and Samuel Lopez make sandbags at Allan Witt Park in Fairfield, Thursday.

County under a storm watch through midmorning Sunday Todd R. Hansen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — The rains came a bit earlier than expected Thursday, and continued with a consistent soaking stream, foretelling a wet extended weekend that could bring as much as 5 inches to parts of the county. The storm is warmer than recent downpours, so residents should not expect to see snow-capped ridges. The heaviest deluge was expected Thursday night into Friday, and the Office of Emergency Services reported the county is under a flood watch through 10 a.m. Sunday. “So all the creeks and streams are being monitored,” sheriff’s Sgt. Christine Castillo, with the Office of Emergency Services, said in a phone interview Wednesday. “Right now, (the National

Weather Service) has not issued any warnings, but it has a wind advisory . . . through 4 p.m. Friday,” Castillo said. The Weather Service out of Sacramento reports rain could continue daily through March 17, with at least a 60% likelihood through Wednesday. Castillo said residents should make sure their street drains and gutters are clear, and areas that tend to pool should be cleaned up to take the extra water. In areas prone to heavier flooding, she said, residents should take precautions, including stocking up on sandbags if needed. Sandbags are available to Fairfield residents from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday at the Public Works Corporation Yard, 420 Gregory St. Sand is available at the corner of Pittman and Cordelia roads and at the southeast corner of Allan Witt

Park off of Woolner Avenue. Sand will be “self-serve” and there is a 10-bag limit. “Sandbags should be filled only half full, as smaller bags pack tighter and are easier to handle. Overfilled bags are unstable when stacked and can leave gaps that allow water to flow through,” the city said in a statement. Other sandbag locations can be found at www.solanocounty.com/ depts/oes/grs/flood/sandbags_and_ inform. That includes behind the Suisun City Police Department, 701 Civic Center Blvd. The county also has launched its new Know Your Zone website, Zonehaven Aware, at community. zonehaven.com, to inform residents of emergency alerts, road closures and potential evacuation routes. Site users can plug in the See Storm, Page A8

Reconstruction planning begins for newlook County Family Justice Center Todd R. Hansen

THANSEN@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Two survivors of domestic violence brought the participants of the two-day Solano County Family Justice Center Strategic Planning Days event to their feet Wednesday with their stories. Marisol Martinez spent more than two decades of her life – first snared in the tight grip of human trafficking, and later in the punishing stranglehold of domestic violence – as a victim with little hope of change. “With all my past . . . who will want to believe

me? No one,” Martinez said. “That’s what I believed.” But there was someone willing to hold her hand and said, “’We need to know the truth. We need to know what happened to you,” Martinez said about meeting a Family Justice Center advocate in Concord. “And she said, ‘I believe you.’ “ It started a new journey to a new life free of enslavement, drugs, physical and mental abuse – crime and deportation – and the constant fear she would lose her children. See Center, Page A8

City closes Rockville park, open spaces; cites conditions, weather DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

FAIRFIELD — The city has closed Rockville Hills Regional Park and its open spaces due to past and current weather conditions that make it unsafe to visit the recreational areas. City officials cite “the complete saturation of the soil, overflowing ponds, downed trees blocking multiple trails and a substantial storm bringing a forecasted 5-plus inches of rain over the next

WEATHER 58 | 45 Rain Forecast on A9

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FAIRFIELD — An increase of property tax and other revenues, coupled with a cut in expenditures largely due to savings from more than 300 employee vacancies, means Solano County will start the 2023-24 fiscal year with more money than it had initially expected. The General Fund EMLEN HANNIGAN carryover figure is now $36.7 million, with $14 million of that to be placed in the contingency fund for emergency uses such as natural disasters. “We have had good revenue growth,” County AdministraVASQUEZ MASHBURN tor Bill Emlen told the board to begin the to see a $6.4 million drop midyear financial update in revenue and correat Tuesday’s meeting. sponding expenditures, The county is project- and is expected to receive ing additional property $8.2 million less from the tax revenues of nearly General Fund than first $7.85 million, nearly budgeted. Similarly, the $3.83 million in Propo- Health and Social Sersition 172 dollars – from vices Fund projects a statewide sales tax decrease in revenues, that must go to public $7.3 million, and expensafety purposes – plus ditures, $11.8 million, $1.2 million extra in but is expected to get interest income. $3 million more from the Anticipated employee General Fund. savings, in part, total It also was reported $5.89 million for General that the county is expectFund supported posi- ing higher retirement tions and $5.09 million pension rates, pension from the Public Safety obligation bond rates and Fund supported posi- liability insurance rates. tions. The county projects Other assumptions the an additional savings administration is working of $1.09 million in off of for the new fiscal General Fund services and supplies. See Dollars, Page A8

Daily Republic Staff

Casey Gwinn, President and Co-Founder of Alliance for Hope International, speaks during the Solano County Family Justice Center Strategic Planning Days at the Solano County Events Center in Fairfield, Wednesday.

The General Fund is projected to have $7.9 million in additional revenues and $11 million in expenditure savings. The Public Safety Fund is projected

seven days.” The 633-acre Rockville Hills Regional Park and the 338-acre Rolling Hills, 365-acre Serpas Ranch and 25-acre Spyglass open spaces were closed at sunrise Thursday and will remain closed through March 16, at which time they will be reassessed for possible reopening March 17, the city reports. These closures are in line with other nearby regional parks and Solano County open spaces, the city reports.

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