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enterprise THE DAVIS
SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020
UC eases rules on admissions Officials react to COVID-19 disruptions
After a state Supreme Court order to minimize jail populations because of coronavirus, the Yolo County Jail has as low a population ofprisoners as it ever has.
BY CALEB HAMPTON Enterprise staff writer
ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO
Jail population at historic low BY LAUREN KEENE Enterprise staff writer Back in the day, Yolo County Jail officials grappled daily with “the list” — a tally of inmates deemed suitable for release in order to make room for higherpriority offenders coming through the door. The jail’s maximum capacity is 455, and many days some lower-risk inmates had to be let go in accordance with a federal court order that prevents jails from housing more occupants than there are beds.
Then came a series of criminaljustice reforms that in recent years eased populations at county jails and state prisons. The current coronavirus crisis has reduced them even further under a statewide Supreme Court order permitting the release of inmates with fewer than 60 days remaining in their sentences, provided they don’t pose a public-safety threat. By Friday, the Woodland jail had discharged 21 inmates under that order, putting its population at 223. That’s allowed them to be
housed individually in cells — thus complying with physical distancing protocols — for perhaps the first time since the jail opened in 1988. “I’ve never seen us have the capacity to do this,” Yolo County Sheriff Tom Lopez, whose agency operates the jail, said in a Tuesday report to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. The single-cell assignments is one of multiple ways the Sheriff ’s Office is addressing COVID-19, which as of last week hadn’t surfaced among
inmates or staff, according to Lopez. Several inmates that have shown symptoms of or may have been exposed to coronavirus have been housed in a 10-bed isolation unit while awaiting testing results. Both current and incoming inmates are having their temperatures taken, as are sheriff ’s employees before they enter the workplace. Similar practices are underway at the neighboring Juvenile
SEE JAIL, PAGE A4
City shuts down playgrounds BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer When the countywide shelter-in-place order went into effect more than two weeks ago, many Davis residents continued to escape the confines of home to exercise in local parks and take advantage of bike paths and lanes throughout the city. Those options continue, albeit with social distancing requirements in place, but the city took some steps last week to eliminate risks of coronavirus spread by announcing the closure of play structures, exercise
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equipment, water fountains and sports courts because they cannot be adequately sanitized. In a report to the City Council on Tuesday, city Parks and Community Services staff laid out some other actions taken in the last couple of weeks, including posting signage at parks reminding users about social distancing, canceling city classes and more. Among the actions of note: ■ Placing more than 150 signs at play areas, playgrounds and outdoor exercise areas informing residents
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to abide by the Yolo County shelter in place orders. ■ Placing more than 100 signs at parks and greenbelts reminding residents to use proper social distancing precautions. ■ Closing and locking 12 permanent restrooms and placing porta potties and sinks at these locations. ■ Placing signage at the four unlockable restrooms advising they are being cleaned daily, but paper products won’t be supplied due to ongoing theft. ■ Providing essential
SEE PLAYGROUNDS, PAGE A4
WEATHER Tod Showers Today: all day. High 58. al Low 42. Lo
The University of California will relax a number of undergraduate admissions requirements for students looking to apply in the next cycle and in future years as applicable, the UC Office of the President announced Wednesday in a press release. The temporary admissions standards will primarily affect current high school juniors who would be applying to start at a UC in fall 2021. In response to educational disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UC is suspending its use of the SAT and ACT standardized tests as well as scrapping some minimum grade requirements. Caps on the number of classes taken pass/fail will also be relaxed for transfer students. UC leaders said they approved the measures in order to mitigate challenges that students and families face as a result of the COVID-19 public
SEE ADMISSIONS, PAGE A3
City Council to focus on coronavirus situation Tuesday BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer
WAYNE TILCOCK/ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO
Rainbow City in Community Park is one of the play areas that will no longer be accessible due to coronavirus restrictions.
The Davis City Council will receive an update on the COVID-19 situation as well as city and county responses to the pandemic at another teleconference meeting on Tuesday. This time, in order to avoid the prank calls that disrupted the last meeting, the council will be taking public comment by email and voicemail only. Tuesday’s agenda is almost entirely coronavirus-related and includes presentations from Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman on the current situation and the county’s response, as well as from City Manager Mike Webb and Davis
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SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A3
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