Fair Barns, Built in 1955, To Come Down, By Jondi Gumz

COMMUNITY NEWS

Fair Barns, Built in 1955, To Come Down

By Jondi Gumz

The Santa Cruz County Fair will look a little different this year.

On July 19, the Santa Cruz County fair board voted 6-2 to take down the 67-year-old pig and sheep barns, which were declared unsafe by a state agency, and create temporary quarters for this year’s fair Sept. 14-18.

Voting yes were Bill Barton, Jody Belgard, Loretta Estrada, Lupe Flores, Stephanie Fontana, and Dana McRae.

Don Dietrich and Tony Campos voted no. They favored fencing off the barns and discussing the matter once the state agency that oversees the fair has given approval.

Michael Pruger was absent.

Those favoring immediate removal of the barns wanted them down before the fair, which is expected to draw thousands of attendees, to address safety concerns.

Dave Kegebein, the fair CEO, proposes to replace the old barns with a new multi-purpose building, which he estimated could cost $8 million to $10 million, as fundraising allows.

An inspection in 2012-13 found that more than half the posts holding up the roof had rotted off their base, resulting in annual investments to make the barns safe for the fair.

Future

Kegebein is optimistic about fundraising. At the fair board’s livestock committee meeting, he said, “Tremendous supporters will advance these projects under the right conditions. You have to think flexibility.”

Fairs in Salinas Valley and Chowchilla have invested in new event centers.

New construction at the fairgrounds in Watsonville would allow for a service road wider than what exists.

Kegebein sees this as an opportunity to reduce the odds of a mass shooting like the one at the 2019 Gilroy Garlic Festival where the gunman used bolt cutters to cut through a wire fence and evade security screening.

He also sees a new facility as a revenue generator, rented for equestrian events, trade shows and other activities while being available for emergency housing for livestock, as needed during the 2020 CZU lightning fire. (Santa Cruz County has a contract with the fair for emergency housing.)

Rental demand is high at the Santa Cruz County fairgrounds, with bookings full for the rest of the year, according to Kegebein.

In the spring, the fairgrounds hosted Burning Man Santa Cruz, attracting a reported 3,000 attendees for laser light shows, art, music and camping.

Members of the fair board’s livestock committee recommended temporary facilities for this year’s fair and pursuing a new multi-purpose building for the future.

For Kyle Middleton, safety is the top priority.

“We’ve got to move with the times,” said Danny Naranjo.

The 4-H youth showing pigs, sheep and goats will have to provide their own water this year, a requirement at some fairs elsewhere.

Removal of the barns was estimated to cost $25,000 if done by fairgrounds foundation volunteers with rental tents at fair time estimated to cost $10,000 to $20,000 a year.

Critics

Not everyone supported Kegebein’s proposal.

Phillip Carranco, whose daughter raised 300 chickens in Aromas for the fair, had concerns about the accuracy of the scale to weigh animals for market, which requires calibration on a steady surface, which the barns provided.

Aptos resident Becky Steinbruner wants the California Construction Authority, which provides finance, design and construction services for health and safety and other projects at fairgrounds and evaluates risks and potential issues, to be involved.

In May, Randy Crabtree Jr., executive director of the California Construction Authority, emailed her to say, “Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and the State of California is ultimately responsible for construction scheduling and facility planning. CCA remains ready to assist when requested by any of these bodies.”

Steinbruner also wants the fair board to have a public discussion on proposed agreements between the fair and the county Board of Supervisors on a 38.5acre property at 188 Whiting Road next to the fairgrounds where the County intends to create equitable access to athletic fields, hiking, and healthy recreation. The price is $2.31 million, with a 12-month purchase option ending Nov. 12, 2022.

As for her concerns about emergency housing during fires and other evacuation scenarios, Kegebein told the fair board that there are plans to provide emergency shelter for animals should disaster strike.

Disaster struck Thursday with the Anzar fire in Aromas, a rural community of 2,600 that straddles the borders of San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.

At noon Friday, Jessica Ayala, who lives in Aromas with a home address in Santa Cruz County and San Benito County at the foot of her property, emailed Santa Cruz County officials of her safety concerns relating to the Anzar fire.

“The people on the Santa Cruz County side have not received any instructions on what to do if we need to evacuate, have we been forgotten? We live across the street from each other and live in two different county’s,” she explained. “If we need help and are evacuated, is our designated evacuation facility the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds?” She added, “Many slept with their animals in their trailers over night in fear of last-minute evacuation, some don’t have trailers to evacuate their animals.”

CalFire’s San Benito-Monterey unit was in charge and the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds was booked for a horse show July 18-25.

As the Anzar fire grew, some residents were ordered evacuate while others were under an evacuation warning.

Anzar High School at 2000 San Juan Highway, was designated an evacuation center, with San Benito County animal control providing portable kennels. The Red Cross reported 30 people were displaced.

As of Tuesday morning, CalFire reported the fire was 95% contained and residents allowed to return home. n

Livestock barn at the county fairgrounds in Watsonville

Removal of the barns was estimated to cost $25,000 if done by fairgrounds foundation volunteers with rental tents at fair time estimated to cost $10,000 to $20,000 a year.

“COVID Update” from page 7

As for preventing hospitalizations, it was 64.5% effective and preventing intensive care admission 69% effective.

In Santa Cruz County, parents who want their children under 5 to receive Covid-19 vac-cines should contact their doctor.

Covid has claimed the lives of many elders, those 85 and older with medical conditions, but relatively few children, 442 children age 4 and under, according to the CDC.

More than 1 million people in the U.S. have died of Covid, so young children represent a tiny percentage of deaths.

In June, the American Association of Pediatrics reported that in 46 states plus Puerto Rico, the percentage of child Covid cases resulting in death was 0.00%-0.02%.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey in April found only 18% of parents of children under 5 plan to vaccinate them immediately.

Kaiser Health News reports Pfizer’s 2021 revenue was $81.3 billion, roughly double its revenue in 2020, and its mRNA vaccine holds 70% of the U.S. and European markets. This year, Pfizer expects more than $50 billion in global revenue from its Covid vaccine and its antiviral Paxlovid.

That revenue could grow if Covid vaccines are added to the CDC vaccine schedule for children. See https://www. cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/ child-adolescent.html

Public health officials say the scientific consensus is that Covid vaccines are safe, but some are skeptical about science provided by drug-makers to federal regulators.

Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Tracy Beth Heeg, writing in Common Sense, contend clinical trials by Pfizer and Moderna provided weak and inconclusive evidence to federal regulators on their vaccines for children under 5.

Using a three-dose vaccine in 992 children between the ages of six months and 5 years, Pfizer found no statistically significant evidence of vaccine efficacy, the doctors wrote. “For children six months to 2 years, the trial found that the vaccine could result in a 99% lower chance of infection—but that they also could have a 370% increased chance of being infect-ed,” Makary and Heeg wrote.

Moderna’s study on 6,388 children with two doses claimed efficacy of 4% against asymp-tomatic infections in children 6 months to 2 years and 23% for children 2 to 6 years old—neither result was statistically significant.

Against symptomatic infections, Moderna’s vaccine showed statistically significant effica-cy: For children 6 months to 2 years, 50%, and for children 2 to 6 years old, 42%.

Dr. Philip Krause, former deputy FDA chief for vaccine, told Fact Check, “Even if the vac-cines aren’t very effective in protecting against mild disease … that doesn’t mean they won’t be effective in protecting against severe disease.”

“For children six months to 2 years, the trial found that the vaccine could result in a 99% lower chance of infection—but that they also could have a 370% increased chance of being infected.”

— Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Tracy Beth Heeg Why do people fear Omnicron?

They may have a medical condition (diabetes, obesity, asthma, high blood pressure). Half of Americans do, so they are at higher risk for severe Covid illness as are people 85 and older.

Testing

Doctors and researchers affiliated with The Children’s Union told UK regulators that vac-cines are “totally inappropriate for small children in 2022.”

They said the trial results were based on just three participants in the younger age group (1 vaccinated and 2 placebo) and just seven participants in 2–4-year-olds (2 vaccinated and 5 placebo).

They noted that “the vast majority of this young age group have already been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 repeatedly and have demonstrably effective immunity.”

In the UK, children age 5 to 11 are eligible for Covid vaccine; no decision has been an-nounced on vaccine for children under 5.

Data Analysis

The CDC was expected to analyze data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System for “safety signals” from Covid-19 vaccines, based on an early briefing document, but the agency is not.

Roger Andoh, the CDC FOIA officer, responded June 16 to a Freedom of Information Act request, saying “no PRRs were conducted by CDC. Furthermore, data mining is outside of the agency’s purview, staff suggest you inquire with FDA.”

The VAERS database, https://vaers. hhs.gov/, is where health care providers are to report adverse events after a vaccine. It was created after Congress passed a law in 1986 protect-ing vaccine manufacturers from civil personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits resulting from vaccine injuries.

The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, a 2005 law allows the Health and Human Services Secretary to provide legal protection to companies making or distributing vaccines unless there’s “willful misconduct” by the company. This protection lasts until 2024.

Dr. Matthew Oster of the CDC reported this year that the VAERS database received 1,991 reports of myocarditis after one dose of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine and 1,626 met the CDC definition for probable or confirmed myocarditis.

His conclusion: “The risk of myocarditis after receiving mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines was increased across multiple age and sex strata and was highest after the second vaccina-tion dose in adolescent males and young men. This risk should be considered.”

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart, which can lead to clots, a stroke or heart attack.

Test to Treat

Santa Cruz County offers “Test to Treat” sites open to anyone regardless of insurance or documentation status, including the county office, 500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville. For an appointment, visit https://lhi.care/covidtesting/.

According to the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, cases in local schools peaked at 4,407 on Jan. 27, dropped to 44 on April 1, rose to 1,025 on May 23, and now 300.

The 14-day positivity rate peaked at 12.25% on January, dropped to .79%, and now is up to 10.45%.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education has completed 537,500 tests with Inspire Di-agnostics.

For those who test positive and are at risk of severe illness, the CDC recommends asking your doctor for a prescription for Paxlovid, the Pfizer pills given emergency use authoriza-tion by the FDA in December. Merck’s Lagevrio also got emergency use authorization for mild to moderate Covid.

Paxlovid is what President Joe Biden took to recover from a Covid Omicron variant. His symptoms were mild, a runny nose, dry cough and fatigue.

See Paxlovid side effects at: https:// www.fda.gov/media/155051/download

The Omicron variants are less deadly than the Delta variant, which raged in 2021.

Santa Cruz County reported 43 Covid deaths after Omicron, compared to 225 as of Dec. 15, before Omicron.

One statistic is similar: 79% to 81% of those who died had medical conditions. The Santa Cruz County Office of Education offers drive-though testing for students, staff and families at:

Cabrillo College, Aptos, Parking Lot K, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 399 Encinal St., Santa Cruz, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

See: https://tinyurl.com/get-tested-santa-cruz.

Booster shots: https://myturn.ca.gov/

Vaccine providers: www.santacruzhealth. org/coronavirusvaccine.

Local information: www.santacruzhealth. org/coronavirus or (831) 454-4242 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. n •••

Total COVID cases: 2,197

••• COVID Deaths: 268 As of July 25 Age 85 and older: 117 • 75-84: 62 • 65-74: 47 60-64: 15 • 55-59: 4 • 45-54: 10 35-44: 8 • 25-34: 5 Underlying Conditions Yes: 218 • No: 50 Vaccinated Yes: 34 • No: 234 Race White 155 • Latinx 90 • Asian 16 Black 3 • Amer Indian 1 Hawaiian 1 • Another 2 Gender Men: 137 • Women: 131 Location At facility for aged: 117 Not at a facility: 151