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MERCED (BLJ) -- As predicted, the virus is getting out of control here in Merced, there in California, and everywhere in the nation.

Locally, Merced County Public Health Department reports 11.2  positivity rate in the seven-day average, and 191 deaths (increase of five in a day). Merced County population is 275,000 and population density is 143 people per square mile.

By contrast, the City and County of San Francisco has 164 deaths, It's population is 881,500 and its population density is 17,160 people per square mile.

--blj

MERCED (BLJ) – Lamentable news in Merced County. The positivity rate of infection has risen to 8 percent over seven day’s average. Two weeks ago it was less than 7 percent. The number of deaths is now 179.

California has a 6.1-percent infection rate over seven days; 19,076 people have died of virus-related illness (51 new).

The death count in the United states has reached 268,487 (1,521 new).

The global death count is 1,442,921 (10,874 new).

Merced City Councilman Fernando Echevarria, censured by the City Council for making false accusations against the mayor and for demonstrating a choke hold at a Black Lives Matter rally about the death of George Floyd, is up to his stupid tricks again. During a discussion of increasing the per diem paid to council members, Echevarria was urged to claim that former Council Member Mary Michael Rawlings was forced to quit her position because she couldn't afford to pay a babysitter.

I've noticed in the last week the telltale, subtle signs of drought, a staleness in the air, clouds that don't produce rain, a warm, sick sunlight, stinking dust. But,, isn't that nearly a permanent condition in the Central Valley these days? When was the last really good rain year? I'm sure that sometime during the last 22 years I witnessed one but I can't remember it. Mostly I remember stale air, no cooling breezes, no rain, an unhealthy and very unbalanced climate. -- wmh

11-2-20

Bay Nature