A MULTI-AGENCY LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION for illegal cultivation of commercial cannabis in Sierra County was conducted recently. Sheriff Mike Fisher reported the operation to the Sierra County Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting held remotely October 19th. Fisher stated they served 12 criminal search warrants, visited 16 cannabis cultivation sites, and eradicated approximately 1,041 marijuana plants. He said they made two felony arrests, seized seven firearms and currently have an active felony investigation stemming from one of the cultivation sites. This was a multi-agency operation, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Sierra County Probation Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Toxic Substances Control law enforcement along with their civilian staff that helped document violations from an environmental standpoint, California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and use of a Blackhawk helicopter was provided by the California Air National Guard. Fisher was pleased to report no injuries and called it “a very successful operation”. He thanked the agencies that assisted with no price tag to the County. - Photo courtesy SC Sheriff’s Dept.
A COVID UPDATE was given during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held remotely on Tuesday, October 19th. Social Services and Public Health Director Vickie Clark reported the State was still seeing about 5,000 new cases a day and stated Delta was the only variant of concern for California. On this date Sierra County had 29 active cases and of those, 14 were in the skilled nursing facility in Loyalton. She said they received 36 new cases the week prior, adding it was the highest they’ve had. No hospitalizations were reported at this time. Public Health Officer Celia Sutton-Pado stated there had been a total of 17 skilled nursing residents, and all had been vaccinated except for one and reported they were doing quite well.
Clark said the schools were back open after being closed for 10 days. She explained a testing team came to Loyalton and Downieville the week before to try and get as many families, staff and students tested as possible. In Loyalton they tested 40 people on Oct-
ober 14th and seven came up positive and one was asymptomatic. Clark reported they are doing vaccine clinics on Thursdays in Loyalton and are still waiting for approval of Moderna boosters. She hoped by the end of the week it would have approval and stated Pfizer for 5-11 year olds would be coming soon too.
Supervisor Sharon Dryden talked about the walkout of schools on October 18th, stating not everyone was on board with those mandates. Clark said she was aware and there were only 90 children at the elementary and half of the high school walked out that day against vaccination mandates. Sutton-Pado stated mandates the Governor placed on school age children would not happen until full FDA approval.
A COVID UPDATE was given during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held remotely on Tuesday, October 19th. Social Services and Public Health Director Vickie Clark reported the State was still seeing about 5,000 new cases a day and stated Delta was the only variant of concern for California. On this date Sierra County had 29 active cases and of those, 14 were in the skilled nursing facility in Loyalton. She said they received 36 new cases the week prior, adding it was the highest they’ve had. No hospitalizations were reported at this time. Public Health Officer Celia Sutton-Pado stated there had been a total of 17 skilled nursing residents, and all had been vaccinated except for one and reported they were doing quite well.
Clark said the schools were back open after being closed for 10 days. She explained a testing team came to Loyalton and Downieville the week before to try and get as many families, staff and students tested as possible. In Loyalton they tested 40 people on Oct-
ober 14th and seven came up positive and one was asymptomatic. Clark reported they are doing vaccine clinics on Thursdays in Loyalton and are still waiting for approval of Moderna boosters. She hoped by the end of the week it would have approval and stated Pfizer for 5-11 year olds would be coming soon too.
Supervisor Sharon Dryden talked about the walkout of schools on October 18th, stating not everyone was on board with those mandates. Clark said she was aware and there were only 90 children at the elementary and half of the high school walked out that day against vaccination mandates. Sutton-Pado stated mandates the Governor placed on school age children would not happen until full FDA approval.
