Biweekly Third District Update

I’m happy to announce that a longtime member of my staff has received a promotion. Robyn Brock, who many of you know as my expert in planning and transportation matters, is now my deputy chief of staff.

Robyn has been with the Third District since before me, starting as an intern and working her way up to a board assistant and then legislative assistant. While serving Third District residents, Robyn also worked tirelessly to obtain her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California Baptist University. As deputy chief of staff, Robyn will aid my chief of staff, Michelle DeArmond, in providing legislative and policy guidance to me. She will also serve as chief of staff in absence of Michelle.

So next time you see Robyn, feel free to congratulate her on her new role!

Sincere regards,

Chuck Washington

Update on Vaccine Mandates

The state and federal governments have issued vaccine mandates for workers in various industries. While the County of Riverside has not issued its own vaccine mandates, these rules still apply to residents of Riverside County. In addition, cities and businesses in Riverside County are free to require vaccinations to gain entry into an establishment or as a condition of employment. Below is a summary of the most recent public health orders from the state and federal governments.

• State employees: All state employees must show proof of full vaccination or be tested for COVID-19 at least once per week. These rules came into effect Aug. 2, 2021. To read more about these measures, visit https://bit.ly/3kbnMJS.
• Healthcare workers: All healthcare workers must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 20, 2021. Unvaccinated healthcare workers who have qualifying medical or religious exemptions must be tested twice weekly if they work in acute healthcare or long-term settings and once weekly if they work in other healthcare fields. To read this public health order, visit https://bit.ly/3nvDdyG.
• School workers: All those who work in public or private schools serving students K through 12 must show proof of vaccination or be tested for COVID-19 at least once per week. School workers must be in compliance by Oct. 15, 2021. To read this public health order, visit https://bit.ly/3z9l5wn.
• Federal executive branch employees and federal contractors: All federal executive branch workers will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This standard will be extended to employees of contractors that do business with the federal government. Further guidance will be given in the coming weeks. To read more about this requirement, visit https://bit.ly/3AhCd4A.
• Businesses with more than 100 employees: The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing a rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work. To read more about this requirement, visit https://bit.ly/3AhCd4A.

Please note that the County of Riverside is still seeking clarification on the particulars of some of these mandates. For the County of Riverside’s latest press releases, visit rivcoph.org/coronavirus.

Riverside County COVID-19 Update

Riverside County’s COVID-19 case rate is stabilizing but still high. As of Wednesday, Sept. 15, Riverside County’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 25.3, and our positivity rate is 7.9. For comparison, when businesses were opened or closed in accordance with the state’s colored tier system, the most restrictive tier (the purple tier) described any county in which the case rate was higher than seven per 100,000 residents and the positivity rate was higher than eight percent.

Please, help keep our community and your family safe by getting your COVID-19 vaccine. The County of Riverside is vaccinating residents ages 12 and up. A third dose is available to individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. More information on receiving a third dose can be found here: https://bit.ly/3jxJxmG.

To make an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, call 2-1-1 or visit www.ruhealth.org/covid-19-vaccine. You can also schedule an appointment at a Community Health Center by calling 800-945-6171. If you are unable to leave your home for medical reasons, you can be vaccinated from the comfort of your home by calling 833-422-4255 or visiting myturn.ca.gov. Finally, vaccine clinics located in the Third District are listed in the first article below.

Daily updates on the county’s COVID-19 cases are posted at www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus and on Facebook at @countyriversidedepartmentofpublichealth and Twitter at @RivCoDoc. For state updates, visit www.cdph.ca.gov, and for national updates, visit www.cdc.gov.

Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics in the Third District

In an effort to bring COVID-19 vaccines closer to residents, a number of local, one-day vaccination clinics have been planned for the Third District.

Hemet: COVID-19 vaccines are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, September 17 at the Workforce Development Center (749 N. State St.). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use one of the links below:

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/y98bvp98
• J&J: https://tinyurl.com/an86u9y7

Idyllwild: COVID-19 vaccines and testing appointments are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, September 25 at Idyllwild School (26700 CA-243). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use one of the links below:

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/xw9nv6up
• Moderna: https://tinyurl.com/3drecvpj
• Testing: https://tinyurl.com/99nhzaam

Outdoor Resource and Job Fair in Hemet

Calling all employers! The County of Riverside is hosting an outdoor resource and job fair 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 7, 2021 at the Hemet Workforce Development Center (749 N. State St.). In addition to helping businesses find a workforce, other resources will be offered, including COVID-19 vaccinations, employment and training services, rental assistance, utility bill assistance and other services. There is limited space available for employers. For more information and to secure space, email employerservices@rivco.org.

Third District Office Seeking Student Volunteers for the Youth Advisory Council

Riverside County's Third District Youth Advisory Council is now accepting applications for the 2021/2022 school year.

The Youth Advisory Council is a youth-led leadership council that provides recommendations to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Council members also plan and execute a number of community service projects throughout the year.  Last school year, council members completed over 650 community services hours. As council members, students have the opportunity to earn volunteer hours and serve their communities.

For more information or to apply, contact Tori Gallagher by emailing AGallagher@rivco.org or calling 951-955-1030.

California Clean Air Day is Oct. 6

This year, the Riverside County Third District Supervisor’s Office is participating in the fourth annual California Clean Air Day.

California suffers from some of the worst air quality in the county. Last year, more than 500 organizations pledged to be part of the effort to bring clean air to California.

You may be thinking: what can I do as an individual to clean our air? First, take the Clean Air Day pledge here: www.cleanairday.org/pledge/individual/supwash. Once you take the pledge, it will direct you to a webpage that lists a number of things that individuals can do to clean our air. Below are just a few examples:

• Buy produce locally;
• Make all online purchases in one order each week;
• Eat no meat for at least one day per week; and
• Telecommute or carpool to work.

There are so many actions individuals can take to help clean our air – try one today!

Scams Target Senior Population, Part 1

As the population of older adults increase in Riverside County, we see more and more scammers trying to trick this population. This article is part one of a series on fraud that targets older adults. This week’s article focuses on Charity Fraud.

Americans contributed almost $450 billion to charities in 2019. Unfortunately, some people have taken advantage of that generosity in the form of charity scams. Charity scammers are especially active during the holiday season or in the immediate wake of a disaster, like a hurricane or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Warning signs for charity scams including intense pressure to donate immediately, a thank-you notice for a donation you do not remember making (making you think you have already donated to the cause previously) and a request for donations by cash, gift card or wire transfer.

Before making a charitable donation, you should:

• Research the charity using information provided by Charity Navigator, CharityWater and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance;
• Pay attention to how much of your donation goes to overhead and fundraising. One rule of thumb is to make sure that at least 65 percent of a charity’s expenses go directly to serving its mission;
• Pay close attention to the charity’s name and web address. Scammers often mimic the names of familiar, trusted organizations to fool donors;
• Keep a record of your donations and regularly review your credit card account to make sure you were not charged more than you agreed to give or unknowingly signed up for a recurring donation; and
• Google the charity’s name along with the terms “highly rated charity,” “complaints” and “scam.”

Before making a charitable donation, you should NOT:

• Provide personal and financial information, such your Social Security number, date of birth or bank account number;
• Make a donation by cash, gift card or wire transfer. Credit cards and checks are safer;
• Click on links from unsolicited emails or on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter;
• Donate by text unless you have confirmed the charity’s phone number on their official website; and
• Assume that crowdfunding sites, such as GoFundMe, are legitimate, especially in the wake of a disaster. Many scammers use real victims’ stories and pictures to con people.

Give generously to charities, but be safe and smart before you do!