Good morning, Redwood City!
Soggy greetings from your lead reporter, Leah Worthington, who's stepping in for Michelle this morning. Hope everyone made it through yesterday's downpour and is warming their bones in the sun this morning.
Yesterday's atmospheric river left thousands of residents in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks were without power and, as of this writing, some 1,721 are still affected—including 173 in North Fair Oaks.
After receiving more than 3 inches of rain, it seems we've got a bit of a respite. The chance of rain is low today, and forecasters are predicting partial sun and temperatures in the mid-60s to low-70s through the rest of the week. Of course, this is only the beginning of the Bay Area's rainy season.
According to Brooke Bingaman, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service, California's "water year" starts on October 1, but it "a little unusual" to have such a big storm so early. Typically California's biggest rain and snowfall comes in the months of December, January, February. To that end, San Mateo County issued a public emergency notice, including tips for preparing for the coming winter months.
“Now is the time to check roof drains and down spouts to make sure they are clear of debris,” said Dan Belville, head of the County’s Department of Emergency Management. “And make sure you have flashlights with fresh batteries and other essentials handy. The time to discover you need emergency supplies is before you need them.”
So, set those boots out to dry, get your emergency supplies in order—and don't forget to watch out for some termite romance.
In other news, Michelle wrote about vaccine hesitancy among some Hispanic folks in the area. According to a local doctor, misinformation, family pressure, social media and religious beliefs are some of the reasons Latinos have given for not wanting the vaccine.
"I have conversations with older Latino men who quote religious reasons and say 'My religion doesn't allow for that,'" Dr. Victor Villacorta said, referring to a Catholic patient he treats. "And being Catholic myself, I said, 'Listen, even the Pope got the vaccine.'"
Lastly, progress is being made on the Sequoia Station renovation project. Two developers resubmitted their plans, which includes plans for six blocks of office, retail and residential spaces, as well as child facilities and public open space. They'll be seeking public comment soon—you can read more about that here.
We've got plenty more on our site and in the works, so stay tuned. And let us know if there's something we missed or that you'd like to read about.
Stay dry,
Leah
Photo of the Day Caption: Redwood City sky and Zoppé Circus tent. Photo courtesy of Twitter user Wallace
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