CALF_News_April_May_2021

23 CALF News • April | May 2021 • www.calfnews.net cessibility to mental health resources and inadequate, expensive housing. As of this writing, the California homeless count numbered 151,278. The problem is expanding; the Fair- grounds Nashville began housing home- less and COVID patients in late March 2020. By November, taxpayers had spent more than $2.5 million in fencing, secu- rity, food (three catered meals per day) and medical care for sheltered guests. Affected Citizens It was a difficult task finding enough people to question for this article; several I spoke to declined to be interviewed, fearing they would lose their jobs. Most indicated an intermingling of problems related to COVID and the economy, and California’s liberal mindset. Richard Jacobsen is a Le Grand, Calif., retired ag teacher who serves on the local high school board, where he taught for over 30 years. He was also the sheep superintendent at the Cal Expo in Sacramento. Jacobsen first expressed concern about school shutdown mandates and virtual learning. The failure rate in his classes and across much of the school system is 20 percent. Youngsters are hard pressed to sit and watch a computer screen all day, and their parents are so weary of the pandemic, they may not care whether these kids finish their classes. “Society and parents have accepted a bad attitude,” Jacobsen says. He is now trying to “recover” these students. Hispanic families have been hit the hardest by COVID-19, with multi-gen- erations living under one roof, and a high incidence of diabetes. As for the takeover of fairgrounds, Jacobson worries about the loss of emergency services during forest fires. Additionally, closures and social distanc- ing mandates have caused fairgrounds’ revenue loss, resulting in financial stress. He predicts many will have to sell. Jacob- sen is grateful that the county facilities have received some relief from the federal CARES act, which is the only thing keep- ing them afloat. He is fearful that our way of life and traditions will fade away with the closure of fairs, as sports and other activities have generated so much money that fairs cannot compete. Paradise, California Ron Brandt is past manager of the Merced County Spring Fair. He says that COVID-19 is shuttering fairgrounds across the state. Three years after Para- dise, Calif., burned to the ground, the Chico County Fairgrounds is still housing displaced families living in FEMA trail- ers, and, once the homeless are moved in, they cannot be moved off public property. Brandt says the overload of homeless in these rural communities is overwhelming and breaking the backs of public services. Those on drugs (“Out-of-Luckers”) and the mentally ill often cannot be helped. “Generations worked hard to make California great; it’s a shame to see ‘luck- ers’ and illegals take it all,” Brandt says. The Positive Side Greg Ahart is vice president of sales at Superior Farms, Dixon, Calif. He has been instrumental in helping keep junior Continued on page 25  The First Hydraulic Corral and still the Largest! • Pull on highway at speed limit. • Fits through any gate your pickup will. • Stable on uneven terrain. • Wheels on each panel and electric over hydraulic jack eliminates lifting—saves time. • Permanent sheeted adjustable alley. • Frame gates for sorting. • Transport wheels are permanent, no sliding off the axles and rolling out of the way. Rawhide Portable Corral 900 NORTHWASHINGTON ST., ABILENE, KS 67410 785.263.3436 www.rawhideportablecorral.com Rawhide Processor by John McDonald 3 Sizes Available!