Winter of destruction: Lodi, region battered again, but San Joaquin County left off FEMA aid

Jan. 9—More than a dozen counties in California impacted by rain and flooding will receive federal assistance, but San Joaquin County is not one of them.

On Monday, FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance had been made available to the state to save lives, protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe. A total of 18 counties were included in the federal emergency declaration, including Sacramento, Stanislaus and Merced.

"It is unacceptable that once again Washington and Sacramento have left San Joaquin County behind," Rep. Josh Harder, D-Manteca, said in a media statement.

Last week, Harder urged FEMA to send aid immediately after the first major storm ripped through San Joaquin County on New Year's Eve.

Harder was angry that San Joaquin County was left off the list of those receiving aid after his call for assistance.

"This happens over and over and I'm tired of it," he said. "Our streets are flooded, our schools are closed, and still we're ignored. San Joaquin County deserves just as much federal help as Los Angeles and Sacramento get, and I won't stop until we bring those funds home."

Currently, the county is not eligible for FEMA Category B measures, which include flood fighting; evacuation and sheltering; medical care and transportation; use and lease of temporary power generators; elimination of threats on public or private property; construction of temporary structures; emergency repairs to prevent further damage; or extracting and clearing water, mud, and other forms of debris, Harder's office said.

The federal aid announcement comes as a second major storm wreaked havoc through the Lodi and Galt areas over the weekend, bringing another round of high winds that knocked over trees and power poles.

The city said that public works crews spent Saturday night removing or blocking off several trees and branches that fell in the streets throughout town.

One lane was completely blocked on westbound Turner Road at Ham Lane, as was one lane of westbound Century Boulevard near Beckman Park, the city said.

Several trees along School Street in Downtown Lodi were blown over, some even falling on parked cars.

A tree on South Hutchins Street at Legion Park was blown over, damaging a fence and falling into the tennis courts.

City of Lodi spokeswoman Mary Campbell said public works and electric utility crews have been working around the clock to address current issues and address storms that are anticipated in the coming week.

"Public Works is addressing the downed trees, working to clear them from the road ways or block them off," she said. "Since the New Year's Eve storm, crews have made great progress in clearing storm basins back to pre-storm condition in preparation for today's storm."

Other preparations city staff undertook to prepare, Campbell said, included placing all personnel under "on call" status, expanding maintenance and inspection activities, and proactively replacing aging and failing infrastructure.

Staff also increased vegetation management work; brought in additional outside line crews as needed, and brought in additional outside crane services to assist with tree removal and infrastructure rebuild efforts, Campbell said.

The Lodi Police and Fire departments received and increased amount of calls again for downed trees and power lines due to the weather.

Lodi firefighters responded to two accidents during the storm Monday night, the first involving multiple vehicles on Lower Sacramento Road north of Kettleman. Three patients were transported to local hospitals.

The second was a solo accident at the roundabout on Sargent Road at the Rose Gate subdivision. Firefighters extricated one occupant, who was then transported to a local hospital.

Power outages from the storm caused San Joaquin Delta College to close its campus Monday, allowing only essential personnel and first responders to enter.

Reopening the campus will be monitored on a day-to-day basis, the college said.

Lodi Unified School District also closed a handful of campuses due to power outages Monday, including Dorothy Mahin and Live Oak elementary schools, Morada Middle School and Turner Academy.

Middle College High School, located on the Delta College campus, was also closed.

District spokeswoman Chelsea Vongehr said the schools were all expected to reopen Tuesday.

In Galt, both school districts announced classes were canceled on Monday, but campuses were expected to be reopened Tuesday.

"Thankfully, our schools are in good condition and we did not lose electricity in Galt," Galt Joint Union Elementary School District superintendent Lois Yount said in a social media post to parents.

"We lost more trees, fences and a couple of roofs, but there is limited damage to classrooms or learning spaces," she said. "The winds are expected to calm down and the rain level should be manageable the next few days."

Yount said bus routes along Simmerhorn, Boessow, Kost, Twin Cities, and New Hope roads are all unserviceable, and residents who need assistance on Tuesday should call the district's transportation department at 209-745-1059.

The Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services on Monday ordered residents in Wilton and the surrounding areas to evacuate, stating water may spill over onto roadways.

An evacuation center was set up at Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation in Elk Grove.

The agency also ordered residents throughout the county to evacuate livestock before the heavy rains returned.

The National Weather Service's Sacramento office said on Monday that the Galt and Lodi areas are both under flood advisories, and a thunderstorm may be possible on Tuesday.

Winds could be as high as 24 miles an hour through Wednesday, with temperatures in the mid-40s to high 50s through the week.

Showers are expected through Sunday, the agency said.