Coronavirus updates: SLO adds way to comment at virtual public meetings, Paso Robles sets graduation plans
San Luis Obispo County had a total of 134 cases as of Tuesday, with two new cases reported, according to ReadySLO.org.
Locally, no more than four new cases have been confirmed each day for the past three weeks.
According to public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein, the low rate of new cases is a reason to believe the county can look toward phasing out the shelter-at-home order.
While the county has to wait for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to allow for reopening, the county has began reevaluating which businesses are considered essential.
Meanwhile, commercial fishermen whose incomes have been affected by the shelter-at-home order, will begin selling fish directly to customers.
Here are your local Tuesday updates:
Price gouging laws change and reports may increase
District Attorney Dan Dow said Tuesday that his office expects an increase in price gouging reports after changing laws and an increase in local retailers buying certain high-demand goods from overseas retailers at higher-than-standard costs.
Under the new April 4 order, businesses are prohibited from raising prices more than 10% of any item that it was previously selling on Feb. 4 — replacing the previous March 4 enforcement date, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Paso Robles High School sets plans for graduation
Paso Robles public school leaders on Monday announced potential dates for graduation ceremonies depending on when local coronavirus regulations are lifted.
Paso Robles is the first local district to lay out detailed contingency plans for commencement. It has set at least three potential dates for the high school’s graduation, depending on local social distancing restrictions, according to a post on its Facebook page.
SLO adds ways for public to engage in local government virtually
The city of San Luis Obispo has added the ability for the public to comment live during virtual public meetings, including City Advisory Bodies and City Council meetings, according to a news release.
Community members who have registered for the meeting webinar can type their name into the “question box” and type the item number or public comment section they would like to speak on, according to the release.
Once the public comment for the specific item number is called on, the community member’s microphone will be unmuted and they will be given three minutes.
Other options for public comment include leaving a voice message at 805-781-7164 by 10 a.m on the day of the meeting and emailing emailcouncil@slocity.org by 3 p.m. the day of the meeting or cityclerk@slocity.org after 3 p.m. the day of the meeting.
Madonna Inn and Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation donate cookies to Sheriff’s Office
Amid the ongoing shelter-at-home order, Madonna Inn and Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation teamed up to provide every employee at the Sheriff’s Office with cookies Tuesday as a way of saying thank you to first responders.
General Manager of the Madonna Inn Connie Pearce opened up the inn’s bakery to make chocolate chip and butterscotch oatmeal cookies, according to a news release. The foundation’s board members Chuck and Vikki Houck and Sylvia Dodd delivered the cookies, the release said.
14 more Lompoc inmates test positive for coronavirus
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported another 22 cases of COVID-19 — with 14 of them at the Lompoc Federal Penitentiary.
Overall, the number of confirmed cases in the county is 416. Four people have died, including one Lompoc prison inmate. Overall, 96 prison inmates have tested positive for the virus. The prison, in partnership with the Public Health Department, plans to build a temporary 100-bed hospital on the penitentiary’s grounds in coming days.
San Simeon CSD fails to hold open and public meeting via Zoom
With social distancing measures in place, video conferencing has served as a way to maintain public government meetings.
The San Simeon Community Services District failed to hold an “open and public” board meeting in March and violated the state’s open government law when it gave residents the wrong login information for video conferencing system Zoom, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office said in a letter to the agency April 10.
The District Attorney’s Office’s Public Integrity Unit is demanding that the district correct the alleged violation by holding another hearing on its public emergency resolution at a special meeting Wednesday.
SLO County allows some businesses to reopen
Local health officials announced Monday that they have re-evaluated the county’s shelter-at-home order, and will allow four specific sectors of business to reopen.
These include pet grooming services, recreational fishing and elective surgery and outpatient practices.
Morro Bay fishermen to sell seafood from boats
Tom Hafer, president of the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, said that he and other commercial fisherman plan to sell fresh seafood directly to customers starting in May to help make up for income lost due to coronavirus.
Business is down as a result of the shelter-at-home-order, which closed some restaurants and eliminated dine-in eating.
The commercial salmon and rockfish fishing season opens up May 1.
SLO County leaders want to phase out shelter-at-home
A coalition of San Luis Obispo County elected officials are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to relax the state’s shelter-at-home order and allow for a phased reopening of the local economy, according to a letter they sent to the governor’s office Monday.
The letter asked for Newsom to grant permission for local leaders to implement San Luis Obispo County’s so-called “Roadmap for Reopening.”
Santa Barbara County reports new coronavirus death
Public Health officials announced Tuesday that a Northern Santa Barbara County resident died of COVID-19, a person over 70 years old.
This is the third death reported within a week, and the fifth overall in Santa Barbara County.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the individual who passed away. We continue to battle the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and it is imperative that we continue wearing face coverings and keeping physical distance when outside our homes,” Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said in a statement.
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: SLO adds way to comment at virtual public meetings, Paso Robles sets graduation plans."
