Coronavirus updates: New SLO County cases, sheriff needs $4.2 million for staff costs
Since March, 246 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus.
Three new COVID-19 cases were reported Monday, following a day with zero new local patients.
Although the county is starting to reopen under the state’s guidelines, hotel occupancy has been capped at 50% and in-store shopping is still not allowed.
The county also warned parents and guardians that online classes can create human trafficking risks.
Here are your local coronavirus updates for Monday:
SLO County sheriff needs $4.2 million to cover staffing costs
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is expected to ask the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for $4.2 million the agency says is the result of unbudgeted salary, benefit, and overtime costs..
The sheriff’s budget request is a consequence of labor agreements signed last year after the current budget was approved, and not the result of a recent 75% increase in deputies patrolling county streets, spokesman Tony Cipolla said Monday.
However, the county’s staff report anticipates nearly $200,000 of the Sheriff’s Office’s expected $2.5 million overtime overage by the fiscal year’s end is a result of COVID-19 impacts.
Goodwill tells donors not to drop off items during coronavirus
Cleaning out your garage while sheltering at home? Goodwill doesn’t want you to leave donated items at its stores just yet.
Goodwill Industries has a wide network of thrift stores and donation centers on the Central Coast. But they remain closed due to coronavirus, officials say.
The nonprofit organization is cautioning people not to drop off their unwanted items at its locations until shelter orders lift.
Class action lawsuit filed against Lompoc prisons over COVID-19
A class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of inmates at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex, claiming the widespread COVID-19 outbreak represents not only a medical and humanitarian crisis, but also violates constitutional rights against “cruel and unusual punishment.”
Attorneys accused the federal Bureau of Prisons of “mismanaging one of the worst public health catastrophes related to COVID-19 anywhere in the country.”
As of Sunday, the bureau reported that 885 inmates tested positive at the Lompoc Federal Correction Institution and 57 positive inmates at the U.S. Penitentiary at Lompoc.
How will coronavirus change voting in SLO County this November?
COVID-19 has changed the voting process in Californians in the presidential election this November, especially for San Luis Obispo County residents who vote in person.
California is the first state in the nation to commit to sending ballots in the mail to all registered voters before the election in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Residents will also have the opportunity to vote in person, where social distancing will be required and workers will wear personal protective equipment.
Those locations might be open for several days leading up to Election Day, but the number of in-person voting locations will likely decline from previous elections.
Online classes create risk for human trafficking, county warns
With more children using computers due to online classes, San Luis Obispo County is warning about the dangers of human trafficking.
According to a county news release, the coronavirus pandemic has “expanded avenues for predators to find new victims.”
Human traffickers use many different online platforms to seek out children, from gaming to social media.
According to the release, traffickers often pose as a person of the same age and ask that the child keep their relationship a secret.
They often plan to meet in-person and kidnap the child or convince them to run away, the county said. And sometimes the trafficker will convince the victim to share explicit photos of themselves.
The county encourages parents and caregivers to be aware of the websites their children visit and have an open dialogue about the dangers of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children, along with cyber security practices.
Best practices for children include never giving out personal information, never agreeing to meet someone in person who they have only spoke to online without approval of a parent or guardian, never posting pictures or videos of themselves or others online that parents or guardians would consider inappropriate, and talking to a trusted adult if someone is making them uncomfortable.
To report acts of child abuse and neglect, contact the Child Welfare Hotline at 805-781-1700.
Some SLO stores violate shelter-at-home order
Several retail businesses in the downtown core appear to be violating coronavirus safety precautions, which for many restrict sales to curbside pickup or delivery and have presented business owners with daunting economic hardships.
Instead, several retailers were allowing customers inside against California’s shelter-at-home order, which applies to businesses throughout San Luis Obispo County.
Some are permitting one customer at a time or a few at a time.
Some Big Sur beaches and trails are open
On Saturday, Los Padres National Forest reopened the day-use sites at Sand Dollar, Willow Creek and Pfeiffer beaches in Big Sur to provide additional outdoor recreation spots for nearby residents. They were previously closed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The trail to Willow Creek and Jade Cove will be open, but coastal campgrounds, other trails and trailheads will remain closed until June 1 — as will South Coast Ridge Road, Plaskett Ridge Road, North Coast Ridge Road and Los Burros (Willow Creek) Road.
Everybody is encouraged to maintain social distancing and not gather with people who are not part of their household.
SLO County limits hotel rooms to curb tourism
San Luis Obispo County hotels are now required to limit their occupancy rates to 50% of capacity to prevent tourism to the area during the coronavirus outbreak.
The order will apply to hotels, motels and short-term rentals including Airbnb and VRBO. All must cap the number of visitors staying at their properties.
Dr. Penny Borenstein, county public health officer, said officials will continue to review it every two weeks.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 10:39 AM.
