Coronavirus updates: Pismo Beach requires masks for workers, SLO County gets OK to reopen dine-in, retail
San Luis Obispo County added two new coronavirus cases Wednesday bringing the total local COVID-19 cases to 249 since March.
The county has submitted the paperwork to move forward in the state’s reopening plan. However, some local businesses have permanently closed their doors.
San Luis Obispo County is expecting an up to $56 million budget deficit next fiscal year due to the pandemic.
Here are your local coronavirus updates:
Essential workers must wear masks in Pismo Beach businesses
Essential workers in Pismo Beach will be required to wear face coverings when dealing with the public.
The Pismo Beach City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night requiring that employees wear face coverings at local businesses. The ordinance does not extend to customers.
The rule goes into effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
SLO County gets OK to reopen dine-in restaurants and retail with restrictions
San Luis Obispo County has been given the green light to “move more quickly through Stage 2 opening sectors” — meaning restaurants and stores can reopen for in-person services to some extent.
According to the California Public Health Department, San Luis Obispo County has met the criteria needed to move forward.
San Luis Obispo county was one of 29 counties allowed to move forward in the Resilience Roadmap as of Wednesday. Santa Barbara County and Monterey County were not on the list of qualified counties.
Retail stores and dine-in restaurants will be allowed to reopen following the state’s industry-specific guidelines on how to reopen safely.
SLO County adds 2 new COVID-19 cases
San Luis Obispo County added two new coronavirus cases in Paso Robles on Wednesday, according to ReadySLO.org.
A total of 249 residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, since mid-March.
Of the 249 residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19, 222 have completely recovered from the illness, leaving 27 active patients.
Twenty-three people are still recovering at home, and three patients are receiving hospital treatment. Two hospital patients are in the intensive care unit.
One local resident has died from COVID-19.
SLO County CA suicides are at 5-year low despite coronavirus
San Luis Obispo County is not experiencing a spate of suicides driven by the impacts of COVID-19, despite rumors to the contrary, data show.
The county has experienced far fewer suicides to date this year than any year going back to at least 2016, including during the months shelter-at-home orders have been in place, according to data for the past five years provided by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office.
If you or a loved one are in need of help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). The Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they text to 741741.
In San Luis Obispo County, Transitions Mental Health Association’s SLO Hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-783-0607.
Pier 1 closes local store due to COVID-19
Pier 1 Imports announced Tuesday that all of its stores will shut their doors for good because of the coronavirus pandemic, including the Pier 1 location in Paso Robles.
The company was already facing challenges as it looked for a new buyer, and shelter-at-home orders only heightened the struggle.
Liquidation sales will begin at stores once local governments allow retail businesses reopened.
COVID-19 leaves SLO County facing a budget deficit
San Luis Obispo County has projected a general fund budget shortfall of $32 million to $56 million next fiscal year due to COVID-19.
At a meeting Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors was updated with the third quarter 2019-20 fiscal report. The board also unanimously approved more than $12 million in budget adjustments, $7 million of which came from the general fund, for the end of the fiscal year.
According to the report, the impacts of COVID-19 did not show up substantially in the third-quarter actuals because the shelter-at-home order did not go into effect until mind-March.
However, the coronavirus pandemic will have “significant impacts to the budget in the current year,” the report said.
Demand for SLO County food bank triples during coronavirus
The SLO Food Bank saw the economic impact of coronavirus as soon as the shelter-at-home order went into place.
In a report to San Luis Obispo County on May 15, the food bank projected that it will have had a 70% total increase from January to the end of May in pounds of food delivered through their three distribution methods.
The food bank distributes food in three ways — through 77 different partner agencies that have pick-up sites and food pantries throughout the county, through a neighborhood food distribution service and, in partnership with the county, directly to homes of self isolating individuals.
According to SLO Food Bank CEO Garret Olson, each dollar donated to the food bank results in $4 of food because of the nonprofit’s bulk-buying vendor agreements.
And Ragtag Wine Co., a San Luis Obispo winery, is donating 50% of their online sales to the food bank of their customer’s shipping address, according to a news release. The donation is going on through June 15.
SLO County yarn shop relies on online classes to survive closure
When the shelter-at-home order went into effect, Ball & Skein & More in Cambria had to get creative.
Oz Barron and Kris Gregson, owners of the yarn shop, have spent the past two or so months doing everything they can to promote their business and keep it alive until they can open its doors again.
On May 11 and 16, Ball & Skein & More was among the shops featured on a series of virtual classes organized by Vogue Knitting magazine called Vogue Knitting Live!
Cal Poly student club ‘Zoom bombed’ with racist slurs, symbols
Members of the Cal Poly Chinese Student Association were verbally assaulted during a weekly Zoom meeting by about 20 people who joined in uninvited.
According to club president Rocco Costanzo, the May 12 meeting was about to formally begin when 20 or so unknown individuals joined the group and began flooding the online video call with racial slurs and racist symbols — a practice often referred to as “Zoom bombing.”
Many people started yelling about the coronavirus pandemic and telling students to “go back where you came from,” Costanzo said.
“I think the attack was actively targeted toward Asian and Chinese students and a lot of people in the meeting felt attacked by what the Zoom bombers said,” he said.
The students filed a report with the Cal Poly Police Department.
Santa Barbara County adds 21 new cases, most in North County
Public health officials reported 21 new cases of COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County on Tuesday, with nearly all of them in the North County.
Following recent trends, the city of Santa Maria had the most new cases with 10, bringing its total to 229.
The Lompoc federal prison complex reported eight new cases and a total of 971, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.
Of the county’s total of 505 community cases, 432 have fully recovered and 28 were recovering at home. Another 28 were being treated in local hospitals, including 11 in intensive care units. Information was pending on eight.
And 11 Santa Barbara County residents have died.
Paso Robles winery hosts virtual wine tasting with pro athletes
Justin Vineyards & Winery has ended in-person wine tasting due to shelter-at-home orders. However, the Paso Robles winery is launching a virtual wine tasting series on Friday featuring two professional athletes.
Professional basketball player Josh Hart, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, will join winery owner Justin Baldwin on Friday, according to a news release. And on June 5, former professional football player and Hall of Fame Receiver Jerry Rice will join in, the release said.
The virtual tastings are available for participants ages 21 and older. Each tasting will have a “Virtual Tasting Pack” available for pre-order, the release said.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Pismo Beach requires masks for workers, SLO County gets OK to reopen dine-in, retail."
