California s COVID-19 enforcement strategy: Education over citations | National heraldmailmedia.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldmailmedia.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By John Orona | Staff Writer
Despite a lawsuit pending against it from the county, apart from some changes to accommodate COVID-19 regulations, it’s business as usual at Calla Lily Crepes.
Nevada County and Nevada City filed a complaint against Calla Lily Crepes co-owner Darren Engstrom in September stemming from allegations of violating state COVID-19 mandates and continuing to operate with a revoked permit.
According to co-owner Rebecca Sweet Engstrom, who owns the business with husband Darren, the case against them will return to court next month. Until then, Engstrom said she’s continued serving customers through a service window and iPad stationed as an ordering kiosk.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Nearly six months since Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to target businesses that are flagrantly violating public health orders to control the spread of COVID-19, California regulators have issued just 424 citations and suspended two business licenses as of Monday, according to data from 10 state regulatory and law enforcement agencies.
Instead of strictly penalizing businesses for violations, the Democratic governor and businessman with a portfolio of wineries, bars and restaurants under the brand name PlumpJack, has relied on educating owners about infectious disease mandates. State agencies have contacted establishments primarily by email, sending them 1.3 million messages since July 1 to urge them to comply with state and local public health rules.
As a result, some counties enforce the rules and some don’t. And because the state hasn’t stepped in to assist with adequate enforcement, some local officials say, businesses are often free to ignore the rules, allowing the virus to run rampant.
“It would be nice to have some air support from the governor,” said Nevada City Councilman Doug Fleming, who backs the city’s new ordinance imposing fines for violating the state mask mandate. “He’s kind of forcing local jurisdictions to enforce his rules without any air support.”
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California is experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases as never before, setting records almost daily for infections and deaths. Hospitals across the state are running dangerously low on intensive care unit beds, with the state reporting 2.5% ICU capacity as of Monday.