Safely Support Local Business
We are all struggling to get through this crisis, and as we have seen, some people have been impacted more than others. Many of the people who are being hit the hardest by the effects of COVID-19 are the owners or employees of locally-owned small businesses. The good news is there are things we can do to help support our local businesses, even if we can’t do so in the same way we used to.
Many restaurants are offering their full or modified menu for pick up or delivery, so if you are able to do so, order take out and let someone else do the cooking a couple of nights a week. This is a safe way to support your favorite local restaurants and take a little bit of the load off of yourself. You can also dine in – outside – as many restaurants have adapted to outdoor seating and reservation-only dining to meet current guidelines issued by the state.
If you need a little retail therapy, many stores have reopened for business, so be sure to wear your mask and maintain the appropriate distance between yourself and other shoppers. Many stores are also limiting the number of people permitted in at one time and offering curbside pick up or delivery in order to ensure the safety of their customers.
There are also plenty of service providers who have adapted their operations to allow for virtual sessions or classes, including yoga instructors, therapists, financial planners and even music teachers. You can purchase gift cards, post about a positive experience with a local business on social media, and tip service providers extra. Anything we can do to help our local businesses will benefit our community by keeping the economy afloat.
Here in District 5 our business organizations have compiled helpful information on which local establishments and service providers are up and running. The Colfax Chamber of Commerce has created a list of businesses with information on what services are currently being provided. The Auburn Chamber of Commerce also put together a working list of restaurants that are open for business, with information on hours and available services. You can also visit Auburn’s Downtown Business Association and Old Town Business Association websites for a list of open businesses. The Foresthill Divide Chamber of Commerce has also posted a list of open businesses on its website.
If you are considering heading up to the mountains, the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association has created a Safe Travel page on its website, which includes COVID-friendly itineraries and information on the Mask Up Tahoe campaign.
For information on businesses in our smaller communities such as Meadow Vista, Applegate, and the Alta/Dutch Flat area be sure to look at social media sites specific to those areas as that is often the best way to find up-to-date information.
Signs like this help businesses inform the public about their efforts to keep customers safe.
Finally, one of the most important ways we can support our local businesses is to adhere to guidelines and respect their requirements that you wear a mask and practice social distancing. Remember we are all in this together and anything we can do to help our local businesses succeed will help all of us in the long run.
Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meeting
The Board of Supervisors meet on Monday, July 27 and Tuesday, July 28. The Board Chambers continues to be closed to public attendance, but the public may participate online or via telephone.
Monday’s meeting begins at 1pm and is a Special Meeting focused largely on Tahoe-area items and updates, including an update on the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association’s response to COVID-19, a proposed Workforce Housing Preservation Program and a proposed amendment to the North Lake Tahoe Economic Development Incentive Program. At Monday’s meeting the Board of Supervisors will also consider an Urgency Ordinance to ban alcohol on portions of the Truckee River from July 27 to October 15.
On Tuesday the Board’s regular meeting begins at 9am and we have a full agenda including an ordinance aimed at banning alcohol within the Placer County Government Center, allocation of CARES Act funds, and an update from Placer County Public Health Officer, Dr. Aimee Sisson on COVID-19. Please take a look at the agenda, which also provides information on how to participate in the meeting.
Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or need any assistance with County issues or concerns.
– Cindy Gustafson, District 5 Supervisor
Guidance for outdoor operation of personal services
The California Department of Public Health released additional guidance this week for some personal services to begin outdoor operations; including hair, massage, nail and skin care services. They also offered new guidance to help restaurants adapt to providing outdoor dining service. Find all the latest reopening guidance on our Reopen Placer website
Negative COVID-19 test not required for return to work
Placer County Public Health has announced that employees diagnosed with COVID-19 do not need to be retested after their initial positive test. Instead, following guidelines from the CDC, someone with COVID-19 can return to work using criteria based on time and symptoms. This will help keep testing available for those who need it most. Learn more
Senior peer counseling program available
Are you 55 years or older, and feel like you could use someone to talk to who really understands what you are going through? Senior Peer Counseling is a free, voluntary, peer support program for Placer County residents aged 55 years or older, who are dealing with age-related adjustment issues.
COVID-19 is not slowing us down! We are currently providing services via phone and accepting new client referrals. Learn more
Contact information:
175 Fulweiler Ave., Auburn, CA 95603
Supervisor Cindy Gustafson: cindygustafson@
District Director Lindsay Romack: lromack@placer.ca.gov
District Aide Kelly McCaughna: kmccaughna@placer.
Temporary Assistant District Aide Judy Friedman: jfriedman@placer.ca.
