Stay-at-home order begins tonight amid controversy

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A stay-at-home order for all of Southern California, triggered by increasing COVID-19 numbers, goes into effect tonight at midnight.

The question is, will residents obey the order?

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco announced that his department would not enforce the order, which includes, among other things, the following:

-- Hair salons, barbershops, personal care salons, bars and wineries will close.

-- Retail outlets, including grocery stores, will be limited to 20 percent occupancy.

-- Restaurants will be restricted to takeout and delivery service.

-- All non-essential travel is restricted.

-- Residents are advised not to gather in groups outside their household.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that the order would be enacted when Southern California’s availability of ICU hospital beds fell under 15 percent. That number fell to 13.1 percent on Friday and 12.5 percent on Saturday. The order is scheduled to last three weeks.

In a video broadcast on social media Friday, Bianco said that Newsom’s “dictatorial attitude toward California residents while dining in luxury, traveling, keeping his business open and sending his kids to in-person private schools is very telling about his attitude toward California residents, his feelings about the virus, and it is extremely hypocritical."

The Sheriff went on to say that the order was “flat-out ridiculous” and that it would be “disastrous" for Riverside County.

"While the Governor's Office and the state has threatened action against violators, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department will not be blackmailed, bullied or used as muscle against Riverside County residents in the enforcement of the Governor's orders," Bianco said. At the same time, however, he urged residents to “act responsibly and do what they can to protect themselves and their family from contracting the virus.”

In Menifee, social media sites are full of comments by angry residents who say they will defy the order. Whether small businesses comply with the order is yet to be seen. As it has throughout the coronavirus pandemic, such restrictions have been a source of debate.

“In Riverside County, total COVID positive hospitalizations have set new highs each day this week,” according to a statement released Saturday by the Riverside County Health Department. “As of Dec. 4, there are 658 COVID positive patients hospitalized, including 135 patients requiring treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU). In July, the highest number of COVID positive hospitalizations was 550, and the highest number of patients requiring ICU care was 167.”