SLO County beaches are staying open; governor announces closures in Southern California
San Luis Obispo County beaches have narrowly escaped a historic shutdown.
A day after a memo was leaked implying California Gov. Gavin Newsom would shutter all of the state’s beaches, Newsom clarified Thursday that only beaches in the Orange County area will close.
“We’re going to take a temporary pause on beaches down there,” he said at a news briefing Thursday. “If we can get some framework and guidelines to get this right, we gotta make sure we do.”
When asked about the seeming reversal on what was reported in the memo, Newsom said that his office’s intention has always been to keep a closure targeted to a specific area.
“This is exactly the conversations we were having,” Newsom said. “I can’t square what others may have said, but this is what we have said.”
He noted the memo in question was a product of the California Chiefs Association, and that he had not seen it.
Newsom said the Orange County closure would be short term, with a focus on reopening the beaches as soon as possible.
Pismo Beach City Manager Jim Lewis said the city was happy the governor did not choose to close the state’s beaches, and noted that Pismo Beach is asking people to use local beaches responsibly.
“We believe it is good for people to be able to be out on the beach,” Lewis told The Tribune on Thursday afternoon. “As long as they are responsible.”
Why California, SLO County beach closures were being discussed
The closures in Orange County come after a warm weekend in which thousands of home-weary Californians flocked to the state’s sandy shores, prompting some concern that social distancing suggestions were being ignored.
San Luis Obispo County saw its own examples: In Pismo Beach over the weekend, hundreds of people gathered at the ocean, mingling throughout the downtown area, with many not wearing masks.
“It looked like a holiday weekend here last weekend,” Shelli Hample of Grover Beach told The Tribune on Thursday before Newsom’s announcement. “People were packing Butterfly Grove and the beach. I think it’s a good idea to shut it down because we can’t have that continue to happen.”
On Thursday, people were scattered spaciously across the beach, with dogwalkers, sunbathers and a dozen or so surfers catching waves around the pier.
Their opinions on whether or not local beaches should close varied.
Ricky Davalos, of Hanford, told The Tribune he and his friends came to Pismo Beach to get away for a day, and stayed overnight at a hotel.
“We have nothing to do over there,” he said while standing in the shadow of the closed Pier. “Everywhere is closed actually. We need a little getaway, at least once. I haven’t been out since this started, you know?”
Davalos said he didn’t sense the beaches were overcrowded on Thursday; he thinks it’s manageable if people make sure to spread out.
“I think it’s possible,” he said. “People just need to distance themselves. It’s a big beach.”
Up the street, Adrian Ramirez, a worker serving takeout at Cool Cat Cafe, on Pomeroy Avenue, said that business already has been suffering, and would hurt more if the beaches were to shutter.
“We are doing are best but it has been slow, and I can’t imagine what it will be like if you close the beach,” Ramirez said. “There can be some new rules, maybe, but they shouldn’t close it 100 percent.”
Meanwhile, a barefoot Molly Johnson of Arroyo Grande strolled through Pismo Beach with a sign that read: “Don’t close the beach. Recall Newsom. Oppose the Tyrant.”
“I lived in the Valley and worked hard for 30 years to live out here,” Johnson told The Tribune. “It’s our right to use the beach. Gavin Newsom didn’t make this beach. God did.”
Pismo Beach planning for busy weekends
With more warm weather on the way, the beaches could once again be filled with people this weekend.
In response, Lewis said the city is working hard to enforce social distancing at its beaches.
Police are patrolling to ensure that people maintain appropriate distance, he said, and they will break up large groups of people who do not live with each other.
He urged both locals and visitors to the city alike to be considerate and follow all protocol for reducing the spread of coronavirus —though he added the city is not encouraging people to travel to Pismo Beach at this time.
“If you are here, we expect that you will be respectful of our community,” he said. “If people are not respectful, as was the case with our neighbors in Southern California, we may be forced to take other action.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 1:03 PM with the headline "SLO County beaches are staying open; governor announces closures in Southern California."
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