covid cray cray

Makin it rain

As we roll into month 12 of this pandemic, no one has to remind you that biz owners have it ROUGH [but like, thanks for following the rules, yo.] A bunch of local owners got a lil’ relief on Friday when the SLO City Small Business Relief Fund delivered $5,000 grants to one hundred of ‘em. This second round of grants brings total direct funding of local biz to nearly $900K. Suhweeet. See if your fave spot was a winner winner chicken dinner here, and big shout out to Measure G for providing the bulk of the cash money.

Vaccine access expanded

Boomers, show us your vaccine cards! Anticipating expanded supply next week and accepting the recommendations of the County’s Task Force, SLOPHD announced it would start vaccinating those over 65 starting next Thursday. Def won’t be a ton of appts at first, but with another 38,000 folks in SLO Co. now eligible for vaccinations, the COVID sitch is starting to look better and better for us. FYI appointment schedules are announced weekdays at 9 am as they become available at RecoverSLO.org.

Restaurants in a bind

As SLO Co. slid back under strict Stay-At-Home orders, eateries balked at a return to on-site dining restrictions. Paso’s City Council “voted” themselves back to purple tier [uhm, can they do that?] And the County clarified that eating takeout at outdoor tables was ok. [because less jobs/tips and more trash is a good thing?!] Alas, some restaurant and other biz owners held a rally and many are straight up ignoring the order. Not that the Sheriff was gonna enforce violations anyway. Doesn’t that make you feel #safewithus? TLDR:  buy gift cards, get takeout.

No Tom Cruise to save us

As we head into a pandemic holiday season with rising COVID cases and financial struggles, we’re pulled in too many directions. Keep each other safe but keep generating tax/tourism revenue. Keep our jobs to pay the bills but keep all our fav restaurants/businesses afloat. What’s a concerned citizen to do? Donate to the Food Bank. Contact your representatives to save local businesses here, here and here. Mayor Harmon is encouraging residents to post these signs to connect neighbors in need with neighbors who can help.

Here we go again

We’re getting lazy. Letting our guard down. Falling into peer pressure. Pulling some risky moves in the name of trying to keep our social life on life support. And as expected, we’re seeing COVID cases spiking again, breaking records for the highest daily total new cases in SLO County since the pandemic began. Read that again. With the holidays and winter coming and health experts cringing and bracing for r-o-u-g-h days ahead, it’s no time to be lax about this shit. #maskup #gimmemy6feet #stickwithyourpod

Performing artists back to work?

The all-powerful Dr. Penny B. and her team finally issued guidelines for the performing arts after the newly-formed Central Coast Coalition of Arts Leaders got organized. The new guidelines don’t mean that you can go to a play or concert any time soon, but it does mean some activities can happen (with mods, natch), like indoor recording sessions, drive-in concerts, and movie-theater screenings of live performances. It would be cool if the arts were, like, considered part of the economy without having to shout about it, but good job, SLO. Still no live music though. Anywhere.

Arts groups say WTF

As the County COVID sitch continues to hang in the red tier (for now), local performing arts leaders are shining a spotlight on a big oversight in the state reopening regs. Gov. Gav has issued detailed guidelines for all industries – from card rooms to theme parks, except puzzlingly, stage productions like concerts, plays and musicals. Tired of sitting back with their livelihoods on perma intermission, a newly-formed coalition is advocating to get back to work, safely. They’ve got a point. After all, arts are good for our souls but they also mean cash money for the economy, too.