Several more California counties, including San Luis Obispo and Riverside, have moved out of the state’s most restrictive business tier today, per California Health and Human Services secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. That means that for both Southern California counties — as well as Alameda, San Mateo, and Solano counties in the Bay Area — some businesses there can begin to reopen for limited indoor service immediately, including restaurants. Those businesses that do wish to reopen for indoor dining would need to do so in a limited way, matching 25 percent of capacity or 100 total diners, whichever is fewer.

California’s public health office has been updating the state’s colored tier charts for reopening every Tuesday in a live press conference, with affected counties moving into more or less restrictive tiers based on a variety of factors (including positivity rate and number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents) surrounding the spread of COVID-19. Riverside and San Luis Obispo counties now join Orange and San Diego counties as the only areas in Southern California available for dine-in service so far.

Here are the tiers, starting with the most restrictive:

• Tier 1/purple/widespread means outdoor dining only.
• Tier 2/red/substantial means limited indoor dining at 25 percent of capacity (based on certificate of occupancy) or 100 diners, whichever is fewer.
• Tier 3/orange/moderate means limited indoor dining at 50 percent of capacity (based on certificate of occupancy) or 200 diners, whichever is fewer.
• Tier 4/yellow/minimal means limited indoor dining at 50 percent of capacity (based on certificate of occupancy).

Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, and San Bernardino counties all remain in the purple tier for now, though LA County public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer has said that, if transmission rates continue to fall here, some restaurants could resume indoor limited dining by mid-October. Everyone in the restrictive purple tier is limited to outdoor dining only, as well as takeout and delivery.

LA’s highly touted Al Fresco program, aimed at offering no-cost permitting and structural help for those looking to expand into sidewalks, parking lots, and onto safe streets, has been inundated with requests since launching earlier this year, and now appears to be out of funding for the moment.

• Riverside’s Newly Legal Home Restaurants Look to Revolutionize California’s Food Scene [ELA]

-by Farley Elliott

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The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, will begin to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in select Los Angeles and Riverside County regions this week. This is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address. The Census Bureau began hand-delivering census materials on March 15 but suspended all fieldwork for this operation on March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Temporary field staff have been trained to observe all social distancing protocols and will wear official government-provided personal protective equipment for their safety and the safety of the public. This operation is contactless and follows the most current federal health and safety guidelines. The health and safety of Census Bureau staff and the public is always a top priority.

The Census Bureau will deliver 2020 Census invitations and paper questionnaires at the front doors of roughly 5.1 million stateside households with 25,001 households within Los Angeles County and 8,093 households in Riverside.This operation is crucial to ensure a complete and accurate count of all communities, which helps guide hundreds of billions of dollars in public and private sector spending per year. People are strongly encouraged to respond promptly to the 2020 Census using the ID number included in the questionnaire packet. Responding with a census ID or the paper questionnaire helps ensure the best count of their community. People can respond online, by phone or by using the paper form in the packet. For more information, please visit the 2020 Census COVID-19 operational adjustments page.

-Patricia Ramos

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