Orange County To Reopen Dine-In Restaurants, Malls Under State Rule

TOPLINE

Orange County will let dine-in restaurants, offices and retail stores reopen immediately after it met state requirements for declining hospitalizations and new cases, illustrating California’s local approach to reopening the most populous state.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“The County of Orange has met the State’s latest metrics to remove its restrictions on the re-opening of more businesses,” said Michelle Steel, chair of the county’s board of supervisors. “… With this attestation, it is our goal to ensure all Orange County businesses have the confidence to open as safely and as soon as possible without concerns about the state order.”

Key background

Orange County clashed with Newsom earlier this month when the governor ordered the county’s beaches to close down. Local officials decried the decision, which was made after photographs of packed beaches in the county went viral. A week later, Newsom agreed to reopen the beaches if they limited hours of operation and enforced social distancing guidelines.

Tangent

California’s local approach was in the spotlight earlier this month when Alameda County opted for more stringent reopening rules than the state. The move extended the closure of Tesla
TSLA
’s Fremont manufacturing plant, resulting in a showdown between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and county officials. Alameda County eventually allowed manufacturing to reopen under the statewide rule.

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