Retail and restaurant businesses begin reopening in Kern County

RETAIL BUSINESSES AREBREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEFTONIGHT-NOW THAT THEY HAVERECEIVED THE GREEN LIGHT FROMTHE STATE.23ABC'S TORI COOPER IS JOININGUS LIVE FROM DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD WHERE SHE SPOKE WITHSOME OF THE LOCALBUSINESSES ABOUT HOW THE FIRSTDAY OF REOPENING ISGOING TORI?YEA,PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE THAT ISPOKE TO HERE IN DOWNTOWN WASIN A GOOD MOOD NOW THAT THEY CANDINE IN AT THEIR FAVORITELOCAL RESTAURANT OR SHOP ATTHEIR FAVORITE LOCALBOUTIQUE-AND OWNERS SAY THEY AREDOING THEIR BEST TOFOLLOW ALL OF THE STATE ANDCOUNTY GUIDELINES."WE'RE OPEN!TOSS-IT SALAD RESTAURANT OWNERGABBY GONZALEZ WASOVERWHELMED WITH EXCITEMENTTHURSDAY AFTERNOON--NOWTHAT SHE CAN OFFICIALLY RETURNTO IN ROOM DINNINGSERVICES"AT THE VERY BEGINNING IT WASTOUGH IT WAS REALLY BRUTAL SOWE'RE REOPEN!

WE'RE FOLLOWINGALL OF THE SOCIAL GUIDELINESLIKESEPARATING THE CHAIRS, WE HAVEOUTDOOR SEATING." GABBY SAYS SHEHAS BEEN USING THIS PRINT OUTFROM THE GOVERNORS WEBSITE TOENSURE HER BUSINESS IS READY TOREOPEN-SHE SAYS ALL EMPLOYEESWORKING ARE REQUIRED TO STAYHOME IF THEY ARE SICK, AND SHEIS CHECKING HER EMPLOYEESTEMPERATURES BEFORE THEY CLOCKON."WE'RE WEARING THE MASKS AS WE'REWORKING ALSO GLOVES, WE ARESANITIZING SURFACES MOREFREQUENTLY THAN USUAL."ALONG WITH SANITIZING HIGHTRAFFIC AREAS GONZALEZ SAYSSHE IS THOROUGHLY CLEANING THEDINING AREAAFTER EACH CUSTOMER.LOCAL HOUSE OF TALULA BOUTIQUEOWNER (HER NAME ) ANDGONZALEZ SAY THEY ARE BOTHMINIMIZING THE NUMBER OFPEOPLE INSIDE THEIRESTABLISHMENTS WHILE OFFERINGOTHER HANDSFREE PAYMENT METHODSTO HELPMAINTAIN THE SIX FEET APARTRULE.RETAILERS LIKE HOUSE OF TALULAARE ALSO LIMITING THE NUMBER OFACTIVE DRESSING ROOMS ANDSANITIZING GOURMETS.THURSDAY, DURING A PRESSCONFERENCE, COUNTY OFFICIALSSAID THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW MANYBUSINESSES MAY NOT BE ABLE TOREOPEN DUE TO THE ECONOMICIMPACT.

BUT THE COUNTY SAYS THEBOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECENTLYAPPROVED A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCEPACKAGE TO SUPPORT BUSINESSESTHAT ARE TRYING TO REGROUP."WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSINGTHISFINACIAL ASSISTANCE ON SMALLBUSINESS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTEDUNDER THE GOVERNORS ORDERS"ACCORDING TO THE STATE'SGUIDELINES BUSINESSES ARE ASKEDTO QUOTE "COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLYTO CUSTOMERS THATTHEY SHOULD USE FACE COVERINGS"BUT IT DOES NOT SAY THATCUSTOMERS ARE "REQUIRED" TO WEARA MASK.

THE COUNTY SAYS AS OFNOW OTHER BUSINESSES THAT OFFERHANDS ONSERVICE LIKE SALONS, GYMS ANDNAIL PARLORS ARE STILL ONHOLD-BUT THEY ARE AIMING TO HAVETHOSE BUSINESSES BACKOPEN IN 10 DAYS.AS FOR GONZALEZ SHE SAYS THEBIGGEST CHALLENGE ISJUST GOING TO BE GETTINGCUSTOMERS TO FEEL SAFE ANDENCOURAGED AGAIN TO DINE IN."WE JUST NEED TO GET THE WORDOUTTHERE AND LET CUSTOMERS KNOWTHAT WE'RE OPEN, YOU'RE WELCOMETOCOME IN!"AGAIN THERE ARE STILL A NUMBEROF LOCAL BUSINESSES THATTHE COUNTY IS STILL WAITING TOGRANT THE GREEN LIGHT TOO ANDTHEY SAY IT DEPENDS ON HOWQUICKLY THE STATE MOVES TO PHASETHREE.

IF YOU ARE UNCERTAINABOUT THE STEPS YOU ARE SUPPOSEDTO TAKE IN ORDER TO REOPENPLEASE JUST HEAD TO OUR WEBSITETURN TO 23 DOT COM.

LIVE INDOWNTOWN BAKERSFIELD.AND WE ASKED OUR FOLLOWERS ONOUR 23ABC FACEBOOK PAGE -- WITHSOME RESTAURANTS RE-OPENINGDINE-IN SERVICE... ARE YOUCOMFORTABLE WITH DINE-IN OR AREYOU GOING TO STICK WITHTAKE-OUT?IT'S A CLOSE BATTLE SO FAR RIGHTNOW... WITH MORE THAN 800 VOTINGSO FAR -- 55 PERCENT SAY TAKEOUTAND 45 PERCENT ARE GOING WITHDINE- IN.LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THECOMMENTS... KEITH HERNANDEZ SAYS-- HE IS STILL NOT COMFORTABLEAND IS STICKING