Saturday was the second full day of Governor Newsom’s Shelter-in-Place order and relative calm has been maintained in Tulare County. Already a sense of normalcy has settled in as residents are accepting the fact that this will be our new normal for possibly several months.
To create a stranger atmosphere than already existed, My 97.5 fm decided to play Christmas music all weekend to lift people’s spirits.
On Wednesday, March 18, after looking for Maseca (tamales mix) all afternoon at Vallarta Market, Food 4 Less, two Targets, two Walmarts, and the Savemart at Mary’s Vineyard, I not only discovered there was no Maseca in Visalia, but that flour was one of the products being irrationally hoarded. Not a bag was to be found.
On Thursday I traipsed through the flooded parking lot of R&N Market in Exeter and found a fully stocked store except for toilette paper. Maseca, along with flour, eggs, milk, produce and other paper products were in abundance. But hoarders beware, the store has signs up to only buy what you need.
It also looked as though by Saturday Savemart in Mary’s Vineyard had a shipment come in and they had a few bags of four in stock. Savemart also had several flats of bottled water.
Except for toilette paper, which has become the subject of many memes and cartoons, Visalia’s grocery stores seemed fully stocked by Saturday.
The pot dispensary business has also returned to near normalcy with a half hour wait at the two dispensaries in Farmersville and no line or wait time at the dispensary in Woodlake. Online orders are not necessary at the Woodlake dispensary but have been in Farmersville.
“Cannabis retailers” have now been definitively added to the State of California’s list of essential businesses under the category of “Workers in other medical facilities.”
Another significant clarification recently made is that Federal and State taxes are not due until July 15 and taxpayers no longer have to file for an extension on April 15. No forms or paperwork need to be filed until July 15.
Governor Gavin Newsom made the “Shelter in Place” order Thursday March 19 that went into effect at midnight Friday. The order stated,
“To protect public health, I as State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health order all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.”
For a complete list of what is considered an essential businesses and what businesses and stores are still open please go to: https://covid19.ca.gov/img/EssentialCriticalInfrastructureWorkers.pdf
The following is a press release put out by Assembly Member Devon Mathis.
Dear Friends,
The COVID-19 crisis has many people feeling stressed, anxious & overwhelmed. If you or a loved one need help, I want to make sure you have the resources you need.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
National Domestive Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 714714
National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
If you have any other concerns about COVID-19 or you’d like the most up-to-date information, visit the California Department of Public Health’s website at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx