Santa Paula Times

Santa Paula city officials outlined steps they have taken independently and with others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Santa Paulans can watch the discussion on COVID-19 with Mayor Rick Araiza and City Manager Dan Singer, who were interviewed Tuesday by Santa Paula Times Publisher Peggy Kelly on “Good Morning Santa Paula.”

As the coronavirus spreads, it is “becoming a moving target in many ways” and on many levels, Singer said. It is important to note, he added, that Santa Paula is not “the county health department,” which is overseeing the situation and “we defer in these kinds of situations” to their leadership. On the positive side, Singer said, “Whatever actions are happening in Santa Paula are countywide.” Singer was referring to an order issued by the county Tuesday that residents 75 years and older, or those 70 years and older with health problems, are ordered to shelter at their homes from March 18 to April 1. The county, following statewide decrees, also asked that individuals set a social distancing space of 6 feet from any other person. Exceptions are those seeking medical care, nutrition, or healthcare providers. Singer urged residents to visit the city website — www.spcity.org — for local updates as well as links to county and other agencies. Another official county site for COVID-19 information is vcemergency.com.

Araiza said he had been on a conference call with the mayors of all Ventura County cities and they will continue to coordinate with the county on the response to the virus as well as efforts to stop its spread. “It’s a very fluid situation,” he said. Singer said, “We have closed all our centers, just as the school district has,” including the Community Center and “all recreational activities,” the Senior Center, Teen Center and Boys & Girls Club to reduce the risk of “interactions” that could create more cases of coronavirus. The Senior Center, he added, will continue to offer Meals on Wheels and lunch pickups at the Community Center, 530 W. Main St. Restaurants were also ordered to provide only pickup and drive-through service, with no seated dining.

All Ventura County public schools are closed until at least May 1.

Asked about his outlook as a businessman, Araiza, of the family-owned La Cabana restaurant, said that during the ban on in-house service, he will switch his focus to pick up and drive-through dining, The economic impact of the virus is reality, said Singer, but how much is “still uncertain. Patronize your businesses, keep our people employed, go to our stores; retail outlets are going to stay open,” he said, encouraging people to Shop Santa Paula to show their support during the COVID-19 outbreak. At the same time, “Be conscious,” he added. “Hoarding won’t help anyone … but support our businesses so we keep the economy flowing as much as possible.” Araiza said the family business would survive, but he worries about his staff. Araiza and Singer touched on other subjects regarding Santa Paula and its action and reaction to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

To view the interview in its entirety, visit www.kadytv.net, and on the right side of the page, under “Archives”, click March 17 “Good Morning Santa Paula.”