Law enforcement on alert, nice weekend weather could draw crowds

Santa Cruz police chief said he's now receiving calls from people living over-the-hill wanting to know if they can come here to hang out.

RESIDENTS ARE TAKINGEXTRA PRECAUTIONS TOPREVENT THE SPREAD OFCOVID-19.BUT THERE'S NECONCERN TONIGHTABOUT VISITORS COMINGTO THE AREA TO TAKEADVANTAGE OF THESUNNY WEEKEND.ACTION NEWREPORTER PHIL GOMEZ,TELLS US IT'S GOING TOBE A CHALLENGE FORLAW ENFORCEMEN"IT'S GOING TO BE ABEAUTIFUL WEEKEND ALONGTHE CENTRAL COAST ANTHAT'S GOING TO BE A BIGPROBLEM FOR LAWENFORCEMEN"IF THEY COME TO SANTACRUZ ON VACATION, THEY'REGOING TO LEAVE ONPROBATION"THERE ARE THIRTY TWOMILES OF BEACHES,FOURTEEN STATE PARKSAND PLENTY OF OPENSPACE.THE CLEAR MESSAGEFROM THE SANTA CRUZCOUNTY SHERIFF----NOIS NOT THE TIME TO VISIT."I CAN'T EMPHASIZEENOUGH, WE'RE GOING TOBE CITING PEOPLE IFTHEY'RE GOING TO BRINGBOTTLES ON THE BEACH,THEY'RE GROUPING UP, IFTHEY'RE DRINKING, IFTHEY'RE DOING ALL THETHINGS WE DON'T WATHEM TO DO RIGHT NOW."AND THERE ARE SIGNSALONG HIGHWAY 17ALERTING MOTORISTSTRAVELING FRHEAVILY INFECTEDCOUNTIES.AND CALLS FORESTRICTING TRAFFIC ON17--- ITS NOT GOING TOHAPPEN,"THIS IS HOW WE GET A LOTOF OUR ESSENTIAL GOODSAND SERVICES.THIS IS WHERE OURGROCERIES COME FROM"DURING THIS PANDEMICTHERE HAVE BEEN FEWERVEHICLES ON THE ROADSBUT FRIDAY'S TRAFFICAPPEARED HEAVIERWHICH MAY NOT BODEWELL FOR LAWENFORCEMENT"YOU SHOULD RECREATEWITHIN A SHORT DISTANCEFROM YOUR RESIDENCEWHERE YOU SHELTER INPLACTHOSE WARNINGS AREN'TANYTHING NEW.

THESHERIFF'S OFFICE WILLEVALUATE WHAT HAPPENSTHIS WEEKEND AND TALKWITH THE HEALTH OFFICERDETERMINE WHETHER ANYADDITIONAL ACTION SHOULDBE TAKEN, IN SANTA CRUZCOUNTY, PHIL GOMEZKSBW ACTION NEWS EIGHT"