'We depend on tourism': El Dorado County lifts nonessential travel ban

Jessica Mensch reports

AGAINST THE STATEWIDE ORDER.FOX FORTY'S JESSICA MENSCHSPOKE WITH LOCAL LEADERS ANDBUSINESSES ABOUT WHAT THATMOVE MEANS FOR THEM.TOURISM KEEPS THE WATER.AND THE CASH FLOWING IN SOUTHLAKE TAHOE IT'S BEEN LIKE AGHOST TOWN UP HERE.

I'M REALLYDEPENDENT ON TOURISM WITH THEBAN ON NON ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TOTHE TAHOE BASIN IN EFFECTSINCE EARLY APRIL BUSINESSESLIKE HEIDY'S PANCAKE HOUSE ARESUFFERING.

SO OWNER JOHN HECAN SPREAD TO SIGH OF RELIEFWHEN ELDORADO COUNTY ANNOUNCEDWEDNESDAY NIGHT, IT'S LIFTINGTHE ORDER.I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC IT'SSOMETHING THAT THAT WE NEEDBUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THE AREAIS OPEN FOR BUSINESS WHILE WEHAVE RESCINDED OUR LOCALORDER.

THE STATE TRAVEL BANSTILL EXISTS THIS REALLYDOESN'T HAVE ANY MATERIALCHANGE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE.WHAT DOES CHANGE NOTESSENTIAL TRAVELERS CAN NOLONGER FACE A $1000 FINE WENTALONG WITH THE COUNTY'S BAN.FOR NOW OFFICIALS ARE FOCUSEDON EDUCATION NOT ENFORCEMENT,BUT THEY'RE URGING TOURISTS TOSTAY HOME AND FOLLOW THESTATE'S RULES FOR THEIR OWNSAFETY.

THE COUNTY HEALTHOFFICER FELT COMFORTABLELIFTING THE ORDER AFTERADDRESSING NEEDS AT THE ONLYHOSPITAL IN THE AREA FORMEMORIAL.A SURGE PLAN THAT WOULDALLOW THEM TO ADEQUATELY TAKECARE OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME SICKWITH COVID-19.AS FOR HIGGINS, HE SEES THELOOSENING OF LOCAL RULES AS AFIRST STEP TO HIS RESTAURANTGETTING BACK TO SOME SENSE OFNORMALCY ESPECIALLY WITHCASINO SET TO REOPEN ON THENEVADA SIDE OF THE LAKE NEXTWEEK.WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLECOMING UP AND WE'RE GOING TOWELCOME THEM GOING TO DO