Sheriff signals strong opposition to anticipated beach closure announcement
707-441-5000 ; [email protected] ; Monday-Friday 8am to 7pm ; Saturday 10am to 5pm
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal announced this morning firm opposition to an anticipated announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom that would close all beaches in California.
News of the closure leaked last night, prompting an immediate and pointed response from the Sheriff. “As Sheriff, I am the protector of constitutional rights in Humboldt County,” he said, “and if an order is issued that I believe violates our constitutional rights, I will not enforce it.”
The governor’s expected announcement is in response to crowds of people that converged on two Southern California beaches over the weekend. On Monday, Humboldt County was singled out by the governor for having abided by the order and using local beaches responsibly.
“The governor is a smart man,” Honsal said. “I hope he follows sound advice. It is not okay to punish Northern California for Southern California’s mistake, and I hope he hears that loud and clear.”
The governor’s speech is scheduled for noon today.
For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected] or calling 707-441-5000.
Sheriff William Honsal expressed appreciation for Governor Newsom’s decision to keep beaches in Humboldt County open and limit closures to parts of Southern California.
Sheriff Honsal said, “I’m grateful the governor didn’t move forward with a plan that would have unnecessarily and arbitrarily restricted access to our coastline,” adding he supports the need to balance public health and safety with the rights of individuals protected under the state and federal constitutions. “Closing beaches in areas where people weren’t following social distancing is a more appropriate response than a statewide closure,” Honsal said.
A state-mandated beach closure order was being considered by the governor as a response to crowds gathering last weekend on two Southern California beaches.
Sheriff Honsal and Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich both reached out to state officials to express their opposition to the proposed order. The governor announced at a noon press conference that the closure order would apply only to areas around Orange County.
Dr. Frankovich said, “This really is the right move for Humboldt County. The Governor himself pointed out our success at practicing social distancing measures locally. We can continue to build on that success without sacrificing access to our beaches.”
Officials emphasized that the county’s existing Shelter-in-Place Order would remain in full effect, and any crowding of parking areas, beach areas or trails would not be tolerated.
Sheriff Honsal said, “We will enforce the local order to keep people safe and encourage social distancing, but Humboldt County’s residents shouldn’t pay the price for the irresponsible behavior of people 700 miles away from here.”
For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected] or calling 707-441-5000.
Showing 1-3 of 3