SeeCalifornia.com

While Florida beaches bucked the trend and opened to the public once again in the second full week of April 2020, things went the opposite direction at California beaches and parks. Venice Beach Skate Park, operated by Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, was filled with sand to stop skaters violating stay at home orders.

The Orange County beach city of San Clemente’s Ralph’s Skate Court was filled with 37 tons of sand, according to recreation manager Samantha Wylie, who said the city assessed what other towns with skate parks were doing to discourage use.  The city opted to cover the skate park about 3 to 4 inches deep to cover the surface.

Huntington Beach closed metered parking along Pacific Coast Highway so the public could not easily access “10 miles of pristine coastline and endless summer weather.”

In Encinitas deputies issued citations to people sitting in their cars watching the sunset near the beach, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. “Everyone is required to stay home, except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care or go to an essential job. Complacency is the enemy,” the department said. Violations carry fines of up to $1,000 or six months in jail or both.

California has captured media attention for comments such as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s announcement that “snitches get rewards,” encouraging the community to report businesses that violate the Safer at Home order.

“Reasonable precautions are one thing; harassment, bullying, arbitrary petty rule making, & enforced poverty/property theft another thing altogether, & citizens/businesses need to fight back,” said San Francisco attorney, Harmeet K. Dhillon. She spent her weekend drafting civil rights lawsuits against government overreach.

The Center for American Liberty and the Dhillon Law Group recently announced a major religious liberty victory for churches in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Religious services, not just drive-in services, can take place so long as responsible social distancing measures mandated for grocery stores, laundromats, and marijuana dispensaries are implemented, the Center reported.