In a marathon meeting that lasted 10-plus hours Tuesday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors failed to repeal four health orders that County Health officials issued.

The vast majority of public testimony urged board members to drop orders Dr. Cameron Kaiser issued.

Supervisors V. Manuel Perez and Karen Spiegel had asked the board to consider a repeal of Kaiser’s orders.

With an estimated 200 protesters outside the board’s chambers in the city of Riverside urging the board’s two Republicans, one Democrat, and its one Libertarian to roll back health orders they believed were “destroying the economy, ruining  lives, and causing record unemployment.”

Organized labor leaders appeared to support staying the course and keeping health orders in place. At least one member of the public called in to criticize business owners who wanted to reopen. The caller said she was concerned that her family members might die if they had to go back to work or school.

Sheriff Chad Bianco, addressed the board members and asked for the health orders to be lifted. Bianco received applause from a small number of business owners —and the public — allowed in the chambers.

County Holds on Rollback of Health Orders [Opinion]

Riverside County Board of Supervisors

Board members took shots from all sides. Supervisor Chuck Washington was blasted by one business owner from Idyllwild for “running radio ads in Los Angeles telling people to stay out of Idyllwild.”

Riverside’s Charles “Chuck” Conder Jr., appearing as a private citizen and not as a Riverside City Council representative, asked the county to repeal the health orders . His appeal was also popular with the public.

Had this been a boxing match it would have been recorded as a draw. The rematch will be held on Friday in an emergency session of the Board of Supervisors. The board members wanted to find out what actions Governor Newsom could take on Thursday to open up the state and back off the coronavirus restrictions he has had in place for weeks.

Newsom has hinted that changes will be coming to the “Nation State’s” coronavirus restrictions. With the state shut down, its powerful economy has been idled by the Governor and his orders.

If you wish to share your views with the Board of Supervisors you may call board members at the following numbers:

  • Kevin Jeffries: 951-955-1010
  • Karen Spiegel: 951-955-1020
  • Chuck Washington: 951 -955-1030
  • Manuel Perez: 951-955-1040 or 760-863-8211
  • Jeff Hewitt: 951-955-1050

This is an important subject and board members want a strong economic recovery for the county and state. They also want our residents to safely return to a workplace following reasonable guidelines to protect their health.