With everything happening with the coronavirus pandemic, we at BenitoLink want to provide a roundup of recent articles, as well as closures and cancellations happening in San Benito County.
As of 4:25 p.m. on May 19 there are 63 confirmed cases in San Benito County since February, seven of which are active, 54 recovered and two deaths. For the most updated information, visit the San Benito County COVID-19 Dashboard.
Recent Articles
Court stops Betabel rezoning until after state shelter order is lifted—Judge Breen gives PORC 30 additional days to pursue land use referendum.
Hollister agencies to apply for COVID-19 grant funding—Staff seeks $30K from CARES Act, while the fire department puts in for two FEMA grants.
Migrant Health Fair postponed due to pandemic—Program provides access to medical, dental, hearing and vision screenings for migrant children and their families.
Housing
San Benito County Assistance
Rental &Utility Assistance/Hotel & Food Vouchers Community Services & Workforce Development
831-637-9293
Homeless Services My Father’s House Food and Supply Distribution Daily 1-2 p.m. Dunne Park 600 West St., Hollister
831-801-7775
H.O.M.E Resource Center Overnight Shelter and Temporary Day Center 1161 San Felipe Road, Hollister
hhsa.cosb.us/h-o-m-e-resource-center-shelter/
831-256-1852
Cancellations and Postponements
Southside Elementary School District is postponing its annual Migrant Health Fair until further notice. The fair offers a chance for migrant children and their parents to access medical, dental, hearing and vision screenings, as well as other health resources.
See article above.
Openings
Several state parks, including Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area now have their parking lots open at 50% capacity.
Agriculture, Ranching, Animal Husbandry
From the Economic Development Corporation of San Benito County:
Agricultural businesses are now eligible for SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance programs. SBA’s EIDL portal will reopen as a result of funding authorized by Congress through the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The legislation, signed into law by the President one week ago, provided additional funding for farmers and ranchers and certain other agricultural businesses affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Agricultural businesses include businesses engaged in the legal production of food and fiber, ranching, and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other farming and agricultural related industries (as defined by section 18(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 647(b)). Eligible agricultural businesses must have 500 or fewer employees.
The SBA will begin accepting new EIDL applications on a limited basis only, in order to provide unprecedented relief to U.S. agricultural businesses. For agricultural businesses that submitted an EIDL loan application through the streamlined application portal prior to the legislative change, SBA will move forward and process these applications without the need for re-applying. All other EIDL loan applications that were submitted before the portal stopped accepting new applications on April 15 will be processed on a first-in, first-out basis.
For more information click here and see attached PDF.
Government
San Benito County Assistance:
Food Distribution Community Food Bank www.communityfoodbankofsbc.org
Drive-thru service at the marketplace Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 1133 San Felipe Rd. Hollister.
Sign-ups for supplemental food are done by phone 831-637-0340
Food Distribution Salvation Army hollister.salvationarmy.org
Drive-thru service Tuesdays at 11 a.m. at 910 Buena Vista Rd. Hollister
Sign-ups not required
To schedule delivery call 310-753-6520
Public Assistance CalFresh/Medi-Cal/Cash Aid/GA
apply online at www.c4yourself.com
831-636-4180
Unemployment Insurance Benefits Employment Development Department
apply online at www.edd.ca.gov/ui_online
831-638-3306
Senior Services Delivery of essential items and food city of Hollister and Jovenes de Antano
831-636-4390
Disability/Paid Family Leave Employment Development Department
apply online at www.edd.ca.gov/sdi_online
831-638-3306
United Way of San Benito County 2-1-1 Text your Zip Code to 831-898-211 or call 211 Text COVID2019 to 211211
-The county will hold two Zoom webinars on May 20. Nonprofits at 2 p.m. and Spanish Overview at 4 p.m. Each meeting will be about an hour long.
Non-profits Webinar ID: 970 0861 3531 https://zoom.us/s/97008613531
Spanish Overview of Various Industry’s Webinar ID: 918 6905 4495 https://zoom.us/s/91869054495
-The State of California EDD just launched a new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that helps unemployed Californians who are business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, have limited work history, and others not usually eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Sign up for the PUA program today here, if you are hurting economically because your business or services are reduced due to the pandemic.
See attached PDF.
Other
-From the Economic Development Corporation of San Benito County:
Due to the first phase of the COVID-19 funding being depleted, portals and the ability to apply for both loans was closed for a week. The PPP reopened on Monday, April 27 and the SBA will accept applications for the PPP until funds are again exhausted.
Businesses are encouraged to apply for both, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Emergency Injury Disaster Program. Both programs are also available to non-profits and religious organizations. Scroll down for a comparison of both programs.
See attached PDF.
-The Hollister Police Department said on May 18 it will continue with required Registration of Sex Offenders with no changes despite the Governor’s Executive Order allowing agencies to register sex offenders remotely.
Under the order, law enforcement agencies are encouraged to adopt telephonic, remote, or other procedures for registration and reporting under the Sex Offender Registration Act. Such procedures must be consistent with state and local public health guidance regarding physical distancing, and law enforcement agencies are encouraged to post or publicize such procedures through means calculated to reach any person subject to the Act.
In accordance with Executive Order N-63-20, for the next 60 days, fingerprints, signatures, initials, or photographs of a registrant are no longer required in order to process.
Hollister Police Department will continue to register sex offenders in person using COVID-19 safety precautions such as PPE.
Resources
-The State has several hotlines for residents to call for suicide prevention, abuse, and mental health.
-The Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, helps protect workers from health and safety hazards in almost every workplace in California.
Visit Cal/OSHA for information about workplace safety and health.
File a confidential workplace safety complaint.
File a whistleblower complaint if you suffer retaliation for reporting a workplace safety hazard
Obtain free consultation services
Contact Cal/OSHA at (844) 522-6734.
State and federal elected officials’ COVID-19 web pages:
- Jimmy Panetta
- Anna Caballero
- Robert Rivas
- Kamala Harris
- Diane Feinstein
- State of California: https://covid19.ca.gov/ https://covid19.ca.gov/es/
San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency/Coronavirus
Tips for avoiding COVID-19
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
- Keep a minimum of a six feet physical distance from others.
- Avoid people who are sick.
- Stay at home. Only leave to take care of essential errands.
- Cover your cough and sneeze.
- Cover your face (mouth and nose) with protective covering when in public
- Disinfect frequently touched objects.
- If you think you might be infected call your health care professional and follow their directions.
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