By: A. Haynes | Voice & Viewpoint
On May 14th, the County announced the Public Library system will begin reopening starting May 26th. The first six branches to open will be Alpine, Borrego Springs, Encinitas, Imperial 
Beach, Ramona, and Vista. They will be followed on June 1st by Bonita, El Cajon, Julien, Poway, San Marcos, and Solana Beach. While the library facilities will still be closed to the public, librarians will offer “doorside” service, bringing reserved books to patrons. There will also be Census kiosks at each location to help our communities be counted. For more information or to reserve books, visit www.sdcl.org.
The U.S. Air Force will be doing flyovers of some county hospitals in tribute to frontline workers. The tribute will take place on Friday, May 15th, beginning at noon. Please do NOT congregate near hospitals. However, with social distancing in mind, feel free to get some fresh air and see the Thunderbirds’ show.
As Native American Reservations are pseudo-enclaves, there has been much public confusion surrounding whether or not San Diego’s casinos can or should reopen. While the Reservations are under a limited Federal authority, they are NOT subject to state or county authority. Instead each Rez has its own governing body or system. Under the 
recommended Federal guidelines for reopening, San Diego’s Reservations are on Stage 3 (the state of California has barely entered Stage 2), proving they have sufficient safeguards in place to resume on-site business. The Tribes are keeping in communication with the County and State governments, assisting in monitoring the CoVid-19 situation as applicable. Viejas, Sycuan, and Valley View have all announced opening dates on their websites, as well as provided information on some of their sterilization procedures.
The County’s program to assist Seniors not eligible for other food assistance has officially launched. The Great Plates program is specifically designed for Seniors with an annual income over $24,981 who are unable to obtain and/or prepare meals. For more information or to apply, visit: https://bit.ly/3dOXzui or call 1-800-339-4661 option 7.
