Last weekend, a rodeo was held in Cottonwood after Shasta County was given the go-ahead to reopen. But after Governor Gavin Newsom found out about it, he demanded the county immediately go back on some of its reopening plans...
"The rodeo came to the governor’s attention and it has delayed full implementation of opening businesses back up here," Kerri Schuette, a spokeswoman for the county's Health and Human Services Agency said.
The rodeo even drew national attention from Good Morning America due to its large crowd of about 2,000 people, many seen without face masks.
According to a statement from Shasta County, the rodeo organizer refused to cancel the event despite the stay-at-home orders.
"The County condemns this mass gathering and officials are taking steps to investigate the event and will take action accordingly," the statement read.
“I am not happy and the state isn’t happy and it’s impacting the approval of our variance,” Health Officer Dr. Karen Ramstrom said. “We’re all frustrated. It was inappropriate and it put the community at risk of disease transmission among attendees and the people they are in contact with, which could include vulnerable people who did not attend. It jeopardizes the ability for all Shasta County businesses to move forward into full Stage 2 opening, which delays our economic recovery.”
Read the full story on the Record Searchlight.