Sheriff and Critics Spar Over Order

Short offseason stuns LeBron after winning NBA title SPORTS, 1B WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 | DESERTSUN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Sheriff and critics spar over order Bianco said forceful rules not best way to enforce protocols Colin Atagi and Nicole Hayden Palm Springs Desert Sun USA TODAY NETWORK Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco sparred with critics in a series of tweets over the weekend as he doubled down on his opposition to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orders for people to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Bianco’s tweets came in response to people chas- tising him after he posted a video statement Friday decrying Newsom’s plans to impose shutdowns This land near Pierson Boulevard and Miracle Hill Road in Desert Hot Springs is planned across the state and repeating his objection to penal- to be the future site of artist Kenny Irwin’s Robolights display. JAY CALDERON/THE DESERT SUN izing those who don’t follow the new protocols. Bi- anco’s tweets also drew praise from others thanking him for not bowing down to the orders. In an interview with The Desert Sun, Bianco said No Robolights in 2020; forceful rules are not the best way to enforce state- mandated safety protocols. “Honesty and appealing to them to do the right things,” Bianco said, is the best way to get the public site still in development to comply with state aims. Bianco added that he doesn’t believe enforcement $1.5 million needed to start is necessary as he believes most people follow the rules such as masking and social distancing at gro- work, event’s business official cery stores and in other public places. says; fundraising ongoing See SHERIFF, Page 6A Brian Blueskye Palm Springs Desert Sun USA TODAY NETWORK Robolights, the quirky and contentious holiday light display in the California desert, will not happen in its new Desert Hot Springs location this year. The 2018 Robolights display at artist Kenny The cost to begin development is estimat- Irwin’s Palm Springs home. ed at $1.5 million, including $300,000 for the RICHARD LUI/THE DESERT SUN first phase of planning, according to Robo- lights director of business development and sales Brittany Sorrentino. Amid the corona- Desert Sun to Sorrentino. virus pandemic, fundraising efforts are “ac- The holiday light display, previously celerating” but there is no projected opening staged at Irwin’s home on Granvia Valmonte date at this time, she said. in Palm Springs, had been open to the public “The focus is fundraising for the project for more than 30 years. But it became the “Honesty and appealing to them to do the right in order to pay for the initial phase, which subject of litigation regarding neighbor things,” Sheriff Chad Bianco said, is the best way to will include city permits and working with a complaints about trash, crowds and traffic. get the public to comply. THE DESERT SUN local planning and engineering firm, The Al- Irwin and the City of Palm Springs tum Group,” Sorrentino said. reached an agreement in November 2018, Irwin paid $350,000 for the properties ending a two-year legal fight. Irwin agreed to last year, Sorrentino previously told The move the exhibit to a commercial location, Desert Sun, and hoped to start developing and the city agreed to provide $125,000 to the site in November 2019. At present, the help cover the move. land is home to an abandoned structure and The psychedelic collection of scrap items Riverside County the road leading up to it is blocked to the transformed into massive displays under public. Irwin deferred all questions from The See ROBOLIGHTS, Page 2A virus cases exceed 100,000 Nicole Hayden, Melissa Daniels and Larry Bohannan MORE INSIDE PAGE 3A Palm Springs Desert Sun USA TODAY NETWORK Coronavirus vaccine California authorities sent a cellphone text alert Tuesday to two major regions of the nation’s most makes debut in the UK populous state to tell millions that the coronavirus is spreading rapidly and asking them to stay home ex- The United Kingdom on Tuesday became the first cept for essential activities. Western country to start vaccinating its population The noon blast to the state-designated 11-county against a virus that has killed more than 1.5 million Southern California region and 12-county San Joa- people worldwide. In a landmark moment in the quin Valley region was sent by the state Office of coronavirus pandemic, around 50 hospitals in the Emergency Services. U.K.’s state-run National Health Service started ad- The text also urged people to wear masks and Story, 7A ministering the COVID-19 inoculation. physically distance. Both regions came under increased restrictions this week after the capacity of hospital intensive care units dropped below 15%. The restrictions will re- Protesting shutdowns main in effect for at least three weeks and require re- Free PPE for businesses duced capacity at essential businesses as a surge of El Paseo business owner Denise Robergé is organiz- new coronavirus cases threatens to overwhelm hos- Local small businesses can get equipped with free ing a protest of the recent temporary closure of in- pitals. personal protective equipment under a new restaurant dining, salons and other businesses by Dropping to so few available beds is concerning for 3A program from the Coachella Valley Economic the state this week. local hospital systems as COVID-19 cases are predic- Partnership. TAYA GRAY/THE DESERT SUN ted to continue to increase. The two regions join sev- eral counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, which implemented similar stay-at-home orders without desertsun.com Weather Volume 94 | No. 54 waiting to cross into the threshold that would require SERVING THE COACHELLA action by the state. ❚ Subscribe: Access to all High 77° Low 49° VALLEY SINCE 1927 $2.50 QEAJAB-08201z of our content every day. Sunny. Forecast, 12A See ORDER, Page 2A DESERTSUN.COM | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 | 3A COACHELLAVALLEY Free PPE on its way to desert Business cities for local businesses owner organizing Melissa Daniels Palm Springs Desert Sun protest USA TODAY NETWORK Sherry Barkas Local small businesses can get Palm Springs Desert Sun equipped with free personal protective USA TODAY NETWORK equipment under a new program from the Coachella Valley Economic Partner- El Paseo business owner Denise Ro- ship. bergé is organizing a protest of the re- The “Million Mask Giveaway” will cent temporary closure of in-restau- dole out more than 1.4 million face rant dining, salons and other busi- masks, 96,000 bottles of hand sanitizer nesses by the state this week, trig- and 40,000 face shields to small busi- gered when Southern California’s nesses in all nine cities, plus the Joshua hospital ICU capacity, including River- Tree Gateway Communities and grow- side County, fell to 10.3%. ers and farmworkers in the region. The state announced last week that The supplies, at an estimated value regions with ICU capacity under 15%, of more than $1 million, came after a re- must adhere to a stay-at-home order quest to the California Office of Emer- for at least three weeks to help slow gency Services. the spread of COVID-19, as positive Joe Wallace, CEO and chief innova- cases continue to rise. tion officer of CVEP, said the costs of Robergé’s protest, announced on masks and hand sanitizer can add up Facebook, is planned for 3 p.m. quickly for small businesses at a time Wednesday. Roberge has also invited when they’re already hurting. Staff from the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership unload a supply of businesses to an organizational meet- “This initiative means businesses do personal protective equipment in preparation for distribution to Coachella ing at 4 p.m. Tuesday at her store, at not have to worry about spending their Valley small businesses earlier this month. 73995 El Paseo. own money on PPE,” Wallace said. “By COURTESY OF COACHELLA VALLEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP “This is not political, it is a protest to partnering with all nine cities, it dem- the shutdown,” Roberge told The Des- onstrates what we can do when we ert Sun on Tuesday. Robergé is known work together as a region.” been getting the help: As of Dec. 6, Riv- more than 22 million residents in the for decorating her storefront windows Each city’s supply will be based on erside County had received more than Southern California region after avail- with controversial political the number and types of businesses in 2.8 million N-95 respirators, 13.2 mil- able ICU capacity dropped below 15%. statements. that city. Then, it will be up to the cities lion procedure masks, 180,000 gowns, In the 11-county region that the state Under the stay-at-home order, resi- to distribute the masks, hand sanitizer 99,288 face shields, and 4.2 million calls Southern California, there was dents are prohibited from gathering and face shields through December, gloves from OES. That’s the seventh 10.9% available ICU bed capacity as of and asked to stay home except for es- with processes for the farmworker dis- most PPE of any county in the state, Monday. sential activities. tribution still to be determined. though Riverside County has the The stay-at-home order limits retail The state also recommends that CVEP was one of three groups state- fourth-largest population with more capacity to 20 and restaurants to take- “those exercising their right to engage wide to directly ask OES for supplies. than 2.4 million residents. out or delivery only, prohibits personal in political expression (including, for The organization reached out in No- The PPE will be doled out at a time care services, and limits church ser- example, their right to petition the vember after hearing of a similar effort when the number of coronavirus cases vices to outdoors only.

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