RivCo orders residents to cover faces in public or face citations & fines

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — In response to the rapidly rising number of COVID-19 cases, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser today ordered that no gatherings of any number of people may take place outside of family members residing in the same home.

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Dr. Kaiser also ordered everyone to wear a face covering when leaving home, including essential workers. Face coverings can be bandanas, scarves, neck gaiters or other clothing that does not have visible holes. Residents should not purchase N95 or surgical masks, as these limited resources are needed for the healthcare community and first responders.

“While more and more Riverside County residents are getting COVID-19, not everybody’s getting the message,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer. “It started with staying home, social distance and covering your face. But now we change from saying that you should to saying that you must.”

Law enforcement agencies throughout the county will enforce these orders starting with explaining the orders and leading up to citation with a $1,000 fine and/or arrest. This order runs through April 30.

There will not be traffic stops or checkpoints for the motoring public, walkers or bicyclists. Law enforcement on patrol will stop to discuss orders with residents seen congregating at parks, churches, schools or golf courses.

The no gathering order does not apply to essential businesses, including healthcare offices, grocery stores or gas stations. However, these businesses must use social distancing measures to keep clients and customers six feet apart and all employees must now wear face coverings.

All churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship are prohibited from all in-person gatherings, this includes drive-in religious services.

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These orders are made in conjunction with the governor’s stay at home order issued on March 19, as well as Dr. Kaiser’s latest school closure order issued on April 1, latest short-term rental order issued on April 2 and the golf course closure order issued on April 2.

As of April 3, Riverside County has 638 confirmed cases, 15 deaths and 50 recoveries. Earlier this week, Kaiser recommended face coverings for anyone when they leave home.

Submitted by Riverside University Health System

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.