Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin is pleading with Governor Gavin Newsom to allow indoor restaurant dining due to the heatwave and unhealthy air quality resulting from wildfires throughout the state.
Martin sent the governor a letter Friday asking that restaurants and tasting rooms be allowed to operate indoors on an emergency basis.
"Outdoor dining, the only reason many of our restaurants and tasting rooms are able to still hang on, is not healthy in the heat, smoke, and ash-filled haze. If they have no customers, many more California small businesses will fail, and many more Californians will be put out of work," the letter states.
Northern San Luis Obispo County has had some of the worst air quality in the world this week due to wildfire smoke that has moved into the area from Monterey County. Temperatures have also been over 100 degrees for much of the week.
Martin argues that many restaurants have better air conditioning systems than many people do at home and that the smoke is putting people's health at risk.
