Port of San Diego cautiously moves forward on re-opening

Editor’s Note: Gov. Newsom, shortly after this story went to press, added San Diego County to his most recent order. SAN DIEGO—The Port of San Diego – and the state of California, for that matter – appeared to be taking baby steps in re-opening and trying to establish some level of normalcy while the Covid-19 pandemic continues to persist. Members of the port district’s Board of Port Commissioners met on June 23 and discussed the phased re-opening of San Diego Bay’s waterfront. The port district’s outlook appeared to be positive. The outlook, however, might have been tempered by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s July 1 order to roll back some of the state’s re-opening. Port district staff said they were moving forward with re-opening plans despite not yet being out of the woods of the Covid-19 pandemic. Several sectors – restaurants, hotels, sportfishing operations and outdoor museums – were deemed eligible to move forward with re-opening, port district staff confirmed on June 23. These businesses, however, were required to implement strict guidelines, which limited business. A few spikes in coronavirus cases, however, did occur in local areas near the waterfront, port district staff added. The spikes – both locally and statewide – could result in the...