More COVID-19 pages

For Residents

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First Things First. How are you? Do you feel okay? What do you do if you feel sick / enfermas ? Stay Home and contact your doctor. You can reach Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Emergency Department hotline at (831) 636-2640 so they can arrange for a staff member to meet you in the parking lot for triage.




Hazel Hawkins Memorial March 23, 2020 Preparation Update can be found here

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$ $ Money $ $

Patience is key here. There is no specific defined date when we know money will be distributed to your bank account from the various economic stimulus bills passed by the Federal and State Government.

Federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act 
This is a link to the actual H.R.6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act on Congress.gov.Under this bill, employerswith fewer than 500 employees will be required to provide full-time employees with 2 weeks (80 hours) of paid sick leave. This bill also provides those employees (of employers with fewer than 500 employees) the right to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). More information can be found by following the link above.

What about that $1,200 stimulus check? 
It would be nice to be able to say "the check is in the mail" or at least "it will soon be automatically deposited to your accout electronically" however we do not know yet when this will happen and the IRS will hopefully update their website as soon as they know any new information. The full text of the CARES Act authorizing payments of up to $1,200 can be found here

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Taxes

The deadline for filing California and federal tax returns has been extended
. Taxpayers now have until July 15th to file and pay state and federal taxes. In addition, the California Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service will waive interest and any late filing and payment penalties that would otherwise apply. The California Franchise Tax Board asks that taxpayers claiming the special COVID-19 relief write the name of the state of emergency (for example, COVID-19) in black ink at the top of the tax return to alert the Franchise Tax Board of the special extension period. If taxpayers are e-filing, they should follow the software instructions to enter disaster information.


Please visit the 
California Franchise Tax Board's website for more information about filing your state tax return and the Internal Revenue Service's website for more information about filing your federal tax return

**Please note that county property tax deadlines have not changed.** Why? or Why not? Many of our necessary public entities and services are funded through the payment of property taxes. There may be some relief in the form of reduced late fees or interest charges however you should do your best to pay the portion due in a timely manner. Call your financial institution or lender for the most up to date information. You should also visit the San Benito County Assessor's Website for any changes and additional information. 

And remember: 

  1. Public schools are funded by property taxes. Schools are still in session even if their campus is closed. 
  2. Property taxes pay for the salaries and supplies of police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, or EMTs. 
  3. Unless funded by the state, private donors or the U.S. Government, public parks and recreation facilities are usually built and maintained with property tax revenue.
  4. Road construction and maintenance are partially funded through property tax. 

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Helping in Our Community

If you are interested in donating your time, materials or money to local organizations please read this press release from March 24, 2020 first. You can help in our community by volunteering to help with our Community Wellness program or by simply holding the door open as you exit an establishment after picking up your mail or take-out from one of our many restaurants. 

Do your best to limit face to face interactions. One easy change to your routine is to download the USPS Informed Delivery App for your phone or signing up for their Daily Digest emails. By doing this you can see what will be arriving in your post office box each day so that you don't have to go every day. 

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Help with Utilities

The State of California and the United States Government are working on ways to help alleviate expenses. Ultimately we are responsible when the bills come due and it's best to contact each business/creditor/person you owe money to find out what assistance or payment plans are available. Try to have your bill, account number or service address available before you call to help locate your account.

City of San Juan Bautista Water District
831-623-4661 x12
Recology Waste Management 669-205-9189 (billing) For customer service: 831.636.7500. 
PG&E 1-877-704-8470 
Spectrum (Charter) Cable, Internet and Phone (833) 267-6094
HughesNet Satellite 866-347-3292
Direct TV 1-888-777-2454
Verizon Wireless 1 (800) 922-0204
ATT Wireless 611 from AT&T mobile phone, voice 800.331.0500 , TTY 866.241.6567
T-Mobile Wireless 611 from you T-Mobil phone, voice 1-877-453-1304

March 31, 2020
 Recology is requiring all extra recyclable material to be inside of the Recology cart in order to be serviced. The following changes are effective immediately:
  • Cardboard must be broken down to fit completely within your blue recyclables cart
  • Any cardboard outside of your cart will no longer be picked up by our drivers
  • Extra clothes/textiles must be contained within a clear plastic bag and placed inside of the blue recyclables cart
  • Please place extra recyclables inside of your cart and call customer service at 831.636.7500 and we will return to service your container at no extra cost, within 48 hours.
Full text of their memo can be found here.

March 20, 2020 Drinking Water Update from the State of California. California's comprehensive and safe drinking water standards require a multi-step treatment process that includes filtration and disinfection. This process removes and kills viruses, including corona viruses such as COVID-19, as well as bacteria and other pathogens.

March 17, 2020 CPUC ensures essential utility services for consumers to assist in COVID-19 mitigation - in short, your utilities (energy, water, sewer and communications) will not be shut off for non-payment in the near future. Contact your individual providers for more information.

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Useful Websites:

  • State of California COVID-19 updates www.covid19.ca.gov
  • County of San Benito Health & Human Services Press Releases, Current Stats and Reference
  • Nixle updates for zip code 95045 and surrounding communities. You can also sign up for text alerts by sending your zip code to 888-777
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Useful Articles and Videos:

  • March 20, 2020 Testing for Coronavirus (COVID-19) is now available in a number of public health, commercial and hospital laboratories in California, however broad scale testing is not available. This guidance is intended to support health care providers and laboratories in determining testing prioritization. To download and read the testing protocol click here.
  • Consumer Reports: How to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus When Grocery Shopping
  • Grocery Shopping Tips with Dr. Jeffrey VanWingen updated video March 31, 2020
  • Face masks Do's and Don'ts.  NPR article April 3, 2020
  • Four "quick" takeaways:
    • Do: Wear one if you have a cold or will be in close proximity to people you are not currently living with. Such as when you go to the post office or grocery store.
    • Do: Wash homemade masks before and after each use.
    • Don't: Touch the front of the mask when you remove it. Use the straps.
    • Don't just toss it in your bag after use. Consider it contaminated and replace or wash it.
Last Updated 4/8/2020