Why Public Drinking May Be—Moderately—Encouraged in San Clemente
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Enjoying a glass of wine with a meal is typically a luxury restricted to restaurants and private homes, but given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, San Clemente is looking to make it easier to indulge elsewhere. Its city council will decide during a Jan. 19 meeting whether to extend permission to its residents to consume alcohol in public. The emergency order is meant to enhance outdoor dining, support small businesses, and boost mental health. San Clemente’s interim city manager Erik Sund initially enacted the emergency order last Dec. 18, allowing adults to drink alcohol with the consumption of a meal in certain public locations. The order was set to expire Jan. 19, unless council moved to continue it during its scheduled meeting. An extension of the ordinance was on the agenda for discussion. If approved, it will likely be extended for the duration of Southern California’s regional stay-at-home order. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has not reported any …