LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Three days after urging Nevada’s nonessential businesses to shut down to try and slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Steve Sisolak took time to clarify his comments on Friday, saying that was an order, not a request.
"If your business is not essential to providing sustenance for the everyday safety, health, and well-being of Nevadans, you must shut down," said Sisolak.
But prior to Sisolak's second emergency declaration, many of Nevada's nonessential businesses, including strip clubs and brothels, decided to defy the governor's order by staying open.
Rather than shutting down, Little Darlings in Las Vegas instead made big plans to boost its business during these tough times. A press release revealed plans to offer drive-through lap dances and hand sanitizer nude wrestling, starting Friday night. But when our 13 Action News crew drove by around 8 p.m. the strip club was closed and there were signs posted on the windows that read, "Closed until further notice."
Clark County commissioners called an emergency meeting Friday night to urge the public to report any nonessential businesses that refuse to close down, and to talk about how the county will enforce the governor’s new emergency ordinance.
If you think a business is nonessential and refusing to follow the governor's orders, you can report them by calling your county commissioner, the Clark County Business License, or 3-1-1.
Lieutenant Nate Chio from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department chimed in, promising Metro detectives would present any nonessential business owner who fails to comply with a copy of the governor's emergency declaration and a letter ordering them to close down immediately. And if they still don't close their doors, business owners could be hit with a criminal citation or misdemeanor charge for endangering public safety.
"We don’t anticipate going to that extreme. We hope that most businesses will be responsible and shut down voluntarily," said Lieutenant Chio.
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Nevada's nonessential businesses are required to remain closed until April 16 at the earliest, nearly four full weeks from Friday.
If you still have questions about which businesses are considered essential vs. nonessential, Governor Sisolak's office shared a full list describing which types of businesses fall in which category.
The following are ESSENTIAL businesses and will be allowed to remain open:
-Healthcare (hospitals, medical offices, clinics, healthcare suppliers, home health care providers, mental health providers, dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, physical or occupational therapists, speech therapists and pathologists, chiropractors, licensed homeopathic medical providers, biomedical facilities, non-governmental emergency service providers, optometrist and ophthalmologist offices, offices for certified nurse-midwives, veterinary services, and pharmaceuticals
-Essential Infrastructure Operations (construction, agriculture, farming, housing construction, airport operations, water, sewer, gas, electrical, mining, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, recycling services, energy, including solar, internet, telecommunication services, manufacturing, and food processing)
-Grocery stores (supermarkets, food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, convenience stores, farm and produce stands, and other retail sale of canned and dry goods, fresh produce, frozen food, fresh meats, fish, and poultry)
-Retailers that sell food items and other household consumer products for cleaning and personal care to promote safety, sanitation, and essential operations of households
-Businesses that ship or deliver goods directly to residences
-Businesses that sell or rent medical supplies
-Licensed Cannabis entities, including dispensaries, producers, and cultivators
-Pet supply stores
-Animal shelters
-Banks and financial institutions
-Pawnbrokers as defined in NRS 646.10
-Restaurants and food establishments that offer meals on a take-out, curbside pickup, delivery, or drive-through basis only and food distribution pods to provide meals to students
-Businesses and other entities that provide food, shelter, or social services for economically disadvantaged individuals, vulnerable populations, or victims of crime
-Hardware stores, including home improvement centers
-Auto-supply, automobile repair facilities, and tire shops
-Laundromats and Dry Cleaners
-Warehouse and storage facilities
-Transportation services, including taxicabs and rideshare services
-Mail and shipping services, including PO boxes
-Businesses that supply products necessary for people to work from home on a curbside pickup or delivery to consumer basis only
-Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, home security, and other service providers who provide services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences or businesses
-Professional or technical services including legal, accounting, tax, payroll, real estate, and property management services
-Child care facilities
-Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, and children, including retirement homes and assisted living facilities
-Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services
-Hotels, motels, or short-term rentals, RV parks, campgrounds, dormitories, and commercial lodging
-Gas stations, with or without attached convenience store
The following are NON-ESSENTIAL businesses and will NOT be allowed to remain open:
-Recreational activities, including, but not limited to, recreation and community centers, sporting event venues, fitness facilities, gyms, clubhouses, racetracks, zoos, aquariums, golf and country clubhouses not to include golf activities outside clubhouse settings, bowling centers, cinemas and movie theaters, skiing facilities, theme parks, and amusement parks
-Brothels and houses of prostitution
-Live entertainment venues, including theaters and adult entertainment establishments
-Retail facilities that are not specified in Section 1 as essential businesses and are unable to sell goods through shipping or direct delivery to consumers
-Restaurant services providing in-house dining only
-Nightclubs
-Pubs, wineries, bars, and breweries
-Gaming machines and gaming operations
-Aesthetic services and schools of aesthetic services, including hair dressing, barbering, cosmetology services, nail salons, tanning and air brush salons, massage (not provided by a physical therapist), waxing, diet and weight loss centers, and other cosmetic services
-Spas
-Sporting good and hobby shops
-Museums and art galleries
