Clark County suspends business licenses for defying shutdown

LAS VEGAS (AP) — More than a dozen unincorporated Clark County businesses have had their business licenses suspended for remaining open during a government-ordered shutdown in Nevada as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The county Business License Department has issued emergency suspensions between Saturday and Wednesday after each of the businesses disregarded Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak's order to shut down all nonessential businesses in the state.

Sisolak issued the 30-day order March 17 to reduce social activity and interaction as the state of Nevada expects an increase in COVID-19 infections, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

In another development, Las Vegas and Clark County officials announced the opening of a temporary shelter for homeless people in a parking lot to temporarily replace a shelter temporarily closed after a homeless man tested positive for the coronavirus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

As of Saturday, Nevada had 621 coronavirus cases with 10 deaths.

The 14 businesses shut down by the county included five liquor establishments, two smoke shops, two car washes, a furniture store, a shoe retailer, and a gym, county officials said.

Initially, 18 businesses were reported to have had their licenses suspended, But spokesman Dan Kulin explained 14 was accurate after mistakenly counting some businesses more than once.

The suspensions went into effect March 21 and are scheduled to last until the end of the shutdown on April 16.

“We will reassess the license status of these businesses before that date to determine whether to extend the suspensions or not,” Kulin told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in an email.

A joint city and county announcement of the temporary homeless shelter established at Cashman Center's upper parking lot said it would open Saturday night and run until April 3. By then the Catholic Charities shelter is expected the reopen, the announcement said.

The city is reserving the building spaces at Cashman Center, a closed convention center, for potential use for hospital overflow if required by the outbreak, the announcement said.