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Non-Essential Travelers Asked To Stay Home This Memorial Day Weekend

NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — Counties with few coronavirus cases are asking non-essential travelers to not cross county lines this Memorial Day Weekend.

Tragedies have happened on the Yuba River before, but that's not the only reason locals want you to stay away. Nevada County locals are hoping this Memorial Day Weekend is quieter than normal.

The river may be beautiful, but looks can be deceiving.

"I would never go in right now, I don't think anyone should," Nevada County resident Denyse Shaw said.

Shaw has seen a lot happen along The Yuba River.

"The river is powerful. It's super powerful and you can just get swept under," Shaw said.

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Life-saving rescues aren't uncommon, with first responders rushing to save swimmers.

"If you come out and you make a decision to recreate where it's not safe, you put yourself at risk and you put others at risk," Melinda Booth with the South Yuba River Citizens League said.

But this Memorial Day Weekend, there's also another safety issue at the top of everyone's mind.

"This year we're dealing with the health safety issue as well," Booth said.

Booth represents a local nonprofit in Nevada County.

"We've done a really good job here in the county at controlling the spread of COVID-19, and we want to keep it that way," she said.

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And Nevada County locals aren't the only ones asking travelers to stay away. Park Rangers at Folsom Lake are hoping for a quieter Memorial Day weekend.

"There's no need to get into a car and drive miles and miles or across county lines to come into a park," Folsom Park Ranger Barry Smith said.

South Lake Tahoe is also asking tourists to stay home.

"We really want people to enjoy their Memorial Day weekend at their home where they live, with their families, not in Tahoe this time, unfortunately," Interim Chief David Stevenson said.

Go-to vacation spots across Northern California agree, if you're not a local this Memorial Day weekend, your visit will have to wait until next year.

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