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Some salon owners facing possible fines for re-opening during coronavirus pandemic

The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology says business owners who don't comply with the state's stay-at-home order could lose their license to operate.

YUBA CITY, Calif. — Some salon owners in Sutter and Yuba Counties are stuck in the crossfire between conflicting public health orders between the state and county officials.

But salons that choose to reopen, even with their county's blessing, are now putting their licenses at risk.

"It's overwhelmingly so emotionally draining," Kristi Goldby, a co-owner of Headlines Salon and Spa said.

ABC10 first introduced you to Goldby and her mom Marsha Miller on Friday as they prepared to re-open their salon in Yuba City after getting the green light from their county's public health director.

YUBA CITY HAIR SALON REOPENS: Under a new revised order from Yuba and Sutter Counties, hair salons will be allowed to reopen on Monday, along with restaurants for dine-in seating, shopping malls, gyms, libraries and more. Kristi Goldby gave us a tour of what her salon Headlines Salon & Spa looks like now with safety protocols in place to protect her clients. We’ll hear from her coming up on #LateNewsTonight at 11 p.m. on ABC10. 📸: Kristi Goldby

Posted by Lena Howland on Friday, May 1, 2020

"These are happy tears!" Miller said last Friday.

But days later, even after serving their first clients in nearly two months, their tune has drastically changed.

"One of our service providers including us as an establishment had gotten a letter from the State Board saying you can't open and you're risking your license if you do," Goldby said.

The Board urges licensees to follow the stay at home orders. If busi... nesses continue to put public health and safety at risk by not following the guidance provided, and if circumstances warrant it, the Board may pursue disciplinary action against their license. This will not be taken lightly.

Unlike the counties' relaxed order, the state is still requiring salons to remain closed for now.

The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology says business owners who don't comply could face a citation or fine and, in a worst-case scenario, lose their license to operate.

"We have gotten placed in a really awkward position. I wish none of this would have happened. I wish our county would have just said, 'Stay closed,' and it would have saved us all a lot of heartache," she said.

Goldby and her mom are planning to stay open, but most of their 17 stylists have said it's not worth it.

"We played by the rules until we were told we were OK. And it just is frustrating that now they're scared to death to come back to work because, if they lose their license they can't work," she said.

A spokesperson for Yuba and Sutter Counties acknowledges the state and counties' orders are conflicting. They're encouraging business owners like Goldby to talk to an attorney for advice. He added that counties don't have any control over state licensing issues.

"Until they walk into our salon and tell us we can't work, we're going to continue to work," she said.

The Professional Beauty Federation of California is working with the Center for American Liberty to file a lawsuit later this week against Gov. Gavin Newsom to get salons and barbershops state-wide to reopen as soon as possible.

Continue the conversation with Lena on Facebook.

Read more about coronavirus from ABC10

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