It’s shutdown time.
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate on Tuesday failed to reach a deal to fund the federal government, ushering in the first shutdown since a 35-day rupture in 2018-19.
Core government services will continue to operate. Social Security checks will be distributed. The mail will be delivered. Air traffic controllers will guide planes. But many departments and agencies will go dark until there’s a resolution in Washington; for example, civil trials in federal courts are on hold.
Millions of federal workers will be furloughed or will work without pay as U.S. agencies decide which programs and services are essential. The Trump administration had threatened to use a shutdown to activate mass firings and accelerate its cuts to the federal workforce, though it’s unclear whether that will happen.
In terms of emergency services for California residents, the ShakeAlert earthquake warning system, which is run by the U.S. Geological Survey, will remain functional.
The National Park Service is scaling back operations, including in the Bay Area. Alcatraz will be closed Thursday and reopen Friday. Another marquee attraction, Muir Woods in Marin County, is shut. The Presidio, which is financially independent, will remain open, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Adding to the confusion, some — but not all — parking lots, restrooms, and other NPS facilities in San Francisco are off-limits. Check the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s website for more details.
Other attractions appear likely to suffer from the fallout. Fleet Week, scheduled for Oct. 5-13, will go on, but likely without the crowd-thrilling maneuvers of the U.S. Blue Angels, according to the Mercury News. The shutdown will also likely prevent the famed troupe’s appearance at the California International Air Show in Salinas, according to KSBW.
The Golden State is home to more than 150,000 federal workers, not including military personnel. That’s the most outside of D.C., which means the shutdown will directly impact tens of thousands of California households.
Some Bay Area politicians, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, state Sen. Jerry McNerney, and state Assemblymember Liz Ortega were slated to weigh in on the government shutdown’s impact at a midday news conference Wednesday.