I recently returned from a road trip up the Northern California and Oregon coasts to Seattle, and discovered that the states mean business when it comes to wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. You can't shop without masks in many stores in the west currently, but you can smoke crack on the sidewalk outside your local 7-Eleven convenience store.

With cases of the new Coronavirus variant spiking in many states, health officials on the West Coast have apparently decided they aren't taking any chances when it comes to the possibility of once again having to take steps backwards in order to combat the pandemic. I'm fully vaccinated, but still had to wear a mask in several locations throughout Oregon and Washington, which I didn't mind doing. Being asked by a business owner to wear a mask for a few minutes isn't cause for disrespect or a mass protest in my opinion.

One of the sites we were told we couldn't enter without a mask was the Seattle Space Needle. Just to wander the gift shop, we had to mask up, and the request was heavily enforced by employees. I was surprised to see three people sitting out on the curb one block from the famous tourist attraction smoking crack openly. Secondhand crack smoke sucks, I might add.

So, to those out there that get incredibly annoyed and feel your rights are being violated when asked to wear a mask, you shouldn't bother heading west this summer. Cities such as Eureka (California), Astoria (Oregon), Garibaldi (Oregon) and Seattle will not tolerate anti-mask rants, but will instead just send you on your way. A record store owner in Astoria nearly had a heart attack when I stepped within three or four feet of him, even though I wore a mask.

LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?

Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.
Get our free mobile app

More From Kool 96.5