Following is an announcement from the owners of La Casita Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (1982-2021) on permanently closing the business. They will be missed.It is with great sadness that we announce the permanent closure of La Casita. We will not be re-opening.
We would like to thank our loyal customers, our trusted vendors, and, most of all, our staff, many of whom are more like family to us.
We thank our mother for her vision in opening La Casita, and our families for their unwavering support for over almost 40 years. Forty years — well, we almost made it.
We wish other area restaurants well and hope they are able to come out of the pandemic whole. Know that your spirit inspired us in many way, but the financial hits were just too much. Please, friends, support them and all small business in Bishop in any way you can. We know it’s been overused, but as neighbors who love the Eastern Sierra we truly are in this together.
Sincerely,
Richard, Robert, and Paul Laughon
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Pretty easy to determine here between those who have a full time work, don’t want to work and/or don’t need to work (trust fund, pension, Bank of Mommy & Daddy?) and those who have to work and want to work in order to keep a roof over their head and food on their table.
Why, because we support helping people? I work full time and overtime and volunteer for the community every week champ. Sit down. Give yourself another foot rub, sounds like you need to sooth your bunyans.
Don’t hurt your arm patting yourself on the back
Simply a shame that another business is closing due to no fault of their own. Yes, COVID-19 created the crisis, yes, the nation was shut down except for essential businesses (a bar is not one of the designated exempt entities). The whole virus thing was difficult to anticipate or manage. To mask or not mask was one of the examples the experts were not certain how to educate or enforce. Some states opened early, others are still not open. In addition to the science, the facts are debatable. Contrary to many of the comments, blue states are under multiple restrictions, red states are doing much better with similar or better infection numbers and deaths. We are adults and as such, are capable of making intelligent decisions for yourself, family and businesses. Amazing how the number of flu cases there are this year, do you thing it is because of wearing a mask washing hands and social distancing? Why was Walmart, Costco and Target open but mom and pop business selling essentially the same products closed or closing? We have a governor that, in my opinion, attempted to do what he thought was right, but in retrospect, was not. He treated the citizens of California as 3 year old’s not capable of doing the right thing. His effort can be evaluated with results, and the facts are, he failed.
Look at the schools and how they are failing our children. How long will it take for the children to catch up, if ever, due to the shutdown. Why do private schools have minimal amount of COVID infections? No, not because of funding but due to personal responsibility and aware of what has to be done to stay safe. Even when the young people become infected, statistically, they are not ill for a long time and are back to school ASAP and are creating Hurd immunity.
My people have a saying. If you look far and wide for your brow you will never find it because it is on your face. It is far more productive to look in the mirror. To look within. Blaming Governor Newsom is convenient. It is probably more productive to blame the election of the GOP senate majority that gambled with relief to prove a point politically. Let that be a lesson to not elect GOP senators to congress. Could Newsom have performed better, sure. Every governor could have. Should he hold the blame for a closed business in a rural community that has a track record of voting for GOP candidates, hardly.
No matter what our Governor did to respond to this pandemic, some of you would’ve whined incessantly about it. Speaks more about you than it does about him.
I was not whining, just stating some facts and an opinion.
Fact, the governor had a meal at a fancy restaurant inside dining while forbidden by him. He was, on multiple occasions, asked to provide the statistics supporting his decision, his answer was crickets. He was sued by restaurants to provide answers. None were forthcoming.
Fact, many schools across the nation are partially open , with reasonable restrictions, except in California.
Fact, nursing home had many deaths that were unnecessary (new York) as an example. Florida has more old people in nursing homes with a substantially lower infection and death rate. Why?
Leadership is making the tough decisions with imperfect information. However, when facts and science change the information modify your decision. In my opinion, therein lies the criticism. Edicts were cast in stone without any regard for those businesses that were forced to close and the “unnecessary” had working non essential employees were out of a job trying to provide for their families.
Also fact, Newsome instead of collaborating with California businesses, unilaterally decided what is best for everyone.
He has ignored the California EDD fraud and failed to address millions of unemployment claims that are just sitting with no action for persons that need the funds.
His latest comments regarding his poor decisions reflect an elitists approach to damage control by deflecting the causes to others rather than owning his poor decisions. Responsibility means accountability, California had the worst vaccine management of the 50 states and the deepest pockets. Taking responsibility means that the Governor should save the excuses and own his mistakes.
Is he responsible for La Casita’s closure? It is a by-product of having no plan and only reacting, if the Governor would have worked with businesses to succeed rather than only direct what they weren’t allowed to do then without a doubt things would have been different.
Ultimately “the people” will be the reason for success or failure. Herding them like cattle to a pen in the history of mankind has never been successful.
I made my rounds by all the Mexican restaurants. I’m really going to miss eating and drinking at La Casita Mexican Restaurant & Cantina. To hec with Bishop I’m moving out of state.
I hope you have a great future with memories of all the great food you provided over 40 years. Wow. We have enjoyed your restaurant when we come down from Mammoth. But retirement can be a good thing after a lifetime of work. Our best to you all.
Blaming Gavin Newsom for the utter failure of our county in dealing with Covid is rich! We are the worst county in California right now and it isn’t because of the Governor, it is the heartless mask deniers who are so selfish they can’t be bothered to keep their neighbors safe while crying “ victim!” What a bunch of narcissistic and pathetic losers!
Grandma, how many people have you seen NOT wearing a mask indoors in the last 10 months?
The worst county in the state is Los Angeles (duh). Locking people down and destroying their livelihoods when they’re too old, or financially ruined to ever recover, and then blaming a county with few resources for trying to find some kind of middle ground is ridiculous. If you think that things are going to return back to “normal” after all these lock downs any time soon, that’s just crazy. We’re broke/broken. As for myself, I will be pleased to vote for the joy of at least trying to remove the governor, because now this is personal. He gets to go to his favorite mask-less hang out, while I cannot imagine not ever going again to a place I’ve gone to for close to 40 years. This hurts. I won’t forget or forgive.
Quilting Grandma
It’s the NEW American way…
Always someone else to blame,and in California,it’s Governor Newsom that gets it,no matter what it is.
Probably something to do with trump (“the other guy”) hating and blaming him for all California.
My guess is,a LOT of the little business in the little Owens Valley towns will be shutting their doors’
In Lone Pine,the latest causilty is the drug store..
Well, at least this sacrifice and thousands like it were all for a good cause, to fight a flu with a 99.8% survival rate.
Your use of the 99.8% survival rate is misleading and highly selective. The comparison of Covid-19 with the flu has been repeatedly discredited by health authorities and statistics that show that the coronavirus is far more deadly than the flu. And then there is also this aspect about the pandemic that also plays a role in how some have chosen to “interpret” the facts.COVID-19 has been far less deadly for non-Hispanic Whites by comparison to minorities in this country.
CDC Interpretive Summary for March 12, 2021: The Unequal Toll of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to deepen health disparities in our country. Long-standing inequalities have increased the risk for severe COVID-19 illnesses and death for many people. This both causes and continues disparities between racial and ethnic minority groups and non-Hispanic white people. Unequal health risks are the result of different conditions where people live, work, learn, play, and age—what we call social determinants of health.
By improving race and ethnicity data collection and reporting, we continue to increase our understanding of health disparities related to COVID-19. This knowledge helps us create more equitable public health policies and prevention strategies. Using multiple sources, CDC data show that the risks for COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and death differ by race and ethnicity.
American Indian and Alaska Native people were 3.7 times more likely than non-Hispanic white people to be hospitalized and 2.4 times more likely to die from COVID-19 infection.
Black or African American people were 2.9 times more likely than non-Hispanic white people to be hospitalized and 1.9 times more likely to die from COVID-19 infection.
Hispanic and Latino people were 3.1 times more likely than non-Hispanic white people to be hospitalized and 2.3 times more likely to die from COVID-19 infection.
Among people under the age of 25, a study released this week found that COVID-19 case incidence disparities were higher among most racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly earlier in 2020. To track disparities, CDC provides race and ethnicity data for cases and deaths, and vaccinations. New dashboards on COVID Data Tracker display changes in the impact of the pandemic over time by race and ethnicity.
Social determinants of health contribute to racial and ethnic minority groups being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Discrimination, which includes racism and associated chronic stress, influences each of these social determinants as well. We all have a role to play and must work together to ensure that people have resources to maintain and manage their physical and mental health, including easy access to information, affordable testing, vaccinations, and medical care.
Charles, current accurate data is not available due to information suppression by the Governor: https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/18/borenstein-newsoms-covid-fibs-should-be-scrutinized-with-data/.
This in itself is indication that fear is being used to motivate the masses rather then allowing “experts” to assess what is actually working. Reality vs fabrication for personal gain…
Re-read Mr. James’ post. He is citing validated scientific data from the CDC. CDC information is not suppressed by Newsom…
Mono Inn closed their doors, Mexican 395 closed their doors too….
Very sad news, my wife and I enjoyed La Casita for decades. Robert is truly one-of-a-kind. i will never forget when a customer at the bar asked for a small glass of water, Robert promptly filled a shot glass half full of water and asked if that was small enough – we all laughed at the interchange that was in good company. The loss of this Bishop family owned business is a huge impact to the community. Thank you Richard, Robert, and Paul for all of the wonderful food and social environment that made Bishop a better place, this loss will create a huge void in our community.
So very sad and my heart breaks for not only proprietors but for all the loyal customers who truly value a restaurant that’s not a franchise. The best restaurants by far are located in the Sierra’s and surrounding foothills. Plus they are all affordable unlike a restaurant that most of us couldn’t afford a meal. This restaurant needs no mention I you follow current events. I know I can’t afford to order off a menu with no prices. So, if you have to ask how much? Keep walking.
Again, my sympathies.
Heartbreaking to lose another locally owned business, especially one that was so beloved by so many.
Gov Newsom hardly caused the pandemic. This is terrible for business owners, but eating and drinking indoors is not safe at the moment. We needed consistent cash aid from March 2020 on.
It doesn’t have to be like this…, GAVIN!
When tyranny becomes law rebellion becomes duty”
Wah wah wah, wah wah wah…., WAH WAH! Wah wah wah wah wah wah wah”
Gavin? Are you kidding? Try looking at the GOP congress who refuses to help anyone by blocking literally everything because of…. nothing? Pandemic is not in a human control house, we just respond. Trump failed first, then the GOP failed and continues to fail us in congress. Luckily we have a democratic majority now who is smart enough to rescue people from their own idiocy regardless of the GOP brainwashing.
You’re kidding right? As if Democrats or Republicans have the answer to any of this. Go read the $1.9 Trillion H.R. 1 bill. Less than 10% of it is for COVID relief. The rest is absolute PORK. Who passed that bill? The DEMOCRATS. Just because it’s now your ‘team’ in office doesn’t allow you to turn a blind eye to the pork and graft however I’m sure you will. If you’re curious, I am neither D or R.
Absolutely not kidding. I have read the bill. I happen to support the vast majority of it. It is about time somebody started looking out for the people instead if beating the trickle down mantra garbage over and over again. Just because you disagree doesn’t mean you are always right. That is called letting your own emotions guide you to being selfish vs recognizing you can’t exist without a community.
I love your restaurant! Happy retirement but so sad to see you go!