Businesses and the city impacted by Chico State virtual semester

Chico State will go virtual this upcoming fall just like all other Cal States, and businesses around the city are struggling to make ends meet.

But first - new tonight - local businesses are struggling with chico state students not returning for the fall semester.

Action news now reporter esteban reynoso is live in chico.

Esteban, how are businesses and the city dealing with the absense of students this year?

This year, like most of california, chico state students will be learning from home, but businesses in the city are worried that without the influx of students, they won't be able to make ends meet.

"hopefully like more students would come back the coming semesters, maybe business would pick up a bit."

Bruce chang, owner of peeking's resturant in downtown chico relys on students to eat at his restaurant, especially since it's right across the street from the campus.

"i was gonna reopen the dining next month, when the semester start, but right now they just shut down everything again."

And city manager mark orme understands just how important chico state students are to the economy of the city.

"chico state students play a pivotal role, really a vital role in this community."

But it's not just money the city and businesses are missing out on -- phil feser, director of rush personnel services says businesses are having trouble filling positions "i don't know how they're going to do it.

All these employers out there that are just trying to keep their business going, they are more jobs than we've had in a couple years..

It's been pretty much non- stop."

"they are really the life blood through the fall and spring months of this community.

Not only with filling jobs that are necessary for retail and other types of services, but also the economic generation of them being here is just tremendous on our community."

California state universities are all online for this upcoming fall, there is no indication yet of when students will be allowed, back on campus.

Live in chico, esteban reynoso for action news now, coverage you can count on.

We asked chico state if they had any indication of an increase or decrease of incoming students this fall semester.

At this point, they're not sure how many students will return.