It appears that while the vast majority of restaurant and bar owners have taken the state’s guidelines seriously and reopened in adherence with not only the letter but the spirit of the rules, others have shockingly flouted them.
DeWine told NBC4 there’s a simple enforcement mechanism for offending owners.
“In regard to bars, we have a fairly effective tool that deals with a bar that does not want to follow what we have to do, and that is their liquor license,” DeWine said. “They will lose their liquor license. We don’t want to go around and be the social police, that’s not what anyone intends to do.”
Probably not an ideal time to be front-and-center on the news or the subject of a viral tweet, like Standard Hall in Columbus, which drew police calls and the attention of local TV stations on Friday night that prompted, in part, a statement issued by the governor’s office.
“Ohio was able to responsibly reopen businesses quickly due to the fact that Ohioans have widely followed the expert guidance to socially distance, practice proper sanitization and hygiene, and avoid unnecessary contact with others. Ohio is a success story for following these protocols.On CNN’s State of the Union this morning, DeWine said a Columbus establishment had been cited over the weekend.“As restaurants and bars opened yesterday for patio service, we know many establishments across Ohio are doing their part to follow best practices to keep patrons safe and socially distanced. However, anecdotes are also being distributed across the state about establishments that opened and allegedly ignored these safety guidelines.
“Those who operate their businesses while disregarding safety guidelines, designed to protect the health of their customers and all Ohioans, are being irresponsible and need to understand that these guidelines will be enforced.”
Some cities aren’t waiting for the state to take action.
In Cincinnati, Mayor John Cranley said he’ll shut down restaurants and bars that aren’t compliant.
“This morning I met with the city manager, police health and law department leadership to discuss enforcement actions,” Cranley said yesterday. “Tonight, enforcement will be enhanced and bars can and will be shut down if necessary to protect the public health. In addition, depending on the situation, fines will be issued and other legal actions may be taken. To any bar that is not following the state orders, consider yourself warned.”
Anyone who is worried about over-crowded patios is, of course, a freedom-hating Karen, a nosey rat, a snitch who should just stay home if they’re scared.
But, to play devil’s advocate here for just as second, concerned observers just might have legitimate reasons for being wary. Consider:
1. We’re still in the midst of a pandemic.
2. If an operator is ignoring part of the state’s guidelines, why should they be trusted to follow the rest of them? Are they really sanitizing as often and thoroughly as they should? Are they really telling employees to stay home if they don’t feel well?
3. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health said Friday that the uptick in COVID-19 cases in the past week can be traced back to the reopening of workplaces and socializing amongst coworkers.
“We’re seeing a lot more infections in workplace settings over the last week,” Cuyahoga County Board of Health Director Dr. Heidi Gullett said Friday. “This week as we’ve done more case interviews and more contact tracing, we have found that people who have returned to work have been engaging with their coworkers outside of work. That has led to new transmissions, that then result in infections coming back into the workplace.”
Imagine what a shoulder-to-shoulder patio sesh will do.
4. Everyone knows it at this point but: Young people, while at a lower risk for serious health ramifications or death from COVID-19, can spread the virus, even when asymptomatic. A South Korea man in his early 20s, for instance, had no symptoms when he visited nightclubs and bars recently. Contact tracers later tied at least 102 infections to him.
5. Most of us live in the great middle ground. Most of us don’t think everyone should stay home until there’s a vaccine. And most of us don’t think everyone should go out and act like a virus hasn’t efficiently and lethally spread across the entire world in the matter of a few months. Most of us believe we should reengage the economy, but that we should do so in safe manner. Enjoy the sun. Enjoy the air. Enjoy a meal. Perhaps don’t throw ragers.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2020.
Walter, did you evenlook at the pic above. Or any of the many other pics if these openings on the internet?
They are not Trump supporters.
A very feeble attempt to deflect blame. The blame is on the people in the picture, and the bar owners.
Pure rubbish. Fear mongering cower in fear politicians. But we can all gather at the alter of worship at Walmart. Way to be so two faced
Chris, you can social distance and wear a mask at Walmart if you want to take the chance. The people in the photo have no regard for their fellow humans. Watch them bitch and moan cause they can’t get their hair and nails done again when there is a spike. If there is a second round of closings there will be a good chance most of these bars and restaurants will fold… Poof… just like that.
If selfish and uncaringpeople want to be potential killers, and to mix and mingle and turn themselves into walking death factories, don’t aid and abet them and allow them to kill. Take their ammo away…in other words, close down all the goddam bars and patios that are flouting the law and prevent the selfish jerks from having places to gather and drink.
And if the greedhead bar and restaurant owners want to defy the state by not enforcing the guidelines that are meant to prevent the spread of this disease, revoke their liquor licenses. If that’s not enough of a deterrent, then revoke their business liceenses and let the f’king bastards starve to death. I’ve never met a bar owner I’ve ever liked.
People, especially all the younger socializing types…the bros and the bimbos…are going to act like jerks without much encouragement. So for God’s sakes, don’t encourage them! Is that so hard to figure out?
And anyone who doesn’t want people to keep dying should not feel any guilt about having to rat out anybody who thinks they have the right to party, whether it’s on a patio or in a garage.. They don’t. At least, not yet, and not for a long while. So make that call.
Okay, so this makes me sound like a health Nazi. So be it. I’m not a Nazi…I’m a left-wing lifelong die-hard pinko Democrat. But I’m also a geezer, and being a rat and a killjoy means I end up staying alive, and I keep others alive, and being a buzzkill health nazi means ending this thing sooner rather than later, and at a much lower human cost, well, then…Sieg Heil, y’all, and DeWine Uber Alles. Sorry for the rant. Gotta go take off my jackboots.
Oh Bob, Bob, Bob. Do you actually think all Trumpies fly the Stars and Bars from an F-150 while shooting Black joggers In their neighborhood? Please, that will only get you to 25 million votes. The other 40 million votes come from the folks at Lago East Bank, aka, Crocker Park on the Cuyahoga.
These are the suburban types who want the fun of being downtown without having to be afraid of all those pesky Black people milling around. Haven’t you ever been to the Town Hall? Haven’t you ever been to the Muny Lot on Game Day. Same people. They may not wear the Trump Gear, they may not talk the Trump Talk, but on Election Day, they will fill in the Trump Circle.
Cleveland doesn’t need more Henry Senyaks goin around snitching! If you think a bar is too crowded , don’t go.
Has the governor said anything about when we can get the mosh pits going again?
It’s almost summer. No one in CLE has seen the sun for months – heck it was snowing in May! If people want to go out to packed bars and drink, let them! Who cares if they don’t have masks on? This is not a nanny-state. The risks of COVID have been plastered all over TV and the internet for months now. If you don’t know that being in a large crowd (like the good old days) could result in infection – then you have been living under a rock. These people are not uniformed. They are making a conscious choice. Let them drink and enjoy summer. We can’t stay locked up forever.
I too have been inquiring as to when we shall once again be permitted to engage in mosh pitting. If it is not soon we shall be forced to engage in a mosh pit at the statehouse.
Town Hall and the East Bank and the asshats who drink there are America’s future. Look at all the images of bars and patios. Nobody is over 40. Trying to be hip, slick, and cool, and maybe get lucky. All so well-heeled and cute and fit and as dumb as dirt. Not only am I glad I’m not young anymore, I’m glad my time is short. Drink up and die, kids. That hot bro or chick who whispers in your ear is going to kill you.
Walter “squawk squawk trump this trump that trump supporters squawk squawk west side west side squawk squawk”
The thing that people miss with the arguments of “Let them risk their lives” or “we can’t be afraid” style arguments – is that NONE of us is an island.
Go hitup a patio, maybe get the virus. Maybe you don’t come down with symptoms for SARS-COV2, but when you go home to your family members you spread it to them. Then when they visit others, or cough in a store – they spread those germs.
Now people who had nothing to do with visiting that restaurant or bar are getting sick. Because people can’t think beyond their desire to have a good time.
Is it a fear-based policy? Yes. So is not crossing a busy street while wearing a blindfold. There are sensible fears, and there are irrational fears.
There’s nothing wrong with making decisions based on well-reasoned fear.
Look at the decrease in numbers for the states of Georgia and Florida and then you can also look at countries like Sweden and japan. They didn’t lock up everyone and take away their freedoms and they are back to normal life. It is sad that so many people on here don’t really understand and appreciate our amazing constitution. People fight to come to America for a reason. Fear I’m afraid will take away that great document and nothing will ever bring out back. Ask for an illusion of safety
jackib1966: Sweden now has a higher death rate than the US. I would do a Ryan Hartzell and tell you to go back where you came from, but it’s pretty clear no matter what I say that it wasn’t the 216 and it wasn’t a place where school requires shoes or attendance beyond age 12. But you do you bro, you do you.
Georgia is cooking the books regarding the number of sick and dead.
Figures don’t lie…but liars can figure. & D.C. is pulling their strings.
Shut thegreedy irresponsible mofos down. Send in the cops and the state troopers to bust up the parties and chase the defiant ones off the patios and out of the restaurants. Yank their liquor and business licenses.
The folks in charge are trying to end this mess, but these traitors and domestic terrorists than turn around and call the responsible people taitors for not wanting to risk their lives. Okay, fine, whatever. If the bar owners and their patrons don’t want to play by the rules, see to it that they can no longer play.
Amy Acton is cooking the books too bro. All that modeling from the Imperial College of London that she (and also Boris Johnson’s govt) initially relied on to lock us up in the very beginning way back in March was a total fraud. The head modeler resigned for repeatedly breaking social distancing. And he released what they said was the original informatics source code publicly for review but it’s total garbage.
Is this the “science” we’re tanking our economy for?
Imperial blah blah blah Boris Johnson yadda yadda yadda…you finally lost me at “lock us up “…I’m not going to die so Town Hall can make more money off the douche bag posers and their trixies. Shut it down and lock THEM up. In a real jail, not house arrest.
Experts and the Media have reported for months that the vast majority of individuals who get COVID-19 only get mild symptoms, so it is not surprising that there are many individuals who have decided not to follow the social distancing recommendations.
But cracking down on business owners, who can’t get their customers to comply isn’t fair or reasonable– especially, if it is their employees who decided to slack off on strictly enforcing the state’s mandate on social distancing.
Imagine if Cleveland had a mayor! I bet s/he would be unhappy about this and do something.
Down in Otucky, the mayor of Cincinnati had the balls to say he would shut the scofflaws down if they refused to clean up their restaurants and patios, and yank their licenses. The so-called mayor of Cleveland not only has no balls, he’s a ghost who hides out and sleeps most of the time.
Didn’t say a word when the reports of violations began to appear in online and on the screen. Guess he’s just gonna let Gramps DeWine, down in Columbus, do the dity work and pull the plugs on these bastards. Typical Frank.
So how’s that Opportunity Corridoe working out for you, Frankie? Think it’ll be finished by the end of your next term, in 2025? Fifteen years and counting. Wanna try for twenty? Whatta shmuck!