Gov. DeWine Prepared to Pull Plug on Ohio’s Reopening as His Strict Guidelines Lead to Penalties for Restaurants

 

Gov. Mike DeWine said he is prepared to “pull back” on Ohio’s reopening.

The governor made the remark Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

”Candidly, we’ve worked with the attorney general … and we’re going to do what we have to do if these things in fact occur across Ohio.”

He called the reopening the most crucial and dangerous time. Hospitalizations and deaths have been on a plateau for a month.

“Every employee in Ohio is wearing a mask … today,” DeWine said.

 

Host Jake Tapper asked DeWine about the reopening of a Columbus bar named Standard Hall and showed a photo of a crowd on the patio. Tapper was quick to say the people did not appear to be wearing masks or to be practicing social distancing. Tapper asked if DeWine was concerned.

“Absolutely,” DeWine said.

The governor said the state did not issue any citations at Standard Hall, but did issue a citation at another bar.

The Columbus Dispatch said that is not the case, however.

Columbus Public Health spokeswoman Kelli Newman said — after DeWine spoke — that officials continually monitored Standard Hall on Saturday and issued repeated warnings about overcrowding.

The health department now has referred a complaint to City Attorney Zach Klein for investigation of possible action against the restaurant-bar, Newman said.

She also said a virus-precautions warning violation was issued to Saturday to Ugly Tuna on Chittenden Avenue.

With DeWine’s limits, restaurant shaming has quickly become a trend.

In an echo of the Standard Hall incident, the owner of Lago East Bank restaurant said he followed all the state’s guidelines and did his best to thin the crowds out Saturday, but still was called out over a photo of a crowded patio, The Plain Dealer reported.

“Lago took great care to implement every guideline that has been set by the State of Ohio,” owner Fabio Salerno said in a written statement. “There were times during our opening that tested those guidelines, and we took immediate measures to thin the ‘crowded’ areas. The pictures are one moment, one angle, one second of time.”

However, Salerno went on to say he does not believe “it is necessarily our responsibility to ‘control’” the restaurant’s patrons.

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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.

 

 

 

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20 Thoughts to “Gov. DeWine Prepared to Pull Plug on Ohio’s Reopening as His Strict Guidelines Lead to Penalties for Restaurants”

  1. Daniel

    we need to stop letting fear dictate us Ohioans people. Dewyne’s closures are not constitutional. he has far over stepped his power given to him by us, the people. our business and livelihoods should not be shut down just because he thinks so. this is why Acton stepped down. anyone who compares Ohioans attempting to open a business to “alcoholics attempting to drive drunk but worse” is unacceptable. i personally don’t think anyone who thinks that way of the people who elected him should keep their position.

  2. Jennifer Printup

    Well i think he doing his best. Im a cosmetologist and my income was totally affect. Dewine is Damed if he didnt do anything and Damed if he does do something. He doing his best. I cant stand Trump but i believe he trying his best too. We are not doctors or scientists, that who i trust. If you cook, do hair, work in a factory, etc. Stick to what you do and quit rushing things. I understand we need to open. But dam i would to stay alive. I think if people want to risk their own lives, then you sign a waver that doctors and nurses dont have to treat you. Because you could careless what doctors and nurses say. I think if you actually saw your family member or a friend die it would change your mind.

  3. Lori Smith

    Our country should have never shut down. We should have shut in nursing homes and quarantined them, asking the staff to also quarantine with them 24/7 and given them bonus pay to stay, and asked anyone who has co-morbidity to self-quarantine, but the rest of the world should have gone on working
    We have the cure in the trio of Hydroxychloroquine, zinc and a Z-pack. Given early there is a 100% cure rate. Given late and when someone is severe, there is a 91% cure rate. Doctors are reporting this all over the USA.
    We do NOT need a vaccine as we have a cure!!!
    We do NOT need to be traced and tracked.
    We do NOT need to be in isolation or quarantine.
    We do NOT need to stop working.
    We could have allowed this virus to run through the population (they know it has been here since at least December) and within a month everyone would have been infected and we’d be 100% back to normal. We’d have herd immunity,
    Instead, Dewine (he is a RINO) and other rat governors have been acting like emperors and lording it over everyone to drag out this virus and ruin our economy and the lives of many businesses owners. They’ve also trampled the constitutional rights of all of their constituents. Lawless and disregarding those whom they serve.

  4. Colin Moore

    Governor DeWine is already facing fines and prison time for VIOLATING of TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242:

    Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, … shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and IF BODILY INJURY results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping (ARREST YOU when have not consented) or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to DEATH.

    1. Brian Dodane

      What happened that this applies too?

  5. Heather

    In hocking hills, logan, ohio since opening up our little town has increased alot in the virus.. just yesterday 30 cases, then they closed a store down due to employee having covid 19 and sent all other emoyees home, so their will be another large spike in covid 19 down here..

    1. Jim Kinman

      Heather, I don’t doubt your comment. Of course you do know it takes 14 days for the virus to incubate right? Don’t be silly

    2. Lori Smith

      This is actually a good thing as 99% get mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. This virus needs to run its course for herd immunity so we can get back to normal.

  6. Heather

    For you opening things up too quick our county in one day had 30 new cases and also another store had to send all employees home due to someone having covid 19 so when those test comes back it’s going to be bad in such a small town of hocking hills, logan, ohio..also they have stopped helping people with food stamps because of unemployment which is not right for families that really need it due to people’s bills being behind, as some have not even received unemployment… We are going to be in a worse situation than we was in the beginning of this.. should of waited few weeks as you opened a few things up to see how things were going to go before opening up more.. Restaurant in dining is going to make alot more rises.. I pray Ohio stays safe, but the looks of these it’s getting worse especially in small town communities then big cities…

  7. 4444

    Gov Dewine is doing yhe best he can in the situation we are in. This pandemic is nothong to shrug at. There have been other pandemics but this one is fast, 6ft apart is good. I don’t think he should have opened up as fast as he did.

    1. Lori Smith

      Why is 6 feet apart good? Where is the science to support this? There is none, We have the cure in Hydroxychloroquine, zine and a Z-pack. Cures 100% of people when given in the beginning. Cures 891% if given in later stages. Most people get this mild or asymptomatic.

    2. Lisa Ehrnsberger

      Agree i don’t think we should have opened this fast hair/nail salons, bars, gyms, and thats what everyone wanted so now this is where we are here in Erie County we just had 25 new cases over the weekend plus in one of our nursing facilities a worker and paitent tested positive in my opinion i think Dewine is under alot of pressure so for all the extra circular activities places where people can be close to each otherkeep them closed

  8. Rich Marinucci

    This is the same group that runs over the tailgate parties at OSU games and ticket people in their 60-70s for open containers. Why don’t they go on East or west main Streets or West Broad Streets.
    Two Points I thought the Governor said We’re all in this together! Why didn’t they stop by and show them how they expected it to be done?
    And why only on High Street? Seems rather Discriminatory doesn’t it?

  9. Cassie

    This is stupid non sense Mike DeWine. They’re lots of other virus out here in this world ,and you don’t see us shutting down everything, social distancing, sanitize everything ,or wear stupid no good masks . All this is about ,is you controlling, this is America, where is our freedom

    1. Lori Smith

      Agreed!!!!

  10. Terry Calvelage

    But yet Dewine can go to a funeral over the weekend with more than 200 people there and no mask and no 6 ft apart. But yet Walmart lowes and Manards are packed..
    Send the kids back to dvhool.

  11. Jeffrey Harlan

    Once hailed as being proactive in prevention of the spreading of the virus, Dewine has now sunk to the level of Governors of Michigan, California, Virginia and others as he is content with allowing the economy to collapse under the weight of unconstitutional restrictions. Time to elect a new governor

  12. Aeronomer

    How was this useless swamp creature our only choice in the last election??

  13. Jim

    “While cautioning it was still early, Health and Human Services Sec. Alex Azar said on Sunday that so far there has been no spike in coronavirus cases in areas beginning to reopen. In fact, the secretary noted, the spikes we are seeing are happening in areas that remain closed.

    “We are seeing that in places that are opening, we’re not seeing this spike in cases,” Sec. Azar said on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “We still see spikes in some areas that are, in fact, closed.”” This is a quote from an article at townhall.com. The Governor ought to read the whole article.

    1. Anon

      “incubation period”.. google it.

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