A Trenton restaurant that has refused to comply with COVID-19 mitigation mask mandates and the governor’s new order to close to in person dining will be receiving a warning from the Todd County Health Department and could face further action if they still refuse.
The Traveler’s Lantern Market and Café hosted a “pizza night” Friday and thanked the community in a Saturday morning Facebook post for a “wonderful turnout.” They also claim to be standing with “other patriotic restaurant owners across the Commonwealth of Kentucky” by remaining open indoor dining.
The owners thanked the Todd County Health Department for not enforcing the mask mandate and other local officials and their magistrate for “privately” standing by and supporting them.
In a post on the Todd County Health Department’s page Saturday morning, Public Health Director Jen Harris says the Traveler’s Lantern statement puts the community, elected officials, law enforcement and health department “in a very tough place.”
Harris says they “love and support all of our local restaurants and encourage residents to continue to buy local by utilizing curbside, delivery, and takeout.”
She says, “until we are able to slow the spread of this virus, we are going to have to love one another by protecting one another.”
Contacted by WHOP Saturday morning, Harris said the Todd County Health Department would “begin the process of education and warning per state food regulation guidelines.”
If the Traveler’s Lantern still declines to comply with the governor’s orders, the case will then be turned over to the Todd County Attorney’s Office, according to Harris.
Crystal Staley with Governor Beshear’s office issued a statement to WHOP News saying, “In the midst of this pandemic, we thank the thousands of establishments that are following the orders to save lives and defeat this virus. While the orders are hard on so many, we are in the midst of an explosion of the virus that threatens to overwhelm our health care systems and decimate our long-term care facilities. Given the Supreme Court’s ruling, if an establishment violates the order it is violating the rule of law and all levels of government have a duty to take action.”
Full Statement from Todd County Health Department:
These statements put our community elected officials, law enforcement, and health department in a very tough place. We love and support all of our local restaurants and encourage our residents to continue to buy local by utilizing curbside, delivery, and takeout. Many restaurants have flourished during this time by being creative, outside of the box thinkers and planners to keep their business thriving. This is a hard time for everyone…..its not fun…..its not fair…..and we sure wish we were doing business as usual. But until we are able to slow the spread of this virus, we are going to have to love one another by protecting one another.
BUY LOCAL….BUY OFTEN….KEEP OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS OPEN! BUT DO IT CURBSIDE, DELIVERY, OR TAKE-OUT.
Statement from Traveler’s Lantern:
https://www.facebook.com/travelerslanternmarket/posts/2963418567222123