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Sunset, Cleveland, Ohio, America

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A lot of Ohio restaurants have opened up their outdoor dining spaces and patios again, starting on May 15, and for the most part, a good majority appear to be following the rules with the coronavirus pandemic still in play.

The amount of customers allowed has to be restricted, and table arrangements must be where they are at least six feet apart.  Those part of the social distancing rules that eating establishments must follow in order to stay in business.

However, there were a few places that either refused to comply or allowed things to get out-of-control, like at Lago East Bank in the Flats in Downtown Cleveland.  It didn’t help that there was evidence on social media.

The backlash behind the crowds, along with the lack of social distancing and masks, has prompted Lago to issue a statement on social media in response to the controversy:

Now, the restaurant, along with Standard Hall in Columbus among others, could be in trouble, and got a strong rebuke from Gov. Mike DeWine during his daily coronavirus briefing on May 18.

This is what he had to say according to WKYC 3News Cleveland:

“Protocols, the rules for reopening bars and restaurants, were laid down very, very clearly,” DeWine said, adding these guidelines were drawn up by a team of both restaurant owners and medical experts. “Our economic recovery is tied directly to how successful we are in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.”

Gov. DeWine has even threatened legal action against those establishments.  There could be involvement with the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Investigative Unit, where they could “perform compliance checks on crowded bars and restaurants and have the ability to issue administrative citations.”  As a result, liquor licenses could be cancelled.

He even read a part of the “Stay Safe Order” that restaurants in Ohio were supposed to follow to reiterate his point on how important it is for restaurants to follow those rules with social distancing when it comes to eating out and drinking.  To read the order, click here.

In contrary to the above statement from Lago claiming the images of its outdoor area were “taken out of context” and added that they were not “responsible” for controlling the crowd, Gov. DeWine took issue with those thoughts while not name-dropping Lago, saying that those running the restaurant were “not taking responsibility” and if they were not going to, they “should make the wise decision not to open.”

Click here to read more.

 

Article Courtesy of WKYC 3News Cleveland

First Picture Courtesy of Pgiam and Getty Images

Second Picture Courtesy of joe daniel price and Getty Images

Third Picture Courtesy of Instagram and WKYC 3News Cleveland

Post and Fourth through Eighth Picture Courtesy of Facebook

First and Second Video Courtesy of YouTube and WKYC 3News Cleveland

LOCAL NEWS: Ohio Gov. DeWine Has a Strong Message For Restaurants Not Following Social Distancing Guidelines  was originally published on wzakcleveland.com