COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine said officials will do “whatever we have to do” to enforce the state's protocols if bars and restaurants fail to restrain crowds as the state eases coronavirus measures.
DeWine said he had seen images of crowds at Standard Hall in the Short North over the weekend, saying it was concerning.
“The good news is that the ownership, people running the bar, seem to get control of it last night," he said Sunday during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union."
Columbus Public Health says they and local police have written a report for the city attorney's office regarding complaints made against the Short North bar.
CPH says Standard Hall received a warning on Friday along with two Saturday. A spokesperson says three warnings results in a referral to the city attorney.
“Ultimately, it’s going to come to Ohioans doing what Ohioans have done for the last two months, and that is, by and large, done exactly what they should do, try to keep the distance," DeWine said.
DeWine said what people do in the next month or so as far as what the fall look like when the state is hoping to reopen schools.
DeWine press secretary Dan Tierney said operators of businesses disregarding safety guidelines “are being irresponsible and need to understand that these guidelines will be enforced.” Most Ohio bars and restaurants did “their part to follow best practices to keep patrons safe and socially distanced,” he said.
There are concerns about reports of establishments not operating in accord with the governor's guidelines, the Ohio Restaurant Association wrote in an email to members Saturday evening. But the organization said it is likely that “these are isolated incidents and not reflective of our industry’s overall positive response to reopening safely.”
Early Saturday morning, Standard Hall put out a post on social media, saying in part, "after a positive interaction with local police, fire, and health representatives - Standard Hall is implementing suggestions and guidance to ensure the continued safety of our guests and staff."
"Moving forward we will be asking customers to stay seated at their tables and be cognizant of the distance between themselves and other groups."