A Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft the place employees didn’t put on face coverings or do contact tracing is among the many 65 Maine businesses cited for violating COVID-19 rules.
A overview of state knowledge by the Portland Press Herald discovered that almost a dozen “imminent well being hazard” citations have been issued to Maine companies within the first two weeks of December, together with the Piscataquis County pizzeria.
Moreover, 40 companies have been cited for the reason that starting of October, together with the Sunday River Brewing Co. in Bethel, which recently lost its bid to get its restaurant license bacokay after repeatedly violating pandemic restrictions.
The Maine Division of Well being and Human Providers has issued the citations to eating places and different eateries, with the commonest violation a failure to require face masks for workers and prospects. Face coverings have been proven to be the simplest, most secure option to mitigate the unfold of the coronavirus.
The PPH discovered that at the very least two institutions have been awarded grants value hundreds of {dollars} from the state, for which they need to not have been eligible due to their well being violations.
River Lanes, a bowling alley in Bethel, is amongst these. The enterprise was issued an imminent well being hazard quotation in August as a result of employees and prospects weren’t sporting masks, and its working license was suspended in November for an additional violation. It was awarded greater than $40,000 from the second spherical of Maine Financial Restoration Grants in November, despite the fact that with a purpose to obtain funds, companies needed to be in constant compliance and never topic to any enforcement motion with COVID-19 necessities.
“Mainly, I don’t agree with the restrictions,” Adrienne Goodwin, the proprietor of River Lanes, mentioned. “I’ve no prospects, as a result of nobody needs to bowl with these restrictions.”
She mentioned it’s unfair her enterprise is handled the identical as these in locations similar to Portland, the place there are extra COVID-19 instances. In response to the Maine Heart for Illness Management and Prevention, Oxford County has the fourth-highest charge of COVID-19 per 10,000 residents.
“I believe after 10 months of these things, they should begin wanting by county and by enterprise, as a result of we are able to’t survive this anymore,” Goodwin mentioned.
Purposes to the grant program need to signal a doc that their data is truthful and correct. If it isn’t, they might have to repay the funds.
“This was an error,” mentioned Kate Foye, communications director for the Maine Division of Financial and Neighborhood Growth. “We now have notified the enterprise and can work with them by means of the method.”
Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft additionally was accredited for a $36,000 mortgage reserved for hospitality companies. However after being cited for workers masking, signage and contract tracing violations in November, it won’t obtain the grant, Foye mentioned.
Bob Ade, proprietor of the restaurant, mentioned his employees collected contact tracing data for months, however gave up when prospects — largely regulars identified by everybody there — started to offer pretend names similar to Mickey Mouse and Joe Biden as a substitute.
The blanket restrictions are unfair, Ade mentioned, and must be decided county by county. He mentioned his employees members are required to put on masks, however he forgot his when he rushed to fulfill the well being inspector.
“I really feel like all the things I’ve tried to work for in my life is slowly being chipped away and brought away from me,” he mentioned. “My enterprise is down 62 p.c from final 12 months — we are attempting to conform the most effective we are able to. I’m involved about my enterprise. I wish to do what’s proper.”
Foye, from the financial growth division, mentioned that the variety of complaints has gone down in latest weeks. The state has required restaurant employees to put on masks since companies reopened in Could, and sporting a masks in all public settings has been required since early November.
“We’re seeing higher compliance, however all of us want to stay vigilant,” she mentioned.
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