Springfield Oregon restaurant draws large crowd, defies ban on indoor dining.
Along Came Trudy was open for indoor dining on Tuesday, despite public health warnings that such moves are dangerous.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore.–A Springfield restaurant was open for indoor dining Tuesday, defying the state's Covid restrictions, even as Oregon's death toll continued to rise.
Trudy Logan, the owner of Along Came Trudy, told KEZI Monday that she will keep her business open for indoor dining, though it violates state Covid restrictions. On Tuesday, dozens of customers showed up to support her decision.
There were people in the parking lot without masks, waving American Flags, and "standing guard."
Lorie Slaughenhauet is a customer of the restaurant and said she was there to make sure no government officials showed up to write citations.
"I'm here to enforce her no trespassing signs that are up for government agencies," Slaughenhauet said. "The public is welcome but we're not gonna allow government officials into the business."
The city of Springfield was asked if police would take action against the owner, but refused to comment.
According to Oregon OSHA, every day Along Came Trudy stays open the owner will be fined $500. The OLCC also said that the restaurant could also lose its liquor license.
Supporters said they have the constitutional right to do commerce at a local business and many believe the governor overstepped her authority to limit operations at small businesses.
"She has something to offer for sale, someone wants to purchase that-she should have that right to provide that food and that service to them," Slaughenhauet said.
This decision to keep the restaurant open comes as the United States near 300,000 deaths from Covid and Oregon breached the 1,000 death threshold.
https://www.kezi.com/content/news/Along-Came-Trudy-opens-for–in-door-dining-defying-the-governor-573339521.html