• Sep 14, 2020
  • KSNW TV

WICHITA – Sedgwick County’s Local Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns signed a new emergency public health order which will take effect Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. The order will remain in place until at least midnight, Wednesday, October 21, 2020.

“It takes some of the ambiguity out of the enforcement provisions,” said attorney Dan Monnat.

Over the weekend, several bars in the area broke curfew.

Section III of this order was revised to clarify that the order is mandatory.  Any persons or organizations within the county must comply with the order.

“Compliance is mandatory and failure to comply may now be enforced by criminal charges and such regulatory or licensing penalties,” Monnat added.

“We believe that that was a lawful order all along and they were trying to find some way to that they could stay open and I understand that completely,” added County Commissioner David Dennis.

The county said Dr. Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions as trends move in a positive direction.

“We need to talk to Dr. Minns also to make sure what the intention is for closing at 11 o’clock,” Dennis said.

See full story at KSN.com

  • Sep 09, 2020
  • KAKE TV
  • -
  • by Eli Higgins

WICHITA – Whether they want to or not, under the county and city mask mandates, businesses have to require masks for employees and customers who can’t maintain social distancing, which in some cases, is easier said than done.

Bella Vita Bistro is one of many Wichita businesses requiring all employees and customers to wear masks. Owner Lory Wooley said, for the most part, her customers have been understanding.

“I’m trying to make it so that everybody feels safe and comfortable,” said Wooley.

But unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Some business owners say customers have been so nasty they put a sign on the front door threatening to shame anyone who refuses to wear a mask publicly.

Even Wooley said some people are more cooperative than others.

“It’s outright idiotic. I mean, how hard is it to put this on for a few minutes to go into a store out of a store,” said Wooley.

So, it begs the question, what can business owners legally do with customers who refuse to wear a face-covering?

“Under the county resolution, there is no penalty provided. However, under the city ordinance, a law enforcement officer may choose to cite that lawbreaker for not obeying the mask requirement,” said criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat.

Under the city mask ordinance, those fines are $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second and $100 after that, but Monnat said it doesn’t stop there.

“When the person refuses to wear a mask, they’re refusing to obey the law. The business owner is within his or her rights to order them to leave. If they refuse to leave and thereby interfere with the business, they may have committed the crime of criminal trespass or interference with the lawful conduct of business,” said Monnat.

As for Wooley, she hopes everyone will do their part to get us to the other side of the pandemic.

“It is a very small thing to put everybody, have everybody do it, in order to make this go away so we can have a back to normal life at some time in the future,” said Wooley.

Monnat said the best thing to do if you find yourself in this situation is to let the police take care of enforcing the law, and not to remove the person yourself with force or violence.

See full story at KAKE.com