It is not likely that a bar or restaurant owner within the borders of Wheeling would attempt to stay open following the closure order issued by governors in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, but if such an effort is discovered by the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, action will be taken.
W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice issued the order that closed the establishments at midnight Wednesday, and he added gyms and fitness centers later in the day.
Ohio County Sheriff Tom Howard said if he or one of his deputies sees suspicious signs at an establishment, the state Alcohol Beverage Control Association would be contacted immediately, and quick action would be taken.
“When one of us encounters that situation, we will act on it by calling our local ABCA representative (Tim Mattern) in this area, and I know he’ll be driving to the locations in the county that have the licenses to make sure,” Howard explained. “So, if we see something, and I expect we will, our first call is to Tim because the first action would be to pull the license.
“And from what I understand about that, it’s pretty difficult to get that license back,” the sheriff said. “We have a lot of bars out in the county, but if they think they can get away with it because they’re in rural areas, I sure hope they think twice right now.”
Enforcement
It has taken place in other states where the same order has been issued, and in some cases, boarding up a business was the option taken by law enforcement.
In Ohio County, though, Howard hopes to avoid similar situations. “That’s exactly why I am promoting take-out from local places when I talk to people,” Howard said. “But this is about more than 10 people being one place at one time. This is about exposure, and that’s something we’re taking seriously.
“I have had many conversations about the ways to enforce the governor’s orders, and I know that the agents with the ABCC will be checking within their territories,” Howard said. “These places are able to do carry-out, so there will be cars and trucks in the parking lots, but that’s not at 9 p.m. at night right now.
“The governor has issued the order, and now it’s our job to make sure it’s enforced,” he said. “If that situation takes place, the ABCC will go in to shut them down, and, of course, we’ll be there with him to make sure everyone is safe. As far as the penalties, that would be up to the ABCC, and we would follow their lead to go forward on any criminal charges.”
How It Works
The phone call. The entry. Closed. The legal process.
It may seem simple, but while Howard is hoping to avoid any issues, he expects attempts to disobey the orders will be made.
“I think we might have a few who try to get away with it, but I think, for the most part, the owners will be compliant and offer the take-out or completely close until this is all over,” Howard said. “Overall, I don’t think it’s going to be a big issue. Like I said, maybe a few.
“There are quite a few bars that are in some of the most rural areas of Ohio County, but since the schools are closed, we now have extra deputies patrolling all corners of the county,” he said. “If there’s something to see, we’re going to see it and do what we need to do.”
