Rally protests COVID-19 restrictions
By ERIC SEIVERLING
eseiverling@yourmvi.com
A crowd of approximately 75 residents, small business owners, restaurateurs and elected officials braved the cold Monday to show their support for the service industry impacted by COVID-19 restrictions ordered by state government and health officials.
Monday’s gathering, a “Rights for Restaurants Rally,” was held in the parking lot of Al’s Cafe in Bethel Park. It allowed people to show their support for restaurants to have the freedom of choice to close or stay open during the latest pandemic mitigation efforts.
The rally was attended by local officials, including state Reps. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run, and Eric Davanzo, R-South Huntingdon, state Sen. Devlin Robinson and Washington County commissioners Diana Irey Vaughan and Nick Sherman.
On Dec. 10, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all indoor dining prohibited at businesses in the retail food services industry, which includes bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs and private catered events. Wolf also prohibited indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 people.
The latest mitigation efforts went into effect Dec. 12 and remain until Jan. 4.
Al’s Cafe owner Rod Ambrogi, who formed the Southwestern Pennsylvania Restaurant and Tavern Association in August, calls the latest round of restrictions unfair and unwarranted.
“We’re trying to support our industry and make him understand what we’ve been going through,” Ambrogi told the crowd. “Everybody in the state is making money except us.
“I’ve had hundreds of meetings with representatives. Hundreds of meetings with lawyers. We’ve gone through restrictions … stupid restrictions. We have to unify. If we all stand up, what’s (the governor) going to do?”
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