Jackson County seeks court order against cafe owner who violated mask mandate again
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Rae’s Cafe vs mask mandate
Jackson County Health Department officials have issued an order to close a Blue Springs cafe that has been ignoring the county’s mask requirement. The owner of the restaurant has said she will not follow the rule.
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Jackson County officials are seeking a court order against a Blue Springs restaurant after its owner continued operating despite an order from the Jackson County Environmental Health Department to close for violating the county’s mask mandate.
Health department officials posted a sign on the door of Rae’s Cafe last Friday morning stating that health officials had closed the restaurant in a strip center along Missouri 7 highway in Blue Springs for “causing a significant threat to the health and safety of patrons.”
But the cafe’s owner refused to close her doors.
“Throughout the pandemic, our residents have continually shown an amazing amount of sacrifice, selflessness and compassion,” read a statement issued Thursday by Caleb Clifford, chief of staff for Jackson County Executive’s Office. “In particular, our small businesses and their employees have acted heroically despite the risks they face from the virus and non-compliant customers.”
On Aug. 30, Jackson County legislators voted 6-3 to extend the county’s mask order through Oct. 7. Aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, the order requires masks be worn indoors in public places.
In the past, Clifford said, the county has successfully worked with businesses after receiving complaints of non-compliance with the mask requirement. In fact, this is the first time they’ve sought such measures in court to make sure the public health order is followed.
“Despite numerous warnings and attempts by the county to work with the business’s owner, she has refused to take corrective action and has made it clear that she has no plans to do so,” Clifford said in the statement. “That is why, for the first time during the pandemic, the county will be seeking a court order to close the business.”
Amanda Wohletz, the owner of Rae’s Cafe, told The Star last week that the restaurant wasn’t violating the health order. She couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
“They put a closed sign on my door and they shouldn’t have — that’s completely illegal,” Wohletz said. “We are complying with the mask mandate. We’re medically exempt. We’re completely complying and they still shut me down.”
She declined to say what medical conditions allowed her workers to be exempt, saying “its right there in the Jackson County health order.”
The health department said in a release Friday that Rae’s Cafe had repeated violations of the health order requiring masks. The business was deemed an imminent health hazard and was ordered to close immediately.
The order to close stems from multiple complaints health officials have received over the past two weeks. A warning and two tickets had been issued as well as a notice that the restaurant’s food establishment permit would be revoked if it didn’t comply with the health order.
The health department received three additional complaints Friday morning.
“It is clear by the number of complaints we received that people in our community are concerned about the spread of the virus and are holding others accountable to prevent further pain, sickness and death in our community,” Troy Schulte, Jackson County administrator, said at the time. “Our order is in place to protect public health. We are grateful for those businesses who are doing their part to help us get through this pandemic and will continue to act accordingly for those who are not.”
This story was originally published September 9, 2021 at 11:04 AM.
