Blue Springs cafe will get new judge for mask-order case as it remains open in defiance
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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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A Wednesday morning court hearing was canceled for a Blue Springs restaurant that for weeks has defied Jackson County’s mask order and refuses to shut down.
An attorney for Rae’s Cafe and its owner Amanda Wohletz filed a motion late Tuesday requesting that a different judge hear the case and that request was granted. The morning’s hearing concerning a temporary restraining order barring the cafe from operating was canceled as a result, according to court documents.
Meanwhile, the cafe continues to serve customers. The cafe reopened on Tuesday touting a pork chop and eggs special, according to its Facebook page. It also posted a special for Wednesday.
At issue in the the proceedings is Rae’s Cafe and Wohletz’ refusal to abide by Jackson County’s health order that requires everyone ages 5 and up to wear a face covering when visiting indoor public spaces. There are some exceptions, including medical exemptions or removing the masks while dining.
Jackson County first reinstated the order in early August to help control the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant, which caused cases and hospitalizations to soar. Extension of the order was approved by county leaders on Aug. 30.
However, Rae’s Cafe, which is located in a strip center along Missouri 7 highway, refused to follow the mandate.
After receiving multiple complaints, health officials issued a warning and two tickets along with a notice that if the restaurant and its owner didn’t comply with the health order, the restaurant’s food establishment permit would be revoked.
When the health department received additional complaints, health department officials posted a sign on the restaurant’s door on Sept. 3 stating that the health officials had closed the cafe for not following the mandate and “causing a significant threat to the health and safety of patrons.”
Despite being ordered to close immediately, Wohletz kept the cafe opened. She told The Star that they were complying with the mask mandate because she and her staff were medically exempt.
She did not elaborate on what would qualify the entire staff to be exempt.
In a bid to remain open, Wohletz said Rae’s Cafe no longer was a public restaurant, but rather it was a private club that required patrons to sign a ledger and pay a $1 fee to enter. County leaders maintain that is an illegitimate attempt to circumvent the rules.
Last week, the Jackson County Health Department issued another order for the restaurant to close, saying it posed an “imminent health hazard.”
Wohletz, however, continued to defy the orders to close and kept her restaurant open.
On Friday, Jackson County officials filed a court motion seeking to close the cafe, accusing its owner of “endangering the health, safety and welfare of the community.”
As part of the lawsuit, county officials were granted a temporary restraining order on Friday that prevented Wohletz from operating Rae’s.
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 10:12 AM.
