The state cited 65 companies for breaking COVID-19 rules. See where they are

A Whitefield restaurant that served a crowded room with unmasked diners without social distancing and even offered an open-air buffet is among 65 Maine businesses that have now been cited by Maine health officials for breaking rules to prevent COVID-19 infections.

A review of state data provided to the Portland Press Herald found that nearly a dozen new “imminent health hazard” citations were issued to businesses in Maine during the first two weeks of December, and about 40 companies have been cited since October 1. were issued by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Violators include many restaurants and other restaurants. The most common violation was the failure to require masks for staff and customers. Covering the face is a general requirement and has proven to be the easiest and most effective way to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

At least two facilities that violated Maine’s COVID-19 rules received grants worth several thousand dollars from the state, to which they should have been ineligible due to their health violations.

Adrienne Goodwin, owner of River Lanes, a bowling alley in Bethel, said coronavirus restrictions were destroying her business. River Lanes received an imminent health hazard citation in August because its staff and customers were not wearing masks. Its operating license was suspended in November for another violation.

“Basically, I don’t agree with the restrictions,” Goodwin said. “I don’t have any clients because nobody wants to play with these restrictions.”

It is unfair that his business is being treated the same as those in parts of the state such as Portland that have more cases of COVID-19, Goodwin said. The government should judge restrictions on individual businesses based on their ability to operate safely, she added. Oxford County has the fourth highest rate of COVID-19 cases per 10,000 population, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think after 10 months of this stuff they have to start searching by county and company because we can’t survive that anymore,” Goodwin said.

River Lanes received $ 40,169 from Maine’s second round of economic stimulus grants in November, nearly two months after its first health citation and weeks after its license was temporarily suspended. The grant was part of a $ 200 million federally funded small business assistance program that went to Maine last spring.

River Lanes should not have received the grant. To receive funds, companies had to be in constant compliance and not be subject to any enforcement action with COVID-19 requirements.

“I thought they would be smart enough to check their own records,” Goodwin said. “Right now, I would be in the negative if I didn’t have that $ 40,000. I’m just trying to stop the bank from taking my business. “

Applicants for the grant program must sign a document certifying that their information is true and correct, and if not, they may be required to repay the funds.

“It was a mistake,” said Kate Foye, communications director for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. “We have kept the company informed and will work with them throughout the process.”

Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft was approved for a $ 36,000 hospitality business loan this month, but was cited for breaches of staff masking, signage and contract tracing in November. The company will not receive the grant, Foye said.

Pizza restaurant owner Bob Ade said staff members are required to wear masks. But he forgot his own when he rushed over to meet the health inspector and met inside the restaurant without him, Ade said.

His staff collected information on contract tracing for months, but gave up when customers – mostly regulars known to everyone – began to refuse to cooperate and gave false names such as Mickey Mouse and Joe Biden. instead, Ade said. The restaurant usually displays public health notices, but they were taken down when the windows were cleaned, he said.

The restrictions make normal business impossible, and Ade has said he believes the general restrictions are unfair. Regulations should be determined county by county, as the state does for safe schools, he said. Policing all the regulations risks alienating the regulars who keep his business afloat, and now, because of his mistake, he has lost the grant that would keep him going.

“I feel like everything I’ve tried to work for in my life is slowly being chipped and taken away from me,” Ade said. “My business is down 62% from last year – we’re trying to comply as best we can. I am concerned about my business. I want to do what’s right. “

Maine health inspection program officials cited 65 establishments for COVID-19-related violations between May and mid-December, according to DHHS records. About 40% of the citations were issued between November 1 and December 15, with the state experiencing a deadly outbreak of COVID-19 cases. In almost all cases, not requiring masks, more often than not on employees, was a reason for the quote.

Masks have been mandatory for staff since the state allowed businesses to reopen in May. Wearing a mask in all public places has been compulsory since the beginning of November.

“The number of complaints has declined in recent weeks,” said Foye, of the economic development department. “We are seeing better compliance, but we all need to be vigilant.”

One of the more egregious cases of rule breaking involved Aunt Gin’s, a Whitefield restaurant which was cited on December 15. The citation notes indicate that company personnel “did not wear face coverings.” He also noted a “failure to implement measures to maintain a six-foot distance between seated customers or in-line customers, customers not wearing face covers, exceeding the occupancy limit at the interior ”, and that the restaurant had a“ buffet set up ”.

The owners of the restaurant did not respond to two interview requests.

The establishments are warned and informed on how to follow the rules before being sanctioned. Many warnings and inspections are triggered by citizen complaints submitted online to the state.

Two months ago, the state tightened the length of health hazard citations to ensure compliance. Prior to November, when a company was cited, the file expired if it agreed to comply and stayed that way for 30 days.

Now, a citation remains in effect for the duration of the public health emergency, Foye said. This means that once an establishment is sanctioned, another violation may result in a license suspension until the end of the state of emergency declared by Governor Janet Mills.

To date, only companies regulated by the state’s health inspection program, which includes restaurants, have been sanctioned for COVID-19 violations. But hundreds more have been notified of probable non-compliance, and several have been officially notified by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

The department’s Quality Assurance and Regulatory wing, which regulates stores that sell packaged food, have notified more than 1,300 establishments by email after receiving complaints, spokesman Jim Britt said.

Eleven companies – including five Walmart stores – have received final compliance warnings, Britt added.

“Most, if not all, of the companies we contacted, after receiving a warning letter and a discussion with inspection staff, made measurable changes,” Britt said. “In most cases, these companies didn’t understand what they were supposed to do and wanted to do the right thing.”

Walmart stores in Presque Isle, Calais, Skowhegan, Ellsworth and Augusta received identical final warning letters on December 1 in an attempt to enforce face protection rules.

“COVID-19 is a significant threat to public health. It is imperative that your company acts responsibly to prevent this public health emergency from worsening further by requiring a face mask for all employees and customers, ”the letter said.

Stores had 48 hours to correct the violations.

The letters were hand-delivered to stores “on the same day as it was a coordinated response to many competing complaints of non-compliance at the five Walmart stores,” Britt said. Stores have since complied with the rules, he added.

Arkansas-based Walmart Inc. touted its health and safety measures during COVID-19 and in July became the first major retailer to require masks in its stores nationwide. Less than a week before Maine sites received the final warnings, the company’s chief operating officer said in a press release that the company is focusing on the safety of staff and customers, including covering up , driving away, improving cleaning and doubling the “health ambassadors”. in stores to remind people to follow safety standards.

Walmart did not respond when asked by email if it was following Maine regulations at the five stores and what it would do to avoid future failures.

“Previous