65 Maine businesses cited for COVID violations
By Abigail Curtis, Bangor Daily News Staff
A Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft where staff didn’t wear face coverings or do contact tracing is among the 65 Maine businesses cited for violating COVID-19 rules.
A review of state data by the Portland Press Herald found that nearly a dozen “imminent health hazard” citations were issued to Maine businesses in the first two weeks of December, including the Piscataquis County pizzeria.
Additionally, 40 businesses have been cited since the beginning of October, including the Sunday River Brewing Co. in Bethel, which recently lost its bid to get its restaurant license back after repeatedly violating pandemic restrictions.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has issued the citations to restaurants and other eateries, with the most common violation a failure to require face masks for staff and customers. Face coverings have been shown to be the easiest, safest way to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
The PPH found that at least two establishments have been awarded grants worth thousands of dollars from the state, for which they should not have been eligible because of their health violations.
River Lanes, a bowling alley in Bethel, is among those. The business was issued an imminent health hazard citation in August because staff and customers were not wearing masks, and its operating license was suspended in November for another violation. It was awarded more than $40,000 from the second round of Maine Economic Recovery Grants in November, even though in order to receive funds, businesses had to be in consistent compliance and not subject to any enforcement action with COVID-19 requirements.
“Basically, I don’t agree with the restrictions,” Adrienne Goodwin, the owner of River Lanes, said. “I have no customers, because no one wants to bowl with these restrictions.”
She said it is unfair her business is treated the same as those in places such as Portland, where there are more COVID-19 cases. According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Oxford County has the fourth-highest rate of COVID-19 per 10,000 residents.
“I think after 10 months of this stuff, they need to start looking by county and by business, because we can’t survive this anymore,” Goodwin said.
Applications to the grant program have to sign a document that their information is truthful and accurate. If it isn’t, they may need to repay the funds.
“This was an error,” said Kate Foye, communications director for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. “We have notified the business and will work with them through the process.”
Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft also was approved for a $36,000 loan reserved for hospitality businesses. But after being cited for staff masking, signage and contract tracing violations in November, it will not receive the grant, Foye said.
Bob Ade, owner of the restaurant, said his staff collected contact tracing information for months, but gave up when customers — largely regulars known by everyone there — began to give fake names such as Mickey Mouse and Joe Biden instead.
The blanket restrictions are unfair, Ade said, and should be determined county by county. He said his staff members are required to wear masks, but he forgot his when he rushed to meet the health inspector.
“I feel like everything I’ve tried to work for in my life is slowly being chipped away and taken away from me,” he said. “My business is down 62 percent from last year — we are trying to comply the best we can. I’m concerned about my business. I want to do what’s right.”
Foye, from the economic development department, said that the number of complaints has gone down in recent weeks. The state has required restaurant staff to wear masks since businesses reopened in May, and wearing a mask in all public settings has been required since early November.
“We are seeing better compliance, but we all need to remain vigilant,” she said.