It looks like this may be the beginning of the end of coronavirus lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and curfews.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday, Feb. 24 that, by Executive Order 195, on Friday, Feb. 26, he would be easing some restrictions and canceling the 10 p.m. curfew.
The curfew had so many exemptions it was routinely ignored, but easing the restrictions on businesses is moving in the right direction.
Bars will finally be able to open for indoor service. Since October, bars have been allowed to serve outside but not inside. When it’s 35 degrees and raining, it’s tough to convince people what they really want to do is stand around outside a bar and drink. Under the new executive order, capacity will be limited to 30 percent of the official occupancy, but 30 percent is a lot more than zero percent, which is where bars have been since last March 17. Last call for alcohol sales has been extended from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for bars, restaurants and other venues that sell alcohol for onsite consumption.
High school sports will no longer be limited to 100 spectators. The limit will depend on the size of the venue. There is a bill currently in the state Senate to do the same thing, and the bill’s sponsors requested that Cooper increase the allowed number of spectators so their bill would become moot.
Speaker of the state House Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) in a press release gave a lot of credit to the influence from the legislature for Cooper relaxing his restrictions. Moore said, “We are encouraged that the intent and action of the General Assembly has led the Governor in this direction since we returned to session, as lawmakers answered to our constituents all across the state who believe that we need to be safely reopening schools and businesses.”
Moore added, “North Carolina has lagged behind most of our neighboring states when it comes to reopening. I am glad the Governor has taken this step and the General Assembly will continue to advocate for safely reopening schools and the economy.”
The executive order also raises the gathering size limit from 10 indoors to 25 and to 50 people outdoors.
The mask mandate has not changed and at bars and restaurants people who are not actively eating or drinking are required to wear masks as well as all the employees.
Most businesses including restaurants are still limited to 50 percent of their legal occupancy.
Where is the legislation that will curb a Governor’s power during states of emergency?
Anyone in Raleigh working on that?
Why doesn’t Cooper do the same as Florida ??!? The similar mistaken CA steps produce the same FL results, so they are clearly wrong.
Everyone now knows that Fauci and Dem. Governors have erroneously overstepped their bounds and are desperately holding on to their weakening powers. This is is all about POWER and nothing about constituent benefits.
Hopefully most states will prevent their Governors from doing this all again !!
The reason all Democrat run states are behind socially and economically is that they are run by people aligned with the communist philosophy.You (the little people)will do what I say and nothing more until I say differently.Even the people of California grew tired of THE GOVERNMENT adding closing after closing on the people have gotten tired of it .That’s why they are recalling the Governor to get him out of office.It seems that in America we have a dual constitution.One that the people adhere to and one that is dictatorial and run by the Democrats.
Emperor Cooper LOVES him some executive power!! I still think he needed to go to the council of state before doing all this.
Imposing the Lockdowns, I mean.
The great and all knowing Governor has noticed a few leaks in the dam, so as not to lose face, and to keep the peasants from revolting is ALLOWING us a bit of freedom. Not too much mind you. Keep those masks on. Oh yes. The masks, the masks. We can only remove “the masks” when we kiss the hem of his gown or rant and rave in a BLM and Antifa “protest”. (That is because there is no riff-raff in those wonderful protests, only good subjects with honorable messages) Thank you Great benevolent governor for allowing us, who lack any common sense without your guidance, to stay out past 10 PM! Wow.
Yay! The Komrade Governor is letting us have back a little bit of our freedoms and liberties!!! Let us all bow down at his feet and thank him!!!