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MCPS workers distribute 2 million meals, put health concerns aside to help kids access their learning

| Published: 2020-05-18 17:22

MCPS employees distribute free meals at JoAnn Leleck Elementary School, of the district's 50-plus meal sites

Photos by Caitlynn Peetz

Shortly after the sun rose on Wednesday, Theresa Goo arrived at JoAnn Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring, just as she had done nearly every day for two months.

With the colors of the sunrise washing over the parking lot, Goo adjusted her hat a navy ball cap with Serving on the front line stitched above the brim and got to work.

Each day, she arrives at a strange scene. Usually, the school would be bustling with activity as staff members prepare for students to arrive for classes. But, now, as schools remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Goo, the site coordinator, works alongside just a handful of others, packing bags of food to give to students in need.

We make sure the kids dont go hungry, Goo said, and it is our pleasure.

About four hours before the site is set to open, Goo and her staff greet a truck that arrives to drop off food. Then, they stand six feet apart, packing the food into bags. The work is nonstop, but passes quickly.

Right at 11 a.m., when MCPS meal sites officially open, a run-down green van pulls into the parking lot. Goo calls out a greeting: Hello! How many do you need?

A young girl, with short black hair whipping in the wind, holds her hand out the window, all five fingers extended.

Workers grab five bags, set them on a cart well more than six feet away from the packing table and retreat.

The girl, her mouth covered with a pink cloth mask, spills from the vans backseat, bounds over to the cart, grabs the bags and climbs back into the car. Then its goodbye until Friday.

The whole exchange takes about 45 seconds, but school officials say the benefits are immeasurable.

I think it helps kids access their learning, Leleck Principal Harold Barber said. Before we can talk about kids having access to online learning, their basic needs need to be met first.

Leleck is one of 51 sites where MCPS employees set up camp on weekdays to distribute the food, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Since March 16, the first day Maryland schools were closed, MCPS has distributed 2 million free meals about the population of the state of New Mexico to school-aged children.

***

At Leleck, nearly every student has at some time been eligible for free and reduced-priced meals (FARMS), a data point the school district uses to measure poverty.

Bordered by low-income housing, the school is home to about 800 students, many of whom have parents who have multiple jobs or are considered essential workers, still reporting to work during the strictest stretch of the states shutdown.

Many essential jobs, like grocery store clerks and fast food workers, earn low wages and many are held by minorities. (MCPS supporting services employees, which includes food workers, make a minimum of $15.32 per hour, according to the unions salary schedule.)

On average, Leleck gives away approximately 500 meal bags packed with items like fruit, vegetables, milk, sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, yogurt and salad each day. On Wednesday, about a dozen were delivered to nearby families with at least one person who had COVID-19.

We have to meet families where they are, said Susan McCarron, director of MCPS Division of Food and Nutrition Services. Kids cant learn if theyre hungry or if theyre worried about where their next meal is coming from. So this is important.

The story is the same in many communities across Montgomery County, particularly in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of poverty.

In MCPS, about one-third of students were eligible for FARMS pre-pandemic. Its difficult to know what that number is now, but staff members say anecdotally, the need has definitely increased.

Since the first week of March, more than 60,000 Montgomery County residents have filed initial unemployment claims, which undoubtedly will add to the number of families who need food assistance.

Thats why the school district aims to continue providing meals at its more than 50 sites throughout the summer.

MCPS usually distributes free meals during the summer, but at about half of the number of sites. Those locations are in the countys highest poverty neighborhoods, as outlined by federal guidelines.

But as the economic fallout of the pandemic mounts and more residents find themselves, often for the first time, struggling to make ends meet, MCPS officials say they feel compelled to increase not decrease their efforts.

Meal sites operate on the honor system, so if a parent shows up and says they need four meals for their children at home, they receive four meal bags, no questions asked.

We recognize that this need will increase because of the economic insecurity that is occurring and its something were talking about now in terms of how we sustain this through the summer, said Jeanie Dawson, director of MCPS Department of Materials Management. We know our families are going to need that.

During a meeting with the Montgomery County Council this month, MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith said the districts food services budget was about $4 million in the red, but added: We intend to continue meal services.

Smith said he is hopeful the United States Department of Agriculture will grant a waiver allowing the additional sites to continue operating through the summer and that the state will use emergency federal funding to help pay the costs.

Its a good thing were providing meals as much and as often as we can, Smith said.

***

Each of the approximately 300 MCPS employees working at meal sites across the county volunteered to be part of the food distribution efforts, according to district officials. They are paid, but none is required to do this work.

Many employees, like Goo, are helping at sites where they dont usually work, teaming up with a mix of staffers from various schools. Because they all have a common goal, the work has gone smoothly, Goo said.

Along with school-based sites, MCPS has set up a handful of sites at apartment complexes and mobile home parks. It sends buses full of meals into high-need neighborhoods where families might not have access to transportation and otherwise could not get the free meals.

Usually, many of the same families stop for meals each day, but Wednesdays are particularly busy.

In April, MCPS cut the number of days it distributes meals, closing sites on Thursdays. To offset the change, food distribution sites hand out double meal bags to each family on Wednesdays.

It gives our staff time away to decrease the number of days of exposure, and also allows parents and guardians one less day to have to come out and get meals, McCarron said. It works well, but its a lot of work.

Many schools also distribute laptops and paper copies of class lessons on Wednesdays, prompting a steady, socially distanced stream of visitors.

Amid all of the activity, workers remember theyre doing this job because of a disease, undetectable to the naked eye, that has sickened nearly 40,000 and killed more than 1,900 Marylanders.

Sure, theres always a worry [about getting sick], McCarron said. We just constantly reassure them theyll always have their (personal protective equipment) and social distancing will be enforced, and that well keep doing the best we can to keep them safe.

Meal site workers wear masks and plastic gloves at all times and, most of the time, they are spread out along a long plastic table. Theyre doing what they can to be safe, Goo said.

Still, at least two MCPS meal site workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to messages sent to the community from the school district.

The two workers, staffed at Glen Haven Elementary School, were quarantined, as well as everyone who worked with them. The schools kitchen was temporarily closed for deep cleaning and a food truck was brought in to continue services.

But in a system reinvented in days Gov. Larry Hogan announced schools would close on a Thursday, and MCPS was distributing meals on Monday, the day the closures took effect there were bound to be a few hiccups.

On March 11, MCPS officials told the Board of Education they were brainstorming what meal distribution might look like if the pandemic forced schools to close. Maybe some schools could be regional hubs to distribute meals. Maybe school buses could be used. Nothing was final, but not providing meals was never an option, school officials said.

The next day, the plan was suddenly put in motion.

Workers at Leleck said the first few weeks were difficult, but they have now hit their stride.

Many of the workers across Montgomery County are women with children, who leave their young ones at home to help other peoples children.

They stand for seven-plus consecutive hours, and they are physically and emotionally tired.

But when that little girl, black hair blowing in the wind, hops out of her familys run-down green van on Friday, as she does most days, and says, Thank you very much, staff members smile behind their masks and keep working.

Our number one goal is to serve our families, Dawson said. Thats at the heart of all this. Someday, this is all going to pass and well go back to normal, but these workers will be able to say they made a big difference for a lot of children.

Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@bethesdamagazine.com

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'Serving on the front line' - BethesdaMagazine.com

The virus arrived on the reservation in early March, when late winter winds were still blowing off the mesas and temperatures at dawn were often barely above freezing.

It was carried in from Tucson, doctors say, by a man who had been to a basketball tournament and then made the long drive back to a small town in the Navajo highlands. There, believers were preparing to gather in a small, metal-walled church with a battered white bell and crucifixes on the window.

On a dirt road at the edge of the town, a hand-painted sign with red letters points the way: Chilchinbeto Church of the Nazarene.

From that church, COVID-19 took hold on the Navajo Nation, hopscotching across families and clans and churches and towns, and leaving the reservation with some of the highest infection rates in the U.S.

Crowding, tradition, and medical disparities have tangled together on the tribes land an area nearly three times the size of Massachusetts creating a virological catastrophe.

And the most basic measures to fight the virus spread handwashing and isolation can be difficult.

One-third of the homes across the vast, dry reservation dont have running water, forcing families to haul it in. Many in close-knit Navajo communities live in crowded houses where self-quarantine is impossible, and many must drive hours to the nearest grocery store. To most Navajo, isolating an infected person from their family is deeply alien.

The Chilchinbeto meeting, which brought people together from across the region, included everything from discussions of church finances to a joyful meal of roast beef. They prayed for strength in the face of the new virus, which seemed like a distant worry.

Instead, it was already in their midst.

Were such a small town. Were so remote, said Evelyna Cleveland-Gray, a Chilchinbeto official who struggled to keep residents from panicking as the virus ripped through the town of about 500, eventually killing more than a dozen people. We never thought it would hit us.

By now, the loss is felt across the Navajo Nation.

With roughly 175,000 people on the reservation, which straddles Arizona, New Mexico and a small corner of Utah, the Navajo Nation has seen 3,122 cases a rate of nearly 18 cases per 1,000 people. At least 100 people have died.

If Navajo Nation were its own state, it would have the highest per-capita rate of confirmed positive coronavirus cases in the country, behind only New York. In the states it spans, the number of cases and deaths among people who are Native American, on and off the reservations, is disproportionately high.

There was the beloved 42-year-old high school basketball coach who left behind five children. There was the carpenter who lived with his brother and died on Easter morning at age 34. There was the 28-year-old mother who competed in Native American pageants.

And on the far western side of the reservation, theres the extended Dinehdeal family who live in a cluster of prefabricated houses and mobile homes in Tuba City. A dog on a long chain lies in the driveway, sleeping in the soft red dirt that sweeps across the landscape. Another runs in circles waiting for someone, anyone, to throw a ball. Pickup trucks, some in various states of dismemberment, are scattered across the property.

This is where generations of Dinehdeal children have ridden their bikes and played basketball against a weathered plywood backboard. Its where the men have tinkered with those pickups and where the entire family the tight-knit web of parents, aunties, uncles and cousins raised like siblings have gathered for potluck meals, birthday parties and holiday celebrations. Its where relatives from out of town have always been welcomed.

Now, its where the family mourns.

It began in late March with Maryann Welch, who at age 82 was still riding horses and running a small sheep ranch on Navajo Mountain, the dome-shaped expanse that looms over this part of the reservation. When she started to feel sick, her nephew and her 71-year-old sister, Eva Dinehdeal, drove the 90 miles from Tuba City to take her to the hospital. Soon Eva was sick, too, with low oxygen levels and a fever. Then it was Maryanns son, Larry, a veteran of the Armys 82nd Airborne Division, who divided his time between the ranch and the Tuba City houses.

Larry and Maryann died a day apart. Larry was buried on what would have been his 60th birthday.

Dinehdeals daughter, Gloria Uriarte, had moved back to Tuba City from outside Phoenix with her 6-year-old son, Curly, thinking theyd be safer there as the virus spread. But almost immediately she was caring for nearly everyone around her, often using the traditional practices that are deeply ingrained among Navajos. She kept sage boiling on the stove, for example, and encouraged everyone to drink it.

Gloria, 45, didnt escape sickness. She and her mother died April 11 within hours of each other, in different hospitals.

In a small bedroom in one of the prefabricated houses, just down the hall from a wooden table displaying the three womens urns, Curly was tucked under a blanket. He is immobile and nonverbal after a brain injury and doesnt know what happened to his mother. His family keeps Gloria alive for him by playing recordings of her voice on a cell phone. Set on a pillow next to Curlys head of thick, black hair, Gloria gently calls out Good morning, good morning.

Curly coos softly.

Glorias sister and her partner are now caring for him.

The losses stripped the family of their matriarchs. They regret not learning how to make Evas famous yeast bread, which she sold at the local flea market every Friday. They wonder what to do with her clothes, which fill every closet in the house and its storage sheds.

Angelina Dinehdeal, one of Evas daughters-in-law, is trying to hold the family together. Grief and exhaustion weigh heavily on her.

It just seems like every time I take someone in (to the hospital) they never come out, she said.

In Navajo tradition, communities gather for four days of mourning before a burial. Sacred stories are told. Elders talk to the young about coping with death. Donations are collected to cover funeral costs. In a culture where dying is rarely spoken about, it is a chance to openly grieve.

But with families hunkered down to avoid the spread of the virus, burials have become rushed graveside services. With funeral homes overwhelmed by the dead, some families have sidestepped tradition and had their relatives cremated.

Mourning is done over text messages, video conferences and three-way phone calls.

You cant even go see your mom and dad. You cant see your relatives to find that comfort, said Cheryl Blie, a Navajo who lost a cousin to the virus. And the grief the grief is so unbearable.

The virus hit like a tsunami in mid-March, and smaller medical centers quickly were overwhelmed. Health problems that make COVID-19 more deadly, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, are all much more common among Native Americans than the general U.S. population.

A cobbled-together coalition of caregivers doctors from the federal Indian Health Service and local hospitals, Navajo Nation officials, the National Guard, community health nurses, volunteer doctors, nurses and EMTs from across the country has rallied as the number of cases grow.

The doctors are exhausted, the hospitals dont have enough staff and the protective gear is carefully rationed. Three isolation centers were set up in basketball gyms normally packed with fans for a sport thats hugely popular among Navajos to keep those recovering from COVID-19 away from their families. The sickest patients are flown to larger hospitals off the reservation.

Medical workers on the reservation work relentlessly.

When an oxygen valve failed on a ventilator at the Kayenta Health Center, a volunteer hand-pumped oxygen into a patients lungs for three hours.

You literally cannot move. You have to breathe for them, said Cindy Robison, an Air Force veteran who was among the volunteers. You are paralyzed by the overwhelming I know I cant abandon this position even for a second.

The Navajo Nation or Din Bikyah includes some of the most rugged, beautiful and isolated land in the United States. The reservation stretches across 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) with just over 6 people per square mile.

But that statistic hides how most Navajos actually live: in small towns or isolated outposts. A trip to the grocery store or the post office is a chance to socialize, shake hands, hug and catch up all the things people are asked to avoid doing now.

Navajo Nation officials are trying to get people to isolate, putting out statements about coronavirus in English and Navajo, and imposing nightly curfews and weekend lockdowns. Theyve closed non-essential businesses and popular tourist sites like Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley. They also must balance the restrictions with the realities of reservation life.

I hear a lot of people saying, Close the borders, shut down, shut down, said Jonathan Nez, the Navajo Nation president. Our folks are supposed to be helping get water for the livestock, water for the household. You shut all that down, how can our elders wash their hands with soap and water if theres no water available for them?

If the Navajo are susceptible to the virus spread in part because they are so closely knit, thats also how many believe they will beat it.

Theyre leaving boxes of food and supplies on the steps of elders homes or in grocery bags hanging from fence posts. Theyre driving for hours to take relatives to hospitals. Theyre delivering water to friends and family.

Outside a tribal office in Tuba City, a steady stream of pickup trucks waited to fill large plastic containers.

Raynelle Hoskie was pulling a small trailer behind her black Ford pickup, rushing so she could make it to her shift at a convenience store a half hour out of town. With her husband working in Florida, she was hauling water for her six children and her in-laws who live next door in a small traditional Navajo home, or hogan.

To her, that togetherness is a strength of the Navajo people and a sign of tradition.

Hoskie unraveled a blue hose and connected it to the spigot, then dropped the other end in the water tank.

Stop making us look like were weak, she said. Were a strong nation. Our language is strong, were tough. Weve always used our traditional herbs, our traditional ceremonies. Theyre very powerful.

___

Republished with permission from The Associated Press.

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Horror and grief on the reservation: Virus takes toll on Navajo - Florida Politics

The founder of a community group to help the elderly and vulnerable during COVID19, wants it to continue beyond the current crisis.

Jamie Nunn, who runs the Matilda Rose nail and beauty salon in Withersfield Road, Haverhill, has been inundated with volunteers since he set up the Matilda Rose -Action Squad in March.

It is working with staff at West Suffolk Council Home But Not Alone helpline, to ensure anybody who is vulnerable, gets the support that they need.

Haverhill is a great place with a great sense of community.

"We have lots of amazing people who are all happy to help people. This whole project wouldnt be possible without them, Jamie said.

As well as collecting peoples food and medicine, the group also phones 24 people a week who are lonely, offering a voice to speak to as well as checking if they need any other support.

We set this up in response to coronavirus but we will most definitely be carrying it on once things go back to normal, whatever that may be, said Jamie.

If one good thing comes from this, I think it will be that people will put down the computer and the mobile phone and actually start checking in on people.

"Its hugely important to look at whats going on around you and I think its something we are all guilty of at times.

The Action Squad has its own Facebook group search for Matilda Rose - Action Squad.

The Action Squad is one of nearly 400 community groups and volunteers that is working with West Suffolk Council to support people who are vulnerable.

Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council said: I think it is great that this group is already looking at how it can continue to support the most vulnerable in the community beyond this current crisis.

"Even before this, West Suffolk had a strong track record of working with our communities to help people, and this work will continue to be of crucial importance long after this crisis is over.

Our role is about supporting groups in their work and to date West Suffolk councillors have given a little over 7,300 in locality budget funding to aid this community response to the coronavirus.

"Equally we are here to provide the safety net so that if someone vulnerable isnt in touch with a group in their area and they dont have friends or family nearby to help, they can call us on the Home But Not Alone helpline and we can get them the help that they need.

The Matilda Rose Action Squad is to receive 150 in locality budget funding from West Suffolk Cllr Aaron Luccarini who represents the Haverhill Central Ward.

The work Matilda Rose is doing is fantastic. Its a real credit to Haverhill, Cllr Luccarini said.

John Mayhew, chair of ONE Haverhill Partnership and spokesman for Heart of Haverhill, said: Its wonderful to hear about the fantastic work of Jamie and his colleagues.

"Its a massive credit to Haverhill that this business has stepped up to deliver such much-needed support - and even better that it links in with the West Suffolk Council Home But Not Alone helpline.

"We would like to thank Jamie and all the volunteers for supporting so many people at this time.

The helpline is open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week on 0800 876 6926.

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Covid-19 action group looks to continue once crisis is over - Haverhill Echo

MADISON, Ohio Saturday marked a new beginning for wineries in Ohios Grand River Valley.

Many reopened their patios for the first time since the states shutdown.

At Grand River Cellars in Madison, there was even a special ceremony to mark a blessing of the vines.

In recent weeks, staff was concerned that cold weather could hurt the plants.

That did not appear to happen.

Beautiful weather only added to a bright outlook.

Quinn Marti chartered a bus with friends and family to enjoy the day.

It feels good to be out, he said. We talk about social distancing, which is great, but being social is even better--you need that.

Cindy Lindberg of Grand River put out only half her tables to allow for social distancing. Her employees wore masks and gloves.

She said wine sales had been strong throughout quarantine, as she welcomed people back for sit down meals.

I think that when everything got shut down all of a sudden it was like, Oh my gosh, I miss it so much, she said. I think it just made you realize everything that you truly have and how lucky we are that we have what we have.

Across the country, wine sales are up by nearly 40%.

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Patios reopen at wineries in Ohio's Grand River Valley - WKYC.com

Karen Geiger, owner of Anthony's Salon in Green Township, sanitizes her salon on Thursday, May 14, 2020. After being shut down for weeks to battle the pandemic, Anthonys will open at 9 a.m. on Friday with extended hours and strict new rules. (Photo: Meg Vogel/ The Enquirer)

Today in Ohio, you can enjoy a meal or a beer on a restaurant patio.

And finally finally you can get that haircut you so desperately need.

After being shut down for weeks to battle the novel coronavirus pandemic, Ohio is moving forward with its plan to slowly reopen the states economy.

Nonessential retail stores reopened on Tuesday.

Today, hair and nail salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors, spas and outdoor dining get their turn.

I have been working on reopening ever since the day we closed, said Karen Geiger, owner of Anthonys Salon in Green Township.

Anthonys will open at 9 a.m. on Friday with extended hours, but like at many salons throughout the state, there are strict new rules. The salon is operating at 50% capacity, using five stations instead of 10.

Masks are required for employees and clients (Geiger has free, disposable masks if anyone comes without).

Karen Geiger, owner of Anthony's Salon in Green Township, said I have been working on reopening ever since the day we closed.(Photo: Meg Vogel/ The Enquirer)

Clients are asked to come alone and wait outside for their appointments. Theyll get their temperature taken and hands sanitized.

Payments are supposed to be by credit card, if possible.

And, at least for a short while, Anthonys isnt doing shampoos or blow dries, asking instead for clients to come with their hair already clean.

Were going to get some people who are going to think this is the craziest thing ever, Geiger said, but my staff knows, and I want our clients to know, that their safety and our safety is the No. 1 priority. I dont want anybody to get sick here.

Karen Geiger, owner of Anthony's Salon in Green Township, sanitizes her salon on Thursday, May 14, 2020. After being shut down for weeks to battle the pandemic, Anthonys will open at 9 a.m. on Friday with extended hours and strict new rules. (Photo: Meg Vogel/ The Enquirer)

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 1,400 people in Ohio, and Gov. Mike DeWine and Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have cautioned that just because the economy is starting to reopen does not mean the virus has gone away.

In fact, an Enquirer analysis of Cincinnatis daily coronavirus reports found that the 14-day average of new reported cases is as high as its ever been.

But, with 1.1 million unemployment claims in Ohio since mid-March, many are eager to see stores and restaurants back open for business.

Perhaps the best thing will be for everyone to try to take care of each other, said Rhonda DeWine, who owns Salon Rhonda on the Hyde Park square. DeWine is married to Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine, who is Gov. Mike DeWine's son.

Salon Rhonda is following many of the same precautions as other salons masks, extra sanitizing, social distancing, staggered appointments and contactless payments via smartphone apps. But aside from all that, Rhonda DeWine said, people need to check themselves before they go out. And if they have any symptoms, they need to just stay home.

Salon Rhonda has been freshly painted and sanitized in anticipation of reopening. Its spotless right now, said owner Rhonda DeWine. Basically, it looks like the day I opened it.(Photo: Provided)

Just use common sense, she said. I hope I dont have to tell you, if you have a fever, dont come into my hair salon.

Since the date for salons reopening was announced, DeWines phone has been ringing nonstop, she said. Wednesday morning, her voicemail was full, and by 10:45 a.m. that day, she had already taken 45 calls for appointments.

Im looking at probably doing nothing with my life other than cutting hair for the next couple weeks, she said. People Ive never spoken to are like, Oh, my God, I have to have a haircut.

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The National Weather Service is forecasting rain and thunderstorms for Friday.

And on Saturday, more rain and thunderstorms.

And on Sunday?

You guessed it. Rain and thunderstorms.

So, its possible the weather will put a damper on restaurants and bars trying to reopen patio service.

If it rains, that would be really unfortunate, said Jean-Franois Flechet, the Taste of Belgium owner who is scrambling to figure out how to open his locations in Over-the-Rhine, The Banks and at the Rookwood Commons in Norwood.

Flechet has applied with the city to have expanded patio seating at his restaurants part of a plan to take portions of some streets to allow for more outdoor seating but hes not sure if approval on that as well as rental contracts for extra tables will come through in time.

Regardless, Taste of Belgiums patios at Rookwood Commons and The Banks will be open, and Taste of Belgium will be doing carryout from those locations as well, just like it has throughout the pandemic.

The restaurants will have limited menus, Flechet said, since its basically like starting from scratch with inventory.

Everything is very last minute, he said. The governor last week took everybody by surprise, so were trying to see what we can do to make it happen.

Taste of Belgium is placing signs at its restaurants to remind diners of the new rules.(Photo: Provided)

On one hand, Flechet is excited to reopen. On the other, hes wary of restaurants new role in policing social distancing and other health requirements. At Taste of Belgium, that means only one person per party should visit the hostess stand to check in. Customers should wait outside until their table is ready and wear masks until theyre seated.

When people dont want to follow those rules, Flechet isnt sure how its going to go.

The whole concept of hospitality is changing, he said. Before, our attitude toward the guest was, The answer is, Yes. What is the question? And we can no longer do that. We need to be there to enforce the rules and some people dont like that.

Betsy Eicher, left, with her brother-in-law Randy Reichelderfer at their Urban Grill food truck. Urban Grill also has a sit-down restaurant on Main Street in Newtown.(Photo: The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour)

Betsy Eicher is also concerned about restaurants new role as enforcers. But the owner of Urban Grill in Newtown feels prepared and ready to go for Friday.

Urban Grill has two covered decks, so Eicher is not worried about the weather.

And the decks are spacious enough that, even with social distancing requirements, Eicher thinks she can seat about 40% of her usual capacity.

Per Ohios guidelines, groups are limited to 10, and Eicher plans to only take one group that large per evening, reserved in advance and paid upfront.

The rest of the tables will be first-come, first served.

Customers will be asked to wait in their cars until their table is ready, but they can get a drink at the bar that has been moved outside.

Eicher is excited to reopen, and she thinks diners are going to be eager, too.

Weve been getting a lot of emails, a lot of requests for the big table, she said. Ive already had to turn people down, even my sister.

LaRosa's Pizzeria(Photo: The Enquirer/Jennie Key)

Just like with retail stores, many of which remained closed even after they were allowed to reopen on Tuesday, some salons and restaurants are choosing to wait it out.

Susan Selzer, co-owner of Arthurs pub in Hyde Park, said she probably wont open on Friday if it rains.

And LaRosa's Pizzeria restaurants, which have been doing well with carryout and delivery, will open sometime after Memorial Day.

Were not in a big hurry, said CEO Mike LaRosa. We want to ease into it and do it safely.

Spruce Nail Shop in Over-the-Rhine is planning to open its books on May 18 for appointments starting June 1, according to its Facebook page.

And while no one answered the phone at multiple Great Clips locations in Greater Cincinnati on Wednesday, a company spokeswoman said the stores will be opened over the next week or two as staff are trained on new policies and procedures.

A voicemail at some of the stores says theyll be reopening on Sunday.

The message reminds customers theyll have to wait outside or in their car until its their turn for a cut.

Please bring a mask, it says. We look forward to safely serving you.

What is reopening on Friday?

Hair salons, barbershops, day spas, nail salons, tanning salons, and tattoo and body piercing parlors are all allowed to open on Friday, as are outdoor areas at bars and restaurants.

Will everything be open?

No. Just like with retail, some owners might have a plan to open later. If youre planning to visit a specific place, its best to call ahead. With salons, many arent taking walk-ins, anyway.

If its food youre after, The Enquirer has a list of bars and restaurants whose patios will be open for business on Friday.

Can I eat inside at a restaurant?

No.

Friday is for patio dining only. Indoor dining in Ohio reopens on May 21.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Maybe.

Masks in Ohio are recommended for customers but not required. Still, the rules could vary at a particular location, and some may require masks.

Masks for employees are required, but there are exceptions.

What about Kentucky?

Kentucky's schedule for reopening is different than Ohio's. Retail stores in Kentucky open on May 20 followed by restaurants on May 22. Restaurants can open at 33% of capacity indoors but unlimited capacity outdoors provided social distancing guidelines are met.

However, for Northern Kentucky residents, there is nothing to stop them from visiting stores, restaurants and salonsin Ohio.

Anything else I need to know?

Social distancing is still mandatory in Ohio, meaning there should be at least six feet between people at all times. That will mean new rules and norms. Businesses will likely be taking extra precautions, and that means you may have to wait a little longer for a table or a haircut.

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Salons and restaurant patios are open today in Ohio. Heres what you need to know. - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Royal Docks Brewing Co. in Canton got its online ordering platform for food and beer rolled out just one day after being required to shut down because of the pandemic. That, coupled with a markdown of six- and four-packs, led to strong to-go sales. But that revenue only goes so far. In recent weeks, the carryout activity has died down.

Royal Docks laid off 62 of its 72 employees but has since hired some folks back, thanks to a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan. It plans to reopen the patio at its flagship brewhouse, but losses have been steep. The brewery destroyed "quite a bit" of beer, founder John Bikis said, including some "heavy-hitter brands" like Backyard Crusher, because only so much could be packaged at once. A surplus built up without restaurants, stadiums and events buying kegs. About 200 barrels worth of Backyard Crusher alone went down the drain none of which is covered by insurance.

It's upsetting for Bikis, whose business was named one of the fastest-growing breweries in the country in 2018. Since then, Royal Docks has expanded into its Brewhouse + Cannery adjacent to its flagship facility which features a large event space that Bikis estimated has lost at least $200,000 so far in canceled parties for weddings and graduations and opened a satellite bar/restaurant at the Akron-Canton Airport. The grand opening of its latest facility, the Foeder House + Kitchen, developed as part of the downtown Akron Bowery redevelopment project, is being pushed back to early June at the soonest.

Royal Docks' flagship brewhouse has sizable outdoor seating, and Bikis procured a tent in hopes guests will come even if it's raining. More important are the myriad safety precautions being put in place, of course. Bikis remains anxious about how reopening could go.

"We're trying to open and do so in a meaningful, safe way with the uncertainty of not knowing who's going to come out, how many people we will be able to host and whether it'll be enough to pay bills and the staff that'll be there," he said. "We've made it to this point, but what worries me is the uncertainty and the unknowns of how customers are going to react."

A couple days before opening on May 15, Bikis said there was still a lot to sort out, particularly with optional guidelines. He feels plastic barriers won't do much good and is forgoing those inside. But a contactless menu and ordering system that works with smartphones has been developed.

Customer behavior is something that concerns him.

"What if someone is shaking hands, or hugging, or moves a chair placed in one location to another because they want to be closer to someone? It's difficult for business owners and staff because there's a fine line of telling people how to behave," he said. "It's a dilemma."

Bikis said Royal Docks has been making about 35%-40% of what it normally would in recent months. He'll feel fortunate to make half as much this month as he did in May 2019.

As with others, May 15 is a litmus test for how reopening indoors May 21 could work and a gauge for whether it could be financially worthwhile.

"At the end of the day," Bikis said, "we have the green light to be open, and we're in a business of being open, so we're going to open. And that means taking all the necessary precautions to be safe for everyone."

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Craft brewers weigh pros and cons of relaunching patios, taprooms - Crain's Cleveland Business

Some restaurant patrons took advantage of the first day to dine outside Friday in downtown Kent.

Although quite a few restaurants had outdoor tables set up for diners, only a few establishments had diners around lunchtime.

Paninis in Kent, which is known for outdoor dining predating COVID-19 that features an indoor/outdoor bar and an outdoor fireplace in the winter, seemed to have the most traffic in Kent and Ravenna around lunchtime Friday.

"Opening day was so exciting so we just had to take part," said Kent State University student Gretchen Schurman, who dined with two friends. "Going out to eat is a big part of our lives."

Andy Somich, general manager at Paninis in Kent, acknowledged that the restaurants history of outdoor dining probably helped bolster traffic.

"Everyone says we have the best patio around," he said, adding it has 26 outdoor tables after accounting for social distancing. "We probably took about 10 to 12 tables out of there."

He said traffic "was very steady out of the gate. We opened up at 11 oclock. People were just starving to get outside to a restaurant."

Carl Picelle, owner of the Franklin Square Deli, said hes been offering carry-out food throughout the business shut-down, but hes happy to be open so business can gear up again.

"Weve been moderately busy," he said. "Our community supported us pretty well. Weve been going for 38 years."

Mike Mikula was among the outdoor diners at the Franklin Avenue Deli around lunchtime.

"We were in Kent and decided to come down and get a sandwich from Carl," he said, referring to himself as "one of the endangered species."

He also said he has confidence Picelle has taken all the necessary safety precautions to make sure he and other diners are as safe as possible.

Sandy Knotek, owner of Tavern 1888 in Ravenna, said she was prepared well ahead of time for outdoor service to begin.

"Weve been ready and waiting," she said earlier this week. "Ive already done all the precautionary stuff we have to do."

Others in Kent arent opening yet, including Barflyy, according to general manager AliviaBrisbin.

"We are actually not open today," she said Friday morning. "Were kind of playing it by ear to see how busy downtown is and to see if we can have enough work to pay our bills and our employees."

Don Smith, owner of Mimis Italian Grill and Bar in Ravenna, said he had a couple small parties one for six and one for two scheduled for Friday evening but hadnt yet reopened the restaurant for outdoor dining. Instead, he plans to open May 21.

Mimis has been offering carry-out and delivery to older diners since the stay-at-home order was issued.

"We were vacillating when this first started, but I was afraid if we shut down wed never get open again," he said. "Weve done OK. I appreciate everything the community has done."

Carry-out diners have been particularly generous, tipping for a service that usually wouldnt merit a tip, he added.

"I think were gonna be swamped when this thing opens up," he added. "I think people are tired of [the stay-at-home order]."

Reporter Bob Gaetjens can be reached at 330-620-8786, bgaetjens@recordpub.comor @bobgaetjens_rpc.

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Diners take to the patios - Record-Courier

It was a Victoria Day long weekend like no other: there was both sunshine and physical distancing.

On Friday, The Forks Market reopened with a soft launch, welcoming visitors back to the historic site after being closed for almost two months. Although the parkade was barricaded, motorists trickled into the other available lots.

An attendant greeted visitors walking in to the market hall with a spritz of sanitizer on their hands. Portions of the building were closed off with dividers, funnelling guests toward the open vendors and retailers, then back outdoors to the outdoor patio area operated by The Common.

Sara Stasiuk, a spokesperson for The Forks, said the reopening has gone smoothly so far.

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Patios, pizza and distancing as businesses open for long weekend - CBC.ca

Two days before Virginia was set to reopen in Phase One on Friday, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority announced that businesses can temporarily accelerate the process of expanding their outdoor dining areas to sell alcohol, which could boost revenue for restaurants whose sales have plummeted due to the pandemic.

For some restaurants, which need to provide a diagram for the outdoor expansion upon request before opening, the new ABC permit process is tricky and requires locality, property owner and health department approval. Its not clear how long this process takes and some counties, such as Chesterfield, are still finalizing its permitting process.

Henrico County Planning Director Joe Emerson said the county is working toward fast tracking approval as well.

These loosened regulations rely heavily on locality discretion, which means they dont apply to the City of Richmond, which requested a delay to Phase One reopening due to the continued increase of cases and hospitalizations and was granted the delay by Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday evening. This also means Richmond restaurants cannot offer patio dining without doing so illegally.

But some Richmond restaurants, such as Mama Js, were not going to reopen because they do not have a patio or the ability to expand dining areas onto a sidewalk or parking lot. Mama Js has minimal sidewalk space as it is, owner Lester Johnson said. While Johnson agrees rolling back ABC regulations is good for business, he said what drives his decisions is thinking about the safety of his 3-year-old daughter Lena and 73-year-old mother, not the potential of making money.

Neighboring counties, however, such as Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico are moving forward with reopening Friday.

Justin McDonald, co-owner of Crafted in Henrico County, said his restaurant is set to open its 1,000-square-foot patio Friday with six tables and a maximum of 30 people.

Although he understands the reasoning behind ABC easing regulations, he said its advantageous only to businesses capable of having space to expand. As for reopening, only the host will disinfect tables and customers will pay through their phone to limit interaction.

Its hard for a server to wrap their head around because youre used to lingering for a minute, McDonald said, adding that itll be an adjustment for customers to see servers with face masks on. You kind of have to move forward optimistically and responsibly.

Other restaurants in the county, such as Grapevine on Three Chopt Road, have a parking lot that can hold a sizable tent. Since the restaurant owns the lands, moving forward required configuring the layout: a 40-by-45 foot tent with 16 tables scattered more than six feet apart.

But owner Mitchell Trak is confused on Phase One guidelines, which said restaurants can be at 50% of outdoor capacity. Grapevine didnt have one prior to the pandemic. With every table filled, its outdoor seating could reach 60 patrons. Occupancy is part of fire safety code in Virginia and is used for indoor spaces. Patios dont have occupancy restrictions, so restaurants are doing their best.

Weve taken it on the lighter end right now. Im kind of afraid that we are not quite prepared for this turnaround, Trak said.

County administrators said in a combined statement to the governor Thursday that businesses have sufficient amounts of protective equipment, with each county supplying sanitizer and cleaning products for safety. The statement alleged that residents are depending on Phase One for work, and businesses are at the point of choosing whether to close permanently.

Without a regional consensus, some residents were concerned people who commute across localities can be both at risk and contribute to community transmission if asymptomatic.

In a press briefing Thursday, Chesterfield Health District Director Dr. Alexander Samuel said that based on the public health data, hes not concerned with Chesterfield reopening.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Chesterfield Health District, which includes Powahatan and Colonial Heights, had 1,005 cases with 909 of them in Chesterfield County. Cases and hospitalizations continue to increase. Richmond, which is not reopening, has 611 cases.

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Virginia ABC will temporarily allow restaurants to expand patios - at least in localities opening in Phase One - Richmond.com

STAUNTON, Va. (WVIR) On Friday, restaurants can reopen their patios or any outdoor seating at 50% capacity, with social distancing measures in place, but Chef Ian Boden, who owns The Shack in Staunton, is choosing not to.

Boden says his patio is small and it just doesnt make sense to bring wait staff in to serve a handful of customers provided the weather is good. But, Boden says his bigger concern is safety. Its a sentiment Boden says is shared by most of his friends in the industry.

"I feel that as soon as people are able to dine, people from other markets that are having a higher concentration of infection will end up coming here," Boden stated. "And, I feel like that puts my town and my staff at risk."

The Shack will begin providing curbside pick-up this Friday. There will be a limited menu and cocktails-to-go available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Many downtown Staunton restaurants do not have space for any outdoor dining, but several others including, the 101, also plan to open back up for pickup and delivery on May 15.

As of May 15, Staunton has 34 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

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Restaurant owner in the Valley says it's unsafe to reopen patios during COVID-19 crisis - WHSV