Shiawassee Times

Michigan has been battling business closures and restrictions for nearly a year, and as the COVID-19 pandemic is finally coming under control, restaurant owners are begging for some reasonable adjustments to the regulations. 

Bridge Michigan reported that a local restaurant owner, Sue Wangler, testified before the Michigan House Oversight Committee, explaining the gravity of her situation amid the ongoing restrictions imposed on local businesses. 

Owner of Wangler's Wagon Wheel, Wangler has had a rough time throughout the pandemic: She and her husband have had to take out multiple loans to stay in business, the restaurant closed and then reopened at 50% capacity, and then closed again for nearly three months. Wangler invested in plastic bubbles for safer outdoor dining, but Michigan's harsh winter conditions ruined them in a matter of weeks. 

Instead, the restaurant had to invest in steel structures to help sanitize the air — which cost $18,000. Now, the business can only accommodate 25% capacity, which is especially difficult given the reality that the Wanglers have spent $165,000 on their restaurant.

Despite this and similar testimonies, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer claims that the policies she put into place have saved lives and helped to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. But with with the decreasing rates of COVID-19 cases, industries are pushing for more freedoms to be given back to business owners. 

The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association has proposed a plan for reopening, using a set of criteria to determine operations. These parameters would include COVID-19 testing positivity rates and the tightening or loosening of capacity limits and curfews based on the severity of the current situation. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Michigan has had 581, 403 cases of COVID-19 and 15,362 related deaths, as of Feb. 23, according to Michigan.gov. Even so, restaurant owners argue that their venues are not to blame, as the virus’ rate has not risen dramatically, even with reopening on Feb. 1.

Establishments that break the rules for capacity are being disciplined, which was the case with the Wooden Nickel in Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula, which had its liquor license suspended after exceeding the allowed 25% capacity multiple times. 

On Feb. 11, state and local health officials in Michigan were looking into 736 new, as well as ongoing outbreaks throughout the state, and only four were related to restaurants or bars, reported Bridge Michigan.