Carbondale Reporter

A Herrin restaurant owner is threatening legal action against the local health department. 

According to WCIA, Rob Newman is the owner of Newman & Co. and is infuriated over the fact that he is not being allowed to welcome in-house dining at his restaurant. In a video that he posted to his restaurant’s Facebook page, he said that it was his right to open his restaurant for diners and would do what he wanted.

“I have put so many hours into this place to make it the way that it is and I will be damned if I let a governor keep me from opening or losing my business,” he said. “It’s not going to happen.” 

Newman has made it clear that he plans to cooperate with guidelines for hygiene, claiming that he would distance the tables and be happy to see customers wearing masks if they wanted. While Newman is willing to take certain measures, those measures are not enough to adhere with Gov. J.B. Pritzker's executive order. 

The health department contacted Newman in May, asking him to stop seating diners. Carrie Eldridge, Franklin-Williamson BiCounty Health Department’s Director of Emergency Preparedness, said that she is concerned about the community’s health and that Newman’s action is a direct violation of the law. 

“The restaurant was advised to follow the current executive order, which does allow carry-out and curbside service,” Eldridge said.

Eldridge said that the health department may be forced to revoke food permits if restaurateurs continue to break the order. 

Pritzker said there are five phases of the Restore Illinois plan and that when Phase 4 arrives, restaurants will be able to open again with certain hygiene measures in place, such as personal protective equipment for employees and limiting seating capacity.