Over the weekend, the Ohio Investigative Unit cited several bars for violating Governor Mike Dewine’s emergency COVID19 rule banning the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m.
Doodle McKee has owned The Layne Lounge in New Carlisle for about five years. The economic impact of COVID has been tough. It’s a small town bar and he says most of the patrons are locals. On Saturday night, two state agents purchased beer after the 10 p.m. restriction time.
"We pay for a liquor license to serve up until 2:00 or 2:30, and now we're not able to do that," McKee says. "It's just frustrating. I feel like there are bigger issues in our area than our little place staying open."
McKee says the bar’s peak hours are after 11:00 pm. The bar received an administrative citation that amounted to a warning. But if Layne’s Lounge is found in violation of the rule again, the bar could face fines or even have its liquor license revoked.
Environmental reporter Chris Welter is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
