Missouri judge forces restaurant to shut down over mask mandate violations

In Blue Springs, Missouri, a battle between the Rae's Café restaurant and the Jackson County Health Department came to a close Friday. A Jackson County judge granted a restraining order to temporarily shut the business down on the grounds of repeated complaints about violations of the county’s mask mandate.

"Despite numerous warnings and attempts by the County to work with the business's owner, she has refused to take corrective action and has made it clear that she has no plans to do so," Jackson County stated according to Fox 4.

A series of actions were taken by local health officials against the establishment: a warning was issued on Aug. 18, a ticket was issued on Aug. 27, a ticket was issued and a Sanitation Observation Form was provided to owner of the establishment on Aug. 30, and a Jackson County Environmental Health Closure Order was issued and the Food Establishment permit was revoked on Sept. 3.

It was on last Friday, Sept. 3, that the local Fox News affiliate reported that "despite losing its food establishment permit, Rae's Café was operating as usual on Friday afternoon and the owner told FOX4 she plans to stay open."

At the time of that article, Rae's Café owner Amana Wohlett told the press that both she and all of her employees had medical reasons not to wear masks. In addition to the statement, she told customers not to as well.

Despite this reasoning, Jackson County's health department officials showed up with the local sheriff and shut down her restaurant.

That was last week. What happened since then is that the café owner tried reopening as a private club to circumvent the mask rules. But it didn't pan out.