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Denver Dept. of Public Health cites more businesses for violating governor's public health order

One business was given a written warning by mistake after an investigator misinterpreted the order.

DENVER — Over the weekend, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) gave out 16 citations to businesses for reasons including employees not wearing masks and no social distancing. 

Two businesses, Williams Tavern and the nightclub, Tetra, were told to close. 

Tetra was placarded because of not correcting previous violations and DDPHE said Williams Tavern was closed for reasons including serving alcohol past 10 p.m. and no social distancing. 

So far, DDPHE has temporarily issued 11 closures to businesses for violating the governor's Safer-at-Home order.

One of the citations over the weekend was given to Reiver's Bar and Grill in Washington Park because of an employee not wearing a mask. 

But the general manager said the public health investigator also said they were violating the order by allowing people to drink their alcohol past 10 p.m.  

“We tried to explain to him that everything was closed out," said the General Manager, Steve Lemonidis. "We tried to explain to him our register, our POS system, and he didn’t feel that it was necessary to look at that because the rule stated in his mind that everybody had to be out of the restaurant by 10 p.m." 

Reiver's Bar and Grill was not given a citation for that, but in an email, the DDPHE said "the investigator should not have given Reiver’s an order for serving after 10 p.m.," and "that was a mistake." 

A spokesperson said that mistake hasn't happened before. 

“It’s hard to educate our staff on something that changes from moment to moment and is interpreted differently by each member of the health department," said Lemonidis. 

Below is information provided by DDPHE on the cumulative enforcement activity and the most recent weekend citations. 

  • Total contacts to-date: 14,833; Mask-related contacts only: 1,425
  • Warnings to-date: 13,134; Mask-related warnings only: 1,192
  • Citations to-date: 87
  • Placards to-date (closures): 11

Denver restaurants cited include: 

  • 8/9 – JD’s Bar (201 W. 48th Ave.) – ticketed for two employee not wearing face coverings.
  • 8/9 -- Hob Nob events “Pearl St. Market” (1400 S. Pearl St.) – ticketed for multiple vendors not masked and event coordinator not wearing a mask.
  • 8/9 – WABI (490 Santa Fe Dr.) – ticketed for instructor and dancers not wearing face masks while indoors.
  • 8/9 -- Restaurant Depot (1740 W. 13th) – ticketed for multiple employees not properly wearing face coverings while near each other.
  • 8/8 -- Reiver's Bar and Grill (1085 S. Gaylord St.) – ticketed for employee not wearing a face covering.
  • 8/8 -- Puerto Vallarta Sports Bar (27 Federal Blvd.) – ticketed for patrons at tables less than 6 feet apart, patrons sitting at bars, and performers within 6 feet of patrons.
  • 8/8 -- Tetra (3039 Walnut St.) – ticketed, placard, and closure for violations of on-site consumption of smoking products, and facility did not correct orders and GV previously issued on 7/31.
  • 8/8 -- W. T Shorty’s Sports Grill (990 S. Oneida St.) – ticketed for 2 employees not wearing face coverings in the kitchen.
  • 8/8 -- Capitol Hill Liquor (1032 E. 9th Ave.) – ticketed for employee not wearing a face covering while helping patron.
  • 8/7 -- Williams Tavern (423 E. 17th Ave.) – ticketed, placard, and closure for serving alcohol after 10 pm. No access to food after 10 pm, patrons ordering drinks from bar where drinks are prepared. Patrons mingling, no social distancing, and little face covering compliance. 
  • 8/7 -- Nativ Hotel (1612 Wazee St.) – ticketed for one employee not wearing a face covering and mingling.
  • 8/7 -- Arby’s (8850 E. Hampden Ave.) – ticketed for one employee not wearing mask and another employee not properly wearing a mask.
  • 8/7 -- McDonald's (505 E. Colfax Ave.) – ticketed for 4 out of 8 employees not properly wearing face masks.
  • 8/7 -- Pynergy Petroleum Co; Phillips 66 (4001 Colorado Blvd.) -- Violation of face covering order by employee.
  • 8/7 -- Pizza and Grill (990 N. Lincoln St.) ticketed for 2 out of the 4 employees not properly wearing masks.
  • 8/7 -- Big Bear Ice Rink (8580 Lowry Blvd.) – ticketed for staff and patron not wearing face coverings indoors during follow-up visit.    

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