The Leader • Saturday, May 2, 2020 • Page 1B
Ready or not, retailers reopen to customers By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Gatlin’s BBQ much like it has other Houston-area restaurants, which were forced to close their dining rooms for more than a month and saw dips in sales as a result. Eateries all across Texas were allowed to resume limited dine-in services on Friday, which for many was a welcome and long-awaited development. But Gatlin’s, an unassuming yet popular spot at the corner of Ella Boulevard and Judiway Street, decided to wait a little longer. Owner Greg Gatlin said Tuesday that he planned to keep his dining room closed and continue operating as a to-go-only restaurant, at least for another two weeks. He said restricting his restaurant to 25 percent occupancy, the requirement outlined in Phase 1 of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to reopen the state, would not be cost effective for his business or comfortable for his customers. Gatlin also said he’s not convinced it is safe to start inviting local barbecue lovers back into his dining room. Earlier Tuesday, the Houston Health Department reported 61 new cases of COVID-19, the upper-respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, as well as four additional deaths among city residents. “I think it’s a little early,” Gatlin said. “To me, the risk-reward isn’t there.” For many other local businesses, being permitted to reopen is a reward in itself. The motherdaughter team of Janet Thuot and Koryn Wright moved their Threadfare Children’s Boutique to a new location on West 34th Street in February, and on March 24 they were forced to close along with other businesses deemed non-essential as part of the stay-at-home, work safe order issued by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Wright said Threadfare continued to make online sales and deliver products to customers, but the business suffered nonetheless. So reopening their store, even to just a few shoppers at a time, figures to provide a boost. “We are very grateful that Governor Abbott has tried to start doing this a little bit at a time,”
Photos by Adam Zuvanich Gatlin’s BBQ owner Greg Gatlin (top photo) said he will continue operating as a to-go-only restaurant despite Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order allowing dining rooms to reopen at 25 percent occupancy starting Friday. Meanwhile, Threadfare Children’s Boutique co-owner Janet Thuot (left photo) said her business is taking advantage of the opportunity to reopen to customers.
See Reopening, P. 3B
Heights businessman suing Abbott over executive orders By Adam Zuvanich
restrictions that served as the impetus for his lawsuit. He also said he has allowed his employees to work from home if they wish. Still, Adams said the measures implemented by elected leaders such as Abbott and Hidalgo have been “absolute overkill.” He said officials should not have the authority to make mandates of their citizens, even during a pandemic. “The governor can activate
azuvanich@theleadernews.com
Norman Adams is a staunch supporter of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He’s also suing Abbott and is willing to take his case all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. Adams, the owner of Heights-based Adams Insurance Service, is among several plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in mid-April in a Travis County district court. The suit, which lists Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as defendants in their official capacities, alleges that Abbott has no legal authority to issue executive orders that suspend the state’s existing laws. The plaintiffs, many of whom are church leaders, claim their civil and religious rights have been violated by state and local elected officials who have mandated social distancing restrictions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Per executive orders issued by Abbott and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, among others, non-essential businesses were forced to close in March and limits were placed on in-person church services. There also was a statewide stay-athome order in effect through Thursday. “I love Governor Abbott, but he’s dead wrong,” Adams said. “This is unconstitutional.” Adams, a 75-year-old resident of Timbergrove Manor, said he is glad the governor has begun to ease restrictions across the state as the number of COVID-19 cases appears to level off in communities such as Houston. The stay-athome order lapsed this week, and businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, malls and movie theaters were allowed to reopen Friday with limited occupancies. Still, Adams said he wants to make sure the governor and more local elected officials cannot issue similar orders in the future. He said the Disaster Act of 1975, a Texas law invoked by Abbott when he made his executive orders, goes against a Texas Constitution provision that says only the Texas Legislature has the power to suspend state laws.
Adams
The lawsuit seeks a temporary injunction against Abbott as well as compensatory damages. “Our expectation is that it’ll probably be denied at the first court level,” Adams said. “Our goal is to get the (Texas) Supreme Court to rule that’s all unconstitutional so we don’t have a repeat of this every couple years.” Adams said he thinks the economic damage caused by coronavirus-related restrictions is worse than the upperrespiratory disease, which has infected more than 26,000 Texans and caused at least 690 deaths across the state, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. In Houston and Harris County, officials had reported nearly 6,000 COVID-19 cases and 103 deaths as of Wednesday morning. Abbott said Monday that more than 1.6 million unemployment claims had been processed by the Texas Workforce Commission, which had paid out more than $2 billion in benefits during the pandemic. Adams said some of his insurance clients, namely a business that promotes concerts and other large events, have suffered significant financial losses and been forced to lay off employees. “I hear all the prayers going on. I pray for them, too, the people that have been infected,” Adams said. “The people I don’t hear enough prayers for are all the people that have been laid off. It’s a big, big deal.” Adams said he realizes the impact of COVID-19, in terms of the number of cases and deaths, could be greater if not for the social distancing
the guard. He can appeal to people to make sure, if you’re sick, you don’t go out,” Adams said. “But he can’t order you to shut down and choose which businesses can stay in operation and which ones go out of business. “We’ve been through wars,” Adams added. “People will respond to an appeal. We don’t need an order from a king. That’s what we’ve got right now.”
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