KLAMATH, Ca. (KIEM)-The owners of a Klamath diner, who in a defiant move opened for dine-in patrons, was served with cease and desist orders from the Yurok Tribe, and the Del County Sheriff’s Office by the county health department.
“Dine-in is a violation,” said Chief Greg O’Rourke with the Yurok Tribal Police Chief
A violation Del Norte County and the Yurok Tribe addressed in the form of a cease and desist order, which allows a court or government agency the right to legally enforce someone or a business to stop engaging in a particular activity, in this case, going against state and county orders by allowing customers to dine-in.
O’rourke says it’s not about stopping a business from thriving, it’s about protecting their most vulnerable.
“And we know that the Covid attacks the respiratory system and that can potentially have a major impact on our elders,” he said.
The Tribe according to O’rourke says social distancing is the best practice to prevent the spread.
Sherry Scott, who co-owns the Log Cabin Diner says the fight is not with the Yurok Tribe.
“Our fight is with the state and the county we had no intention of fighting with our tribal neighbors,” she said.
To avoid conflict and come to a peaceful resolution will work closely with the council members and the police at this point to come up with an agreement, according to Scott.
Co-owner Sherry Scott says the “shelter-in-place order” should not be a one size fits all, her business is not open all year round.
And if she can’t open, there is a chance the diner will never re-open, despite that, Scott is willing to compromise for the time being.
“They have asked us to give them one week, if we will comply to take out and delivery only,” Scott said. “And we are working with doing some things that may be helping deliver food to the elders.”
Scott says opening to dine-in customers is about making a statement
“You don’t make a statement by doing what you’re told,” she said. “You do a statement by standing for something. “
In a phone conference, lasting almost an hour, the Yurok counsel informed the owners of log cabin if they do not comply with their health and safety guidelines they will move forward with legal action, according to Sherry Scott.
The owners say the Yurok Tribe is unwilling to meet them in the middle on what they’d like to see happen. For now, Scott says her and her weighing their options.
Redwood News was unable to reach the Yurok Tribe for comment pertaining to the phone conference in time for this report.
