American Legion Post 28 circulates petition

A petition asking Gov. John Carney to lift restrictions on small businesses is circulating at American Legion Post 28 near Oak Orchard, with a drive-up and sign event planned for 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11, at the post.

Post Commander Jim Beattie said the post started the campaign to protest the emergency order that has limited businesses, restaurants and bars to 30 percent of fire code capacity – a number detrimental to business, particularly during this busy time of year.

Beattie said he has searched extensively through the Delaware Division of Public Health and governor's office sites to locate metrics showing that bars, restaurants and games are highly linked to spreading the COVID-19 virus but has found none. “Having reduced the number of individuals within an establishment not to exceed 30 percent and capping at 50 is outlandish. There has been no consistency from this governor on treating all businesses in Delaware equally. These latest non-consistent modification restrictions are devastating to organizations like the American Legion who have, and continue to, fight for freedom,” he said.

Beattie pointed out a recent photo of a packed food court at Christiana Mall that showed people sitting side-by-side, some with no face coverings. “Did they get fined like the post?” he asked, referring to a $1,000 fine the post received for a Bike Week event held in September.

Lisa Schumann, events coordinator for the post, said no small businesses can survive on a 30 percent capacity restriction. “You can’t live on 30 percent,” she said.

Normally, Schumann said, the holiday months are busy with parties and activities that are a financial boost to businesses and organizations, helping them get through the slow months that follow. At the post, she said, they had to cancel their annual New Year’s celebration that hosts about 250 people. “We’ll be open, but we’re calling it a Misfit New Year,” she said, in reference to the Island of Misfit Toys in the holiday film favorite “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The petition asks Carney to release data that shows bars, restaurants and small businesses are causing COVID-19 spread, and it asks that small businesses be allowed to operate at least at 60 percent of the allowable fire code capacity.

The legion also asks people to sign the petition to allow places of worship to operate without restrictions.

“The guidelines are so confusing,” Schumann said. “It’s not across the board, and it’s so wishy-washy.”

The Drive-up & Sign Petition Event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11, at American Legion Post 28, 31768 Legion Road, Millsboro.