Name: Harris County backs down as Hedwig Village restaurant defies stay-at-home order
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Harris County backs down as Hedwig Village restaurant defies stay-at-home order

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This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateWhen Federal American Grill owner Matt Brice opened the doors to his Hedwig Village restaurant for dine-in service at 5 p.m. Friday, he risked a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.At least on paper. No law enforcement officers or agencies attempted to stop or cite Brice for defying Harris County’s stay-at-home order, which limits restaurants to delivery and takeout orders in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.Several agencies, including the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Harris County Fire Marshal, Precinct 5 Constable’s Office and Houston Police Department each said Friday that a different entity was responsible for intervening.Hedwig Village Police Chief David Gott did not respond to a request for comment. At least four of his police officers visited the restaurant Friday afternoon, but declined to say why, other than they had received a call.Diners trickled in after 5 p.m.; those without reservations were turned away. They said they were excited to leave their homes. One carried an anti-Hidalgo sign that read “Democrats Against Lina.”“We are ready to get out and have some fun with our girlfriends,” said Brenda Cheney. “I’ve read all the precautions (Brice) is taking, and I think it’s fabulous.”Brian Muecke, the mayor of the small west Harris County municipality, said on state Sen. Paul Bettencourt’s radio program Friday afternoon that Brice was courageous for reopening the restaurant and he had a 7 p.m. reservation to eat there.Muecke issued a proclamation Friday permitting Hedwig Village restaurants to offer dine-in service. In an interview with the Chronicle, he declined to directly address how that was permissible under Harris County’s stay-at-home order.“It’s up to people like me on the front line to interpret sometimes conflicting and oftentimes ambiguous edicts,” Muecke said.Brice said he defied the stay-home order because he disagreed with the rules. The restaurateur, who said the Federal Grill had lost more than 80 percent of its business under the order, said firms need to reopen soon to avoid closing permanently.“I’m not trying to start a war or defy anybody,” Brice said. “That’s not my intent. Somebody or something has to get this going much faster, and our economy has crashed.”Brice insisted he could provide a safe dining experience, and became the first Harris County business to openly defy the order.The incident served as a reminder that success of coronavirus-related restrictions on public life relies heavily on voluntary compliance.It remains to be seen now whether other restaurants or local businesses will follow suit.Leaders of the Greater Houston Restaurant Association have said the lengthy shutdown could force some of the county’s 13,000 eateries out of business. Attempts to reach the association for comment on the Federal Grill were unsuccessful Friday.First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard said the stay-at-home order is clear: Dine-in service is prohibited.County Judge Lina Hidalgo declined to ask police to cite Brice or Federal Grill for violating the order, which she issued March 24 and expires on April 30. She called Brice’s decision to reopen “dangerous and sad,” as well as unfair to other small businesses.“The reason we haven’t had to use our medical shelter, why it’s not us on the news turning people away from hospitals, is because of all the business owners, the restaurants owners, the community leaders, the everyday people who have been making these sacrifices,” Hidalgo said.She declined to speculate on how the county would handle other businesses that reopen without permission, but said the county is empowered to enforce the order.The section of Texas Local Government Code that allows Hidalgo to declare a disaster and control movement within her jurisdiction states that her authority carries over to the incorporated and unincorporated of the county.Local leaders have faced increasing pressure to lift the county’s restrictions on movement and commerce, which have strangled the economy and left thousands unemployed.Animpromptu groupof 350 local businesses last week called on Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Turner to begin reopening the county on May 1, warning that many companies would not survive more weeks of forced closures.Hidalgo also has faced resistance from Republican elected officials and police unions this week to her order requiring Harris County residents towear masks in publicfor 30 days beginning April 27. Dozens protested outside the downtown county administration building Thursday afternoon.Harris County sheriff’s deputies and Houston Police Department officers will focus on distributingmasks to violatorsrather than issuing citations, city and county leaders said Friday.At the Federal Grill on Friday, Brice gave a reporter a tour of safety improvements staff made to the restaurant. Tables are spaced at least 6 feet apart, patrons are prohibited from approaching the bar and employees wear masks.“We’re really social distancing,” Brice said.zach.despart@chron.commarcy.deluna@chron.com

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateWhen Federal American Grill owner Matt Brice opened the doors to his Hedwig Village restaurant for dine-in service at 5 p.m. Friday, he risked a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.At least on paper. No law enforcement officers or agencies attempted to stop or cite Brice for defying Harris County’s stay-at-home order, which limits restaurants to delivery and takeout orders in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.Several agencies, including the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Harris County Fire Marshal,...

Harris County backs down as Hedwig Village restaurant defies stay-at-home order

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