Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski has issued an emergency declaration temporarily modifying hours of all classed liquor license holders, to include bars, bar/restaurants and offsale to close daily at 11:00 PM. This action goes into effect this evening, Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 11 PM.
The Mayor has been in the communication with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, regarding the measures to mitigate against the spread of the virus.
“With the exponential increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks among the 20-29 age population, this is a necessary action,” said Mayor Bochenski.
“I’ve always been and always will be a champion for business, individual freedom and personal responsibility. However, the recent spike has gotten us to the point where limiting the opportunities for mass congregations of people in close quarters has become necessary,” said Mayor Bochenski.
“This is a decision that is being made with the long term health and well-being of our community in mind,” says Mayor Bochenski. “These high case numbers are alarming and we can’t let this get out of hand. Protecting our hospital system and our most vulnerable populations is critical and this is something we will need to do for the short term future to meet those ends.”
“This is not the only thing we can do as a Grand Forks population. All of our mitigation efforts have always been important and they are even more important now; washing your hands, physical distancing, wearing a mask when appropriate, and sanitizing frequently used surfaces. We need to be intentional and focus on doing these things. This will help us slow the spread and get us back.”
Information about COVID-19 is available atwww.grandforksgov.com/
If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms or have questions about screening for COVID-19 testing, please do not go to your health care provider but call the Altru hotline at (701) 780-5863.
