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Maumee bar responds to concerns about not following state health orders

Dale's Bar and Grill thanked customers in a post on Facebook for supporting the business exercising 'constitutional rights' by not requiring employees wear masks.

MAUMEE, Ohio — Dale's Bar and Grill in downtown Maumee is thanking its customers for their support in a new social media post, after causing a stir over the weekend when a video was released showing employees without masks and not enforcing social distancing during an Ohio State football game.

RELATED: Video shows Maumee bar with employees not wearing masks, no social distancing during Ohio State game

The owner, Bill Anderson, took to Facebook to express his gratitude for people supporting how he is running his business, which includes not following parts of the state's health orders for businesses like the requirement to wear masks.

Local health officials and Ohio Investigative Unit agents tell us they are investigating complaints they've received about Dale's.

Meanwhile, Anderson said in the post that he will continue to operate his business as he "sees fit, within state laws."

Anderson declined to go on camera, but said he's been overwhelmed by the level of support he's received on social media. He says he doesn't want to speak on it right now, as he has customers on both sides of the issue.

Some of the customers at Dale's say they don't mind that the bar isn't following state health orders.

"They put it on the sign on the door that this is their stance, if they have a health condition, they don't have to wear it," said one Dale's customer, who did not want to be identified. "So if they you're uncomfortable about eating in that diner, you can choose to come in."

But away from the business, some Maumee residents we spoke to don't agree.

"There's no reason for the employees to not wear a mask," said Alex Luster. "It's just that much safer and at very little cost to them in any meaningful way."

Toledo-Lucas County Health Department Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski said they have received complaints about Dale's.

"We are looking at Dale's and trying to work with them to improve their response to COVID," Zgodzinski said.

The Ohio Investigative Unit has also received complaints directly from people on Dale's and plan to follow up.

"Any complaint that the Ohio Investigative Unit receives, if it falls under our scope, we send an agent to go out and investigate that," OIU commander Eric Wolf said.

Health officials say businesses are individuals, too, and all of us have to do more as individuals to stop the spread of the virus.

"I don't think that we can afford to be like relaxed," a Maumee resident said. "This is a fight that everyone needs to be together in this fight."

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