Barbershop reopens against governor’s order

A Madison barber defied governor’s order and reopens.

MIKE LAND IS CLOSING UPSHOP...HE SAYS HECOULD FIGHT IT BUT IT WOULD COSTTOO MUCHAND TAKE TOO LONG.HE SAYS HE IS JUST HOPING THATTHEGOVERNOR WILL LET SHOPS LIKE HISGEBACK TO BUSINESS SOON.

INMADISON SCOTT SIMMONS 16 WAPTNEWS.PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO TO WORKTHEY HAVE GOT CHILDREN..THEYHAVE NO OTHER INCOME.THERE ARENO EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEENFORCED TO GO TO WORK.

THESE AREALL THE EMPLOYEES HERE THAT WANTTO WORK." BARBER SHOP OWNER MIKELAND SAYS HE HAD ENOUGH OF BEINGOUT OF WORK.

DESPITE THEGOVERNORS ORDER THAT SALONS ANDSHOPS LIKE HIS SHOULD BE SHUTDOWN...HE OPENED FOR BUSINESSAND WAS TAKING A STEADY STREAMOF CUSTOMERS....RIGHT THERE ONBUSY HOY ROAD IN MADISON."AND I TOLD THEM AS LONG AS THEYWANTED TO WORK I WOULD BE THEREFOR THEM AND I WOULD BE HERE TODEFEND THEM.SCOTT SIMMONS:YOU DONOT BELIEVE THE GOVERNOR HAS THERIGHT TO KEEP YOU CLOSED DOYOU?MIKE LAND/BARBER SHOP OWNER: IDO NOT!"WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR ABOUTENFORCING THE SAFER AT HOMEORDER ANDBUSINESSES THAT DEFY IT."SMALL BUSINESSES WANTTO REOPEN, BUT THEY ALSO WANT TODO IT IN A SAFE, RESPONSIBLEWAY.I AM CONVINCED THAT THE VASTMAJORITIES OF SMALL BUSINESSESARE DOING THAT, AND IF THEY ARENOT, PLEASE LET LOCALAUTHORITIES OR US KNOW."MADISON POLICE GOT THE WORD ANDSERVTHE OWNER WITH A CITATION AND AWARNING...TO STOP OR ELSCHIEF GENE WALDROP/MADISONPOLICE: THEY COULD CERTIANLYFACE MISDEAMNOR PER DAY RATE IFWE WANTS TO GO AGAINST TEXECUTIVE ORDER HOW MUCH COULDTHE PENALTY BE?

500 DOLLARS FOREACH OFFENSE."WE ARE SIMPLY IN BUSINESS TOMAKEA LIVING.

WE HAVE BEEN CLOSEDFOR6 WEEKS WITHOUT AN INCOME WEHAVE 17 EMPLOYEES ANDNONE OF THEM HAVE GOTTEN A PENNYOF UNEMPLOYMENFOR 6 WEEKS.

WE ARE JUST TRYINGTO MAKE A LIVING." HE SAYS HE IS JUST HOPING THATTHEGOVERNOR WILL LET SHOPS LIKE HISGETBACK TO BUSINESS SOON.

INMADISON SCOTT SIMMONS 16 WAPT HERE ARE TODAY'S COVID-19NUMBERS IN MISSISSIP