BAR RESTRICTIONS REACTIONS

FOUR TOTAL INTERVIEWS - MAYOR GILICH

Wednesday bar owners and- employees gathered at the - steps of biloxi city hall to- speak out against the city's- late night alcohol sales- restrictions.

- news 25's grace boyles caught u- with a biloxi bar owner to- get their reactions to the- mandate.- - skal axe throwing opened- its doors in biloxi on january- 24th 20-20, only to have to - close - its doors in march for eight- weeks due to the coronavirus- pandemic.

- when bars and resturants were - finally able to re-open, skal - was not.

The biloxi business wa- considered entertainment- under the statewide mandate,- like the casinos.

- daniel mcnatt, skal axe throwin- owner: "we made a transition an hired staff for - overnight bar service in order- to try and keep our bills paid- and lights on."

Biloxi bars and restaurants are- currently mandated by the - city to stop selling, serving,- or distributing alcohol between- 11:00pm and 7:00am.

- - - - andrew "fofo" gilich, mayor o biloxi: "but the governor has indicated that the- close contact of the bars in- operation is counterproductive- to what we're trying to do- - - - and that's shut this virus- down."

For bar employees with late - night shifts like vanessa - aucoin, the city's mandate has- taken a toll on their - livelihoods.- vanessa aucoin, skal late night- bartender: "it's taken my entir shift away.

I work- 10:30pm to 6am and now that's - gone, so, um, basically for the- last two weeks i- haven't had an income at all."

Reportedly, the mississippi - - - - gaming commission has instructe- all casinos to follow the - executive order - governor tate reeves issued in- regards to bars and restaurants- however, the casino floor is no- a bar or resturant.

- jerod campbell, skal late night- barback: "it's definitely - - - affected me now because i'm out- of work because of this and, yo- know, mean while, the casinos - are allowed to- do exactly what we were doing - and they're staying open and th- rest of us, like me and - vanessa are out of work now - because of this and it's just - not fair."

The mayor's executive order wen- into effect on august 5th - and will remain in effect until- august 17th unless there is - an extension.

- andrew "fofo" gilich, mayor o biloxi: "the night scene is something we want to- return to normal this just- happens to be, you know, an - obstacle or thorn to get back t- - - - normal."

In biloxi, grace boyles, news - 25.

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