Montgomery Mayor's Stupid Decision

[Grumps 3,704]

https://www.alabamanews.net/2020/04/03/city-of-montgomery-to-limit-large-retailer-occupancy/

City of Montgomery to Limit Large Retailer Occupancy

Posted: Apr 3, 2020 9:31 AM CDT

Updated: Apr 3, 2020 1:13 PM CDT

 

Starting Friday, the City of Montgomery is limiting how many customers can be inside a store at once.

The directive allows up to 50 customers inside at once and includes large retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. It also only pertains to retailers inside the city limits.

The Office of Mayor Steven Reed released this statement to Alabama News Network:

“The Governor’s Order limits public gatherings of 10 people or more. However, our police have been given the latitude to allow larger stores to have up to 50 people, at their discretion and as long as order is maintained. We hope that there will eventually be a statewide order that will clarify this issue for the entire state of Alabama, but in the meantime, we are going to do whatever is necessary to protect the lives and well-being of the citizens of Montgomery.”

As of Friday morning, there are 1,315 cases of COVID-19 in Alabama and 21 people have died.

[Grumps 3,704]

The mayor apparently determined that people in a store is a public gathering. Now the police are at many of the larger stores and there are long lines outside all of the grocery stores and Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Yesterday, it was illegal for hundreds of people to gather outside of a store. Now the police are forcing people to gather outside of the stores!

Mayor Steven Reed  better fix this quickly or he will have just committed political suicide.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

12 minutes ago, Grumps said:

The mayor apparently determined that people in a store is a public gathering. Now the police are at many of the larger stores and there are long lines outside all of the grocery stores and Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Yesterday, it was illegal for hundreds of people to gather outside of a store. Now the police are forcing people to gather outside of the stores!

Mayor Steven Reed  better fix this quickly or he will have just committed political suicide.

This is standard around the country right now.  Here in Austin, you can't even go inside a Best Buy.  Everything is curbside pick-up.  Home Depot or Lowe's is limiting the amount of people inside.  So are convenience stores.

HEB, our biggest grocery store here, has been limiting the amount of people in it for two weeks now.  There are lines at all times to get in.

I would tell you Montgomery is behind the curve on this.  Nothing stupid about it.

[Grumps 3,704]

So there are long lines outside of grocery stores in your area with only 10 people allowed inside? Is that really standard?

[Grumps 3,704]

[AUFAN78 3,926]

1 hour ago, Grumps said:

The mayor apparently determined that people in a store is a public gathering. Now the police are at many of the larger stores and there are long lines outside all of the grocery stores and Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Yesterday, it was illegal for hundreds of people to gather outside of a store. Now the police are forcing people to gather outside of the stores!

Mayor Steven Reed  better fix this quickly or he will have just committed political suicide.

I went to a local grocer earlier and it was sparse with adequate social distancing for the most part. Workers in gloves and masks made things a bit more comforting. Then I get to checkout and there are lines? A better plan should be in order in my opinion. No lines without social distancing period! And then the checkout clerk has red eyes and cough? Seriously? That's nuts! Staying 6 feet from her was nearly impossible. IMO the manager should be fired. 

[Grumps 3,704]

People in grocery stores have been doing very well at keeping safe distances from my experience. Where are the people going to line up when it rains?

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

6 minutes ago, Grumps said:

So there are long lines outside of grocery stores in your area with only 10 people allowed inside? Is that really standard?

Yup.  For about the last two weeks its been that way.  Saw it with my own eyes today.  People were standing in the rain at noon on a Friday to get into HEB.

It's why I go to the "more expensive" grocery store.  Cost me a few extra bucks, but I can walk in and out without waiting in a line.

[Grumps 3,704]

Just now, Brad_ATX said:

Yup.  Saw it with my own eyes today.  People were standing in the rain at noon on a Friday to get into HEB.

It's why I go to the "more expensive" grocery store.  Cost me a few extra bucks, but I can walk in and out without waiting in a line.

Just to clarify, you are saying that 10 people in a large grocery store or a Home Depot is normal in your area? I am glad to know that Montgomery isn't the only place stupid enough to make people gather outside instead of inside!

[AUFAN78 3,926]

BTW, Alabama Governor just issued stay at home order.

[Grumps 3,704]

Just now, AUFAN78 said:

BTW, Alabama Governor just issued stay at home order.

That's a good thing!

[AUFAN78 3,926]

1 minute ago, Grumps said:

That's a good thing!

I think so, for a few weeks anyway. Stay safe brother!

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 minute ago, Grumps said:

Just to clarify, you are saying that 10 people in a large grocery store or a Home Depot is normal in your area? I am glad to know that Montgomery isn't the only place stupid enough to make people gather outside instead of inside!

Yes.  It's not just here.  It's quite literally that way in most major cities across the country and has been for at least a week or two.

As usual, Montgomery is behind the curve.  Been that way my whole life with that town (I grew up there FYI.)

[Grumps 3,704]

4 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Yes.  It's not just here.  It's quite literally that way in most major cities across the country and has been for at least a week or two.

As usual, Montgomery is behind the curve.  Been that way my whole life with that town (I grew up there FYI.)

Here is what I found about grocery stores in Austin:

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/city-of-austin-forces-grocery-stores-to-go-the-extra-step-for-social-distancing/

The article doesn't say anything about limiting stores to only 10 people (or 25 or 50). Montgomery has been practicing the 6ft rule for a while. Maybe we are not as behind as we were when you were here!

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

2 minutes ago, Grumps said:

Here is what I found about grocery stores in Austin:

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/city-of-austin-forces-grocery-stores-to-go-the-extra-step-for-social-distancing/

The article doesn't say anything about limiting stores to only 10 people (or 25 or 50). Montgomery has been practicing the 6ft rule for a while. Maybe we are not as behind as we were when you were here!

Here's one from San Antonio.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/03/20/saq-why-are-some-grocery-stores-only-allowing-a-certain-number-of-people-in-at-a-time/

And Odessa

https://www.cbs7.com/content/news/H-E-B-tries-to-limit-crowds-by-forming-line-outside-store-568979551.html

And Beaumont

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/SE-Texas-judges-to-limit-stores-to-one-adult-per-15156362.php

Again, saw it with my own eyes today.  Line at HEB in the rain for people to get in.  That's been the case here for at least two weeks now.  Some stores are also doing "senior citizen hours" a couple of times per week to help protect them from larger crowds and wait times. 

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

Mississippi's order literally just went into effect. I am working out of my office on the MS coast, as opposed to staying in Louisiana. 

According to MS's executive order, all public beaches will remain closed to the public until no sooner than April 20th. Bearing that in mind, the order also defines what constitutes "permitted activity" - under which persons are permitted to leave their house for the "gathering of essential food."

I may drag my kayak across the beach tomorrow and go fishing, with the intent to eat whatever I catch - assuming I catch legal fish. Intriguing, right? 

[AUFAN78 3,926]

I'm just glad the butcher was in. I have 5  2 inch thick ribeyes going on the grill shortly with a case of beer and a bottle of bourbon. Ya'll stay safe! 78 out!

[augolf1716 21,303]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

This is standard around the country right now.  Here in Austin, you can't even go inside a Best Buy.  Everything is curbside pick-up.  Home Depot or Lowe's is limiting the amount of people inside.  So are convenience stores.

HEB, our biggest grocery store here, has been limiting the amount of people in it for two weeks now.  There are lines at all times to get in.

I would tell you Montgomery is behind the curve on this.  Nothing stupid about it.

Orlando pretty much the same except Publix has no limits on the number of people now Trader Joes, 3 blocks from our condo, has a limit of 10 at a time with multiple canopies set up for people to stay out of the sun/rain

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

25 minutes ago, AUFAN78 said:

I'm just glad the butcher was in. I have 5  2 inch thick ribeyes going on the grill shortly with a case of beer and a bottle of bourbon. Ya'll stay safe! 78 out!

I'll be over, socially distanced of course, in 10!

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

28 minutes ago, NolaAuTiger said:

Mississippi's order literally just went into effect. I am working out of my office on the MS coast, as opposed to staying in Louisiana. 

According to MS's executive order, all public beaches will remain closed to the public until no sooner than April 20th. Bearing that in mind, the order also defines what constitutes "permitted activity" - under which persons are permitted to leave their house for the "gathering of essential food."

I may drag my kayak across the beach tomorrow and go fishing, with the intent to eat whatever I catch - assuming I catch legal fish. Intriguing, right? 

You can still play golf here, but it depends on the county.  No sharing of carts, tee times booked online, etc.

[augolf1716 21,303]

1 minute ago, Brad_ATX said:

I'll be over, socially distanced of course, in 10!

Skrew it if its rib eyes I'm not worried about 6' for one night

[augolf1716 21,303]

1 minute ago, Brad_ATX said:

You can still play golf here, but it depends on the county.  No sharing of carts, tee times booked online, etc.

You can play here as well but the resort courses are all closed due to all the resorts being closed, Disney, Universal, Sea world  etc etc

[jared52 4,354]

1 hour ago, AUFAN78 said:

BTW, Alabama Governor just issued stay at home order.

Which includes an order to limit to 50 people in any business at a time. So this order is now state-wide. 
 

All I know is no matter what decisions are made, there is a loud group ready to shout about how wrong it is. I’ve not seen one thing around this situation that has brought people together. Our nation and maybe our world (at least the developed world) is no longer capable of coming together and it’s so terribly sad to see. 

[creed 1,650]

8 minutes ago, jared52 said:

Which includes an order to limit to 50 people in any business at a time. So this order is now state-wide. 
 

All I know is no matter what decisions are made, there is a loud group ready to shout about how wrong it is. I’ve not seen one thing around this situation that has brought people together. Our nation and maybe our world (at least the developed world) is no longer capable of coming together and it’s so terribly sad to see. 

Kudos. Everyone wants to question every decision. Even if it has good merits because someone is for instance going to have to stand in a line or a little rain....bunch of pansies or snowflakes. Weakness is ruining our country. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

1 hour ago, Grumps said:

That's a good thing!

Heads up...people will still go about their normal lives. We are finally getting police presence in parks because parents are letting their kids continue to play on playground equipment that has be taped off. Stay at home is meaningless without repercussions, as if a highly infectious deadly virus wasn’t enough.