Governor loosens restrictions on restaurants, outdoor activities

Gov. Tate Reeves announces amendments to the safer at home order.

TO OPEN MORE OUTDOOR SPACES.AND WE ARE REVISING IT TO CHANGETHE RESTRICTION ON SOCIALGATHERINGS.TO ALLOW FOR OUTDOOR GATHERINGSONLY OF UP TO 20 PEOPLE THATSHOULD BE A LARGE ENOUGH GROUP.THAT KIDS GET OUT AND SWING ABAT.KICK THEM ALL.OR SHOOT A BASKET.IN THE SUN WITH THEIR TEAMS.YOU CAN GET TOGETHER WITH YOURFAMILY.IT SHOULD HELP PEOPLE START TORETURN TO NORMALCY.IT IS NOT A DIVE INTO THE DEEPEND.IT ALSO STILL REQUIRES YOU.TO BE SMART TO BE DILIGENT IFYOUR KIDS ARE PRACTICING ON THEFIELD STAY IN YOUR CAR.PLEASE DO NOT GATHER IN GROUPS.AROUND EACH OTHER STILL BE SMARTPRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.THIS IS A GOOD FAITH STEP THERIGHT DIRECTIONWE’RE ALSO FOLLOWING SOME OF THEBEST PRACTICES FOR HEALTH ANDSAFETY SAFETY THAT WE HAVE SEEN.AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUNDOUR STATE IN RESTAURANTS.THERE ARE THOUSANDS AROUND THESTATE THAT ARE SET.CLOSE THEIR DOORS FOR GOOD.THEY CANNOT HOLD ON VERY MUCHLONGER.CARRY OUT AND DRIVE THROUGH OURGREAT.IF YOU HAVE A DRIVE-THROUGHWINDOW.MOST FAMILY-OWNED RESTAURANTSNOT SO LUCKY.AND THEIR STAFF HAVE BEENAMONGST THE HARDEST HIT.I AM GOING TO REVISE MY ORDERTODAY.TO ALLOW FOR OUTDOOR AND IN-ROOMDINING WITH STRICT SOCIALDISTANCING GUIDELINES.THERE ARE RULES THAT THEY HAVETO FOLLOW MASK FOR SERVERSTHEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSETABLES.NO MORE THAN FIFTY PERCENTCAPACITY.I KNOW THIS IS NOT AS FAR ASMANY OF YOU WANTED US TO GOTODAY.BUT IT IS A START.WE’LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE ITAND WE’LL MOVE UP FROM HERE WHENTHE TIME IS RIGHT.I HOPE THAT THIS WILL NOT ONLYBE SOME MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF FORTHOSE RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES, BUTALSO PROVIDE SOME HOPE.AND SOME JOY THE PEOPLE OFMISSISSIPPI I ALSO BELIEVE THATIT COULD EVEN HELP IMPROVE.DOING PROVED TO BE ABLE TOIMPROVE SAFETY AS IT POTENTIALLYREDUCES THE OVERCROWDING IN OURGROCERY STORES.WE’RE NOT YET BACK TO NORMAL,BUT WE’RE CLIMBING OUT OF THEDITCH.DAY BY DAY WORKING TOGETHER ANDBEING SMART AND UNDERSTANDINGPERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.WE WILL GET THERE.I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THEFEW INDUSTRIES THAT REMAINSORDERED CLOSED.IT’S ONE THAT I WANT TO OPEN.BADLY IT’S ONE.THEN MY WIFE WANTS ME TO OPEN.BADLY IT’S ONE THAT MANYMISSISSIPPIANS WANT US TO OPENBADLY.AND IT’S OUR BARBERS IN OURSALONS.THESE FOR THE MOST PART ARESMALL FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES.THEY ARE HURTING.I HAVE ASKED OUR HEALTH EXPERTSARE LAWYERS AND INDUSTRY LEADERSA HUNDRED DIFFERENT WAYS.WE MIGHT REOPEN.WE PROBABLY SPENT.MORE TIME ON THIS TOPIC THAN ANYOTHER OVER THE LAST 14 DAYS.BUT I CANNOT DO THAT TODAY.YESTERDAY I LISTENED AS DR.BURKE SAID THAT SHE URGED STATESNOT TO REOPEN SALONS ANDBARBARA’S EVEN IN PHASE ONE ORPHASE TWO OF THEIR REOPEN PLAN.I WANT YOU TO GET BACK TO WORK.BUT I CAN’T PUT THE PEOPLE OFOUR STATE AT UNREASONABLE HEALTHRISK.USO HERE’S WHAT I CAN DO.I’VE INSTRUCTED MY TEAM TO COMEUP WITH A PLAN TO GET SOMESTABILIZATION MONEY OUT TOSALONS AND BARBARA’S FROM THECARES ACT FUNDS.IT WON’T BE ENOUGH TO MAKE UPFOR ALL OF THE PAIN YOU HAVESUFFERED.IT’S NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR YOURABILITY TO EARN A LIVING.IT’S JUST SOMETHING.SOMETHING I CAN DO TO HELP.KEEP YOU STABLE.I WISH.I COULD DO ORE.FOR EVERYONE I CAN DO THIS.WE’RE WORKING ON THE DETAILS ANDTHOSE WILL BE COMING VERY VERYSOON.I DO WANT TO SAY THE PLAN SUCHAS THAT.ARE THREATENED BY THE RECKLESSACTION OF THE MISSISSIPPILEGISLATURE IN A HASTILY CALLEDMEETING LATE ON FRIDAYAFTERNOON.THEY VOTED TO STRIP THEGOVERNOR’S AUTHORITY TO SPENDEMERGENCY FUNDS.FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OURSTATE’S HISTORY.THEY ARE TRYING TO THROW OUT THEPLAYBOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF THISPANDEMIC.THIS MONEY IS THE FIRST TIME.THEY HAVE RAISED A VOICE DURINGTHIS PERIOD OF MANY DISASTERSABOUT LIMITS.AN EMERGENCY POWER IT FEELSLIKE 10 YEARS AGO, BUT JUST AFEW WEEKS AGO.I USED MY EMERGENCY POWERS TOORDER MISSISSIPPIANS TO STAY ATHOME.AND I USED MY EMERGENCY POWERSTO CLOSE, MISSISSIPPIBUSINESSES.I HATED IT.IT HURT ME INSIDE.I WAS DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD.IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA FORREFUSING TO DO IT FOR WEEKS.AND WE LIFTED IT AS SOON AS WEPOSSIBLY COULD.I’VE BEEN ATTACKED.BY MANY ON BOTH SID MY DESIRETO KEEP OUR ECONOMY FULLY OPENFOR AS LONG AS IT WAS SAFE.AND ALSO I’VE BEEN ATTACKED BYTHOSE WHO HAVE SAID WE SHOULDOPEN SOONER.I’VE USED THOSE EMERGENCYPOWERS.IN SUCHA WAY THAT I NEVER EVERIMAGINED.IT’S EXTRAORDINARY POWER.THAT I NEVER ASKED FOR.pAND IT’S EXTRAORDINARY POWERTHAT I NEVER WANTED.I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT WAS WITHINMY AUTHORITY.AND I REALLY COULDN’T BELIEVEpWABUT I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO.AT THAT TI THE MISSISSIPPILEGISLATURE NEVER ONCE EJECTDIDN’T THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?IT MONEY THEY SEND EMERGENCYFUNDS TO HELP US GET SUPPLIESAND AID TO THE VERY PEOPLE WEKNOW WHO NEEDS IT.IN EVERY TYPICAL EMERGENCY THEGOVERNOR AND STATE AGENCIESSPEND FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSETHERE’S NO TIME FOR A HUNDREDSEVENTY FOUR LEGISLATORS TO TAKEWEEKS AND WEEKS AND MONTHS ANDMONTHS ARGUING OVER THEY WHERETHEY WANTED TO GO.IT’S HOW MISSISSIPPI HAS ALWAYSDONE IT?IT’S HOW WE PAY.FOR MORE UNEMPLOYMENT STAFF IT’SHOW WE PAY FOR RELIEF FOR SMALLBUSINESSES.IT’S HOW WE WILL PAY FOR AID TOOUR CITIES.IT’S HOW WE HAVE