Menominee order closes gambling, bars

Gambling on the Menominee Reservation has been closed and restrictions have been imposed on restaurants, bars and other businesses in an emergency order by the Menominee Indian Tribe ‘s COVID-19 incident command.

Incident command also ordered public safety actions within businesses, in response to growing public health threat posed by COVID-19, according to their press release Friday afternoon.

The two emergency orders are the latest action of the tribe’s COVID-19 esponse. Tribal leaders stand in full support of these orders, an incident command spokesperson reported.

“Public safety is the tribe’s incident command’s number one priority,” said Chairwoman Joan Delabreau in the release. “As we continue to understand the impact of COVID-19, limiting community engagement is intended to support slowing the spread of this virus.

“COVID-19 remains widespread in our communities, putting lives and public health at risk. We have to continue to keep doing the things that are helping to protect such as wearing a mask, staying physically distant, avoiding activities that lead to gathering, and staying home as much as possible.”

Emergency Order 2 orders the closing of casino gaming operations, bars and restaurant and farmers markets, starting July 31, 5 p.m., until Aug. 11: Menominee Casino Resort and Thunderbird gaming are closed except for the following: Restaurants within the gaming establishments shall only be available for curbside takeout; casino gift shop; and Thunderbird C-Store. Bars shall only be available for curbside takeout.

All bars and restaurants and farmers markets are closed, except for such business may provide for curbside takeout of food only. This will remain in effect until Aug. 11 unless otherwise renewed by the emergency management coordinator.

Emergency Order 3 orders all establishments, institutions, businesses, offices, stores, and organizations to institute certain public health measures:

• Restrict the number of customers inside their place of business at any one time so that each customer is enabled to distance themselves at least six feet from any other person.

• Require all individuals ages 5 and older to wear masks covering their mouth and nose while inside the place of business.

• Institute temperature screenings for all individuals prior to entering their place of business and restrict any individual from entering whose temperature is 100.4 or above.

• Persons or groups who violate this order may be fined up to $500 per infraction.

• This order is in place from 5 p.m. on July 31 and expires at the expiration of the declared state of emergency unless ordered by the active emergency management coordinator.

These emergency orders follow Menominee Tribe COVID-19 incident command issue of Emergency Order 1 establishing a curfew July 29 through Aug. 31 from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The Menominee Tribal Legislature declared a state of emergency on March 12 in an effort to minimize the threat of a potential outbreak and spread of COVID-19 on tribal land. This emergency declaration authorizes an emergency incident command to centralize the tribe’s COVID-19 response efforts, and have authorization to utilize all necessary resources and to issue necessary emergency orders to protect the community.