Growing List of Central Minnesota Bars Plan Monday Reopenings

UNDATED -- There's a growing list of bar and restaurant owners in Stearns County that say they plan to open their businesses this Monday, even if Governor Tim Walz extends his executive orders that have restricted them to take out and deliver orders only for nearly two months since March 17th.

Last week we told you Kris Schiffler announced plans to open his six Shady's bar locations on Monday.

On social media, several other businesses including Searles on Fifth Avenue in St. Cloud, Bello Cucina in St. Joseph, Rookies Sports Bar in Albany, Stoney's Bar in Rockville, Grumpy's in Cold Spring and the Side Bar in Cold Spring say they plan to open their doors as well. (There may be others that we haven't been made aware of yet.)

Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka says his department is only responsible for communities that don't have a police department. He says his deputies won't go out looking for violators of the executive orders, but they will have to respond to any complaints they receive. He says so far his department has not had to issue any citations.

The Governor is expected to make an announcement regarding the Stay At Home order at some point this week.

Stearns County continues to have the second most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases only behind Hennepin County.