ST. PAUL – State Rep. Shane Mekeland, R-Clear Lake, issued the following statement Thursday after Gov. Tim Walz indicated his stay-at-home order for Minnesota will be extended to May 18, while allowing more retail businesses to open with restrictions.
“People are desperate to start earning a living again, especially the mom-and-pop shops,” Mekeland said. “Throughout this shutdown, I have said it is an injustice that our smaller retailers were forced to close their doors while the governor allowed the big-box stores to stay open. Our local retailers cannot afford to wait any longer. Curbside service is OK, but this still leaves them at a disadvantage compared with the foot traffic their larger competitors can welcome. When will the governor realize this has gone on long enough and really let people get back to work?
“We are armed with information and best practices procedures to help us re-open while continuing to place a premium on the health and safety of Minnesotans. Some people may not be comfortable patronizing small businesses and that is OK. But, for those who do want to visit those shops, let’s safely re-open Minnesota for business.”
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