For The Time Being, Bars Are Still Closed In Potter County

News came out today that Potter County will be keeping its bars closed for now. This according to a statement from Judge Nancy Turner.

It's not surprising really, considering the decision to ramp up Amarillo's Covid-19 status to level red. You can get details on that here.

It's been a tough year for small businesses of all kinds. The shutdown. The guidelines that seemed to be constantly changing for most of the summer. Yet, it's bars that seem to be targeted the hardest.

The thing that makes it really hard to deal with as an outsider looking in, is that bars can be open if they adhere to certain guidelines and serve food. That last part has had people scratching their head since it was announced.

It's not that I'm desperately waiting to go back to the bar. My heart goes out to the owners and the employees who are affected by these decisions when the business isn't able to adapt for whatever reason.

The confusing part to me is why bars are still told to close. There are so many work-arounds available for them to open back up, it almost seems like a hollow decision.

There have been stories of bars serving hot dogs, getting air fryers, making sandwiches, and a whole other list of changes. They've changed the way they serve their customers. Still choosing to target bars just doesn't seem to make much sense.

For those who own bars that aren't able to reopen by adjusting their business, my heart goes out to you and your employees. Hopefully soon something changes and you're able to go back to your livelihood, if it's still possible.