Mendocino County is slapping a coastal cafe owner with a $10,000 fine for violating public health orders, the owner of Fiddleheads Cafe, Chris Castleman, is refusing to comply with a countywide order regarding face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He says he's not going to order employees to wear masks, calling it a personal choice.
In response, County Supervisor Ted Williams tells the Press Democrat they don't want to see enforcement against a local business, but out of life and death concern for the vulnerable, compliance is not optional.
Castleman has removed shared condiment, cream, and sugar containers in his restaurant, as required. That's apparently as far as he's able to go at this point. He insists Fiddleheads is too small to create six-foot separation. He's been telling customers to eat somewhere else if they don't like it or encouraging them to just get their food to go.