A North Carolina judge issued an injunction allowing bowling alleys to reopen during COVID-19, despite executive orders to the contrary. | Stock Photo
A North Carolina judge issued an injunction allowing bowling alleys to reopen during COVID-19, despite executive orders to the contrary. | Stock Photo
While bars, amusement parks and gyms are closed, bowling alleys received court-ordered permission to reopen, Carolina Journal reported.
Bowling Proprietors Association was granted a preliminary injunction from North Carolina Business Court Judge James Gale following Gov. Roy Cooper’s order that shut down businesses in mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carolina Journal reported on July 7. Gale’s decision allows bowling alleys to operate if they comply with safety guidelines such as social distancing, lane and equipment cleaning after each use and occupancy limits.
Republican lawmakers have largely backed efforts in multiple forums to force or require Cooper to reopen all of North Carolina's businesses that remain closed because of his executive order related to COVID-19.
In response to the judge's injunction, Rep. Kelly Hastings said in a Facebook post on July 8 that "This judicial decision is good news, but there probably will be an appeal by the left. ... Months ago, instead of wasting time, I advised many who wanted to reopen that they would most likely have standing to challenge the orders. I knew we did not have the votes to override Cooper's vetoes.”
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