Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) on Saturday called on Governor Kay Ivey’s administration to reopen the state.
Ainsworth has been an outspoken leader on prudently reopening Alabama’s economy, with his Alabama Small Business Commission Emergency Task Force’s “Subcommittee to Reopen the Economy” weeks ago releasing its “Reopening Alabama Responsibly Phase One” plan that would have seen many sectors get back to work immediately, with others opening May 1.
Ivey’s new “Safer-at-Home” order went into effect Thursday, April 30, at 5:00 p.m. CT, however that order left closed many local businesses that Ainsworth’s subcommittee recommended be reopened already. This includes Ivey’s order continuing to close onsite dining at restaurants, as well as the continued shuttering of close-contact services such as barbershops and nail salons.
While the governor’s latest order expires at 5:00 p.m. on May 15, Ainsworth has made it clear that Ivey should not wait that long to continue to reopen more small businesses that have been crippled by the government’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Open Up Alabama safely, it’s past time,” Ainsworth tweeted on Saturday.
The lieutenant governor also shared an article from WALA that detailed Baldwin County lifeguards have reported no issues with social distancing since the state’s public beaches reopened Thursday evening.
“It was great, I thought it would be more crowded than it was but it was beautiful,” one beachgoer told the TV outlet. “Everyone kept their distance.”
Love to see social distancing being practiced at the beach. ? pic.twitter.com/GjqMyxdBID
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) May 1, 2020
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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