Cities ban dining-in at restaurants

Cherokee County cities Canton and Woodstock jointly announced Tuesday they have issued executive orders banning indoor dining at restaurants, a directive aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19.

The orders were to take effect at 12:01 a.m. today and will run through Sunday, April 12, city officials said. Residents are encouraged to use dining alternatives such as takeout, curbside to-go and delivery while the ban is in place.

Also, restaurants that have consumption-on-premises or pouring permits can sell unopened beer and wine with to-go orders of food under prior orders issued by the cities.

“We had hoped that this would be a countywide effort,” Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques said. “Unfortunately, we could not achieve a consensus among other Cherokee cities and the county.”

The dining-in ban does not affect personal care facilities, group homes, assisted living facilities or health care cafeterias, officials said. Information: bit.ly/3agFeVT