Michigan restaurant owner's appeal denied over defied COVID restrictions

The Michigan Court of Appeals denied a restaurant owner's challenges to sanctions levied against her for defying COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, owner of Marlena's Bistro in Holland, Mich. had challenged the suspension of her food license and asked the appeals court to dismiss two contempt of court charges against her.

"None of Pavlos-Hackney’s arguments have merit, and we affirm," the court said last week, according to local outlet MLive.

Pavlos-Hackney was warned multiple times in 2020 that her dining room did not comply with pandemic health restrictions, and she was ultimately arrested, fined $15,000, jailed for five days, and her restaurant was closed for five months.

The restaurant reopened in September 2021, but Pavlos-Hackney  continued to fight the charges against her, according to "The Holland Sentinel."

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