Local Eateries, Gyms, Government Offices Open
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Adden Zanghi spots Dane Corbin while lifting weights at Code Blue gym, which reopened Monday, May 4. Bob Henline | The Cordell Beacon
With the continued implementation of the governor’s plan to reopen Oklahoma’s economy, local eateries, gyms, and even some government offices are opening back up to the public.
Cordell’s Code Blue gym was one of the businesses to reopen their doors to the public on Monday. They had been closed since the city enacted its first emergency ordinance back in mid-March.
“Code Blue is super excited to be open again,” said owner Jason Dudgeon. “The break was nice but it’s time to get back to focusing on our community’s health and fitness. Class sizes are being adjusted and all of our athletes are working very hard to help keep everything wiped down and sprayed to keep it clean.”
Local restaurateur Terry Jones, owner of Sunshine Cafe, said he was happy to see things getting closer to normal.
“It was great having the guys back in here for breakfast,” he said. “They’ll sit here and talk and argue about just about anything and everything, it just cracks me up. One of them was telling me he didn’t enjoy eating breakfast at home because there wasn’t anybody to argue with.”
Jones said he’d already received a visit from the health inspector, who confirmed that his seating changes were in compliance with the Department of Health’s social distancing guidelines.
During Monday’s meeting, the Board of County Commissioners voted to reopen the county courthouse. Each of the elected officials will be determining their own rules for social distancing and operating by appointment. County Clerk Kristen Dowell told the commissioners that her office is ready to end the reduced staffing levels that were imposed by the county’s response to the coronavirus. County Treasurer Sheri Nightengale and County Assessor Krystle Uecke agreed.
The City of Cordell is not planning to change its response to COVID-19. According to city administrator J.C. Moser, the city plans to continue operating as it has for the past several weeks, keeping the office doors closed to the general public but being available by phone to provide for residents’ needs while protecting the health and safety of city employees.