Some local bars reopen immediately after Supreme Court ruling
OSHKOSH (WLUK) -- After the Wisconsin Supreme Court's rule striking down Gov. Tony Evers' "Safer at Home" extension, bars were already open.
A simple Facebook post saying "We're open," is all it took for customers to start pouring into Andy's Pub and Grub in Oshkosh.
"I am more than happy to be back," Brian Korth, a regular at Andy's, said. "Facebook, I'm like.. open? Time to go! It's a sense of happiness for a lot of people. Just to get back and see old friends again."
Bartender Tracey Salentine is thrilled with the ruling.
"That was a huge adjustment to go from having most of your sales be alcohol to all food," Salentine said.
Salentine says loyal customers kept them afloat.
The Tavern League of Wisconsin has been pushing to reopen for weeks.
"They're seeing their livelihoods melt away before their lives, and they were helpless to do anything about it," Pete Madland, Tavern League of Wisconsin Executive Director, told FOX 11.
But not everyone has jumped on board.
While this bar is open, several other Oshkosh and Appleton bars have posted on Facebook that they haven't made a decision to reopen yet.
But, Appleton bars had the decision made for them late Wednesday night. The city's health department has issued its own 'Safer At Home' order to keep them closed until May 20.
"So the decisions will be with local health departments at this point, and I think honestly that's the place where it should be," Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, told FOX 11.
Steineke says he is happy with the court's decision.
"Hopefully now with the court acting, it will force the two sides together to work in a bipartisan fashion. Because that's really what we're asking for," Steineke said.
State Rep. Amanda Stuck, D-Appleton, says the ruling doesn't surprise her.
"We were already really at the point where the governor started to reopen a few things. The stages of starting to talk about how we slowly reopen, so I think that truly we were kind of at that spot anyway and ready to have the conversation anyway," Stuck said.
Steineke says Republicans will be meeting with the governor soon.
Some bars in Brown County had a similar experience Wednesday, opening briefly before local stay-at-home orders were issued.
