Spiffy’s Restaurant gets court hearing over COVID restrictions

Spiffy’s Restaurant in Chehalis will wait one more week to hear if a judge will uphold a state order trying to force the restaurant to stop serving food indoors.

At a Lewis County court hearing Tuesday, Judge Chris Lanese warned the owner of Spiffy’s that he is violating emergency coronavirus rules and could be sent to jail. The judge gave Spiffy’s one week before deciding whether the restraining order demanding it stops indoor service is enforceable.

“Failure to [comply] may result in a order or finding of contempt, which can result in fines or penalties up to $2,000 per day, could include jail time, could include the bringing of charges for a gross misdemeanor, amid other consequences,” Judge Lanese said.

Judge Lanese said the temporary restraining order’s terms will remain in full effect until the decision.

Spiffy’s Restaurant has been offering indoor dining since reopening earlier this month, violating the state’s current COVID restrictions. The state has issued warning notices and fines, and is now asking for a contempt of court order against the restaurant owner.

“I’m elderly, I’m retired, and I’m going to be 81 years old here in another month. And the money that we drew, at least the money that we’ve had for this building and equipment that we own out there, sponsored a lot of Christian organizations and stuff,” Spiffy’s owner Rod Samuelson told the Dori Monson Show in early December. “I don’t want to go into all that, but it’s an important part of our lives and the employees.”

Spiffy’s Restaurant in Chehalis open despite pressure from state officials

In a call to Spiffy’s Restaurant after the court announcement Tuesday, KIRO Radio received a “no comment” about whether or not indoor service will continue.

Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza said in a recent Facebook Live interview that he supports Spiffy’s defiance.

“Their livelihood is based on their business,” Snaza said. “And they’re losing that simply because someone decided to change the rule books.”

Governor Inslee extended the temporary closure of indoor dining and gatherings in Washington to Jan. 4, 2021. However, takeout service at restaurants is permitted, as is outdoor dining with restrictions to include adequate spacing, enhanced cleaning, and capacity limits.

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries says Spiffy’s faces more than $150,000 dollars in fines, and has been hit with a temporary restraining order.

“In the case of Spiffy’s, we’ve used all of the tools we have,” L&I spokesman Tim Church told the Gee & Ursula Show last week. “We’ve cited and fined them, we’ve issued what’s called an order and notice of immediate restraint, and we’ve gone to the local Superior Court, and that court has issued a court order requiring them to follow state requirements. Unfortunately, they still are not, at this point.”

At the time, Church explained that L&I has the ability to go back to the court who issued the temporary restraining order and ask them to issue a motion for contempt of court. That was being considered in at least a few cases, including Spiffy’s.

Church also said some L&I enforcement officers received death threats, were cussed at, and even chased away from Spiffy’s when they showed up to do their job and enforce the state’s COVID restrictions.

WA state employees enforcing COVID rules face threats from armed groups

If the owner of Spiffy’s continues to remain open, ignore the rules, and refuses to pay fines, Church had said criminal charges are certainly a possibility.

The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.

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