Posted on 05/21/2020 6:30:18 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
The owner of a borough shop has been charged with conducting business in violation of state orders after having been previously warned by police.
According to a press release issued by the Bernardsville Police Department on Wednesday, May 20, police initially received a complaint regarding ongoing business operations at the Country Home Store at 21 Olcott Square at 1:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 16.
Later in the day, at 3:07 p.m., the department received a second complaint related to ongoing business operations at the same location reportedly in violation of executive orders for nonessential business operations
After receiving the second complaint, Patrolman Steven Seiple and Chief Kevin Valentine responded to the business to investigate. Observation and discussion at the scene led officers to determine that the store was open for retail operations and was operating in violation of executive orders, police said.
The store owner, Katherine Hermes of Peapack, was advised by officers of the provisions of the executive orders governing businesses that restricted retail store operations at the present time. Police said she was advised that curbside delivery of retail goods would be commencing soon and that her business could soon operate according to the provisions of that new executive order.
Hermes was ordered to cease her current retail operations and requested to comply with executive orders. The store owner agreed to comply but, according to police, indicated she was not in agreement with the need for the restrictions. She further related that she was making arrangements to begin virtual sales and curbside pickups in the near future.
There were no formal charges filed as a result of these complaints, but the matter was referred to the borough code enforcement officer to investigate possible code violations regarding a table that was displaying merchandise on the sidewalk in front of the store.
On Tuesday May 19, at about 2:50 p.m., Detective Sgt. Daniel Buttel observed retail operations taking place inside the store in violation of Executive Order No. 142. Specifically, two customers were observed exiting the rear of the Country Home store after purchasing goods inside.
Further investigation corroborated that a retail sale had occurred inside the store. The matter was referred to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office for review with a request for charges to be authorized.
After charges were authorized for this incident on Wednesday, May 20, Hermes was charged with a disorderly persons offense specifically by “opening a non-essential retail store to the public in violation of paragraph 9A of Executive Order #142.”
Later on Tuesday May 19, at 9 p.m., Bernardsville police received another complaint regarding business operations at Country Home. The caller specifically stated that there were shoppers in the store.
Officer Tyler Demott responded and found that Hermes and another employee were holding a Facebook Live sale from inside the store, according to the press release. There were no customers within the store.
"The members of the police department are sympathetic to the difficulties facing our community and officers try to solicit compliance with executive orders that are in place to protect the health and safety of all citizens,'' he said. "When a complaint is made we investigate it and take action.”
Valentine said that “most businesses are cooperative and try to comply with the guidance provided in the executive orders.
"However, if we observe blatant violations in defiance of orders, especially after warnings are issued, the appropriate summonses will be issued.”
I can’t speak to the specifics of this locale but my understanding is that stores have been permitted to operate curbside transactions in different states and I’ve certainly seen businesses livestreaming an hour or so in a store to highlight merchandise.
If the shopkeeper was strictly engaging in ebay sales by mail would there still be a criminal or civil charge? If not why not?
Ve vere yust followink orders!!
Apparently the local PD is ignorant of history.
>>table that was displaying merchandise on the sidewalk in front of the store
I’ve seen restaurants doing this with their “to go” alcohol drinks during this lockdown.
What’s the problem?
It is curbside.
Streaming online and being shut down for conducting business, period - not even conducting business in violation of any safety protocols - if you’re selling, it’s illegal.
Sue.
The headline...does not match the story.
Article doesn’t support headline.
Article says she was charged for the offense of having customers inside the store during the restricted period.
It does say officers responded a second time on Tuesday to a complaint filed, which turned out to be the facebook event. But it doesn’t say she was charged for that.
Maybe it’s in the video.
Just another YouTube pimp
>>The caller specifically stated that there were shoppers in the store. Officer Tyler Demott responded and found that Hermes and another employee were holding a Facebook Live sale from inside the store, according to the press release. There were no customers within the store.
It should be simple enough to playback the Facebook live stream and see if any customers are in the footage.
Perhaps the caller spotted the owner and an employee in the store and figured one was a customer.
I know of stores that are shut down even now that they CAN open at 25% or 50% capacity. Then and now they have had employees in store to price merchandise, move inventory, answer the phone, etc.
Can I be the only one here wishing and hoping these people see the light and realize they are just peons to the socialist democrat elite?
That the elites don’t give a fig about them or their virtuous causes except as stepping stones up to the rings of power?
There should not be any charges because it would violate the constitution. The fact the police were investigating this speaks to the absolute scum law enforcement officers have become. Some have come out and said they will not be enforcing these unconstitutional edicts, but the vast majority have not. The vast majority need to lose their jobs and never be allowed to be involved in the criminal justice system simply because they don’t know who is a criminal and what justice is. Someone operating a business is not a criminal. Interfering in their business is not justice. These pigs should be made to apologize on their hands and knees to this business owner, and then beg to keep their jobs while saying oink oink.
Free Katherine Hermes
saw on a different article/site that she & employee were unmasked within the shop building doing the online sale.
Karen saw them online and snitched.
Curbside pickup and sale IS permitted in NJ
https://nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-142.pdf
WHEREAS, permitting curbside pickup at non-essential retail businesses is reasonable in that it avoids unnecessary contact between customers and staff in enclosed spaces, and instead only allows for the similar amount of limited contact that might happen when products are being delivered to a residence; and
WHEREAS, by contrast, the extensive interactions that would happen at in-person gatherings and that would happen from in-store retail operations continue to present a significant risk, and so the general ban on gatherings and the restrictions on in-store operations for non-essential retail businesses cannot be lifted at this time...
9. Non-essential retail businesses are permitted to reopen to the public, but only where they adopt policies that include, at minimum, the following requirements:
a. Customers shall not be permitted to enter the brick-and-mortar premises, but shall be permitted to pick up goods outside of the establishment that they have already ordered (“curbside pickup”);
b. In-store operations shall be limited, wherever feasible, to those employees who are responsible for the operations required for curbside pickup;
c. Customer transactions shall be handled in advance by phone, email, facsimile, or other means that avoid person-to-person contact, wherever feasible;
d. Customers shall notify the retailer by text message, email, or phone once they arrive, whenever feasible, or make best efforts to schedule their arrival time in advance. The customer shall be asked to remain in their vehicle, if arriving by car, until store staff delivers the purchase;
10
e. Designated employees shall bring goods outside of the retail establishment and place the goods directly in a customer’s vehicle whenever feasible;
and
f. Retail businesses operating in shopping malls are permitted to operate by curbside pickup, in accordance with the other requirements of this paragraph, but employees must bring the goods to customers at the exterior of the mall and shall place them directly in a customer’s vehicle whenever feasible. The indoor portions of shopping malls shall remain closed to the public, consistent with Executive Order No. 107 (2020).
Message to the cops: The people you are harassing and irritating have been your biggest supporters in the past. Soon you will have no supporters. Remember that.
Precisely. The left is working hard to create a nation of snitches. Get a RAT in the WH and it is going to get a whole worse and scary. These leftists will be informing on their conservative neighbors for any excuse.
The antifa Left has been very hostile to the notion of business owners reopening their doors for commercial gain (whether they permit customers to walk inside or not).
I’m seeing them praise the stores that are still closed (and begging for donations to help pay staff, why not sell gift cards, that way at least the buyer is getting SOMETHING). “Oh thank you for protecting your employees unlike... thank you for keeping all of us loyal customers safe.”
This goes for stores, bars, and restaurants all of which can now reopen in my state but many are choosing not to.
If an employee who can go back to his job prefers not to because he doesn’t feel safe yet and finds that unemployment is paying better can lose his unemployment coverage for refusing to return to work, can employers who refuse to reopen waive claims to aid money since they are back to being able to earn money and refuse to?
Psst. These same snitches have been known to dox and stage boycotts of businesses who supported the wrong party/candidate/position on bonds, props, and amendments.
Good to see the Brown Shirt neighbors are out snitching!
Further investigation corroborated that a retail sale had occurred inside the store. The matter was referred to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office for review with a request for charges to be authorized.
= = =
If only they would go after drugs sales with this intensity.
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