Howard County bans sale of nonessential goods from stores allowed to stay open

WISHTV ^ | Mar 27, 2020 | Staff

[Lazamataz]

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — The Howard County commissioners on Friday approved a ban on the sale of nonessential goods from stores remaining open because they were deemed essential during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

The commissioners’ order says the sale of nonessential goods at essential stores was “not fair” to the businesses selling only nonessential goods that have closed in compliance with the county’s public health emergency ordinance.

The ban will begin at noon Saturday, the order says. Signs in the stores must notify shoppers of the ban.

The nonessential goods include jewelry, furniture, home and lawn decor, toys/games, carpet/rugs/flooring, nonemergency appliances, music/books/magazines, craft and art supplies, paint, and entertainment electronics.

[Lazamataz]

Effing ridiculous. The store is open but only a subset of products allowed for sale??? Where's the benefit?

Futhermore, I'd call items to keep you busy, in quarantine, rather essential anyways.

[rktman]

Anyone find clarification on the daffynition of ‘essential’ yet? Apparently in our locale any type of rice must be ‘essential’ because there sure ain’t any at the store. That, or there’s a lot more asians than I realized in the area.

[antidemoncrat]

Thank goodness that doesn’t apply to beer, wine and the hard stuff.

[throwthebumsout]

This reminds me of the “Blue Laws” days where stores would have the non-essential sections roped off on Sundays.

[Billthedrill]

I guess you don’t really need toilet paper if you own a cat.

[Professional]

Is this some sick joke?

Cannot buy items without government permission?

Ping me for the revolution

[napscoordinator]

I was thinking onion. This is most ridiculous.

[eyeamok]

Is it true that they had a copy of Mein Kampf on the Table when they gave this order??

[Mr Ramsbotham]

This reminds me of an inane action by a company I once worked for. Since I had outside health insurance from my wife's policy, they paid me a $150 per month stipend, to make up for my not receiving the company health benefit. But at one point (I think it was just after Obamacare came in) their costs skyrocketed, and they were obliged to raise the deduction from everybody's pay for insurance costs. Following which, they proceeded to inform me that my stipend was being lowered to $100, "in order to make it fair and spread the pain." In vain did I protest that since their costs had risen I was now saving them money by carrying my own insurance, and that they ought to be increasing my stipend, not lowering it.

All in the name of "fairness."

[wattojawa]

So hand even more sales to amazon, winning strategy there. /sarc

[Mr. Jeeves]

We are learning things about our elected officials. Things that must not be forgotten when the crisis ends.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I guess you don’t really need toilet paper if you own a cat.

Or a homosexual.

[caver]

Kokomo is one of the armpits of Indiana. When the hilljacks moved out of Indianapolis, they went north to Kokomo.

[Bob434]

The people could fight this easily by refusing to comply- and selling everything- Dare the gov to come arrest them- en mass- during a ‘time of crisis’- that’ll go over real well with folks suffering -

[pinkandgreenmom]

Wow. I have no words.

[Cboldt]

I predict turnover of Howard County Commissioners in the next election. People will remember this, and they’ll go to the next county to get the stuff.

[caver]

“Anyone find clarification on the daffynition of ‘essential’ yet?”

AFAIK, Amazon started this “esential” crap.

[Ratman0823]

music/books/magazines, craft and art supplies, paint, and entertainment electronics.

If I had kids stuck at home with me, I would find all these items "Essential". Frogging idjits!

[dfwgator]

Kokomo is one of the armpits of Indiana. When the hilljacks moved out of Indianapolis, they went north to Kokomo.

But the Beach Boys made it sound so attractive.

[metmom]

That is ridiculous.