HOLLAND, Mich. — A restaurant owner in West Michigan who has continued to violate state coronavirus orders has been arrested.
Michigan AG Dana Nessel announced that Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, the owner of Marlena's Bistro & Pizzeria in Holland, was arrested.
The AG's office said she was taken into custody by MSP on an outstanding civil warrant in Ingham County for contempt of court for failing to comply in a civil case filed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The MDARD suspended her food establishment license in January, but the restaurant has been open without a license since then.
MSP told Pavlos-Hackney that a warrant was issued for her arrest and advised she turn herself in by Thursday, but she didn't.
She told the Grand Rapids Press and MLive, "If they want to arrest me, they can arrest me – I'm not going to close."
In February, a judge upheld the suspension of the restaurant's license.
Pavlos-Hackney has appeared on both Tucker Carlson and The Glenn Beck show over the past few days. She urged people to tune in to "hear what we the people have to say about the tyrannical government that is trying to circumvent justice and freedom for us all."
“This owner has continued to willfully violate the state’s food laws, public health orders and the order of the court – a dangerous act that may have exposed dozens of diners and employees to the virus following the discovery that one of Marlena’s customers tested positive for the virus within two days of eating there,” AG Nessel said in a release.
The Allegan County Health Department did issue a news release notifying the public about potential exposure to COVID-19.
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