Mask on or mask off: Store owners facing difficult decision after mask mandate ends on June 11

TO MASK?THAT'LL BE THE BIGQUESTION STOREOWNERS WILL HAVETO ANSWER ONCETHE STATE MANDATEIS DROPPED ONJUNE 11-TH.LARRYFOR MANY, THATDECISION WON'T BEMADE LIGHTLY.AND FOR MOST, IT'LLCOME WITHRAMIFICATIONS NOMATTER WHAT THEYDECIDE.LEX 18'S MICHAELBERK EXPLAINS.VOSHE'S BEENWEARING A MASKSINCE MARCH OF2020, AND CONNIESHEPHERD ISN'TABOUT TO STOPANYTIME SOON.SOT<I WILL CONTINUETO WEAR MY MASK.EVEN AFTER JUNE11?

YES!

I WILL.FOR THE SAFETYOF OTHERS.BUT AS WE KNOW,NOT EVERYONE ISTHINKING THAT WAY.ON JUNE 11TH -VACCINATED OR NOT- GOVERNOR ANDYBESHEAR SAID WECAN SHED THEMASKS... FOR SOMETHAT WILLRESEMBLE THE LASTBELL ON THE FINALDAY OF SCHOOL.BUT IF CERTAINSTORES CONTINUETO ENACT A MASK-WEARING POLICY, ITCOULD CREATEPROBLEMS.THAT IS ACONCERN,BECAUSE WE'VEALL SEEN THEVIDEOS FOR THELAST YEAR OFPEOPLE YELLING ATEMPLOYEES.IT'S WHY MOSTRETAILERS WESPOKE WITH SAIDTHEY HAVEN'T EVENMADE A DECSIONYET.

JOSEPH BETHIS COORDINATING ITSDECISION WITHOTHER LOCATIONS INTHE REGION.TARGET IS ALLOWINGA MASK-FREEENVIORNMENT FORTHOSE WHO'VE BEENVACCINATED.

TOTALWINE AND SPIRITS ISALSO GOING WITHTHAT 'HONORSYSTEM.'

BUT INSIDEA SPRAWLINGINDOOR FACILITYLIKE FAYETTE MALL;THERE COULD BEDIFFERENT SETS OFRULES FORDIFFERENT SHOPS.MALLSPOKESWOMAN,SARAH ROBINSONNOTED THATCUSTOMERS AREEXPECTED TOFOLLOW THEGUIDELINES, WHILEUNDERSTANDINGTHAT CERTAINRETAILERS MIGHTCHOOSE TO EXTENDTHE MASK POLICY-- AMOVE SUPPORTEDBY THE RETAILFEDERATION.SOME STORES WILLMAY DECIDE TOKEEP THE MASKMANDATE BEYONDJUNE 11TH ANDTHAT'S THEIRDECISION TO MAKE.AND ONE OWNERTOLD LEX 18... SHE'SDREADING IT.BECAUSE HALF OFHER CUSTOMERS,WON'T FEEL THESAME AS CONNIE.EVEN THOUGH IMAY BEVACCINATED.

I CANSTILL TRANSMITTHIS VIRUS.

SO I'MGONNA CONTINUETO WEAR THISMASK FOR ME ANDMY FELLOWPEOPLE.IN LEXINGTON.MICHAEL BERK.

LEX18 NEWS.