WINONA Minn. – The county attorney, Karin Sonneman, applauded local businesses for voluntary compliance with state restrictions to slow the spread of Co-Vid. No legal enforcement has been necessary, Sonneman said. At a forum on the community and the virus, Sonneman said she was prepared for a three-step processes on enforcement if necessary:
> Identify violators and educate on them informally and quietly on their responsibilities and possible repercussions.
> Issue a formal notice about the violation.
> Proceed with a civil or criminal penalty.
“We have not had to resort to that third step in Winona County, and for that I’m grateful to the residents of Winona County, both business owners and citizens, for stepping up and complying to help each other in this crisis,” Sonneman said. At the state level, Attorney General Keith Ellison has shut down establishments that defied orders.