Pa. cites Western Pa. bars for violating covid restrictions

More than a dozen bars in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties received citations from the state’s Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement in November for violating covid-19 mitigation measures, ranging from not requiring masks to serving alcohol without food.

In addition, an East Carson Street bar was hit with a weeklong closure from the Allegheny County Health Department late last week for a host of alleged violations.

Among the establishments cited by state police were Numbers Lounge in Penn Hills and the 941 Saloon in Downtown Pittsburgh. Number’s Lounge was cited because police said they did not require customers and employees to wear masks and allowed alcohol sales without an accompanying food order. The 941 Saloon also failed to require face masks, and investigators spotted customers receiving bar service and alcohol sales happening after 11 p.m., police said.

Other Allegheny County bars hit with violations were Redstone Tavern in Crafton, Denise and Earl’s in Homewood, Doug’s Den in Carrick, Craig’s in Sheraden, Double Door Saloon in Mt. Oliver, Mt. Troy Inn in Troy Hill, Bootlegger’s in Oakland and Twentyfour in Duquesne, according to state police report.

In Westmoreland County, HMR Communications — which operates the Creekside Saloon in Yukon and Boot Scoot’n Saloon in Sewickley Township — was cited for not enforcing face masks and selling alcohol without food, according to the report.

North Huntingdon’s Cenecola restaurant also received citations for failing to require face masks for both patrons and employees, state police wrote. Similar citations were leveled against Dale’s Place in Smithton and Rodney’s Corner in Acme.

Inspectors with Allegheny County’s covid-19 task force cited South Side nightclub Cosmo’s on Carson late Friday, leading to the shutdown of the establishment.

Inspectors deemed the club “an imminent public health hazard,” noting that most patrons were not wearing masks, nor were they seated as required under the governor’s orders right now. Patrons were using a hallway as a dance floor and “zero social distancing was observed between patrons,” they wrote.

Some employees were not wearing masks, they wrote, and it did not appear that food orders were being required to accompany alcohol sales.

A phone number for the club was out of service Wednesday afternoon. The establishment must remain closed for one week and submit a new covid safety plan before reopening.