Mayor says ‘zero tolerance for fools’ who violate public health emergency orders

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – San Antonio Mayor RonNirenberg has made good on a threat to close businesses that are in violation of the city’s Public Health Emergency Declaration.

He recently warned owners of non-essential businesses who continue to defy the orders, saying,”We will shut you down.”

After numerous warnings and citations at local Planet K stores, the city revoked the Certificate of Occupancy for the shop on Austin Highway and ordered CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System to cut off service at that location this week.

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“I mean, this is a pandemic. We have to have zero tolerance for fools,” the mayor said at Wednesday’s daily COVID-19 briefing.

Planet K shops, which sell smoking products, bongs, pipes, hookahs, and adult toys, are considered non-essential businesses, They were ordered to shut down under the Stay Home Work Safe order that went into effect three weeks ago.

“If someone is openly defying that, and willingly jeopardizing the health and the safety and the lives in our community, then they’re going to be dealt with,” said Nirenberg.

Planet K owner Michael Kleinman argues that the stores are essential because they recently started selling items such as pasta, milk, hand sanitizer and toilet paper.

A poster outside the closed Planet K on Austin Highway directs customers to the location on Pat Booker Road  in Universal City. It instructs them to call and place their orders and pick them up curbside.

Business was brisk Wednesday evening at the shop in Universal City.  Customers were not allowed inside the store. You could only drive up, place your order and leave.

Essential items, such as pasta, beans, beer, milk, cleaning products. hand sanitizer and toilet paper were displayed on tables outside.

They were also selling water—hemp water.