Cincinnati City Council makes masks mandatory

The ordinance goes into effect on Thursday, July 9.

WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS.CINCINNATI: MASK UP ORELSE.ANEW ORDINANCE THREATENS FINESFOR ANYONE CAUGHT INDOORS INPUBLIC WITHOUT ONE.THIS PASSEDJUST HOURSAGO.REPORTER LARRY SEWARDJOINS US LIVE.AND LARRY THEVOTE WASN'T UNANIMOUS.even jan-michelle kearney, whohelped write this ordinance,had reservations... but sevenof cincinnati's councilmembers said yes because theysee a crisis.nats clip "JVCG1100" tc 57:51)"...roll call so we can getspeeches started..."(track)this emergency ordinanceattacks controversy.masksrequired indoors anywhere opento the public in cinncinnati.refusal comes with a 25-dollarfine starting next thursday.with council concerned aboutpolice involvement...enforcement (show photo ofcomplaint line) lies withhealth department and its newcomplaint line.(sot/ tc 27:25/ greg landsman/ cincinnaticity council)"we don't want tohave this be punitive.

We wantcompliance.

We want toincrease the percentage ofpeople wearing it.

That is thegoal."(trackobjections cameover the phone from councilmembers betsy sundermann andjeff pastor.(sot clip"JVCG1100"/ tc 1:17/ betsysundermann/ cincinnati citycouncil)"everybody says it'snot punitive.

I've heard thatabout 15 or 20 times.

It isabsolutely punitive.

Punitivemeans there's a punishment.and there is a punishment."(sot clip "JVCG1100"/ tc1:06:33/ jeff pastor/cincinnati city council)"giventhe climate that we're in idon't think we need moreenforcement, we need morepolicing, i think we need morecreative things like passingout free masks to people."(track)one of the authorsthought so until last weekwhen hamilton county reportedspikes in coronavirus casesand hospitalizations.

(sot/ tc1:32:24 / jan-michellekearney/ cincinnati citycouncil)"we have to just lookat the fact that we haveresponsibility to everybody.we have to help each otherout."(track)in bond hill...jesse roley's awards andgraphic shop already requirescustomers wear masks but foundways still serve those who donot.(sot/ tc 3:38/ jesseroley/ rosho awards andgraphics, owner)"for peoplewho want to come and juststand at the front door, iunderstand it.

And we'll gooutside and hand it them(track)this group in westwoodhanded out free masks andsanitizer... one of the firstresponses to the new ordinancedemanding everyone mask up.the goal is 70-80-percentcompliance.council membersaythat level of participationwill the spread and could savethe city's economwe'vepublished an article abouteverything you need to knowabout the mask ordinanceincluding when, where and whoit applies to - just head towcpo.com.

Live downtown...larry seward... wcpo... ninenews.