NW Illinois News

Ogle County Sheriff Brian Van Vickle announced that his department will not take criminal action against individuals or businesses violating Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order.

Many business owners feel the governor's original order, implemented to control the spread of the coronavirus, has been in effect for long enough. 

“I fully support the numerous members of our community who have called seeking information and guidance on how to re-open in a safe and responsible way," Van Vickle wrote on his Facebook page. "The Ogle County Sheriff’s Department will not fine or arrest any individual or business violating the governor's order. This position is partially based from an April 2020 Appellate Prosecutors Office opinion stating the executive order has Constitutional challenges and exceeds the authority of the governor’s office.”

Other elected officials have expressed similar sentiments. U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) expressed his concerns about the negative impact the order is having on businesses in the community. 

“As we work to get out country back on track, we must take the appropriate measures to balance the health and economic needs of individual communities that make up our regionally diverse state," Kinzinger wrote, according to the Rochelle News-Leader. "Small businesses across Illinois are struggling to survive and are prepared to take unprecedented public health precautions to reopen in a  safe manner for their communities. If these businesses are prohibited from reopening, many will close their doors permanently leaving families  without income, workers without jobs and communities with no tax base.”

Pritzker has said he would withhold state aid from any government that chooses to open its economy before the end of the stay-at-home order. The City of Rochelle took no official stance in response to Van Vickle's position but reminded businesses licensed by the State of Illinois to be mindful of the governor's warnings.

As of May 22, Illinois reported 105,444 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 4,715 deaths. Ogle County has 185 confirmed cases of COVID-19.