Smith County judge to “opt in” on opening bars

TYLER — Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran said Thursday that he will unquestionably “opt in” on Governor Abbott’s bar reopening order, set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. October 14. The governor’s order provides authority to individual county judges to open bars to 50 percent capacity in counties that have 15 percent or less capacity of COVID-19 cases in local hospitals. Smith County falls within this qualifying category.

Moran welcomed the ability to exercise some local authority and get bars “back to business as quickly as possible and to the fullest extent possible.” You can go to https://www.smith-county.com/Home/Components/News/News/504/97 for additional details.