HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) –Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, the owner of Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria in Holland, was arrested without incident on Friday, March 19, 2021, by Michigan State Police.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest in an email to media, noting Pavlos-Hackney “has continued to willfully violate the state’s food laws, public health orders and a court-ordered Temporary Restraining Order which was converted into a Preliminary Injunction.”
Michigan State Police arrested Pavlos-Hackney, 55, at 5:45 a.m. on an outstanding Ingham County civil warrant for contempt of court, for failing to comply in a civil case filed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD v. Zante Inc., which does business as Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria).
Police arrested her as part of a traffic stop on Lakewood Boulevard and 160th Avenue in Ottawa County. Pavlos-Hackney said in a social-media post she’d been called by state police on March 11, and they told her she had until March 18 to turn herself in for face arrest.
She’d told WOOD-TV on Thursday that she would not shut her restaurant or turn herself into authorities.
“This owner has continued to willfully violate the state’s food laws, public health orders and the order of the court – a dangerous act that may have exposed dozens of diners and employees to the virus following the discovery that one of Marlena’s customers tested positive for the virus within two days of eating there,” Nessel said. “MDARD is particularly concerned because the potential exposure happened at a restaurant that refuses to comply with basic COVID-19 measures required by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.”
MDARD suspended Marlena’s food establishment license on Jan. 20, 2021. The restaurant has been operating without a license since then – in violation of the Michigan Food Law. An administrative hearing was held on February 1 to determine if the suspension was proper and on February 11 the Administrative Law Judge issued a decision and an order continuing the summary suspension of Marlena’s food license.
The Allegan County Health Department issued a public alert this month regarding potential exposure to COVID-19, after a person with the virus told contract tracers they’d spent about two hours at the restaurant on Feb. 27.
Pavlos-Hackney is being held at Ingham County Jail without bond set, awaiting arraignment. Her restaurant was open as of 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 19.
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