Andrews mayor removes barricades to downtown

  • The main entryway into Andrews on Main Street is open again after it was closed for a time in an effort to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. Photo by Sam Jokich
    The main entryway into Andrews on Main Street is open again after it was closed for a time in an effort to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. Photo by Sam Jokich

        Andrews – The number of motorists ticketed for driving down the wrong side of the street could have been substantial. However, state police exercised compassion and gave the mayor time to re-evaluate his decision.
        “We had the best intentions in trying to do this, but not having the personnel to man the barricades makes it impossible to successfully implement this,” Mayor James Reid said.
        After talking with state police and witnessing multiple motorists drive down the
    wrong side of the road, Reid decided to remove all barricades that were erected to deter out-of-town visitors from entering the town limits and spreading COVID-19 to the community.
        The decision to remove all barricades came about a week after Reid removed a checkpoint, where police were tasked with determining whether motorists driving into town were local residents. The police checkpoint drew criticism from civilians and law enforcement officials alike, who said that some of the restrictions and
    directives from lawmakers across the country either outright violated – or were on the verge of violating – the U.S. Constitution.
        Last week, the Cherokee Scout witnessed at least four motorists ignore barricades and drive down the wrong side of the street, one of which was a FedEx driver.
        “It’s in the best interest of all our citizens to remove the barricades for safety reasons,” Reid said.