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South Pasadena Bar Owner Charged With Opening Up On St. Patrick's Day

SOUTH PASADENA (CBSLA) – A bar owner in South Pasadena has been charged with opening up his pub on St. Patrick's Day, a few days after the safer-at-home order took effect due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Joseph Griffin, 56, of Lake View Terrace was charged with one misdemeanor count of violating the L.A. County health officer order, the L.A. County District Attorney's Office reported Wednesday.

On March 17, Griffin opened his bar, Griffins of Kinsale, located at 1007 Mission St., just two days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom had ordered a statewide lockdown.

According to the L.A. Times, police were called to the pub that night after complaints from residents. Griffin allegedly told them he did not realize he was supposed to be closed.

RELATED: 1,000 LA County Restaurants Not Complying With Health Orders

He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in L.A. County Superior Court in Alhambra.

The Kinsale Irish Pub remains closed. While all L.A. County restaurants were given permission to reopen for in-person dining on May 29, bars are still under a closure order.

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