Salon workers to protest Mayor Hogsett’s delay in reopening
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Marion County salon workers and sympathizers plan to protest Mayor Joe Hogsett’s city-county reopening plan Wednesday afternoon at the Indiana Statehouse.
The mayor’s plan doesn’t allow for salons and personal care services like barbershops and nail salons to reopen until June 1. Governor Eric Holcomb allowed salons to reopen on May 11 in other Indiana counties.
“I am a licensed professional that is trained and prepared to protect you from infectious disease transmission from ourselves and from others,” writes Rita Stevens in a Change.org petition to Mayor Hogsett. The petition has more than 3,700 signatures as of Wednesday morning.
“Allow people to work. Those who are concerned, don’t have to visit these places. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. For the government being anti big business, they are doing a good job of keeping them in business while destroying everything else,” writes petition-signer Katherine Gerber.
Last weekend, News 8 introduced you to several people who said they were willing travel to neighboring counties to get their hair done before Marion County salons reopened. One salon owner in Greenwood said she has seen people travel 45 minutes to her salon in order to get their hair done for a special occasion.
The protest is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. at the Indiana Statehouse at 200 W. Washington Street. Stay with News 8 for the latest developments.