Linn County businesses challenge county order requiring records be kept on customers, clients

A Linn County newspaper publisher and a La Cygne restaurant owner filed a federal lawsuit Sunday challenging constitutionality of Linn County’s requirement that businesses compile information on customers that might be useful in tracing people infected with the coronavirus. Jackie Taylor, owner and publisher of Linn County News, and Linda Jo Hisel, who operates Nana Jo’s restaurant in La Cygne, are plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Jay Allen, a physician who serves as the county’s health director, and the Linn County Commission. Taylor and Hisel said they went to court to reverse the public health order mandating physicians, attorneys, pharmacists, veterinarians, dentists, bankers, accountants, restaurant managers and other business operators document in-store customer names, telephone numbers, and the date and time of arrivals and departures.”