The people Grand Forks should be aware that their currently unenforced mask mandate may turn into an enforced mask mandate. This message came straight form Grand Forks health officials. If an enforceable mandate is put into place, what punishments could violators face?

According to Valley News Live (Fargo), if an enforceable mandate is put into effect, violators of the order could face a Class B misdemeanor. That means a person could be slapped with 30 days in jail or a $1,500 fine. The Grand Forks Police Department will back health and city leaders if the mandate happens. Get the full story from Valley News Live here.

Can we remember back to about two months ago when Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski said, "This isn't Nazi Germany where we can bust into houses and force people to wear masks,"? Now, there is confirmation that Grand Forks could be the first North Dakota city to actually implement a mandate with penalties?

At this point, we really can only speculate about what will be. Also, if there is any type of enforceable mandate put into place, it seems like actual enforcement would be in an extreme case of noncompliance. But we all know if one of our cities does it, others will soon follow. That has clearly been the pattern in our state with all of these mandates and such.

So, our state's largest cities are implementing pretty much the same mask plans across the board. And Governor Burgum recently moved every county in the state's COVID-19 threat level to high-risk. So, let us not  believe that personal choice in this matter is even a thing anymore.

Is it only a matter of time before North Dakotans have the "option" to either voluntarily mask-up or be masked-up by force?

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