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Hundreds attend horse auction despite calls to cancel Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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PROPERTY SO TO GET A BETTER LOOK, WE FLEW SKY 8. IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS SOMETHING EVERYONE AT THE AUCTION IS PRACTICING. THE WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH ESTIMATES AS MANY AS 600 PEOPLE ARE HERE FROM STATES INCLUDING OHIO, MICHIGAN, INDIANA, ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI. >> THIS COULD HAVE BEEN POSTPONED AND DECREASED THE RISK TO OUR COMMUNITY. MARCUS: DUE TO THE LIVESTOCK EXEMPTION, THE AUCTION WENT ON. WE ARE TOLD IT IS POPULAR IN THE AMISH COMMUNITY. THOSE AGAINST THE AUCTION SAY IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AMISH. IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FACE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. >> THE REASON FOR IT IS THERE IS A CURRENT OUTBREAK, WE WILL CALL YOU AND LET YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. MARCUS THE COUNTY BOARD OF : HEALTH DID WHAT IT COULD TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE BY SETTING UP CHECKPOINTS WHERE THEY HANDED OUT INFORMATION AND ASKED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS. THEY WANTED TO DO MORE. >> WE THOUGHT ABOUT DOING TEMPERATURES, BUT WE KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE TOO TIME CONSUMING. MARCUS: THE SCREENING LED THEM TO SEND ONE VAN-LOAD OF PEOPLE AWAY THEY WERE ABLE TO EDUCATE MANY MORE. >> PEOPLE JUST KEEP DYING OFF. >> IT’S SERIOUS. VERY DANGEROUS. MARCUS: THE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH SAYS WAYNE COUNTY IS COVID-19 FREE AND THEY WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. ON THE PHONE WEDNESDAY, WAYNE COUNTY ATTORNEY ALLEN WILSON TOLD ME THE NUMBER EXPECTED TO ATTEND WAS BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION. TODAY, HE DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY OF MY ATTEMPTS TO REACH HIM. IN SEYMOUR, MARCUS MCINT