17 hours ago
Neville Island restaurant owners say Coraopolis councilman bullied them for closing outdoor seating
The owners of a popular bowling alley and restaurant on Neville Island say they were bullied by a local councilman for prioritizing the safety of their employees and patrons.
When the Paradise Island Bowl and Beach decided to close the outdoor portion of their establishment on Tuesday due to extreme heat, they never imagined they'd get backlash, especially from an elected official.
"The initial post was, 'I hope Paradise Island goes out of business, they're soft for closing today," recalled Ian McWilliams, Marketing and Events Coordinator of Paradise Island Bowl and Beach.
Paradise Beach is a tucked-away oasis on Neville Island where, whether you've come by car or boat, you can grab a drink and a bite to eat and relax.
But when the temperatures reach the high 90s, it becomes dangerous to be outside.
"We didn't think it was going to be a day that was safe or worth being open, so we made the decision and moved everything inside as far as the entertainment for that night. For us, we didn't think it was that big of a shift," McWilliams said.
For one person, Coraopolis councilman and Assistant Volunteer Fire Chief Robb Cardimen, it was.
To show his distaste for putting safety first, he launched an assault on social media that lasted all day.
The posts have since been removed, but in one rant, the councilman wrote, "You're a disappointment to the human race! What a disaster you are! You're an embarrassment."
"I wouldn't like a business or representative to speak to me that way. I think you should have that base level of respect, especially when you're coming after people personally without knowing them," McWilliams said.
Cardimen's posts were shared on multiple social media sites and reached over 40,000 views. The mayor of Coraopolis, along with thousands of others, responded in support of the restaurant.
In a brief statement to KDKA-TV, the mayor says, "The personal comments of Mr. Cardimen do not represent the views of the borough."
"I think we made the right choice. Any time we can protect our staff. When you sign up to be a server, I think the extreme heat is not part of the job you'd expect. We stand by the choice to close," McWilliams said.
At midnight, Cardimen sent an apology to the folks at the Paradise. The owners have accepted an apology, but say they have no control over the repercussions the councilman may face.
KDKA-TV reached out to Cardimen to get his side of the story, but did not hear back.
