WICKENBURG (AP) — Warnings by the police and the state health department that she was violating Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home mandate to stem the spread of the coronavirus didn’t stop Horseshoe Cafe owner Debbie Thompson from serving breakfast Friday morning.

“They have just told me that I have to shut down. I am not. They will have to arrest me,” Thompson declared to the cheers and applause of several seated customers.

Though she was not arrested, Thompson later received a call from the AZDHS telling her to cease and desist. But Thompson and other business owners in Wickenburg, a small town of 6,300 about 65 miles northwest of Phoenix, decided Friday to re-open in defiance of Mr. Ducey’s mandate. Those who disregard it could face fines, though it wasn’t immediately clear if any businesses, including Thompson’s, were immediately cited.

Thompson, 65, said there is no way her restaurant can survive only doing carry out orders until Mr. Ducey’s order expires in two weeks. Normally, the Horseshoe Cafe takes in anywhere from $700-$900 in a day from tourists, seasonal residents and locals. In the last six weeks, it has been lucky to make $100 in a day, she said.

“I’m a widow trying to do my best here,” Thompson said as she served about eight patrons. “I believe our governor needs to get out and stay in the rural areas like we are. He needs to walk these streets and see the devastation it’s caused on these businesses.”

At nearby Trader J’s, a Southwest-themed gift shop, JoAnn Zimpher had masks and hand sanitizer ready for customers. The shop is owned by her son and the main source of income for both of them. Getting penalized for opening outweighed the risk of not being able to pay bills, she said.

“If they want to arrest a 72-year-old who’s trying to keep her livelihood, then be my guest,” Zimpher said. She said the decision to disregard the order doesn’t mean owners have a disregard for life.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

“We’ve never asked the people that want to stay isolated to come out,” Zimpher said. “The people we have encountered are thanking us for opening. They said ‘It’s really good you take a stand.’”

Mr. Ducey on Wednesday extended his stay-at-home order through May 15 but said he will allow some nonessential retail businesses to reopen with health precautions. The Republican governor said there are signs the spread of the new virus has slowed in the state, but there’s no clear indication that deaths and new cases are trending down.