Visit St. Pete/Clearwater has put a temporary hold on much of its outreach to tourists, as efforts ramp up to control the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus. The agency said it paused all television, radio, newspaper and digital out-of-home advertising, along with digital marketing, until further notice. Visit Florida has done the same, along with closing all welcome centers until further notice. Visit St. Pete said it is working on a bridge marketing campaign that will be deployed when the timing is appropriate. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman banned gatherings over 50 people in the city and ordered restaurants and other facilities to reduce occupancy by 50 percent, but Pinellas County and its municipalities haven't placed any restrictions on the beaches, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater said.
Florida will make a $50 million bridge loan program available to small businesses in the state, as the state addresses the economic consequences of Covid-19 coronavirus. The bridge loans will supplement Gov. Ron DeSantis’ request to the U.S. Small Business Administration for additional financial help. The bridge loans will available to small businesses in all counties in the state with between two and 100 employees. Under the program, up to $50,000 will be available immediately for businesses, with a limit of one loan per business. The loans have a one-year term at 0 percent fixed rate interest and no prepayment penalty, DeSantis said at a late afternoon news conference. “If you are in some of these industries that are really getting hit, you have a cash flow issue, particularly if you have tight margins. So this is a way to keep people afloat,” DeSantis said. The bridge loan program may be expanded in the future, based on demand and necessity, he said. He also directed the Department of Revenue to provide flexibility on deadlines of taxes due, including corporate income tax and sales tax. Some payments can be deferred until the end of the year, DeSantis said. DeSantis did not make any new announcement on restaurant or bar restrictions as had been anticipated. DeSantis said he’s still studying recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.
Armature Works in Tampa said it will close all 20 food, drink and retail concepts in the facility, effective at 10 p.m. Monday night, and will remain closed until further notice. All public and private events also will be suspended, as are all delivery and take out options to further decrease the probability of spreading Covid-19 coronavirus, the food hall said in a statement. "We care deeply about our team members and their families and understand the impact these closures make on their lives. We are actively working on a plan to compensate our team members for missed work. We hope to share this information with them in the next few days," the statement said. Separately B1 Concepts , with six restaurants at Armature Works, will temporarily close its other seven restaurants as of 10 p.m. Monday. The company said it plans compensation for those restaurant employees as well.
There are now a total of four people in Pinellas County that have been diagnosed with Covid-19. All are men, in their late 50s or 60s, according to an update from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County on Twitter.
The health department did not provide specific details on the latest two Pinellas cases, but until today the department was saying there were only two cases in the county, both men whose cases were related to travel. As of mid-day Monday, there were 137 confirmed cases in Florida residents and four deaths.As of 3/16/20, Pinellas has four #COVID19 cases. Two just announced on the @HealthyFlorida dashboard, which lists cases by county: https://t.co/k0BdfXOyXr pic.twitter.com/XS9VoNZ2bs
— FL Health Pinellas (@HealthyPinellas) March 16, 2020
Kahwa Coffee Roasters said it will temporarily offer only take out at all of its cafes and drive-thru locations. The St. Petersburg-based company said it is taking a proactive step to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Bandit Coffee at 2662 Central Ave. said its drinks are take-out only and it is not accepting cash, but will take debit and credit cards and contactless payments. The moves come amid possible restrictions on restaurants and bars in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he will address the issue later today.
The third annual LocalShops 1 Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival, scheduled for March 28 and 29 at England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park, has been moved to Dec. 19 and 20.
CASA has decided to postpone its April 18 Farm to Table(aux) Gala. The organization cited CDC recommendations that for the next eight weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States, to help control the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus. "The decision to postpone this event, which is critically important to our annual budget, was not made lightly. However, as a nonprofit that provides life-saving services to our community, 24/7/365, where closing or working remotely is not an option, the health and well-being of our staff, participants, and volunteers is imperative," said Lariana Forsythe, CEO of CASA, which is the official domestic violence center for southern Pinellas The new date for the fundraiser will be June 13. Forsythe also said the organization is working to take necessary preparations should a quarantine be put in place at CASA’s emergency shelter.
The Pinellas County School District will provide prepackaged lunch and breakfast to students from March 23-March 27, the week students would have returned to school after spring break. Florida officials last week ordered all public schools in the state to close through March 27. Pinellas schools said the meals will be cold and meet the USDA nutritional standards. The district is working with the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger to help reach more students and families needing assistance. Meals will be served “Grab & Go," with lunch and (breakfast for the next day) served in a single bag. Meals are free for anyone 18 years old and under; the child or teen must be present to receive meals. For a list of distribution points and times click here.
The St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation department is suspending childcare, including spring camps, effective Monday, March 16. "Keeping our children, community and employees safe is our top priority. In an effort to keep our community healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19, St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation will be suspending childcare, including Spring Camps, effective Monday, March 16. If you have any questions, please contact your childcare facility," the department said in a Facebook post mid-afternoon. "No city childcare or spring camps. More announcements tomorrow," Mayor Rick Kriseman said in his own Facebook post.
Sunday afternoon's matinee performance of Lone Star Spirits at St. Petersburg's freeFall Theatre was the show's swan song, although it was scheduled to run for two more weekends. The theater announced late Sunday that it was suspending operations for at least eight weeks due to coronavirus fears. The next show, Dear World, has been postponed indefinitely.
Embarc Collective, the downtown Tampa hub for startups, investors and the technology community, will close to the public as Monday, March 16. The step is being taken to ensure the health and wellness of the Embarc community, the organization wrote in a Covid-19 update on Sunday evening. "We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of our re-open date. Prior to our re-open date, we will conduct a deep clean of the building," the update said. Endeavr, the coffee shop that is located at Embarc Collective, also will close for the same period of time. Embarc also has moved most of its member programming to virtual sessions.
The Salvador Dalí Museum, one of St. Petersburg's largest tourist draws, announced Sunday morning that it has closed through March 31, "at which time we will reassess. This is an extraordinary time for all of us and we appreciate your understanding and patience. Your safety, well-being, and the continued readiness of The Dalí to educate and delight are our first priorities."
