'Open for business': Some popular Florida beaches refusing to close
Panama City Beach officials voted Friday to close their beaches beginning at 7 p.m., becoming one of the last cities in Florida to shutter its shores amid the coronavirus pandemic after the governor refused to do so.
During Friday's city council meeting, some residents appealed to keep the beaches open to help flailing businesses. Panama City Beach's primary source of income is tourism. Others said it was a huge risk to public health to keep the beaches and other gathering places open. He said the decision Tuesday, at the height of spring break rush, not to order the beaches closed was an"opportunity" for Panama City Beach.
DeSantis had ordered that parties on beaches be limited to 10 people, but Panama City Beach officials said the edict was hard to enforce.Story continuesOn Friday, DeSantis followed that up with an executive order closing beaches and certain other businesses in two counties, Broward and Palm Beach, deemed to be at particular risk for the spread of coronavirus. The other businesses include movie theaters, concert venues and fitness studios.
Pinellas County, where idillic beach destinations Clearwater and St. Petersburg are located, decided to close its beaches Friday before noon. The Pinellas County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to close the beaches, a day after the sheriff's department said resolutely that"after much consideration and deliberation," the county was keeping its beaches open.Clearwater had already independently voted to close its beaches starting Monday.
Public beaches in Tampa are also closed until further notice, city officials said. Naples announced Wednesday that it would close its beaches until at least March 30.But beaches in Monroe County, which encompasses most of the Florida Keys, are still open, as officials said they will close the area to visitors.
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