Author
The coronavirus tests sacred religious traditions; Gov. DeSantis seeks fine line between safety and freedom
In the churchyard at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Marianna lie graves dating to the mid-1800s, including those of veterans of the Civil War Battle of Marianna, which was fought on this very ground in 1864. Rector David Green is thinking about the parishioners who are still walking around, though. That’s why he has no […]
Gov. DeSantis gives in, issues statewide order to Floridians to remain in their homes
Under growing pressure from critics and a rising number of coronavirus infections and deaths, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday issued a statewide stay-at-home order that directs everybody in Florida to remain in their homes for the next 30 days — with some exceptions. Notably, the order allows attendance at “religious services conducted in churches, synagogues […]
Gov. DeSantis issues ‘safer at home’ order covering four South FL counties only
Update: This story has been amended to reflect that the actual wording of the order says it will remain in effect until April 15. The governor gave different timing during his news conference. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has resisted demands to keep everyone at home during the COVID-19 crisis, has relented — but not entirely. […]
Governor’s Mansion has a newborn: Meet Mamie DeSantis
Florida’s First Family just got larger. Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, has announced the birth of their third child via her Twitter feed. There was no word on when the birth actually happened. “Ron and I are beyond blessed to welcome our new baby girl, Mamie to the world. At 7 lbs 4 […]
Gov. DeSantis blocks vacation rental services; hopes to discourage travel from COVID-19 hot spots
An executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis requires owners of vacation properties offered through Airbnb and similar services to suspend operations, essentially declaring these properties COVID-19 vectors. “Vacation rentals are prohibited from making new reservations or bookings and shall not accept new guests for check-in for the duration of this order,” the document says. […]
Gov. DeSantis’ quarantine for fly-ins is retroactive to two weeks, not three
A COVID-19-related executive order targeting travelers to Florida appears to deviate from what Gov. Ron DeSantis indicated during a media briefing Tuesday, requiring self-isolation for some people who arrived within the past two weeks instead of the three first indicated. The wording of the says the edict, released Tuesday night, requires 14 days of quarantine […]
Gov. DeSantis threatens to quarantine air travelers fleeing COVID-19 restrictions in New York area
Update: The executive order also targets Connecticut and potentially additional states. Here’s the relevant section: “I hereby direct all persons whose point of departure originates from outside the State of Florida in an area with substantial community spread, to include the New York Tri-State Area (Connecticut, New Jersey and New York), and entering the State […]
DeSantis sticks to COVID-19 approach as testing expands tentatively to general population
Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his middle-ground approach to COVID-19 containment Monday as he opened a testing site in The Villages where doctors will extend screening to non-symptomatic people, to gauge how the disease is spreading among the general population. The plan is to test 2,000 people at the site this week, including between 400 and […]
Federal appeals court will hear arguments by phone and video conference amid COVID-19 pandemic
The federal appeals court that hears cases from Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, will allow oral arguments by telephone and video conferencing in light of the danger of transmitting COVID-19 should attorneys and judges appear in person in courtrooms. An order by Ed Carnes, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, […]
COVID-19 infections in Florida now surpass 1,000
More than 1,000 people in Florida have now tested positive for infection with the virus that causes COVID-19, public health officials reported Sunday night. Fatalities held steady since the morning report at 13. Significant is that with the addition of three more counties in the data — Bradford, DeSoto and Flagler — more than two-thirds […]
Florida sees 763 COVID-19 cases, an increase of more than 100 in 12 hours
COVID-19 cases in Florida reached 763 as of Saturday evening, up by 105, although the number of deaths held steady at 12 since the last state Department of Health update that morning. Florida residents accounted for 706 of the cases, according to department data. Statewide, 9,338 people had been tested; 7,570 of those tests were […]
Florida may quarantine COVID-19 carriers in hotels, convention centers
State emergency management officials are negotiating with hotels as places to quarantine people who aren’t sick enough with COVID-19 to require treatment in intensive care units, but who might serve as viral transmission vectors if sent home to their families. Convention centers might also be enlisted into the plan, which could include sheltering asymptomatic people […]