News

Monday morning was supposed to be back to school for the 30,000 kids living in Santa Rosa County. As schools are closed through April 15 during the coronavirus pandemic, the school district and parents are trying to find ways to not only educate kids, but keep them fed. 

Outside Holley-Navarre Primary school, lunchroom workers and bus drivers were ready with 400 prepared breakfasts and lunches for children 18 and younger as part of the Summer BreakSpot program. Before the pick-up officially opened at 9:30 a.m. there were already about a dozen cars in line. 

Following moves from Okaloosa and Walton counties, the city of Destin voted unanimously Friday morning to close beaches in city limits from March 21 through April 30 to prevent spread of coronavirus. 

Ninety percent of Destin’s beaches are privately owned, but City Council members decided an all-or-nothing approach would be the best option.

“If we’re only closing 10% of the beaches, what is that going to affect,” asked Councilman Skip Overdier. “That’s like putting a three-alarm fire out with a garden hose.” 

The Santa Rosa County School District next week will begin feeding students at several locations. The students were to return to school Monday, following this week’s spring break. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered schools to be closed until April 15 and that students should be educated remotely.

The beaches of Santa Rosa County remain open. County officials said the beaches will remain open as long as the public follows the guidelines of social distancing. That means groups no larger than 10 people can congregate.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon in Milton, Dan Schebler, county administrator said the decision to keep the beaches open will be reassessed daily. Deputies with the Sheriff’s Office will monitor the situation to make sure beachgoers keep apart a healthy distance.

Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas on Wednesday afternoon laid out a districtwide plan to educate the county’s 40,000 students starting April 1.

At a news conference at the district’s Hall Center, Thomas said the plan coincides with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s order that students remain out of school until April 15.

On March 30, district employees, except transportation employees, will return to regular work locations, Thomas said. They will not be allowed to congregate in groups of 10 or more. Teachers will begin training on how to teach their students remotely.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, local food banks are seeing a significant increase in need with schools closed and families losing income. 

DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna Food Pantry in Pensacola, said the nonprofit recognized early on how the coronavirus would impact households. They started to prepare by getting the word out to people working in the service industry and identifying families in need through the Boys and Girls Club. 

The health-care industry in Northwest Florida stays prepared for disasters — whether it be a hurricane or public health scare like COVID-19. Yet, the biggest demands continue to be medical supplies and equipment, and staffing.

Ann Hill is the executive director of the Emerald Coast Healthcare Coalition (ECHC), a network of healthcare agencies that covers 10 counties, from Escambia to Holmes, that work together before, during and after disasters.