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CURRENT COVID-19 numbers per Florida Department of Health (as of March 18 10 a.m. CDT – 281 Florida residents, including one (fatal) in Santa Rosa County, two in Okaloosa County and one in Escambia County. Most cases in Broward and Dade Counties; 25 non-resident cases. So far there have been 7 deaths related to COVID-19 in Florida.
SCHOOLS
- SANTA ROSA COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOLS are closed for classes through at least April 15, and online classes may be an option for some, perhaps not all students.
- PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE classes are suspended through March 29, athletic competitions are suspended through April 4, and festivals/events are postponed through the end of April. Full-time, Kelly staff and work-study students report back March 23.
- UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA has transitioned to only remote classes for the remainder of the spring semester; the graduation ceremony has been cancelled; UWF’s Historic Trust sites, including Arcadia Mill, are closed until further notice.
- CURIOUS APPLES LEARNING CENTER is closed until March 30.
FOOD PANTRIES
- Feeding the Gulf Coast, located at 5709 Industrial Boulevard in East Milton, is open at 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visit feedthegulfcoast.org to donate.
- Food for Vets (for U.S. military veterans only), located inside Santa Rosa Mall by the food court at 300 Mary Esther Boulevard in Mary Esther, is open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the 3rd Friday and 3rd Saturday of each month. Visit foodforvets.org to donate.
- Seniors who received meals from the Council on Aging will still be served at the Holley-Navarre Senior Cente; however, those receiving meals at the Milton Community Center can receive plated to-go meals from 6860 Pooley Street in Pensacola by calling 850-432-1475 by noon the day before pick up.
GROCERY STORES
Local grocery stores are limiting late/overnight hours to allow for restocking; some are limiting the amount of certain products (ex: toilet paper) per customer; many offer home delivery and pick-up options; please check with respective stores for the most current info.
RESTAURANTS
Restaurants can remain open for now at 50 percent capacity with six-foot separation between patron groups of less than 10 and screening of employees.
CLOSURES/ADJUSTMENTS
- All bars and night clubs in Florida for 30 days effective March 17
- Juana’s Pagodas/Sailor’s Grill – voluntary until further notice
- Shark Bites – voluntary until further notice
- Alphy’s in Navarre will only service breakfast and close at 12 noon
SMALL BUSINESS DISASTER LOANS
Short-term, interest-free loans available for Florida businesses to “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer term recovery resources. Must be repaid. Review eligibility requirements and loan process and submit by May 8 the application form. For more info regarding the loans email disaster@floridaSBDC.org or (866) 737-7232.
MAJOR EVENTS (also see OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES below)
SANTA ROSA COUNTY for the next 8 weeks has cancelled all county-permitted events for more than 50 people
- Spring Jam 2020 at Juana’s Pagodas has been rescheduled for October 11
- Northwest Florida Construction Career Days at Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds has been cancelled
CITY OF GULF BREEZE is not issuing permits for events for more than 500 people during March;
- Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts Festival and Annual Quarterback Club Carnival voluntarily cancelled;
- Gumbo Fest rescheduled for May 2
- Spring Fest still tentatively scheduled for April 18
CITY OF MILTON has cancelled upcoming permitted events for more than 250
- Bands on the Blackwater concerts will be reviewed and possibly rescheduled
COURT PROCEEDINGS
March 16-27 jury selection proceedings are temporarily suspended. All jury trials were officially suspended through March 27 by the Florida Supreme Court. Access to the Scourthouse and proceedings are limited effective immediately. Only necessary participants are allowed into any hearing (witnesses, attorneys, and parties, essential court staff).
GOVERNMENT/UTILITY MEETINGS
CITY OF GULF BREEZE – no meetings have been cancelled
CITY OF MILTON – Committee of the Whole March meeting is cancelled; Executive Committee meeting may be rescheduled for April
SANTA ROSA COUNTY – has cancelled the following meetings; March 19 Land Development Code public forum; March 23 commission committee meeting; March 26 rezoning meeting; April 2 Tourist Development Council; April 6 commission committee meeting and April 20 commission committee meetings have been cancelled (see Pg 11 story for more details)
REGIONAL – Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization meetings are being rescheduled for after May 1
STATE – Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has cancelled its March 23 meeting in Milton to discuss Chronic Wasting Disease in deer
GOVERNMENT/UTILITY SERVICES
Holley-Navarre Water System lobby is closed but drive-thru remains open.
Navarre’s Official Visitor Information Center, located at 8543 Navarre Parkway in Navarre Park, remains open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has suspended fingerprinting services until further notice.
Santa Rosa County Tax Collector Stan Nichols has cancelled all appointments including CDLs (hazmat licenses), concealed weapons applications/renewals, driving tests, etc. until further notice. Many transactions can be completed online at www.santarosatax.com.
All non-online County extension office activities are cancelled through April 30, although consultations are still available by calling 850-623-3868.
PUBLIC FACILITIES
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
- Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, county parks and beaches remain open under current CDC 14-day plan guidelines, recommending no congregating in groups of more than 10 people
- County libraries remain open with regular hours; however, programs, tax preparation assistance, book stores and meeting room reservations are cancelled until further notice.
CITY OF MILTON
- Milton Community Center closed until further notice
- All city parks remain open
CITY OF GULF BREEZE
- All city parks remain open
GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE
- All ranger-led programs and permits for activities with 10 or more people have been cancelled; The Fort Barrancas Area and indoor exhibit area at Naval Live Oaks reserve in Gulf Breeze are closed; Fort Pickens remains open except for the Discovery Center and Bookstore; Pensacola Bay Cruises & Ship Island Excursions will operate at 50% capacity to allow for CDC-recommended spacing.
BLACKWATER RIVER STATE FOREST
- All campgrounds, Clear Creek Off-Highway Vehicle Riding Area, and Krul Lake Recreation Area will be closed for 30 days effective March 20. The forest remains open to hunting and fishing.
FLORIDA STATE PARKS
- All camping reservations and activities are cancelled but parks remain open with limited hours of 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily.
OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
SENIOR ACTIVITIES
- Holley-Navarre Senior Center is closed until further notice (Council on Aging meal distribution will continue)
SPORTS
- Navarre Youth Sports Association has cancelled all sport games and practices through March 28
- Tiger Point Sports Association has cancelled all sport games and practices from March 16-27
- West Florida Soccer Club has cancelled activities until March 30
BUSINESS GROUPS
- Greater Navarre Area Chamber events during March have been cancelled
- Gulf Breeze Chamber events for this week have been cancelled; events for the remainder of March are pending
- Navarre Area Board of Realtors events during March have been cancelled
CHURCHES
- Community Life Church’s building is closed until further notice (services are available online)
OTHER
- Santa Rosa Republican Women’s March 24 meeting – cancelled
- Down to Earth mudracing for Saturday, March 21 – cancelled
- NAS Naval Air Museum – closed until further notice
- Navarre Garden Club’s March 20 Spring Fling – cancelled
- The Festival of Flowers and Lumberjack Festival planned for Pensacola State College’s Milton campus – cancelled
- Life Line Screening at Tiger Point Community Center on March 20 – cancelled
- 14th Annual Michele Hill Raider Run on April 4 – cancelled
- 8th Annual Autism OdysSea at Navarre Beach Marine Park on Apr 18 – cancelled
- Hope of the World 5K on April 18 – cancelled
- Coastline Christian Academy 5K on May 2 – cancelled
- Sunset Stampede on May 2 – cancelled
- Navarre Beach Chamber Military Appreciation Picnic on May 9 – cancelled
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an escalating situation, and plans are quickly changing in response. We are doing our best to provide related updates. Please check with organizations, businesses and agencies for the most current COVID-19 updates.
