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The Point, April 1, 2020: Gainesville Small Businesses Deal With COVID-19 In Different Ways

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The top stories near you

• WUFT News: Gainesville Small Businesses Struggle To Figure Out Ways To Survive The Pandemic. "In the Gainesville area, many small businesses are trying to push through barriers by coming up with new ways to continue to provide services to their customers and keep themselves afloat, such as offering discounts and making house calls."

Gainesville Sun ($): SIMED's First Care expands hours to reduce hospital loads. "SIMEDHealth announced its First Care urgent care center at 4343 W. Newberry Road, Suite 10, will be open daily to help off-load the number of patients at hospitals."

• WUFT News: At Gainesville’s Airport, Flights Continue Amid COVID-19 Shutdown. "Delta and American Airlines, Gainesville Regional Airport’s two partner airlines, continue to operate at the airport, sending and receiving flights to four major hubs: Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte and Miami. As flights come and go, Gainesville Regional Airport is continuing to take precautions to combat the spread of the virus."

• WUFT News: From The Front Lines Podcast. "Paul Myers, administrator of the Alachua County Health Department, talks about the status of the COVID-19 pandemic locally and what everyone in the community can do to help." (Subscribe here for more episodes.)


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Around the state today

• WUFT News: Exclusive: Owners Of Landmark Florida Beach Restaurant Under US Tax Evasion Investigation. "The owners of Hurricane Oyster Bar and Grill in Santa Rosa, Florida, are accused of failing to pay payroll and other taxes on more than $4 million in wages for hundreds of employees and failing to file personal or corporate income tax returns for more than 10 years. The Bieglers have been under investigation for at least a year on suspicion of tax evasion and willful failure to collect or pay taxes. Both are federal felony charges with fines up to $500,000 and prison terms of five years.​"

• Naples Daily News: Coronavirus in Florida updates: Confirmed cases soar approach 7,000 as state sets single-day case record. "Fatalities linked to the coronavirus also continue to increase, with 85 deaths now recorded in Florida. One of those was a 28-year-old male in Sarasota County with a history of travel to Illinois, the youngest of the state's coronavirus fatalities. The ages of the deceased range from 28 to 96, according to the latest advisories."

• Sun Sentinel ($): Florida continues to conceal names of nursing homes with coronavirus cases. "The state is withholding the location of coronavirus cases in the name of medical privacy, even though other states, including Washington and Tennessee, have freely provided information to the public."

• Associated Press: Florida docking plan in the works for ill-fated cruise ships. "The Coast Guard says it's working with Holland America on a detailed docking plan that would require two ships carrying passengers and crew to dock."

• WUFT News: US Appeals Court Denies Request For Reconsideration Of Amendment 4 Ruling. "A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday denied a request from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office to reconsider a ruling that temporarily blocked Florida’s law requiring ex-felons to pay all outstanding fines and fees before registering to vote."

• WJCT: FBI: School Closings Due To Coronavirus Could Increase Risk For Child Exploitation. "That’s because predators have more opportunities to target children who are on computers more than usual as schools move to online learning."

• Sun Sentinel ($): South Florida doctors turning to malaria drug for sickest coronavirus patients. "South Florida doctors are turning to hydroxychloroquine to treat the sickest of patients with coronavirus. While it's too early to tell if this malaria drug, combined with an antibiotic, is a miracle drug, so far it is helping some patients."

• WLRN: U.S. Lays Out 'Transition' Plan To Oust Maduro, Hold New Venezuelan Elections. Is It Feasible? "The U.S. on March 26 indicted authoritarian Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on narco-terrorism charges. Just days later the Trump Administration has laid out a "transition plan" for finally getting rid of Maduro."

• WTSP: Running out of 813: Tampa is getting another area code. "The Florida Public Service Commission announced Tuesday the current supply of 813 area code numbers will likely run out by 2022 – so we’re going to need another area code. Because of the added code, people will have to dial the full 10-digit number for local calls."


From NPR News

• World: As Pandemic Spreads, The Developing World Looks Like The Next Target

• Business: New York Mayor, Attorney General Seek Investigations Over Fired Amazon Worker

• Science: HHS To Help Companies Develop COVID-19 Vaccines

• Politics: Justice Department IG Finds Widespread Problems With FBI's FISA Applications

• Politics: Builder Of Controversial Keystone XL Pipeline Says It's Moving Forward

• Health: As The Pandemic Spreads, Battles Over Abortion Play Out In Court

• Health: Outbreak On U.S. Aircraft Carrier 'Accelerating,' Commander Warns Pentagon

• Race: Who Are We? We're Finding Out Together

Jasmine is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.