4A COVID-19 case count Get the latest on testing, new cases, and number of deaths in Pinellas County. 3B Paul Bettany shines in ‘Uncle Frank,’ writes TBN movie critic Lee Clark Zumpe. December 3, 2020 www.TBNweekly.com Volume 42, No. 37 * Visit TBNweekly.com/coronavirus for more TRACKING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS Also Inside Transportation Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority Holiday chief executive Brad Miller has announced the county’s newest transportation innovation, AVA, otherwise known as Autonomous Vehicle Advantage. AVA is the fi rst autonomous vehicle in the Tampa Bay Happenings area that will travel in an area with other traffi c. 8A Tampa Bay pulls out all the stops Education to celebrate the holiday season In a two-week span from Nov. 16 to Nov. 29, Pinellas schools saw a large increase in the number of coronavirus cases within its institutions, reporting 165 positive results. Of that number, Boaters head 109 were students and 56 were staff Holiday cheer to the water members. 6A on tap in area Redington Beach to celebrate An “error” in the wording of the town’s communities Compiled by JERRY STOCKFISCH dock ordinance drew a large number Tampa Bay Newspapers of residents Nov. 18 charging that the Compiled by LEE CLARK ZUMPE Tampa Bay Newspapers code’s language prevented them from It’s one of the perks of living near the water: Viewing lines of boats bearing holiday 3A Holiday excitement builds as communities improving their docks. lights, Santa fi gures, snowmen, and even and organizations throughout Pinellas Peanuts and Grinch characters while crew County celebrate with a myriad of events members dance to blaring Christmas carols. designed to delight young and old alike. No Northern transplant can ever forget their December calendars are fi lled with the fi rst exposure to the awesome spectacle of the unique and the traditional, including the holiday boat parade, and December, of course, following. brings the parade season to our local waters. Generally, participants wind through Breakfast with Santa set the residential channels throughout beach LARGO — The sleigh has just pulled into Photo SUBMITTED / By CHRIS GEORGE communities, with dates staggered to allow town with the man in the big red suit, and captains to participate in more than one. he’s ready to have breakfast with children Top: There might be no better way to celebrate the holidays in a There are typically various prizes of gifts and ages 8 and younger. socially distant way than by watching a boat parade, and Pinellas cash for creativity depending on size of the Breakfast with Santa will be presented County has plenty to choose from this year. Above: Scores of Saturday, Dec. 19, at the Largo Community patrons visited Largo Central Park on Nov. 28 to view the more than See BOATS, page 2A 2 million lights on display. Dunedin See EVENTS, page 4A Business partners Lisa Shipman and Clay Freeman recently opened a new boutique gift shop, Cause & Purpose, GULFPORT which donates a portion of all profi ts to local, national, and global causes, and also gives nonprofi t organizations a place to sell their wares. 13A Studio adapts tour for COVID-19 era She acknowledges that ArtJones 2020 Instead of artists opening up their in- will look different from previous years but ticipated in while living in upstate New door home studios, it’s been refashioned E-edition This year’s ArtJones York, the ceramic artist and gallery owner thinks it will still capture the essence of as an outdoor walking tour. This year, the event, which is connecting artists with tour will be self-guided; knew it would be a fun way to engage the 12 artists will set up at seven locations Want to share the paper with family or community and introduce local artists to an audience and showcasing their cre- friends? Visit TBNweekly.com to check set to take place Dec. 5-6 throughout downtown Gulfport. ative processes. a new audience. Not only is it “very bikeable or walk- out an electronic version of this week’s Four years later, the annual event is a “It’s an area where we had to compro- By TIFFANY RAZZANO able,” it also allows for social distancing mise, but you still get that sense of these paper that you staple in the region’s thriving arts scene. and other safety protocols at a time when The shows must go on Ruth Eckerd Hall beginning to reschedule some of its shows. … Page 3B. TBN Correspondent artists living in our community and their Since you’re stuck And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, at home, it’s time to COVID-19 cases are rising in the state, can download break out the books McMahon and her team of volunteers and workspaces are these non-traditional, sa- Our entertainment editor has put together a list of novels about rebuilding civilization. … Page 1B. McMahon said. Artists and guests will be Volume 43, No. 43 www.TBNweekly.com April 2, 2020 GULFPORT — When Brenda McMahon cred studio spaces,” McMahon said. “You or share. You can CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO TAKE TOLL ON PINELLAS COUNTY participating artists knew they needed to Also Inside The Good The Bad founded ArtJones Open Studio Tour, the required to wear masks, hand sanitizer Number of fi nd a safe way to host the event this year. still sort of get the spirit of it.” also fi nd special cases and will be available to attendees, and the deaths not idea was simple. Gulfport artists would It was important to not cancel this Public transit slowing The result is a revamped, scaled-down Citing a lack of ridership, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority • County issues ‘safer at home’ order suspended service on its downtown • Schools to stay closed until May 1 artists will be set up with enough space St. Petersburg Looper and South By SUZETTE PORTER sections you may Clearwater Beach Jolley Trolley Tampa Bay Newspapers open their personal art studios to the effective. 4A As of press time March 31, Pinellas County’s coronavirus virus cases were up to 144, according to information released version of ArtJones planned for Saturday, Cancellations by the Florida Department of Health. Find out what Pinellas County DOH announced the death of a 58-year- old male Sunday night, events are canceled or facilities are « « bringing the county’s between them for everyone to feel safe, closed and for how long. 4A death toll to fi ve. TBN Finding a way to keep people fed. 2A weekly.com DOH Pinellas report- public for tours, demonstrations and con- Business ed Saturday morning Online See TOUR, page 2A that three county res- Local restaurants face a daunting idents had died due to For the latest have missed, the coronavirus. Two of numbers from Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, challenge of trying to keep their the dead are males, age the Department doors open after being forced to 52 and 64, and the third of Health, visit was an 83-year-old fe- TBNweekly.com close their dining rooms. 9A male. No additional in- she said. Kindness formation was readily available. More cases The county’s first death attributed to COVID-19 was reported on March 24. A versation. A second case of COVID-19 67-year-old man in Pinellas died March 23. also proves to be The case was not travel-related and DOH is linked to a South Pasadena says the man did not have contact with a Dec. 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. condominium complex. 7A confi rmed case. According to the latest report, 127 of the cases in Pinellas are in Florida residents such as our Opinion and 17 are non-residents. Forty-fi ve were hospitalized. Eighty-three cases were men Our Pinellas County editor, See PINELLAS, page 4A Inspired by similar events she’d par- Suzette Porter, says you should Contagious heed offi cials’ warnings because staying inside could help save a The Ugly life. 6A Much of Pinellas County may be under some degree of self-isolation, but that doesn’t mean those who are in need are alone. That’s the message Dear TBN Readers Pinellas is many residents have sent out to fi rst responders, health care workers, We want to thank all of you for your Welcome Back. loyal readership and patronage. All of struggling businesses and at-risk seniors this past week. running low us at Tampa Bay Newspapers (TBN) are proud to publish one of the best and largest groups of weekly commu- nity papers in the country. on supplies As we continue into these unprece- dented times, we all are facing a mul- titude of challenges that have already Seeking out donations of personal impacted our daily lives. This is cer- tainly no different for the over 100 fi ne protective equipment from public folks who produce, print and deliver our papers. By SUZETTE PORTER Although we are hoping to maintain Tampa Bay Newspapers our print schedule, please understand that schedule could be temporarily dis- Pinellas County offi cials announced on rupted at any time. Health risks to our March 27 that only two weeks of needed employees, government mandates and « « « « « « medical supplies remain for fi rst respond- fi nancial considerations are all factors ers and health care workers on the front- that could necessitate that decision. Businesses Artists are Program lines of the war against the coronavirus. Whether that becomes a reality or not, we will maintain up-to-date coverage team up to help pitching in with helps eateries, The county put out a request March 24 on our offi cial publication websites at: seniors get TP.