Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Bradenton and Manatee County on April 16
The latest on the coronavirus pandemic in Bradenton and Manatee County.
More cases in Manatee County
Manatee County has 16 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. The statewide total is now more than 22,500, according to the Florida Department of Health, including 891 new cases confirmed Wednesday.
There are 277 people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus in Manatee County as of Wednesday evening. The death toll in the county remained at 19.
ACLU wants fewer inmates in jail
During the COVID-19 pandemic, local sheriff’s offices and State Attorney Ed Brodsky should limit arrests, empty jails of non-violent offenders and either suspend or cancel any agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday.
The Sarasota chapter of the ACLU addressed its letter to Brodsky, as well as the sheriffs in Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties.
“A swift and coordinated response is needed to save lives and protect incarcerated people, staff and the public from the increasing threats posed by COVID-19,” the letter states.
Brodsky and Manatee Sheriff Rick Wells said they already have implemented many of the changes sought by the ACLU.
“Any inmate that is arrested is screened before they enter the facility,” Wells said. “We have a special pod where they stay for 14 days, but most of the time they don’t stay that long because they’ve bonded out.”
Centerstone sets up help line
Centerstone, a non-profit provider of mental health care and addiction recovery services in Bradenton and Sarasota, now has a service to help people struggling with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The new Centerstone CareLine is in operation 24/7 and can be reached at 941-782-4300.
Milk, anyone?
The dairy cows at Dakin Daily, Manatee County’s last remaining dairy, have to be milked every day, pandemic or not. With markets drying up, much of the milk is poured onto the dairy’s fields.
“I am 51, and I am going to fight this with everything I’ve got. But it makes you think: why not sell out and get a condo on the beach. It would be a lot easier,” said Jerry Dakin.
Dakin Dairy sells milk to Detwiler’s Farm Market, some local Publix stores, and Sprouts, but that doesn’t come close to taking up the slack caused by 400 restaurants closing, and school cafeterias being locked up.
Dakin is now selling a gallon of milk for $2.50 at his dairy store, 30771 Betts Road, Myakka City, which he says is less than the cost of production.
He appreciates the fact that customers are driving out to Dakin Dairy to buy their milk or cream.
“People are coming out here and buying directly from the store. You can drive out here and I will always have milk,” he said.
Dakin is selling a gallon of cream for $5. That may sound like a lot of cream for a household, but it can also be used to make butter in a food processor. There are YouTube videos to show how it is done, he said.
“If people would buy cream, that would really help out a lot,” he said.
Music brings the world a little closer
An uplifting new music video from pop band OneRepublic has a hopeful message in the time of the coronavirus pandemic: Better days are ahead.
The video is a montage of thousands of submissions from around the world. In the opening scenes, a Florida family makes musical magic.
Nikki Rinsema and her children Annie, 13, and Wrigley, 11, start off the video with the sweet sounds of violins and a cello from their living room in Bradenton.
OneRepublic shared some of their inspiration for creating the video for the song, “Better Days,” which was published to their official YouTube channel.
“We asked fans from around the world to send us their COVID-19 social-distancing and self-quarantining videos,” the video reads. “With thousands of submissions in just under one week — we created this video to show everyone’s resilience in the middle of this global pandemic.”
The Rinsema family was one of those who submitted their entry. It took roughly 45 minutes for Rinsema, who serves as the principal second violinist and next season’s concertmaster for The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota, to practice the music before sending the finished product to OneRepublic.
Both of Rinsema’s kids attend Bradenton Christian School and are involved in youth and school orchestras while taking lessons for their instruments of choice. The performance submitted for OneRepublic’s video, Rinsema said, was a new way to do music with her kids.
“This is just a different and fun, creative, very relevant outlet for them to be able to make music,” Rinsema said.
Besides spreading a message of hope, the band has another goal with the video. Viewers are invited to donate to the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The funds raised will go to the World Health Organization for the costs of patient care, supplies for medical workers and the development of vaccines, tests and treatments.
Need a job? Look here
A website projects the unemployment rate in Manatee-Sarasota could hit 28 percent, as businesses shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic shed jobs.
Local business organizations are not standing pat.
Employers can post jobs while workers displaced by the coronavirus pandemic can search for them at jobfocus.com, a service hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
Also, here is a link to more information about applying for unemployment benefits in Florida.
Organizations offering help
Resources are available to help struggling Manatee County residents through the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunities also exist to support local relief efforts, which are facing a sudden and overwhelming demand.
With all schools closed through May 1, area students might struggle to find their daily lunch, and parents may need child care while they continue working. Other residents are losing work hours or jobs with the restrictions placed on restaurants and bars.
Here is a list of some of the organizations offering help.
Need help paying rent or utility bills? Check out the groups listed here.
Bradenton restaurants offering take-home and delivery services
The Bradenton Herald has published a list of restaurants offering take out and/or delivery services during the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, feel free to leave the names, addresses and phone numbers of other restaurants, either as a comment on our Facebook page or on the page for the Manatee Eats group.
Tips to protect yourself from the coronavirus
There’s no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, and experts say one may be months away from mass production.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, staying home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The agency also advises washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
The CDC does advise that people wear face masks to avoid either contracting the virus or passing it on.
The latest closings and cancellations
Numerous businesses and organizations in Bradenton have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. For a list of closings, cancellations and postponements, check out our list.
The Miami Herald contributed to this story.