PPP loans: See who in Sarasota and Manatee got Paycheck Protection loans
More than 25,503 businesses and nonprofits in Sarasota and Manatee counties collected federal assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program to keep workers employed during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Sarasota County, the health care and social assistance industry received the largest chunk of money, pulling in a combined $172.7 million in loans, which don’t have to be paid back if they are used for certain purposes. The county’s construction industry collected $166 million.
In Manatee County, the construction industry received $103.7 million in loans. Health care and social assistance got $95.5 million.
Gov. DeSantis to Alfonsi: That s a fake narrative
The 60 Minutes report highlighted how residents of one of the poorest areas of Palm Beach County, the heavily minority communities ringing Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades region, had to travel long distances to reach a Publix. That s a fake narrative, DeSantis told Alfonsi. I met with the county mayor, I met with the administrator, I met with all the folks in Palm Beach County, and I said here s some of the options: We can do more drive-thru sites, we can give more to hospitals, we can do the Publix. And they said we think that would be the easiest thing for our residents.
‘60 Minutes’ questions Publix contribution to Florida governor, COVID vaccine distribution
Updated 1:51 PM;
Today 1:51 PM
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gestures during a news conference Sunday, April 4, 2021, at the Manatee County Emergency Management office in Palmetto, Fla. DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday after a leak at a large pond of wastewater threatened to flood roads and burst a system that stores polluted water. (AP Photo/Chris O Meara)AP
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By Zac Anderson The News Herald, Panama City, Fla. (TNS) and Tribune Media Services
The vaccine favoritism questions swirling around Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received a national spotlight Sunday when the popular CBS news program “60 Minutes” took an in-depth look at the issue, with the report highlighting how the governor’s campaign donors were involved in the vaccine rollout.
Thousands more waited in digital lines for their number to come up in county-run vaccine pools.
But for some lucky Floridians, getting a vaccine was as easy as hopping in their golf carts and rolling down to the clubhouse.
Pop-up clinics offering exclusive vaccine access sprouted at country clubs and a long list of golf course communities stretching from Delray Beach to Lakeland and Ocala. Special clinics also dotted the west coast, from the Tampa exurbs to Naples, where shots were given at a clubhouse in a community with two private beaches and homes that have sold for more than $14 million. A pair of yacht clubs in Martin County and the Florida Keys even secured special vaccine access.