Volume 42, No. 9 May 21, 2020www.TBNweekly.com

A tragic fi nal chapter for ‘extraordinary’ bookman

CORONAVIRUS

LARGOCLEARWATER

Also Inside

Memorial DayMass gathering restrictions mean traditional events can’t be held, but Bay Pines and city of Largo are hosting virtual events in an effort to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifi ce. 3A

Counting casesThe total number of COVID-19 cases in Pinellas County surpassed 1,000 this past week. The death toll, mostly from long-term care facilities, was at 71. 8A

Along the beachesThe Army Corps of Engineers continues to discuss beach nourishment with the county and cities, but concern has come up with its latest proposal: 10-foot dunes. 10A

Also OnlineVisit TBNweekly.com for plenty more from around Pinellas and updates about the coronavirus crisis, including:

Parking hikesPinellas County beach cities are turning to parking rate increases as a way to make up for lost revenue caused by county shutdowns.

How to help outLocal food banks are giving out food as fast as they get it. Find out how to donate or where to pick up items.

E-editionWant to share the paper with family or friends? Visit TBNweekly.com to check out an electronic version of this week’s paper that you can download or share. You’ll also fi nd bonus pages with more community news from around Pinellas.

TRACKING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS * Visit TBNweekly.com/coronavirus for more

Road to Recovery

CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO TAKE TOLL ON PINELLAS COUNTY

Our entertainment editor has put together a list of novels about rebuilding civilization. … Page 1B.

Since you’re stuck at home, it’s time to break out the books

Volume 43, No. 43

April 2, 2020www.TBNweekly.com

Kindness also proves to be

Contagious

Number of cases and deaths not slowing

Pinellas is running low on supplies

The GoodAlso Inside

The Bad

The UglyMuch 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 many residents have sent out to fi rst responders, health care workers, struggling businesses and at-risk seniors this past week.

By SUZETTE PORTERTampa Bay Newspapers

As of press time March 31, Pinellas County’s coronavirus virus cases were up to 144, according to information released by the Florida Department of Health.DOH announced the death of a 58-year-old male Sunday night,

bringing the county’s death toll to fi ve.

DOH Pinellas report-ed Saturday morning that three county res-idents had died due to the coronavirus. Two of the dead are males, age 52 and 64, and the third was an 83-year-old fe-male. No additional in-formation was readily available.

The county’s first death attributed to COVID-19 was reported on March 24. A 67-year-old man in Pinellas died March 23. The case was not travel-related and DOH says the man did not have contact with a confi rmed case.According to the latest report, 127 of the cases in Pinellas are in Florida residents and 17 are non-residents. Forty-fi ve were hospitalized. Eighty-three cases were men

Public transitCiting a lack of ridership, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority suspended service on its downtown St. Petersburg Looper and South Clearwater Beach Jolley Trolley effective. 4A

CancellationsFind out what Pinellas County events are canceled or facilities are closed and for how long. 4A

BusinessLocal restaurants face a daunting challenge of trying to keep their doors open after being forced to close their dining rooms. 9A

More casesA second case of COVID-19 is linked to a South Pasadena condominium complex. 7A

OpinionOur Pinellas County editor, Suzette Porter, says you should heed offi cials’ warnings because staying inside could help save a life. 6A

By SUZETTE PORTERTampa Bay Newspapers

Pinellas County offi cials announced on March 27 that only two weeks of needed medical supplies remain for fi rst respond-ers and health care workers on the front-lines of the war against the coronavirus.The county put out a request March 24 asking for d ti f

Businesses team up to help seniors get TP. 3A

Artists are pitching in with DIY facemasks.

Program helps eateries, first responders

Finding a way to keep people fed. 2A

«« «« ««

««

• County issues ‘safer at home’ order• Schools to stay closed until May 1

Seeking out donations of personal protective equipment from public

OnlineFor the latest numbers from

the Department of Health, visit

TBNweekly.com

TBNweekly.com

We want to thank all of you for your loyal readership and patronage. All of 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.As we continue into these unprece-dented times, we all are facing a mul-titude of challenges that have already impacted our daily lives. This is cer-

tainly no different for the over 100 fi ne folks who produce, print and deliver our papers. Although we are hoping to maintain

our print schedule, please understand that schedule could be temporarily dis-rupted at any time. Health risks to our employees, government mandates and fi nancial considerations are all factors that could necessitate that decision. Whether that becomes a reality or not, we will maintain up-to-date coverage on our offi cial publication websites at: tbnweekly.com (Pinellas) and suncoastnews com (Pasco & Hern

Dear TBN Readers

See PINELLAS, page 4A

The shows must go on Ruth Eckerd Hall beginning to reschedule some of its shows. … Page 3B.

the

By WAYNE AYERS

TBN Correspondent

MADEIRA BEACH — Bookdealer Harry Nash led a most interesting and extraordinary life, according to his longtime business partner in the used book trade, Sean Donnelly.

That life was cut short when the 75-year-old Madei-ra Beach resident became one of now more than 30 patients at Freedom Square of Seminole who contract-ed COVID-19 and died May 5.

Nash and Donnelly were co-owners of DoraLynn Books, on Madeira Way in Madeira Beach. The book-

store was named in honor and memory of their moth-ers, Donnelly said in a recent interview with Tampa Bay Newspapers.

The two started the bookstore in 2010. Donnelly had known Nash for some years before that, as Nash had been buying and selling used books, notably antiquarian books that were of particular interest to him. He felt Nash’s experience would be a perfect fi t to making the book selection choices necessary to run-ning a successful bookstore.

Nash grew up in an environment that spoke of

Co-owner of Madeira Beach bookstore was in rehab at Freedom Square Bookdealer Harry Nash, who co-owned DoraLynn Books in Madeira Beach, died May 5 of COVID-19. Nash, 75, who was a patient of Freedom Square of Seminole, is remembered for his unique knowledge of books and much more.

Photo courtesy of SEAN DONNELLY

Photos courtesy of LINA TEIXEIRA

The city of Clearwater has closed down Cleveland Street, shown at top, to help out downtown restaurants who need more space. At right is a piece of wearable art designed by Lina Teixeira, president of the Downtown Merchants Association.

See NASH, page 9A

By LOGAN MOSBY GEORGE

Tampa Bay Newspapers

CLEARWATER — As Pinellas County and area municipalities begin the process of reopening, it’s uncertain how many local businesses will survive after nearly two months of forced closure.

But for some downtown Clearwater merchants, the quarantine spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic has emboldened a greater sense of community and brotherhood as they struggled to keep their businesses alive.

The decision by city offi cials to temporarily close two blocks of Cleveland Street so that merchants could expand outdoor seating has been met with overwhelming approval by business owners and residents alike.

“The decision came from our business recovery task force,” Mayor Frank Hibbard said. “We felt it was a good opportunity to partner with businesses to help expand their capacity and meet all social distancing standards.”

Hibbard said the street closures are not exclusively for downtown merchants —

By CHRIS GEORGE

Tampa Bay Newspapers

LARGO — Like most restau-rateurs, March and April are months Danny Lehan would probably like to forget.

When the coronavirus pan-demic began to take hold in Pinellas County in mid-March, sales at his Village Inn restaurants in Largo, Bay Pines and St. Petersburg plummeted 45%.

When Gov. Ron DeSantis closed dining rooms in early April, the bottom completely fell out and revenue immediately dropped 89%. He even had to close the Bay Pines location for almost three weeks.

“We’ve lost, between the three stores, probably about $860,000 in top-line sales since this start-ed,” said Lehan, who has owned the Largo eatery since 2011.

But Lehan and his employees haven’t gone down

Lehan

Restaurateur fi nds that it takes a Village to recover

Downtown merchants band together, get creative in bid to survive crisis

This way to the

New Normal

An occasional feature that highlights how individuals, groups, or businesses are

handling the turbulent journey of the novel coronavirus crisis.

See MERCHANTS, page 4A

See VILLAGE, page 4A

Our father-daughter fi lm critic team say the latest take on the famed Saturday morning cartoon is actually pretty good. Page 3B

Scooby and the gang return for more fun

So, what’s open? Everything except bars and nightclubs. Learn more about reopenings in Pinellas. … Pages 4-7A

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