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For years, the Wesley Chapel story
has been one of growth and expansion,
where new businesses and communities
popped up on what seemed like
a weekly basis, where roads were
crowded, schools were filled to capacity
and business was booming.
Appears to be time for a new
chapter.
The next one written will be
about the recovery from a deadly
virus, Covid-19, that has shut almost
everything across the country and the
world down, stripped people of their
jobs and the roads of its automobiles
and people of their sense of safety and
well-being.
“It came so fast,” says Pasco
County commissioner Mike Moore.
“These are unprecedented times and
I don’t think anybody, no matter your
age, unless you lived through the
Great Depression, has gone through
anything like this.”
On April 2, Florida Gov. Ron
DeSantis, after weeks of harsh criticism
for his inaction, shut the state down
for 30 days with a stay-at-home order.
While essential businesses were allowed
to stay open, everyone else was
encouraged to stay home. Healthcare
providers, grocery stores, gas stations,
laundry service providers, office supply
stores, the media and restaurants
– take-out and delivery only – are all
considered essential services.
DeSantis also included religious
services at church.
When we went to press with our
New Tampa issue on March 20th, the
number of positive cases of coronavirus
in Florida had just passed 500, and
there had been 10 deaths.
Two weeks later as we wrapped
up this issue April 3, there were 9,585
cases (including 74 in Pasco County)
and 163 deaths (only two here at our
press time).
Locally, Moore and other Pasco
County officials have been scrambling
to prepare the area with countless
meetings and teleconferences, as
business and schools and families have
started full-fledged adjustments to life
with coronavirus concerns.
Schools appear unlikely to open
again this academic year. There has
been no word on whether high school
graduation ceremonies, scheduled for
June 3-7, will actually take place.
Area schools have transitioned to
online teaching/distance learning, and
have been praised for the early results
of those efforts.
“Saying that the last 2-3 weeks
have been anything short of different
would be an understatement,” said
For Leasing Information, call Keren at (407) 636-1266 or email keren@mgoldgroup.com
We hope you are able to have
a wonderful and cheerful Easter
surrounded by family
and loved ones.
In this moment of uncertainty, as the
world weathers a global pandemic, we are
thinking deeply of all our visitors,
employees and communities. We hope
each and every one of you stays safe and
healthy as we move through these
unprecedented times together.
— From The Grove Family to Yours
WESLEY CHAPEL
NEWS
Inside:
How Has Your New Year’s
Resolution Been Going?
See pages 16-17!
For the complete list of neighborhoods that receive this publication by direct mail in Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes (33543, 33544 & 33545), see page 30!
Volume 28
Issue 8
April 10, 2020
The Direct-Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993!
See “Covid-19” on page 4.
Teachers and administrators hand out breakfast and lunch for the week at Quail Hollow Elementary
(above); The Tampa Premium Outlets (below) have been temporarily closed since mid-March.
STORY: JOHN C. COTEY | PHOTOS: CHARMAINE GEORGE
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