Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his decision to begin reopening the state based on the steadily decreasing number of coronavirus cases throughout the state as well as our local medical systems gearing up to prepare themselves for any potential influx in cases.

The governor has cited hospital bed availability as a key indicator that the state is ready to open up again. About 33% of the state’s 59,000 hospital beds are available.

Even more — 37% — of Palm Beach County’s roughly 4,000 beds are free. About 31% of adult intensive care beds in the county and statewide are not filled.

Working Out in South Florida

As gyms in South Florida reopen, here are a few important things you should know.

First, people are more spread out in gyms than they…

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This weekend, West Palm Beach rolled out a new “Dining on the Spot” initiative to increase outdoor seating in on Clematis Street downtown.

Dining on the Spot is a collaborative program between the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the City of West Palm Beach.

The program will allow the service areas for Downtown restaurants to extend beyond traditional café seating onto Downtown streets, into parking lots, and into alleyways, for pedestrians and patrons to enjoy.

The dining spaces will allow for small groups or members of the same household to enjoy a restaurant meal while following CDC guidelines of six feet distance between guests.

Today (Monday, 18th), all Florida…

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Residents of South Florida are thrilled we have managed to flatten the coronavirus curve and that things are beginning to return to normal. The gyms are now open in many places as well as gyms and most of the restaurants and retail stores. Still, municipalities are asking residents to be responsible by continuing to maintain proper social distancing as well as follow other specific guidelines.

Here is what you need to know if your local beach recently opened.

Boca Raton

Pedestrians will have access to city beaches from sunrise to sunset during the reopening phase, however, all City of Boca Raton beach parks including parking, facilities, restrooms, playgrounds, and picnic pavilions will remain closed until further notice.

Delray Beach

…

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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced today that the state will move into a “full Phase 1” starting Monday.

That means gyms, which have previously been excluded can finally reopen. Restaurants also have received a bump as they will, starting Monday, be allowed to serve patrons at 50% capacity. Theme parks and other excluded businesses are next on the list, and beaches across the state will reopen Monday as well.

Movie theaters, however, are one of the few exceptions and will not be allowed to reopen on Monday.

As the governor (and health experts) has advised young, healthy people to get back to their normal lives as soon as possible, meaning if they have been inactive, they should start exercising again as soon as possible because, for the young and…

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County Commissioners announced today that beaches in Palm Beach County will officially reopen this coming Monday, May 18th. This is great news Palm Beachers eager to get back in the sand and sun.

Residents are, however, being asked to act responsibly by not gathering in groups of more than 10 people and by maintaining safe social distancing. 

Social Distancing

  • Keep at least 6 feet away from others.

  • Avoiding gathering in groups, including at a friend’s house, parks, restaurants, shops or any other place. This applies to people of all ages; children too shouldn’t have in-person playdates.

  • Avoid crowded places.

  • Cough or sneeze into your elbow.

  • If you feel sick, stay home! And, if your sickness continues,…

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Good news for the large South Florida fitness community: Gov. Ron DeSantis hinted in a press conference yesterday that gyms and fitness centers will open soon throughout the state.

"I think it's really important that people have access to gyms and to different exercise," DeSantis said. "You had certain guidelines that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] put out, and they think that gyms were a problem, so that's why they were closed."

Under Phase One of Florida's reopening plan, gyms and fitness centers throughout the state are closed, with the following exceptions:

  • Gyms and fitness centers that are amenities of hotels which have a capacity of 10 people or less

  • Gyms and fitness centers that are amenities of…

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed off on plans for Miami-Dade and Broward counties to reopen restaurants and other businesses deemed non-essential, the governor announced Thursday at a press conference in Doral.

“Miami-Dade and Broward have both submitted plans that I’ve approved,” DeSantis said. “Today we take another important step for a very important part of the state of Florida.”

DeSantis indicated that he would authorize a 50% cap on capacity at Miami-Dade County restaurants, double the state’s current 25% cap. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez asked the governor to allow the 50% threshold as he plans to lift COVID-19 closure orders on most businesses Monday and allow restaurants to once again welcome customers into dining rooms that…

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Jupiter residents will be happy to hear that the Abacoa Town Center is slowly but surely beginning to restart its regular weekly events starting this Friday.

A quartet of restaurants at Downtown Abacoa will host Open-Air Dining Weekends beginning Friday.

JJ Muggs Stadium Grill, Jumby Bay Island Grill, Das Beer Garden, and Civil Society Brewing Company will host the event, which runs from 4 to 10 p.m. through Sunday for the next four weekends.

Tables and chairs will be set up along Town Center Boulevard between Crescent Drive and Edna Hibel Drive for the event, which was designed to create a comfortable outdoor dining experience for customers using required social distancing guidelines.

“People will be able to dine in the street,” JJ Muggs…

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While we can all finally see light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, it still may be several weeks before gyms open back up in South Florida and around the country. Staying in shape is still both possible and important. Many people have adapted their fitness routines during this time to feature more cardio and less weightlifting. Generally, this is a good strategy. The problem, however, may be motivation. If you are bored with cardio and are starting to lack the motivation to exercise, here are a few things you can do to relight your fire until finally open back up.

Set New Goals

With our lives upended, many of our pre-coronavirus fitness goals no longer make sense. If that’s your situation, select a new goal that accounts for your…

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Many people don’t know that John Lennon once bought a house on Palm Beach. Although the famous Beatle never got to live in the house, he and his wife Yoko Ono planned to move to South Florida prior to his tragic death.

The stunning home, currently listed for $47.5 million, is one of Palm Beach’s many architectural achievements.

The seven-bedroom home was, according to Architectural Digest, originally built in 1919 by famed architect Addison Mizner and has been substantially upgraded since then, though it still retains such noteworthy period details as hand-stenciled ceilings and coquina stone accents. Photos show a lavish living room anchored by an oversize, carved-mantel fireplace, with a wall of windows facing the water.

One unusual…

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