Random thoughts during Caronavirus. Are we receiving mixed messages?

Today, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, is another day working from home rather than heading to court for hearings or to the office. I am going outside to exercise as well as traveling to essential businesses. The itinerary for today has included the local grocery, and maybe later I will go to the pool supply store for chlorine (although, quite frankly, I have smelled quite enough bleach and other disinfectant to last for a while).

Making the best of the current situation.

Things I am thankful for today:

• Having learned to work from home as well as being properly equipped to work at home. [of course, the squirrels outside are quite distracting - cute, but still distracting - as is the chainsaw at work nearby (is that really essential today?)]
• E-mail.
• The Courts (both DOAH as well as the Miami-Dade County/Circuits Courts) having a robust e-filing and online docket system.
• Clients who are still at work - and those asking me to update their wills, and, possibly more importantly, their advanced directives such as a living will, healthcare surrogate designation, durable power of attorney and anatomical donations as part of their estate plans. Now is a great time to review, or if necessary, create your plan.
• With that in mind - thank you to Publix. The Miami Herald reports that this grocery chain will be putting plexiglass barriers at all checkout lanes, pharmacies and customer service desks. Chain-wide installation, set to begin this weekend, is expected to take two weeks.  See Miami Herald, March 25, 2020, Publix will install partitions in response to coronavirus pandemic, by David J. Neal.
• Of course, I am also thankful for the weather and the ability  to get outside  to safely exercise and work off the stress caused on everyone by this pandemic, personally and financially.

Things I am not so thankful for today? I will limit it to one today - My "Corona-Beard" it is really getting a bit annoying (sorry, no photos, but perhaps you can mark the lack of a corona-beard photo to your personal 'things you are thankful for today' column).

I have posted photos taken by a law partner of a 'current normal' downtown/Brickell (photos taken 3/24) that reveal a ghost town and even worse (horrors!) the condo pool deck has been closed!

MIXED MESSAGES?

The City of Miami on Tuesday ordered residents to stay home except when shopping, exercising and taking other trips to jobs and other places already exempted from widespread closure orders from the Coronavirus crisis. I reviewed the order.  It does allow for outdoor activities consistent with CDC recommended social distancing. I would think many Palmetto Bay residents are already in voluntary compliance - but wishing others would as well.

HOWEVER - in Palmetto Bay - it appears to me (and others) that Palmetto Bay elected officials are taking the opposite approach by promoting social mobility. While it is reported in the Miami-Herald that multiple local governments joined together on Monday (March 23) to tell their residents to stay home as much as possible to prevent the Coronavirus, Palmetto Bay has taken a different tack - extending the hours of the Freebee which in essence increases and encourages people to get out. It's not like people can dine out at local restaurants or attend the movies (those businesses are shuttered).

Palmetto Bay Government competing with existing businesses - Curiously, this extension includes the 'new' service of Freebee providing delivery of take out, which again - I wonder why the taxpayers are reaching deeper into their pockets to pay for enhanced services - especially when UBER and LYFT have stepped in to provide these services (at no charge to taxpayers) . This has been a topic of conversation. Isn't this the service that Doordash, UberEats, etc., already provide?  Is someone trying to reinvent the wheel here?   Lots of restaurants are offering Doordash for free, anyway.  Only we're not limited to Palmetto Bay with the real services or subsidized by the taxpayers.

Is Palmetto Bay offering to have my Pizza delivered by Freebee to my door in 30 minutes or its free?