Darren Richards

White House COVID-19 Task Force to Wind Down, Shift Focus  Yesterday, President Trump announced that the White House COVID-19 Task Force would be winding down. Earlier today, he clarified that the task force will not be shut down, but will shift its focus to economic revitalization. According to Trump, the task force will now be focused…

New Record for COVID-19 Deaths in Florida  This morning’s updated numbers revealed a new record in statewide deaths relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, just a day after Florida’s reopening phase began. This marks the first day of the pandemic with over 100 deaths. Additionally, there were 542 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases.  DeSantis Reports on Unemployment Problems  Late yesterday, Governor DeSantis addressed problems…

“Phase 1” of Governor’s Reopen Florida Plan Begins Today The first phase of Governor DeSantis’ Reopen Florida plan began at 12:01 am this morning. Eligible businesses throughout Florida are now able to open at reduced capacity.These changes do not apply to businesses in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties yet. Not included in…

Last Week’s Unemployment Numbers In: Nearly 4 Million More Americans Filed  Yesterday, the Department of Labor announced that 3.8 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits within the last week. The previous week saw a total of 4.4. million filers. Florida was the state with the most new claims: 326,000. See the report here.   Governor DeSantis: Parks to Reopen …

Federal Reserve Expands $600B Main Street Lending Program  Earlier today, the Federal Reserve expanded its $600B Main Street Lending Program. The minimum loan amount has been reduced to $500,000 to make the program available to small businesses. Additionally, larger businesses will now also qualify for the program, as companies with up to $5B in revenue can…

Governor DeSantis Announces Phase 1 of Reopening Florida Plan  Governor DeSantis has announced “Phase 1” of his plan to reopen Florida’s economy, which will begin on May 4. Florida schools will continue with distance learning and movie theaters, bars, gyms, salons, and barbers remain closed. Nonessential retail stores can reopen at 25% capacity and…

Updates From Governor DeSantis on Reopening the State  Speaking yesterday, Governor DeSantis described his plans to reopen the state as “very methodical” and “data-driven”. He also suggested that parts of the state may reopen before others. The governor is expected to announce his ‘Phase 1’ plan tomorrow.   DeSantis: All Floridians Can Now Get a COVID-19 Test  Governor DeSantis announced…

Re-Open Florida Task Force Public Comments  Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida task force is taking public comments. Submit your comments relating to re-opening the state’s economy here: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=59c1681fac504b6ab8da108d52501c92.  Paycheck Protection Program Restarts  The Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program restarted today after receiving an influx of additional funds at the end of last week. Lenders around the…

$480 Billion Package Approved By House, Signed By Trump  The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to approve a $480 billion COVID-19 relief package. The funds will be used to help small businesses and hospitals and increase levels of testing.  Included in the final bill is $310 billion in additional funding for the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program. President Trump signed…

Florida Unemployment Levels Break More Records  More than 505,000 first-time claims were made during the week ending on April 18, breaking the previous record set during the week ending on March 28. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Florida’s increase in claims was larger than any other state. Of those applying for unemployment benefits between…