NAPLES, Fla. — The beaches here in Southwest Florida are a staple, and makes us who we are. However due to the Coronavirus outbreak, they are shutting down to help protect our community. Naples Police say they are doing their best to keep the community safe, but some are not abiding by the temporary restrictions.
On their Facebook page earlier today, they put out a statement letting locals know if you are caught along the beaches, you could receive a notice to appear in court for violations of City Ordinance 26-1 and be fined an amount not exceeding $500 or be imprisoned for a period up to 60 days.
One woman who lives along the beach says it does not make sense.
“It says beaches closed, but I mean my beach isn’t closed. The part that my building owns, I don’t see how I’m impacting anybody else, if I walk down my beach, swim in the water and come back”, said Jody Angevin.
Out for a walk Kay Woodard tells me she thinks quarantine just might be hard for some.
“People need to be out in the sunshine. We need to have the beaches restricted, but nobody should be going to jail over this, there’s no criminal behavior going on, said Woodard.
Her friend Diane Waterloo describes the enforcement as a bit ridiculous
“ I know they have to enforce things in certain ways, but let’s be realistic, I think the fear is out of control, I mean the streets are empty”, said Waterloo
Phyllis parks tells me she has seen some disobey the law.
“You know, you really should follow the signs, but people weren’t doing that, they’re walking over them or cutting through to get down to the beach”, said Parks.
It’s a temporary restriction, that we should follow for the time being.
“I thought the fine, they should have it because they aren’t paying any attention to what they were told to do. Walking on the beach if there 1 or 2 people fine, but if it gets real crowded I don’t think its a good idea”, said Parks.
