2 strip clubs shut down for violating COVID-19 rules

Officials shut down two Florida strip clubs as part of a statewide crackdown on violators of an emergency order that forced bars to close in the face of rising coronavirus cases.

The Tallahassee Democrat reports that the Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended the licenses of Le Palace Otown in Orlando and Show N Tail The Legend in Panama City Beach, saying that patrons didn’t observe social distancing guidelines.

In both cases, the orders said DBPR had the authority to suspend a license if there is an “immediate health to the public health, safety or welfare.”

In the case of Le Palace Otown, state regulators said, the bar was in violation of the terms of both the governor’s executive order for Phase 2 as well as the DBPR emergency order two weeks ago shutting bars back down. The business failed to observe social distancing guidelines, and customers were in “close proximity” to each other and to performers, the order said.

Show N Tail required customers to pay a cover charge, which entitled them to a “free” alcoholic beverage and to “observe any adult entertainment,” according to its suspension order.

The shutdowns came as state health officials tied 98 fatalities to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 4,301 as the state closes out a week of record-setting mortality.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 95 dead residents Saturday morning as well as three non-Floridians who died in the state. With the update, 4,197 residents have died and 104 non-residents have died in the state. Initially, the report indicated 188 new resident deaths, but that was updated minutes later.

The count of new cases falls below the single-report record of 11,458 set on the Fourth of July. But officials have reported more cases this week than ever before.

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Republished with permission from The Associated Press.