Authorities are searching for a suspect who shot and killed a motorist on the 405 Freeway in Seal Beach on Saturday.

Officers responded shortly after 6 p.m. to reports of shots fired on the northbound freeway, just south of the 605 Freeway, the California Highway Patrol said in a statement.

They found a light blue Hyundai Elantra in the center divider area; inside was a man in his mid-20s who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound, according to investigators. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity was not released.

Investigators are looking for a white Mercedes-Benz S550 that witnesses described as the suspect vehicle, the CHP said.

The Hyundai had also collided with a maroon Honda before coming to a stop, authorities said. That driver remained on the scene and was cooperating with the investigation.

The northbound lanes of the 405 were shut down for about six hours while police investigated. Anyone with information was asked to call the California Highway Patrols Westminster Area office at (714) 892-4426.

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Man shot and killed on 405 Freeway in Seal Beach - Los Angeles Times

Escambia County is planning eight traffic initiatives on Pensacola Beach during the off season.

With the exception of a $1.8 million access road that has been planned for years, most of the projects do not include new construction.Rather, they are meant to reconfigure traffic to improve safety and flow, as well as increase parking.

Commissioner Robert Bender, who represents the beach and will propose the projects to the Escambia County Commission for approval, said the other seven projects will likely total under $500,000. The projects are much smaller than the massive overhauls of the traffic infrastructure that have been studiedin the past.

Most recently, a$9.2 millionplan for a roundabout is on hold because Bender said the county didn't have the funding for it and he still has questions about how well it would operate.

Eight traffic improvement initiatives are planned for this offseason on Pensacola Beach. They include a new access road near Quietwater and the restriping of the Casino Beach parking lot, and improving parking lot exits. (Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)

"They are all projects that we saw were short-term improvements that, again, were a better use of the existing space. None of them would impact the ability to do any future plans," Bender said.

The off-season efforts are in addition to adjustments to the traffic signal system to help with record high traffic,which includehaving an engineer watch intersections and operate signals during the busy weekends.

Rusty Branch,executive director of the Escambia CountyDestination Marketing Organization, said hoteliers on the beach want the county to follow the previous studies on how to improve traffic, like the roundabout plan.

"Small Band-aids aren't going to fix the traffic problem. They're going to continue to be there. And we saw that bared out this year during June when the toll booth was open and we had large numbers coming through," Branch said. "The engineers have told us that you have two choke points, the toll booth itself and thenthe signalized intersection. If you're going to open a free flow of traffic on Pensacola Beach, you have to deal with both of those."

On the other side,Rhonda Dorfman, who lives near Fort Pickens and is vice president of Pensacola Beach Advocates, said her organization didn't support the roundabout plan because it would be confusing to tourists. She said she's seen improvements in traffic flow on the beach with the signalized light and cashless tollchanges.

"As far as all the proposed changes, I am in support of everything that they're doing," Dorfman said. "(Especially) if they want to try to repave that parking lot, because the residents do feel that the parking is the issue as far as with traffic and everything."

The access road will be two lanes and run from Quietwater to the fishing pier parallel to Pensacola Beach Boulevard and include a continuous sidewalk. The idea is to provide better access to Quietwater and the businesses on the east side.

"We're trying to just do a better job with managing the space that's already here," Bender said. "We think that it will actually have some great improvements for everybody out here."

Escambia County staff found that if crews changed the striping of the Casino Beach parking lot, they could add an additional 120 spaces, or an entire lane of parking, to the existing 1,252 spaces.

Instead of the current 90 degree-angled parking spots with two-way aisles, next year, the parking lot will have 45 degree-angled spots with one-way aisles.

Crews also plan to restripe the Bob Sikes Bridge bike lane and install a barrier. Along with that effort, the number of toll booth lanes will drop to two to provide a safe route for cyclists and pedestrians as they enter the island.

"This way you can get across the bridge safely and now that you only have two lanes from the toll plaza, you're not going to have somebody try to cut you off as you've just gotten off the bridge and so we think this is important for pedestrian safety," Bender said.

Once the toll was converted to cashless earlier this year, the county has kept only two toll lanes open. The idea is that it avoids cars needing to merge back into two lanes after the plaza.

Bender said residents still have a lot of questions about why there are only two lanes open but during the busiest four hours, an average of 245 more cars have gone through the toll than in previous years.

Crews will also improve the bike lane or trail markings along the southbound section of Pensacola Beach Boulevard. Bender said a lot of vehicles don't recognize it as a pedestrian access and pull over on it.

Often during the busiest times on the beach, traffic coming from the Fort Pickens area doesn't let traffic exit from the Casino Beach parking lot, so much so that sheriff's deputies have to control traffic at times.

To solve this, the county plans to change around the configuration of the lanes on Fort Pickens Road as it approaches the Pensacola Beach Boulevard intersection.

Accessibility: Much-anticipated Pensacola Bay Bridge pedestrian path opens to public

Infrastructure: Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Beach interchange could be in store for major changes

System changes: Pensacola Beach traffic system explained: How Escambia County is adapting after record June

Currently, there is an acceleration lane in front of the Surf and Sand Hotel. That will be turned into a left turn lane onto Pensacola Beach Road to shift the lanes over and allow spaces for a lane exclusively for those exiting the Casino Beach parking lot.

Once onto Fort Pickens Road, Casino Beach traffic will have to merge after the exclusive area ends.

"Giving this protected area to the cars exiting the beach parking lot we think would again help traffic flow within the parking lot and then also cars that are coming down Fort Pickens," Bender said.

The county has plans to extend the right turn lane on Pensacola Beach Boulevard to Fort Pickens Road by 800 feet and use the existing asphalt on the road.

The county completed a one-hour study between 9 and 10 a.m.the Saturday before Memorial Day this year that showed36% of the cars turned right at the intersection.

Bender said while this won't necessarilybe needed in the off season,it will allow more cars to exit the main lanes at the light.

Bender is also proposing a u-turn on Pensacola Beach Boulevard just south of the toll plaza. This will provide another option, in addition to the access road, for cars leaving the Grand Marlin area to turn left.

"You're not going to feel like you're adding a lot of time just by going up a few extra hundred feet to make a u-turn. More importantly though, this is safer way to make that left turn from the parking lots on the east side of Pensacola Beach," he said.

Escambia County will begin a marketing campaign to educate beachgoers about other transportation options on the beach, including the ferry from downtown to Fort Pickens as well as the beach trolley and shuttle service.

"It's really just a marketing campaign that we can do. ... Let everybody know what the options are, let our visitors know that maybeyou don't need to take your car to Quietwater in the evening. You can grab the trolley," Bender said.

Madison Arnold can be reached at marnold@pnj.com and 850-435-8522.

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Here are eight traffic initiatives planned for Pensacola Beach this off season - Pensacola News Journal

By: Michael LoveMonday, August 31, 2020 | 2:18 PM

Lynda Scahill | Simply Sisters Photography

Bethel Park senior outside hitter Alexa Psotka earned second-team All-WPIAL Class AAAA honors in 2019.

Submitted by Dalibor Psotka

Alexa Psotka attempts to keep the ball alive during a sand volleyball tournament match in Columbus, Ohio, this summer.

Alexa Psotka is looking forward to putting her feet in the sand on the Atlantic Coast in South Carolina.

No, shes not eyeing up a sunny and warm vacation spot but rather a golden opportunity in volleyball at the Division I level.

The Bethel Park senior standout recently gave a verbal commitment to play volleyball at the College of Charleston. It is a package deal as she will join the regular hard court indoor squad and also hopes to make her mark in beach volleyball, a sport that is on the rise in the NCAA.

The campus is beautiful, and the volleyball program has an amazing coaching staff with a very high level of play, said Psotka, an All-WPIAL second-team selection at outside hitter last season.

The opportunity to play beach is an added bonus. It is just a great fit for me. I am really excited.

Psotka, who also garnered Division I interest from schools such as Akron, Rhode Island and Wisconsin Green Bay, connected with the College of Charleston coaches while attending an on-campus camp last summer, and the idea of also playing beach volleyball was born.

Most of the players in the program at the College of Charleston play on both the indoor and beach volleyball teams.

The Cougars beach program was one of 64 at the NCAA Division I level for the 2019-20 season. There also were 16 at the Division II level and five in Division III with several others hoping to join.

Kaitlin Fournier, a senior at Elizabeth Forward, committed to play volleyball at the University of Georgia last December, and the Bulldogs athletic department is exploring the possibility of adding beach volleyball to its ranks.

Psotka, also a member of the Pittsburgh Elite Volleyball club, said it is a relief to have the decision finalized.

I had visits set up for a few other schools, and unfortunately, they had to cancel, said Psotka, whose father, Dalibor, is a former Czech ice hockey world champion and a former professional player in the U.S.

I was really nervous about all of it with the pandemic. Everything was on pause. It was stressful because the NCAA kept pushing back the dead period. I was kind of losing hope. But then it started picking back up, and everything went well. Now, I can just focus on what (College of Charleston head coach Jason Kepner) wants me to improve on before I head to college.

Lynda Scahill, Pittsburgh Elite founder and coach, knows the type of player and person the College of Charleston is getting.

Alexas a very hard-working kid and a fierce competitor, Scahill said. (Coach Kepner) is really excited to have her come into the program. She is the first from the area, that I am aware of, who will play beach volleyball in a collegiate setting.

In the first couple months of the quarantine shutdown in many parts of Pennsylvania, Psotka hoped to find a place to train. She turned to an opportunity out of state at the Elite Volleyball Training Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Pennsylvania opened up in early June under the green phase of recovery, and Psotka returned to hard-court training with her Pitt Elite teammates. But, on the encouragement of the training center staff, she continued to travel to Columbus twice a week throughout the summer to train and play in doubles tournaments on the centers beach courts with Pittsburgh Elite teammate Charlie Allison, a Washington County resident who attends The Linsly School in Wheeling, W.Va.

We got a lot of good experience on the sand courts this summer, Psotka said. We played against some of the best players in the country. I think it also really helped with my indoor skills.

Psotka also trained close to home during the pandemic quarantine. Her parents set up a net in the back yard, and she would also set out on running workouts to stay fit.

Weight training also was a staple of her fitness regimen. Former Pittsburgh Penguins star Tyler Kennedy, a family friend and Dalibors hockey training colleague, helped Alexa by providing training equipment and tips for workouts in the basement of her home.

Psotka said shes motivated to begin the girls volleyball season. Bethel Park hopes to return to the WPIAL playoffs after missing out last fall.

The Black Hawks advanced to the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals in 2018, and Psotka earned second-team All-Section 2 recognition.

We had a lot of skill last year, but it just didnt fall into place for us, Psotka said. We really bonded as a team over the summer, and the chemistry among the players is strong. I think we have everything we need, and we should be a team everyone wants to beat.

Bethel Park coach Brooke Muraco likes what she sees from Psotka as a team leader.

Alexa is a solid outside hitter for us with a ton of energy, Muraco said. Her skills are helping the team become a well-oiled machine.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Michael by email at mlove@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Bethel Park

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Bethel Park's Psotka taking Division I volleyball talents to the beach | Trib HSSN - TribLIVE

The long-planned reconstruction of a half-mile stretch of Beach Road in Vineyard Haven is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has announced.

Running from Five Corners to the start of the bike path at Winds Up, the $5.2 million project has been years in the making and aims to improve the main artery running along a busy stretch of coastal road toward the Marthas Vineyard Hospital.

MassDOT is performing the road work, scheduled to take place between Labor Day and Memorial Day for the next three years.

The reconstruction project will include widening and adding sidewalks, relocating utility poles that currently block pedestrians and adding a separated path to take cyclists and other users between Winds Up and Tisbury Marketplace.

From the marketplace to Five Corners there will be sidewalks only, said Bill Veno, a senior planner at the Marthas Vineyard Commission who worked with the state and Tisbury to design the plan.

There was never any intent to run the shared use path all the way to Five Corners, Mr. Veno said, speaking to the Gazette by phone Monday.

Under the new layout, a network of planned and existing town paths will allow inbound cyclists to reach downtown Vineyard Haven and the ferry terminal without sharing Beach Road, by following a route from the marketplace to Cromwell Lane, Mr. Veno said.

The plan is part of the commissions long-term goal of linking and extending the Islands network of shared-use paths for cyclists, walkers and joggers, Mr. Veno said.

The next project is scheduled to [go out to] bid this fall, and thats to continue the shared-use path from the drawbridge to the end of County Road, and then the next phase is on to Oak Bluffs, Mr. Veno said.

Like a lot of planning, its been a long time coming, but all the pieces are coming together.

Finalized by the state in 2018, the Beach Road project originally was slated to be finished by 2021. The new completion date is 2023, according to an announcement from Mass DOT that went out from Tisbury police chief Mark Saloio late last week.

The announcement includes a detailed schedule of road detours that will be in effect once construction begins.

From 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, depending on the weather, motorists can expect delays, temporary lane closures and detours, the announcement said. A one-way westbound detour will be used, as needed, to facilitate travel to and from the ferry terminal.

Emergency vehicle access will not be restricted.

The westbound detour will begin on Beach Road in Oak Bluffs and will continue as follows:

Beach Road to Eastville Ave to County Road;

County Road to Barnes Road;

Barnes Road to Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road;

Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road to State Road.

For additional information from MassDOT, motorists can dial 511 or visit the mass511.com website for real-time updates. The department also has a mobile app and a Twitter account, @MassDOT.

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Beach Road Reconstruction Work Set to Begin Sept. 8 - The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

Note: The Bright Side of Life, a celebration of the life of the late Larry Newsom, Flagler Beachs city manager for the past four years, is scheduled for Friday, September 4, at Tortugas restaurant in Flagler Beach from 5 to 7 p.m. Newsom died on Aug. 23.

After two day-long workshops, the Flagler Beach City Commission agreed in an informal 4-1 vote last week to not just to keep next years tax rate flat, but to cut it back to the so-called rolled-back rate, ensuring that there will not be a tax increase.

By Florida law, even if the tax rate stays the same, if a property owner sees a higher tax bill because his or her property values have improved, thats considered a tax increase. Only going back to the rolled-back rate ensures against such an increase. (See a complete explanation of the rolled-back rate here.)

There was no question that a majority of commissioners agreed to go to rollback.

Yet on Friday, commissioners got two surprises. The first was notice that two commissioners, Jane Mealy, who chairs the commission, and Deborah Phillips, had signed a call for an unusual third budget workshop. Thats set for Sept. 3. The second surprise was the revised budget book Kathleen Doyle, the finance director, submitted.

Doyle in a memo submitted the updated budget. But the tax rate was set at $5.4552, not the $5.285 the city commission had explicitly agreed upon.

Doyle explained that the rate of 5.4552 is the roll back rate of 5.2850 plus the Florida Per Capita Personal Income Increase of 3.22%. This Increase is per Florida Statute 200.001.

Doyle made it sound as if Florida law required the additional increase. It does not. The only thing Florida law does is require the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to report per capita income increases as calculated by the federal government. The requirement has no other effect. It is certainly not a requirement of local governments to include the increase as part of their tax rate: state law does not force any such increases on local governments no matter how much per capita income, or inflation, fluctuate in a community.

The measure is advisory onlyits one way to measure increased demand for government services, though by no means the only or most accurate waywith one caveat: once calculated into the proposed property tax rate, that rate is also the maximum rate that a simple majority of commissioners (three out of five in Flagler Beach) may approve in order to enact the budget.

The Mealy-Phillips request for another meeting, in other words, suggests that such a majority may be in the making, countering the effort to go back to rollback.

Commissioner Eric Cooley on Saturday wrote Doughney: At the conclusion of last meeting, concensus was reached and direction was given to staff to budget at rollback. No where was direction given to do rollback plus (random items). This book and update does not follow the last public direction given. There has been no public changes to direction given to staff so I am confused why this is even being presented to us in this manner? I request the budget book be prepared following the direction from the last meeting. Please advise.

Cooley worries theres been back-channel activity.

That was not the direction that came from our meeting. Our meeting was, you were going to set a budget book based on rollback, Cooley said In an interview on Sunday. Someone has gone to staff and given them different direction than the direction that was given to them at our meeting by the commissioners. Cooley said the commissions direction was being undermined by somebody, and that come Thursday, its going to be one of the first questions I ask when we call our meeting to order.

He added: This type of tactic, our city is supposed to be better than that, this is the kind of tactic you come across with the county, not our city. This is the first time Ive seen it.

Commissioner Rick Belhumeur put it more bluntly: Its a conspiracy. I dont know of a better word to explain it, he said, referring to the city administration, which he says drives the budget process more than it should, given the commissions role.

Cooley and Belhumeur may also be overstating the case: while the Doyle memo may have poorly conveyed its meaning, sounding more prescriptive than advisory, it does not lock the commission into voting for the higher property tax rate, but only provides for what the numbers would be at those various tax rates, as budget documents usually do.The decision is still in commissioners hands, with two hearings, on Sept. 16 and Sept. 30 at 5 p.m., when any line item, any number, may still change.

Belhumeur and Cooley have been pushing through the two budget hearings to lower the tax rate well below that Larry Newsom, the late city manager, had initially proposed. They disputed a range of new spending, from license plate readers for the police department to drones for various departments to capital improvements to the sanitation office to increases in the amounts the fire department is asking to add to its fire truck reserve fund, and so on. They say the commission has raised taxes year after year. This year, with the coronavirus emergency, it should hold back and give taxpayers a breather.

Im not looking at changing the millage rate this year at all. I think this city has been through enough, and I do appreciate what the commission has done over the last three and a half years, Newsom had said in his very last interview earlier this month, when he spoke to FlaglerLive on the budget. I think we can take a break on the millage rate. I cant promise anything on utilities. He added: I dont want to do rollback because then youre doing catch-up.

Thats Mealys approach.

Newsom agreed that, after proposing to buy a new fire truck earlier this year, that plan should be shelved until a future year. That was my mistake, he said of the fire truck. That was my suggestion, it wasnt the fire chief, so I accept the responsibility for that, however, we can make it last for a few more years, but that trucks been in the budget for quite a long time, I was just trying to move it up.

In July, Newsom had proposed a maximum tentative tax rate of $5.8 per $1,000 in taxable value, but I think tentative should be put in quotation marks, he saidmeaning that it was just a working number, not a guide.

But when he submitted the proposal at the July 23 meeting, he advised the commission against going back to rollback ($5.285), though he said hed be comfortable with keeping the rate equal to what it is currently: $5.710 per $1,000 in taxable value. Setting the proposed rate only means that the commission may not exceed it once it votes on the actual rate at two successive public hearings in September, but it may lower it by then.

Cooley and Belhumeur wanted the tentative rate set at $5.710, the current rate. Their motion at the July 23 meeting failed. Mealy, Ken Bryan and Phillips wanted it set at $5.8, and won that vote, 3-2.

Its easier to understand the numbers with an actual example. Take Commissioner Phillipss house on Palm Avenue. Its valued at $350,000, assessed at $296,467a $6,665 improvement from the previous yearwith a $50,000 exemption, making its taxable value $246,467. In 2019, Phillipss Flagler Beach tax bill was $1,336, up from $1,263 the year before, when the tax rate was $5.39.

At a $5.8 tax rate, Phillips would pay $1,430. If the city commission maintains next years tax rate the same as it is this year, Phillips would pay $1,407. If the city goes back to the rollback rate of $5.2850, her tax bill would drop to $1,302. If the rate goes below the rollback rate, then the tax bill would go lower still, depending on where the rate is set.

In order to go back to rollback, Doyle told commissioners that the various city departments would have to cut a combined $190,000 out of a general fund budget of roughly $7 million.

The question at the very end of the day-long workshop last week was how to get there. Mealy was not interested in delegating the task entirely to the administration. Cooley, Belhumeur and Bryan did not want to micromanager, but rather give the administration the bottom line number (the rollback rate) and have it work back to it.

Theres a fundamental problem with how were going about this that I have an issue with, Cooley said. So for instance, if I think we need to be at rollback, OK, then I should not be charged with being tasked with taking out little pieces of the budget here and there that have been added in by staff. I should be able to go to our heads of staff and our city manager and say, this is where we need to be. You all are smart people, you know what your needs are, and you guys figure it out. He said the administration should make the numbers work. If you added stuff that inflate it, you take it out, and then youll still have plenty of money, because this year that were in is really well funded.

That sounds really nice except that gasoline goes up, utilities go up, and bla bla bla, Mealy said. (Actually, fuel costs have fallen significantly because of the covid crisis, and utility costs were set to fall). So we tell Matt hes got to cut his department to whatever the rollback rate would be to his department.

But its not a cutback, Cooley said.

Yes it is, because when you look at his operations costs, gas goes up, so do we not let the police drive as far? Electricity goes up, so do we tell them to turn the lights off at night?

That is a very exaggerated argument, Cooley said, citing the small amounts Mealy was referring to.

Bryan sought to clarify Cooleys point: if it takes cutting 2 percent out of the projected budget in order to return to rollback, then each department would have to cut back next years budget by 2 percent.

We would be potentially saying you spend what you spent the year that were in, Cooley said, and to Janes point, there are some things that are more expensive. If you give raises to your staff, that will mean that something else needs to come out. The changes are not drastic. These are not big changes. Were sounding like were going to starve people, and thats not the case. Now, I reviewed all of this, and I have found a litany of things in here that are not necessities. But I dont want to be the one to tell the department heads which ones that they can choose from. I would want them to do it and just hit the number.

See, we did that, Mealy said. Under a previous administration, we had the administrator tell each department hey, cut your department by 10 percent, and thats where we ended up with vehicles that werent working, with jobs that werent getting done. They cut by 10 percent. They did.

Doyle is heard correcting Mealyto 3 percent.

I dont care what the percent is, Mealy said. I never agreed to giving a blank percent to departments. I think its a terrible way to run things.

Bryan said its not unusual in government to give standards to meet, and that the administration be the ones that decide where its going to be, if were going to go that route, to a rollback rate. (Bryan did have concerns about going to rollback if it meant defraying a too-high increase the following year, though he did misinterpret the facts: It may lead to a reduced millage rate for some folks, he said, but in actuality its probably going to stay about the same. Thats not correct: the rollback rate would, in fact, reduce the property tax rate for all, without exception: )

Then whats our role? Mealy asked.

Bryan deflected with a joke about giving up 3 percent of his salary. See, I dont agree with this, Mealy continued. I think that staff and the city manager pout a budget together, supposedly with needs and not many wants. I think its our roles as representatives of the people of Flagler Beach to go through the budget and see how much we think each department should have. I guess I see things differently. No, I dont want to look at how many pairs of boots the fire department has. Dont want to do that. But perhaps one department can cut a bigger percent than another department can.

Commissioner Rick Belhumeur agreed with that, but also agreed with Cooley that something had to give when it came to find the budget work. He said he supported a baseline budget, not that you start with a number and you work until you get to it. Thats what Ive hated about this process since I got here. In this case, this year, Im going to stand with Eric, and I think we need to hit rollback.

Why did we spend from 9 to 5 for two days going through all this? Mealy asked. I dont get it.

Well, I think youve got to decide: does the commission as a whole want to go to rollback? Mayor Linda Provencher asked, trying to break the logjam. If you guys dont agree on that, its a moot point. She added, if three of you dont want to go to rollback, theres no point to this conversation.

Cooley pressed on. Every single solitary layer of government in this country right now is making efforts to help out the taxpayers because of the drastic impact of the pandemic, he said. This year is not a normal year. This is a completely different year than anything weve had. Next year is going to be different. Fingers crossed. He crossed his fingers. But we cant be the only ones who are not doing that. We have to chip in also. So that is where I used my rationale, because I have voted for tax increases as a commissioner, and there have been specific, pointed things that I unwanted to ask our citizens to step up and help out with. We were very far behind from previous administration.

Initially, Cooley wanted to go below rollback just a little. Where Im at is rollback or a touch below that, he said.

Bryan agreed, leaving it up to the department directors on how to get there.

When the mayor asked for a show of hand from those who wanted to go back to the rolledback rate, all commissioners raised their hand with the exception of Mealy. Its a majority, Mealy said.

We have to as a city cut $190,000 Doyle said, not each department per se, however the city manager decides to cut $190,000 out of the budget.

I think were abdicating our role, Mealy said.

But the other commissioners agreed to leave it up to the city manager.

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In Flagler Beach, A Pitched Battle Over Taxes Is Dividing Commissioners as Administration Draws Fire - FlaglerLive.com

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered restaurants to close their dining rooms as COVID-19 descended back in March, Red South Beach chef/partner Peter Vauthy did what he could to keep staff employed and fed. He prepared meals for first responders and cooked fried chicken for takeaway. June brought the go-aheadfrom Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenezto reopen dining rooms followed weeks later by an about-face from Gimenez, who nixed indoor dining.

Red had no outdoor seating.

Vauthy saw only one way to keep his restaurant from shuttering permanently: Move to a new location.

Red South Beach has found a new home in the same South of Fifth neighborhood, in the former Mira Five Stars restaurant space at the Marea condo on South Pointe Drive.

The spot hit all the notes he was looking for: a large, modern kitchen, a great location, and an extended outdoor patio with covered areas. Vauthy tells New Times that having a patio is essential for the foreseeable future. "When we had no outside dining, we were essentially doing no business. It became obvious to me that we needed outdoor space."

Vauthy says he has been working on the lease for a few months. It took five weeks to get the kitchen to his specifications. The new Red South Beach should be open in two weeks, if not sooner. The restaurant is finished and awaiting approval from the City of Miami Beach.

Initially, the restaurant will offer patio dining only (in addition to takeout). The outdoor patio seats up to 70 guests, accounting for social distancing. Most of the space is covered and protected from the elements. "The view is going to be incredible," Vauthy says. "It's a beautiful outdoor space. When people come to Miami, they want to be outside."

Once open, the indoor dining area will seat about 140, plus a glass-enclosed VIP room, two other private rooms, and a bar area with its own seating. Red's wine cellar will also be moved to the new space.

The menu will remain the same: prime steaks, fresh seafood, and decadent sides. Vauthy plans to add a four-course Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (including the option to addunlimited Champagne, bloody marys, or other noontime libations.

Also new: the Red butcher shop, which will offer ready-to-grill steaks, sustainable seafood, and spice rubs.

All menu items will continue to be available for takeout and delivery.

The most important thing to the chef is reopening and staying open for his employees.

"I need to open and be back to work for the 40-plus people who work for me," Vauthy says. "I've tried to keep key people on the payroll since the pandemic began, and I've kept my doors open for my employees. They know they can come in and get a meal. It's a people business and we have to take care of our people."

Looking beyond the reopening, he remains optimistic. "There's this built-in community that supports the local restaurants here," he says. "It's an extended neighborhood family."

Red South Beach. 801 South Pointe Dr., Miami Beach; 305-534-3688; redsobe.com.

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times. She has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.

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Red the Steakhouse Moves to a New South Beach Location - Miami New Times

Police cars line the street nearKahaluu Beach Park on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. PC: Rachel Silverman

Hawaii County Police on Saturday arrested five individuals for violating COVID-19 protocols as part of a gathering at Kahaluu Beach Park in West Hawaii.

HPD Assistant Chief Robert Wagner said officers responded to a report of roughly two dozen people gathered under the large oceanside pavilion in the park. Michelle Melendez, who organized the gathering, described the event as a peaceful Hawaii Health Summit. A flyer promoting the event, which was scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noted several planned speakers and discussion topics including Is there science behind face masks? and the Health risks of 5G.

Wagner said when police arrived at around 5 p.m., they observed approximately 30 people under the pavilion. Police reported none of the individuals were wearing face masks or social distancing, both of which are new rules required under emergency proclamations issued by Big Island Mayor Harry Kim and Hawaii Gov. David Ige.

Upon contact with these individuals, officers attempted to educate these parties on the most recent Governors Emergency Proclamation, Wagner said. However, they refused to listen or comply with the officers. Officers then began to issue citations, where the crowd then became belligerent and hostile.

Officers then requested additional units to their location, Wagner continued. Once additional officers were on scene, they began arresting all individuals who were in violation of the Emergency Proclamation, therefore causing others to disperse. All five individuals were arrested and charged with (multiple) offenses.

Police chargedGene Tamashiro, M-53 of Hilo; Stefanie Nolff, F-48 of Keaau; Diane Fischer, F-65 of Kailua-Kona; Melody Harris, F-60 of Kailua-Kona; andMichaele Medearis, F-53, of Holualoa with the following offenses:

Melendez disputed the polices version of events.

We had just finished the ending prayer and were about to leave when (three) cops came. I was packing up and people were staying, Melendez said. They called in 22 cops in 15 cop cars speeding down Alii (Drive) with their sirens and lights on. This was not an emergency.

Contrary to police remarks, Melendez claims there was no communication between officers and the crowd before arrests were effected.

There were more cops than people by the time all the officers got out of their cars. They were standing there not saying a word to us, she said. Once they all were there they walked toward us and started grabbing people and arresting them. They didnt say a word.

Melendez did not dispute police assertions that those gathered at the beach park failed to wear masks and socially distance, but she did dispute the characterization of her groups actions Saturday as illegal.

They were charged with not wearing a mask, not social distancing, gathering with more than 10 people, and not dispersing. These are not laws, she said. They should have been processed and let go that night but instead had a $6,500 bail. Peaceful people, no weapons, no harm to anyone. We were at a public beach.

All four women had been bailed out as of Sunday, Melendez said, while Tamashiro chose to remain in jail until he is arraigned.

To date, there have been 340 cases of COVID-19 identified on the Big Island and more than 8,300 statewide. Hilo Medical Center reported two coronavirus-related deaths Sunday, the first two on the Big Island since health officials began tracking the pandemic in late February. At least 63 people statewide had died of coronavirus-related illness as of noon Sunday. Most were elderly and suffered from underlying health issues.

Mayor Kim said he would not issue a new lockdown on the Big Island where cases have surged in recent days, but did promise stricter police enforcement for those not following COVID-19 rules, which are authorized via emergency proclamations at the county and state level. Saturdays arrests at Kahaluu Beach Park constituted the first major coronavirus-related police endeavor since the mayor announced enforcement would increase.

We are starting a peaceful Hawaii Freedom Walk on Saturdays at 3 p.m. at (Queen Kaahumanu) Highway and Henry Street to protest this action, as well as the unlawful mandates, Melendez said. We will be six feet apart in silence with our signs. To learn more go to http://Hawaiifreedomwalk.com.

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Police Arrest 5 at Kahalu'u Beach Park For Violation of COVID-19 Protocol - Big Island Now

Cape Cod towns that are trying to make sure their beaches are not too crowded this summer are keeping out nonresidents and implementing new parking rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In Truro, for instance, the Head of the Meadow beach parking lot is closed to vehicles until late August.

This will allow for safe physical distancing for visitors at both the seashore and town managed beaches, reads the alert from the National Seashore Massachusetts. Bicyclists and pedestrians may enter.

In Mashpee, only town residents can access the communitys beaches as a result of overcrowding at Johns Pond and other town beaches.

This beach access restriction is intended to advance the interests of the aforementioned Advisories and Guidances by preventing large gatherings at and overcrowding of the Town Beaches during the COVID-19 State of Emergency, states the Board of Selectmen order. All persons authorized to access said Beaches during this temporary restriction will be expected to comply with all recommended COVID-19 safety measures, including appropriate social-distancing and wearing of face masks when social-distancing is not possible, while on the Town Beaches.

Falmouth earlier this summer reduced capacity at its beach municipal lots to 50% because of the virus. However, town officials have decided to now expand parking at the Mill Road lot on a trial basis because the Surf Drive beach has not been overcrowded, said Town Manager Julian Suso.

Were going to continue to monitor the conditions at the different beaches in town, he said.

There has been no documented evidence of the coronavirus spreading at Falmouth beaches, Suso added. Eleven town lifeguards have tested positive for the virus, which was connected to a social gathering after work hours, he said.

In Barnstable, staff at beach gates have informed beachgoers about wearing masks and staying 12 feet apart from other groups.

We havent had many issues, said Recreation Director Patti Machado. The beaches are large enough, so people can spread out.

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Cape Cod towns restrict beaches to only residents, close parking lots amid coronavirus - Boston Herald

Photo credit: Geoff Moore

The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council has installed new coral reef information signs at 39 Maui beaches. The signs feature large colorful photos of sea turtles, corals and marine life, and the headline, Protect Mauis Coral Reefs.

Twenty-nine of the signs are replacements for coral reef information signs created and installed about ten years ago by Project S.E.A.-Link. These signs had since become faded and weather-worn. An additional ten signs were installed at new locations, including Hookipa, Launiupoko and Polo Beach.

The signs instruct beachgoers to avoid walking or standing on coral because coral is alive and easily damaged by such actions. Other advice includes choosing sunscreen thats free of reef-harming oxybenzone and octinoxate, and protecting sea turtles and other wildlife by giving them their space.

Our goal was to use colorful eye-catching photography to attract people to the signs and then to provide friendly and compelling information about the basics of protecting the reefs while they snorkel, swim, dive, paddle or surf, said Mike Fogarty, Acting Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. Were very pleased with the result and the positive reaction from the public.

Maui Nui Marine Resource Council was able to create and produce these signs with support provided by Hawaii Tourism plus assistance from Maui Visitors Bureau. The signs were designed by Geoff Moore, owner of Silver Moon Art and Design in Pia. Photographs for the sign were donated by Drew Sulock, a local nature/adventure photographer and owner of Drew Sulock Creations.

Thorne Abbott of Coastal Planners, LLC donated time to help Maui Nui Marine Resource Council with permitting requirements. The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation also provided assistance in planning the installation of the signs at County parks.

The signs were installed by two local companies: Maui Rebuilders LLC and Maui Neon & Signs.

Im really proud to have been an ongoing part of this public awareness campaign, and to have the opportunity to update the graphics and messaging to be fresh and relevant, said Geoff Moore, who had designed both the original signs and the newly installed signs. Its important to me to inform Mauis ocean users about protecting our coral reefs. I believe this will give the animals there the best opportunity to survive amongst so many environmental challenges.

The coral reef information signs include a link to a snorkeling information page at http://www.mauireefs.org/snorkel which was created by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and includes free downloadable fish cards, instructional videos and other information about snorkeling on Maui.

The coral reef signs help to reinforce messages that visitors will see on the window displays that Maui Nui Marine Resource Council installed at the Kahului Airport, says Fogarty. Were now planning public service announcements and social media advertising to provide additional reinforcement of these important reef conservation points.

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New Coral Reef Information Signs Installed at 39 Maui Beaches - Maui Now

Connecticut and New York residents who dont live along the coast are likely feeling the heat more than usual this summer, as one town after another has closed off its beaches to everyone except locals.

Citing the need to prevent the spread of Covid-19, officials have instituted varying degrees of residents only policies on beaches in every coastal Fairfield County town except Greenwich, with Darien and Stamford the latest to shut off access. Some towns farther up the shoreline, including Milford, Madison and Groton, have enacted similar measures.

Many Long Island municipalities are also restricting access to town beaches, including Long Beach, Hempstead, Huntington and Southampton.

By shunning outsiders, towns appear to be butting up against legal mandates that require them to maintain public access. But officials argue that with state beaches operating at reduced capacity, town beaches are getting much more traffic than usual, creating a hazard for residents.

Jennings Beach in Fairfield, Conn., is open only to residents on weekends, a policy adopted in mid-July after the first selectwoman, Brenda Kupchick, received a rash of complaints that there were too many people trying to stake out a spot on the sand.

We had people parking all over the beach area, parking a mile or two away, or taking an Uber and walking on, she said. We have multiple ways to get onto our beaches, right in the middle of residential areas. People were emailing me like crazy saying it was unsafe.

Fairfield has since fenced off various entry points to Jennings and other beaches, posted police officers, and raised parking fines from $80 to $200. Up to 150 nonresident vehicles are allowed to park in the Jennings lot on weekdays for a $50 fee.

On the first Saturday the policy took effect, many residents were caught off guard when a parks and recreation worker stood on the main pathway to the beach asked them to show I.D. Most, though, expressed relief at the new requirement. Our virus numbers in Fairfield are low right now wed all like it to stay that way, said Sara Tieke, who was biking past the beach with her husband, Brad. You have to draw the line somewhere.

But civil-liberties advocates say such restrictions conflict with a 2001 state Supreme Court decision that found that the town of Greenwichs residents-only policy, which had been in place for decades, was unconstitutional. Since then, towns have opened their beaches to nonresidents, though many still effectively restrict access by limiting the number of available passes or charging hefty daily parking fees.

David McGuire, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the 2001 case, said the ACLU is concerned that the virus is being used as a justification for exclusionary beach policies that in decades past were used as a tool for racial injustice.

Im not saying thats happening now, but we cant allow the pandemic to be an excuse for unfair treatment of people, Mr. McGuire said. Capacity limits are important, but a resident-only scheme doesnt address the issue of social distancing. What they really ought to do is put a cap on how many people can be on the beach, and allow people in on a first-come-first-serve basis. That is a policy grounded in science.

Further, he said, policies that reserve the beach for residents on weekends while opening it up to nonresidents on weekdays are clearly designed to give preferential or exclusive access to residents during certain periods, which is unfair and unconstitutional.

But municipal officials do not want to have to turn away their own residents on busy weekends.

Our taxpayers pay for lifeguards, Department of Public Works employees for maintenance of the beaches, law enforcement its a lot of money, Ms. Kupchick said. To say to your residents who pay that, you cant go it doesnt seem right.

Mr. McGuire said his office will scrutinize all residents-only ordinances and their enforcement to determine if they comply with the 2001 Supreme Court decision.

In Nassau County, on Long Island, the city of Long Beach stopped selling nonresident daily beach passes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as of July 23. The beach was getting too crowded, due in large part to overflow from Jones Beach and Robert Moses, which were reaching capacity early in the day on weekends, said Joe Brand, the citys interim parks and recreation commissioner.

We were overrun with nonresident sales on the weekends in addition to our resident clientele, Mr. Brand said.

Gate attendants and security are now posted at each beach entrance. If the beach is too crowded at any one entrance, attendants will close it and urge residents to enter at a different location.

Thats easier than telling people they cant access at all, Mr. Brand said.

At the county-run Nickerson Beach, county officials closed parking to nonresidents back in May in response to Mayor Bill de Blasios decision to keep New York City beaches closed. That policy ended once New York City opened its beaches in July.

Because city beaches hadnt been opened, we wanted to avoid people coming from the city and overcrowding, said Jordan Carmon, a spokesman for the county executive, Laura Curran. The entire point was the health and safety of residents and ensuring that county residents had access to the single county beach that they pay to maintain and operate.

Restricting public access along that shoreline could potentially violate federal policies that require communities that accept federal funds for beach restoration to maintain public access. Last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a $130 million storm risk reduction project in Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout.

Stuart Malec, a spokesman for Representative Kathleen M. Rice, said the congresswomans district office on Long Island had inquired with the Army Corps about the restrictions. He said they received this response from the Army Corps public affairs office: Any decisions made by local health official and authorities to temporarily close or limit access to beaches due to the Covid pandemic is not expected to affect any funding decisions regarding future long-term repair assistance or renourishment actions for those projects.

Back in Connecticut, Brenden Leydon, the Stamford lawyer who brought the lawsuit challenging Greenwichs exclusionary policy 19 years ago, said the pandemic makes the issue of access more murky, but that town officials should try to approach it with flexibility.

They should perhaps take it on a day-by-day basis, lets see how its going, rather than just say the beach is closed to nonresidents until October, Mr. Leydon said. Such blanket declarations, he noted, are hard to justify when the towns are, at the same time, welcoming nonresidents to come to their restaurants for indoor dining.

Greenwich, for its part, is trying to strike a balance, making available up to 350 nonresident beach passes a day, said Fred Camillo, the first selectman. The passes are $8, and there is a $40 parking fee at Greenwich Point and Byram Park beaches.

You want to be as welcoming as you can, while being fair to the residents who are footing the bill too, Mr. Camillo said.

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Restricting Beach Access to Residents Only - The New York Times

FRAMINGHAM Today is the last day the City of Framinghams beaches are open. The City will close all its beaches at 5 p.m. August 9.

But a Framingham mom has started a petition to keep the beaches open through Labor Day, September 7.

Typically, the City of Framingham beaches are open from the third week in June through the third week of August.

This year, the beaches were only open from July 1 through August 9.

Typical the Citys beaches are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. but this year, the beaches were open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

We are asking for the beaches of the City of Framingham, MA to remain open until Labor Day. Now more than ever we need access to local recreation. Beaches are one of the few places we can go to remain local while on a tight budget to stay cool during this very hot summer, and while maintaining strict social distancing. An extra two weeks of beach time is all the difference, especially since school has a delayed opening and will be remote, wrote Kat Suwalski, a Framingham resident.

Budget funding appears adequate, given that thenew fiscal year has just started July 1, stated the petition. We implore you to consider the effect this pandemic has had on local families unable to take advantage of all the normal recreational activities available under normal circumstances.

The 11-member City Council voted unanimously in June a resolution to have the Citys beaches be free this year. The Spicer administration agreed and for the first time in more than a decade, the Citys beaches were free to residents.

The City staffs three beaches with lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Lake Waushakum, learned Pond Beach, and Saxonville beach.

***

Editors Note: In full transparency, the editor of SOURCE has signed the petition. The editor has been a resident of Framingham since 2000.

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Petition Created to Keep Framingham Beaches Open Beyond August 9 - framinghamsource.com

HONOLULU (KHON2) Beaches and parks across Oahu closed for the second time on Saturday.

[Hawaiis Breaking NewsDownload the FREE KHON2 app for iOS or Android]

Under Mayor Kirk Caldwells new order, no one is allowed to walk, stand, or lay out on the beach. People can fish below the high-water mark and people can go into the ocean for activities like surfing, swimming, and diving.

The closure is to prevent people from gathering in large groups, which was seen at many beaches across Oahu last weekend.

Even though beaches, parks, and all parking lots were closed, hundreds of people still drove up to places like North Shore on Saturday.

I think its ridiculous theres so many cars parked up and down Kamehameha Highway, as you can see its packed. It looks like any other summer day or when we were opened to tourists, said North Shore resident Tristan Bates.

Theres people all over the rocks, theres people just leisurely hanging out and it seems like theres people from everywhere, he continued.

Honolulu police officers were out in full force across the island issuing citations and making sure people were not walking on the sand.

One North Shore resident said she went to Ke Iki beach to jump in, but because the waves were a little big, she said she walked further down the beach to find a safe zone to enter the water.

And two HPD officers on ATVs surrounded me and informed me, Youre not to walk on the beach, so when I explained to them I was looking for a safe place to jump in, and they said Well do it, jump in now and leave, explained Kristina Marquez.

The new restrictions are a disappointment for many people.

Its really disappointing that the beaches are closed, said Honolulu resident Courtney Khan. Especially at the end of summer and when school has just been delayed.

North Shore businesses hope the new closure wont have affect business.

Now that they have closed the beaches well see if it makes a difference because a lot of people go to the beach and they stop here on the way or on the way back, but we today we are pretty busy, explained Cholos owner Nancy Selemi.

HPD said they handed out 220 citations on Saturday to people either at beaches, parks, or who were in large gatherings. HPD said those who received a citation will have to appear in court.

HPDs hotline will be activated at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9.

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HPD issues hundreds of citations on first day of beach closure - KHON2

Pensacola Beach saw its first sea turtle hatch of the season Sunday night. Approximately 129 loggerhead hatchlings emerged on the county-patrolled portion of Pensacola Beach and made their way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Sea turtles nest May through October along the Gulf Coast and nests incubate for around 60 days. Once the sun sets, hatchlings emerge all at once and make their way to the Gulf of Mexico. They will spend their first few days in a swimming frenzy to escape the many predators found in nearshore waters. Safer in the open ocean, they will use floating mats of algae to hide and feed until they are big enough to return to nearshore areas.

Sea turtle hatchlings face many threats long before they reach the water. Bright lights from homes, flashlights and cars can lead hatchlings away from the Gulf and into danger. Nearly 60% of hatchlings will be disorientated before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

Forgotten furniture, toys, sandcastles, and holes can trap hatchlings, causing injury, starvation, and dehydration. Food and other waste left on the beach attracts gulls, crows, stray dogs, and coyotes who also prey on hatchling turtles.

Escambia County recommends the following to protect sea turtles:

If you see a nest hatching or encounter hatchlings turtles on the beach, stay a respectful distance away and call Escambia County Marine Resources at 850- 426-1257.

Written by William Reynolds Filed Under TOP STORIES

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First Sea Turtles Of The Year Hatch On Pensacola Beach - NorthEscambia.com

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PUERTO PEASCO, MexicoThe sun shines brightly as it rises over the Sea of Cortez.

The intense summer heat draws beads of sweat on Magdalena Reyes Villalba's forehead.

It's still early in the morning. There are hardly any tourists yet along the Malecn, the pier at the heart of Puerto Peasco.

But Reyes Villalba is hard at work, hanging colorful garments over the sidewalk outside her booth, where she has been selling clothes, jewelry and other trinkets for more than 15 years.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this year especially tough. The city locked down to curb the spread of the virus during what is normally the busiest timeof the year. The projected economic losses are staggering.

Tourism officials in Puerto Peasco said visitors to the beach-side community brought in nearly $100 million to the local economy last year. But because of the new coronavirus, this year's estimates barely top $35 million.

"In my case, (the booth) is my only source of income," Reyes Villalba said."We have a family, so it was really difficult. But it still is difficult because we haven't seen the number of tourists that we had hoped."

Puerto Peasco, more commonly known as Rocky Point in Arizona, is trying to orchestrate a delicate balancebetween managing the impacts of the global pandemic and drawing visitors to its cash-strapped businesses.

Nearly 85 percent of the businessesare dependent on tourists, the overwhelming majority from Arizona.

On Aug. 1, the local government reopened the expansive beaches lining the city's coastline as part of the latest phase in its reopening strategy. The move came nearly six weeks after the city began welcoming visitors again.

"I think this is a good time to come visit us because Peasco remains a destination that has abided by safety protocols, that has abided by prevention efforts, and has maintained confirmed cases low," Mayor Kiko Munro said.

Since June 17, more than 33,000 people have visited Rocky Point, he added. That's a small fraction of the number the city normally drawsduring the summer.

All visitors, and the businesses that cater to them, must follow strict guidelines, even at the newly reopened beaches, or risk a hefty price. The rules include wearing masks at all times, doing regular temperature checksand sanitizing frequently.

Beach-goers will encounter additional restrictions. The city has designated access points to beaches, where they can ensure that visitors are complying with their guidelines. The city limited the hours the beaches are open. Police and federal officers enforce social distancing.

"We'll have to see if this experiment will work. We'll have to see if more people don't get sick," saidGerman Palacio. "I do hope that it works."

He owns The Point, a restaurantat the Malecn overlooking the stretch of resorts along the popular Sandy Beach.

Oswaldo Luna, left, and Ramn Vaca, employees at The Point, prepare to open the restaurant for the day. The owner estimates business has decreased by as much as 80% because of the COVID-19 pandemic.(Photo: Rafael Carranza/The Republic)

A lot is at stake for local businesses. After shutting down for three of the busiest months, owners are eager to make some money, and they understand the reopened beaches could draw even more people to the city, and to their shops.

"We've already lost the entire year. There no way to make up for that," Palacio said."Right now, we're just staying open so that our employees can make some money, and us too. But it won't be a short-term recovery."

COVID-19 remains a big concern. While the state of Sonora reports relatively few confirmed cases and deaths inPuerto Peasco, local doctors said the numbers are much higher.

Nonetheless, there appears to be a consensus among businesses and government officials to reopen as safely as possible, in hopes of luring more visitors, the economic lifeline to the city.

The local government in Puerto Peasco set up "sanitation tunnels" outside key points throughout the city, such as the state-run General Hospital, to fight COVID-19.(Photo: Rafael Carranza/The Republic)

One of the tools city officials rolled out early on is a "sanitationfilter," a checkpoint to the north of the city that all visitors must drive through.

The checkpointaims to keep out visitors infected with COVID-19.

It's manned by Mexican National Guard troops, local police and tourism officials.

Since June, they've processed more than 13,000 vehicles carrying U.S. and Mexican visitors, according to the city.

When a driver approaches, one of the tourism officials asks them where they are staying, and logs that information. All visitors are required to have an existing reservation.

Every fifth car is chosen to undergo a rapid antibody test. Local paramedics will prick their finger, draw a drop of blood and wait just minutes for the results. Those who test negative can proceed. Anyone who tests positive is turned away.

"The police and National Guard work together to make sure that the person takes off," said Rafael Mendivil, Puerto Peasco's tourism director.

Since the beaches reopenedAug. 1, officials administered more than 150 tests. At least six of them were positive, including several Arizona visitors. They turned back the six vehicles.

Even some visitors are notconvinced about the city's strategy. George McBride, a Cave Creek resident, owns a condo in Puerto Peasco and is a Mexican permanent resident. He visits often and said the procedures are annoying, but that he understood why they are in place.

"The face mask makes a difference," he said, as he was waiting for the results of his test, which came back negative."If they're going to catch someone with the disease, one in five cars ... I'm not sure how effective that will be. This disease is going to spread."

Other visitors welcomed the additional screenings and safety guidelines in Puerto Peasco.Chad Jordan drove fromGilbert with his family to spend a few days at the beach.

They waited in the car at the checkpoint as a Red Cross paramedic administered the antibody test. As he waited for the results, which also came back negative, he explained that they aretaking their own precautions, such as staying at a houseinstead of a hotel, in order to avoid large crowds.

"We've got three little kids and plane ticketsand everything else is always a longprocess to plan, so withouthaving a lot of uncertainty to be able to make the drive and come to the beach is important to us, and we are definitelylooking forwardto it," he said.

As Puerto Peasco prepared to reopen beaches, tourism and elected officials worked with Mexican federal officials and local committees to drawup new rules for beachgoers.

Therules are an extension of the guidelines the city has had in place since it began to ease itslockdown in June.

"The world is changing and will be changed from now on. And tourism has alsochanged. Tourismwon't be the same," said Hector Vsquez del Mercado, the president of the Puerto Peasco Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Under theplan, access tothe city's beaches is restricted. They established designated public access points and closed off all others.

For example, La Cholla and Hermosa beaches each have a single access point.Police set up controls to limit the number of people, to randomly administer tests and take temperatures. Everyone is then funneled through a "sanitationtunnel," spraying disinfectant, to get to the beach.

At Sandy Beach, each of the resorts is responsible for limiting the number of its guests in concession areas.

Recreational activities are allowed only from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with two additional hours designated for exercise in the morning.

Masks can be taken off at the beach, but social distancing guidelines are enforced.

Beach vendors must allow following certain rules. Tents or umbrellas must be spaced out about nine feet away from each other, and they must provide trash bags or bins to discard food or any other items beachgoers touch.

The city and tourism officials posted the full guidelines, including maps with access points, to their website.

"For all the peoplethat cometo Peasco, the security that we can offer them is proportional to how well they follow these rules," Vasquez del Mercadosaid. "Why? Becauseit's notjusta city effort, it's an effort by tourist and the city."

The Mexican Navy and federal harbor master officers will enforce these regulations. Officers and soldiers patrol the beach areas on all-terrain vehicles, especially after closing time.

Anyone caught violating rules can be fined between $100 to $120.

Ivan Mungua Felix, a doctor in Puerto Peasco, recovered from COVID-19 and has been tracking cases throughout the city.(Photo: Rafael Carranza/The Republic)

One of Puerto Peasco's main selling points to draw visitors, and to push for a faster reopening strategy, is the number of reported COVID-19 cases in the city.

As of Thursday night, the Sonora Health Ministry reported 87 confirmed cases and 12 deaths.

But those numbers are a drastic undercountof what's happening on the ground, according to Ivn Mungua Felix,a private physicianin Puerto Peasco and a member of the mayor's pandemic response task force.

He created an unofficialmap to track infections in the city. It shows more than 270 infections in the city, more than three times the official numbers. He said there are about 300 more cases he hasn't added to the map. In all, he estimates there are about 500 unofficial cases.

"I'm gathering this information from all logbooks from the busiest labs in the city, and from other fellow doctors," he said. "When I started mapping it out I saw that our number is much more different than what government officials reported."

Mungua Felix started tracking casesafter catching COVID-19 himself. He said public hospitals in the cityare full and don't have tests. They havebeen sending infected patients to biggercities given a lack of funding from the state and federal government.

That's how he believes he caught the virus, from an untested family member of an infected patient sent to Nogales.

Mungua Felix was hospitalized for 27 days, in serious condition. He credited his recovery to his brother, who isalso a doctor, and a medical team that flew in from Mexico City to treat him.

When his condition improved, he resumed his private practice, doing virtual appointments instead. But Mungua Felix also continued tracking cases. His map assigns a color to each neighborhood to assess the risk.

It shows that the areas most visited by tourists, such as the Malecn and resorts, are in green, the safest level, while high transit neighborhoods away from the beaches are in red, indicating the greatest risk.

"Businesses and hotels there are enforcing measures like tests, temperature checks, scanners, all these measures and they've been able to quickly detect and treat cases," he said, citing it as an example that the city's safety measures are working.

The problem, he said, has beenresistance in inland neighborhoods to the safety protocolsand growing fatiguewithmasks and socialdistancing.

Mungua Felix said he tried reporting the cases to state and federal officials to adjust their numbers. They wouldn't accept them because they did not come from within their own labs or hospitals, he said.

"That's why I developed that map, because the (federal) government is not doing things well, and the state government isn't, either, because they depend on what the federal government sends them, and ultimately, they're the ones in charge," he said.

Munro, Puerto Peasco's mayor, acknowledged the official case countis based onwhat the state and federal government reported.

He saidthe city has stepped into help residents. In addition to the call center, they offer free testing and even free medicationto treat the symptoms of those who test positive.

"What is most concerningisn't the confirmed cases, but the mortalityrate, which is at around 10 percent," he said."That is very worrying," especially for residents who have underlying health conditions, he added.

Munro urged residents at higher risk to stay home, and asked everyone, including visitors,to continue following the safety protocols, especially the use of masks.

Several tourists walk through the Malecn in Puerto Peasco on Aug. 6, 2020. The city has reopened its beaches after five months due to COVID-19.(Photo: Rafael Carranza/The Republic)

Many businesses and residents have praised Munro for the steps he has taken to curb the spread of the viruswhile allowing the local economy to open up. There are still some critics, but their concernslargely are muted against the potential economic impact brought by visitors.

"We hope that the infection rates don't go up so Peasco can remain open," saidCasandra Flores Ros, a vendor at Playa Hermosa.

Her family set up tents along the beach, spaced out as required under the new guidelines. But business so far has been slow to pick up.

She and her family were out of work for nearly five months, until the beaches reopened earlier this month.

"We also have a booth to sell artwork, but because of the pandemic, we had to close that down. We literallyhad to live off of our savings," she said.

Palacio, the restaurant owner at the Malecn, said he's been disappointed by the lack of assistance from the federal government. They have been paying taxes,bills, and other business costs,but without any income.

I have to go and work because it's our daily bread

"We applied for help with the state, but we didn't get anything. It seems the federal government doesn't care to help small and midsize business owners," he said.

For now, Palacio is looking ahead. Even thoughthis year's losses are difficult to overcome, he doesn't plan on shutting down his restaurant.

As Reyes Villalba finished hanging clothes at her booth in the Malecn, she talked about her concerns.Until there's a vaccine, she and her family will be continually exposed to the virus.

At the same time, she believes she has little choice in the matter.

"I have to go and work because it's our daily bread," she said. "The fear is there, the fear that I will be infected. But we have to be here."

Have any news tips or story ideas about the U.S.-Mexico border? Reach the reporter at rafael.carranza@arizonarepublic.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RafaelCarranza.

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Puerto Peasco bets on heavy restrictions in bid to reactivate tourist economy - AZCentral

While many local beaches are overcrowded, Spectacle Island remains an underutilized gem during the coronavirus pandemic. Just a 30-minute trip on a Boston Harbor Cruises boat from Long Wharf, the uncrowded beach with Boston skyline views awaits. Although the visitor center and concession stand remain closed during the pandemic, changing rooms, restrooms, and outdoor showers are still available. Visitors must bring their own food and water or buy them on the ferry, and carry out all trash.

Thirty-four islands comprise the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, but only Spectacle Island is accessible by BHC ferry during the pandemic. After remaining closed for the first part of the season, the island opened on July 1. The islands proximity to Boston meant it was always in use, but it didnt become a park until 2006. Dirt excavated during the Big Dig was used to cover parts of the island, which had served as a garbage dump for decades.

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Spectacle Island is open, boasting unobstructed views and quiet beaches - The Boston Globe

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) An algae bloom at several spots at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is resulting discolored and foul-smelling water.

According to an algal bloom surveillance map from the Virginia Department of Health, there are currently four spots at the Oceanfront where the algae bloom was reported.

According to a spokesperson with VDHs Waterborne Hazards Program, the bloom is an alga that commonly blooms at this time of year in Virginia known as Margalefidinium polykrikoidies.

Margalefidinium polykrikoidies is not harmful to humans, but may cause fish kills due to the low oxygen which may result from bacterial decomposition, the spokesperson says.

For the past two weeks, officials have been recovering reports of the bloom. Of the four reported algae bloom spots at the Oceanfront, the highest concentration of Margalefidinium polykrikoidies was recorded at the 1st Street jetty with 6,990 cells/ml.

Another VDH official tells 10 On Your Side this is the same type non-toxic algae reported at Norfolk beaches at East Ocean View Beach and the area of the Chesapeake Bay by Bay Point Drive.

Marget Smigo, who is VDHs waterborne hazards coordinator, says while the algae are not harmful to people, they still advise the public that When in doubt, stay out of water that is discolored, has an odor or dead animals present.

Chris Moore, who is a senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, says the algae bloom can negatively impact the local economy.

The unfortunate thing about these algae is it can impact our local economy, our local shellfish farmers, our folks out fishing and things like that because they do negatively affect fish and oyster populations, he said.

Moore believes the numerous 90-degree days, warmer water temperatures and changes in water salinity have made way for the recent algae blooms. Nutrients from fertilizer and water runoffs can increase blooms, which Moore says hes seen more of over the last 10 years.

Theyre kind of sitting there waiting for the right water temperatures and the right salinity. Then these algae bloom. When we think of a bloom with plants, thats a good thing, he said. In the case of algae, its a bad thing. The algae pop up, as youve seen, become very visible at times.

While these blooms are the result of Mother Nature, Moore says we can do things to decrease the frequency of them to improve water quality in Virginia.

Reducing the amount of fertilizer we put on our lawns, reducing the amount of waste from our wastewater treatment plants and factories, things like that. Continuing to fund the best agricultural management practices that help reduce the amount of pollution that runs off farm fields and things like that, he said.

While groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will work to improve water quality to prevent the smell in the future, those working down at Oceanfront say the blooms are a good lesson for them.

Tom Gill, with the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, says they started getting complaints about the smell Thursday.

It was worth investigating. It was worth keeping our people safe. If theres something wrong with the water, our people need to know as much as anyone else, he said. We followed up. The city is on top of it. The state seems to be on top of it. It was one negative in the world of positives down here at the beach and Oceanfront.

Gill says theyve dealt with blooms before, but not the extent of what they witnessed on Thursday and Friday.

He credits his team with doing a great job of not just handling the bloom issue but also addressing COVID-19 concerns. He says theyre at the Oceanfront to help in any way.

If you come down to the beach and have a question and are not sure about whats going on, go ask the lifeguard and ask them about it. If theres no lifeguard, you probably shouldnt be on that beach, he said.

Officials encourage residents to report a bloom or suspected health effects from a bloom by contacting the Virginia HAB Hotline at 1-888-238-6154.

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Algae bloom at Virginia Beach Oceanfront resulting in foul smell and discolored water - WAVY.com

The Associated Press

August 11, 2020 | 8:31 AM

BOSTON (AP) Cape Cod towns are imposing tougher restrictions to limit beach crowds and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Cape Cod Times reports a number of towns are taking steps to limit capacity at beach parking lots or restrict certain beaches to residents only.

In Mashpee, the local Board of Selectmen voted Monday to continue a temporary, residents-only restriction until Gov. Charlie Baker lifts his state of emergency order.

Sandwich and Barnstable have also taken steps to restrict beach access to residents only, and Yarmouth officials on Tuesday are considering doing the same.

Falmouth, meanwhile, has expanded parking lot capacity for town residents only at a number of its popular beaches, and the parking lot at the federally-managed Head of the Meadow Beach in Truro has been restricted to bicyclists and pedestrians only as of Saturday.

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More Cape towns imposing tougher restrictions to limit beach crowds - Boston.com

Thousands of Palestinians have been illegally entering Israel to go to the beaches for the past week, with authorities making no effort to stop them, according to Hebrew-language reports.

Some believe it is a form of nose-thumbing by Israel after the Palestinian Authority stopped all its coordination with the Jewish state in late May including coordinating permits for Palestinians to enter Israel in protest of Israels yet-unfulfilled plan to annex parts of the West Bank.

The Haaretz daily reported Monday that the new method of entering Israel through holes in the border fence began last week, at the end of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.

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After initial attempts to cross into Israel were met with no response by the military, word spread quickly across the West Bank. Palestinians have short vacations for families, complete with transportation services to the several crossing points and from there to various Israeli cities using Arab Israeli drivers, the report said.

My kids have never seen the ocean, Siham, a mother of five, told Haaretz. For them, its like they arrived at the most important attraction in the world. Touching the salty water and playing in the sand is the best, cheapest attraction I can offer my children.

Most of the Palestinian families have been going to Jaffa, the report said, although others have gone to Herzliya, Haifa, Netanya, and other cities.

Typically, the families come with backpacks, food, and inflatable water toys. They pay between 20 and 35 shekels ($6-$10) for transportation, Channel 13 reported on Saturday.

Illustrative: Palestinians illegally cross the border fence into Israel on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Hebron, August 6, 2019. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90/File)

Despite the potential security risk and the danger of coronavirus infection, Israeli authorities fully aware of the phenomenon have not taken action against it.

The soldiers just dont care. They couldve stopped it in an instant, one Palestinian man told Haaretz.

Aref Shaaban from Jenin, who has organized transportation to Jaffa and Herzliya, said that, in many cases, the troops even helped the Palestinians cross into Israel.

The soldiers saw they were families with beach balls and food bags, not grenades, he said.

Another Palestinian visitor told Haaretz that military jeeps turned on their headlights in the evening to help direct the families back to the hole in the fence on their way back.

Many were quoted saying that at no point did they feel threatened not at the crossing point, nor in the Israeli cities.

The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment.

A resident of the Nablus area who helped organize the transportation said the move was not coordinated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) or with Israel, and that it was seen as undermining the PA.

The Palestinian government is imposing [coronavirus] lockdowns and Israel probably wanted to accept thousands of Palestinians and show the PA that it doesnt control anything, he told Haaretz.

An unnamed PA official was quoted by the newspaper as saying Israel wants to prove to us that with or without coordination, they let the civilian population in.

Additionally, instead of Palestinians vacationing in the West Bank and paying money there, they preferred for the money to be in Israel, even if its not big sums.

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Thousands of Palestinians enter Israel, head to beaches; soldiers turn blind eye - The Times of Israel

Some beaches on Cape Cod temporarily closed to swimmers Thursday following great white shark sightings, officials said.

The town of Truro confirmed a sighting at Head of the Meadow Beach at 11:50 a.m. in a brief statement posted to its website.

The sharks direction of travel is unknown, the statement said. Due to this sighting, Head of the Meadow Beach and Coast Guard Beach, Truro, will continue to be closed to swimming until 12:50 pm. After one hour, without any other sightings, the beach will reopen to swimming.

The Truro Recreation Department confirmed via Facebook around 1 p.m. that the beaches had reopened for swimmers.

Be Shark Smart People!the department said in the Facebook posting.

The nonprofit Atlantic White Shark Conservancy told the Globe Thursday that a research boat was on the water off the Cape, and that the pilot is spotting sharks. One shark tagged so far.

The @MA_Sharks Twitter feed, which is manned by John Chisholm, a shark researcher who works with the states Division of Marine Fisheries to identify great whites and other sharks, said additional Cape beaches also closed due to the sighting.

The beach closings he cited were Nauset in Orleans, Newcomb Hollow, and Lecount Hollow (also known as Maguire Landing) in Wellfleet, as well as Head of the Meadow and Coast Guard.

Please follow be #SharkSmart and follow shark safety guidelines, Chisholm tweeted.

In Wellfleet, Suzanne Grout Thomas, the towns director of community services, confirmed via e-mail around 4:25 p.m. that the towns local beaches were open.

They were never closed, just the water closed to swimming and yes, they are all open, she wrote.

Thomas said in a follow-up message that the beaches had reopened for swimming.

Thursdays Cape sightings came after Julie Dimperio Holowach, a 63-year-old seasonal resident of Harpswell, Maine, was killed late last month by a great white while swimming off of Bailey Island in what officials said was that states first fatal shark attack on record.

Steve Annear of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.

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Several Cape Cod beaches temporarily closed following great white shark sightings - The Boston Globe

Rock climbing, Dorset

The Jurassic Coast looks thrillingly different when viewed from a rock face on the Isle of Portland. Connected to the mainland via Chesil Beach, this limestone peninsula is laced with climbing routes, from beginner-friendly to challenging. The old railway cuttings on the east coast feature climbs for all levels, while Blacknor cliff on the west has easier routes for those new to the activity. Participants learn key skills, including how to belay safely, from Rob Kennard, who has decades of teaching experience and good knowledge of the local geology. Half-day taster session from 22pp (for a group of seven or eight; 27pp for four; 75 for one), portland-climbing.co.uk

Wild-food chef Chris Bax and plant expert Rose Bax uncover the edible treasures of Robin Hoods Bay on the fringes of the North York Moors. At low tide, the couple take visitors out to explore rock pools and discover varieties of sea vegetables and shellfish then teach them how to prepare these goodies before everyone sits down to an alfresco lunch made using local and foraged ingredients: expect dulse seaweed quiche, hogweed salad and sea buckthorn cheesecake. The calories can be walked off with a stroll around the bays leafy pathways, where there are more edible plants. Maximum 14 people, lunch provided, 10am-4pm, 95pp, tastethewild.co.uk

A coasteering adventure near the Giants Causeway sees visitors leap, scramble and swim along this stunning coast. Wearing helmets, wetsuits and buoyancy aids, participants explore the limestone caves, basalt columns and turquoise water. Glimpse castles at the edge of cliffs (Dunluce, Dunseverick, Kenbane are all in the area) and face their fears with a cliff jump (optional). As well as testing your limits, it offers a close-up look at this geologically diverse coastline. Three hours, equipment provided, 40pp, causewaycoasteering.com

On Scotlands west coast, Oban is home to superb diving opportunities, thanks to the nearby Gulf Stream and unpolluted waters of the Firth of Lorne. There are options to suit all levels, from scenic dives around shallow wrecks, to drift-dives with tidal flows and deep drop offs. An experienced Padi instructor guides beginners in the shallow waters of Gallanach Bay. Under the water, walls are covered in anemones and conger eels dart past. Otters and seals can also be seen. Try-a-dive, two hours, 89pp, puffin.org.uk

Consistent, intermediate-friendly waves break along the wide, sandy beach at Polzeath while beginners can practise getting to their feet on their board in the white water. The best way to learn quickly is in a small group. George Stoy specialises in private coaching and his school has been designated a centre of excellence by Surfing England. As well as adults, children as young as four can take lessons. Two-hour lesson for one person from 100, georgessurfschool.com

A kayak is one of the best ways to explore south Devons remote coves and caves, spotting seals along the way. Setting off from the harbour at Dartmouth, paddlers glide past the castles that guard the estuary entrance and past cliffs and into the open sea. From here theres a choice: north towards Brixham or south towards Torcross, either way stopping to explore caverns, fish for mackerel, and swim. Half-day guided trips 49 adults, 35 children, seakayakdevon.co.uk

Just off the coast of Selsey, eight miles south of Chichester, lie two designated marine conservation zones with an abundance of sea life. A new marine life walk, led by an SSI marine ecology instructor, gives an insight into what lies beneath the surface. The 90-minute stroll around Selsey Bill, the lifeboat station and east and west beaches, includes wading in the shallows and learning where to discover the marine life on our shores. 5.30pm-7pm, next available dates 19 and 21 August, 15pp (book in advance as numbers are limited), mulberrydivers.co.uk

The wide, sandy bays of Gorleston-on-Sea are great for exploring at a leisurely pace on a paddleboard. Visitors can rent a board and set off on their own, or book a lesson to learn the paddling techniques. The school also runs Ripperz Club, a sea-education club for children every Saturday during the summer. This hour covers sea safety and safe swimming, and gives children the chance to try activities, such as paddleboarding, bodyboarding and surfing. Half-day paddleboard hire 25, full day 35. Two-hour lessons 25pp. Ripperz Club Saturdays 9am-10am or 10am-11am, 5 a child, boardinskool.com

The fascinating history of these chalk cliffs can be traced on a guided coastal walk from Cuckmere Haven to Eastbourne, an area once popular with smugglers. The walk crosses the undulating Seven Sisters, with a guide telling stories that date back to the Domesday Book. The route takes in Birling Gap with its coastguard cottages, and the lighthouses of Belle Tout and Beachy Head. Walkers can see how the diverse natural habitat changes from forest to seashore. The walk includes a locally sourced picnic with wine tasting, taken overlooking the Sussex coast and South Downs national park. Eight miles, starting at 10am, 75pp including food and wine, patadventures.com

On a guided fishing trip in north Pembrokeshire, Padrig Rees takes visitors out to catch their own mackerel supper. Focusing on the Ramsey Sound and Whitesands Bay area, its ideal for angling novices and with a focus on sustainability fish are only caught if they are in season and an appropriate size. Theres a lesson on how to prepare the fish for cooking, too. More experienced anglers can join a three-hour deep-sea fishing trip to the outlying Bishops and Clerks islands, with the chance of catching pollock. Mackerel fishing 1 hours, 20pp, maximum 12 people. Deep-sea fishing, three hours, 30pp, maximum 10, fishing-pembrokeshire.co.uk

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10 of the best beach and coast activities around the UK - The Guardian