Armed Robbery, Child Abuse, Mall Remodel and More

Feb 19, 2019

Men Charged with Armed Robbery

Two men are accused of robbing the Walgreens on Kennedy Boulevard and the Dunkin Donuts on North Dale Mabry. Police arrested Nicolas Rogers and Carl Harris.

The men were found after Tampa police responded to reports of gunshots being fired near a nightclub. The two men were arrested this morning after police said they were attempting to break into a car.

Further investigation continues.

Commuting in Tampa Bay

Tampa traffic congestion has been a problem for quite some time and according to a recent study by Global Traffic Data Firm Inrix, traffic isn’t getting better.

Tampa drivers lose close to four days of their time in traffic. Last year, drivers lost nearly 87 hours stuck in traffic. The study also shows that the lost time drivers are losing cost the city about one-point-five billion dollars.

Tampa is ranked as the 17th major city in the U.S. for lost hours due to congestion.

Man Arrested for Abusing an Infant

A man by the name of Aaron Bordelon was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse, great bodily harm and child neglect with great bodily harm.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office, the baby was in Bordelon’s care.

Bordelon told deputies he forcefully picked up the child and admitted it was his fault. He allegedly tried to hide the child’s bruises with makeup and did not call for immediate medical attention at the time.

The infant suffered skull fractures and traumatic brain injury and is in critical condition.

Sarasota Statue Vandalized

An iconic statue located in Sarasota was found vandalized. The “Unconditional Surrender” statue is modeled after the famous “kissing photo” taken in times square at the end of World War II.

Police responded to a tip they received. The statue was then found with the #MeToo written in red on the nurse’s left leg. The graffiti was quickly removed by power-washers.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Sarasota Police Department.

Courtesy of Sarasota Police Department

University Mall Under Construction

The University Mall near the University of South Florida is undergoing construction.

After years of struggling, the mall will undergo redevelopment. New office spaces, restaurants, and a technology research complex are all in the plan for the reconstruction.

“Our plan for this section includes construction of a pedestrian-oriented street supporting new food and beverage offerings and the redevelopment of the two-story, 160,000-square-foot former JCPenney into a Class A office and technology research complex,” said Chris Bowen.

The redevelopment is set to spend around a billion dollars and officials hope that this new project will promote jobs and bring the area back to life.

Anchor: Aldo Puccini
Producer: Lou Maldonado
Director: Lou Maldonado
Technical Director: Cole Martinez
Graphics: Julia Nerstheimer
Audio: Hannah Estes
Prompter: Ingrid Gerard
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Graduate Assistant: Kelsey Baker Faculty Advisor: Cathy Gugerty