April 1, 2019
Opioid Task Force
Governor Ron DeSantis announced a plan to combat the opioid epidemic.
He’s launching a task force on drug abuse. He also plans to bring back the Florida Office of Drug Control.
The office will coordinate with state and federal officials to provide resources to reduce opioid abuse.
DeSantis said, “Florida has secured $26 million in federal funding for the opioid response project.”
DUI Crash
Early Monday morning, a drunk driver crashed into a utility pole and a house in Pasco County.
Florida Highway Patrol says that Derrick Zio was speeding when he lost control of his vehicle. He hit a wooden utility pole but kept driving and crashed into a home. No one inside was injured.
Troopers say they found cash and a large jar of marijuana in the car.
Read “DHSMV Urges Motorists to Never Drive Impaired” by The Florida Highway Patrol to learn how you can report impaired drivers here: https://www.flhsmv.gov/2019/03/01/dhs…
Road Safety
Vision Zero, a road safety group, rallied on a busy stretch of MacDill Avenue.
Today, they rallied on a stretch of road near MacFarlane Elementary School and MacFarlane Park. Last week, a pedestrian was struck and killed in the area.
Vision Zero is “a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.”
Vision Zero will be making suggestions to the county about including more crosswalks with flashing lights.
If you would like to get involved with Vision Zero, you can sign-up for their newsletter here: https://visionzeronetwork.org/get-inv…
Gator Mating
Gators are searching for love, so stay out of their path.
Today is the first day of alligator mating season. The season runs through early June.
Increasing outdoor temperatures will push the alligators closer to land in search of food.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee cautions people to keep their distance from the gators. They also suggest that people should keep pets on a leash and never feed gators.
Final Four
Amalie Arena, the home of Lightning Hockey, is getting a makeover for the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
In a few days, the NCAA tournament will start at Amalie Arena.
This morning we got our first look at the court.
U-Conn and Oregon have already secured their spots in the Final Four. There are two more games tonight to determine the last two seeds.
The tournament starts on Friday.
Anchor: Celine Fleites
Producer: Cyrena Berry
Director: Maribeth Nguyen
Technical Director: Peyton Roux
Graphics: Sabrina Olivier
Audio: Colin Whitlock
Prompter: Allison Foy
Floor Manager: Jailyn Montero
Camera Operator: Garnet Somers
Radio: LeeAnn Bohannon
Teaching Assistant: Tatyana Bazard
Graduate Assistant: Kelsey Baker
Faculty Advisor: Cathy Gugerty
