U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist has called for the Department of Justice to investigate Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent act in providing vaccines to rich neighborhoods in Lakewood Ranch.
Last week, DeSantis defended setting up a pop-up vaccination site for residents in two Lakewood Ranch zip codes. Crist, D-St.Petersburg, responded with frustration as he believed the governor’s decision hurts low-income communities that have been disproportionally hit hard by the pandemic.
Crist, who used to be a Republican, also used to be governor.
DeSantis proposes absentee voting restrictions, sparking criticism
Gov. Ron DeSantis sparked outrage Monday after announcing he wants news mail-in voting restrictions for Floridians.
DeSantis stated that only immediate family members should be allowed to drop off ballots absentee or mail-in ballots. He also called for an end to allowing local governments to accept private money for voting-turnout initiatives.
Rep. Blaise Ingoglia of Spring Hill will propose the restrictions at next month’s state legislative session.
Ybor City bars accused of mask violations face suspensions, Tampa City Council hearing
Ybor City bars and clubs could still be banned from selling alcohol for several days after the Tampa City Council Monday cleared one bar but delayed action on three others.
The four were featured in videos of people not wearing masks that have made local governments worried about keeping people safe from the coronavirus.
Tampa officials have complained that the state is making it hard to keep people safe. The city of Tampa responded by sending a team of code enforcement and police officers to bars and clubs.
The team previously cited 13 businesses and suspended alcohol sales at two bars, Tangra and Ybor Cigars Plus, for failing to enforce mask requirements.
Black bus tour brought attention, more customers to community businesses
In Tampa, a woman is helping to showcase and bring attention to Black businesses through a bus tour.
Candy Lowe started the Black Business Bus Tour in 2006 because she wanted to start her own business and wanted to support Black-owned businesses in the process. Black business owners receive financing less often and at higher rates compared with white business owners.
“It has brought awareness to Black-owned businesses, period,” said Lowe. “People would not know where Black owned businesses are, now they do.”
Lowe also stated that since her bus tour began, Black businesses have seen a 100 percent increase in sales and more diversity on the bus tours.
But since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she had to temporarily stop running the tours, just when Black businesses needed her most. She hopes to get the organization back up by April.
Credits
Anchor: Deanna Lampasona
Reporters: Zack Brown, Leo Santos
Producer: Payton Kirol
Writer: Genny Flood, Trevor Wymer
Graphics editor: Zheming Zhang, Julio Martinez
Video Editors: Genny Flood, Trevor Wymer
Show Editor: Rema Alahmad, Ta’Bria Snowden
Web Editor: Christina Loizou
Associate Producer: Ginette Troya
Executive Producer: Niamh Larkin
Graduate Assistant: Emmanuel Maduneme
Faculty Adviser: Jeanette Abrahamsen, Wayne Garcia
