Taylor Swift is heading to Tampa for her next stop on the Eras Tour, and the city is gearing up for it. With road closings, heavy traffic expected, and fans currently camping outside the Raymond Jame Stadium, the “Taylor Invasion” has already begun.
Swift is set to perform from April 13-15 at the Raymond James Stadium. On Wednesday, fans started lining up as early as 6 a.m. outside the stadium to purchase the singer’s merchandise. Some Swifties even camped out all night waiting for the merchandise truck to open Wednesday morning. The singer-songwriter is expected to bring the biggest crowd that the Raymond James Stadium has seen with 200,000 fans.
Despite fans lining up left and right for the Eras Tour apparel, a lot of them were not able to purchase tickets after the Ticketmaster debacle.
There are still opportunities for fans to get last-minute tickets. Re-sale sites such as Stubhub and Vivid Seats are selling tickets for hundreds and even thousands of dollars.
Not only are fans thrilled about the three-day event, but the city of Tampa has joined the excitement too. In fact, Mayor Jane Castor has invited Swift to be the honorary mayor for the day.
“I want to present you with a key to the city and invite you to be our honorary mayor for the day. Mayor Swift has a nice ring to it. We can’t wait to welcome you and your fans to Tampa, Taylor’s version,” said Castor via Instagram.
Ahead of the concert, fans should prepare to arrive early. Parking lots at the Raymond James Stadium will open at 3 p.m., yet spots are nearly sold out. Uber and Lyft services will be available, but past shows have demonstrated long waiting periods and increased prices. A HART bus stop is also available at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which is a 15-minute walk from the venue.
The Raymond James Stadium has a strict bag policy, allowing bags no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Also, in terms of weather, Thursday’s concert has a 20-30% chance of rain.
States stockpile abortion pills upon Texas ruling
A federal judge in Texas ruled to invalidate the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. The decision could affect the drug’s availability in other states.
The decision was ruled by Texas U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk last week and goes into effect Saturday at midnight if the 5th Circuit does not block the order.
The drug has been authorized for 23 years, and the White House believes that the Texas court is making a dangerous decision.
“If the decision stands, it will put women’s health at risk and undermine the FDA’s ability to ensure patients have access to safe and effective medications when they need them the most,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
On the same day of Texas’ ruling, Washington U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice ruled that federal officials could not hinder access in at least 17 states with Democratic attorneys.
Democratic states are looking for alternatives to ensure their access to the drug. Washington state is planning to stockpile a four-year supply of the drug, while Massachusetts has asked the University of Massachusetts to buy a one-year supply of the pill. In California, the governor’s office is making plans to stock up to 2 million pills of misoprostol, a similar abortion pill.
Vice President Kamala Harris stated that the Biden administration will fight to protect women’s rights.
“Members of our cabinet and our administration are now directed, as of the President’s order, to identify barriers to access to prescription medication and to recommend actions to make sure that doctors could legally prescribe, that pharmacies can dispense and that women could secure safe and effective medication,” said Harris.
Tampa Bay Rays can match longest winning streak with 1 more game
Following their victory over the Red Sox, the Rays are one win away from matching their longest season-opening winning streak in the history of MLB.
After beating the Red Sox 7-2 Tuesday night, the Rays have now won 11 consecutive games. With one more win, the Rays will equal their longest streak set in 2004.
If the Rays continue this streak, they are looking to join MLB’s 13-opening game-winning streak set by the Braves in 1982 and the Brewers in 1987.
The Rays will face the Red Sox again tonight at 6:40 p.m.
Credits
Anchor: Emmy McCarthy
Producer: Samantha Trezevant
Reporters: Ashleigh Yuhas, Matt Narváez, Anna Ostraya, Emily Ward, Aziz Turner
Teleprompter: Aziz Turner
Graphics: Bailey Wegenast
Video Editor: Antonio Delucca
Cameras: Ansley Topchik
Web Editor: Sarah Chang Contreras
Web Managing Editor: Shae Knowles
Graduate Assistant: McKenzie Muskett
Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stephanie Anderson, Wayne Garcia
