Olivia George
@oliviacgeorge
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I cover the city of Tampa for the Tampa Bay Times. I like people and public records. Brit abroad! Formerly @the_herald @virginianpilot .
Joined March 2019
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Oh gosh! Thanks
@spj_tweets
@SPJFla
for naming me Florida’s “Outstanding New Journalist” of the year. 🥹
I moved here two years ago, fresh out of undergrad. Grateful to
@TB_Times
for taking a chance on me and for my editors, mentors, sources & readers who make this work possible.
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An update: I graduated! 👩🏼🎓
All my stuff is in boxes, and I’m driving to Florida, where I’ll be working full time as a reporter for
@TB_Times
.
Grateful and excited. Goodbye
@BrownUniversity
, I love you!
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My latest (and perhaps most bizarre story yet):
While on vacation in the Florida Keys with family last month, Mayor Castor spotted something adrift in the water.
A fish? A buoy? Debris?
No, 70 pounds of cocaine.
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9,560 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first quarter of 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated today.
• Up 7% from the year before
• Highest number of deaths between January and March in 20 years
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Hello Hampton Roads! I have joined the
@virginianpilot
and will be reporting on Virginia Beach.
Tell me what you want to see covered: olivia.george
@virginiamedia
.com 🗞
DMs open.
Grateful to be here and excited for the work ahead.
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Young people streaming in to
@ColumbusTheatre
for the RI Students for
@SenSanders
Kickoff Rally.
@lsarsour
and
@jeppsaddison
scheduled to speak. Story for
@the_herald
to come.
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LIVE: Activists from
@NeverAgainActn
and
@amornetwork
, joined by community allies, gather in Providence R.I. to perform the traditional Jewish atonement ritual of tashlich and call on elected officials to
#ShutDownWyatt
. covering for
@the_herald
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I’d like to introduce you to Glen Yearling, a long-time volunteer coach in the Berkley neighbourhood of Norfolk, Va.
He has two children of his own, but he’s had a hand in raising hundreds more.
🧵
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If you’re reading The Post’s Luna deep dive you should also read this 2020 Tampa Bay Times profile
@ByJoshSolomon
“Always remember that the image you portray is the image you are going to essentially sell,” Luna said. “It is your ‘brand.’”
Inventing Anna…. Paulina Luna. Our dive on the GOP darling who some old friends & family say has cherry picked & embellished parts of her past to craft her political persona. With
@alice_crites
:
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2K
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Allow me to introduce you to Robin Graham.
She rises before dawn each morning with a single goal: give children a safe path to the classroom.
She works in one of the most treacherous places in the country to be a pedestrian.
🧵
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I wrote one of my favorite 2023 stories almost by accident.
Again and again, I’d noticed the line of people that forms like clockwork each morning outside a red door in downtown Tampa.
One blustery December day, I decided to say hello…
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Sunrise from the SunRunner!
Tampa Bay’s first bus rapid transit service launched today at 6 a.m. — and it’s free to ride for the first 6 months.
@RidePSTA
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This week marks 6 months in Florida!
Grateful for everyone’s time, expertise and patience.
Here’s to another 6 months of good stories and good sunsets.
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In Florida prisons, a package of ramen costs $1.06 — about three times more expensive than it costs on the outside, the
@theappeal
reports.
NEW: The Appeal has published the first national database of prison commissary prices. The project covers 46 states, revealing an exploitative system that forces incarcerated people to pay up to 5x the outside price for some items.
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2K
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The seven day COVID-19 positivity rate for students is zero percent at
@BrownUniversity
, per campus-wide email from administrators.
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As Tampa’s homeless sweltered, data shows the city ‘cooling centers’ saw few visitors. I hope you'll read about Kellee, who didn’t have a bus pass to reach one.
“I’m going to die out here. I’ll be 60 in October but I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
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BREAKING: Testing at
@BrownUniversity
OMAC is closed for the rest of the day. A staff member has just told me that they’ve run out of supplies — “run out of everything.”
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Thanks
@BGCTampa
for letting me chat about my fav things: local news, the power of storytelling & holding elected officials accountable!
One student said my loafers made me look “cool & strong.” Another wished Tampa had double-decker buses just like London.
The future is bright.
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“If they won’t come to us, we will go to them,” said
@AaronRegunberg
of
@NeverAgainActn
, before leading dozens of activists to the State House to protest ICE’s presence in Rhode Island.
@GovRaimondo
was invited to attend the action, but was not present. Covering for
@the_herald
.
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We drive past crash scenes, numbed to their frequency.
We see the debris, the tow trucks. Maybe later, a memorial.
In an average week, there are 8 fatal crashes in metro Tampa.
Here's a close look at one of those weeks—average, deadly & devastating:
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New: Mayor
@JaneCastor
has declared a state of emergency ahead of
#Idalia
, expected to strengthen to a Cat 3 hurricane.
Tampa Bay is within the cone of uncertainty.
"We are just asking everyone, please ensure you are ready," Castor urged Monday.
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goal for 2023: explore more of Florida.
yesterday I visited Myakka River State Park. where should I go next ?? 🏖 🌿🌊
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"This is not an Ybor problem. This is an American problem."
Please take a stroll with me down Tampa's 7th Avenue, where today crews pressure washed stained sidewalks and community members mourned lives cut short by gun violence.
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I'm with Tampa Mayor
@JaneCastor
en route to one of the city's three emergency response centers ahead of
#Idalia
.
“Don’t take anything for granted,” she said, memories of Hurricane Ian still fresh. “Mother Nature is ultimately in charge.”
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NEWS: R.I. Attorney General
@AGNeronha
has announced that there will be no charges against the Wyatt correctional officer who drove his truck into a group of peacefully-assembled
@NeverAgainActn
protesters outside the facility in August. The assault left 5 people hospitalized.
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Hooray! Thank you
@FSNEorg
for continuing to champion local accountability journalism. Honored to be recognized for my reporting on Hillsborough County's public transit agency.
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Tampa residents, I would like to talk to you about bad parking! 🚗🚨🚫
Specifically, I want to hear about the times you’ve encountered vehicles blocking sidewalks & bike lines for
@TB_Times
🚲
Have photographs? Even better.
DM or email OGeorge (at) tampabay (dot) com.
Thanks!
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A little Florida appreciation: sunrise over the Atlantic + sunset over the Gulf. 🌅
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Breaking:
@BrownUniversity
will bring remaining undergraduates (sophomores, juniors and seniors) to campus and begin some in-person undergraduate courses Oct. 5.
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New story with
@JustinGarciaFL
:
Last month, the union president for Tampa firefighters was arrested in St. Pete, caught urinating in a downtown parking garage.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked officers.
“I work with you guys,” he added.
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me: I’m flying back to the US for fall semester
literally all of my non-American friends/family:
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Almost 7 months later,
@the_herald
is back in print.
Forever grateful for the dozens of wonderful people who pulled today’s issue together.
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@ChiaraEisner
@NPR
@ChiaraEisner
, we don’t know each other and have never met, but I’ve learned so much (about the world and about journalism) from your thoughtful and thorough reporting. I’m so sorry to hear this. Any team is lucky to have you.
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I love my job. I’m grateful every day to do this work.
Good journalism — journalism that exposes wrongdoing, that holds the powerful to account, that helps us make sense of our world — costs time & money to produce.
If you’re able, consider donating:
Today marks the start of our fourth annual weeklong fundraising campaign to benefit local news produced by the
@TB_Times
. Last year, more than 750 people gave — most of them subscribers. Let’s keep it going!
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My latest:
Before classes resume on College Hill,
@BrownUniversity
intends to test all returning students for COVID-19. But what happens next?
Short answer: I don't really know
Long answer:
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Hi! Are you an international student/recent grad in the US? I’d love to speak with you for a
@TeenVogue
story. I want to chat about how the Trump presidency has affected you and your loved ones, and what 4 more years could mean.
DMs open and please share.
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Grateful for my
@TB_Times
colleagues — and for all those working hard to spread thorough, thoughtful and useful information about Hurricane Ian.
(Our front pages from Monday Sept. 26 - Thursday Sept. 29 👇🏻)
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flabbergasted & honored to have won the Overseas Press Club Foundation's 2022 Scholar Award:
thank you, thank you
@opcofamerica
.
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“While public policy doesn’t always prioritize empathy, we are gathered here today to demand it.”
— Rep.
@DavidMoralesRI
outside the Rhode Island State House, calling for an eviction, foreclosure and utility shut-off moratorium.
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Moved back to Providence and realized my new bedroom has this view of South Street Station.
Rhode Island, I’ve missed you.
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My latest: The week before Williams died in a Tampa hospital, relatives told police they were worried visitors were bringing him pills, records show.
Three of his friends shared similar concerns with me. I’ve confirmed Tampa Police is investigating.
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This semester, in addition to continuing to help edit
@the_herald
’s Metro section (PVD and RI news), I’ll be spearheading our
@BrownUniversity
staff & student worker coverage. TAs, RPLs, custodians, dinning hall staff etc.— I want to hear from you. What should we be reporting on?
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Want a break from Florida election coverage?
Let's chat about the persisting inaccessibility of bus stops in Hillsborough. 🧵🚌
Many stops are just poles in the ground. Broken sidewalks abound.
“The biggest barrier to independence is transportation.”
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Thanks
@sundaylongread
, a newsletter I adore, for spotlighting our story about the closure of the Sulphur Springs Pool❤️
Grateful to be included & to work in a newsroom that supported my goal to try to capture what this pool meant to so many.
Story:
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Brown U/Rhode Island Twitter: I’m chatting to a senior administrator tomorrow about the on-going COVID-19 testing pilot on campus and how the lessons from the pilot will inform the U’s approach this fall when students return. What questions do you want asked & answered? lmk!
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I have been an avid reader of this newsletter for months and months, and today I got a shoutout 🥹🥹🥹
Sign up!
Worried about how to follow local news across the country without Twitter? Sign up for the Local Matters newsletter.
It’s a free roundup of the best local investigative reporting. Comes out every week:
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Our
@TB_Times
team is providing round-the-clock updates on
#TropicalStormDebby
as the Tampa Bay region braces for heavy rain and high winds.
Here’s a selection of stories, all currently available to read without a paywall.
🧵👇🏻
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✈️🚨 Confirmed: The last commercial flight pre-Ian has departed Tampa International Airport.
It was Delta flight 2790 heading to Atlanta, taking off shortly after 5 p.m.
Some cargo and military aircraft may continue to arrive or depart on an emergency basis, per
@FlyTPA
.
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Left: The front page of
@the_herald
from Sept. 7, 2016 — the first issue for the Class of 2020.
Right: The front page of the last print edition of
@the_herald
before in-person classes
@BrownUniversity
were suspended — March 13, 2020.
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Love to see national news orgs recognize the work of student newspapers!
Thanks
@anemonanyc
and
@ShawnHubler
for including my reporting for
@the_herald
in this article! 👇
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With the
@GoHART
maintenance crew today.
A team of 13 people is responsible for cleaning, mending, fixing and tidying 2000+ bus stops across Hillsborough County.
This is Steve. He’s a route maintenance attendant and has been with the agency for 19 years.
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“We’re fighting now for the very continued existence of the immigration system,” one ACLU lawyer told me. International students, she added, are just “the latest target.”
My first for
@TeenVogue
:
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Today's front page: This man pled guilty to attempted unlawful sexual activity with a minor in 2008. We found he remained connected to the school district until Oct 2010.
For more details, a spox told us to "check his personnel file." We requested it, but haven't received it.
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just had my first COVID-19 at
@BrownUniversity
. the process was seamless and the staff were lovely. and they give out goodie bags with postcards, coloring pencils, stickers and hygiene supplies!
#BrownTakesCare
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NEW
@NHTSAgov
report: Motor vehicle crashes cost American society $340 billion in 2019.
⚠️36,500 people killed
⚠️4.5 million people injured
⚠️23 million vehicles damaged
⚠️An untold number people left grieving & navigating dangerous roads.
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And we have touch down!
The first nonstop passenger flight from London Heathrow to Tampa International is here.
@FlyTPA
@VirginAtlantic
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Excited & grateful to be attending my first
@IRE_NICAR
conference this week thanks to their fellowship program ⭐️
Looking forward to learning from some of the best in the industry and to applying their advice to my work at
@virginianpilot
this summer.
#IRE21
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Following yesterday’s SEVP announcement, I’m wondering whether
@BrownUniversity
will give any priority to international students during registration for Fall classes to ensure they are able to take at least one in-person class (and thus stay in the U.S.)
@BrownUniversity
classes with >20 students will be conducted online. Plans have reportedly been developed “for every classroom space that allow for 6-foot or greater separation between individuals.” /7
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New: Before he became a fixture on the Tampa political scene, John Ring was a school district employee trying to recruit girls to send him nudes & dance for clients.
Some girls knew him as "Juice" — Just Understand I Control Everything.
w/
@TimesDan
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i think about this photo i took during the deepest, darkest days of lockdown of a squirrel in absolute BLISS enjoying an avocado outside my kitchen window almost single every day
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This week I spoke with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor about the recent burst of senior officials resigning from her administration’s housing & development teams.
"There is no connection," she said.
A day later, another top staffer handed in his resignation.
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At Tampa’s oldest public housing, plywood covers windows. Kids no longer fill the playground.
On Saturday, residents gathered to celebrate their community before the bulldozers arrive. “We have rich history here. We can never forget that.”
W
@IanJHodgson
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If anyone in 2016 had told me that in four years time I would be living in the U.S. and covering the presidential election for my local paper...I would have been very, very confused.
Seeing my dispatch from the polls on the
@projo
homepage has me speechless.
A big thank-you to the
@BrownUniversity
students of
@TBretonWriter
, who are out around RI today asking questions about the election for
@projo
. They're doing a great job, and we'll be posting some of their work soon.
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“A teacher told me I would go to hell for being a lesbian and that if I prayed hard enough, God would save me from my sinful ways.”
My latest 👇
She says she was told gay people were pedophiles and child molesters. And she was told she was going to hell.
Now this Regent University student is a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education.
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DuBoise spent 37yrs in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Here’s the story of his trial, imprisonment & exoneration.
“His name was clear. But he was still living like he had something to prove.”
By the incomparable
@TimesDan
,
@SpataTimes
&
@clairemcneill
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An 85-year-old man was in two crashes at the same Tampa intersection three months apart.
Now, a grieving mother asks: ‘Why is he still on the road?’
I wrote about her search for answers, with stunning photography by
@IvyCeballo
:
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Barriers faced by young journalists trying to enter the industry?
@SopanDeb
telling it like it is during a panel hosted by
@dailyfreepress
:
1) Getting hired
2) Paying rent
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Breaking: The CEO of the transit agency serving Hillsborough County has been placed on paid administrative leave.
The news follows a months-long investigation, which found: a lack of effective leadership, poor organization morale & significant turnover.
Story to come
@TB_Times
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I’ll be
@wmnf
tomorrow 10am discussing my recent story on one of the Mayor’s key pledges—to add 10k affordable homes to the city’s inventory.
She inflated her progress w/ 100s of units outside city limits & routine maintenance on homes built a decade ago.
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Tampa Bay residents should be hunkered down.
But I'll be keeping an eye on the status of bridges and roads in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
Follow along for updates.
And if you see anything, let me know.
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People experiencing housing insecurity in southeastern Virginia are told to call the
@ForKidsVA
Regional Housing Crisis Hotline.
I spent time with the staff picking up the phones for
@virginianpilot
:
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After more than a month of correct mask-wearing, I’m sorry to report that Bruno is up to his old tricks
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it begins with z and ends with ero
Waiting for the student journalists to chime in how much they make for being the best daily line of accountability we have for higher education
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NEW: Tampa’s Police Chief is set to retire in Sept.
The mayor wants to immediately hire him back as chief — but as a contractor.
Under the agreement, he’d collect a
> $96k pension AND a $241k salary.
The deal comes with a double-digit raise & benefits.
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Tampa's streetcar, one of the region's few reliable public transit options, turns 20 this month.
I spent time with its longest serving driver.
She once hoped to live in the neighborhoods served by its 2.7 mile footprint. Rents, of course, were too high.
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NEW: A developer wanted to build a hotel in one of Tampa’s most affluent neighborhoods. The City Council twice voted against the project. The developer sued.
This week, the case took a surprising turn, stirring “chaos” in real estate circles…
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NEW: Dozens live on boats anchored in Boca Ciega Bay. Some call it a way of life, others a necessity.
As
#HurricaneDebby
approached, they debated: Stay or go?
My story about the tight-knit community hit first by the storm and then by heartbreak.
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NEW: In the wake of a shooting that left two dead and more than a dozen injured, Tampa City Councilmember Gwen Henderson is calling for Ybor businesses to close at 1 a.m. for the next 6 months.
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Tampa City Council voted to slam the brakes on Mayor Jane Castor’s proposed budget Tuesday night, axing the double-digit property tax rate increase she said was a “critical investment” to meet the needs of a growing city.
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Tampa City Council just approved the installation of speed cameras around 13 local schools to deter dangerous driving.
Meanwhile, in St. Pete, the police dept. "is not pursuing plans to install speed cameras in school zones."
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Pedestrianizing downtown streets? Banning right turns on red? Streetcar extension? A regional bus system?
I spoke with Mayor Castor about transportation in Tampa. This is what she said.
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Fielding phone calls from Brits across Tampa Bay this afternoon.
In gathering reactions to the death of the queen, I’ve now heard this three times:
“The tears keep coming. Even putting on the kettle isn’t helping today.”
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My story on the
@ForKidsVA
Regional Housing Crisis Hotline is printed in today’s
@RTDNEWS
paper.
Thanks
@KBurnellEvans
for the heads up.
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Lots of transportation-related news in Tampa Bay this week.
Here's a recap:
1) The SunRunner is here 🚌🏖️
Read all about the maiden voyage, which includes my new fav quote: "I haven’t driven anything other than the occasional golf cart since 1974."
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Always a local angle
Biden used pen made by Providence company to sign executive orders Wednesday
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These are stressful, confusing times, but I, along with some other great
@the_herald
reporters, are going to try our best to keep the community updated.
If there is something you feel needs to be covered/addressed, please let me know.
#Brown
#RhodeIsland
#coronavirus
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**immediately adds to cart**
“Breslin: Essential Writings”
Library of America
Dan Barry, Editor
Publication Date: Feb. 27
Beautiful.
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What is it like to job hunt without access to a car, in a region with some of the most limited public transit in the country?
Meet 60-year-old Wendell Tart, who’s searching for financial stability, close to a bus route.
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