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Tag: VOD

  • Sarah Branyan helps fellow veterans with her personal story of recovery

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Bay Area veteran is using the personal trauma she suffered and her resulting downward spiral to help other vets at at the C.W. Bill Young Veteran’s Medical Center in Bay Pines.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sarah Branyan is a Peer Support Specialist in Mental Health/PTSD at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in St. Petersburg

    • Branyan said her life spiraled out of control after suffering military sexual trauma as a teenager in the Army, but she recovered from drug addictions 

    • Group meeting participants say they can relate to Branyan because of a personal story

    • Branyan said she stresses positive thinking to patients in the group meetings


    Sarah Branyan is a Peer Support Specialist in Mental Health/PTSD. Among other things, she leads group sessions of in-patient veterans with serious personal issues.

    “All right, what you got?” said Branyan to a small group as she talked to them about their plans in case of a personal emergency. “You are the only person who can accommodate yourself. So, if you don’t do it. It’s not going to get done,” she said.

    Branyan has a dramatic story of recovery to tell the veterans to encourage them. She went through basic training in the Army as a 17-year-old. While waiting for a security clearance because she was still a minor, Branyan said she suffered what’s called a Military Sexual Trauma at the hands of a commander.

    Branyan said she then separated from the military under a Chapter 11 discharge. Her life then went out of control. She said she began using drugs including meth, crack cocaine and heroin. “A coping mechanism. And I just didn’t want to feel like me,” she said. “Didn’t want to feel like I felt in my skin.” Branyan said rehabilitation facilities did fix her addiction problems.

    Branyan said she was arrested many times over the next decade. “I have gosh, a very extensive criminal record.” She eventually spent two years in prison in Maryland. Branyan said her years behind bars saved her life because it gave her enough time to beat her addictions.

    “For sure, I always tell the story that I have felonies on my record, and I work for the federal government. So, there is nothing that is insurmountable if you are willing to do the work.”

    Branyan often stresses positive thinking to the patients in the group sessions. “When you are thinking positively you are not in fight-or-flight mode. So, you are more resilient,” she said. “You are more able to find solutions. You are more creative. All the things that we give up and become self-fulfilling prophecies when we are focused in the negative.”

    Small group members like Crystal Elerbee feel like they can relate to Branyan because of what Branyan has been through. “Somebody who has been there, done that,” said Elerbee. “Somebody that can understand where you have coming from.”

    Seeing a fellow veteran make a turnaround is a great reward for Branyan. “Oh, I love it. That’s my favorite thing,” she said. “Because often we don’t get to see the end result. We just must hope we are making a difference. But in this role, I get to see it all the time.”

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • FBI: DNA recovered from glove found near Guthrie home

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    A glove containing DNA found about two miles from the house of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother appears to match those worn by a masked person outside her front door in Tucson the night she vanished, the FBI said Sunday.

    What You Need To Know

    • The FBI says a glove containing DNA was found about two miles from Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home and appears to match those worn by a masked person outside her front door the night she vanished

    • The glove, found in a field near the side of the road, was sent off for DNA testing

    • The discovery was revealed days after investigators had released surveillance videos of the masked person outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson

    • Guthrie is the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie and was last seen at her home on Jan. 31

    The glove, discovered in a field beside a road, was sent for DNA testing. The FBI said in a statement that it received preliminary results Saturday and was awaiting official confirmation. The development comes as law enforcement gathers more potential evidence as the search for Guthrie’s mother heads into its third week. Authorities had previously said they had not identified a suspect.

    On Sunday night, Savannah Guthrie posted an Instagram video in which she issued an appeal to whoever abducted her mother or anyone who knows where she is being kept. “It is never too late to do the right thing,” Guthrie said. “And we are here. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, that it’s never too late.”

    Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.

    The discovery was revealed days after investigators had released surveillance videos of the masked person outside Guthrie’s front door. A porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves.

    On Thursday, the FBI called the person a suspect. It described him as a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency said he was carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack.

    Late Friday night, law enforcement agents sealed off a road about two miles from Guthrie’s home as part of their investigation. A series of sheriff’s and FBI vehicles, including forensics vehicles, passed through the roadblock.

    The investigators also tagged and towed a Range Rover SUV from a nearby restaurant parking lot late Friday. The sheriff’s department later said the activity was part of the Guthrie investigation but no arrests were made.

    On Tuesday, sheriff deputies detained a person for questioning during a traffic stop south of Tucson. Authorities didn’t say what led them to stop the man but confirmed he was released. The same day, deputies and FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search in Rio Rico, about an hour’s drive south of the city.

    In this image provided by NBCUniversal, Savannah Guthrie, right, her mom Nancy speak, Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in New York. (Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal via AP)

    Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

    Earlier in the investigation, authorities had said they had collected DNA from Nancy Guthrie’s property which doesn’t belong to Guthrie or those in close contact with her. Investigators were working to identify who it belongs to.

    The FBI also has said approximately 16 gloves were found in various spots near the house, most of which were searchers’ gloves that had been discarded.

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    Associated Press

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  • St. Pete Sunday Market returns at new location

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Pete’s Sunday Market is back. 

    After taking a short hiatus in January, the market opened Sunday morning at its new home at USF St. Pete downtown. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The St. Pete Sunday Market returned after a short hiatus 

    • It opened at a new location at the St. Pete USF campus 

    • The market is open the third Sunday of every month

    • Kody Roussert, who started the market, said he expects it to remain at the spot through the end of the year


    Since starting in 2023, the market has built a reputation for giving local businesses a chance to thrive. 

    One of those businesses is CBbees, which is from Lake Placid. 

    Owner Joanne McDaniel said she’s been beekeeping for 12 years. 

    Without markets like this, she said, it would be difficult for customers to find them.

    “We don’t have a brick and mortar yet, and it also helps us educate consumers (about) the difference between pure raw honey and store-bought honey and stuff like that,” she said.  

    Providing that kind of exposure is why Kody Roussert started the market. 

    Sunday’s market has dozens of vendors.

    Roussert said the goal of the market is to support as many businesses as possible.

    “We went to Fergs at the beginning of last year, and then we moved into the Museum of History, which was another downscale,” he said. “So it’s really nice to be scaling back up, and again, have more space to give people the opportunity to get their goods out there, get known by everybody here, and show them why they’re super cool.” 

    The plan is to be at the new location throughout the rest of the year. The market is open the third Sunday of every month.

    McDaniel said she has a good feeling about the spot.

    “I think this is going to be a great market,” she said. “Great atmosphere and looks like a lot of foot traffic, and I think everybody in the area is really happy to have a market here on Sundays.” 

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Brother’s Keeper working to help young men feel connected

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    Editor’s Note: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

    UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — There is a loneliness epidemic, according to the U.S. Surgeon General, and one group that’s been particularly affected is young men.

    What You Need To Know

    • The suicide rate is four times higher for men than for women

    • Students at John Carroll University meet monthly to build more intimate relationships and ward off loneliness

    • Young men are less likely to open up to family members because they don’t want to be a burden

    Between 2010 and 2023, the suicide rate for males ages 15–24 rose by 26% according to the American Institute for Boys and Men.

    One man is trying to change that.

    “From a very young age, boys are taught that certain feelings, they can’t express,” said Matt Wooters, therapist and a professor at John Carroll University.

    He said that’s enforced on social media and with their peers.

    “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, to feel any spectrum of emotion,” Wooters said.

    He started a group called Brother’s Keeper. It’s a safe space where young college men can share about more than just football scores. They meet monthly.

    “There’s a lot of talk about toxic masculinity in the modern discourse. And it’s interesting that there’s also a lot of talk about male loneliness and isolation,” Wooters said. “I think those two things are connected.”

    Men are more likely than women to feel socially isolated and not meaningfully part of any community, according to the AIBM, and their suicide rate is four times higher than women.

    “I think it really stems back to the phones and social media, even when we seem like we’re super connected with others, there’s a sense of loneliness, and that connection that it’s not really genuine,” said junior Casey LaForce.

    LaForce attends the monthly meetings. He plays lacrosse and considers himself close to his teammates, but he said the talks just aren’t the same.

    “You just see each other and you ask ‘Oh, how’s your day going? Oh, it’s good.’ And it doesn’t go much deeper than that,” he said.

    He said that the conversations in the group are much deeper.

    Wooters said he intentionally chooses athletes.

    “Even the most connected, successful, popular students on campus, especially male students, don’t have spaces to be authentic,” Wooters said.

    He said men don’t share with family because they don’t want to be a burden.

    “One single adult in their life that isn’t a family member, that they can call when they’re not doing well or when they’re doing well, changes everything,” Wooters said.

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    Kimberly Perez

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  • Iconic 88-year-old restaurant reopens after 2024’s hurricanes

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    PASS-A-GRILLE, Fla. — An iconic 88-year-old restaurant finally reopened in Pass-A-Grille Beach following the 2024 storms.

    The Seahorse Restaurant opened its doors this month after nearly 1-1/2 years of work.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Seahorse on Pass-A-Grille Beach has reopened 

    • It’s been closed since 2024 after hurricanes Helene and Milton

    • The owners made the restaurant look just like it did before the storms

    • Customers and the owners say they are thrilled that the 88-year-old restaurant has reopened


    The restaurant sits right on the water.

    “It’s been established since 1938 and is an iconic restaurant here in Pass-A-Grille,” said Anayeri Gomez, the owner and general manager of the Seahorse.

    It hasn’t always been easy. The restaurant took on 7 feet of water from Hurricane Helene.

    Not long after, the owner said Milton finished what Helene started.

    “We had about probably up to here on water. Everything was gone,” she said, pointing to a spot on the wall.

    The damage was so extensive that the city of St. Pete Beach condemned the building. But after nearly 1-1/2 years of work, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations, the Seahorse finally reopened on Feb. 6.

    “We were able to recreate everything and put it back together the way we remember it,” Gomez said.

    Many of its customers have been coming to the now-historic building for decades. Regular customers Michael and Sue Valind were pleasantly surprised to see the same tables and décor from years ago.

    “When people come down, we always take them to our favorite places. And since we were dating in 1983, we’ve been coming to the Seahorse, and so this is our first time back since it’s opened,” Sue Valind said.

    The restaurant is already very busy making breakfast, lunch and packing to-go orders. Hungry customers are once again eating the meals they know and love from many of the same employees who worked there before the storms. The owners did have to hire some new people, though.

    Gomez is asking for a little patience as they get settled back in.

    She said it won’t be long before restaurant operations are back to normal.

    “It feels great to see all our community back here, our customers and our friends and family. It’s an amazing feeling,” Gomez said.

    It’s been a long road to recovery, but for the Seahorse, it has finally come to an end.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Jordan Stolz wins second speedskating gold of Olympics

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    MILAN — For a while now, Jordan Stolz’s talent and dominance as a speedskater, and his much-anticipated potential for Olympic success, prompted many to repeatedly mention his name — prematurely, no doubt — alongside that of Eric Heiden. Now they really do belong in the same sentence, at least in one regard.

    What You Need To Know

    • Jordan Stolz has won his second speedskating gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics by finishing first in the 500 meters in an Olympic-record time. Saturday’s race was the American’s second of the Winter Games

    • The 21-year-old from Wisconsin was coming off a victory in Wednesday’s 1,000, the first of his four individual events in Milan

    • He came to these Games as someone considered a contender for gold in all four

    • The men’s record for most speedskating titles at one Olympics is the five for Eric Heiden at Lake Placid in 1980

    Stolz established himself as a two-time Olympic gold medalist, halfway to his goal of four at the Milan Cortina Games, by winning the 500 meters on Saturday to follow up his victory in the 1,000. Those twin triumphs allowed Stolz, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin, to join Heiden as the only men to complete the 500-1,000 double in speedskating at one Olympics.

    Heiden, of course, did it as part of his record sweep of all five individual events at the 1980 Lake Placid Games for the U.S., taking everything from the 500 to the 10,000, and all in Olympic-record time.

    Stolz finished the 500 in an Olympic-record time of 33.77 seconds, after also setting a Games mark in his win in the 1,000 on Wednesday. Both times, the silver went to Jenning do Boo of the Netherlands, who clocked 33.88 in the shortest speedskating event. Both times, they raced head-to-head in the same heat.

    Stolz was leading Wednesday as they came out of the final curve, then they were even entering the last stretch. But Stolz, who overcame a deficit in the 1,000, turned on the speed and leaned across the line first again in the 500. De Boo slipped and fell into the wall afterward, while Stolz skated past and shook his right fist overhead.

    Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil got the bronze in 34.26.

    The last American to win Olympic gold in the men’s 500 was Casey FitzRandolph in 2002.

    The soft-spoken Stolz acknowledges that, yes, his aims are high, and, sure, he is flattered by the comparisons to Heiden. But Stolz, who isn’t entered in the 5,000 or 10,000 in Milan, also knows he isn’t trying to recreate the same sort of unprecedented and all-encompassing performance turned in by Heiden.

    Still, Stolz does have a real shot at the four medals, maybe even four golds, he is seeking at his second Winter Games.

    At Beijing in 2022, just 17 years old, Stolz finished 13th in the 1,000 and 14th in the 500. In the time since, though, he has established himself as the best in the world at his sport, including two world titles each at the 500, the 1,000 and the 1,500. And right now, Stolz is so far living up to the outsized expectations and accompanying pressure that follow his every stride on the ice at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, a temporary facility created for this event.

    Two races, two golds, two Olympic records.

    Now there are two more to go for the six-time world champion: the 1,500 meters on Thursday, and the mass start on Feb. 21.

    The last man with three gold medals in speedskating at one Winter Games was Norway’s Johann Olav Koss, who won the 1,500, the 5,000 and the 10,000 at the 1994 Lillehammer Games

    Stolz took to the ice to warm up Saturday about 2 1/2 hours before his race. He paused at one point to plop himself down for a seat on the low boards along the ice, retying his black-and-green skates and smiling while chatting with his coach, Bob Corby.

    No sign of nerves. None at all.

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    Associated Press

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  • Lake Erie ice fishers take advantage of frozen lake

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    PORT CLINTON, Ohio — Before the sun rises on a February morning, a group of dedicated ice fishers journeys out onto Lake Erie.

    What You Need To Know

    • Ice fishing season on Lake Erie lasts anywhere from a couple of weeks to two months
    • This year, ice fishers have been taking advantage after arctic temperatures froze a majority of the lake
    • The area near Port Clinton is known for its great walleye supply, and the islands and shallow waters help keep the ice from breaking up 
    • Once Lake Erie freezes, locals who live on the islands near Port Clinton are entirely reliant on air travel

    “You got to be a little bit crazy, you got to be a little bit obsessed, because it’s not for the faint of heart,” said John Fickert, one of those ice fishers. 

    As the sun starts to poke out over the horizon, Fickert makes camp. 

    “We’re many miles offshore, really desolate, really peaceful,” he said.

    On Lake Erie, the ice fishing season lasts anywhere from two weeks to two months. During that time, Fickert goes every chance he gets.  

    “Probably as soon as I could walk, I was out here fishing with my dad,” Fickert said, lighting up when he recalls old memories. “Those were the good ol’ days when I’d get out of school, and he’d haul me out here.”

    Ice fisher John Fickert set’s up his gear as the sun rises on Lake Erie. (Spectrum News 1/Corey O’Leary)

    Using a fish finder, he puts two rods in and can see when fish are near.

    “These are fish swimming across; do you see them?” he asks, pointing to two slender blobs on the screen of the fish finder. 

    However, after seeing a few fish, none of them wanted to bite.

    “He’s there, but he just won’t quite do it,” Fickert said. 

    Often, it’s a waiting game, and you don’t always get lucky. 

    “It’s just kind of unpredictable,” Fickert explains, adding that there was one day this year when he caught nothing. 

    He fishes around the Port Clinton area, near Put-in-Bay and Kelley’s Island. The ice on Lake Erie drastically transforms that area both visually and economically. 

    No one knows that better than Dustin Schaffer, owner of Island Air Taxi in Port Clinton. 

    “In the winter, it’s like a light switch when the boats quit,” Schaffer said. “In the winter, it’s the only way.”

    Once the ferries stop running because of the ice, all travel to and from this island have to be done by air. 

    “We have a lot of ice fishermen. There’s islanders, I fly teachers, there’s school kids that I transport back and forth,” Shaffer explained.

    In February, fishermen’s huts dot the lake, with the area known as one of the best places to catch walleye.

    Ice fishing huts dot Lake Erie. (Spectrum News 1/Corey O’Leary)

    On the ground, Fickert finds a new place to set up after a couple of hours with no bites. This year, he didn’t get to come out with his father. 

    “He passed away last year,” Fickert said. 

    Fickert said he spread some of his father’s ashes across the frozen lake. Now, he uses his father’s snowmobile and gear. 

    Ice fishing is an activity he’ll always associate with his father, even when he’s not catching anything. 

    John Fickert and his father.

    John Fickert and his father. (Spectrum News 1/Corey O’Leary)

    “Not a good sign… very negative mood,” Fickert said after a fish came near his lure but quickly swam away. 

    After a day where there were no bites, and right before he was planning to head back to shore, a fish finally bit. 

    “We’ve been waiting all day for her,” Fickert said, laughing. 

    But ask any ice fisher, it’s not all about the fish. 

    “The draw to it is just the rareness of it,” Fickert said. “It’s more like a treat when you get to do it.”

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    Corey O’Leary

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  • Law enforcement block road near Nancy Guthrie’s home during investigation

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    TUCSON, Ariz. — Law enforcement investigating the disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie ‘s mother sealed off a road near Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona late Friday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Law enforcement investigating the disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother have blocked off a road near Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona

    • A parade of sheriff’s and FBI vehicles, including forensics vehicles, passed through the roadblock Friday night

    • The roadblock is about 2 miles from the house

    • The agencies also tagged and towed a Range Rover from a nearby Culver’s restaurant parking lot

    • The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says the activity is part of the Guthrie investigation but declined to detail specifics

    A parade of sheriff’s and FBI vehicles, including forensics vehicles, passed through the roadblock that was set up about 2 miles from the house.

    The two agencies also tagged and towed a Range Rover SUV from a Culver’s restaurant parking lot. The restaurant is just over 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie’s home. This activity took place at the same time the sheriff’s office closed a road just north of the Guthrie home.

    The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the activity was part of the Guthrie case. But it said the FBI requested that it not release further information. No new details were available early Saturday.

    Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on Feb. 1. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch of her Tucson-area home. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.

    Authorities have expressed concerns Guthrie’s health because she needs daily medication. She is said to have a pacemaker and has dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

    Investigators have studied surveillance video, sorted through thousands of tips and submitted DNA and other evidence for laboratory analysis.

    The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff’s department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls.

    On Tuesday, authorities released footage showing an armed, masked person at Guthrie’s doorstep on the night she was abducted. The videos — less than a combined minute in length — gave investigators and the public their first glimpse of who was outside Guthrie’s home in the foothills outside Tucson.

    Experts say the video could contain a mountain of clues. 

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    Associated Press

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  • East Cleveland is first city to be placed under receivership

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    EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — East Cleveland is the first-ever town to be placed under a receivership, meaning that after years of fiscal emergency, a court appointed third party is going to be taking over their finances in order to find a viable long-term solution.

    What You Need To Know

    • The city of East Cleveland is being placed under a receivership
    • After years of fiscal emergency, a court-appointed third party is going to be taking over their finances
    • The town’s new mayor said this is a way for them to move forward

    East Cleveland has long been in debt.

    “Part of the problem is that we have a lot of debt that hasn’t been quantified yet,” new Mayor Sandra Morgan said.

    Morgan said the receivership was in the works before her term, but it is something she supports.

    “I believe it’s a lifeline for us,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to right the ship, frankly.”

    At a recent town hall, residents heard from the mayor and the court-appointed receiver, George Shoup.

    “I’m dismissed as a receiver once we determine that the areas of financial distress has been resolved and that a viable plan going forward is in place,” Shoup said.

    Morgan said the current estimate of the city’s debt lies around $50 to $65 million, largely as part of large settlements ordered where the police department was found guilty of abuse.

    “There’s just an erosion of the infrastructure because no one bothered to invest,” Morgan said.

    The city has consistently lost population since the 1950s. It was once at roughly 40,000 residents but is now around 14,000. Morgan said, if they want long-term financial stability, they’ll have to reverse that trend. 

    “We’re planning for building housing, really all sorts of housing,” she said.

    She said new developments, like more housing as part of the Circle East project, shows there’s a push for growth.

    “There’s a lot of reasons to come to East Cleveland,” she said.

    When asked about what she’d say to an East Cleveland resident who is skeptical about the receivership, she said, “the alternative is real grim.”

    “We don’t really have any alternative, and this is a way for us to move forward,” she said.

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    Corey O’Leary

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  • Night to Shine lights up Pinellas for third year

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It was a Night to Shine at the St. Petersburg Coliseum Friday night. The Tim Tebow Foundation held its annual prom for people with special needs there for the third year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tim Tebow Foundation held its annual Night to Shine on February 13 in St. Petersburg

    • It’s a prom-type event for people with special needs who are ages 14 and up

    • The coordinator said guests live with conditions ranging from learning disabilities to ambulatory impairments

    • Guests told Spectrum News they enjoy the event because they can let loose without feeling self-conscious


    “Epic,” said Kimberly Nash, coordinator of the Pinellas County event, when asked to describe the night in one word. “It’s amazing, it’s beautiful, it’s fantastic. There’s not one word that can actually describe tonight.”

    Nash said registration filled to capacity within an hour-and-a-half of opening, and this year’s waitlist was longer than the actual guest list.

    Invitees arrived in limos and were greeted by a red carpet lined with volunteer “paparazzi.”

    “This is my third year doing it, and I love it,” said volunteer Kim Heffner.

    “You get to cheer them on, blow bubbles, give them high-fives,” said six-year-old Liv, another volunteer.

    At one point, volunteers took part in an impromptu sing-along when one guest started singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by one of his favorite artists, John Denver.

    “Seeing what they have to go through day by day, I mean, it’s just amazing to see everyone show up for them,” said Heffner.

    Guests attending Night to Shine. (Spectrum News/Sarah Blazonis)

    Connor Deeb and Ashunti Teasley Dorsey said they wouldn’t have missed this year’s event for the world. It was the second time attending for both of them.

    “Honestly, I love it here,” said Deeb, 22. “It’s a great place to meet people, have some great music, dance.”

    “We get to be ourselves without having to worry about judging and things like that,” said Dorsey, 25.

    Dorsey told Spectrum News she has autism and chronic tic disorder. She said that means she makes movements that she can’t control.

    “I remember waking up one day, and I thought I was just having chills until it started progressing worse and worse until I found out it’s tics,” she said. “Even though I struggle, I continue to move on and live my life like no other.”

    Dorsey said tics aren’t something she has to be self-conscious of at Night to Shine, and that’s the point.

    “It’s a night that we invite those with special needs, and we remind them that it is not their disability that defines them, it is Christ,” said Nash.

    Nash said the 265 guests live with a range of conditions, from learning disabilities to ambulatory impairments. This night is about giving them and their plus-ones a chance to feel like royalty.

    “Whether you leave here as an honored guest with a crown on your head and a smile on your face and probably some feet that hurt from all the dancing, or a parent who has seen your child celebrated and loved tonight, I think that everybody just leaves here with joy,” said Nash.

    A Night to Shine is a worldwide event held in more than 700 locations. Nash said this is the third year Central Christian Church hosted the Pinellas event.

    Nash said they hope to hold next year’s dance at the newly repaired Tropicana Field. If that works out, she said that they can expand to inviting 750 guests.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Oakland community to see revitalization to the area

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    HAINES CITY, Fla. — Haines City leaders are looking to revitalize the Oakland community as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is asking for public input on bringing back this once-bustling business district.

    What You Need To Know

    • Community Redevelopment Agency is set to host a meeting on Thursday to discuss plans for the former walk-in bar in the Oakland community
    • The meeting is taking place on Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Haines City Hall
    • The walk-in bar, located at 1711 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, is part of the first step to revitalizing the Oakland community


    The Community Redevelopment Agency is starting the process with the former walk-in bar along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

    No job is too small for Kenneth Gosha.

    “I like making the neighborhood look good,” he said.

    Gosha works in the community, helping keep his neighbors’ lawns in top shape. He grew up in the Oakland community and says it’s his way of giving back.

    It’s a place that he says has seen its fair share of change.

    “Some of the spaces around here, where there were empty lots, they’re building houses there, they’re putting sidewalks, they’re doing a lot of great things around here,” he says.

    But he also remembers what it was a place where business was alive and booming.

    Today, he says, it’s much different, and one of the reasons Gosha says he will have his voice heard at the upcoming Haines City Community Redevelopment Agency meeting.

    The topic is to discuss plans for the former walk-in bar located in the heart of the Oakland community.

    “The lower level of this old walk-in bar, we want to put retail back here, and the upper level we want to do apartments or condos,” says Haines City Mayor and board member of the Community Redevelopment Agency Morris West.

    He says this building means a lot to the community. Back in the day, the building was a walk-in bar and housed a barber shop that many residents frequented.

    “We want to start with this building, but the city commission and the CRA board members want to revitalize this whole district, bring it back to what it once was,” West comments.

    West says the goal is to bring back the business district, but local leaders need community input to make it happen.

    Gosha believes it’s the first step to breathing life back into a growing community.

    “It’ll just help make the community beautiful and better,” he says.

    It is a place he wants to continue to call his home and welcome new faces too.

    Haines City CRA will be discussing plans for the building at their meeting in City Hall on Thursday, Feb 5, at 5:30 p.m.

    Residents are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts on the property.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • St. Pete celebrates local businesses with Localtopia

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Thousands of people celebrated St. Petersburg’s local businesses on Saturday as the nonprofit Keep St. Petersburg Local hosted its annual Localtopia event in Williams Park. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Localtopia, St. Petersburg’s largest community celebration of all things local, returned to St. Pete

    • Thousands of people 300 businesses and thousands of people filled Willams Park

    • The St. Pete Chamber of Commerce said this event is crucial for local businesses

    • Businesses said the event was a great opportunity for exposure


    It’s considered St. Petersburg’s largest community celebration of all things local.

    It was a busy day for businesses.

    Gallons of locally brewed beer were on tap at Localtopia.

    “Today, we have on tap our Harold’s lager, which is a nice, light, easy-drinking beer and our orange, which is a nice, easy-drinking light beer as well,” said Dennis Decker, owner of Pinellas Ale Works.

    Pinellas Ale Works has been coming to Localtopia for about 10 years. Every year, Decker said they sell more beer. While Decker said they are pretty established, the event is still a great day for exposure.

    “For a lot of the smaller businesses that haven’t been around a long time or don’t have a big advertising budget, this is a great way to show people what you do and what you have to offer,” he said.

    There are more than 300 independent businesses and organizations at this year’s celebration of all things local. The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce said businesses need the help after spending most of last year recovering from 2024’s back-to-back hurricanes.

    “We love our locals, we know that has made the difference. When people come to St. Pete and they feel the buzz, it’s the buzz of the love we have for that entrepreneur who’s got the courage to open up that shop and take care of the rest of us,” said Chris Steinocher, president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.

    Steinocher said that St. Pete is open for business and encouraged people to shop local, not only on Saturday, but throughout the year.

    “Now, our economy is back, and our tourism is back, and our community is back. This is a year we want everybody to realize, we can get back to that normal sense of we have a lot of people here and we’re going to do a lot of good things,” Steinocher said.

    And after Localtopia, Decker said people do just that, as the brewery usually sees some extra foot traffic.

    “I think this kind of event reminds people of their local businesses. They kind of forget with the ordering online and all that kind of stuff, they forget about local businesses, and I think this is a good showcase for local businesses,” Decker said.

    Localtopia started in 2014 to celebrate art, music, food, drinks, and culture that St. Pete has to offer.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Manatee and Sarasota residents compete in the Gulf Coast Games for Life

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — For Janet Rumig of Sarasota, the bowling alley is a second home.

    She is so comfortable walking up to the lane that it is hard to tell this is a competition, specifically the Gulf Coast Games for Life.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gulf Coast Games for Life is a program that encourages seniors to train and exercise year-round

    • Now through February 21, seniors will compete in sixteen different sports
    • Winners of the matches can qualify for the Florida Senior Games State Championships

    • Research from the National Institutes of Health reports that both men and women can add at least a decade to their life expectancy by prioritizing a healthy lifestyle


    “I think I am the only person in my age group, so I should win,” said Rumig.

    This is the qualifying match for the Florida Senior Games State Championships. Andrea King with Sarasota County Parks and Recreation says it has been a tradition for nearly 40 years, and the primary goal is not to necessarily come home with a medal.

    “They get to be together with other people. There is a social component which is as important as the physical side,” King explained.

    Whether it is bowling or another sport, the purpose of the Gulf Coast Games for Life is to incentivize seniors to train and exercise year-round.

    Research from the National Institutes of Health reports that both men and women can add at least a decade to their life expectancy by prioritizing a healthy lifestyle.

    For Rumig, bowling has always been a part of her routine.

    “As kids, we could go bowling, one game for a quarter. But if we were willing to set pins for somebody else, then we could bowl for free,” Rumig added.

    Competing, however, Rumig did not start until her golden years.

    “I would have done more competitive bowling, except we had kids,” she mentioned.

    She does not hide her age or her secret to staying in shape.

    “Just did it for fun. Being healthier is just a benefit,” said Rumig.

    Her true motivation for bowling multiple times a week is sharing the lane with her friends and husband, Mike.

    Bowling better than the boys is something her husband says she has done for the past 42 years of marriage.

    Just like getting a strike again and again, bowling is like taking her daily medication for life — a daily dose of life.

    The Gulf Coast Games for Life are far from over. Now through February 21, seniors will compete in sixteen different sports. Those who come home with a medal will qualify for the Florida Senior Games state championships, competing again against other amateur and aging athletes across the state this December.

    [ad_2] Claire Alfree
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  • Polk County limits number of speakers for general public comment

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — New changes are coming to Polk County commission meetings.

    What You Need To Know

    • Polk County commissioners voted unanimously to limit general public comment on non-agenda items to 15 speakers per meeting
    • Animal welfare advocates argue the change is an attempt to silence community voices, especially after public comment was previously moved to the end of meetings

    • A law professor says municipalities are legally allowed to limit speakers, but residents could challenge the Florida statute


    Commissioners recently voted to limit the number of people who can speak during public comment for non-agenda items. The resolution passed unanimously on a consent agenda, without public input.

    Being a voice for change has become Angie Lorio and Shannon Medina’s life’s work. The two first started the Polk County Bully Project in 2019 to help improve adoption rates for pit bulls. Since then, they’ve advocated for animal welfare across Polk County, often joining other groups to speak at county commission meetings.

    “They tell us you’re wasting your time,” Lorio said. “’You need to talk to the sheriff. This has nothing to do with us.’ And when some stand up to speak about the animals, they’re looking down, they’re looking around. One gets up to leave the room.”

    Lorio said it became even more clear when county commissioners moved general public comment to the end of meetings. Now, they’re limiting the number of speakers on non-agenda items to 15 people, which Medina believes is another attempt to censor the community.

    “The community still needs their county commissioners to listen to what they have to say, whether or not they agree with it. They still need to listen,” Medina said.

    Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to the county several times about the change, but commissioners were unavailable for comment. While it may be controversial, Cooley Law School professor Jeffrey Swartz said that as of 2024, municipalities are allowed to limit the number of speakers at meetings.

    “The problem with this statute is that it allows a commission to basically limit debate and limit dissent, depending upon who the first 15 people are that have signed up to speak to the commission,” Swartz said.

    Swartz said residents have the option to challenge the Florida statute if they feel it denies them their First Amendment rights. As for Lorio and Medina, they’re unsure if that’s a route they’ll take. But they said what they know for sure is that they won’t be silent.

    “Whether we’re number 15 walking in or 16, we deserve the right to have our voices heard,” Medina said.

    Moving forward, people will be required to submit speaker cards and will be called in the order they are received. Anyone not heard will get the chance to speak at the next meeting.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Experts say vetting tips in Guthrie case is huge but vital task

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    An Arizona sheriff’s department got more than 4,000 calls within 24 hours after the release of videos of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie’s porch. Many tips will be worthless. Others could have merit. Experts say one thing’s certain: They can’t be ignored.

    What You Need To Know

    • More than 4,000 calls came into an Arizona sheriff’s department within 24 hours after the release of videos of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie’s porch

    • Many will be worthless, and others could have merit

    • Experts say one thing’s certain: The tips can’t be ignored

    • Images of a mysterious person have been the most significant clues shared with the public during Guthrie’s disappearance in the Tucson area

    Tips can solve crimes — big or small — and eerie images of a mysterious male covered head to toe have been the most significant clues shared with the public during Guthrie’s nearly 2-week-old disappearance in the Tucson area.

    “It’s a tremendous amount of work,” said Roberto Villaseñor, a former Tucson police chief.

    “In a situation like this, you really cannot do what’s been done without tips and public input,” he said. “They have processed the scene. But once that’s done and exhausted, it’s hard to move forward without additional information coming in.”

    This combo from images provided by the FBI shows surveillance footage at the home of Nancy Guthrie the night she went missing in Tucson, Ariz. (FBI via AP)

    Tens of thousands of tips

    The Pima County sheriff and the FBI announced phone numbers and a website to offer tips about the apparent kidnapping of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Several hundred detectives and agents have been assigned to the case, the sheriff’s department said.

    The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff’s department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls.

    “Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement,” the FBI said Thursday on X, adding that the effort is a 24-hour operation. It said it won’t comment on the tips received.

    In this image provided by NBCUniversal, Savannah Guthrie, right, her mom Nancy speak, Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in New York. (Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal via AP)

    In this image provided by NBCUniversal, Savannah Guthrie, right, her mom Nancy speak, Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in New York. (Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal via AP)

    Tips have made a difference many times

    Major U.S. crimes for years have been cracked with a tip. In 1995, the brother and sister-in-law of Ted Kaczynski recognized certain tones in an anonymous, widely published anti-technology manifesto. Known by the FBI as the “Unabomber,” Kaczynski was found living in a shack in Montana and subsequently admitted to committing 16 bombings over 17 years, killing three people.

    The 1989 murders of an Ohio woman and two teen daughters in Florida were solved three years later when St. Petersburg police asked the public if they recognized handwriting found in the victims’ car. A former neighbor led investigators to Oba Chandler.

    Retired Detroit homicide investigator Ira Todd recalled how images from a gas station camera solved the disappearance and death of a 3-month-old baby — and stopped authorities from pursuing the wrong person in 2001. “A niece of this guy saw it on TV and says, ‘That’s my uncle,’” he said.

    The murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 generated nearly 40,000 tips to state and federal authorities. None had a direct role in the capture of Bryan Kohberger, but the public’s involvement nonetheless was “absolutely” important, said Lt. Darren Gilbertson of the Idaho State Police.

    “That’s one of the things that kept us going for weeks,” he said, while authorities awaited DNA and other evidence.

    Law enforcement agents check vegetation areas around Nancy Guthrie s home in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

    Law enforcement agents check vegetation areas around Nancy Guthrie s home in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

    Sorting the helpful from the odd

    Gilbertson said much of the early vetting in the Idaho murders was done by the FBI. He said agents and analysts who were screening tips had a good grasp of what information could be spiked and what should be handed up to key investigators. Some tips arrived by regular mail.

    “Aliens to bears to crazy conspiratorial ideas — don’t even pass that along,” Gilbertson said.

    Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Hours before her family knew she was gone, a porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves — images that were released by the FBI along with a public plea for help.

    The FBI on Thursday said the person, now a suspect, is a male, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency also named the brand and model of the backpack.

    The sheriff’s department has not said whether any tips from the videos have advanced the investigation.

    “I’m hopeful,” said Villaseñor, the former Tucson chief. “I have seen cases where simpler and less detailed information has helped bring somebody about. Maybe someone recognizes clothing, maybe the bag. You never know what someone will key on.”

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    Associated Press

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  • ‘Bent, but not broken’: Congresswoman Shontel Brown reflects on a chaotic 2025

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    CLEVELAND — Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown reflected on what she calls a chaotic year in Washington, D.C. during her State of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District Address.

    What You Need To Know

    • Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown reflected on what she calls a chaotic year in Washington, D.C. DC during her State of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District Address

    • Brown says her district is facing pressure because of many of President Donald Trump’s priorities, including the tax and spending policy he calls the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”

    • Brown vowed to use every tool she has to dismantle ICE, saying she would not vote to approve giving the agency even one more cent of funding

    “Our communities are being terrorized by ICE,” she said. “Our health care is being cut. Our food assistance is being slashed. Our schools and our local programs are being defunded by Washington. Our pocketbooks are being stretched thin by Trump’s reckless tariffs.”

    Brown says her district is facing pressure because of many of President Donald Trump’s priorities, including the tax and spending policy he calls the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

    “But I like to call it the Big Ugly Law,” Brown said.

    The law extends tax cuts and cuts spending on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and health care programs Medicare and Medicaid, reduces spending on clean energy tax credits and significantly increases spending for ICE. 

    The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates nearly 100,000 Ohioans will lose out on SNAP food benefits because of the Republican-backed spending bill. Brown said her district has the highest percentage of people relying on SNAP in the state. While she fights to protect and restore those benefits, she said Republicans invested $75 billion into ICE. 

    “I am going to introduce legislation in the coming weeks that would repeal that funding and put it right back into the SNAP program,” she said.

    Brown vowed to use every tool she has to dismantle ICE, saying she would not vote to approve giving the agency even one more cent of funding. 

    She said House Democrats will continue using their leverage to secure wins despite being in the minority, pointing to the release of the Epstein files as a win.

    Constituent Terreia Whitsett said she’d like to see Brown continue to press that issue.

    “The biggest issue is that the attorney general is not interviewing the victims,” Whitsett said. “And I think that’s very important. When you’re a victim of something, you want to be heard and you want to know that people really feel what you’re going through. And I just think she’s deflecting a lot.”

    Through all the chaos of 2025, Browns said her community banded together, protesting ICE’s crackdown, raising money to make up for frozen federal benefits and taking care of each other.

    “We know our strength and we know our power,” she said. “We’ve been tested, but not defeated. Battered, but not beaten. Bent, but not broken.”

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    Nora McKeown

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  • Fan fest yard sale includes Rays gear dating back to 2008

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Preparing for their return to Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Rays are hosting a community yard sale Saturday with all kinds of items that were pulled from Tropicana Field during construction.

    The 2026 Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest will be held from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. The large yard sale is set up outside of Gates 4 and 5 on 16th Street S.

    The Rays typically hold a community yard sale as part of Fan Fest, where the remainder of the previous year’s promotional items and team gear are sold off to prepare for the new season.

    The team also held a pre-construction yard sale over the summer.

    The goal of that was to purge most of the goodies that had been piling up at Tropicana Field over the last two decades, but the team’s Chief Business Officer Bill Walsh said they found more as construction continued.

    “Candidly, we keep finding things,” Walsh said. “This is kind of the last of it. This is the last round.”

    All yard sale items will be sold for $5. Authentic jerseys and mystery autograph balls will be sold for $30.

    Some of the items that hit the yard sale tables date as far back as 2008. They include promotional shirts, hats, jerseys, costumes, bobbleheads, tumblers, glasses, toys, signs, and items that were created for current and former players.

    The shirts given out in the 2024 season as part of “RandyLand” are for sale, as well as many items used in the Rays 20th anniversary season. The promotional baseballs from last year’s 2025 Opening Day at Steinbrenner Field are also for sale, among many other unique items.

    “In many ways, what happened here at Tropicana Field was kind of the poster child for Hurricane Milton and even Hurricane Helene,” Walsh said. “So, to be able to bounce back like this and have this comeback bring Major League Baseball back to The Trop, even if its only for a few years, is something we really really want to celebrate.”

    All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Rays Baseball Foundation.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Sweets rank as top gift for Valentine’s Day this year, retail group says

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    Nothing says I love you like chocolate, which is why it comes as no surprise that candy tops the list of this year’s popular Valentine’s Day gifts. 

    Cards and flowers also rank high, as does jewelry, according to the National Retail Federation.

    What You Need To Know

    • Candy tops the list of this year’s popular Valentine’s Day gifts

    • Cards and flowers also rank high, as does jewelry, according to the National Retail Federation

    • With the holiday falling on a Saturday, experiential gifts are a big hit

    • The National Retail Federation says 83% of those celebrating will buy gifts for romantic partners, but plenty of others will spend on friends and coworkers, and a record 35% of Valentine’s Day shoppers are projected to spend a whopping $2.1 billion on their pets

    “In terms of spending and category, jewelry absolutely wins the love leaderboard,” said Michelle Dalton Tyree, a retail and trend expert. “Here’s what I think is funny. Only 25% of people are actually buying jewelry, but that jewelry that they are buying makes up $7 billion of that Valentine’s Day pie.” 

    Most shoppers prefer buying online, but department stores are a close second, and for many, Valentine’s goodies don’t come in heart shaped boxes or any box at all. 


    With the holiday falling on a Saturday, experiential gifts are a big hit. 

    “Couples don’t have to squeeze in something in the middle of the week,” Dalton Tyree said. “This is a perfect time to do experiences, to go out to dinner, to go for a weekend getaway. So it really comes at an ideal time this year. And who doesn’t love a fun, frivolous escape?” 

    One possible excursion is a trip to White Castle. For the 35th-year running, 300 locations of this fast-food franchise will turn into “Love Castle,” offering table-side service and special decor. 

    Pizza Hut is selling heart shaped pies, and McDonald’s offered a special Valentine’s Day kit. 

    “This included caviar from Paramount Caviar, a $25 McDonald’s gift card, creme fraiche and even a traditional mother-of-pearl caviar spoon,” Dalton Tyree said.
”It sold out in minutes.”

    The National Retail Federation says 83% of those celebrating will buy gifts for romantic partners, but plenty of others will spend on friends and coworkers, and a record 35% of Valentine’s Day shoppers are projected to spend a whopping $2.1 billion on their pets. 

    “One of the things driving this is we saw, obviously, a pandemic pet explosion,” Dalton Tyree said. “And a lot of those pets during the pandemic became people’s SOs. That was their significant other. And Gen Z’s and millennials are really, really driving this trend.”


    Consumers are expected to spend $200 per person — the highest amount ever seen — showing that even in times of economic uncertainty, Americans love to love.

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    Alex Cohen

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  • Florida Polytechnic celebrates opening of new Esports arena

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Polytechnic University is taking competitive video gaming a step further.

    On Friday, the university celebrated the opening of its new Esports Arena.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Polytechnic University opened the new $300,000 Esports Arena, which features 20 fully loaded gaming stations

    • Participation in eSports is growing on campus, and university leaders say scholarships are planned in the future

    • Team captain Jannice Rivera says she hopes the expanded program encourages more women to join eSports as they gain recognition alongside traditional athletics

    In the world of eSports, student Jannice Rivera stands out.

    “I wish more women and more girls felt at home and in a community with eSports, but as eSports has been evolving, we’ve been welcomed a little more and more as time goes on,” Rivera said.

    The 21-year-old became the captain of Florida Polytechnic’s eSports varsity teams a little over a year ago. She is one of just three women who are part of the sports program. It’s a space she has been familiar with since learning how to play video games at a young age.

    “I was able to, thankfully, get my longtime best friends, that are still friends with me, I was able to get them into it, and we all just started playing together,” she said. “And even though the community wasn’t as welcoming to women back then, that was like 2008/2009. With having friends in it doing it with me, I already felt more comfortable.”

    Rivera said that pushed her to apply to Florida Poly to play on a larger scale.

    Over time, university leaders said they’ve seen more students become drawn to the digital sport. So far, Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson said the school has about 130 players across 14 teams.

    “And now that we have the arena in place, I can tell you, as many young people say today, ‘it’s going to blow up.’ And it will become extremely popular,” Stephenson said.

    The new eSports arena is equipped with 20 fully loaded gaming stations. The roughly $300,000 facility was partially paid for with presidential discretionary funds, which Stephenson said was worth every penny.

    “This is a very rigorous curriculum that we have here, so we need more and more student development opportunities for them outside of the labs, outside of the classrooms, and eSports gives them that sort of vetting to stretch themselves beyond the pressure of the classroom,” he said.

    Florida Poly leaders said the goal is to help players compete on the same level as traditional athletics. The school eventually plans to offer several scholarships to students, and Rivera said she’s looking forward to that.

    “The little girl in me feels really excited,” she said. “Now, as time goes on, we’re getting recognized as an actual athletic department. We’re an actual sport, and it can be very lucrative. We have the same sponsors that normal athletics do. We compete in the same way; it’s just in a different setting, and I feel like we can reach a lot of people.”

    She said she hopes that includes a lot more women, too.

    The Esports Arena is open for competition and recreational use. Students can visit and play for fun during select hours throughout the day.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • N.C. A&T students host first of several early voting events

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — The first day of early voting kicked off with a march to the polls from N.C. A&T.

    What You Need To Know

    • N.C. A&T students walked to the polls after the State Board of Elections decided against early voting locations at their campus

    • All 10 early voting sites around Guilford County opened this week

    • The two closest to the university’s campus are the Old Guilford Court House and the Guilford AG Center, but both are more than a mile away

    • The event is the first of many voter turnout events students said they will be holding leading up to the primary election March 3



    The event comes after the State Board of Elections decided against adding early voting locations at the university along with UNC Greensboro and Elon University.

    Organizers said it is the first of many more voter turnout events they’re planning to help students navigate voting off campus.

    “Aggies do what is necessary for our rights, for our survival and for our people,” said N.C. A&T student Jae’lah Monet, who joined more than 60 other students and community members in a walk to the nearest polling site about 1.3 miles away from campus.

    She said the event helps students get to the election site safely while demonstrating to the State Board of Elections how important a polling site is on campus.

    “We will be there all day, and we will all get a chance to vote. Accessibility is truly, truly so important to all of us Aggies, because we understand not everyone has a car, not every student has money for Uber, so we work together to make sure that everybody has an equal chance, and that is what it means to be an Aggie,” Monet said.

    There are 10 early voting sites around Guilford County. The two closest to campus are the Old Guilford Court House and the Guilford AG Center, but both are more than a mile away.

    Charlie Collicutt, director of the Guilford County Board of Elections, said this is usual for this election, but the school will remain a voting location on election day.

    “There’s never been a midterm election, primary or general election that used any of our college campuses. We’ve only ever used them in presidential elections,” Collicutt said.  

    “We’re staffed up at all of our polling sites. Any voter going to any site should see a fairly efficient process,” he said as students began lining up in the registration and voting lines.

    Monet said they hope this walk changes that.

    “There are a lot of things in this country that people have never had, and that doesn’t make them right. That doesn’t mean that it’s always fair, and this country is not known for always being accessible. That is why the future matters so much. The goal is to have polling sites for every election cycle, on our college campuses,” she explained.

    Monet serves as a canvasser with the N.C A&T Chapter of the NAACP, where she’s trying to make sure more than 15,000 students are registered to vote.

    “Every day, I meet a new Aggie who is doing something in the community to encourage their peers. Campaign trailblazers want people who are out making an impact every single day,” she said while standing in line to vote. 

    Monet said more than 200 other student organizations are working together to help get students to the polls for the primary election.

    The final day to cast early in-person ballots is February 28. Primary election day is March 3.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Sasha Strong

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