TODAY’S WEATHER: Scattered thunderstorms in afternoon. High 92, Low 77.
I’ll be honest, I have trouble paying full price for a daily paper that comes only two days a week.
So, they try to entice me back with a little morning taste of what I’m missing. The Day Starter.
It’s not working.
| On night of deadline, the state’s voter registration website fails. Because Florida. |
| Monday was the last day Floridians could register to vote. Hours before the midnight deadline, the state’s online voter registration system encountered problems. Some users reported slow responses and error messages. Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee blamed the delays on high volume. Juan Peñalosa, the executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, alleged voter suppression. Coincidence or sabotage? |
| CORONAVIRUS DEVELOPMENTS |
| UPDATES AT TAMPABAY.COM/CORONAVIRUS |
| How to avoid eviction: Behind on your rent because you lost your job? You may be shielded from eviction under new federal protections. But there’s a form you need to fill out. Spring break plans: Florida State University, Florida A&M University, Florida International University, the University of Florida and the University of Miami have canceled their breaks. The University of South Florida hasn’t, but it has modified its schedule. Another White House infection: Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, a Tampa native, says she tested positive for the coronavirus. Business as usual: Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis has not fazed Florida’s top Republicans. They aren’t blaming him for his aversion to masks and social distancing protocols that public health experts say likely imperiled his health and those he encountered. Case update: Florida recorded 1,415 new infections and 41 new deaths Monday. |
| POLITICS |
| Debts paid: Amendment 4 restored the right to vote to people with felony convictions who had completed “all terms” of their sentences. Then the Florida Legislature approved a bill that said “all terms” meant all court fees and fines. On Monday, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, thanks in part to donations from celebrities such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James, helped to remove that obstacle for more than 1,000 people in Hillsborough County. The future of Obamacare: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The fate of millions of Floridians’ health insurance policies rests on the upcoming election. Joe Biden visits Little Haiti: In a nearly 10-minute address Monday, the former vice president said the Haitian-American community in Florida “by itself” could determine the outcome of the presidential race. |
| AROUND THE BAY |
| Tropics heat up: Tropical Storm Gamma is already responsible for at least six deaths. Hurricane Delta could be even more threatening — and it’s pointed at a part of the United States that has been socked multiple times already this season. Competing voices in Clearwater: From the environment to Imagine Clearwater, new voices on the City Council are bringing different views to a traditionally conservative dais. Safety upgrades: Tampa Bay remains one of the most dangerous places in the country for people who walk and bike. Now, officials are trying to make one of the deadliest streets in Hillsborough County safer for pedestrians. Tampa stabbing: A man facing a first-degree murder charge says he was fighting a Muay Thai boxer. An event that hasn’t been canceled: Treasure Island is plowing ahead with next month’s Sanding Ovations, the 12th annual display of elaborate sand sculptures. There’s plenty of room to spread out at the beach, organizers say. Five things to do with kids: Visit ZooTampa for family-friendly Halloween scares or celebrate fall at the Hunsader Farms pumpkin festival. |
| Life after WWE |
| Wrestling had been an everyday part of Gerald Brisco’s life for 67 years. What’s next for the Hall of Famer? Well, he has a lot of stories to tell. Rays lose series opener to Yankees: Tampa Bay found ways to get three runs off Gerrit Cole — with Ji-Man Choi continuing his mastery of the New York ace — but Blake Snell couldn’t shut down the Yankees and the bullpen unraveled in the ninth inning. Game 2 is tonight at 8:10 (TV: TBS, Radio: 95.3 FM). Did Pat Maroon pee his pants?: An unflattering photo of the Lightning forward, 32, from Wednesday’s boat parade has been making the rounds. Lightning in the trade market: Tampa Bay doesn’t have a first-round pick in tonight’s NHL draft, but that doesn’t mean it won’t end up with one. |