
Blaise Gainey
Lead Government Reporter/ProducerBlaise Gainey is a State Government Reporter for WFSU News. Blaise hails from Windermere, Florida. He graduated from The School of Journalism at the Florida A&M University. He formerly worked for The Florida Channel, WTXL-TV, and before graduating interned with WFSU News. He is excited to return to the newsroom. In his spare time he enjoys watching sports, Netflix, outdoor activities and anything involving his daughter.
Follow Blaise Gainey on Twitter: @BlaiseGainey
Email Blaise Gainey at blgainey@fsu.edu
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Tallahassee Utilities has suspended services for hundreds of homes with unpaid power bills. James Barnes, the city’s chief customer officer, declined to give specifics, but says so far “several hundred” accounts have been suspended.
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Florida Congressman Charlie Crist is backing a Democratic proposal that would provide relief to the hospitality industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the industry has lost more than 3 million jobs since the start of the pandemic.
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Florida lawmakers appear set to dive into Criminal Justice issues when they return to Tallahassee next week. On the list: creating new criminal offenses, changing how and when a minor can be tried in adult court and where gun license holders can take their weapons.
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In an attempt to make traveling by plane during the pandemic safer Florida Senator Rick Scott is proposing that temperature checks be required at TSA screenings for all travelers.
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Whole Child Leon has gathered local government and community leaders to form a group called Equity Tallahassee; it wants to address and highlight issues of racial injustice and systemic racism in Leon County. The group has created a website for people to share their experiences. City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox says the group is going to use those conversations to find the gaps in equity and take action on it.
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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says she won’t follow the Governor’s directive to lower flags to half-staff on the day of Rush Limbaugh’s funeral.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is drawing criticism after announcing he will order flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of long-time conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.
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A bill moving through the Florida legislature would ban the state’s public colleges and universities from “shielding” students from free speech. Barney Bishop an advocate for the bill says students should hear diverse viewpoints from speakers on campus—even if it’s something that makes them uncomfortable.
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Rep. Robert Brannan III (R-Lake City) wants to increase the penalties for making false crime reports. The bill would make it a felony for a person to report a fake crime that results in injury, property damage, or substantial costs to responding agencies.
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The executive order allowing restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages to-go could become law.