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News at noon: We asked Florida's candidates whether they smoked marijuana; new Florida tourism campaign leaves out beaches; and more

 
Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and developments.
Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and developments.
Published Oct. 12, 2018

Here are the top five latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com:

WE ASKED FLORIDA'S CANDIDATES WHETHER THEY SMOKED MARIJUANA

As marijuana grows more ubiquitous, sentiments about the drug have shifted, too. More Americans than ever, 62 percent, believe marijuana should be legalized, according to Pew Research Center, a complete reversal from a decade ago. Florida's next class of elected leaders will confront these changing attitudes. Will they do so from a position of personal experience? The Times asked all candidates for statewide office if they have ever smoked marijuana, and if their experiences with the drug have influenced their views on marijuana policy.

NEW FLORIDA TOURISM CAMPAIGN LEAVES OUT BEACHES

Visit Florida's latest ad campaign doesn't feature sprawling beach scenes with toes in the sand. Instead: Look for craft beers, restaurants, museums and murals — a move designed to hook millennial travelers seeking to experience cities "like a local. Though the marketing strategy was taking shape long before Red Tide hit the Gulf coast, there's probably no better time to market Florida without a focus on the beaches. Local tourism agencies are taking a similar approach, hoping to keep an integral economic engine running.

THOUSANDS REPORTED MISSING AFTER HURRICANE MICHAEL

It's Day 2 after Hurricane Michael made landfall, and search and rescue is still under way, state emergency officials said Friday morning — as more emphasis has beginning to shift to the "search." Thousands of people have been informally reported missing to local authorities, the Red Cross and the state, as people look for their friends and relatives. The Panhandle is largely populated by small towns, spread out across dense, forested areas, which has only worsened more post-disaster communications problems when cell phone towers and internet services go out. Locating people was a top priority for emergency crews on Friday.

HOW MONEY FROM A SALES TAX HIKE WOULD IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION IN HILLSBOROUGH

The snarl of traffic starts early on Bloomingdale Avenue, brake lights inching west in a blur toward Interstate 75. Almost 50,000 vehicles travel the four-lane road every day. There are plans for improvements — more turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, bike lanes. A bus route could help take some cars off the road and a two-lane bridge spanning I-75 could be widened. But no one has come up with the money for any of this work, or for hundreds of other transportation fixes across Hillsborough County that now add up to some $9 billion. The latest stab at an answer comes from a citizens group backed by business leaders grown weary of inaction by government leaders. They've succeeded in landing a proposal on the Nov. 6 general election ballot to raise the sales tax by one cent on the dollar and bring in $276 million a year for road and transit projects.

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CAN BUCS QUARTERBACK JAMEIS WINSTON KEEP UP IN TODAY'S NFL?

When Jameis Winston was building his team of counterfeit Bucs — a roster of 25 players who would try to keep him sharp in workouts he organized during his three-game suspension — he needed a player to replicate the speed of receiver DeSean Jackson. So he turned to Marvin Bracy. The 5-foot-9 former Florida State receiver quit football before the Seminoles won the national championship to pursue a career in professional track. Bracy finished third in the U.S. Olympic trials in the 100 meters in July 2016. Considering the direction the NFL is going and the torrid pace of the Bucs offense, like his decision to recruit Bracy, Winston knows he might have a tough time just trying to keep up.

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