"When I passed the original community gardening ordinance in 2009-10, staff insisted on the restrictions that are now being eliminated. This is an improvement. It is hard to imagine that ten years or so ago, it was illegal have a community garden in St. Pete. The Bartlett Park garden was the first one permitted when the original ordinance passed and is going strong today!"

-- Karl Nurse from City council approves ordinance allowing expansion of local produce sales

"I think we should be clear that the decline in enrollment at USF St. Petersburg is a direct result of consolidation combined with the COVID 19 crisis. Prior to the initiation of consolidation, the St. Pete campus was a vibrant and growing community, attracting diverse students to unique programs. After scrambling for two years to restructure everything under one umbrella – stripping away much of what was unique at St. Pete— we are now faced with building new programs (which will cost money in the midst of a budget crisis) to regain lost ground."

-- Rebecca Johns from USF proposes new interdisciplinary ‘academic clusters’ for St. Pete campus

"I love Pastor Watson Haynes, I have known him for years. Why is it that his name is always first to be selected for these “Improve Black St. Pete” councils? We need new faces, new ideas. In addition, we need younger folk on these councils. We have Brother John Muhammad, Mr Sha Bazz, Mr. Jabaar Edmonds, Ms.Esther Eugene, Ms. Lane Howard Hobbs, Ms. Maria Scruggs and others that need to be on these councils. In addition, there is Jan Harp, La Donna Butler , folk that are in the mental health field. Please, reach out for other Black folk, please."

-- Rose Hayes from How systemic is racism? Perspectives still vary greatly by race

"Possible solution: US government Creates a six month mortgage/rent postponement program So anyone that cannot pay their commercial rent, or residential rent, or as a result building owners that cannot pay their bank mortgages all would get six months reprieve. They would still owe this money, but they would not have to start making payments again for six months. The lenders are the ones that stand to lose in the situation, but we are not forgiving principal, they are only losing on interest they would’ve collected during that period. The government then signs up to pay the lenders the missing interest over the course of six months. This will be a less costly solution to the taxpayers, and will increase chances of businesses surviving for another six months."

-- Chuck Egerter from Landlords, lawyers and nonprofits work to keep a rent crisis from becoming an eviction crisis