From WSLR 96.5 LPFM, this is the Critical Times. I’m Giulia Heyward. For the next half hour, we’ll be reporting on local politics and grassroots activism, all happening in your backyard. Hundreds celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at theannual luncheon held at the Robert L. Taylor Center. Attendants marched, music was played and guest speaker, Nina Turner, addressed the audience. Developmental plans for Lido Beach Pavilion will turn the public beach into a late night tiki bar. WSLR’s Cathy Antunes from the Detail has been leading initiatives to change this. With the government shutdown, 800,000 federal employees are currently working without pay. And with federal budgets soon to be cut if the shutdown continues into the next month, All Faiths Food Bank is preparing for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who rely on federal funding for programs such as WIC and SNAP. The conflict in Venezuela over leader Maduro continues. Locally, an emergency rally from ANSWER and the PSL will take place on Monday. Lew Lorini from WSLR’s Surreal News is here with the top of the hour, Dennis Maley from the Bradenton Times has a Manatee News Update while reporter Alex Conte has got her activist calendar. We’ve got a new segment on the show, from City Manager Tom Barwin will be giving us the latest news on what’s going on in Sarasota Government.
