📮Posted: July 10 - 17th

Hi there and welcome to Posted, a weekly news roundup keeping you posted (😉) on our ever-changing city and State.

We’re trying out a new schedule, so these newsletters will be delivered on Tuesday mornings for the next few weeks.

Below are some stories you might’ve missed last week:

1. "Don't Give" Signs Spark Debate: New signs were installed on major intersections across the city and county last week that read: “for your safety and theirs, please do not give to persons in the roadways”. The Leon County Commission approved the signs in May, after receiving the idea from a resident. Instead of giving directly to homeless people, the sign encourages the public to redirect funds to the Big Bend Continuum of Care, a local service provider to the unhoused. Many have called the signs “useless” and a distraction from realizing effective solutions to eradicate homelessness, while others welcome the signs and their potential impact on panhandling behavior.
2. Mass Power Outages Last Month: Over 30,000 residents were impacted by power outages last month in Tallahassee. Most outages were caused by trees falling onto power lines, leaving businesses like the Eastwood Pharmacy on Miccosukee Road without power for hours and unable to serve its customers. The frequent outages have led to renewed calls for old power lines to be moved underground. The City said “it’s an ongoing issue” and have directed residents to participate in neighborhood emergency preparedness workshops, which are currently inactive. If you experience a power outage, report it here and look into purchasing a back-up battery. They’re more affordable than generators and can provide enough power to keep your internet on and devices charged for a few hours.  
3. Another Delay to the Griffin Heights Grocery Store: The neighborhood grocery store was moving closer to completion, but a recent meeting revealed the contracted architectural firm did not realize residents wanted a grocery store. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, the firm was hired by the City of Tallahassee to develop a conceptual design for “fresh food” to replace the blighted structure on 1309 Alabama St. The property used to be a grocery store called Bennett’s Store. Residents want to restore the property and turn it back into a neighborhood grocery store, operated and staffed by local residents. The property was purchased in 2021 on behalf of the Griffin Heights neighborhood to help realize its Neighborhood Plan. After the meeting ended, the firm said “it's good to know that it's a grocery store. That gives us [a] clear path to move forward and plan the building."
4. SOHO Gallery in Railroad Square is closing: The gallery’s lease has been terminated by the property owner for selling and/or consuming alcohol, but the Gallery claims it never sold alcohol in the space: "we never sold alcohol in our space but we often shared drinks among us ... as many other tenants do." One of the Gallery's final event is a screen printing workshop on July 22nd.

That’s all we have for now! See you next week! Also, we're still looking for an editor & volunteers to help with the Community Calendar! If you’d like to contribute, just text us at 850-270-8440.