On April 23, State Attorney Andrew Warren was the only elected official I even saw in the crowd when Tampa’s Tiger Bay club welcomed Stanley Gray of the Urban League of Hillsborough County, community organizer and political strategist Bernice Lauredan and Yvette Lewis, president of the Hillsborough County NAACP its “Beyond the Marches” panel.
The nonpartisan group said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Police Chief Brian Dugan and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister were all invited—none showed, but Warren will face the music when another civic group Café con Tampa invites him to speak during a discussed dubbed "Go Big or Go Home: Creating Long-Lasting, Impactful Reform in our Criminal Justice System.” Just 60 people will be allowed to attend in person at Oxford Exchange, but there’s usually a streaming option on social media.
And if you feel compelled, Warren's office is accepting applications for its Community Council until May 13. A press release says the council meets monthly to provide feedback on justice issues and interface with SAO13, which told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that, "There are no restrictions on applicants based on past history. Applicants are subject to a background check, but an issue in the past would not necessarily keep them from being selected for the Community Council."
Members must live in Hillsborough County and be able to attend at least four meetings within each calendar year.
Friday, May 7, 8 a.m. Oxford Exchange, 420 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. @cafecontampa on Facebook
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This article appears in May 6-12, 2021.