Ybor City Art Venue Closes
MF Arts, the alternative art space in Ybor City, announced that it is officially closing its doors. The space, often decorated in eclectic street art, helped provide a platform for aspiring local artists to make their mark on this city.
The creative incubator hosted some of the most unique and engaging arts events in the city, most recently “Crime in the City.” The venue often paired with surrounding businesses and art studios to help engage collaboration among Tampa and St. Pete’s finest artists. In a Facebook post, the venue stated that a new concept would be arriving within the next few months that would stay true to MF Art’s core values.
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Public Transit Commission’s Ridesharing Regulations Could Boot Uber, Lyft from Tampa
The PTC’s relationship with Uber and Lyft has been hostile to say the least. From sting operations to frequent tickets, the ridesharing services have been embraced by citizens and visitors, but met with resistance from certain officials.
On August 10, the PTC agreed on regulations that would require drivers for the apps to pass fingerprint background checks. On May 9 of this year, Uber and Lyft ceased service in the populous city of Austin, Texas after similar laws were passed. A special chauffeur license is now required of drivers in the city of Chicago where both Uber and Lyft are also considering removing their services.
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While Zip cars are set to operate for free in the immediate downtown area of Tampa, it still leaves a void for commuters looking to go elsewhere in the city or beyond. In Austin, residents formed a Facebook page where those looking for a ride could post a request and delete it as soon as a driver responded. The group currently has 39,000 members.
The PTC will vote on these new rules September 14. If they pass, Uber and Lyft will have the opportunity to appeal them.
Are you in favor of the new regulations? Do you think Tampa needs ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft?
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