MANATEE — A recent investigative report by 10 Tampa Bay found that Manatee County redirected $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding that had been earmarked for sewer infrastructure improvements in the Tallevast community. The funds were reassigned to cover county payroll expenses and to support the “Light Up Manatee” streetlight initiative.
Founded in the late 1800s by freed slaves and migrant workers, Tallevast is a close-knit community located in Manatee County’s District 4.
The community has long faced environmental concerns stemming from soil and groundwater contamination at a former industrial site operated by American Beryllium Company, which was later sold to Lockheed Martin in 1996…