NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to sound the alarm on the exploitative practice of radio stations and networks offering an artist more airtime in exchange for performing a free show. By doing so, these radio stations and networks often reap the financial benefits of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while artists and record labels absorb the expenses.

Blackburn Calls Attention to Radio Stations Sidestepping Federal Regulations

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This hurricane season, I urge all Floridians to take the time to make sure that their families and businesses are prepared for a storm. Throughout my eight years as Governor and now as your United States Senator, I have seen firsthand the destruction left behind by multiple devastating hurricanes – Milton, Helene, Debby, Idalia, Fiona, Ian, Michael, Irma, Hermine, and Matthew. If there is one thing I learned, it’s that Florida is resilient. Our state and local communities come together in times of need and work incredibly hard to recover from these storms.

Florida is resilient because we prepare for storms. I cannot stress this enough: preparedness saves lives.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare your family and business for this upcoming season:

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Did someone tell you to buy a gift card to pay a fine or bill? Stop. It’s a scam. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. Here’s how to spot and avoid gift card scams.

Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. The person contacting you is, they say, from the government or a company you know. (They’re not.) They say to pay right away or something terrible will happen. (It won’t.)

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The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $1.1 million in refunds to consumers who were misled by deceptive bait-and-switch advertising by LCA-Vision, the nation’s largest LASIK surgery provider.

According to the FTC’s January 2023 complaint, LCA-Vision, doing business as LasikPlus and Joffe MediCenter, used deceptive bait-and-switch advertising to trick consumers into believing they could have their vision corrected for less than $300. In reality, only 6.5% of consumers lured in for consultations were eligible for the advertised promotional price for both eyes. To be eligible for the promotion, consumers had to already have near-normal vision (good enough to drive without glasses).

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The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is expected to run dry this month, during hurricane season. The Biden Administration deliberately chose to ignore several requests for the need to supplement the DRF.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell requesting current DRF levels, a plan for when the account runs dry and reasoning behind the lack of response from the Biden Administration.

“The uncertainty resulting from the DRF’s projected shortfall two months into hurricane season is unacceptable. The Biden Administration has been completely silent on the need to act. A deficit to the DRF cannot be ignored and we demand action before a crisis emerges and the American people suffer from the administration’s poor planning.”

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MANISTEE, Mich. — U.S. Coast Guard, along with state and local agencies continue to respond Thursday to the motor vessel Manitowoc diesel fuel spill in Lake Michigan.

The motor vessel Manitowoc has activated their response plan and their Oil Spill Removal Organization is on scene at this time working to clean up the spill. The vessel is no longer leaking diesel fuel. Internal fuel transfers lowered the level of diesel fuel in the leaking tank below the hole. The hole has been temporarily plugged and temporary repairs have been made using epoxy.

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