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Vaccine clinics in Lakewood Ranch and Charlotte draw complaints of favoritism


A pair of COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinics in Lakewood Ranch and Charlotte County are drawing complaints of political favoritism, with the issue roiling the Manatee County Commission on Tuesday as officials complained that residents in two ZIP codes were given preferential treatment.
The Lakewood Ranch clinic kicks off Wednesday, lasts for three days and is limited to residents in two ZIP codes in wealthier, whiter and strongly Republican areas of Manatee County. Those ZIP codes include communities developed by the politically connected Schroeder-Manatee Ranch and represented by GOP commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh, who is closely aligned with Gov. Ron DeSantis. ....

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