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1) 17 YEAR OLD COLLAPSES DRUNK IN PLAIN DAYLIGHT
2) YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OUT OF CONTROL?
3) DISTANCE LEARNING, PARENTS PROTEST WIDENS
4) GAS TANK SETS HOUSE ON FIRE, JUMPS OUT OF THE WINDOW
5) FROM SPAIN TO FLORENCE LOOKING FOR HIS LOST FATHER

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LINKS TO ARTICLES
https://www.quilivorno.it/news/cronaca-nera/coma-etilico-17enne-trasportata-in-ospedale/
https://iltirreno.gelocal.it/livorno/cronaca/2021/03/04/news/diciassettenne-soccorsa-in-coma-etilico-nel-parco-della-leccia-1.39983014
https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/21_marzo_03/sindaco-firenze-nardella-il-disagio-giovanile-sta-aumentando-dismisura-db06a1ae-7bf6-11eb-abe9-00d070392cf2.shtml
http://www.notiziediprato.it/news/la-scelta-della-dad-al-100-non-piace-a-presidi-e-famiglie-divisi-gli-studenti
https://iltirreno.gelocal.it/massa/cronaca/2021/03/04/news/fiamme-dalla-bombola-e-la-casa-va-a-fuoco-quasi-illesa-la-proprietaria-e-un-miracolo-1.39981896
https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/21_marzo_04/dalla-spagna-firenze-cerca-padre-mai-visto-vorrei-fargli-sapere-che-esisto-dfb774ee-7d09-11eb-8ae0-28e344f62ca5.shtml

SCRIPT
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be, however you might be listening, welcome to another episode of What’s Up Tuscany, the daily podcast from L’Arno where you will find the most interesting stories of today, Friday March 5th 2021, as selected by our journalists. If you wish, please subscribe, share this podcast on social media and let us know your thoughts on the Arno Facebook page or on Twitter.

Let’s start today with a few stories that describe the serious malaise that is hitting a large part of the youngsters in our region. Yesterday evening, yet another story of an alcohol binge that could have turned into a tragedy. As we read on QuiLivorno, a 17 year old girl from Leghorn was hospitalized after being found severely intoxicated in plain daylight. The accident happened in the late afternoon of Thursday in the Leccia public park, where the young woman had spent most of her day drinking with friends. At the end, she lost her senses, collapsing on a bench. The quick reaction from the ambulance crew avoided the worst. She is now awake and is recovering in the hospital. Still it is another warning sign of a situation that has been underestimated by many. Luckily some authorities are reacting. As we read on the Corriere Fiorentino, Thursday the Florence mayor sounded the alarm on this issue. According to Dario Nardella the attempted suicides, self-harm and psychological issues in young people have skyrocketed in the last few weeks. The director of the Meyer Hospital in Florence, Alberto Zanobini, agrees. Quote: “we’re observing a trend that we fear is nothing but the tip of the iceberg of a hidden malaise. We see more and more cases of self-harm, eating disorders, sleep disorders, that sometimes lead to attempted suicides. It is a phenomenon that builds on an existing frailty, that was worsened by the pandemic. In the first phase of the emergency, people were sustained by the thought that all would turn for the best but when that didn’t happen, things turned for the worst. The deterioration of our youths' psyche will cause problems for years. We have to find ways to fight it” end quote. To make things worse the closure of schools in red zones, as planned by the last governmental decree. As we read on Notizie di Prato, many parents are fed up and have decided to voice their concern, mail-bombing the email account of governor Giani. The members of the committee Priorità alla Scuola have sent hundreds of emails to the governor, announcing a strike next March 26th. Others have hung banners in front of many schools, requesting for them to remain open. Parents are afraid that 100% distance learning could cause further delays and ultimately ruin another school year. Opinions vary wildly but many are concerned that automatic promotions to the next grade could make students accumulate delays hardly recoverable in the future, permanently harming their education. A very complex issue, whose consequences could damage an entire generation of Tuscan youths.

Let’s move on now to a happy ending story we read on the Massa edition of Il Tirreno, one that could have had much more serious consequences. Maria Luisa Drago, head of the Franciscan Centre in Massa, around 9 AM Thursday was in her kitchen when she noticed that the gas tank in her stove had malfunctioned. Despite her frantic efforts, flames spread rapidly throughout the ground floor, fueled by the many books and by the wool of her mattresses, which she was reupholstering. The 79 year old woman called the fire brigade and then rushed upstairs to her bedroom. It wasn’t a smart move. When she saw the flames engulf the door, she knew she could only survive by jumping out the window. The four meters jump left her miraculously unharmed. Her neighbours rushed to help her but she was just fine. The ambulance crew feared for the worst, and had a helicopter ready to transfer her to the Pisa hospital but she didn’t need anything. Aside from a few minor burns to the face, she was unharmed: no broken bones, no concussions, nothing at all. Her house is devastated, the memories of a lifetime gone, but she’s still alive. She thinks it was a miracle - we tend to agree. It could have gone much much worse.

Let’s close today’s episode with an interesting story we read on the Corriere Fiorentino Thursday evening, that of a young Spaniard that is looking for the father he never met. Sergio is 30 and now lives in Switzerland but his mind is focused on Florence, where his father should live. Quote “I don’t ask nothing from him, on the contrary, if he needed anything from me I’d be happy to help. My aim is only to meet him, let him know me, meet him in person even for just one time” end quote. Sergio’s story started back in August 1989 when, like many Tuscan youths, his father was on vacation in Benicassim. The man, who was around 25 at the time, meets Rosa. The two like each other and spend together five passionate days and nights. Once the vacation is over, they keep in touch until, a couple months later, Rosa realizes she’s pregnant. After a massive fight on the phone, she lets him know that she will have an abortion. When she’s at the clinic, though, she changes her mind and carries on the pregnancy, without informing the father. Thirty years later, Sergio is determined to meet his father, to solve the mystery that he’s carried with him for all his life. Quote: “I don’t even know if he imagines that I’m alive. I’ve spent my whole life wondering who he is, if he needed help or not. My mother told me how he was, even if she decided to raise me by herself. I just want to know if he would be willing to meet me, let him know me for who I am and understand how he is. I’m doing everything I can to meet him but the more time passes the more it becomes difficult. I don’t want to lose him without meeting him” end quote. Well, best of luck to Sergio in his quest. We really hope someone can help him meet his father.

That was all for today, I’m your host Luca Bocci, I’ll see you on Monday for another episode of What’s Up Tuscany, the daily podcast from L’Arno where you’ll find the news that, according to us, are well worth a second look. Thanks for listening and goodbye.