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Florida will waive admission fees at its state parks for three days next month as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced. Day-use admission will be free at Florida State Parks from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, 2026, in celebration of America’s 250 years of independence.…
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Residents in Tampa could soon see one of the nation’s most advanced drinking water treatment systems as the city moves forward with plans to remove PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” from its water supply. The City of Tampa is preparing to construct a new treatment facility at the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility…
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As residential real estate slows across the region, a quieter boom is reshaping Tampa Bay’s commercial landscape: warehouses. Industrial real estate is surging in the area, driven largely by growth in warehouse and distribution space tied to the region’s expanding role in the national supply chain, according to Julia Silva, president and founder of commercial…
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As the 2026 hurricane season continues, TECO Peoples Gas has launched a door-to-door effort in parts of South Tampa to identify homes that rely on natural gas-powered generators during extended power outages. The initiative follows problems reported during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, when some residents with standby generators lost access to natural gas…
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Residents across Florida and the southeastern United States are being urged to monitor the weather as forecasters track an area that could develop into a tropical or subtropical system ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend. According to forecasters, a weakening frontal boundary is expected to stall off the Southeast coast later this week. As…
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Starting Wednesday, every Florida high school student who wants to play sports must undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) screening, under a new state law aimed at catching hidden heart conditions before they turn deadly. Senate Bill 1070, known as the Second Chance Act, was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2025 and takes effect July 1.…
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More than 400 mobile home owners across Pinellas County have applied for a federally funded program that will tear down and rebuild homes left substantially damaged by the 2024 hurricanes, county officials confirmed Monday. The Homeowner Rehabilitation and Reconstruction program, run through Pinellas Recovers, replaces qualifying mobile homes with new storm-grade units at no cost…
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A New Port Richey homeowner’s monthslong flooding nightmare has come to an end after the city traced the source to an abandoned water main that may have been buried since the Eisenhower administration. Mike Armstrong’s front yard had been flooding repeatedly since February. He believed a leaking city water pipe was to blame, but city…
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Loggerhead sea turtle nesting activity on St. Pete Beach has declined significantly this season, prompting city leaders to consider additional measures to protect one of Florida’s most important nesting habitats. According to Sea Turtle Trackers, the number of loggerhead nests documented on St. Pete Beach is down about 50% compared to the same point last…
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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that a majority of Florida students are now meeting or exceeding grade-level benchmarks, marking the highest proficiency levels recorded since the state scrapped its old end-of-year standardized exams in 2022. According to data released at a Lakeland press conference, more than 60% of Florida students are performing at or above…
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More Americans are expected to travel during the Independence Day holiday than ever before, according to a new forecast from AAA. The organization projects that 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the extended July Fourth travel period, which runs from June 27 through July 5. That would surpass last…
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Beginning July 1, more than 100 new Florida laws will take effect, bringing changes that affect education, public safety, transportation, housing, agriculture, technology, government operations, and consumers. The new laws were approved during the 2026 legislative session and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. In total, approximately 140 new laws from the regular and special legislative…
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Safety Harbor city officials say a new state law could strip up to $700,000 from next year’s budget, forcing tough decisions about which services residents may have to live without. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation this week, and it took effect immediately. The law changes how cities and counties calculate the maximum property tax…
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A proposed data center project in Haines City has been placed on hold after city officials determined the municipality does not currently have sufficient water capacity to support the facility. Texas-based developer Cielo Digital Infrastructure has expressed interest in building a data center near Marion Road and State Road 544 East. According to city officials,…
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An additional charge on receipts at a Tampa restaurant has prompted questions from customers after some diners were surprised by the fee. The issue gained attention after a customer shared an online receipt showing an added surcharge. The customer said the charge was unexpected and questioned why it was not more clearly disclosed before payment.…
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A new technical report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology has identified the structural failures that triggered the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, finding the building’s breakdown began roughly three weeks before the tower came down. According to NIST’s findings, two critical connections between garage support columns and the pool…
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A proposal to redevelop a key parcel in the heart of John’s Pass Village won unanimous approval on its first reading Monday, putting an 87-room hotel, retail space, and a new public park on track for construction within two years. The Madeira Beach Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to rezone the 1.457-acre site from John’s…
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills Wednesday in Bradenton aimed at limiting how much local governments can raise property taxes, adding new fuel to his push for a major tax cut ballot measure this fall. The first bill, SB 4F, removes a provision that allowed cities, counties, and special taxing districts to factor in rising…
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The City of Lakeland has secured federal funding to investigate structural damage at the historic Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror, a nearly 100-year-old landmark that has experienced worsening deterioration in recent years. City officials announced that a nearly $80,000 grant from the National Park Service will fund a geotechnical study to identify the causes…
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Florida’s top agriculture official is urging caution as residents prepare to celebrate Independence Day next week, warning that wildfire risk remains high despite recent rain. State Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said nearly 2,500 wildfires have broken out across Florida since the start of the year, making it one of the state’s busiest fire seasons in…
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Officials in Belleair and Belleair Bluffs are raising concerns about a proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would significantly expand the state’s homestead property tax exemption, arguing the measure could substantially reduce revenue for local government services. The proposal, approved by the Florida Legislature and scheduled to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, would increase the…
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Tampa Bay residents will be living with strict water limits for at least three more months after regional officials voted to keep emergency drought restrictions in place through the heart of summer. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to extend the Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage order, which had been…
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A new consumer-focused certification effort is launching in Florida’s condominium market, aiming to provide prospective buyers with greater financial transparency before they close on a unit. Former state senator Jeff Brandes has introduced the Florida Communities Certification Association, or FCCA, a private-sector organization designed to evaluate the financial health of condo associations and assign them…
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Pinellas County has officially launched a 90-day bidding period for the redevelopment of 17 county-owned properties in downtown Clearwater, marking a major step in a plan that could reshape the city’s core for decades to come. The county is seeking proposals from developers interested in redeveloping approximately 25 acres of land that will become available…
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Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene flooded thousands of homes across Tampa Bay, many Florida homeowners remain stuck in a holding pattern as they wait for decisions on home-elevation grants through the state’s Elevate Florida program. The program, administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and funded through federal mitigation grants, was created to…
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Dunedin city commissioners have directed staff to begin drafting an ordinance to permanently ban launching jet skis and other motorized watercraft from the Dunedin Causeway, following nearly two years of restricted access that officials say has allowed seagrass and marine life to recover. Commissioners reached consensus on the move during a June 2 work session,…
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A nearly 100-year-old bridge that turns sideways to let boats pass is now at the center of a decision that will determine whether it survives at all. Sarasota County held its third public workshop this month on the future of the Blackburn Point Bridge, a swing-span structure connecting Osprey across Little Sarasota Bay. The bridge,…
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Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is finalizing plans for a new program that would allow members of the public to access airport restaurants and shops without purchasing an airline ticket. Airport officials are working with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a non-passenger dining program that would permit approved visitors to enter the secure side…
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A proposal backed by President Donald Trump to make daylight saving time permanent year-round is gaining attention in Washington, but not everyone supports the change. The legislation, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, would end the twice-yearly clock changes and keep the nation on daylight saving time year-round if approved by Congress and signed into…
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ALDI is giving away free boxes of groceries through Thursday, and shoppers willing to act fast at exactly noon Eastern each day can claim one before supplies run out. The discount grocery chain launched the “ALDI Blind Box” giveaway, releasing a new themed box each day from June 22 through June 25. At noon ET…
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The Connected Manatee program is expanding to three additional schools in the Palmetto area, extending support services to more students, families, and school district employees facing financial or personal hardships. The program, a partnership between Turning Points and the School District of Manatee County, launched in January at Lincoln Memorial Middle School and Palmetto Elementary…
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The Zephyrhills City Council is scheduled to vote Monday evening on a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center development, making it the latest Tampa Bay-area community to examine restrictions on the rapidly growing industry. If approved, the temporary moratorium would halt actions that could facilitate data center construction, including the issuance of building permits,…
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The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is set to announce the purchase of two boats for a revamped ferry service connecting Tampa and St. Petersburg. Tampa and Pinellas County officials approved the new Tampa Bay Ferry service in April, agreeing to spend $4.8 million to purchase and renovate the two vessels. The move follows the end…
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Florida drivers are paying less at the pump, with gas prices falling below the $4-a-gallon mark for the first time in weeks as summer travel season ramps up. The statewide average stood at $3.65 per gallon as of Sunday, down from roughly $3.96 the previous week, according to AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins. The decline marks…
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Pinellas County commissioners have approved a $29 million federal grant to repair and stabilize five waterways damaged by Hurricane Milton, addressing erosion and drainage issues that officials say could increase future flooding risks if left unresolved. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program and…
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The Clearwater City Council voted 3-2 to vacate a portion of South Garden Avenue, the stretch of road running in front of the Church of Scientology’s flagship building downtown. The vote transfers control of that section of public road to the church, which already owns multiple properties in the surrounding area. The decision followed months…
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A bill that would impose new safety regulations on electric bicycle riders across Florida is awaiting action from Gov. Ron DeSantis as state officials and medical professionals report a growing number of e-bike-related injuries. Senate Bill 382, approved by the Florida Legislature earlier this year, would establish statewide safety standards for e-bike use on sidewalks…
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The St. Petersburg City Council has voted down a proposal that would have allowed neighborhoods outside of downtown to establish resident-only parking zones, ending a debate that pitted frustrated residents against local business owners fearful of losing customers. The vote followed a public comment session last Thursday in which both sides made their case. Supporters…
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A Boston-based technology company has filed a permit application to build a data center on a half-acre lot in Pinellas Park, less than a quarter-mile from the nearest residential property — even as surrounding counties across the Tampa Bay region move to pause or ban similar projects. American Tower submitted the permit request for a…
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Clearwater city leaders are weighing whether to move forward with a plan to replace Duke Energy with a city-owned electric utility, but new estimates show the transition could carry a significant price tag. According to the City of Clearwater’s municipal electric utility study, the estimated cost to acquire Duke Energy’s local distribution infrastructure is approximately…
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A community group representing more than 1,000 Tierra Verde residents has filed a circuit court petition seeking to nullify St. Petersburg’s approval of a sweeping marina redevelopment, and the central question is whether the approved structures are simply too tall to be legal. The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission approved Greenleaf Capital’s redevelopment plan for…
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Pinellas County is moving forward with plans to redevelop 17 county-owned properties spanning more than 30 parcels in downtown Clearwater, and local business owners are watching closely to see what the transformation will mean for them. The county has opened the door to developers, giving them 90 days to submit redevelopment proposals. Officials plan to…
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A new report shows that nearly half of Florida households are struggling to afford basic necessities, highlighting ongoing affordability challenges despite a strong labor market and continued population growth. According to the 2026 State of ALICE Report, 47% of Florida households fell below the ALICE Threshold in 2024, meaning they either lived in poverty or…
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