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Nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton forced it to close, Sunset Beach Pavilion on Treasure Island is preparing to welcome the public again. The pavilion’s official reopening is scheduled for June 4, with a celebration featuring food trucks and live music on the beach. Restoration work began in January. Hurricane Helene flooded the…
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Tampa International Airport is heading into the summer travel season with fewer flights and lower passenger projections than in several years, driven largely by airline schedule reductions rather than weak demand. The airport anticipates roughly 18 fewer daily departures this summer compared to last — a drop of nearly 8% — with average daily flights…
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Florida’s insurance market added three new property and casualty carriers this week, state officials announced. Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky announced that Builder Reciprocal Insurance Exchange, Frontline Insurance Reciprocal Exchange, and Wingsail Insurance Company have been approved to operate in the state. Builder Reciprocal Insurance Exchange, headquartered in Texas, was approved to write homeowners’ multi-peril insurance…
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The Venice Theatre is nearing a milestone in its long recovery from Hurricane Ian and has now secured funding for its next construction phase. Sarasota County commissioners voted unanimously this month to grant $2 million to the theatre for renovations to the Raymond Center, a flexible performance and education space that has hosted productions while…
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With hurricane season opening June 1, St. Petersburg has kicked off a public planning process around long-term flood resilience — even as many residents in one of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods are still rebuilding from storms nearly two years ago. The city held the first in a series of public meetings Tuesday night focused…
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Temple Terrace city leaders are weighing a $72.2 million overhaul of the city’s water treatment system after a third-party report found PFAS contamination in the municipal water supply at nearly five times the federally recommended level. During a city council workshop Tuesday night, officials reviewed the proposed five-year upgrade plan, presented by engineering firm CHA,…
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is signaling that his long-running push to eliminate property taxes on primary residences could finally move forward this summer, targeting a November ballot measure. Speaking at a roundtable in Melbourne on Monday, DeSantis urged state lawmakers to finish the state budget so the property tax effort can advance, posting on social…
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Florida officials are urging residents to reconsider using personal fireworks this Independence Day, as prolonged drought conditions have left the state increasingly vulnerable to wildfires. Burn bans are currently in effect in 40 of Florida’s 67 counties, making personal fireworks illegal in those areas. More than 60 wildfires are actively burning statewide, with over 2,100…
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Tampa Electric is alerting customers to a rise in sophisticated scams targeting utility customers — including fraudsters using artificial intelligence, fake websites, and threats of immediate service shutoffs to steal money. Scammers are posing as TECO employees through calls, texts, emails, and even in-person visits to customers’ homes. Spokesperson Cherie Jacobs said the problem has…
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The Seminole City Council has voted to shut down a proposal that would have brought drone deliveries to the Bay Pines Walmart — at least for now. The council voted 4-1 on May 12 against authorizing negotiations on an amendment to a 2013 development agreement, which would have cleared the way for a Wing drone…
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Pinellas County residents may notice a slight change in the taste or smell of their tap water over the coming weeks — but officials say there is no cause for alarm. Pinellas County Utilities switched its water disinfection method from chloramine to chlorine on Monday, May 18, a change that will remain in effect through…
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Beachgoers heading to Indian Rocks Beach will now pay to park — ending the community’s long-standing reputation as one of Pinellas County’s last free public beach destinations. ParkMobile signs have been installed across the city, launching a paid parking system that charges visitors $4.50 per hour at public beach access points. The change is part…
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St. Petersburg’s Northeast Sewer Plant has completed a $67 million upgrade that public works officials say allows it to withstand a 15-foot storm surge — more than double the surge that forced it offline during Hurricane Helene. The plant was shut down for the first time during Helene’s 6.3-foot storm surge in 2024, causing one…
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A recent change to Florida’s fishing license rules is drawing criticism from charter captains and fishing guides who say the new policy creates unnecessary hurdles for out-of-state tourists. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently updated its rules so that non-residents can no longer purchase short-term three-day or seven-day recreational fishing licenses online. Visitors…
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The Florida State Board of Education has approved a new intervention plan for Gulf View Middle School in Pasco County after the school received a D letter grade from the state for three consecutive years, despite the district’s own turnaround efforts. The district is now weighing four options: continuing its own improvement plan, converting the…
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A Tampa-based developer is moving forward with plans to build an affordable housing tower on the site of St. Petersburg’s former Playhouse Theatre in the Grand Central District. Blue Sky Communities plans to construct the 12-story JR Tower at 1850 Central Ave. and 1833 First Ave. S., featuring 150 residential units and approximately 3,000 square…
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Southwest Florida is in the grip of its most severe water shortage in almost 10 years, and the effects are visible at one of the region’s most critical water facilities. The Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s main reservoir, built to hold 6 billion gallons of water, is now half empty. The authority is…
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Florida travelers should brace for heavy traffic as this Memorial Day weekend gets underway. AAA projects nearly 2.7 million Floridians will travel over the five-day holiday period beginning Thursday — an increase of roughly 200,000 people compared to last year. The majority of those travelers are expected to drive to their destinations, while the remainder…
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The National Hurricane Center has begun issuing its daily tropical weather outlooks for the 2026 season, though forecasters say no tropical development is expected over the next seven days. The outlooks, issued four times daily, kick off each year in mid-May to coincide with the start of the eastern Pacific hurricane season — a few…
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Tampa Bay drivers heading southbound on I-275 from westbound Gandy Boulevard should plan for a detour tonight. The entrance ramp onto southbound I-275 from westbound Gandy Boulevard (SR-694) is scheduled to close at 11 p.m. Monday, May 19, and remain closed until 5 p.m. Tuesday, weather permitting, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT…
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The St. Leo Town Commission voted Wednesday night against a rezoning request that would have allowed developer Ryan Homes to replace the 66-year-old Abbey Golf Course with 628 new homes, preserving one of the small Pasco County community’s last remaining green spaces. The proposal would have rezoned nearly 289 acres from permanently open land to…
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After more than a year of construction delays, Largo’s new City Hall is set to open to the public Monday, May 19, though the project has drawn scrutiny over a $500,000 last-minute repair bill and lingering questions about accountability. The building is part of the $85 million Horizon West Bay development and will begin welcoming…
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With school nearly out, many Tampa Bay parents are feeling the financial squeeze of summer childcare on top of already rising grocery and gas bills. Kari Thomas, a South Tampa mother, says she wants to give her child everything, but the cost makes it feel impossible. She told FOX 13 she experiences “mom guilt” each…
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A crowd of South Tampa residents turned out Wednesday evening to weigh in on a planned traffic redesign of El Prado Boulevard, with many expressing opposition to a project they say will reduce traffic lanes and create congestion. The open house at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library drew such a large crowd that the line…
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Citrus County commissioners are pursuing a temporary moratorium on building permits and property rezonings for data centers, following a packed public meeting in which residents strongly opposed a proposed facility in the Lecanto area. The proposal would place a data center on 800 acres of land near County Road 491 and Tram Road, near Lecanto.…
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Largo’s new $85 million city hall, called Horizon West Bay, is set to open Monday, May 19, at the heart of downtown Largo. The project broke ground in October 2022 and was originally expected to open at the end of 2024, but the pandemic and hurricanes contributed to delays. The facility features an outdoor plaza,…
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Sarasota County has opened a new mosquito management facility in Nokomis that officials say includes the state’s first active malaria surveillance laboratory. Wade Brennan, Sarasota County’s mosquito manager, said the new building is the first in Florida — and possibly the country — to conduct active malaria surveillance, and marks the first time the county’s…
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Sarasota County has finalized the purchase of roughly two acres of waterfront property at Stickney Point Road, displacing nearly all of the businesses that operated there and setting the stage for a potential public park and fishing pier. County commissioners approved the acquisition for just under $21 million. The funding came through the Neighborhood Parkland…
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Scientists from the Southwest Florida Water Management District have completed the first seagrass survey of Boca Ciega Bay since the 2024 hurricanes, finding the underwater grass beds in that part of southern Pinellas County are in excellent shape — and the data could be used to help restore seagrass elsewhere in the bay system. Seagrass…
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Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick is set to present school board members on Wednesday with data from a recently concluded weapon detection pilot program, as the district weighs whether to expand the technology on a permanent basis. The district launched the pilot program at Gibbs High School and Palm Harbor University High School on…
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Florida cash transactions will be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel under a new state law that takes effect immediately. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1074 on Monday, requiring that any cash purchase be adjusted to the nearest five-cent increment when the one-cent coin is no longer being produced by the U.S.…
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The city will host its third annual Bluffs Hurricane Expo on Saturday, June 6, ahead of the start of Atlantic hurricane season. The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Belleair Bluffs Community Center auditorium, 2747 Sunset Blvd., and is presented in conjunction with Largo Fire Rescue and Pinellas County Emergency…
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The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office is requesting inclusion in discussions over the Tampa Bay Rays’ proposed stadium development, warning that the project could displace the county’s busiest public service location. The proposed Rays development at the Drew Park site — part of a plan to build a new ballpark near the Hillsborough Community College…
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After two legislative sessions and one special session failed to produce a property tax relief plan, Florida’s Republican leaders are signaling a summer showdown over one of the state’s most ambitious fiscal proposals in decades. The question now is not whether lawmakers will return to Tallahassee, but what plan they will bring with them —…
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Commuters traveling the Courtney Campbell Causeway should plan ahead this week, as the roadway will be fully closed overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. All lanes on the causeway will shut down from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on both nights, weather permitting. The closures are necessary for crews to perform overhead bridge work as part…
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As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, Sarasota County has installed color-coded poles at local beaches to help residents and visitors understand just how high storm surge can rise during a hurricane. The poles, placed at Siesta Key and Manasota Key beaches, indicate the peak storm surge levels recorded during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. According to…
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A Pasco County community has earned a top national distinction in the real estate world: Land O’ Lakes has been named the “hottest neighborhood of 2026” in the U.S. by real estate brokerage Redfin. The ranking is based on data from January through February 2026, with Redfin analyzing ZIP codes in the 100 most populous…
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Florida school districts are heading into budget season without a clear picture of their state funding, as lawmakers return to Tallahassee this week to resume negotiations on a spending plan they failed to finalize during the regular 60-day legislative session. Orange County Public Schools leaders say the delay is making it difficult to plan for…
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A Pasco County program aimed at helping aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow small businesses has now assisted more than a thousand business owners since its founding. SMARTstart Pasco offers workspace, education, funding, guidance, and collaboration — essentially anything a new company needs to clear the initial hurdles of getting started and growing, according to Dan…
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The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission voted 4-3 Wednesday night to approve a redevelopment proposal for the Tierra Verde Marina, despite strong opposition from hundreds of area residents who packed City Hall to protest the project. The meeting stretched past four hours, with overflow crowds filling two additional rooms. Opponents submitted more than 200 emails…
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Sarasota city leaders are moving forward with a proposal to extend paid parking hours to 7 days a week to fund mounting infrastructure needs without drawing on taxpayer money. Under the plan, paid parking would operate daily from 8 a.m. to midnight — an expansion from the current schedule. The proposal also includes a $5…
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Florida’s affordability challenges are drawing renewed attention from both parties ahead of the November midterm elections, though Republicans and Democrats differ on the best approach. New labor data shows Florida’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.7 percent, up one percentage point from the same period last year, representing approximately 523,000 unemployed residents. Polling from Florida…
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Researchers at the University of South Florida are working to help cities in the Tampa Bay region prepare for the potential arrival of electric air taxis, studying everything from takeoff and landing site locations to equitable pricing models. The team at USF’s Smart Urban Mobility Lab is examining the details involved in standing up an…
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