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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 246 into law last Friday, authorizing five new specialty license plates for Florida drivers. The new plates are themed around the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, an “Outsider” design benefiting a public spaces nonprofit, St. Petersburg College, and first responder mental health. Proceeds from each…
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Beachgoers visiting St. Pete Beach are now paying more to park, as the rate increases that city commissioners approved in late March took effect last week. The new rates bring the weekday cost to $5 per hour and the weekend rate, which now includes Friday, to $6 per hour. During peak tourist season, from February…
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Nearly two years after hurricanes Helene and Milton battered Sarasota County’s barrier islands, residents and business owners on Siesta Key are forming a new organization to accelerate recovery and prepare the island for future storms. The Siesta Key Beautification Alliance received unanimous approval Monday from the Sarasota County Commission to pursue grant funding for rebuilding…
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Florida homeowners hoping a quieter 2026 hurricane season will bring relief on their property insurance bills may be in for a mixed message: experts say the storm forecast itself won’t move the needle on premiums, but rates are falling anyway. Colorado State University forecasters last week projected a slightly below-average hurricane season for 2026, though…
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Tampa city leaders are urging caution on a proposed $2.3 billion stadium deal for the Tampa Bay Rays, saying major financial and legal questions must be answered before any commitment is made. A working draft memorandum of understanding outlines a plan to build a new stadium on the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus, with a…
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Despite recent rainfall, Florida remains dangerously dry, with nearly 80% of the state under extreme drought conditions as of April 2026. The Tampa Bay area has been hit particularly hard. National Weather Service data shows that St. Petersburg has received less than half its normal rainfall since September 1, 2025, and several other cities in…
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Tampa International Airport is planning a complete redesign of its second-floor ticketing level — the first such overhaul since it opened in 1971. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority recently approved a $25.44 million design-build contract with Austin Commercial LP to carry out the renovation. The project will add more ticket counters to serve all 22…
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Dozens of drivers cited for speeding in Hillsborough County school zones appeared Thursday at the Brandon Services Center to appeal their violations, as a dramatic rise in automated enforcement continues to draw attention across the county. Since August 2025, more than 100,000 school zone speeding tickets have been issued by speed cameras, an increase of…
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Higher parking rates took effect in St. Pete Beach on Wednesday, following a decision city commissioners made two weeks prior. On March 24, commissioners voted 4-to-1 to increase parking fees by 50 cents per hour. The new rates bring the weekday cost to $5 per hour and the weekend rate — which now includes Fridays…
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The Hillsborough County School Board voted Wednesday to close three schools and restructure a fourth, citing low enrollment and a need for greater operational efficiency across the district. Graham Elementary, Madison Middle, and Pizzo K-8 will be shut down entirely. Pizzo K-8 is located on the University of South Florida campus, where its lease is…
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A major live music venue is coming to Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood, with developers announcing plans for a 4,300-capacity concert hall as part of the growing Gasworx District. Washington, D.C.-based real estate firm KETTLER announced the project, which will be operated by Live Nation and is scheduled to open in late 2028 on North 15th…
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Two South Florida cities are now sending property tax refund checks to qualifying senior residents, moving ahead of state lawmakers who have yet to act on broader property tax relief. Hialeah and Miami, both in Miami-Dade County, have created programs to refund a portion of property taxes to eligible senior citizens. In Hialeah, checks began…
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The cost of raising a child in the United States has crossed the $300,000 threshold for the first time, according to a new analysis from financial services company LendingTree. The study puts the total at $303,418 for 2026, or roughly $16,857 per year — a roughly 2% increase from the previous year and the first…
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A bill that would allow certain employees at Florida’s public colleges and universities to carry firearms on campus is now awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature, after both chambers of the Legislature approved it last month. The measure has drawn pushback from faculty, students, and school safety researchers. House Bill 757 would take a school safety…
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St. Pete Beach’s city manager has directed TradeWinds Island Resort to relocate its planned Country Thunder music festival off the beach, citing missing environmental permits and potential harm to nesting sea turtles and shorebirds — just weeks before the event is scheduled to begin. In a letter dated March 31 to TradeWinds and Country Thunder…
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With the April 15 tax deadline one week away, IRS data shows the average refund this filing season is running significantly higher than last year — though not quite as large as the White House had predicted. As of March 27, the average tax refund stood at $3,521, up from $3,170 at the same point…
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Pinellas County Schools this week began testing AI-powered weapons detection systems at two high schools as part of a pilot program that could eventually expand district-wide. The systems were launched on Tuesday at Gibbs High School and Palm Harbor University High School. The technology, similar to what is used at stadiums and some retail stores,…
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Florida Power & Light retained 27 cents of every dollar in revenue as profit in 2025, ranking it first among investor-owned utilities in the nation that year, according to a report released in March by the Energy & Policy Institute, a utility watchdog organization. The report analyzed financial data from 110 investor-owned utilities from 2021…
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The city of St. Petersburg has released a timeline for choosing a developer for the Historic Gas Plant District, the 86-acre site that includes Tropicana Field, with Mayor Ken Welch aiming to begin contract negotiations in July. The timeline, which runs from April through July, follows the City Council’s request to establish a planning framework…
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A new report from Florida TaxWatch finds that the state’s cost of living has climbed significantly faster in the 2020s than in the prior decade, driven largely by housing, health care, and property insurance costs. The nonprofit government watchdog’s report, titled “Cost of Living in Florida: A Mid-Decade Check-In,” found that Florida’s implicit regional price…
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Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital is calling on Florida lawmakers to require children to remain in booster seats until age 8 or until they reach 4 feet 9 inches tall, up from the current cutoff of age 5. Two bills were introduced in the Florida Legislature in 2026 to raise the booster seat requirement from…
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Lan Vaughan was sworn in as Indian Rocks Beach’s new mayor on March 25, two weeks after defeating incumbent Denise Houseberg by more than 350 votes. Commissioners Janet Wilson and Kellee Watt were also seated, marking significant leadership change in a beach community that has faced hurricane damage and the resignations of top officials over…
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Rain and thunderstorms are expected to move into the Tampa Bay area Monday evening, potentially affecting fans heading to the Tampa Bay Rays game, forecasters said. The local teams issued a Weather Impact Alert from 5 p.m. Monday through 11 a.m. Tuesday, warning of periods of rain and storms across the region. Conditions are expected…
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Hillsborough County commissioners have approved $70 million in stormwater and infrastructure improvements as part of the county’s “Rebuilding For Tomorrow” campaign, aimed at reducing flood risk after a 2024 hurricane season that inundated neighborhoods across the region. The funding comes from a larger federal disaster recovery grant and will support projects in communities including Seffner,…
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Tighter water restrictions go into effect across the Tampa Bay area today as the Southwest Florida Water Management District moves into a modified Phase III water shortage declaration, driven by a persistent regional drought. The most significant change affects the permitted window for lawn watering. Under the new rules, irrigation is allowed only between 8…
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Florida’s school bus camera program, designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses, is facing growing scrutiny from state lawmakers and drivers who say the system has generated unfair tickets and offered little recourse to contest them. State Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) has raised concerns about drivers receiving citations even when bus…
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A Florida lawmaker is pushing to give courts clearer guidance when weighing grandparent visitation in the wake of a parent’s death. Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) filed Senate Bill 674, which aims to ensure that a child’s mental and emotional well-being is considered when courts determine whether limited, court-ordered visitation with a grandparent is appropriate —…
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New U.S. Census Bureau data shows that Pinellas County lost approximately 12,000 residents between 2024 and 2025, recording the second-largest population drop of any county in the country — trailing only Los Angeles County, which was dealing with its own crisis from destructive wildfires during that period. Local officials and residents largely attribute the exodus…
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Pinellas County commissioners voted unanimously on March 24 to approve a funding agreement that will direct more than $1.3 million in federal dollars toward repairing hurricane damage at the Dunedin Causeway. The agreement, a Local Agency Program arrangement with the Florida Department of Transportation, covers construction and engineering inspection services along county-managed segments of the…
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Tampa residents and community advocates are pressing city leaders to publicly oppose rising electricity rates from Tampa Electric Company (TECO), as the utility’s bills continue to climb faster than its customers can keep up. The issue came into focus during a March 26 Tampa City Council meeting, where city energy officials revealed that despite investing…
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A new study from Consumer Affairs finds that Generation Z drivers have the worst road safety record of any generation, with Millennials coming in a close second. The Consumer Affairs Research Team analyzed the most recently available fatal crash data — from 2023 — compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting…
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Four Pinellas County schools are in line for new start times for the 2026-27 school year, with one middle school facing a dramatic shift of more than two hours earlier in the morning. The district has recommended moving Largo Middle School’s start time from 9:40 a.m. to 7:25 a.m. — a change aimed at streamlining…
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Clearwater Executive Airport is moving forward with a long-awaited terminal upgrade after the Clearwater City Council approved a construction contract Monday night. The council approved a $13.6 million contract with Bandes Construction Company to build a new terminal at the airport. The new facility will replace a double-wide trailer that has served as the terminal…
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Pasco County has expanded income eligibility for its hurricane relief program, opening the door to thousands more homeowners still recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Better Future Individual Homeowner Program, which launched in January, provides $200 million in federal block grant funding to help residents repair and strengthen their homes. When the program began,…
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Treasure Island city commissioners voted 3-2 on March 16 to again reject a shade structure for the Rosselli Park playground, leaving the city’s only ADA-accessible play area without overhead cover ahead of summer. Recreation Director Cathy Hayduke told commissioners that a large bottlebrush tree that once shaded most of the play area was destroyed by…
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The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a “Modified Phase III Water Shortage,” imposing mandatory water-use restrictions on a large portion of the region beginning this week. The watering restrictions run from April 3 through July 1, 2026, and apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and…
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Federal funding is now in hand to help restore the Dunedin city pier, nearly two years after the 2024 hurricane season. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna secured $800,000 for the reconstruction project. The funds are specifically designated to rebuild the portion of the pier used by the Clearwater Ferry, creating a permanent dock for the service.…
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The Florida Legislature officially adjourned its 2026 regular legislative session sine die on March 13, marking the end of a whirlwind sixty days of policy debate. While the traditional dropping of the handkerchief signaled the conclusion of standard business, the work is far from over, as leadership has already signaled a return to the Capitol…
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A proposed new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark is advancing toward a potential vote next month, but the $2.3 billion price tag is generating pushback from at least one Hillsborough County commissioner. The stadium is proposed for Hillsborough Community College’s Dale Mabry campus. The Rays’ new ownership group, led by Patrick Zalupski, has offered to cover…
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The tax landscape for homeowners shifted meaningfully this year, with some deductions expanding, one returning from expiration, and others disappearing entirely. The most significant change for many homeowners is the increase in the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. The cap, which had been limited to $10,000 since 2018, rose to $40,000 for the…
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The pier at R.E. Olds Park in Oldsmar is expected to fully reopen within two weeks, following roughly 18 months of partial closure due to damage sustained during the 2024 hurricane season. Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged the pilings and deck at the end of the 400-foot pier, prompting an engineer inspection and temporary closure.…
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Pinellas County school officials are considering new bell schedules at four schools for the upcoming fall semester, with a board vote set for April 14. Parents at St. Petersburg High, Dunedin High, Largo High, and Largo Middle School received letters outlining the proposed changes. District officials say the adjustments are intended to better manage bus…
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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has escalated its drought response, voting Tuesday to implement Phase III of its Water Shortage Plan — and eliminating the warning step for residents who break watering rules. Under the new rules, local governments can now issue citations directly for watering-hour violations, with no prior warning. The district’s…
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The St. Pete Beach City Commission met Tuesday evening to discuss a parking rate increase that could generate nearly $2 million in additional annual revenue for the city. Under the proposal, all paid parking spaces would rise by at least $1 per hour, bringing rates to $5 per hour Monday through Thursday and $6 per…
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