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A scenic boardwalk through Hammock Park in Dunedin could be permanently closed if voters approve a November referendum eliminating property taxes, a city parks official told commissioners at a July 9 meeting. Commissioners voted unanimously that night to approve a $152,231 contract with Price Marine Construction of Tarpon Springs to replace the aging structure. But…
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The City of St. Petersburg’s long-running franchise agreement with Duke Energy is set to expire at midnight Friday, and the city currently has no active negotiations underway to renew it, according to Duke spokesperson Ana Gibbs. Gibbs said Duke is reviewing what the expiration will mean for both the city and the company, and that…
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A group of Clearwater residents has launched a petition drive seeking to overturn the City Council’s decision to transfer a portion of South Garden Avenue to the Church of Scientology for a planned downtown redevelopment project. The grassroots organization, Save the Garden, must collect approximately 7,000 valid signatures by mid-September to force a citywide referendum…
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A certified arborist is urging Tampa Bay property owners to inspect the trees on their property for signs of disease and structural weakness before severe weather hits, saying a healthy, well-pruned tree remains the best defense against storm damage. Lee Claxton, a board-certified arborist, walked through warning signs to look for, including branches overloaded with…
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Hillsborough County Public Schools is exploring whether workforce housing could help address employee recruitment and retention as housing costs continue to rise across the Tampa Bay region. District leaders are considering a pilot project that would use school-owned property near the former McLane Middle School campus in Brandon for housing designed for teachers and other…
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Manatee County commissioners are weighing a proposal for an $80 million indoor sports and entertainment complex that would bring four hockey rinks to Lakewood Ranch, setting up a debate between families eager for expanded youth sports access and neighbors worried about traffic and noise. The project, known as Project Grace, would occupy roughly 22 acres…
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Hillsborough County Public Schools’ students will spend significantly less time on classroom screens in the upcoming school year under new district guidance aimed at reducing technology use, particularly among the youngest learners. The most significant changes apply to students in kindergarten through second grade, where district leaders are moving away from screen-based instruction in favor…
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s new “Lion & Hyena Ridge” habitat opens to the public on Saturday, July 25, marking the latest expansion of the park’s Edge of Africa section. The 35,000-square-foot habitat, more than double the size of the space it replaces, is home to five African lions named Pascal, Lou, Huge, Henri and Hurman,…
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FEMA says it has provided nearly $24 million to the state for more than 50 Elevate Florida home elevation projects, marking progress on a long-delayed program meant to help homeowners raise flood-prone homes above future floodwaters as another hurricane season gets underway. The Elevate Florida program is operated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management,…
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Tesla has officially launched its Robotaxi service in the Tampa area, expanding its driverless ride-hailing network into Florida’s Gulf Coast as the company continues to grow its autonomous transportation program. The taxi service uses Tesla vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving technology to transport passengers without a driver behind the wheel. Tampa joins Orlando…
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Dunedin city commissioners are set to consider an ordinance that would permanently ban the launching of motorized watercraft, such as jet skis and boats, from the shoreline at Dunedin Causeway. The south side of the causeway has been closed since sustaining damage during Hurricane Milton in 2024. Repairs have been underway, and many residents expected…
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City officials are hosting a free public seminar Thursday evening to explain Florida’s “customary use” doctrine and clarify where public beach access ends and private property begins. The seminar runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Pete Beach City Hall Commission Chambers. The event follows months of dispute over private property signs along the…
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Pinellas County Schools officials say community members still have opportunities to provide input as the district continues evaluating additional school closures and consolidations driven by declining student enrollment. District leaders updated the Pinellas County School Board on Tuesday about the ongoing planning process, emphasizing that no final decisions have been made regarding the next round…
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Local business owners say higher public parking rates are hurting sales and driving away visitors, prompting one shop owner to launch a petition calling on city leaders to reconsider the policy. Jessica O’Connell, co-owner of Cool Vibes on the Beach near Upham Beach, said business has slowed since new parking rates took effect in April.…
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Federal student loan borrowers across the country are navigating a major shift in repayment rules following the end of the Biden-era SAVE program, even as default rates continue to climb nationwide. Data from the Office of Federal Student Aid show that roughly one in five federal student loan borrowers is now in default, representing more…
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Two additional Tampa Bay-area cities are moving to temporarily pause the development of hyperscale data centers as local governments continue evaluating how the facilities could affect infrastructure, utilities and surrounding communities. City leaders in Pinellas Park and Zephyrhills have approved temporary moratoriums on new hyperscale data center applications, joining a growing number of local governments…
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $55 million to support resilience and recovery projects across Florida, including funding earmarked for the Tampa Bay region. The award is part of a broader $584 million nationwide investment FEMA announced this month through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, its Public Assistance program, and its…
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A federal committee has unanimously approved a request that would bring U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resources into St. Petersburg to study canal dredging, flood mitigation, and ecosystem restoration, Mayor Kenneth Welch announced. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee signed off on the request last week. According to the mayor’s office of governmental affairs, St.…
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A new Florida law changes who is responsible for paying commissions associated with collecting voter-approved school property taxes, ending a dispute that affected multiple school districts and prompted legal action in Sarasota County. The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, prevents county tax collectors from charging school districts commissions on voter-approved operating millage.…
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Travelers flying through Tampa International Airport could soon see airport security handled by a private workforce instead of federal Transportation Security Administration officers after the airport opted into the TSA Gold+ program. Under the program, the TSA will continue to oversee security operations and enforce federal screening standards, but a private contractor will manage the…
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Pinellas County School Board members are set to receive an update Tuesday on the district’s ongoing review of which schools could close or consolidate due to declining enrollment, with just weeks remaining before the new school year begins. The update follows the closures of Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy, which shut down for good…
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Congress is once again pushing to end the twice-yearly clock changes, a fight that has resurfaced repeatedly for decades and failed every time it reached the finish line. The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14 in a bipartisan 308-117 vote, sending the measure to the Senate. The bill would make…
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St. Petersburg is moving ahead with another major flood mitigation project in Shore Acres, a neighborhood that has experienced repeated flooding during hurricanes and heavy rain events in recent years. Construction is expected to begin as the city advances infrastructure improvements aimed at reducing future flooding. The project includes upgrades to the area’s stormwater system,…
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Florida students, parents, and educators will see several changes this school year as new state laws take effect and recent court decisions influence school policies statewide. The changes affect classroom instruction, school operations, student athletics, and employee rights. Among the most significant changes is a new law requiring later start times for many public schools.…
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Tampa Bay homebuyers now have access to a new breed of real estate platforms that use artificial intelligence to slash traditional commission costs, potentially saving buyers thousands of dollars. A recent NerdWallet survey found that nearly half of prospective homebuyers are already using, or plan to use, AI tools to research neighborhoods, compare mortgage options…
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A tropical system in the western Gulf of Mexico could become the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, according to Spectrum News meteorologists, giving Tampa Bay area residents an early reminder that storm season is underway. What to know June is typically a slow month for tropical development, with a named storm…
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A wave of Tampa commercial real estate deals is pushing several long-standing properties toward major redevelopment, as owners move to convert aging retail sites into mixed-use districts combining housing, offices and retail. Third Lake Partners, a company based in Ybor City, purchased the 57-year-old Westshore Plaza for $135 million after an earlier prospective buyer backed…
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The City of Clearwater is asking residents to weigh in on the future of the historic North Ward School building, which has sat vacant for more than a decade. The city will host an open house on Thursday, July 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., where the public can share ideas for redeveloping the site.…
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Manatee County commissioners are drafting new rules aimed at short-term rental properties after fielding hundreds of complaints from residents in Bradenton, Palmetto, and beachside neighborhoods. The county currently has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance and instead relies on state law and existing local noise, fire, and property maintenance codes. Judy Vobroucek, a Bradenton resident of…
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Pinellas County officials are warning residents to hang up on callers posing as emergency animal control officers who demand immediate payment over the phone. According to Pinellas County Animal Services Director Jennifer Renner, scammers are spoofing the county’s official caller ID so calls appear to come from a legitimate government number. The callers claim a…
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Drivers traveling near 18 Tampa schools will soon encounter automated speed enforcement cameras as part of a city effort to reduce speeding in school zones. The Tampa City Council approved the locations after reviewing traffic data collected at 29 schools and 31 school zones. The selected sites were identified based on measured speeding activity rather…
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Nearly two months after a costly sand dredging project wrapped up at John’s Pass, city leaders say leftover debris from the old bridge could be undoing the work. The Florida Department of Transportation demolished the former John’s Pass bridge to build a new drawbridge, which opened more than a dozen years ago. Concrete rubble from…
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A Florida-based company is offering Tampa Bay residents a new option for hurricane season: a membership that guarantees a seat on an evacuation flight, rather than joining the crowds fleeing by car. PriorityEvac is selling memberships priced at $1,250 per person that cover two storm evacuations per year, with flights departing from Tampa International Airport…
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Construction is continuing on a new mixed-use path along the west side of 4th Street North between Gandy Boulevard and Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg, a project led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The recreation trail is designed to provide a dedicated route for pedestrians and bicyclists while improving connectivity in the area.…
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Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the district’s declining enrollment continues to shape long-term planning, but he does not expect sweeping changes to occur all at once. Speaking during a recent School Board workshop, Hendrick said enrollment trends have been clear for several years as fewer school-age children live in Pinellas County. District leaders…
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With summer winding down, Tampa Bay Area families are gearing up for the 2026-27 school year. Start dates, holiday breaks, and early dismissal schedules vary by county, so parents are encouraged to check the specifics for their district. Citrus CountyFirst day: Aug. 10 | Last day: May 27Major breaks include Labor Day (Sept. 7), Thanksgiving…
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Pinellas County Schools is asking families to help decide which schools stay open, as district leaders weigh a new round of closures driven by years of declining enrollment. The district hosted three community meetings Wednesday, including one at Pinellas Park High School, where Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said officials are studying what works best for individual…
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Central Florida officials and aviation leaders unveiled new infrastructure at Kissimmee Gateway Airport this week to bring electric air taxi service to the region, with projected Orlando-to-Tampa flight times of about 30 minutes. The airport installed a “Beta Charge Cube,” a fast-charging station designed to support a new generation of electric aircraft currently undergoing real-world…
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U.S. inflation slowed in June as lower gasoline prices helped reduce overall consumer costs, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by the Labor Department. Consumer prices fell 0.4% from May to June, the largest monthly decline in four years, following a 0.5% increase the previous month. On an annual basis, inflation eased…
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Tampa ranked as the best large city in the nation for first-time homebuyers and placed fourth overall among 300 cities studied, according to a new report from the personal finance site WalletHub. The rankings come as first-time buyers face mounting challenges nationwide. WalletHub said first-time homebuyers accounted for just 21% of the housing market last…
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Treasure Island has secured an additional $2.5 million in state funding to build a new public safety facility, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene destroyed the building that once housed the city’s fire rescue and police departments. The 1957-era building took on roughly three feet of floodwater during the 2024 storm, leaving it a total…
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Tampa Bay families across the area are facing sharply higher costs for classroom supplies as the new school year approaches, adding financial pressure just weeks before students head back to class. The Hillsborough County School Board is expected to vote on adding $3 million to the district’s budget for classroom supplies, citing inflation as a…
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A new $2 million state appropriation will help fund stormwater improvements in Shore Acres, one of St. Petersburg’s most flood-prone neighborhoods, with city officials planning to accelerate construction of a major resiliency project. The funding, included in Florida’s 2026-27 state budget, will support the Shore Acres Denver Street Storm Damage Improvements project. The project is…
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Haines City officials say a proposed state constitutional amendment expanding homestead property tax exemptions could cost the city $10 million a year in general fund revenue once fully phased in by 2028. The city held a town hall meeting for residents ahead of the November general election, with officials saying the goal was to explain…
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