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Tampa Bay Times
National politics is all a mess. Isn’t it? | Column
In the campaign to govern the most powerful military and economic power in the world, we have the choice between aging old men, one a congenital lying convicted felon who regards the Constitution with less respect than a Publix BOGO coupon. Meanwhile, the occasionally addled current president has mused everything will be just swell if only he can get more naps in during the day.
Shane Baz has shaky start in Trop return, but Rays help him find rhythm
ST. PETERSBURG — Things didn’t look good at first for Shane Baz and the Rays Thursday night, but they turned them around quickly. In the right-hander’s first regular-season start at Tropicana Field in more than two years, he gave up two hits on his first four pitches. But after Jonny DeLuca caught Aaron Judge’s sharp fly ball to rightfield, Baz struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning unscathed.
The better they play, the more these Rays look like prime trade candidates
ST. PETERSBURG — Oh, those Rays. Such scamps. Such teases. Just when you think they are buried, they claw themselves back into relevance. Sure, beating the Yankees two out of three is no big feat these days, but it was the way the Rays won Thursday night’s game 5-4 that tickled your memories.
Rays get some big hits, outs in beating Yankees, taking series
ST. PETERSBURG — After a frustrating performance at the plate Wednesday, the Rays on Thursday found a couple of the clutch hits they had sorely needed. Then they added several key outs from a sextet of relievers and ended up with a much-needed 5-4 win over the Yankees at Tropicana Field.
Legendary Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin dies
The greatest defense in Buccaneers lore has lost the man who implemented it to masterful form. Longtime Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin died Thursday in Oxford, Mississippi. Kiffin, 84, had been serving as an analyst for his son, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. A post on the Rebels’ official X account indicated he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family and friends.
Florida pulls digital driver’s license from app stores without explanation
TALLAHASSEE — After spending $1.5 million on development and two years since its launch, the state has pulled its digital driver’s license application from iOS and Android app stores and deactivated it. But the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles didn’t say why. The move...
DeSantis, hemp industry align to fight recreational marijuana amendment
Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state Republican Party and the burgeoning Florida hemp industry are joining forces to defeat a proposal on this November’s ballot to legalize recreational marijuana. In early June, DeSantis vetoed a bill that could have put large swaths of the hemp industry out of business, in...
Former Hillsborough teacher arrested on charges of child sexual abuse of student
A former teacher at a Hillsborough Christian school has been arrested on charges of child sexual abuse involving a student. Denzel Proctor, 26, was arrested Wednesday on five counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Proctor, a former music...
Bahamian whistleblower shot during Facebook livestream from Florida apartment
MIAMI — A corruption investigation into a top Bahamian police official has found its way to South Florida after a whistleblower who brought the allegations to light on his social media page was shot Monday during a Facebook livestream from a Hollywood apartment. The shooting victim, who identified himself...
In Hillsborough State Attorney race, candidates grapple over gun case
TAMPA — The case of a man accused of intentionally running into a Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy with a car became political fodder Thursday as suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren used it in criticizing his successor and Republican opponent, Suzy Lopez. In a tweet Thursday morning, Warren highlighted...
This Tampa hospital uses Amazon’s Just Walk Out tech to eliminate cashiers
TAMPA — At 1:16 p.m. on a Tuesday, Richard Sokol taps his badge to enter Season’s Café at St. Joseph’s Hospital. The assistant nurse manager’s lunch break lasts 30 minutes, a precious respite in the midst of his 12- to 14-hour shifts. Each minute is priceless.
Woman charged with inciting 500-person riot at Brandon Astro Skate, sheriff says
If Stephanie Pedroso’s daughter couldn’t have her birthday at Astro Skate in Brandon, then no one could. That’s what Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said motivated Pedroso to make social media posts urging people to “terrorize” the skating rink the night of May 18, sparking a riot that took more than 40 sheriff’s deputies to quell.
Lightning sign newly acquired defenseman J.J. Moser to 2-year deal
TAMPA — The Lightning have signed J.J. Moser, the top-four defenseman acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev trade, to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $3.38 million. Moser, who had been Tampa Bay’s only unsigned restricted free agent, filed for a salary-arbitration hearing. But the...
Want free access to a Tampa public pool? Just show your bus pass.
TAMPA — It’s that time of year when humidity hangs like a blanket. How about a refreshing trip to the pool?. Anyone with a Hillsborough County bus pass can now gain free admission to Tampa’s public pools, thanks to a partnership between the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the county transit agency.
ACC must share ESPN contracts with FSU after Tallahassee court order
The ACC has seven days to give Florida State copies of its ESPN contracts and related documents under a court order signed Thursday. The Leon County court order obtained by the Tampa Bay Times formalizes confidentiality terms previously agreed upon by both FSU and the ACC as part of their ongoing, dueling lawsuits. The documents will be “treated as confidential in their entirety” until a court can fully determine whether they deserve protection as trade secrets. Florida’s broad public records law is also a factor for issues involving a state entity like FSU; the Florida Attorney General’s Office has sued the ACC, claiming the contracts are public.
Shark bites Missouri boy in 4th attack in a week, Florida officials say
A 14-year-old boy from Missouri was bitten by a shark while visiting a Florida beach, officials said. Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth shark attack in Volusia County in the span of a week. Shortly before noon, the teen was standing in knee-deep water in Daytona Beach Shores when the...
Dunedin Blue Jays pitcher developing knuckleball in era of fireballers
DUNEDIN — Jordan Powell told himself this was his last chance. After two colleges, Tommy John surgery and 50,000 miles in his truck chasing his dream of pitching in professional baseball with independent teams across the country, his parents gently suggested last year it was time to start working for the family’s construction company.
After DeSantis vetoes anti-hemp bill, his PAC gets $100,000 from hemp grower
TALLAHASSEE — Within weeks of vetoing a bill that Florida hemp growers said would spell the death knell for their industry, Gov. Ron DeSantis received a major donation from a man who’d led the campaign against the legislation. Apopka-based hemp grower and CBD dispensary owner Patrick O’Brien donated...
Hurricane center watches system off Florida coast as rain chances increase
While Florida will get higher chances of related rain and thunderstorms Thursday, a low pressure system off the coast has little chance of developing into a tropical depression, according to the National Hurricane Center. As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook, the broad area located a few hundred miles...
School officials can’t avoid testifying on book removal, judge says
A federal judge Wednesday rejected arguments that Escambia County School Board members and the superintendent of schools should be shielded from testifying about the removal of a school-library book — but said the board can file a revised request. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor issued a four-page ruling after...
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