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Hillsborough deputy injured when driver hits him during traffic stop, deputies say
A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy was seriously injured Friday when a driver rammed him during a traffic stop in New Tampa, deputies said. Deputy Kalin Hall tried to pull over a black BMW on Bearss Avenue near Nebraska Avenue about 12:05 a.m. but the driver sped away, according to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
‘Multiple’ people injured in Tampa shooting, police say
Multiple people were injured in a shooting in North Tampa early Friday, police said. Police responded about 3 a.m. to report of shots fired on the 10900 block of North Nebraska Avenue and found “multiple victims,” according to a Tampa Police Department news release. The wounded people were taken to local hospitals for treatment of injuries that police said were not life-threatening.
Groups stand ready to sue Florida over school chaplain law
The big story: Several new Florida laws took effect this week, including one that generated plenty of national attention when lawmakers debated it and again when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it. The state’s decision to allow public schools to bring religious chaplains onto campus to counsel students prompted proponents to...
St. Pete council member’s PAC polls on Rays stadium, other city issues
Another poll has found public support for a proposal to build a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium, but respondents indicated they didn’t think it was one of the city’s most important issues. The poll was commissioned by the political action committee Friends of Gina Driscoll that has backed...
Why a dock proposal in Clearwater is causing a stir with residents
A decade ago, you couldn’t see through the murky water of Stevenson Creek, even at low tide. Now the sun highlights clusters of oysters and schools of young fish as they dart through the water. Mike Foley wants to keep it that way. Since the 1970s, Foley has lived...
Ybor City’s Seventh Avenue will be brick again. How many bricks will it take?
TAMPA — About eight decades after the city of Tampa had the bricks ripped from Seventh Avenue and replaced with asphalt, Ybor City’s main thoroughfare is returning to its roots. This month, the city will begin the process of removing the asphalt from 14 blocks of Seventh Avenue,...
Lawsuit claims Florida bought contaminated land for Everglades conservation
TALLAHASSEE — Last year, the state of Florida purchased more than 11,000 acres for nearly $30 million from the powerful Collier family near Everglades City for conservation. Now, a former employee of Parker J. Collier — the matriarch of the family from which Collier County gets its name — claims most of that land is toxic.
Florida schools can use religious chaplains for counseling. Will they?
In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis gave Florida’s public schools permission to bring volunteer religious chaplains on campus to counsel students whose parents have said it’s OK. As the law took effect Monday, many district officials said they have no plans to implement it. That’s similar to what happened...
Dear Annie: I’m married, but should I tell work crush how I feel?
Dear Annie: I have been employed at this local government agency for years and have had the pleasure of working closely with “Catie” for the past four years. While we are not in the same department, we have collaborated on numerous projects and have developed a close friendship.
Here’s why Florida utilities are building lots of solar farms
I was in the Panhandle recently visiting family. On the long drive between Pensacola and Jacksonville, I noticed something that made me pull off the interstate and investigate. Not far from the musical sign that marks the bridge over the Suwannee River, I encountered what looked to be a former...
Let’s start shunning liars
It starts with feeling a little sick, like the flu or pneumonia. You’re dizzy, but then you notice others feeling it too. The room is shaking or, if you are outside, you feel the ground move. Solid earth is no longer solid or stable. It’s an earthquake, and it can effectively undermine your faith in reality.
Stop politicizing climate change
I’m begging everyone, regardless of the party you identify with: Stop working overtime to turn climate change into a culture war. Call it what it is: a global threat that demands urgent attention. Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that removes most references to climate change in state...
Rays have their own July 4 blast, beat Royals to move back over .500
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With fireworks booming in the background much of the night Thursday, the Rays and Royals put on a pretty entertaining show inside Kauffman Stadium. The Rays had more blasts and hung on for a 10-8 victory, extending their streak of series wins to five straight, their longest since last August.
2 years later, Shane Baz set to return to Rays, show what he can do
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Before the right elbow issues that surfaced in mid July 2022 and eventually led to Tommy John surgery that September, Shane Baz was considered one of the most promising pitching prospects in the majors. Nearly two full years since his last big-league game, Baz is...
See photos of St. Petersburg’s Fourth of July party and fireworks
People celebrated the Fourth of July at the St. Pete Pier for its fourth annual “The Fourth” Independence Day celebration. The party started in the late afternoon Thursday and capped off with fireworks, visible all along the downtown waterfront.
Could clarity on legal status of Rays’ Wander Franco come Friday?
There may be some clarity Friday on Wander Franco’s legal status in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors have for months been operating with a July 5 deadline to present formal charges against the Rays’ 23-year-old shortstop stemming from allegations of a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl that started in December 2022 and included payments to her mother for consent.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ alum launch PAC to mobilize voters on LGBTQ+ rights
Six drag queens are teaming up for a first-of-its-kind project to mobilize millions of Generation Z and LGBTQ+ voters against anti-LGBTQ laws. They’re calling it Drag PAC, the first-ever political action committee led by world-famous drag entertainers. The queens are all former contestants on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the popular reality television show that centers drag performers and their work as a celebrated form of entertainment.
What makes Lightning top draft pick Jan Golicic so intriguing to Bolts?
BRANDON — At first glance, Jan Golicic looks more like a basketball player than a hockey prospect. He is 6 feet 6, long and lean, a lot of arms and legs. But on the ice, the potential he carries because of his size is unmistakable. Hockey is a big man’s game, and he has yet to fill out since his adolescent growth spurt. When you watch him skate, you can’t help but think of another big European defenseman the Lightning drafted 15 years ago because of his length.
Heat advisory issued for Tampa Bay; temperatures could feel as high as 112 degrees
Be careful at the beach or other outdoor celebrations this Fourth of July. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Thursday for Tampa Bay. A heat index as high as 112 degrees Fahrenheit is expected in certain areas. The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., coinciding with many Fourth of July outdoor events.
Judge blocks federal gender identity rule challenged by Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge Wednesday blocked a new Biden administration health care rule that would clash with Florida’s attempts to restrict treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender people. Tampa-based U.S. District Judge William Jung issued a 50-page decision granting a preliminary injunction to...
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