The Air Force placed The Michaels Organization on a performance improvement plan after residents reported mold and illness at MacDill housing. Families and lawmakers want faster, visible fixes.

State forecasts and federal estimates show deaths now outnumber births in Florida, leaving growth reliant on migration and raising questions about services and planning.

A Quick Pick sold at a Punta Gorda Sunoco matched Fantasy 5’s evening numbers for about $109,117. Winners must claim the prize at the Fort Myers lottery office.

Mercy Full Project says it has been pushed past capacity after a sudden puppy surge and dozens of intakes; the Tampa rescue urgently needs foster homes, volunteers and donations.

Hillsborough College's SouthShore campus has launched a $5M campaign to build a 51,000-square-foot workforce center in Ruskin to expand nursing, welding and collision repair training.

Hillsborough County renewed its open-burning ban for an eighth week as drought and freeze damage keep wildfire danger elevated across the region.

City Council approved $378,896 to pay archaeologists to 'ground‑truth' radar‑identified burial sites under a parking lot next to Tropicana Field.

An alligator was seen Thursday at Snively Elementary in Winter Haven; the district said the animal left campus and returned to a nearby canal. No injuries were reported.

A South Tampa homeowner says she was told to demolish her fire‑ruined house before the insurer finished investigating. A WFLA consumer segment is now pressing for answers.

A USF Athletics post — reshared by FDOT West Central — showed what appeared to be a bull-shaped figure on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and sparked local chatter.

A 34-person GT Church tour from St. Petersburg sheltered in Tiberias after strikes and sirens in Israel; leaders are coordinating with the State Department and veteran rescue groups. Evacuation plans are being worked out as members wait for a safe exit.

A volunteer-run clinic at the Claude Pepper Senior Center has 30 days to vacate a city-owned building, leaving hundreds of uninsured seniors worried about losing care.

A federal EEOC suit against River’s Edge Bar in Gibsonton was resolved with a $65,000 payout and a three‑year consent decree requiring monitoring and policy changes. The agency said the settlement follows allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation at the waterfront bar.