Busch Gardens is building Lion & Hyena Ridge — a nearly 35,000‑sq‑ft Edge of Africa expansion that will house five brother lions and two hyenas with panoramic viewing. Construction is underway and the exhibit is due to open later in 2026.

A Harbor Acres waterfront estate at 1204 Hillview Drive closed for $17 million, one of the largest mainland Sarasota transactions this year.

Hillsborough deputies arrested 37 people during a Fourth of July DUI operation. A routine stop turned chaotic when two people tried to swap seats and their SUV rolled into a patrol car.

Three new airboats join SHERPs in Hillsborough County's arsenal to reach neighborhoods cut off by storm flooding.

A 19‑year‑old was killed and six others were shot after a downtown Pensacola youth gathering on July 4. Police say the attack appears targeted and are seeking tips and video.

Two men were shot Monday near 9th Avenue South in St. Petersburg; police say both suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Pomelo Square would add roughly 417 homes, 42,800 sq ft of retail and a hotel pad to Wesley Chapel at the Old Pasco/Overpass Road intersection, marketing materials show.

A July 4 traffic stop on Otter Pond Road ended with deputies seizing roughly 300 grams of meth and a revolver; a 43‑year‑old man now faces trafficking and weapons charges.

A 3-year-old boy drowned at SunWest Park during Pasco County’s Scallop & Music Festival; visitors returned the next day to mourn as officials work to clarify details.

A 36‑year‑old woman reported missing earlier this week was found dead inside a car in a north Tampa McDonald’s parking lot. Detectives say the investigation is active and the cause of death has not been released.

A 68-year-old New York man wanted on a child-sex warrant was arrested Friday in Davenport after a tip led deputies to Sunlake Terrace Estates. He’s being held pending extradition to New York.

Heat index near 103°F today with scattered afternoon storms. City cooling stations are open this week.

Publix and a Chilean supplier are recalling a lot of GreenWise frozen blueberries after 12 E. coli infections were linked to the product. Customers should check packages and return affected bags for a refund.