Polk County deputies arrested Jean Roudy Chicoye in Lakeland on an Ohio felonious-assault warrant tied to a Columbus shooting, authorities say. The arrest was made without incident.

Mostly clear and muggy this morning with highs near 82F. Showers and thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and evening; brief heavy downpours possible.

FDOT will present a preferred 78‑foot fixed‑span design for the Longboat Pass bridge tonight; Longboat Key leaders say they prefer a drawbridge and public comments are open.

A Mulberry man was arrested after detectives say he used AI to graft children’s faces onto naked adult bodies. He faces eight felony counts and is being held without bond.

An overnight kitchen fire at Jimbo's Pit Bar‑B‑Q on West Kennedy Boulevard forced the longtime Tampa spot to close; crews extinguished the blaze and no one was hurt.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is asking for help locating 29‑year‑old Alexander Jamis, wanted on robbery, domestic battery and felony mischief charges.

A Lake County judge sent Arianna Selina Gajraj to prison after she admitted helping lure a friend into a late-night ambush that left a car peppered with bullets. Her boyfriend was convicted in January and faces sentencing in April.

A Lake Wales man was arrested after deputies say he fled two hit‑and‑run crashes within minutes; the damaged car was later found parked behind Garden Grove Elementary. Authorities say he refused sobriety tests and faces multiple charges.

A Tampa federal guilty plea unmasked an alleged scheme that prosecutors say turned H-2A visas into a forced‑labor operation spanning five states.

A 15‑year‑old was arrested after deputies say he brought a firearm to Strawberry Crest High; he fled but was caught nearby and now faces multiple charges.

Izzy’s Place opened in the former Slicker’s Eatery space on Cortez Road, serving breakfast and lunch now and adding dinner service in mid‑March.

A 69-year-old Sarasota County Schools aide, identified as Tracy Lynn Criman, was booked on felony child-abuse and battery counts, records show. The district has not posted a public statement.

The University of Tampa has filed plans for an 11‑story dorm to house about 840 students; the proposal goes before Tampa City Council on March 12, 2026. The move builds on multi‑year efforts to expand on‑campus housing amid record enrollment.