Prosecutors say a Tampa man beat and sexually battered a woman at gunpoint; he now faces 10 felony counts, including a life felony. Investigators say DNA matched the suspect and he remains in custody.

High rip current risk from 10 AM through late tonight; isolated storms and gusts up to 23 mph this afternoon. Beachgoers and boaters should take precautions.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that state‑managed Atlantic red snapper season will expand, saying it will begin May 22 and could boost coastal fishing businesses.

Hillsborough deputies say Nicolas Totherow was arrested after firing multiple rounds into a car on I‑4 that carried four people, including a child.

Volunteers and local leaders are mapping a plan to rebuild Egmont Key after Hurricane Helene, hauling out tons of debris and exploring Army Corps sand placement to restore beaches.

Horizon West Bay will open May 19, relocating Largo City Hall to a new mixed‑use civic hub on West Bay Drive. The move folds services, retail and public space into one walkable downtown block.

Constellation Real Estate Partners bought a 19‑acre former RV‑storage site in East Tampa and plans a three‑building, 251,162‑sq‑ft speculative warehouse campus.

Hardee County Sheriff says AdventHealth Wauchula has been cleared and deemed safe after a Facebook situation update. Officials provided no further details.

A 47-year-old Lakeland woman died after her Nissan Maxima struck a barrier on Memorial Boulevard near the I‑4 entrance in the early hours of April 30, troopers say.

Lakeland police briefly halted operations at Lakeland Linder International Airport after a reported threat; the airport later reopened and officials urged caution.

After USF outsourced about 400 jobs, contracted workers rallied in Tampa seeking a first union contract, higher wages and affordable family health coverage. Community allies joined the picket as bargaining continued.

Home security video led Pasco deputies to arrest three people after masked suspects rifled vehicles on Andros Lane. Deputies recovered a firearm and said more charges may follow.

A Manatee jury gave a California man 30 years after an undercover FDLE‑HSI sting intercepted dyed “purple” fentanyl and traced multi‑kilogram shipments to brokers in Mexico.