Tampa will open applications May 1 for a new Microgrant Program offering $1,500–$3,000 grants plus loan down‑payment assistance and a Fresh Food Initiative.

Charlotte County deputies executed a search warrant at a Port Charlotte home, seizing fentanyl, meth and cocaine and arresting four people, officials said.

Hillsborough detectives asked the public to help find 43‑year‑old Timothy Watkins, who is wanted on alleged sex‑offender registration violations and is listed as 43 years old.

Two long-running Skyline Chili restaurants in Fort Myers and Naples have closed after 38 years. The company says the longtime franchisee retired and it’s seeking new owners.

A 12-year-old boy riding an electric skateboard was struck and later died in Wesley Chapel’s Crosswinds subdivision on April 21. Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.

An 18-year-old Plant City High senior was arrested after deputies found a loaded handgun in his backpack on April 21.

Brian Hartline hired his brother Mike as USF quarterbacks coach, but both say the move had to be the right fit. The pairing adds experience to a QB room as the Bulls build a new staff.

A Florida delegation hand‑delivered a letter to Congress warning H.R. 1897 would roll back decades of recovery for manatees, panthers and sea turtles.

A 24-year-old Tampa man died after his motorcycle struck a van at County Line Road and Maximilian Drive in Wesley Chapel; Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.

Parlor Doughnuts has filed to open at 430 W Bay Drive in Largo, bringing layered sweet and savory doughnuts plus breakfast and coffee.

Plan-review filings show Mas Pizza LLC has applied to open at 7613 Causeway Blvd in Tampa. The new spot would join nearby Latin American eateries, though the menu and opening date remain unconfirmed.

Thomas Haugh is returning to Florida for his senior season, passing on a likely first‑round draft spot and keeping the Gators’ title core intact. The decision reshapes NIL, roster plans and early 2026‑27 title odds.

A judge ordered a Tampa homeowner jailed after finding his guest house violated a 1924 plat and sat in a utility easement.