A Georgia man was sentenced after prosecutors say he helped divert nearly $1.4M from Manatee County; about $510K has been recovered so far. Local officials are tightening payment controls.

Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the Florida GOP’s debate thresholds that left Byron Donalds as the lone qualifier, warning the rules could alienate voters ahead of the Aug. 18 primary.

A 10-year-old bicyclist was seriously injured after being struck by two vehicles on State Road 52 near Victory Drive in Hudson and was airlifted to a hospital; FHP is investigating.

Dunedin will host a free Hurricane Preparedness Expo at City Hall on June 25 with meteorologist Greg Dee and prefilled sandbags for residents.

DeSantis ordered state offices closed July 2 and July 6, stretching Independence Day into a five‑day holiday for nearly 100,000 state workers as part of America 250.

Hernando County health officials issued a 60‑day rabies alert in Spring Hill after an unvaccinated cat was infected following a raccoon attack. Pet owners should check vaccinations and report bites.

A federal Student Athlete Act would cap eligibility at five years and curb transfers while forcing scholarship portability — a major shakeup for college rosters.

Clear, muggy start in Tampa; highs near 92°F and feels like about 102°F. Slight chance of afternoon storms, mainly inland.

Capital Electric opened a 258,000-square-foot distribution center in Steele Creek and plans to hire about 100 employees to support its Southern expansion.

A Fort Myers man and the ACLU filed federal suit after a Pinellas-run facial-recognition match reportedly returned a 93% hit that led to a 2024 arrest that was later dropped.

Commissioners are deadlocked over a roughly $23.4M gap in the Piney Point cleanup budget as the county weighs whether to keep operating the deep‑injection system.

An Arcadia man, Donald Carl Woods, was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison after deputies say they found meth and a firearm during a 2025 arrest. Federal and local agencies investigated the case.

Displace capped a four‑album narrative with Necessity at Crowbar’s sendoff, closing a 36‑song arc as the Ybor venue winds down. The release landed amid a string of farewell shows.