Local News
Community news from our local sources
July seminar to discuss who controls access to St. Pete Beach
Who controls access to St. Pete Beach: the public or beachfront property owners? That question will be the focus of a City of St. Pete Beach seminar Thursday, July 23, on Florida’s customary use doctrine and how it applies to the shoreline. The free seminar will be held from 5…
State’s ratepayer advocate asks regulators to reconsider $71M AES rate hike
Gov. Mike Braun prepares to replace the last two regulators appointed by his predecessors.
Hillsborough voters will pick 2 new judges in August. Who’s on the ballot?
Florida Supreme Court allows two death warrant cases to proceed
Smart Glasses Will Soon Be Banned in Every New York Court
A new statewide ban on smart glasses takes effect July 20 in every New York court. Here's what you need to know before you go Continue reading…
Gas tax breaks to cost state, local governments $533M
Gov. Mike Braun said he hadn’t discussed the possibility of a special session with legislative leaders to further extend the gas tax holiday, but didn’t rule it out.
Tampa advances new water treatment technology to reduce PFAS
Explore how Tampa water treatment technology will improve drinking water quality and decrease PFAS with innovative solutions.
K-Bar Ranch Getting 3,500 New Trees
K-Bar Ranch Getting 3,500 New Trees Tony D. Thu, 07/09/2026 - 08:39 am Pines were the dominant tree in the December planting, but the July 9 planting will be all oaks. Major Tree Planting Effort in New Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's goal of 30,000 trees planted by 2030 in the City of…
Coffee cart brews up downtown food truck expansion proposal
A coffee cart unwittingly operating illegally in the parking lot of a downtown business sparked a movement to craft a zoning text amendment to permit mobile food and beverage vendors to peddle their wares in the Downtown Bayfront zone district. Food trucks are permitted in every…
Sarasota County still awaits $225M in FEMA, state disaster funds
In 2016, Hurricane Hermine made the first Florida landfall in the Big Bend area since Hurricane Wilma 11 years earlier. It wasn’t a direct hit on the peninsula, it travelled up the center of the Gulf, but its impact left just more than $7 million in damage for Sarasota County…
City to repair damaged streetlights on Lido Key
The Sarasota City Commission, via consent agenda, authorized entering into a local agency program with the Florida Department of Transportation to repair lighting on Lido Key. FDOT is providing up to $600,037 for the project with a local match of $108,426. The project included…
Knightstown special election scheduled after ballot error
A Henry County judge made the decision Wednesday, June 24 after the problem with two Republican primary races in Knightstown.