A September 2014 sewer line break in St. Petersburg, Florida dumped 500,000 gallons untreated wastewater into neighborhoods and into Boca Ciega Bay and a team of University of South Florida (USF) researchers went to sample the waters and what they found was a little concerning. The lead researcher of a study published in theContinue Reading
Authorities are investigating the death of a 3-year-old girl found at the bottom of Sarasota pool, reportedly drowned while in the care of her teen cousin. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office identified Haily G. Nito-Hernandez as the girl on Friday. Haily and two other children, ages 2 and 6, were left in theirContinue Reading
Three employees of a Lakeland Walmart store are now facing manslaughter charges after an investigation into a shoplifter’s death. Police identified those arrested as Nathan Allen Higgins, Crucelis Nunez, Randall Eugene Tomko and charged them with the manslaughter death of Kenneth Edger Wisham. On Thursday, Lakeland Police arrested store support manager Higgins,Continue Reading
In a developing story, Hillsborough sheriff’s detectives are investigating a fatal shooting of a woman identified as Ivonne Rivera-Ramis in Clair Mel City that includes two separate locations, one being the local McDonald’s. Rivera-Ramis, 42, was sitting in a vehicle with a passenger on Rivergate Drive when an unknown suspect shot atContinue Reading
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office identified the pregnant woman killed by a car Wednesday while crossing Gibsonton Drive from the Murphy USA gas station as Leanna Jean Mammen, nicknamed “Lili.” Isaac Rodriguez Velez was also identified as the driver of the Nissan Altima which struck Mammem. Police say Mammem, 21, died atContinue Reading
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston vowed that there would be changes at the end of the 2015 season, and now Gerald McCoy said he and Winston talked and have a plan. “Me and Jameis had a private conversation about what he feels like this team needs me to be as a leader,” saidContinue Reading
Indiana governor and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence visited the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay Tuesday, talking about taxes, cutting red tape, but avoided Donald Trump’s remarks describing some illegal immigrants from as “rapists” and “killers” (a stereotype proven accurate by some analysis.) “He didn’t address anything specific regarding the HispanicContinue Reading
After playing in the NFL for more than a dozen years, not even former Tampa Bay Buccaneer defensive lineman and Hall of Famer could win against a shark. The 43-year-old Sapp was bitten by a shark while lobstering off the Florida Keys. Apparently both Sapp and the shark were goingContinue Reading
An active shooter training event is set for today to education the St. Petersburg community. The St. Petersburg Police and St. Petersburg Fire Rescue are partnering to help prepare citizens for the scenario which “you hope to never find yourself in.” St. Pete Police and Fire will host the seminar Thursday evening at theContinue Reading
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious and vaccine preventable respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has reported a near doubling of the number of pertussis cases during the first five months of 2016. AccordingContinue Reading
Tampa Police say a missing runaway, Bryana Lemaire, has been found safe Wednesday morning and that Antwoine Noland, the “dangerous suspect” connected to the murder of Alica Fussell is in custody. Lemaire, 17, has been missing since July 17, reported missing by her family on July 22. Late yesterday, police announced thatContinue Reading
St. Petersburg Police have arrested and charged the man they say is responsible for a hit and run that killed Jeron Davis. Taurus Frederick surrendered to St. Petersburg Police Saturday morning and was officially charged in court on Sunday. Police reported that Frederick argued with Davis, 29, near 22nd Avenue and Martin Luther KingContinue Reading
Tampa police detectives announced they are seeking Antwoine Noland, an armed and dangerous man linked to three crimes and now the murder of Alicia Fussell. Alicia Fussell, 43, was shot and killed outside of City Liquors on Nebraska Ave. Tuesday night. At the time of her death, police said they didn’t believe the shootingContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional Vibrio vulnificus case in the state Friday with the second case reported in Sarasota County this year. This brings the state total to 15–Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Duval (2), Manatee, Marion, Orange, Palm Beach, Santa Rosa, Sarasota (2), Volusia and WakullaContinue Reading
A Pasco County man pretended to be another man for more than 20 years, even fooling his wife, Pasco County deputies said Thursday. Richard Hoagland assumed Terry Symanksy’s identity in 1992, embezzling over $1 million, until a Symansky relative discovered the identity theft using Ancestry.com Hoagland, 63, hit rock bottom after two failedContinue Reading
Ballast Point Park in South Tampa closes every evening at 6 pm; however, Tampa police were called to respond to a complaint of a large number of people in the park after hours Thursday. Police arrived at Ballast Point at 10:30 pm to find 150 “Pokemon Go” players. Authorities toldContinue Reading
Since Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has announced they, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are investigating two possible non-travel related cases of Zika virus–one in Miami-Dade County and one in Broward County. These latest developments have some saying Florida may have it’s first ZikaContinue Reading
Hernando County Al Nienhuis announced Wednesday that four suspects are in custody in connection with the murder of Preston Talley of Gainesville. Nienhuis identified the four as Kayla Ja’Nae Morrow, 25; Joshua Dewayne Gardner, 24; Andrew Christopher Abbott, 19; and Brandon Joe Harrelson, 24. The group lured Talley,35, into the Withlacoochee State Forrest using a dating site calledContinue Reading
In sad news for a Tampa family, the elderly man missing from a Tampa assisted-living facility (ALF) over the weekend has been confirmed by authorities as the body found in a pond near Fletcher and Armenia. Maynell Scott went missing over the weekend and the tragic news resulted in statements fromContinue Reading
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department says they are still investigating the car crash involving Ronald Barlett, who collided into a power pole Wednesday morning. Barlett, 54, was alone, driving in the 18300 Block of Gulf Boulevard when he collided with a wooded pole just after 4 a.m. in Indian Shores. Officers detailed theContinue Reading
Transgender students will have bathroom options in all Hillsborough County schools, a spokesperson for the district said Tuesday. Every school will designate at least one “universal” bathroom in their school by the beginning of the next school year, making it available to every student. “There will at least be one, possiblyContinue Reading
