WEATHER ALERT
Climate change gave significant boost to Milton's destructive rain, winds, scientists say
Read full article: Climate change gave significant boost to Milton's destructive rain, winds, scientists sayScientists say human-caused climate change intensified deadly Hurricane Milton’s rainfall by 20 to 30% and strengthened its winds by about 10%.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium seeks donations after damage from Hurricane Helene
Read full article: Clearwater Marine Aquarium seeks donations after damage from Hurricane HeleneAccording to posts on its social media channels, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) experienced over 4 feet of flooding during Helene, causing a loss of power and damage to vital equipment.
‘Operation Keep Our Streets:’ 32 arrested in Florida street racing crack down
Read full article: ‘Operation Keep Our Streets:’ 32 arrested in Florida street racing crack downState officials said that the operation comes after SB 1764 went into effect on Monday, cracking down on street racers across the state.
Florida man finds out he’s not a citizen after over 60 years living in the US
Read full article: Florida man finds out he’s not a citizen after over 60 years living in the USAfter applying for Social Security, Klass said he received a letter in 2020 claiming he hadn’t proven he was actually a citizen.
Orlando man accused of stealing over $100K in Best Buy merchandise during statewide spree
Read full article: Orlando man accused of stealing over $100K in Best Buy merchandise during statewide spreeAn Orlando man booked in Brevard County is accused of stealing some $118,413.45 in merchandise from Best Buy stores across the state in a crime spree lasting the better part of a year, according to investigators.
Phillies-Braves and Brewers-Mets openers postponed a day to Friday due to rainy forecasts
Read full article: Phillies-Braves and Brewers-Mets openers postponed a day to Friday due to rainy forecastsBaseball season openers in New York and Philadelphia have been postponed a day until Friday because of rainy forecasts in both cities.
Fanatics founder Michael Rubin says company unfairly blamed for new MLB uniforms
Read full article: Fanatics founder Michael Rubin says company unfairly blamed for new MLB uniformsFanatics founder Michael Rubin says his company is being unfairly blamed for new Major League Baseball uniforms that have see-through pants and other fit and design problems.
‘Just nosey:’ Florida man arrested after crossing police tape at plane crash site
Read full article: ‘Just nosey:’ Florida man arrested after crossing police tape at plane crash siteAt the time, first responders were dealing with the plane wreckage, which had sparked fires nearby after crashing into a mobile home park.
86-year-old woman among 3 killed when plane crashes into Florida home, erupts in flames
Read full article: 86-year-old woman among 3 killed when plane crashes into Florida home, erupts in flamesA small plane crash in Clearwater left four mobile homes ablaze and killed 3 people, according to local officials.
‘Freak accident:’ Tire bounces off vehicle on Florida road, slams into car carrying mother, child
Read full article: ‘Freak accident:’ Tire bounces off vehicle on Florida road, slams into car carrying mother, childA mother and her daughter are OK after a rogue tire came off a vehicle and slammed into their windshield in Florida.
52 sea turtles experiencing 'cold stun' in New England flown to rehab in Florida
Read full article: 52 sea turtles experiencing 'cold stun' in New England flown to rehab in FloridaFifty-two endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles suffering from “cold stun” are rehabbing at four facilities in Florida after a flight on a private plane from the New England Aquarium in Massachusetts.
These 14 celebrities lived in Florida. Can you guess where?
Read full article: These 14 celebrities lived in Florida. Can you guess where?Given Florida’s popular beaches, warm weather and amazing tourist attractions, it’s no surprise that the state brings in its own crowd of celebrities wanting to live here.
Woman found dead on sidewalk after reported lightning strike in Florida
Read full article: Woman found dead on sidewalk after reported lightning strike in FloridaThe woman was found dead on a sidewalk in the Bayside Gardens IV complex between the parking area and one of the condominium buildings, officials stated in a release.
Phillies' Song throws off mound, knows challenges ahead
Read full article: Phillies' Song throws off mound, knows challenges aheadNoah Song has no illusions of the challenges ahead as he approaches the end of his first week of spring training since joining the Philadelphia Phillies from the U.S. Navy.
VIDEO: US Coast Guard rescues 7 after lightning strike disables vessel 100 miles offshore
Read full article: VIDEO: US Coast Guard rescues 7 after lightning strike disables vessel 100 miles offshoreSeven people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday after their 39-foot vessel was disabled by a lightning strike 100 miles offshore of Clearwater, according to a news release.
Gov. DeSantis approves $14M in red tide research, mitigation funding for next state budget
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis approves $14M in red tide research, mitigation funding for next state budgetFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced he had approved $14 million in red tide research and mitigation efforts, earmarked for the 2022-23 state budget.
Man’s sentence in killing of pregnant Florida teen depends on whether her body is found
Read full article: Man’s sentence in killing of pregnant Florida teen depends on whether her body is foundA 34-year-old man who pleaded guilty to killing a pregnant teenage Florida girl a decade ago faces a shorter prison sentence if her remains are found before he's sentenced.
Ex-girlfriend tosses man’s dog off Florida condo balcony
Read full article: Ex-girlfriend tosses man’s dog off Florida condo balconyOfficials say a 46-year-old woman has been arrested on animal cruelty charges after throwing a 3-year-old pug named Bucky off of a seventh-floor balcony Clearwater condominium during an argument with her ex-boyfriend.
Explosives found at Florida man’s home after arrest at rally
Read full article: Explosives found at Florida man’s home after arrest at rallyA Florida man has been charged after authorities say they found an active explosive in his bag after he was spotted running away from a Jan. 6 anniversary rally.
Florida man arrested after body found near Clearwater Beach
Read full article: Florida man arrested after body found near Clearwater BeachPolice in Florida have arrested a 29-year-old man on manslaughter charges in connection to the death of an older man whose body was found floating offshore earlier this month in the Gulf of Mexico.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium announces plans to honor Winter, star of ‘Dolphin Tale’
Read full article: Clearwater Marine Aquarium announces plans to honor Winter, star of ‘Dolphin Tale’On the 16th anniversary of her rescue, Clearwater Marine Aquarium proudly announced Friday its plans to honor Winter the Dolphin’s long legacy.
Naked man punches woman after intentionally running her over with car, deputies say
Read full article: Naked man punches woman after intentionally running her over with car, deputies sayA Clearwater man was arrested Thursday after intentionally running over and seriously injuring a woman, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
'Dolphin Tale' fans mourn death of film's star Winter at 16
Read full article: 'Dolphin Tale' fans mourn death of film's star Winter at 16Amy Carmichael lives more than 4,000 miles from the Florida aquarium that housed Winter, the “Dolphin Tale” movie star with a prosthetic tail who died this week at age 16.
‘We need to provide protections:’ DeSantis announces special session to combat vaccine mandates
Read full article: ‘We need to provide protections:’ DeSantis announces special session to combat vaccine mandatesGov. Ron DeSantis announced the Florida legislature would return for a special session to combat vaccine mandates and protect jobs as the federal government prepares to release an executive order requiring vaccinations.
Terminated Orange County battalion chief slams vaccine mandates
Read full article: Terminated Orange County battalion chief slams vaccine mandatesThe Orange County battalion chief, who was fired earlier this week after failing to follow a direct order over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, joined Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday morning speaking out against mandates.
Cyberthieves reroute single mom’s unemployment benefits to Illinois bank account
Read full article: Cyberthieves reroute single mom’s unemployment benefits to Illinois bank accountLinsie Kirsh, a single mom from Clearwater, is the latest victim of a high-tech bank switch that diverted $1,200 in unemployment benefits to a different bank account with the help of the victim’s stolen identity.
Florida man, 70, slams child because playground was too noisy, police say
Read full article: Florida man, 70, slams child because playground was too noisy, police sayA 70-year-old man has been accused of slamming a child to the ground at a playground after yelling that kids were making too much noise.
Sheriff’s deputy involved in fatal shooting in Clearwater, officials say
Read full article: Sheriff’s deputy involved in fatal shooting in Clearwater, officials sayA sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a man who authorities said forced his way into the home of a former girlfriend and pointed a gun at a man in the house.
Baby critically injured in motorcycle crash while riding on Florida man’s lap, police say
Read full article: Baby critically injured in motorcycle crash while riding on Florida man’s lap, police sayPolice say a Florida man who was driving a motorcycle with his young stepdaughter in his lap is facing several charges.
Whales surface at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s new exhibit
Read full article: Whales surface at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s new exhibitCLEARWATER, Fla. – The Clearwater Marine Aquarium has opened its newest educational exhibit, Whales: Living With Giants. According to the aquarium’s website, guests will come head-to-head with whales through educational multi-media exhibits, an undersea virtual reality experience, walk-through life-size whale gallery and an interactive kid’s zone. Virtual Reality Dive at Whales: Living with Giants exhibit (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)The virtual reality experience, which requires an additional ticket add-on, was created by an Emmy Award-winning documentary team. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a non-profit organization that has a mission of preserving the environment while inspiring others through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation. Whales: Living with Giants will be open through Aug. 31.
Viral video shows Florida spring breakers helping handcuffed man escape from police cruiser
Read full article: Viral video shows Florida spring breakers helping handcuffed man escape from police cruiserFlorida spring breakers have gone viral in a video after helping a handcuffed man escape a Clearwater police cruiser. The video shows a crowd of spring breakers surrounding a police cruiser on the beach. Asad has been charged with aiding prisoner escape and resisting arrest without violence. Adam Asad, 18, of Oldsmar is the suspect who helped a handcuffed prisoner to escape on the beach. He faces two charges -- aiding prisoner escape and resisting arrest without violence.
Finned, furry, and human: Clearwater Marine Aquarium to celebrate rescue days
Read full article: Finned, furry, and human: Clearwater Marine Aquarium to celebrate rescue daysCLEARWATER, Fla. – Clearwater Marine Aquarium is about to celebrate the rescue anniversaries of some of its most famous dolphins, Winter and Hope. [TRENDING: This woman received the first COVID-19 vaccine | Judge scolds theme park trespasser | Chuck Yeager dies at 97]To celebrate both rescue anniversaries, the aquarium is hosting an event called Rescue Days. Talk to members of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescue team and check out one of our rescue vehicles from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Foster families can enjoy a socially distanced behind-the-scenes tour prior to the aquarium opening to guests. Meet with dogs from the SPCA Tampa Bay from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)Click here to learn about the event and to learn more about the aquariums health and safety guidelines that are in place.
Florida to receive 6.4 million rapid COVID-19 test kits from federal government
Read full article: Florida to receive 6.4 million rapid COVID-19 test kits from federal governmentFlorida will receive 400,000 rapid-test kits a week that can be used to detect COVID-19 infections at schools, senior centers and long-term care facilities, Gov. Molecular tests, such as RT-PCR tests, detect the virus' genetic material but can take from a day to a week to get the results. Antigen tests detect specific proteins on the surface of the virus and come back within 15 minutes. Nevertheless, DeSantis said Tuesday that he may use some of the rapid test kits coming to Florida to supplant PCR testing that the state is conducting, saying it would reduce costs by 75%. In all, DeSantis said Florida would receive 6.4 million rapid test kits under the federal government’s plan to provide more than 150 million kits across the nation.
Florida governor says hes monitoring potential tropical cyclone very closely'
Read full article: Florida governor says hes monitoring potential tropical cyclone very closely'CLEARWATER, Fla. Now that Florida is in the cone of uncertainty for a disturbance in the Caribbean thats predicted to become Tropical Storm Isaias, Gov. [READ: Heres how the coronavirus pandemic will impact hurricane season in Florida | COVID or no COVID, some Central Florida residents will need to evacuate if hurricane comes]We are monitoring (Potential) Tropical Cyclone Nine very closely. It looks like were not going to know the storms exact strength and trajectory for a couple more days, DeSantis said. Because social distancing guidelines are in place, local leaders have been forced to reevaluate how they prepare for hurricanes and other potential storms. [RELATED: Florida reports more than 200 COVID-19 deaths, setting new single-day record | What is a potential tropical cyclone?]
Florida governor would send his children back to school in person -- if they were old enough
Read full article: Florida governor would send his children back to school in person -- if they were old enoughCLEARWATER, Fla. Parents across Florida have had to decide whether to keep their students home or to send them back to schools in August amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not one of those parents because his children are too young, he said he would send them for in-person learning. The governor and his wife First Lady Casey DeSantis have three young children, Madison, 4, Mason, 2, and Mamie, who is about 5 months old. I would have no way of being able to definitively say that nobody in, in any child care setting, a caregiver, has ever come down with it. If theres an outbreak in Pasco County, you know, is the health department tying that to a child care or not?
Coast Guard rescues 3 boaters off Florida coast
Read full article: Coast Guard rescues 3 boaters off Florida coastCLEARWATER, Fla. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people from Tennessee after their boat capsized Wednesday some 15 miles off Florida's Gulf Coast. The agency said in a news release that the boaters called at 2:09 p.m., saying their flat bottom fishing boat was taking on water and they needed assistance. A Jayhawk helicopter crew located the men wearing life jackets and clinging to the capsized boat. After everything went wrong, these men did everything right, said Lt. Tim Keily, the Air Station Clearwater helicopter co-pilot. They immediately called for help, wore their life jackets and stayed with their boat.
1 in critical condition after lightning strike at Clearwater Beach
Read full article: 1 in critical condition after lightning strike at Clearwater BeachCLEARWATER, Fla. – Two people were injured, one critically, from a lightning strike Sunday on Clearwater Beach, officials said. Officials received a call around 2:15 p.m. as a line of storms moved onshore from the Gulf of Mexico, officials said. Gacek Arkadiusz, 37, of Des Plaines, Illinois, was unconscious and not breathing when police arrived at the scene around 2:15 p.m., officials said. Arkadiusz was taken to a hospital in critical condition where he remains as of Monday, Clearwater police said. Sav Keomany, 43, of Pickerington, Ohio, who was a few feet away, was taken to the hospital in stable condition.