Tampa News (BETA)

MADEIRA BEACH A decision to go swimming in the Gulf of Mexico led to a man drowning Friday night near Archibald Park in Madeira Beach, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.

Leaders want to know if residents are willing to pay more in order to keep certain services.

TREASURE ISLAND New traffic signals are needed at two Gulf Boulevard intersections the city considers dangerous for vehicular traffic and pedestrians trying to cross the busy road.

Officials hope that stimulus money will help kids get services.

From his detailed report, police quickly arrested robbery suspects.

Officers are searching for a suspect known as "working girl" who stole a man's wallet this morning after agreeing to have sex with him for money.

Two employees of University Community Hospital were arrested Friday night and charged with second degree murder, according to Hillsborough County jail reports.

For only the second time in his professional career, Tiger Woods missed the cut in a major.

Regardless of who wins the quarterback battle for the Bucs this fall, Tampa Bay's offensive philosophy appears set.

2 Missed cuts in majors since turning pro in August 1996; the other came at the 2006 U.S. Open, shortly after the death of his father, Earl.

TALLAHASSEE (Bay News 9) -- Swine flu is on the minds of many, particularly after three Floridians died from complications from the virus earlier this week.

Vernon Yates from Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation said his organization accepts any wildlife, including snakes and other reptiles. They can be reached at 727-399-1525, or take the animal to 9500 82nd Ave. N. in Seminole, no questions asked.

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BAY AREA (Bay News 9) -- Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced Thursday the expansion of a program to address the rising number of fatal domestic violence cases.

BAY AREA (Bay News 9) -- The Florida High School Athletic Association planned to cut sports schedules this year, but decided the cuts were not worth fighting a lawsuit for.

BRADENTON — Paralyzed teenager Ta Heem Blake, appearing in court in a hospital bed on wheels, and his teenage co-defendant on murder charges learned Friday they will have separate trials.

LAKEWOOD RANCH — A group of Orlando-area investors are planning to develop 180 acres adjacent to the site where a Wal-Mart Supercenter will be built, envisioning apartments and villas, hotel, restaurant and office space.

MANATEE — Paul A. Sharff Jr. has no plans to resign his position as head of the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County in the wake of his Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, his attorney said Friday.

MANATEE — A Bradenton man was fishing from his boat under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Friday with his two nephews visiting from South Carolina when they heard someone yell, “Don’t do it.”

HOLMES BEACH — The owner of a shuttered garden center on Marina Drive hopes to re-invent her business to give local vendors a place to sell their goods.

Two drivers were critically injured in a wreck in Charlotte County Thursday night, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The accident happened around 11:15 p.m. on State Road 776 at Biscayne Drive when a car driven by Vincent Panettieri, 93, of Port Charlotte was traveling in the wrong lane on S.R. 776, the FHP said.

Staff Report A man treated for two gunshot wounds at Sarasota Memorial Hospital told detectives that he had been shot during a robbery Wednesday on a street near Booker Elementary.

For the Rams, a new school year in a new school starts next month.

By TODD RUGER Sarasota seeks agency's help to address concerns of integrity

By CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL Local health officials are warning that the two deaths may not be the last.

It's spacewalking day at the shuttle-station complex.

A Lakeland man convicted of five counts of DUI manslaughter for a crash that killed four relatives of a bride-to-be on the eve of her wedding has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people from a sinking fishing boat off the coast of Jacksonville.

GULFPORT, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say a woman left two infants alone by the street while she went off to urinate in public. Officers reported seeing 43-year-old Shawn Suzanne Lutz leave the children in a stroller by a Gulfport street Thursday night while she walked 30 feet away to urinate.

Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay is partnering with USF to offer free autism screenings. Saturday, July 18th. Early intervention and intensive treatment is vital to the development of a child diagnosed with autism.

By BARB STUEWE THE LEDGER The Polk Theatre offers free children's films today, in addition to their regular summer classic film. Other entertainment events taking place this weekend include plays, a craft show, ice skating and more.

By SARAH STEGALL LEDGER CORRESPONDENT MULBERRY | A call about a missing and endangered juvenile led deputies to another methamphetamine lab in Polk County, the Sheriff's Office said. John Michael Dunn, 41, of 4390 Ramblewood Place, in Mulberry was arrested after numerous items used to manufacture meth were found in a shed at his house, the Sheriff's Office said.

By KYLE KENNEDY THE LEDGER LAKELAND | Unemployment hit 11.5 percent in Polk County last month, the area's highest figure in 16 years, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation. June's rate was up from 6.4 percent the year before and 10.9 percent in May. It was Polk's highest figure since unemployment reached 11.7 percent in August 1993.

By TOM PALMER THE LEDGER BARTOW | A new law making it easier for property owners to challenge the valuations of county property appraisers may lead to more requests for hearings, the Polk County Value Adjustment Board was told Friday.

By SHELLEY ROSSETTER LEDGER CORRESPONDENT Nearly 19 years after the body of a man was found in an abandoned home in Winter Haven, police have discovered his identity.

Authorities are looking for an armed man who entered an East Palmetto house and fired shots before fleeing early Saturday morning.

Back when WTVT was a CBS affiliate, news legend Walter Cronkite took some time to record this promo for the station. The year was 1985.

Tons of mulch are produced every day at L&N Mulch in Odessa. The company once produced so much mulch, it supplied Busch Gardens. But two large fires at the business have gotten the county's attention, and may burn L&N out of business.

Clearwater Police are looking for two suspects they say carjacked and kidnapped an 80-year-old woman. Police say the two suspects kidnapped the woman from her house, tied her up and put her in the trunk of her car while they drove around and robbed a gas station.

A Lakeland man has been charged with the death of his 5-month-old daughter. Polk County detectives say Timothy King beat his daughter Kyra to death by slamming her against her crib.

BioDelivery Sciences International Inc., led by Chairman Frank O'Donnell Jr., a St. Louis ophthalmologist, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market a cancer pain drug patch for the inside of the cheek. O’Donnell is also chairman and chief executive of Biovest International based in Tampa.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, is using the most recent high unemployment rates in Florida to blast a proposed health care plan that has the support of Democrats in Congress.

Dr. Gabriel DeCandido agreed to pay $1.7 million to settle allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice that he defrauded the Medicare program.

On the heels of worsening unemployment news, the Florida Employee Confidence Index dropped 5.6 points to 37.8 in June.

A June 24 judgment against the one-time developers of Trump Tower Tampa has ended with an auction of the Ashley Drive property on the courthouse steps.

School Board officials unveiled a lean $668 spending plan for Polk County schools at a meeting Monday.

Bartow’s $72.4 million budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. contains no money for employee pay raises and eliminates 11 positions from the payroll, city commissioners learned on Monday.

Bartow’s new police chief, Joe Hall, was sworn in Monday morning at City Hall in front of his new officers and staff.

Bartow police officers and dispatchers involved in nabbing two burglary suspects received commendations from Interim Police Chief David Brooks on Friday, July 10.

Who will Bartow choose as their “Bartow Idol?”