Tampa Bay, Florida news | Tampa Bay Times/St. Pete Times

The Save the Garden coalition submitted a petition to the City Clerk Tuesday that would require voter approval before the city could vacate a public right-of-way downtown.

Clearwater petition seeks voter approval of downtown land transfers

The Save the Garden coalition started petitioning for a ballot initiative last year, after the Church of Scientology sought a public street.

Am I agreeing with Sheriff Grady Judd on immigration? | Column

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has suggested a two-track approach to immigration.

A two-track approach could break the logjam to reform.

Lawmakers aren’t finished in Tallahassee. Here’s what they have left to do.

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about his proposal for Florida to become the first state to abolish property taxes during a news conference at the Florida REALTORS headquarters in Orlando on Monday, March 31, 2025.

Budget, redistricting, property taxes — and more?

MacDill lifts shelter-in-place order as elevated security continues

U.S. Air Force Security Forces stand guard at the Dale Mabry gate of MacDill Air Force Base after a shelter-in-place order was lifted on Wednesday in Tampa. MacDill was listed as Force Protection Condition Charlie (FPCON Charlie), which places the base under heightened alert, after a suspicious package was found earlier in the week.

Investigation of a suspicious package is ongoing.

From left: Tampa Bay Times reporters Marc Topkin and Colleen Wright and columnist John Romano, the 2026 recipients of the Lucy Morgan Award, listen to remarks from editors on Wednesday at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Times journalists Topkin, Wright, Romano win Lucy Morgan Prize

The reporters have worked together to cover the Tampa Bay Rays and their stadium deals.

Teachers, families rally as Hillsborough looks to close Pizzo K-8

Community members from the Pizzo K-8 community rallied to save the school.

Pizzo is one of three schools the district might close in the name of “fiscal and operational responsibility.”

3 education issues that Florida lawmakers passed, and 4 they didn’t

State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, urges House members to support legislation placing additional limits on public sector unions during floor debate on March 11, 2026.

Bills on teacher unions and cursive writing made it through. Others on vouchers, Schools of Hope and Charlie Kirk did not.

Attorney involved in Hope Florida Medicaid settlement gets named to judge post

Gov. Ron DeSantis (pictured) has named Andrew Sheeran, general counsel for the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration, to a circuit judge position.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Andrew Sheeran as a circuit judge.

SPORTS

USF has its first NCAA game in 14 years, and a coach has a homecoming

Bryan Hodgson, who has USF in the NCAA Tournament less than a year after being hired, is back home in Buffalo for a first-round matchup against Louisville on Thursday.

Brooklyn spoils the party on night Sun unveil championship banner

Sun goalkeeper Emory Wegener makes a save during the first half of Wednesday's match against Brooklyn at Suncoast Credit Union Field.

With two lefties, Rays feel they did right setting up the rotation

With Shane McClanahan, pictured, healthy again and the addition of Steven Matz, the Rays have two lefties this season in the starting rotation. The Rays last had two lefties make at least 10 starts each in 2022.

Bucs made bigger offer to Mike Evans than 49ers did, Jason Licht says

In the end, Mike Evans' decision to sign with the 49ers was based on the receiver's need for a new challenge after 12 seasons in Tampa Bay, Bucs general manager Jason Licht said.

VIEWPOINTS

Florida’s land is disappearing faster than our funding can save it | Column

ATS NE Feb 2024

Am I agreeing with Sheriff Grady Judd on immigration? | Column

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has suggested a two-track approach to immigration.

This week’s top comments from Tampabay.com

Renderings for a proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium and mixed-used entertainment complex in Tampa.

USF has its first NCAA game in 14 years, and a coach has a homecoming

Bryan Hodgson, who has USF in the NCAA Tournament less than a year after being hired, is back home in Buffalo for a first-round matchup against Louisville on Thursday.

More Viewpoints

POLITICS

MacDill lifts shelter-in-place order as elevated security continues

U.S. Air Force Security Forces stand guard at the Dale Mabry gate of MacDill Air Force Base after a shelter-in-place order was lifted on Wednesday in Tampa. MacDill was listed as Force Protection Condition Charlie (FPCON Charlie), which places the base under heightened alert, after a suspicious package was found earlier in the week.

Trump administration widens Medicaid fraud crackdown to Florida, calling it a ‘hotspot’

Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services, appeared before the Senate Finance Committee for his nomination hearing on March 14, 2025.

As health care cuts bite, Tampa Bay residents turn to last resort providers

Nicole Chapman works out at the Lee Davis Healthy Living Center in East Tampa. After going without health insurance for many years, Chapman enrolled in the Hillsborough County health plan, a safety net program. Soon after, she discovered she had a 10-inch tumor in her uterus.

3 education issues that Florida lawmakers passed, and 4 they didn’t

State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, urges House members to support legislation placing additional limits on public sector unions during floor debate on March 11, 2026.

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DIVE IN

An assortment of dishes are pictured at Ash on Oct. 14, in Tampa.

Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants

Check out our food critic’s full list of the area’s best restaurants.

Hospice nurse Deborah Grassman, left, and Angie Snyder run a St. Petersburg nonprofit called Opus Peace. Grassman recently published her third book, "Soul Injury," which helps people heal their invisible wounds. The women created training sessions, workshops and webinars on the subject which are sparking a global self-help movement.

Dying veterans taught St. Petersburg hospice nurse about soul injuries

Pool amenities are seen during a tour of the The Ritz-Carlton Residences Tower 1 on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 in Tampa.

Luxury condos are hot in Tampa Bay. Here are some of the priciest ones

Secure a couple of chairs facing the beach at Pass-a-Grille's Paradise Grille and admire the view with a drink in your hand.

20 of our favorite Tampa Bay beach bars and restaurants

Joe Cosas, left, and his wife, Rebecca Cosas, stand in front of her childhood home in Town ’N Country. After the home was flooded in Hurricane Helene, the couple applied to Elevate Florida, a program that state officials said would speed efforts to harden homes to hurricanes. A year later, the Cosas are still waiting to see if they'll get money to raise their house.

Florida program promised more hurricane-hardy homes. Has the state delivered?

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