New Year’s Eve fireworks lighting up the night sky over the Laurel Street Bridge and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa, Florida.

Florida considers cancelling 4th of July fireworks over drought concerns

“You’re talking about … potentially hundreds of thousands of people going out and doing fireworks. You could put the entire state on fire in one evening.”

by News Service of Florida May 19, 2026May 26, 2026

A bright, daytime outdoor photograph of a group of approximately nine protestors standing in a line across the front steps of the St. Petersburg City Hall. The building features classic, light-colored stone architecture with large columns and the words 'MUNICIPAL BUILDING' carved above the main glass entrance doors. The individuals are dressed in casual clothing and are holding up various black-and-white protest signs. On the far right, an individual wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt, khaki pants, a baseball cap, and sunglasses is holding a clear sign that reads 'ICE AGENTS DESERVE PRISON, NOT PROTECTION'. Other visible signs share similar anti-ICE messaging. Dark shadows from nearby trees are cast across the paved, sunlit plaza in the foreground.

News & Views

Outside St. Pete City Hall, protestors continue call for police to end agreement with ICE

For those in attendance, the debate over immigration enforcement is deeply personal and far from over.

by Daria Mironova and WMNF News May 19, 2026May 19, 2026

A daytime outdoor photograph of the front page of The Gabber Newspaper standing upright on a white circular table. The newspaper masthead reads 'GABBER' with a 'FREE' banner next to it. The main headline, 'Writing for Rescues', sits above images of two book covers, including one titled 'Gotcha Day'. The bottom of the front page features two advertisements with QR codes, including one for the Gulfport Night Market. To the left, several other folded newspapers lie flat on the table. The background features lush green palm fronds and the top corner of a gray metal mesh chair on the right.

News & Views

Gulfport’s Gabber newspaper says ‘the paper is done’ if July fundraising goal is not met

Founded in 1968, the paper now faces a $90K shortfall, plus $70K in legal fees.

by Ray Roa May 19, 2026May 20, 2026

Small boat in Palm Beach, Florida flying a large Donald Trump "Make America Great Again" campaign flag on the water.

News & Views

Florida boating accidents saw a significant increase in 2025, says FWC

Alcohol or drugs played a role in 14 percent of the boating fatalities.

by News Service of Florida May 18, 2026May 18, 2026

News & Views

Downtown Tampa’s Wallace building is coming down, bringing with it a century’s worth of history

It’s most recently been known as the GTE building, but was once home to the Tampa Tribune.

by Colin Wolf May 18, 2026May 18, 2026

Architectural rendering of the new Tampa Bay Rays stadium in Tampa Florida, featuring a modern glass pavilion roof and a vibrant fan plaza.

News & Views

Op-ed: ‘Just say no’ to Rays stadium deal, says former Tampa elected officials

A ‘no’ vote this week sends a strong message to the owners and MLB that if a stadium is built here, WE will set the terms and WE won’t be ‘played.’

By John Dingfelder, Mariella Smith, Orlando Gudes, Pat Kemp, Linda Saul-SenaMay 18, 2026May 18, 2026

News & Views

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. is selling his Florida mega-mansion for $27 million

The Mediterranean-style home was purchased by Griffey Jr. in 2004 for $2,575,000, according to property records.

by Colin Wolf May 18, 2026May 18, 2026

News & Views

Nominations for Creative Loafing’s 2026 Best of the Bay are now open

The nomination period is open through June 10.

by Ray Roa May 15, 2026May 15, 2026

Bright yellow Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 taxiing on the runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida.

News & Views

Florida jobless claims spike following Spirit Airlines layoffs

Nationally, 211,000 claims were filed last week, up from 199,000 the week ending May 2.

by News Service of Florida May 15, 2026May 15, 2026

Based on the image provided in the Facebook post, here are a few options for SEO-friendly alt-text, ranging from concise to more descriptive: Option 1: Descriptive & Keyword-Rich (Best for SEO) Governor Ron DeSantis speaking at a podium during the unveiling of a James Madison statue in Florida. The podium features a sign identifying Madison as the "Father of the Constitution," set against the backdrop of a historic courthouse with patriotic banners.

News & Views

DeSantis slams Florida House Speaker Perez, claims he has ‘a personal agenda’

“When you have people that got elected on our back, like the Speaker of the House, get in and do the opposite of what the voters expected us to do, I’m going to call that out.”

by Gray Rohrer, Ana Goñi-Lessan and News Service of Florida May 15, 2026May 15, 2026