From the intense presidential election showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump to the relentless hurricanes that battered the Tampa Bay region, 2024 was packed with historic events.
What stories best captured audience attention and conversations across the state?
Topics that resonated most with our readers in 2024 ranged from live hurricane updates and support resources information, global warming, habitat and wildlife challenges to unprecendented events like the Baltimore bridge collapse.
Here are the most-read stories on WUSF.org in 2024:
County-by-county evacuations for Hurricane Milton
WUSF Staff | Oct. 7
As Hurricane Milton triggered evacuations in counties along Florida's west coast, orders and shelter information by county was listed. Read more here.
There's a panther problem in the Florida Wildlife Corridor
Steve Newborn | May 6
The Florida panther's future is at risk due to proposed developments within the planned Florida Wildlife Corridor. Despite the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act's aim to protect 18 million acres, rapid development in key areas like Collier and Lee counties threatens panther habitats. Read more here.
Photos show the devastation from Hurricane Helene across Tampa Bay
Carl Lisciandrello | Sept. 27
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm Thursday night in Florida's Big Bend region. And although the storm did not take a direct hit on the Tampa Bay area, it produced a storm surge that closed bridges, flooded roads, and surge that inundated coastal areas — especially in Pinellas County. Read more here.
DeSantis says Florida won't pay for Brightline expansion
Ari Angelo | April 6
Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference where he signed a bill that addresses road projects, congestion and other transportation issues. But there was one thing the bill does not include — money for the proposed expansion of high-speed rail between Orlando and Tampa. Read more here.
How to find your hurricane evacuation zone map across the Tampa Bay area
Carrie Pinkard | June 1, 2019
Hurricane season ran from June 1 through Nov. 30. Emergency management officials say it's important residents know which evacuation zone they live in. This story provided a statewide searchable map of evacuation zones across the state. Read more here.
What if a neighbor’s tree falls on your house? A lawyer answers common post-hurricane questions
Kerry Sheridan | Oct. 16
After Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, many people were wondering about home insurance and how to proceed with fixing up damage. WUSF’s Kerry Sheridan spoke with Charles Gallagher, managing partner for Gallagher and Associates law firm in St. Petersburg, for some advice on common quandaries. Read more here.
Storms, like Hurricane Helene, are wetter and intensifying faster due to global warming
Jessica Meszaros | Sept. 26
Hurricane Helene headed for Florida's northwest coast as it rapidly intensified. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, and a warmer ocean evaporates more moisture into the air — and both contribute to wetter storms. Read more here.
Florida's real estate agents could see changes in their pay
Gabriella Pinos | March 25
For decades, the seller of a house would pay the commission of the buyer’s agent, which has usually been 5-6%. The National Association of Realtors reached a settlement that could cut that rate in the next few years. Read more here.
Live updates on Milton
WUSF Staff | Oct. 11
Power outages, crisis clean-up hotlines, evacuation zones and more information were provided in this live update. Read more here.
Baltimore bridge collapse rekindles Skyway memories for Tampa Bay area residents
Meghan Bowman | March 27
The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge spurred recollections of the 1980 Sunshine Skyway disaster. Over 40 years later, search and rescue officials said the two incidents were "eerily similar." Read more here.
Live updates on Helene
WUSF Staff | Sept. 24
Emergency information, shelters, evacuation zones and more were covered in this live update. Read more here.
St. Petersburg’s leaders reduced Tropicana Field’s insurance coverage ahead of hurricane season
Gabriella Paul | Nov. 1
The Budget, Finance and Taxation Committee reduced coverage limits specifically for Tropicana Field when renewing policies this year. The proposal by Brown & Brown passed in a unanimous vote. Read more here.
In 'Take Care of Maya' case, judgment is lowered but motion for retrial is dismissed
Meghan Bowman | Jan. 19
Judge Hunter Carroll decreased the judgment for Maya Kowalski and her family from Netflix's "Take Care of Maya" documentary nearly $47.5 million, but denied All Children's Hospital's motion for a retrial. Read more here.
USF faculty say morale has 'dropped significantly' after new state law
Nancy Guan | Aug. 13
The University of South Florida's faculty union sat at the bargaining table with the university's negotiating team to discuss the terms of a new employee contract in August 2024. The law requires professors to undergo more frequent evaluations to earn tenure. Read more here.
Here's where you can cast your early vote across the Tampa Bay area
Quyen Tran | Oct. 18
Early voting for the 2024 elections began Oct. 21. The list provided voting locations county-by-county across Florida as Election Day 2024 drew closer. Read more here.
A federal judge blocks a Florida law that restricts transgender health care
Daylina Miller | June 11
Florida has been among the 25 states that have restricted access to gender-affirming care for minors, and one of six that made it a felony to provide such care to minors. The ruling in Doe v. Ladapo found that SB 254 and the related medical board rules violate the equal protection rights of transgender individuals and parents of minors in Florida. Read more here.
Storm surge from a distant Helene creates major problems around the Tampa Bay area
WUSF Staff | Sept. 27
While Central Florida was spared from destruction in the Big Bend, many residents were surprised by the flooding while the hurricane was hundreds of miles away. Read more here.
Florida's oldest restaurant strives to reopen Sarasota location by month's end
Kerry Sheridan 1|Oct. 14
The Columbia restaurant has been a family business since the early 1900s. Its Sarasota location had been closed since late September due to flooding. Read more here.
Pasco County officials call rising rivers a '200-year flood event'
Gabriella Paul | Oct. 12
Several neighborhoods were inundated with water. Officials said historic river flooding was also spilling over into nearby lakes, retention ponds and threatening neighborhoods that typically stay dry. Read more here.
Sunshine Skyway set the standard for bridge protections. They weren't present in Baltimore
Meghan Bowman | March 29
Thirty-six cylindrical concrete bumpers filled with rock line the bottom of the Sunshine Skyway, along with two rock islands that surround the main supports. These protective structures were installed after the 1980 disaster. The Sunshine Skyway collapse in 1980 led to innovations for bridge protection that were not present at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Read more here.
