Bob Gualtieri

He said 45 people were arrested on charges including looting, armed robbery and vandalism, while a three-day operation resulted in arrests involving unlicensed contractors.

People who chose to ride out Helene along Pinellas beaches described the fear they felt as water rushed through their streets and into their homes. It could take a long time for the barrier islands to recover.

The city manager who served at that time now calls it a "nonevent."

The Pinellas sheriff’s office told county commissioners there have been several incidents in which deputies have been exposed to harmful narcotics. The TruNarc analyzers cost $25,000 each.

A bill to lower the minimum age to buy a long gun in Florida from 21 to 18 has support from Republicans in the House, but it's unlikely to get a hearing in the Senate.

The bill will be heard by the House during the legislative session starting in March. Democrats say the bill would increase violence.

Parents of the victims, and those who were most closely impacted by the shooting, offer their reflections as the fifth anniversary approaches.

Democratic lawmakers say the bill would eliminate the firearms-training requirement. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri calls current training requirements tied to the licensing process “meaningless.”

Deputy Michael Hartwick was outside of his cruiser when he was struck by a construction truck. The driver fled the scene but was later taken into custody.

The Mental Health for Heroes Foundation hopes to provide around 250 hours of paid counseling a month and other mental health services to first responders and their families.

While Florida schools use a common “instrument” called the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines, they don’t have a common threat-assessment process or reporting system.

It allows authorities to take guns from people found to pose a “significant danger” to themselves or others. Critics say it gives the government too much power and doesn’t do enough to safeguard due-process rights.