Pinellas County

After a 17-year-old Canadian swimmer was swept out to sea and later found dead, the National Weather Service is warning visitors and residents about the hazards.

The Gateway Expressway, which will connect U.S. 19, I-275 and the Bayside Bridge in Pinellas County with two new elevated toll roads, was expected to be completed by February.

It's gearing up for a busy spring break by offering free parking and a free shuttle service that takes visitors to the Clearwater Marina.

Illegal supplies of fentanyl are being cut with xylazine, a powerful horse tranquilizer. Overdoses involving this veterinary sedative are growing nationally and now Florida officials are tracking the deaths.

The National Weather Service Monday issued a high surf advisory for coastal Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties and also Pinellas County from 7 p.m. Monday to 1 a.m. Wednesday.

House Bill 1487, filed by Republican Linda Chaney, has been tweaked a bit since it was first shown to the Pinellas County Delegation in November.

Pinellas Republican Representative Linda Chaney is crafting the draft legislation, which would trim the amount of board members from 15 to nine, and completely alter how they're appointed.

The county will pay $312.5 million through its bed tax, and no more, commissioners said.

A 13-foot-8.5-inch male alligator was "humanely killed" and removed from the water, authorities said, after a local resident saw the reptile latching onto human remains in a Pinellas County canal.

Redevelopment plans for the 86-acre plot that will houses the new stadium includes equity programs and affordable housing. But residents are not convinced those initiatives will be enough to protect their community.

A 2022 law allows local governments to create smoking zones and fines, enact stricter laws on butt disposal and outright bans. Cities and counties previously lacked that authority.

"To solve the problem of flooding and climate-related disasters, and make community resilient, we need to figure it out how to connect the people with the decision maker," said USF's Barnali Dixon.