WTSP - Florida

DOJ: Florida cryptocurrency CEO arrested in $328 million fraud scheme

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:13:18 GMT

Federal officials said the CEO of Goliath Ventures used the company as a "Ponzi scheme" from 2023 to 2026.

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Florida gas prices: How military operations in Iran could impact price at the pump

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:04:36 GMT

While the U.S. does not import oil from Iran, military operations could influence the global supply chain.

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Proposed Florida bill impacting labor unions draws clamor and support

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:48:49 GMT

The bill would add new requirements for most labor unions.

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Manatee and calf rescued in Lee County to be taken care of in SeaWorld Orlando

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 01:12:39 GMT

ZooTampa helped care for a manatee and her calf after they were rescued by the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

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Lakeland man among four killed in deadly Cuba speedboat shootout

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:11:15 GMT

Cuban officials say they returned fire when a passenger on the Florida-registered speedboat shot first.

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Florida hits 100% drought coverage for first time on record

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:02:23 GMT

Drought conditions persist across Tampa Bay as the dry pattern continues.

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E-bikes vs. e-motos: Florida law enforcement's urgent message as new legislation passes

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:42:04 GMT

As the Florida Senate passes new e-bike legislation, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is sharing video of a teen illegally driving an e-moto.

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Cuban government says 4 men killed in Florida-registered boat shootout 'infiltrated for terrorist purposes'

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:44:38 GMT

Cuban officials said "assault rifles, handguns, [and] homemade explosive devices (Molotov cocktails)... were seized" from a Florida-registered boat.

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I-75 lanes along Alligator Alley open after 25,000 acre fire

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:29:23 GMT

The Florida Highway Patrol announced all the lanes are back open just before 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

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Cuts to AIDS medication program set for Sunday; thousands of Floridians to lose access

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:52:38 GMT

Advocates said at least 16,000 Floridians could be at risk of losing assistance from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

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Florida Senate approves bill to expand swim voucher program, awaiting House vote

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:18:35 GMT

A new bill for free swim vouchers would increase the age limit from four to seven.

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4 killed, 6 hurt on Florida-registered boat after crew shoots at Cuban border guards, Cuba says

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:46:58 GMT

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office is launching an investigation, claiming, "the Cuban government cannot be trusted."

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Trump vs DeSantis: Whose endorsement matters more in Florida's governor race?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:41:48 GMT

A new poll on the Florida governor's race gauged who has more influence on Republican voters, President Donald Trump or Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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Florida Missing Child Alert canceled for 17-year-old Tampa boy

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:05:11 GMT

Officials announced the teen was found safe Wednesday morning.

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Held without Help: Hundreds of mentally ill inmates wait months in jail despite 15-day transfer law

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:23:22 GMT

Our investigative team has found people needing psychiatric treatment waiting six times as long as the max allowed under Florida law while sitting behind bars.

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Man convicted of 1986 killing of elderly grocery store owner in Palmetto to be executed

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:00:09 GMT

Melvin Trotter was convicted of strangling and stabbing Virgie Langford at her store in Palmetto in 1986. She lived long enough to describe her killer before dying.

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Man whose sentence was commuted by Biden in 2025 now faces new charges in Florida

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:30:31 GMT

Oscar Fowler, whose sentence was commuted before Donald Trump took office for his second term as president, is facing charges at the state level.

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Florida woman ordered to state hospital dies in custody after transfer delay

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:57:28 GMT

Jema Schunke was supposed to be transferred to a state facility weeks before she was beaten to death inside the Duval County jail.

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Remains believed to be Palm Coast woman missing since 2003 recovered from Intracoastal Waterway

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:23:17 GMT

Remains believed to belong to Mary Lou Combs, who disappeared 22 years ago, have been recovered along with other items from the Intracoastal Waterway.

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'Fall' of Maduro added to Florida students' coursework

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:20:48 GMT

Department of Education Senior Chancellor Paul Burns said the Maduro lessons will be geared towards students in grades nine through 12.

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Man charged with child abuse in connection to 3-year-old girl's death in Central Florida

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:38:51 GMT

The 32-year-old suspect admitted to tying the child up and punching her in the chest prior to her death, according to an affidavit.

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Florida House passes property tax cut proposal

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:25:09 GMT

If passed by the Senate, Florida voters will have the choice to repeal nearly all property taxes, except for those that fund our schools.

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Florida leads unprovoked shark attacks, as bites dropped overall in the US, study shows

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:51:43 GMT

Last year, there were 11 unprovoked shark bites reported in Florida, of which none were lethal.

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Florida Aquarium penguins visit state capitol to push for storm protection, reef restoration funding

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:40:14 GMT

Aquarium officials shared the urgent need for flood barrier walls and upgrades to exterior entrances to protect animals at its downtown Tampa location.

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Florida lawmakers pass bill to rename Palm Beach airport after President Trump

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:16:40 GMT

The legislation to rename the Florida airport after President Donald Trump now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.

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Florida-bound JetBlue flight evacuated as smoke filled cabin after emergency landing

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:50:41 GMT

Passengers exited the plane onto the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport via emergency landing slides.

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'One of Florida's finest': FHP trooper passes away during training session

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:05:13 GMT

Trooper Michael Diego started his career with FHP in 2021 as part of the 149th Recruit Class, and worked for the Fort Pierce and Fort Myers offices.

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'He was a star': Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa dies at 25; fans and friends honor his legacy

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:06:28 GMT

Lil Poppa, a rising rapper from Jacksonville, has died at 25. His hometown fans and friends remember him for his candid lyrics and tireless work ethic.

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WATCH: Luxury car crashes into Florida school bus, gets wedged underneath

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:14:26 GMT

Video shows a Jaguar crashing into the back of a Florida school bus and getting wedged underneath. The driver only suffered minor injuries.

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Florida lawmaker proposes bill to replace daylight saving time with permanent half-hour shift

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:25:40 GMT

The Daylight Act of 2026, introduced earlier this month, calls for clocks to slide forward a half-hour from where they are now.

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Affidavit: Man slashes 13-year-old boy's throat while he was in town for Daytona 500

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:56:20 GMT

When officers found the suspect, he was reportedly carrying a black box-cutter and a silver knife on him.

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Palantir quietly relocates headquarters from Denver to Florida

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:06:04 GMT

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said that before Tuesday, he did not know the company was leaving Colorado.

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Nearly 8 years after Parkland school shooting, Florida House backs effort to reverse gun purchasing age

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:08:03 GMT

The House once again supports lowering the age to buy long guns and rifles from 21 to 18.

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3rd Kingdom of God Global Church leader arrested in forced labor, money laundering investigation

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:15:09 GMT

The arrest of a woman known as "Prophetess" comes six months after the FBI searched a Tampa mansion tied to the Kingdom of God Global Church.

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Florida moms say Meta disabled their accounts over false child exploitation claim

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:56:27 GMT

Across the country, Facebook and Instagram users have reported having their accounts erroneously disabled with limited ways to appeal.

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Rep. Randy Fine's controversial post draws accusations of Islamophobia, calls for resignation

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:11:15 GMT

Rep. Randy Fine's comments on X comparing Muslims unfavorably to dogs has drawn criticism from Democrats and his congressional colleagues.

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Controversial state emergency fund used for immigration crackdown set to expire at midnight

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:07:02 GMT

The fund, created to respond to natural disasters, has been used for immigration enforcement since 2023.

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Florida man accidentally shoots neighbor's horse during target practice, deputies say

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:32:55 GMT

Another bullet went through a door and wall of his neighbor's home before coming to rest on a kitchen windowsill, according to the sheriff's office.

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Florida budget talks begin at session’s halfway mark

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:50:50 GMT

House and Senate proposals differ by $1.4 billion, fall short of Gov. DeSantis’ plan and set the stage for tense negotiations.

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New details released on timeline of Sarasota-Fort Lauderdale family murders

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:46:38 GMT

Sarasota County detectives said they found two handguns, ammunition, five knives, rope, tape and an axe inside Russell Kot's car.

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