/The number of positive coroanvirus cases statewide was 97,291. An additional 17 reported deaths brought the death toll to 3,254.Florida’s coronavirus cases continued to climb Sunday, with the number of people infected nearing 100,000.The daily update, released by the state Department of Health, reported an additional 3,494 new cases on Sunday. Combined with a surge of nearly 4,700 new cases reported Saturday, the number of positive coronavirus infections in Florida now sits at 97,291.The state also reported an additional 17 deaths attributed to COVID-19, the respiratory infection triggered...…/The number of positive coroanvirus cases statewide was 97,291. An additional 17 reported deaths brought the death toll to 3,254.Florida’s coronavirus cases continued to climb Sunday, with the number of people infected nearing 100,000.The daily update, released by the state Department of Health, reported an additional 3,494 new cases on Sunday. Combined with a surge of nearly 4,700 new cases reported Saturday, the number of positive coronavirus infections in Florida now sits at 97,291.The state also reported an additional 17 deaths attributed to COVID-19, the respiratory infection triggered...WW…

/Positive tests per 100,000 people are increasing, a state health official says. The numbers were high in Hillsborough at the start of reopening and are only climbing higher.TAMPA — Local elected officials say the latest coronavirus numbers give them new cause for concern as people are venturing out again and demonstrators take to the streets.For each of the past seven days, every day but Monday, the number of new coronavirus cases reported across Florida has topped 1,000 — a pattern not seen since coronavirus in Florida hit its first peak in early April. Tuesday, the state reported 1,096...…/Positive tests per 100,000 people are increasing, a state health official says. The numbers were high in Hillsborough at the start of reopening and are only climbing higher.TAMPA — Local elected officials say the latest coronavirus numbers give them new cause for concern as people are venturing out again and demonstrators take to the streets.For each of the past seven days, every day but Monday, the number of new coronavirus cases reported across Florida has topped 1,000 — a pattern not seen since coronavirus in Florida hit its first peak in early April. Tuesday, the state reported 1,096...WW…

/Hillsborough deputies were posted at the flag’s base over the weekend to protect against vandalism. SEFFNER — The local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans took down the giant Confederate flag waving above Interstate 4 after people on social media threatened to set it on fire.The call to remove the 30-foot by 60-foot battle flag came from the local chapter’s higher-ups in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, including Florida Division Commander Kelly Crocker.The state division claims ownership of Confederate Memorial Park, the small parcel of land on U.S. 92 where a 139-foot flag pole...…/Hillsborough deputies were posted at the flag’s base over the weekend to protect against vandalism. SEFFNER — The local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans took down the giant Confederate flag waving above Interstate 4 after people on social media threatened to set it on fire.The call to remove the 30-foot by 60-foot battle flag came from the local chapter’s higher-ups in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, including Florida Division Commander Kelly Crocker.The state division claims ownership of Confederate Memorial Park, the small parcel of land on U.S. 92 where a 139-foot flag pole...WW…

/It's been hard for some activists to reconcile pledges of a more responsive police force when the police still count battle gear among their tools.TAMPA — The first Black Lives Matter protest to reach Tampa Bay escalated into a fiery faceoff — rock-throwing protesters versus police officers wearing body armor and gas masks, carrying ballistic shields and lobbing flash grenades.Buildings were burned and looted around University Square Mall on May 31 as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and navigated the scene in tank-like vehicles.Government and community leaders in Tampa Bay have...…/It's been hard for some activists to reconcile pledges of a more responsive police force when the police still count battle gear among their tools.TAMPA — The first Black Lives Matter protest to reach Tampa Bay escalated into a fiery faceoff — rock-throwing protesters versus police officers wearing body armor and gas masks, carrying ballistic shields and lobbing flash grenades.Buildings were burned and looted around University Square Mall on May 31 as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and navigated the scene in tank-like vehicles.Government and community leaders in Tampa Bay have...WW…

/Ybor City has drawn crowds during the pandemic, but Super Bowl eve trumped them all. And it wasn’t just Ybor.TAMPA — Dr. Anthony Fauci advises people to lay low for the Super Bowl, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say your risk of spreading coronavius increases with the number of people you encounter, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has in popular outdoor areas through next week.But judging by photos and videos from the scene, these exhortations fell on largely deaf ears the night before the Super Bowl along historic Seventh Avenue in Ybor City.Seventh Avenue has continued to...…/Ybor City has drawn crowds during the pandemic, but Super Bowl eve trumped them all. And it wasn’t just Ybor.TAMPA — Dr. Anthony Fauci advises people to lay low for the Super Bowl, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say your risk of spreading coronavius increases with the number of people you encounter, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has in popular outdoor areas through next week.But judging by photos and videos from the scene, these exhortations fell on largely deaf ears the night before the Super Bowl along historic Seventh Avenue in Ybor City.Seventh Avenue has continued to...WW…

/It can be done safely despite the coronavirus, health experts say, like at Orlando’s theme parks. But there’s no enforcement planned here. TAMPA — It will be a Super Bowl like never before — a championship showdown in the midst of a global pandemic, nationwide racial reckoning and political upheaval.So who better than Tampa Bay to play host?We’ve done it before, under the most challenging of circumstances, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told reporters gathered Monday to hear about community logistics now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won the NFC championship and become the first team ever to...…/It can be done safely despite the coronavirus, health experts say, like at Orlando’s theme parks. But there’s no enforcement planned here. TAMPA — It will be a Super Bowl like never before — a championship showdown in the midst of a global pandemic, nationwide racial reckoning and political upheaval.So who better than Tampa Bay to play host?We’ve done it before, under the most challenging of circumstances, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told reporters gathered Monday to hear about community logistics now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won the NFC championship and become the first team ever to...WW…

/Corporal Brian LaVigne served for more than 30 years with the agency and was a field training officer.Corporal Brian LaVigne had one shift left at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office before he was due to retire.Instead, he was intentionally hit and killed by a man speeding away from deputies Monday, according to Sheriff Chad Chronister.Chronister choked up at a news conference Monday night as he spoke about LaVigne’s three-decade career at the office, how he was set to work on Tuesday and then not again. He was 54 years old and is survived by his wife and two children, one of whom is...…/Corporal Brian LaVigne served for more than 30 years with the agency and was a field training officer.Corporal Brian LaVigne had one shift left at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office before he was due to retire.Instead, he was intentionally hit and killed by a man speeding away from deputies Monday, according to Sheriff Chad Chronister.Chronister choked up at a news conference Monday night as he spoke about LaVigne’s three-decade career at the office, how he was set to work on Tuesday and then not again. He was 54 years old and is survived by his wife and two children, one of whom is...WW…

/Hillsborough County’s vaccination phone line was receiving an estimated 2,000 phone calls per minute at midday, a spokeswoman said. Websites and phone lines were down for hours. Ruth Kern began refreshing the Pinellas County health department website minutes before the vaccine registration portal went live at noon Monday. She couldn’t get through.The 66-year-old retired Gulfport resident was eager to sign up for a coronavirus vaccine, and Monday was supposed to be when she and other seniors across Tampa Bay finally could.But the day left local seniors feeling no closer to receiving...…/Hillsborough County’s vaccination phone line was receiving an estimated 2,000 phone calls per minute at midday, a spokeswoman said. Websites and phone lines were down for hours. Ruth Kern began refreshing the Pinellas County health department website minutes before the vaccine registration portal went live at noon Monday. She couldn’t get through.The 66-year-old retired Gulfport resident was eager to sign up for a coronavirus vaccine, and Monday was supposed to be when she and other seniors across Tampa Bay finally could.But the day left local seniors feeling no closer to receiving...WW…

//After weeks of being able to cast vote-by-mail ballots, Floridians in most counties started voting in person Monday.Thousands of voters flocked to cast ballots Monday on the first day of early in-person voting in Tampa Bay, with record turnout just the latest sign of this presidential election’s intensity.Both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties reported unprecedented numbers for first-day early voting, even with some heavy afternoon showers. Hillsborough had more than 24,000 voters come through its early voting sites, with more swinging by to drop off mail ballots. That’s compared to...…//After weeks of being able to cast vote-by-mail ballots, Floridians in most counties started voting in person Monday.Thousands of voters flocked to cast ballots Monday on the first day of early in-person voting in Tampa Bay, with record turnout just the latest sign of this presidential election’s intensity.Both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties reported unprecedented numbers for first-day early voting, even with some heavy afternoon showers. Hillsborough had more than 24,000 voters come through its early voting sites, with more swinging by to drop off mail ballots. That’s compared to...WW…