Boy Shot, Manatees Downgraded, Waterfront Oasis

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in the Tampa bay area and surrounding counties. The following are some of the top stories from the past day:

Boy, 4, Accidentally Shot In Stomach

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accidental shooting that sent a 4-year-old boy to the hospital in Zephyrhills Wednesday night.

Universal’s Volcano Bay Pricing Announced

Water park lovers chomping at the bit for the opening of Universal’s new Volcano Bay don’t have much longer to wait. The new water-based theme park is set to open May 25 with new pricing details released recently.

Masturbating Man Accosted Woman Outside Wawa: Sheriff

As Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives search for a man wanted in connection with an alleged sex offense, they’re turning to the public for help. According to the agency, the man in question was seen masturbating in a Wawa parking lot earlier this month.

Waterfront Oasis Is 5 Minutes From Gulf

If your idea of paradise involves waterfront living and the chance to glimpse dolphins from your own private veranda, this New Port Richey home could fit your tastes well. Described as a “waterfront tropical oasis,” the property sites on a deep-water canal that’s minutes from open water.

Manatee Protection Status Downgraded By Feds

Manatees have officially been bumped from the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While the move to reclassify sea cows as threatened instead might seem like good news, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is blasting the measure.

Florida Arson Dog Sniffing Way Toward National Honor

Clearwater Assistant Fire Marshal Ron Neuberger wasn’t so sure he wanted a dog when his wife and 9-year-old daughter talked him into checking out a Labrador-mix puppy at a shelter a few years back. “I was done as soon as I saw him,” Neuberger admitted about his first encounter with Quincy during a quick stop on his way home from work.

Rattlesnake Pays Firefighters A Visit

An effort by Polk County Fire Rescue to put out a brush fire in the Indian Lake Estates area took a wild turn Wednesday afternoon. According to the agency, firefighters got a bit of a start when a rattlesnake slithered past them.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando