Son Kills Mother | Wrong-Way DUI Driver | Tiny Gator Booted: FL News

FLORIDA — On the weekend, we present a week in review of the top stories and headlines from across Florida. Here's a roundup of some of the biggest and quirkiest stories across the state. You can also find your local Patch and catch up on those stories by clicking here.

Man Shoots, Kills Mother Before Turning Gun On Self: Manatee Sheriff

Deputies are investigating a Sunday evening murder-suicide in Parrish, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said.

FL’s First Drive-Thru Wawa Opening In Tampa Bay Area
The new drive-thru Wawa opening soon in Pinellas County will be the company’s third such location in the U.S.

20 Inches Of Rain In South FL Swamps Streets With 10 More On The Way

Parts of South FL could see as much as 30 inches of rain as the first tropical disturbance of hurricane season moves across the state: NWS.

• Also Read: 5 FL Counties Among Worst In U.S. For Flooding: Ranking

SUV Drove Off Howard Frankland Into Construction Zone After Crash: FHP

Watch: A car speeding on the Howard Frankland Bridge Wednesday caused an SUV to drive off the road into a construction zone, hit 2 vehicles.

Demolition Underway At FL School Massacre Site Where 17 Died: Report

A Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School classroom building is being demolished six years after 17 people were killed on Valentine's Day.

Missing Dog Reunited With Owner, Man Arrested: Port Richey Police

A woman was reunited with her missing dog Otis after 6 weeks, Port Richey police said. The man he was found with faces charges.

Store Closures Surge In FL: See List Of Retailers Shutting Doors

Retail data provider CoreSight noted a 24 percent increase in store closures over last year. Here's what to know in Florida.

Tiny Gator Swept From Lobby Of FL Restaurant: Watch

Deputies used a broom to sweep a tiny gator from outside a Bradenton Peach’s restaurant, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

FL Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors Struck Down: Reports

A federal judge struck down FL’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth and restrictions for trans adult care, reports said.

Officer Drove Into Wrong-Way DUI Driver To Stop Him: St. Pete Police

An officer forced a wrong-way DUI driver off the road Monday morning by driving into him, St. Petersburg police said.

Gabby Petito Asked Brian Laundrie To 'Stop Calling Me Names': Letter

"You know how much I love you. … Stop calling me names," Gabby Petito wrote to Brian Laundrie in a letter newly released by the FBI.

South FL Chef Wins James Beard Award

Valerie Chang, executive chef and owner of Maty’s in Miami, was honored at Monday’s James Beard Foundation Awards.

Person Shot, 50 Evacuated In 3-Alarm Miami Fire: Reports

A person was found with a gunshot wound in a Miami apartment building, where crews are battling a three-alarm fire that has displaced 50.

Man Dies After Driving Into Sarasota Home: FL Highway Patrol

The man drove off the road and through a ditch, hit a parked vehicle, and drove through a Sarasota home, Florida Highway Patrol said.

2 $4M Mega Millions Tickets Sold At FL Publix Stores Half Mile Apart
Two Publix stores only a half-mile apart in the Tampa Bay area each sold a $4M-winning ticket in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, reports said.

Sarasota Rainfall Broke Records In ‘Thousand-Year Storm’: Officials

More rain fell in the Sarasota area on Tuesday than when Hurricane Ian pummeled the region as a category 4 storm in September 2022.

FL Is Second-Worst State For LGBTQ+ Safety In U.S.: Ranking

Florida earned an "F" grade, ranking it at No. 50 in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ safety in 2024, a new report from SafeHome.org said.

Despite Reports, Detwiler’s Won’t Be Moving Into St. Pete: Reports

Though developers said they were in talks to bring Detwiler’s to St. Pete, the grocery chain said no such move is in the works, reports said

3 Injured In Shark Attacks At FL Beaches

"I made it," said a teenage girl who suffered bites that required surgery after three people were bitten in separate Florida shark attacks.

SUV Driver Dead In Manatee County Crash: FL Highway Patrol

The driver lost control of his SUV in Palmetto, driving off the road and into a canal with no water, the Florida Highway Patrol said.