Lightning Autographs, Florida's Population Up, Deputy Arrested

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:

Florida, Utah Tie For 1st In Private-Sector Job Growth

Florida and Utah lead the nation for the pace at which private-sector jobs are being added to the economy. That's according to data released by Gov. Rick Scott’s office Tuesday.

Wrong-Way Driver Crashed Into Cruiser, Deputies Say

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Tuesday morning wrong-way crash involving two of its own. A motorist suffering from a medical emergency ended up hospitalized following the collision.

Lightning Forward Trading Autographs For Toys

Tampa Bay Lightning fans who would like to meet forward Valtteri Filppula in person will get their chance Wednesday. They can even get an autograph or photo taken with the hockey star for their troubles.

Outback Bowl Beach Day: Clearwater Releases Details

Whether Florida’s streak of temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s continues or not, Clearwater Beach will be the place to be Dec. 30. That’s the day the annual Outback Bowl Beach Day is set to take place.

Publix, Winn-Dixie Christmas 2016 Store Hours

Floridians who find themselves short on items for their holiday dinners will be out of luck if their stores of choice happen to be Publix or Winn-Dixie. Both chains have announced their intention to stay closed on Christmas Day.

Watch: Big Burglary Suspect Squeezes Through Tiny Window

The St. Petersburg Police Department is looking for help identifying a man its officers say wanted to burglarize The Chattaway restaurant so badly he squeezed through a small window to do so.

Florida Nation’s 4th Fastest-Growing State: Census Bureau

With its Florida Man stories, alligator population that tops 1.3 million and standing in the number of annual shark attacks, the Sunshine State gets a bad rap across the country. Those factors, however, don’t seem to be discouraging people from moving here. In fact, Florida is the nation’s fourth fastest-growing state, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau Tuesday.

Pasco Deputy Arrested On Domestic Battery Charge

A 43-year-old Pasco County deputy stands accused in a domestic battery case that led to her arrest and ultimate firing from the agency earlier this week.

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