125 Wildfires, Siesta Key On MTV, Deputy Fired

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:

Gatorland Tip Saved Girl, 10, During Alligator Attack

A 10-year-old girl attacked by an alligator in Lake Mary Jane in the Orlando area Saturday is on the mend thanks to a tip she learned at a theme park. The girl poked the gator’s nostril after it chomped down and then pried her leg free.

Siesta Key Reality Show To Debut On MTV

Siesta Key is in the national spotlight again. After earning accolades for having one of the best beaches in the world, the community will now serve at the center of its own reality show. MTV has announced plans to debut “Siesta Key” later this summer.

Pasco Deputy Fired After Nearly Hitting Trooper: Sheriff

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has fired one of its own following a Monday morning arrest on DUI charges. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 26-year-old woman nearly struck one of its troopers while he was working the scene of an unrelated traffic fatality.

Man Killed By Amtrak Train Identified

As a Sunday crash involving an Amtrak passenger train and pedestrian remains under investigation, authorities have released the name of the man who died.

Brandon Nurses Make Caregiving A Family Affair

Watching a grownup come home day after day exhausted might be enough to scare some kids out of ever considering taking the same path. There was something about Sharon Sabb-Oce’s demeanor, however, that had an opposite effect on her young niece.

77 Jobs: Taxi Driver, Preschool Teacher, Chauffeur

In the market for a new job in the Tampa Bay area? There’s good news on the employment front! Employers throughout the region have put out help-wanted signs in recent days.

Florida On Fire: 125 Blazes, ‘Worst Wildfire Season’

With more than 125 active wildfires burning across Florida, including one that spanned more than 2,200 acres in Pasco County, state officials issued a plea to residents and visitors on Monday, urging caution.

Fire Weather Dominates Tampa Bay’s Forecast

As firefighters continued to battle a blaze that spanned more than 2,000 acres in Pasco County on Monday, forecasters at the National Weather Service were warning that conditions would remain ripe for more fires to spark over the coming days.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission