Sanctuary Counties, Orphaned Manatee, 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 week:

Orphaned Manatee Calf On The Mend At Lowry Park Zoo (Video)

A manatee calf brought to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo in dire health about three months ago is well on the road to recovery, officials say. The little critter was named “Emoji” in honor of the zoo’s petition to get a manatee emoji created by Unicode, the organization that oversees the colorful images in the online world.

7 Pelicans Released Back Into The Wild

As local and state wildlife experts continue to investigate the mysterious deaths of pelicans in the Coffee Pot Bayou area, the city of St. Petersburg has announced the return of seven rehabilitated birds back into the wild.

Sanctuary County Claim ‘Absurd,’ Pasco Sheriff Says

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco wants the folks behind a study that implicated his county and several others in the region as being sanctuaries for illegal immigrants to hop on a plane from Washington, D.C., to see for themselves that local law enforcement upholds the laws of the land.

Drugged-Up Couple Found Passed Out in Car at Sarasota Gas Station; 2 Infants in Backseat: Deputies

Meth, heroin, fentanyl was discovered in vehicle, along with a loaded syringe on floorboard next to baby formula, officials said.

Clearwater Cops Rescue 2 Injured Owls in 5 Days

A little wee one was found in a trash can, and another was sitting with an injured foot outside a condo. See the super sweet photos.

Eagle Family Weathers Florida’s Storms

As residents across West Central Florida hunkered down for a night of severe weather Sunday, it appears that eagles Harriet and M15 did the same. The famous eagle couple and their recently hatched eaglet, E9, weathered the storms quite well.

Rick Wallenda Announces St. Pete High Wire Walk

Tampa Bay area residents who’ve ever wanted to witness in person the hire wire walks that have made the legendary Flying Wallenda Family so legendary will get their chance next month. Rick Wallenda has announced an upcoming skywalk over St. Petersburg’s Sundial courtyard.

Florida Ranked America’s Best State For Retirees

Florida is 2017’s best state to retire to. That’s according to a new study released by WalletHub, the website dedicated to all things personal finance.

Deputy Stole Dog, $65,000 From Elderly Woman: Sheriff

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of one of its own following an investigation into allegations of harassment and theft. According to the agency, one if its deputies stole more than $65,000 from an elderly woman and also took her dog.

Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Police Department