Best Hospitals, Near-Drowning, Taco Bus Rodents

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:

Land O’ Lakes Sinkhole: Fundraiser For Victims Continues

As more families in Land O’ Lakes learned over the past few days their homes had been deemed total losses due to the Ocean Pines Drive sinkhole, an effort to help them recover remained active.

35 Best Hospitals In Florida: U.S. News & World Report

Thirty-five Florida facilities were named by U.S. News and World Report when it released its annual rankings of the best hospitals in the country for 2017-18, listing more than 4,500 medical centers in the U.S. in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. The rankings also looked at the best hospitals in every state and 20 hospitals made it to the honor roll, a distinction given to hospitals that deliver exceptional treatment across multiple specialties.

Belleair Beauty Boasts Backyard Paradise

House hunters with a passion for entertaining and the bank account to back it up might find this Belleair beauty suits their style perfectly. Spanning nearly 13,000 square feet, the waterfront home boasts its own theater room, wine cellar and music room.

Boy’s Near-Drowning Serves As Reminder, Officials Say

The near-drowning of a 3-year-old boy in a backyard pool on Tuesday morning has the Lakeland Fire Department reminding parents of safety measures they can take to prevent tragedy.

Restaurant Inspections: Taco Bus Rodents, Dirty Dunkin’

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at five area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t meet state guidelines for health and safety.

Uber Driver, Troopers Stop Skyway Bridge Suicide Attempt

A concerned Uber driver is getting the credit for helping the Florida Highway Patrol step in to save a man who allegedly attempted to commit suicide near the Skyway Bridge’s north fishing pier Monday night.

Help FHP Cruisers Speed To Victory In National Contest

The Florida Highway Patrol’s black-and-tan cruisers are up for national honors, but troopers need help to speed to victory. In order to earn the win in the fourth annual national “Best Looking Cruiser” contest, the agency needs folks across the state to vote for its entry on Facebook.

Scream-A-Geddon Set To Return For 3rd Year

Tampa Bay area residents who don’t mind things that go bump in the night might want to put a drive to Dade City on their to-do lists as Halloween approaches. The folks behind Pasco County’s Scream-A-Geddon have announced plans to open the haunted theme park for the third season running.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol