Siesta Key On MTV, Florida On Fire, Best Employers

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:

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.

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.

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.

4 Tampa Bay Area Companies Rank Among America’s Best Employers: Forbes

Forbes has once again named the company that ranks at America’s best employer. The selection may surprise some. The winner isn’t Google, which earned second-place honors.

Uber, Lyft Bill Inked By Gov. Rick Scott

Uber and Lyft operators across the state of Florida will face new rules of the road starting on July 1. Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday inked legislation that creates uniform rules for ridesharing services across the state, effectively overriding a mishmash of local laws.

Marvel Comic Features Mote Marine Scientist

Being a scientist is cool. Being a scientist featured in a comic book might be even cooler. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Dr. Tracy Fanara can attest to that thanks to the latest edition of Marvel Comics’ “The Unstoppable Wasp.”

Publix Ties For ‘America’s Favorite’ Grocery Store Honors

After stalling in second place for four years running, Lakeland-based Publix has been named “America’s favorite” grocery store in an annual survey conducted by Market Force. The popular chain, however, shares the title with Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans.

Illegal Puppy Sales Land 2 In Jail

A Tampa pet shop owner and employee are in hot water after the Florida Department of Agriculture’s law enforcement unit alleges they sold puppies without proper health permits.

Photo courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium