Body Armor, Tampa Bay’s Best Suburbs, Murder Arrest

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 or so:

Earth Day Goes To The Dogs In Tampa

As folks across the globe celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, BluePearl Veterinary Partners is making sure four-legged critters can get in on the act. To that end, the Tampa veterinary hospital is pulling out the stops for a celebration that features such canine-appropriate fun as a peanut butter licking contest and pooper scooper races.

Backyard Trash Burn Ignites Brush Fire

A Polk County resident found out the hard way on Monday just how dry conditions across the region are. Authorities say the man’s attempt to burn a little trash in his Alturas backyard ended up sparking a brush fire that rendered his home unlivable.

Florida’s Best Suburbs Ranked

What defines a great community? According to the folks at Niche.com, a low crime rate, quality schools, access to jobs and an affordable cost of living all play big roles. Based on those factors and more, the website has released a rankings report of the best Florida suburbs to live in for 2017.

Arrest Made In St. Pete Man’s Murder

St. Petersburg Police have announced an arrest in a Saturday shooting that left a 37-year-old man dead. Jermaine L. Bradford, 34, of New Port Richey faces second degree murder charges in the case.

New Body Armor Hits St. Pete Streets

Thanks in part to a donation from slain police Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz’s widow, cops in St. Petersburg now have a new defensive tool to use in the war on crime. The agency rolled out its new custom body armor on Tuesday.

Singer Chris Brown Accused Of ‘Sucker' Punching Photographer

Singer Chris Brown is under investigation following an alleged battery at Tampa’s Aja Channelside early Monday morning. The crooner is accused of “sucker” punching a photographer, leaving his lip cut.

Val Kilmer Joins Tampa Bay Comic Con Lineup

Val Kilmer has added his name to the list of celebrities set to make appearances at this summers’ Tampa Bay Comic Con. Event organizers announced his addition to the lineup Tuesday morning.

129 Tampa Bay Area Runners Finish Boston Marathon

As thousands of runners from across the country and globe converged on Massachusetts Monday for the 2017 Boston Marathon, more than 100 Tampa Bay area athletes counted themselves among the participants. While none of Tampa Bay's runners were at the head of the pack, many did well in their divisions. For example, St. Petersburg's Albert Wieringa, 70, was first in his division and 6,963 overall with an official finish time of 3:29:38.

Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg Police Department