Worst Drinking Water, Pulse Memorial, Stolen Guns

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:

$56 Million In Cocaine Comes To St. Pete

Eight accused smugglers and an estimated 1,735 kilograms of cocaine are in federal custody thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard and its international partners in Operation Martillo. Launched initially in 2012, Operation Martillo is an ongoing international effort meant to staunch the flow of illegal narcotics from Central America.

Suspected Serial Bank Robber Busted In Sarasota

A 36-year-old convicted felon from Quincy faces new charges and the potential for even more after Sarasota County deputies say a Wednesday robbery at the Florida Central Credit Union on Cattlemen Road ended with his arrest.

Warnings Go Up As Cold Front Approaches Tampa Bay Area

Tampa Bay area residents might want to batten down the hatches as a cold front makes its way through the region Thursday and into Friday. While the front is expected to bring temperatures down just in time for the weekend, it also has the potential to produce strong-to-severe thunderstorms, the National Weather Service has warned.

Rock-Thrower Targets Mental Health Facilities: Deputies

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help identifying a woman its deputies say hurled large rocks at the front doors of two area mental health facilities last week.

Bucs’ Doug Martin Suffers Minor Injuries In Crash

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back Doug Martin suffered minor injuries during a Wednesday afternoon crash.

2 Arrested In Lithia Gun Store Burglary

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of two men in connection with an April burglary at a Lithia gun store. Deputies say they recovered 39 firearms during the arrest, 22 of which had been stolen during the Ace Hardware store burglary.

DUI Wolf Pack To Prowl Pinellas County

Motorists with Cinco de Mayo party plans in Pinellas County will want to make sure to designate a driver before knocking back one margarita too many. Law enforcement agencies across the county have announced plans to hit the road Friday night for a DUI Wolf Pack operation.

Florida Drinking Water 2nd Worst In Country: Study

Florida is the second worst violator of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act based on population, coming in behind Texas. An estimated 7.5 million people in Florida were potentially exposed to unsafe drinking water in 2015, according to a study released by the Natural Resources Defense Council earlier this week.

Orlando Pulse Nightclub Owner Plans Memorial, Museum

Nearly a year after the worst mass shooting in modern American history occurred at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, owner Barbara Poma has announced plans to turn the scene of the tragedy into a permanent memorial and museum. The fate of the Pulse site had been a topic of speculation since last December when Poma pulled out of a $2.25 million deal for its sale to the city of Orlando.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard