Florida’s Best Schools, Hero Cop, Corporate Growth

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The following are some of the good news stories that have had people talking over the past few weeks:

Sarasota Named Florida’s Best Place To Retire

After Florida earned number one honors in a WalletHub study meant to determine the best states for retirement, the number crunchers at the website dedicated to all things personal finance wanted to drill down a bit more. When they did, Sarasota rose to the top in site’s analysis of the best places to retire in the Sunshine State. A few other communities in the region were also named among the best of the best.

Tampa Bay Area Schools Rank Among Florida's Best

As the clock winds down on summer 2017, Tampa Bay area parents and students can see how their individual school districts and schools stacked up against others across Florida on new rankings reports released by Niche.com. The website’s annual rankings take a dive into districts and the best public schools across the country and each state.

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.

Hero Cop Saves 2-Year-Old In Clearwater Beach

A vacationing police sergeant from Morris Township, New Jersey, jumped into action Sunday afternoon, saving the life of a drowning 2-year-old at Clearwater Beach.

Carnival Expands Cruises To Cuba From Tampa

Tampa Bay area residents with dreams of cruising to Cuba will find more opportunities available in the coming year. Port Tampa Bay and Carnival Cruise Line on Thursday announced the addition of five more trips Cuba on the 2018 schedule.

Hooter’s Manager Helps Take Down 'Violent' Suspect (Video)

A Brandon Hooter’s manager is receiving thanks after stepping in to help two Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies as they struggled with a man accused of creating a ruckus in the restaurant.

Watch: African Penguins Meet For 1st Time

Valentine’s Day may still be months away, but that’s not stopping the folks at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo and The Florida Aquarium from doing a little matchmaking. Officials are hoping that “Rocky” and “Thumbelina,” a pair of critically endangered African penguins, will hit it off.

Florida Has 30 Of America’s Fast-Growing Companies

With the American economy on an upswing, it shouldn’t be surprising that many companies across the nation are growing by leaps and bounds. Many of the country’s fast-growing firms, as it turns out, happen to be in the Sunshine State.