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Gator Kills Woman | Clearwater Ferry Crash | Hulk Hogan Dies: FL Top News 2025
Publix Plaza Fire | Rays Abandon Stadium | $25M FL Lottery Win | Flesh-Eating Bacteria | Traveler Found With Human Skull | Owner Drowns Dog
From deadly animal attacks and fatal crashes, to odd lawbreakers and the death of wrestler and actor Hulk Hogan, Patch has compiled Florida’s top news stories for 2025:
FL Woman Fatally Shot Her 2 Ex-Husbands On Same Day: Sheriff
A Citrus County woman is accused of shooting, killing her two ex-husbands — one in Tampa, the other in Bradenton — on the same day.
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CVS Fire Spreads To Publix, Other Businesses In FL Shopping Center
Hours after a fire at the CVS in St. Pete Beach's Dolphin Village was controlled, it reignited and spread to Publix and other businesses.
Find out what's happening in Tampafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
FL Teacher Who Had Sex With Student In Classroom Charged: Reports
The Florida teacher was accused of teaching a middle-school student "how to have sexual intercourse with her," media reports say.
Hulk Hogan's Cause Of Death Revealed: Report
Pro wrestling legend and Georgia native Hulk Hogan died on July 24 at his Clearwater home, stunning the nation.
Gator Caught FL Woman In Death Roll: Update
A new report on a fatal gator attack in Polk County says the reptile performed a death roll on a woman before dragging her underwater.
Tampa Bay Rays Abandon $1.3B St. Pete Stadium Deal
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said the Tampa Bay Rays' decision to walk away from a $1.3B redevelopment of Tropicana Field "is not unexpected."
6 Victims Rescued, 171 Arrested In FL Undercover Trafficking Sting
A schoolteacher was among the 171 people arrested in a Hillsborough County undercover human trafficking sting, the sheriff says.
FL Woman Drowned Dog At Airport After Boarding Problem: Police
A Florida woman was charged with aggravated animal abuse for drowning her dog in an Orlando airport bathroom before a flight, police said.
Boy Tests Positive For HIV After Being Sexually Battered By Man: PCSO
A Clearwater man admitted to sexually battering an 8-year-old boy in the St. Pete area, the sheriff said. Both tested positive for HIV.
FL-Based Restaurant Chain To Rebuild Flagship Location That Burned Down
A Tampa-based healthy food chain will rebuild its flagship location, which burned down in an early morning fire last year.
‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacteria Kills 4 In FL, 11 Cases Reported This Year: FL Health Officials
Vibrio vulnificus, commonly called "flesh-eating" bacteria, is found in warm, brackish seawater. FL leads the U.S. in the number of cases. (Updated info as of Dec. 23: 33 cases and five deaths.)
FL Pilot Among Those Killed In DC Plane, Helicopter Crash: Reports
A FL man was one of the American Airlines pilots killed in a crash between a passenger flight and a military helicopter at a DC airport.
$25M Prize Claimed By FL Lottery Scratch-Off Winner
A Venice man claimed the $25M top prize playing the "500X THE CASH" scratch-off game, FL Lottery said.
FL Deputy, Suspect Killed In Gunfight At Dollar General
A Florida sheriff said a deputy and suspect who fired at least 18 shots outside a Dollar General store both died in the "violent gunfight."
Famed Pizzeria Unveils Plan To Open 35 FL Locations
Opening more than 30 new restaurants in Florida will be a first for Sally's Apizza. The famed pizzeria was founded in CT 90 years ago.
2 Dead, Suspect The Son Of Deputy: FL State University Mass Shooting
The shooting suspect at FL State University is the 20-year-old son of a deputy. Five people have been injured in the campus attack.
FL Governor's Former Spokesman Accused Of Exposing Himself 4 Times
Frederick Piccolo Jr., a former Ron DeSantis spokesman, faces charges in Sarasota and Manatee counties for exposing himself, records show.
Traveler Found With Skull, Other Human Remains In Luggage At FL Airport
A passenger who claimed just 10 cigars while traveling through Tampa International Airport also had human remains in their luggage.
5 Things To Know About Deadly FL Ferry Crash
Jannus Live's owner Jeffrey Knight was identified as the driver of the boat that slammed into the Clearwater Ferry, killing one person.
Chemicals Found In FL Drinking Water Revealed In New Study
Residents of FL who drink tap water could be getting a dangerous cocktail of hundreds of chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive substances.
Man Bitten By Alligator, Killed By Deputies After Charging Them With Garden Shears: Police
The man swam an alligator-infested lake to access a gated community, refusing a life preserver and growling at one person, police said.
A mother was arrested after trying to drown her three children, all under 3 years old, at a community pool, the Hillsborough sheriff said.
FL Grocery Store Is The Best In The U.S., A New Ranking Says
An Italian market in St. Petersburg is ranked as the No. 1 overall grocery store in the U.S., according to a new ranking.
Bestiality, Child Porn Charges Filed Against Coach: Sheriff
A FL coach was arrested on bestiality and child porn charges after being accused of uploading videos of the sexual acts on Kik, reports say.
FL Mom Accused Of Forcing Daughter, 11, To Perform Sexual Acts On Video
A St. Pete mother forced her 11-year-old daughter to perform sexual acts on her, a man and the family dog, the Pinellas County sheriff said.
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