Hot Real Estate Markets, Texting Behind The Wheel, Workplace Fatalities

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 or so:

Martin St. Louis Jersey Retirement Details Announced

Fans looking to see the No. 26 jersey head up to the rafters need to arrive extra early to the Tampa Bay Lightning game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tampa, Sarasota Named ‘Hot’ Real Estate Markets For 2017

House hunters in the West Central Florida area will find several of the region's real estate markets are considered ripe for major growth in the coming year. That’s according to the real estate website Trulia, which just released its top 10 list of “hot” real estate markets across the country.

Bills Target Floridians Who Text Behind The Wheel

Motorists who text behind the wheel may soon find themselves facing tougher penalties in the Sunshine State if two bills introduced into the Florida House garner approval next year. One bill would make texting while driving a primary offense while another would target young drivers who text.

Teen Shot While Defending Mom, Cops Say

A 42-year-old man faces a number of charges after Plant City Police say he shot a 15-year-old boy in the stomach Monday night, leaving him in critical condition.

Florida 3rd In Number Of Workplace Fatalities

The total number of fatal work injuries is up slightly across the nation, according to year-over-year data released by the U.S. Department of Labor. Florida’s total of 272 fatal injuries made it the state with the third highest number of work-related deaths.

AMC Buys Carmike Locations In West Central Florida

Tampa Bay area moviegoers may notice a few changes at Carmike Cinemas locations in the near future. The company’s acquisition by AMC was finalized last week to the tune of $1.1 billion. The purchase includes AMC’s assumption of Carmike’s “indebtedness,” the company said in an announcement.

Baseball Forever Campaign Is ‘Awesome, Baby:’ Dick Vitale

While Dick Vitale may be best known for basketball, he’s been a Tampa Bay Rays season ticket holder since Day One. The most famous Rays fan doesn’t sit secluded in a luxury suite away from prying eyes. He can be seen at the game (and many times on television) in his seat along the third-base line in Tropicana Field.

Boy, 13, Critical After New Year’s Eve Hit-And-Run

The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for help identifying the driver of a green SUV that struck a boy on a bicycle on New Year’s Eve and then took off from the scene.

Image via Shutterstock