Mosquito Cities, Offshore Drilling, Handyman Scam

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:

Extension For Florida's Offshore Drilling Ban Sought By Lawmakers

Oil companies seeking new offshore reserves will have to look in places other than Florida if U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Debbie Wasserman Schultz get their way. The lawmakers teamed up Monday to introduce the Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act, which, if approved, would ban oil drilling off of much of Florida’s Gulf coast until 2027.

‘Handyman‘ Scammed Elderly Victims: Deputies

A 19-year-old “handyman” from Clearwater is in hot water after Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say he took money from three elderly residents to perform work around their homes, but never followed through on the jobs. Justin Kyle Crist was charged in three separate cases, but the sheriff's office says it is possible there are more victims.

Tampa, St. Pete Make Worst Mosquito Cities List

The Tampa Bay area might not be the worst in the country for mosquitoes, but it comes close. In fact, Tampa and St. Petersburg moved up significantly in Orkin’s annual ranking of the country’s Top 50 Mosquito Cities, earning 11th place this year. First-place for the fourth year in a row went to Atlanta.

Florida K9’s Hot Car Death Under Investigation

As the Friday death of one of the Sebastian Police Department’s K9s remains under investigation, the case and a similar one in Tampa serve as reminders of the dangers hot cars pose to people and animals alike.

Scott Declares Florida Opioid Epidemic Public Health Emergency

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a statewide public health emergency related to the opioid epidemic. In signing an emergency order on Wednesday, Scott paved the way for the state to rapidly access $27 million in federal grant funding to help with prevention, treatment and recovery support efforts.

$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.

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.

MOSI Aims To Break Cardboard Sculpture World Record

The folks at MOSI have set their sights on completing an out-of-this world project this summer, but they need help to get the effort off the ground. The mission to construct the biggest cardboard sculpture ever created will cost an estimated $10,000 to pull off, which is why the Tampa science museum has also kicked off a crowdfunding drive to raise the necessary cash.

Photo courtesy of MOSI