Also, the state Board of Education will discuss similar bans for Florida’s 24 state colleges next week, plus rules barring undocumented students from GED programs. Neither rule has been approved.

A three-year-old boy in Riverview died over the weekend after he was left in a hot car. There have been 8 hot car deaths across the United States this year.

Residents in Hillsborough County can now take a closer look into the quality of their water.

The Board of Governors allowed the New College of Florida to use $2.5 million dollars from its housing auxiliary fund to pay for the baseball stadium.

The new ordinance aims to create housing options across Gulfport.

The Scoop, produced by Maeleigh Fricke

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Fri. June 26, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Lutz residents continue to oppose a proposed private school development at Holly Lane and Dale Mabry Highway. They argue it does not fit the community’s long-term vision.

Residents filled the room at a June 15 Hillsborough County land use hearing. They wore red shirts that read “Keep Lutz Semi-Rural.”

Members of the Preserve Rural Lutz nonprofit showed their opposition to the proposed private school, raising concerns about traffic, safety and environmental impacts.

In response to traffic concerns, the applicants revised portions of the development plan and presented those changes at the hearing.

Steve Henry, founder of Traffic and Mobility Consultants, said the revised plan would direct school traffic to Dale Mabry Highway rather than Holly Lane.

“The access is built to be able to force everybody only inbound from Dale Mabry and then outbound towards Dale Mabry,” said Henry. “In addition to that, they’ve committed to having staff at that entrance during the drop off and pickup to ensure that that occurs at that location.”

Jane Graham is an attorney representing Lutz homeowner Demelza Hays and the Preserve Rural Lutz nonprofit.

He argued the proposed changes do not fully address residents’ concerns.

“To address impacts on access to Holly Lane, there’s a suggested entrance on Dale Mabry. But your staff report acknowledges that this entrance will be removed once the frontage road is built,” said Graham.

It was adopted in 2001 to emphasize open space, environmental protection and preserving the area’s semi-rural character.

But project representatives say the school meets the plan’s requirements.

Russell Ottenburg is the owner of Planeng Incorporated.

“There are several criteria in the Lutz Community Plan applicable to the proposed private school and the private school complies with all of those as well,” Ottenburg told the county’s land use hearing officer

The hearing officer’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.

They will make the final decision on the proposal.

The post Opposition persists over proposed private school in Lutz appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Florida voters could decide whether to allow public universities to limit enrollment for undocumented students.

Manatee County leaders are weighing new regulations for short-term vacation rentals. Officials say the changes aim to balance neighborhood concerns with growing the vacation rental market.

A former City of Tampa employee has filed a discrimination complaint, alleging unfair treatment during thier employment.

Residents in Lutz are speaking out against a proposed development they say could increase traffic and change the character of thier community.

The Scoop, produced by Demaria Green

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Thurs. June 25, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Citrus County enacted a one-year moratorium last month. It states that the scheduled vote in July about the proposal by Deltona Corporation would no longer take place.

According to the filing, the provider could have to drop services to Medicare recipients if the issue isn’t corrected for the upcoming 2026-2027 year’s rates.

Last week, the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area hosted a mayoral forum.

Watch out of signs of dehydration that may just look like old age. For example, confusion, fatigue, and muscle weakness.

The interim appointee would be expected to remain in place through the end of the year when a new governor takes office.

The Scoop, produced by Maeleigh Fricke

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Wed. June 24, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Pinellas County has launched a 90-day bidding process for several downtown Clearwater properties, paving the way for potential redevelopment opportunities.

Zephyrhills leaders are advancing a temporary moratorium aimed at slowing certain development projects while the city reviews growth plans.

If his execution proceeds as scheduled, Dusty Ray Spencer would become the oldest inmate executed in modern Florida history.

Florida officials are taking action against products containing 7-OH citing health and safety concerns. New regulations aim to limit access and strengthen oversight of the substance.

We Care of Central Florida is expanding its programs to improve access to nutritious food in underserved communities. The organization hopes the effort will address the impact of local food deserts.

The Scoop, produced by Demaria Green

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Tues. June 23, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

The Morgan apartments face foreclosure due to unpaid utility bills and missed loan payments.

The apartments in Pinellas Point South, St. Pete, were not properly managed or maintained. Tenants were living in these apartments with pieces of the roof torn off, fragmented patios, and doors broken off their hinges. 

According to William Kilgore, an organizer with the St. Petersburg Tenants Union, the tenants struggled with uninhabitable conditions. 

“You got mold, pests, you know, things like that. There’s deterioration, for example, in the common areas; even though they have a swimming pool that’s, like, turned green algae, you know, creature from the Black Lagoon, you know, like, type thing,” said Kilgore. 

Multiple activist groups were concerned about this situation. This led to the Tenants Union being one of the groups that gathered community members at a recent city council meeting to push for St Pete to turn the apartments into an affordable housing project. They argued that the apartments could be transformed into safe, high-quality units. 

Among them was St Pete City Council candidate Courtney Bermudez. She sees this as an opportunity to improve living conditions and offer stability to working-class families. 

“We’re not asking the city to write a check today. We’re asking the city to do the research. Is it possible? If the answer is yes, let’s look at the next steps. These people deserve dignity and respect and a safe and comfortable place to call home,” said Bermudez. 

The group and Bermudez emphasized improving conditions and stability for residents, arguing that such housing could provide financial relief and prevent instability. 

The city council did not take any immediate action.

The post The Morgan: Pinellas activists seeks more public housing appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

It is the latest city in Tampa Bay to consider a one-year moratorium on any type of data center development.

WMNF’s Hannah Lau Gleciano reports on what the upgrades are and some concerns regarding the use of AI in policing.

The city emailed her regarding purchases made with city funds, to which she replied claiming city leadership has discriminated against older employees in the past, illegally tracked them and rejected disability accommodations.

The county is still waiting for reimbursement from the state.

Seven of those are from Tampa Bay alone and, according to Tampa Bay Times, these are likely underreported numbers.

The Scoop, produced by Maeleigh Fricke

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Mon. June 22, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Manatee County Commissioners voted Tuesday to continue cleaning up Piney Point.

The county is still waiting for reimbursement from the state. 

In 2021, a leak at Piney Point released over 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater into Tampa Bay.

A service manages contaminated water by pumping it under the aquifer. 

The decision for Manatee County to continue to oversee the cleanup at Piney Point for the next year comes as they await around $23 million in reimbursement from the state.

Commissioner Bob McCann voted against the proposal. 

“This is not a Manatee County taxpayer problem. I understand the public health and safety, but the public health and safety here, and the safety of the citizens and the potable water, belongs to the state – not the county’s taxpayers.”  McCann said.

Commissioner George Kruse voted in favor.

“This is kind of what we ask for as the current best-case scenario while we figure out the long-term options that we have.” Kruse said.

The amendment passed 4 to 1, with some commissioners arguing they must protect residents.

The cleanup could take years.

The post Manatee County approves amendment on Piney Point cleanup appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

Pasco County’s Planning Commission has moved forward with a temporary hold on data centers – for now. 

The decision came after over three hours of public comment. 

The Planning Commission passed a temporary, yearlong moratorium on applications for data center facilities in unincorporated Pasco County.

Just last week, the Pasco County city of Zephyrhills moved forward with a similar moratorium. 

The proposal moratorium faced plenty of support during public comment, with some even calling for a permanent ban. 

Cyndi Skarda is a Pasco County Resident. 

“We are built on limestone – very porous. Our aquifer is already under massive stress because of our population growth.” Skarda said during public comment.

Marilyn Holloren is the president of the Pasco chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida.  

“Pasco County is on the frontline of climate change. Rising seas, record heat, worsening storms. And hyperscale data centers are among the largest single source of new carbon emissions.” Holloren said.

An analysis from Axios showed that Pasco is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state in recent years, benefiting from migration into the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the centers are “resource ravenous”, and a mid-sized data center consumes as much water as a small town. 

The moratorium still needs approval by the board of county commissioners.

The post Pasco County moves forward with data center moratorium appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.

The unanimous decision came at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting earlier this week.

Rouson will be stepping down after 18 years in office. He was appointed presidential scholar and professor of trial litigation at New College of Florida.

The projects approval is still pending.

The U.S. reinstated a 30-day travel order that was last used during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising ethical concerns.

The Scoop, produced by Maeleigh Fricke

WMNF anchors Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Seán Kinane, Lisa Marzilli.
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Sofia Caballero, Daria Mironova, Megan Fair, Luiza Medeiros de Campos, Hanna Lau, Joeniyah Carter, Jaelin Diehl.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.

Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF

The post The Scoop: Wed. June 10, 2026 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.