Provides the latest RSS feeds for Tampa News. For more headlines on Breaking, National, Business, Finance, Sports and World News, visit our home page Florida Statesman.com http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/cat/50bf5c36071412a0/ en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 11:29:28 -0400 Fri, 24 May 2013 11:29:28 -0400 30 Tampa Yankees (19-26) 12-4 for the second straight night at McKechnie Field. Adrian Sampson (2-1) pitched five innings and did not allow an earned run despite nine Yankees hits in the ballgame. Tampa left eleven men on base Thursday ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737975/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 09:01:13 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737975/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Ratings for local newscasts may not mean much to the average television viewer, but they are vital statistics that determine the bottom line of the stations that are fighting for those eyeballs out there. The May 2013 Nielsen ratings period has concluded ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737974/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 09:01:13 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737974/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 SEBASTIAN, Fla. - It's a countdown for 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt. She and her family took one last stand at a rally in Sebastian's Riverview Park, ahead of Friday's deadline for her to accept or reject a plea deal from the state ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737969/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 08:56:39 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737969/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Employment law is full of minefields. In this weeks Ex-Files profile, Ogletree Deakins managing shareholder Helen Palladeno talks about how being a labor and employment law firm solely allows for a very efficient focus. Clients are demanding more from firms like hers, which means an emphasis on training and advice. Many businesses scaled down that training during the Great Recession, she ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737552/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 07:51:13 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737552/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 The bill of rights was adopted by 26 North American-member cruise line. The Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industrys trade group, has adopted a 'Passenger Bill of Rights' in the wake of several high-profile cruise disasters. The list was backed by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and it will be part of passengers' "contract of carriage" that gives ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737467/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 07:35:55 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737467/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 The Workforce Florida board of directors unanimously approved recommendations for a statewide unified brand for Floridas workforce system. The system is developing a single, statewide unified brand to better align the state workforce investment board, 24 regional workforce boards and one-stop career centers, it said in an electronic briefing about the changes. CareerSource Florida is the brand ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737120/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 07:26:17 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214737120/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 A multi-million dollar party mansion built by baseball star Gary Sheffield is going up for auction. The sprawling home built in 1997 sits on three acres on Pinellas Point in St. Petersburg. At a time when Sheffield, a Tampa-native who hit 509 major league home runs, was one of baseballs highest paid players, the home was the site of decadent parties, the Tampa Bay Times said. The ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214736096/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 06:28:32 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214736096/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Paresh Patel Shareholders of a Tampa insurance company agreed to change the firms name to HCI Group Inc. HCI (NYSE: HCI), formerly called Homeowners Choice Inc., is headed by Paresh Patel, chairman and CEO. The name change is more representative of the companys diversified business activities, which include property and casualty insurance, information technology, real estate and reinsurance, a ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214736433/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 06:17:22 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214736433/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Barry Brown Bank of the Ozarks is expanding its operations in Manatee County with a regional headquarters and an additional branch. A new branch is being built at 3703 S.R. 70 East and the headquarters is scheduled to be built on a plot of land on Manatee Avenue and 19th Street West, the Bradenton Herald said. The headquarters is scheduled to be complete in early 2014. Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ: ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214735294/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 06:09:35 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214735294/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 1. At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, the first nice snook of the season was released Saturday, a 37-incher that weighed about 20 pounds, reports Larry Holder. Spanish mackerel 15-20 inches the primary catch, and excellent numbers of them. Occasional flounder and pompano. Manatees were spotted around the pier on ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214734560/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Fri, 24 May 2013 05:17:15 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214734560/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Tampa Bay , a drying trend is expected to move into west-central Florida for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. An easterly flow will establish itself across the area on Friday, and this weather pattern is expected to last into the Memorial Day ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730509/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 23:53:28 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730509/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 It's easy for Sarah and Raphael Perrier to joke about who's in charge. Just eight years ago, the couple started Kahwa Coffee Roasting. Back then, they were roasting and wholesaling 260 pounds of coffee beans a week. Now, they're roasting more than 4,000 pounds per week and have opened five ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730501/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 23:48:34 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730501/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 TRINITY, Fla. - "I believe this was malicious,' said Jim Michaels, principal at Mitchell High School in Trinity, about a senior prank taken too ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730500/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 23:48:34 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214730500/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Every time her cell phone rings, Terry Sapp runs out her back door and circles her yard. Sapp claims her San Antonio home has proven to be a dead zone and AT&T can't explain why. But according to AT&T's own website, San Antonio gets moderate coverage. Which sounds okay, but AT&T defines moderate as "...sufficient signal strength for on street in the open coverage, but ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729933/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 22:55:00 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729933/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - Typically, Parent Teacher Student Associations are known for raising money for the students and the school. But this past week in Pasco County, the school district learned thousands of dollars have instead been going into the pockets of two PTSA officers at two different area schools. "It's just kind of sickening. They're taking money away from their own ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729934/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 22:54:59 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729934/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 YBOR CITY, Fla. - His last big movie, Argo, won the Academy Award for best picture. Now Ben Affleck is scouting Tampa Bay for his next project. The actor and director was spotted in Ybor City Tuesday scouting possible locations. Lonnie Herman leads walking tours through Ybor City, passing on his knowledge of the area's history. And that history could soon include another major Hollywood ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729360/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:57:21 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729360/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 VALRICO, Fla. - Two 18-year-old women had a frightening morning jog Thursday, when investigators said a man jumped out from behind a bush and grabbed one of them by the ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729361/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:57:21 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729361/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 "He actually kicked and beat this woman while she was lying on the ground, and the amount of damage we saw suggests that that's accurate," said St. Pete Police spokesperson Mike ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729065/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:57:20 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729065/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 BRADENTON, Fla. - A Bradenton family is sending a desperate plea for their 22-year-old soldier, missing from his base at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs since March ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729362/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:57:19 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214729362/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 BROOKSVILLE, Fla - A two county manhunt is underway for an attempted murder suspect authorities believe to be armed and dangerous,. Citrus County deputies say Kyle Lee Chunn was last spotted there on Tuesday. They believe he has contacts in Belleview, Florida. According to Brooksville Police Chief George Turner, Chunn and his girlfriend, Lacie Nicole Swan, 19, drove to an apartment complex off ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214727766/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 19:48:24 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214727766/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 May 23 (Bloomberg) -- Bloombergs Alix Steel, Adam Johnson and Julie Hyman report on todays ten most important stocks including Dollar Tree, GameStop and Hewlett-Packard. (Source: Bloomberg) Bloomin Brands stock rose 2.93 percent on Thursday following an announcement that top shareholders were selling some of their holdings for $21.50 a share. Bloomin Brands (NASDAQ: BLMN) closed Thursday at ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214725824/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 17:47:13 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214725824/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Florida police said a woman accused of domestic battery allegedly used a garden gnome decked out in New Orleans Saints gear to strike a man in the head. Gulfport police said Lisa Buckley, 47, arrived home around 4:17 p.m. Sunday "and began yelling at the victim" to start an argument that soon turned physical, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported Thursday. Buckley "threw items all ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214723986/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 15:42:25 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214723986/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Credits: TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 22: Fernando Rodney #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays exits the game after giving up a game-tying home run in the ninth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 22, 2013 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214722194/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:52 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214722194/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 As the end of year approaches, parents of tweens and teens may see a lack of motivation to get studying for those dreaded exams but it's important that your kids finish as strong as they started the year. With a little motivation from mom and dad, organization on the part of the student and polishing those study skills, they'll be on the way acing those ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214722189/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:50:47 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214722189/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Florida has the ninth best economic outlook in the country, according to a study by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The ranking provides a forecast based on existing state economic policy. States with a higher economic outlook ranking can expect better growth than states with lower ranking, a statement said. Factors that lead to a higher rating include low tax rates, right-to-work laws ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214723697/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:39 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214723697/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Tampa Bay is down to just one unsigned draftee after inking second-round pick Johnthan Banks, the award-winning cornerback out of Mississippi State, to a four-year deal on ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214720563/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:34:39 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214720563/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 TAMPA - A call to action from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. She, along with dozens of other Attorneys General, are urging the popular clothing company, Urban Outfitters, to stop selling items from its controversial "Prescription ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214720564/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:33:05 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214720564/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 BRANDON, Fla. - A man jumped from some bushes and grabbed a woman who was jogging with a friend on Nature's Way and Elton Place in Brandon Thursday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. The man, described as possibly mentally challenged grabbed the woman by the arm. She began to scream and he let go of her. He then fled ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214719864/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:33:04 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214719864/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Steve Flip Gianfilippo Bob Gries, principal of Gries Investment Funds, has switched gears. After backing off a plan to buy Southern Commerce Bank, he now plans to open a mortgage company. The Tampa-based mortgage operation, DiscountLoans.com, will have a national footprint, said Steve Flip Gianfilippo, a partner at Gries Investment. The company has an application for a state license in Florida, ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214719636/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:35 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214719636/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A St. Petersburg man was lured out of his home early Wednesday by a woman who said she wanted to repay an outstanding debt. Two other people then invaded the home and severely beat the man's mother as they ransacked the residence. All three were arrested, police ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718966/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:34 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718966/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 What do the SS Gairsoppa and the NASDAQ have in common? Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. (NASDAQ: OMEX) has opened them both. The Tampa-based deep-ocean exploration company rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite this morning to promote an exhibition opening on Friday at Discovery Times Square. The exhibit, SHIPWRECK! Pirates and Treasure explores years of research by Odyssey and features ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718970/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:47:39 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718970/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Liz Smith is CEO of Bloomin' Brands. Shareholders at Bloomin Brands Inc. have priced the millions of shares of stock they are offering for sale. The shareholders will sell their Bloomin Brands (NASDAQ: BLMN) stock for $21.50 a share, according to a statement early Thursday. The stock closed at $21.52 a share Wednesday night, before the pricing was announced. Most of the stock to be sold is ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718969/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:20:43 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214718969/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 TAMPA - A 31-year-old Bartow man faces several charges after an investigation revealed he sexually abused two girls, according to a police report. One of the victims is 14, but she was just 11-years-old when she says the molestation started. Detectives responded to reported child abuse at a Bartow residence at 9 p.m. Wednesday. They learned that a 17-year-old girl had temporarily been living with ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214717361/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:03:10 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214717361/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Frank Kugler won four Olympics medals in freestyle wrestling, weightlifting and tug of war at St Louis in 1904, making him the only competitor to win a medal in three different sports at the same Games. He claimed a silver medal in the heavyweight category in wrestling, bronze in the two hand lift and all-around dumbbell events in weightlifting and another bronze in the tug of war competition as ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214715806/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:57:17 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214715806/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 SEBASTIAN, Fla. -- - The 18-year-old Sebastian girl who is facing felony charges for her sexual relationship with a 14-year-old female schoolmate broke her silence on Wednesday in front of a crowd of supporters. When Kaitlyn Hunt first took to the podium, she broke down and was embraced by her mother and father. Hunt faces two felony charges of lewd and lascivious battery. "I'm scared ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214715805/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:50:16 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214715805/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 According to Bay News 9 Meteorologist Juli Marquez, rain chances are only 20 percent today as showers move inland and to the other side of the state."After our wet days, rain chances start dropping and drier air moves in," Marquez said. "It will be partly sunny today with some slight chances of isolated showers and storms - mainly to the east of the Bay area. It will remain warm ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214714404/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 08:52:19 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214714404/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Rob Higgins The new Event Development Institute scheduled to launch June 1 in Tampa is a first-of-its-kind sports event incubator envisioned by the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and funded by private donations. There was no fertile ground in which these event ideas could come to fruition, said Sports Commission Executive Director Rob Higgins. His team created the EDI to give upstart sports event ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214714417/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 07:02:58 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214714417/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 John Carlson The deal that brought J.W. Cole Financial Inc. together with Financial Advisors of America LLC was more than a year in the making. The companies, each independent broker-dealers, were introduced at an industry conference about a year and a half ago, and have been talking since then. They found a good culture fit and a geographic match that led to J.W. Cole acquiring Financial ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712355/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 07:02:17 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712355/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 The morning and noon news anchor for local CBS affiliate WTSP-Ch. 10 plans to leave the station next month. Ginger Gadsden has been with the station since 2006, but said she grew exhausted from the morning shift, which required her to wake up at 2 a.m., the Tampa Bay Times said. She will leave her position on June 30 and said she does not have another job lined up yet. I dont think your body is ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712293/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:51:54 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712293/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Taubman Centers Inc., co-developer of the $315 million Mall at the University Town Center, plans to use the project as a showcase and a testing ground for digital interactive tools. The firm plans to combat showrooming where shoppers use brick-and-mortar stores for experimentation before purchasing items online, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune said. Mall tenants will likely offer discounts through ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712350/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:44:31 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712350/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 St. Petersburg-based Heritage Property and Casualty Company is set to receive up to $52 million from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in a deal that is drawing criticism. Heritage Property and Casualty, which is in line to take over 60,000 policies from Citizens, donated $110,000 to Gov. Rick Scotts reelection campaign in March, the Tampa Bay Times said. Citizens, a state-backed insurer, is ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214713078/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:27:48 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214713078/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 C-City Blogger Presenting Chester City's news and views to Delco Times web visitors who want to know more of what's going on in the City besides the stories they read in the ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214711897/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:20:33 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214711897/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Terrace Oaks Plaza, a 40,659-square foot shopping center in Temple Terrace, has sold for $5.4 million, or $133 per square foot. James Medefind and Patrick Whitney of Marcus and Millichap Real Estate Investment Services had the listing to market the property on behalf of the local seller, a private investor. Medefind procured the international buyer, a partnership based in Canada. Terrace Oaks Plaza ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712397/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:09:22 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214712397/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 The Florida Supreme Court unanimously decided that Floridas statute of limitations apply in arbitration proceedings. The ruling stem from a case involving Raymond James Financial Services Inc. (NYSE: RJF) and several investors. Like similar businesses, the St. Petersburg-based financial services company requires its clients to sign an agreement to arbitrate disputes arising from the handling of ... http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214711258/scat/50bf5c36071412a0 Thu, 23 May 2013 06:03:17 -0400 http://www.floridastatesman.com/index.php/sid/214711258/scat/50bf5c36071412a0