A judge will decide if a lawsuit can proceed over how wildlife officials approved Florida’s bear hunt
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit by Bear Warriors United that contends the FWC relied on outdated bear population numbers and lacked scientific justification for the December 2025 hunt that resulted in 52 bears being killed.
Clearwater State Sen. Ed Hooper announces his resignation
It’s effective November 3, the date of the midterm elections. Gov. DeSantis is likely to call a special election to coincide with the primary and general election dates this year. The District 21 seat covers northern Pinellas County and southwestern Pasco County. Hooper’s current four-year term wasn’t set to expire until November 2028.
The Coalition for an Insurable Future used data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, FEMA, and others to create a model that addresses how premiums change as climate risks increase.
Small cities near Dallas are the fastest-growing in the U.S
Cities that had some of the biggest rates of population loss last year were hit by natural disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton. That includes several cities in Pinellas County: Pinellas Park, Dunedin, Largo and Clearwater.
Starting June 2, kids and teens under 18 can receive free breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout summer. There are 74 different sites where the meals are available, including schools, camps, churches and parks.
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WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
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information from News Service of Florida, the Associated Press and Florida Public Media was used in this report