A man convicted of fatally stabbing of his cousin’s girlfriend and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter has been executed in Florida.
Richard Knight was pronounced dead last night after a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison. It was Florida’s seventh execution so far this year and comes after a record 19 executions in the state last year.
The Tampa City Council voted 4 to 3 yesterday to approve a nonbinding memorandum of understanding for a new, 2.3 billion dollar Tampa Bay Rays stadium and surrounding development.
The agreement details a $976 million public contribution toward the cost of the stadium, with $796 million from Hillsborough County and about $180 million coming from the City of Tampa. Public comment was mixed. Some residents cautioned council members about making the deal, saying more conversations need to be had with the taxpayers. Michelle Dyson, a bartender at Raymond James, Steinbrenner, and Tropicana Field, supports the memorandum. Council members Charlie Miranda, Guido Maniscalco, and Lynn Hurtak voted no. Bill Carlson, Naya Young, Luis Viera and Alan Clendenin voted yes. On Wednesday, Hillsborough County commissioners voted 5 to 2 in favor of the deal..
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released its annual hurricane season outlook.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network meteorologist ANDREW Wulfeck reports, NOAA is expecting a below-average year in the tropics, similar to Colorado State University.
Florida Senator Rick Scott is voicing concerns about the choice of the next University of Florida President.
UF announced Stuart Bell as the sole finalist earlier this week. He held the same position at the University of Alabama for a decade. Senator Scott says he does not know Bell, and that UF was not transparent about its search process. Under Florida law, applicants for state university president do NOT have to be disclosed. Before the search process, UF held three online listening sessions to get community input. Scott also criticized the contract of the current interim president Donald Landry — and questioned why HE was not a finalist. The contract says if Landry is not made the permanent president, he’ll be paid his base salary of 2-million dollars through August 2027. Scott says he was not aware of public discussion about the contract and there needs to be an investigation. Other criticisms of Bell come from conservatives who are opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion programs. But in a post on X, Governor Ron DeSantis supported Bell’s nomination.
On Sunday, the Tampa Immigrant Rights Coalition walked door-to-door on North Armenia Avenue in West Tampa.
WMNF’s Sofia Caballero reports, the group is sharing information with the community.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF
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information from News Service of Florida, the Associated Press and Florida Public Media was used in this report