Lead Stories

Law & Order
4:42 pm
Wed April 24, 2013

City of Sarasota Bans Panhandling

St. Petersburg did it. Tampa did it too. Now, Sarasota is joining the list of cities to ban panhandling on major roadways.

Sarasota city commissioners voted 4-1 this week to ban panhandling with Commissioner Shannon Snyder voting nay. He thought the ordinance needed a redraft.

The ban prohibits pedestrians from soliciting donations or distributing pamphlets from the medians on major roadways.

Sarasota city Mayor Suzanne Atwell says such activity can be dangerous.

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Business
12:57 pm
Wed April 24, 2013

Study: Tampa Is No. 6 Best City to Start a Business

Credit NPR.org
Entrepreneurs can make themselves at home in Tampa, according to the NerdWallet.com survey.

We learn two things from a recent study by NerdWallet.com:

  1. Tampa is the sixth-best U.S. city for starting a business.
  2. There's a NerdWallet.com.

The price comparison website recently calculated the best cities to start a small business, taking into account loan availability, per capita income, small business-friendliness rating and other factors.

Our own Cigar City ranked at No. 6 on the survey of 42 metro areas. Here's the explanation:

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Health News Florida
12:08 pm
Wed April 24, 2013

Troubled Pasco Assisted-Living Facility Ordered Closed

Credit Miami Herald
Hillandale Assisted Living Facility in New Port Richey.

The state Agency for Health Care Administration has ordered a Pasco County assisted-living facility for young, disabled adults to close, the Miami Herald reports. Hillandale Assisted Living Facility in New Port Richey was featured in a 2011 Herald investigation that uncovered abuse at ALFs around the state.

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The Two-Way
8:16 am
Wed April 24, 2013

Boston Bombing Investigation: Wednesday's Developments

Credit Brian Snyder / Reuters /Landov
A Massachusetts state trooper salutes Wednesday during the memorial service for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) police officer Sean Collier on the school's campus in Cambridge, Mass.

Originally published on Wed April 24, 2013 7:45 pm

The latest developments in the investigation into the bombings at the Boston Marathon and related news include:

Update at 7:36 p.m. ET. Suspect Unarmed When Arrested:

When police cornered Dzhokhar Tsarnev in a boat in Watertown, they said they traded fire with the Boston bombing suspect.

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Politics
5:18 am
Wed April 24, 2013

Politifact Dissects 'Marcophones," Advertising Job Claims

Have tax breaks for insurance companies created tens of thousands of new jobs in Florida? And while you may have heard the rumors about "Obama-phones",  what about "Marco-phones"? WUSF's Steve Newborn talks with Angie Holan of Politifact.com to dispel these rumors.

  • Click here to listen to WUSF's Steve Newborn talking with Angie Holan of Politifact.com

First, about those jobs:

Politifact.com took a look at a claim by the state's largest industry lobbying group that says a tax breaks for insurance companies created "40,000 jobs in just the last four years."

A TV ad stating just that is airing in the Tampa Bay area from Associated Industries of Florida. The group doesn't want the insurance industry to lose a tax break it has enjoyed for more than 30 years. Check it out:

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Science
11:09 pm
Tue April 23, 2013

Bill Nelson: NASA to Get $100 Million for Asteroid Project

  • Senator Bill Nelson explains the asteroid project.

When the White House unveils its fiscal year 2014 budget next week, prepare to have your mind blown. The financial estimate includes about $100 million for something most of us have only imagined.

Are we talking about a lifetime supply of hoagies from Wawa, the trendy convenience store chain that was met with great fanfare when it recently opened its first Tampa Bay locations? Nope. Think bigger... and farther. The money will help human beings get closer to establishing a permanent settlement in space. That's according to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who apparently got the inside scoop during a briefing with scientists.

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Law & Order
9:34 pm
Tue April 23, 2013

Clues Suggest Boston Suspects Took A Do-It-Yourself Approach

Credit Elise Amendola / AP
Investigators in protective suits examine material on Boylston Street in Boston on April 18, three days after the deadly bombings. The explosive devices were relatively simple to make and law enforcement officials come across them on a regular basis, officials say.

Originally published on Tue April 23, 2013 8:04 pm

As investigators look into the Boston Marathon bombings, one crucial question is whether the suspects, brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, acted alone or had help. The clues might be found in the bombs used.

From what is now known, it appears the brothers assembled a whole arsenal of explosives. Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau told CNN last weekend that the suspects had at least six bombs, including the two used in the attack and one thrown at police during a shootout.

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The Two-Way
9:34 pm
Tue April 23, 2013

Charges Dropped Against Mississippi Man In Ricin Case

Credit YouTube.com
An image from a video on a YouTube channel where Paul Kevin Curtis has posted clips of his performances — in this case, as Elvis.

Originally published on Tue April 23, 2013 7:40 pm

Update at 6:02 p.m. ET. Charges Dropped:

Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a Mississippi man they accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Obama and two other public servants, according to a court order obtained by the AP.

"In a court order calling for the charges to be dismissed, prosecutors said the 'ongoing investigation has revealed new information' without providing any additional detail," Reuters reports.

Paul Kevin Curtis was released from custody earlier Tuesday.

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Health News Florida
5:04 pm
Tue April 23, 2013

Why is the 'Cinnamon Challenge' So Risky?

Credit FoodPyramid.com

There are thousands of videos on YouTube with young people trying something called the "cinnamon challenge." People try to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon in less than a minute without any liquid. They sputter, cough and choke from the dry powder. 

"If you think about it, there's nothing about this that makes people feel good, except maybe looking at the video after the fact," said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "And for some, it could have short-term or even lifetime health risks." 

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Law & Order
4:38 pm
Tue April 23, 2013

Boston Search Shines Spotlight On Surveillance Cameras

Credit Julio Cortez / AP
An investigator inspects the area near a surveillance camera on the roof of the Lord & Taylor store near the Boston Marathon finish line on Thursday. That camera provided the first glimpse of the men who allegedly planted the bombs.

Originally published on Tue April 23, 2013 8:04 pm

Footage from surveillance cameras along the Boston Marathon route gave the FBI early clues about the bombing suspects. And prosecutors say they'll use some of those images to try to prove their criminal case against 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. But the proliferation of cameras in America's big cities is raising some tricky questions about the balance between security and privacy.

It was pictures of two brothers taken by a camera outside the Lord & Taylor department store that provided the first glimpse of the men who allegedly bombed the Boston Marathon.

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