2024 at 7:08 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m FL — A 17-year-old bicyclist from Tampa died after he was struck over the weekend by a 17-year-old driver The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m A teen girl in a Honda Accord was driving south on Dale Mabry Highway behind a Mazda CX-5 driven by a 60-year-old Tampa woman when the bicyclist tried to cross the highway against the traffic signal at Mapledale Boulevard and was struck by the Honda The boy was taken to a hospital and later died Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2024 at 3:40 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Strong winds from Hurricane Milton have caused widespread power outages in western FLORIDA — Strong winds from Hurricane Milton caused widespread power outages in western and eastern Florida when the storm hit Wednesday night knocking out electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses Milton made landfall at Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a powerful Category 3 hurricane before leaving its footprint eastward across Florida The deadly storm arrived two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered north Florida as a Category 4 system As of 3:30 p.m. Sunday, more than 828,000 Florida utility customers statewide were without power, down from 3.4 million on Thursday, according to PowerOutage.US Duke Energy officials estimated power would be restored to Flagler Power in Pasco and Pinellas counties should be restored by 11:59 p.m the following counties are still experiencing major outages: Ron DeSantis called the number of power outages "massive" and compared the situation to previous hurricanes including Irma and Ian Approximately 50,000 linemen were brought into the state from as far away as California Duke Energy said nearly 350,000 outages had been restored and more than 850,000 outages still exist throughout the company’s service territory “From downed trees and branches falling on our power lines to storm surge flooding our equipment – which causes almost immediate corrosion – our infrastructure was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton," said Todd Fountain but we anticipate we will need to rebuild in many areas." Duke Energy mobilized more than 16,000 power line technicians and other workers and resources to respond to power outages workers will focus on restoring power to public health and safety facilities first while also considering how to restore the greatest number of customers as soon as possible Tampa Electric also mobilized more than 6,000 workers to help restore power after the storm Due to the extensive storm damage and debris the company said restoration efforts may take days "if not weeks" in some of the hardest-hit areas we will be able to provide a timeframe in which we expect to restore power to the majority of customers who can safely receive it," Tampa Electric said on their website If you want to know how many areas are without power or need updates on restoration, click Florida on the map section of PowerOutage.US and click on the county where you live for its outage report This site lists the most recent reported outages along with each electric provider in the state There is also an interactive outage map where customers can find up-to-date information on power outages including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration customers should follow these safety measures: If you are using a portable generator for backup power 2024 at 3:51 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Evacuation orders are in effect throughout the Tampa Bay area as Category 5 Hurricane Milton tears across the Gulf towards Florida which is projected to hit Florida’s west coast mid week evacuation orders are already being issued in the greater Tampa Bay area Those who are unsure about their evacuation zone can find it here. Here’s a look at who is ordered to evacuate Those living in Zones A and B as well as those living in mobile and manufactured homes in all zones are under a mandatory evacuation notice starting Monday at 2 p.m The following shelters will open to those evacuating: Everyone in Zones A, B, and C, as well as those in RVs or mobile homes, are ordered to evacuate “We do not issue evacuation orders lightly,” Jodie Fiske “Milton is anticipated to cause more storm surge than Helene I would not press my luck with this particular system.” Emergency shelters will open Monday at 2 p.m A special needs shelter will also be available for those who have pre-registered at mymanatee.org/needs Mandatory evacuations are in effect for Zones A and B well as for those in low-lying areas prone to flooding or those living in a manufactured home Voluntary evacuations are in effect for those in Zone C and those registered with the county as a special needs resident Evacuation shelters are opening Monday at noon at the following locations: A mandatory evacuation is in place for all residents in Zones A Shelters opened Monday at noon at the following locations: An evacuation order is in place for Zones A and B manufactured communities or a mobile or boat home “Those living in level C should be prepared to evacuate if the storm intensifies,” officials said The following evacuation centers will open Tuesday at 10 a.m.: Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. COMMUNITY PARTNER That’s So Tampa has been the most trusted local resource for discovering All Things Good in Tampa Bay Graham Ivan Clark was arrested Friday at his home in Greater Northdale, according to the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office. The two others charged Friday are 22-year-old Nima Fazeli of Orlando and 19-year-old Mason Sheppard of the United Kingdom, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California. Clark faces state charges and will be tried in Hillsborough County because he is a juvenile, federal authorities said. The other two men face federal charges in the Northern District of California. “He’s a 17 year-old kid who apparently just graduated high school,” said State Attorney Andrew Warren of Clark during a Friday news conference. “But no make no mistake, this was not an ordinary 17-year-old. This was a highly sophisticated attack on a magnitude not seen before.” The Secret Service seized more than $700,000 of Bitcoin from Clark in April, according to the New York Times. Then came the July 15 hack, which authorities said Clark was the “mastermind” behind. Clark’s scheme was to steal the identities of prominent people, then post messages in their names directing victims to send Bitcoin to accounts he owned. The accounts received more than 400 transfers and he reaped more than $100,000 in Bitcoin in just one day, the state attorney’s office said Friday. As a cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is difficult to track and recover if stolen in a scam. “This defendant lives here in Tampa, he committed the crime here, and he’ll be prosecuted here,” Warren said in an online news conference. Graham Ivan Clark, 17, was arrested Friday in Tampa on charges that he hacked the Twitter accounts of celebrities with millions of followers. [ HCSO Booking photo ]He added that Florida law gives prosecutors greater flexibility to try a minor as an adult in a financial fraud case. “I want to congratulate our federal law enforcement partners—the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the FBI, the IRS, and the Secret Service—as well as the Florida Department of Law enforcement. They worked quickly to investigate and identify the perpetrator of a sophisticated and extensive fraud,” Warren said. The hacking took place on July 15. At the time, Twitter said it was a “coordinated” attack targeting its employees “with access to internal systems and tools.” No one answered the door Friday afternoon at an address listed for Clark. His mother could not be reached for comment. A 17-year-old Tampa teen was behind the Twitter hack that gave him access to the accounts of Bill Gates, Barack Obama and many other celebrities with millions of followers, authorities say. [ Screengrab ]Want breaking news in your inbox?Subscribe to our free News Alerts newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. who used the hacking alias “Chaewon,” faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and the intentional access of a protected computer or known under the alias “Rolex,” faces charges of aiding and abetting the intentional access of a protected computer Clark gained access to Twitter accounts and to the social media platform’s internal controls by compromising a Twitter employee Clark then sold access to those accounts and used the identities of prominent people to solicit money in the form of bitcoin promising in return he would send back twice as much He collected the bitcoin and never gave back the money he received “This was a massive fraud orchestrated right here in our own back yard and we won’t stand for that,” Warren said Clark allegedly tricked people into sending money to him with a similar message on the accounts he hacked into For presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden All Bitcoin sent to the address below will be sent back doubled We appreciate the swift actions of law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case progresses. For our part, we are focused on being transparent and providing updates regularly. For the latest, see here 👇 https://t.co/kHty8TXaly Some of the celebrities who authorities say were hacked by Clark included: Biden A handful of companies had their accounts hacked The hackers allegedly compromised about 130 Twitter accounts and scammed others who sent money In an update on its internal investigation on Thursday Twitter said that the incident targeted employees using a phone spear-phishing attack “We appreciate the swift actions of law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case progresses,” the company tweeted from its communications account Friday we are focused on being transparent and providing updates regularly.” A 17-year-old Tampa teen was behind the Twitter hack that gave him access to the accounts of Bill Gates Barack Obama and many other celebrities with millions of followers [ Screengrab ]At the time of the attack the popular social networking company put a temporary freeze on all “verified” accounts to prevent further fraud from public figures Clark faces 30 charges including: 17 counts of felony communications fraud 10 counts of identity theft and one count each of aggravated identity theft and hacking and unlawful access to a computer in furtherance of a scheme to defraud He was being held Friday without bail in the Hillsborough County jail He is expected to make his first court appearance on Saturday Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren held a news conference on Zoom on Friday to announce the arrest of a 17-year-old Tampa teen in a scheme to hack celebrity Twitter accounts. [ Tampa Bay Times ]Josh FialloFormer Times Reporter Peter TalbotFormer Times Reporter We appreciate the swift actions of law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case progresses. For our part, we are focused on being transparent and providing updates regularly. For the latest, see here 👇 https://t.co/kHty8TXaly a celestial phenomenon that Americans won’t see again for two decades Only our yellow star’s spiky corona will be visible in the 15 states in the path of totality, which extends from Texas to Maine in the United States. We’ll see a less dramatic blockage of the sun in Florida with about 58 percent totality in Tampa and 46 percent in Miami as the moon slips between the sun and Earth, according to a searchable NASA map Below is your complete guide to viewing the sun’s disappearing act in Florida: Here are the eclipse times to keep in mind on Monday (all times local): the National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly clear and sunny skies on Monday with a high of 87 degrees Great Explorations Children’s Museum, St. PetersburgThe museum will organize a group viewing of the eclipse at Crescent Lake Park at 2:45 p.m attendees are encouraged to explore the museum’s planetarium which offers free entry to members that day Hillsborough County Public Library CooperativeVarious libraries in the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will stream the eclipse on NASA TV starting at 1:35 p.m Joyner Library will host a viewing party for children ages 6 to 12.The 78th Street Library will also stream the movie “Dune” from 3 to 6 p.m James Weldon Johnson Community Library, St. PetersburgThis eclipse viewing party includes crafts and activities such as constructing a viewer and experiments with UV beads A limited number of eclipse glasses will be available Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa There will be hands-on activities starting at 2 p.m Each ticket includes a pair of solar eclipse glasses Cost is $18.50 per adult and $14.50 per child North Greenwood Library, ClearwaterThe library will begin distributing eclipse-viewing glasses at 1:45 p.m Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, ClearwaterThe first 2,500 people at this viewing party on Clearwater Beach will receive collectible eclipse glasses Pinellas County Library CooperativeVarious libraries in the Pinellas County Library Cooperative are hosting eclipse viewing parties St. Petersburg College Planetarium at the Gibbs Campus in St. PetersburgThe SPC planetarium will host a free public viewing of the eclipse Eclipse viewers and specially equipped telescopes will be available in the “quad” area of the St Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the sun’s face is completely obscured by the moon, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without protective eye equipment too: Viewing any part of the bright sun through a camera lens or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury One other safe way to view the eclipse is with a do-it-yourself pinhole projector that shows the sun on a nearby surface. The American Astronomical Society has pinhole projector DIY instructions The duration of totality in the United States will be up to 4 minutes and 24 seconds in Eagle Pass the eclipse reaches totality about an hour later Totality will last twice as long as in the coast-to-coast solar eclipse in 2017 and the number of people in the path of totality — an estimated 32 million people — is much greater Another thing that makes the 2024 solar eclipse markedly different from the 2017 event is that it’s occurring as the sun is at its peak activity cycle This year’s eclipse opens a unique window for scientists to study the sun’s corona “The eclipse that we have coming up in 2024 is going to be a very different eclipse from what we saw in 2017 because this corona that we see is going to have much more structure,” Lisa Upton a solar scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder It will be March 30, 2033, before another total solar eclipse touches the United States, and that’s only on the tip of Alaska. It’ll be Aug. 12, 2044, before the next eclipse sweeps across the lower 48 states with parts of Montana and North Dakota experiencing totality Legends in ancient cultures attributed the temporary disappearance of the sun to celestial dragons and other mythical creatures, wolves and even giant frogs who either ate the sun or stole it the solar eclipse was a foreboding sign the gods were angry or that the siblings the sun and the moon were quarreling an indigenous group of people who lived in the Northwest United States the literal translation of “eclipse” is “got bit by a bear.” The legend is that a bear mixed it up with the sun and took a bite out of it and then decided to have a slice of the moon as well Scientists and astronomers long ago solved the riddle of the solar eclipse — it’s simply what happens when the moon masks the sun as it passes in front of it some superstitions remain in modern culture including that solar eclipses are dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children or that food cooked during an eclipse is poisonous the superstitions aren’t as gloomy as the sky when the moon blots out the sun the eclipse is prime flower planting time; it’s believed they will bloom brighter and more colorful than flowers planted at other times of the year Other claims about negative effects on human behavior have been debunked by scientists 2023 at 3:20 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Residents can expect wind gusts of up to 50 mph and penny-size hail FL — A strong thunderstorm is impacting portions of south central Pasco north central Pinellas and northwestern Hillsborough Counties until 3:45 p.m Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm over Keystone a severe thunderstorm was located near Hillsborough River State Park Residents can expect wind gusts of up to 50 mph and quarter-size hail Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2021 at 4:13 pm ETGooNorthlakes Sports Complex has received a major landscaping upgrade courtesy of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors (Google Earth)Northlakes Sports Complex has received a major landscaping upgrade FL — Northlakes Sports Complex has received a major landscaping upgrade courtesy of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors and Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation volunteers from the Realtors association beautified the park at 2640 N Lakeview Drive in Tampa by planting about 40 live oaks Volunteers also deep-cleaned the park’s concession stand and did other landscaping A portion of the project was funded through a Community Rebuilding Grant from the National Association of Realtors; funds for the trees came through Hillsborough County’s Tree Fund The benefits of trees are more than just aesthetic harbor wildlife and reduce the heat island effect in cities Green spaces also can help lower the level of crime within urban environments Hillsborough County’s popular Northlakes Sports Complex includes baseball It is owned and operated by Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2024 at 3:58 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Excitement is building in Tampa for the April 8 total solar eclipse Check out these viewing parties throughout the Tampa Bay area FL — Excitement is building in Tampa for the April 8 total solar eclipse We’re not among some 32 million Americans living in the path of totality but neither will we miss out on the celestial sensation In the United States, the path of totality extends from Texas to Maine, but each of the 48 continental states will see some of the solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon slips between our bright star and Earth. In Tampa, the moon will cover about 57.9 percent of the sun at the peak of the eclipse, according to a NASA map that is searchable by ZIP code Here are the details:Partial eclipse begins: 1:43 p.m.Maximum: 2:59 p.m.Partial ends: 4:14 p.m The eclipse will last about 2 hours and 31 minutes from beginning to end in Tampa Various organizations and venues are hosting eclipse-viewing events throughout the greater Tampa Bay area Great Explorations Children’s Museum, St. Petersburg The museum will organize a group viewing of the eclipse at Crescent Lake Park at 2:45 p.m Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative Various libraries in the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will stream the eclipse on NASA TV starting at 1:35 p.m Joyner Library will host a viewing party for children ages 6 to 12 The 78th Street Library will also stream the movie “Dune” from 3 to 6 p.m James Weldon Johnson Community Library, St. Petersburg This eclipse viewing party includes crafts and activities North Greenwood Library, Clearwater The library will begin distributing eclipse-viewing glasses at 1:45 p.m Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Clearwater The first 2,500 people at this viewing party on Clearwater Beach will receive collectible eclipse glasses Pinellas County Library Cooperative Various libraries in the Pinellas County Library Cooperative are hosting eclipse viewing parties St. Petersburg College Planetarium at the Gibbs Campus in St. Petersburg The SPC planetarium will host a free public viewing of the eclipse it looks like we could have a clear day with no chance of rain and low cloud coverage for the big event entering the United States in Texas and traveling through Oklahoma as well as small parts of Tennessee and Michigan before entering Canada in southern Ontario through Quebec Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton before exiting continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland 2024 at 5:01 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}People are rescued from an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton FL — In the hours since Hurricane Milton brought strong winds record rainfall and flooding to the Tampa Bay area many residents are starting to return home and survey any damage left in the storm's wake there is help available to those affected by Milton See the following list of general resources and available assistance by county: Information is available through the State Assistance Information Line at 800-342-3557 This call center runs 24/7 and can answer any Hurricane Milton or Hurricane Helene-related questions in English Those who need help with damages can call Florida’s Crisis Cleanup hotline at 844-965-1386 Residents may also call 833-GET-HOPE for free assistance and resources such as food Serving as the emergency response arm for the Hope Florida initiative, Activate Hope pulls together the private sector, nonprofits, and government resources to help Floridians get back on their feet following a natural disaster by connecting them with outside resources to provide food, household goods, home repairs, and more. Fill out this form to request help FEMA assistance is available to residents who experienced damages or losses due to Hurricane Helene. Financial help is available for temporary lodging, basic home repairs and other disaster-caused expenses. Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov The American Red Cross has launched an online Reunification Portal for individuals looking for loved ones Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers Samaritan's Purse hotline offers free assistance for homeowners affected by a disaster Volunteers may be able to assist with the removal of personal property and furniture debris clean-up and temporary roof tarping Florida residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Helene can submit a Disaster Unemployment Assistance claim at FloridaJobs.org counselors are available to talk via the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 The Tampa Emergency Hotline has been reactivated to answer residents' questions regarding Hurricane Milton recovery The Hurricane Damage Reporting Form is designed to help Hillsborough County officials connect residents with local recovery resources. Filling out the form can help county officials put them in touch with organizations that can help. Fill out the form here Income-eligible residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County Plant City and Temple Terrace who have been displaced due to Hurricane Milton may be eligible to receive temporary hotel assistance For further details and eligibility requirements Hillsborough County will be collecting storm debris from County neighborhoods most heavily affected by Hurricane Milton. Residents in the County's collection areas impacted by flooding should place debris curbside without blocking the roadway or storm drains. Learn more here Feeding Tampa Bay is hosting emergency feeding stations in Hillsborough and Manatee County. Follow the organization on social media to see when and where stations will be held Residents are encouraged to complete a Self-Assessment Survey By sharing your immediate needs — whether it’s food medical assistance or other essentials — you’ll help the county respond faster and prioritize resources where they’re needed most Manatee County has set up two Health and Wellness Centers: one at the Rubonia Community Center and another serving the Island Cities These facilities will provide services to residents affected by Hurricane Milton in Rubonia Three Point of Distribution sites have been set up at Blackstone Park GT Bray Park and Kingfish Boat Ramp until 8 p.m Each has ready-to-eat meals water and tarps The county is offering two options for Pasco County residents to dispose of storm-related yard debris Drop off tree limbs or branches for free at one of Pasco’s two solid waste facilities or pile your yard waste at the curb and Pasco County will pick it up in the coming weeks Cooling/comfort stations are becoming available for residents without power following Hurricane Milton. These stations will provide a place for residents to cool off and charge their phones. View more information. Six shelters remain open in Pinellas County. For the full list of available shelters and their status, see the county's Shelter Page. A Point of Distribution has opened at 18200 Gulf Blvd in Redington Shores to offer free ready-to-eat meals water and tarps to residents impacted by Hurricane Milton Feeding Tampa Bay is offering food pantries and food distribution events in Pinellas County for residents impacted by Hurricane Milton. Find food and resources. If you have been displaced due to hurricanes Milton or Helene, visit pinellas.gov/HurricaneHousing for a list of resources to help you search for short-and long-term housing options Care About Me, Pinellas County’s access line for mental health, substance use and addiction services, can help residents or family members of individuals in non-crisis find local services. Call or text 888-431-1998 or chat online at careaboutme.org Polk County’s Emergency Management Division encourages residents to use the Citizen’s Information Line to answer Hurricane Milton-related questions. Call the Citizen’s Information Line at 863-298-7500 (locally) or toll-free at 866-661-0228 Polk County residents with questions regarding hurricane debris are advised to call the Hurricane Milton Residential Debris Hotline at 833-843-1920 This is the only number that will be able to provide answers to hurricane-related debris questions Sarasota County 311 Center has extended hours until 8 p.m on Friday and will be available over the weekend starting at 8 a.m Whether you're looking for a loved one or need debris pickup Supply points of distribution are set up at four locations to provide water food and tarps for those impacted by Hurricane Milton Florida Power & Light is providing Outage Relief Site locations 2024 at 3:45 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}From Godzilla to Star Wars to botanical gardens Patch has compiled some of the best Christmas lights displays in the Tampa Bay area FL — If you’re looking for a little Christmas cheer this season we’ve compiled a list of holiday light displays throughout the greater Tampa Bay area Some displays were submitted to us by Patch readers while others are public displays or were found on social media It’s not too late to include your holiday light display in this round-up. Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com with photos A Very Merry Sithmasis a Star Wars-themed light display on Quintessa Lane in Lithia Another impressive light display is on Redwood Avenue in Temple Terrace. The home light display, which runs nightly from 6 to 11 p.m., features new decorations every year, according to christmaslightfinder.com A home on Oakvista Circle in Tampa features a handbuilt nativity scene, 20 trees and a 30-foot-long tunnel, according to theholidayatlas.com And a home on Lightner Bridge Drive in Tampa offers a full projector light show The Holiday Spectacular returns to Tampa’s Riverwalk this year Enchanting lights are displayed along the Riverwalk and on floating barges in the Hillsborough River through Jan One reader told Patch that their favorite area to drive around and view multiple homes lit up for the holiday season is along Riverview Boulevard in Bradenton The Freedom Factory hosts its first Bradenton Holiday Lights Festival a drive-thru light display with more than 100,000 lights synchronized to music visits with Santa on Fridays and Saturdays The display is open to the public through Jan shared his holiday lights display with Patch calling it the “tallest Christmas tree … maybe?” The display can be found downtown at the intersection of Polk Street and Pennsylvania Avenue “We lost a couple (of) strands since last year but I’m … proud to say I haven’t seen a taller tree yet,” he told Patch The Thomas Christmas Display at 9111 Bearcat Road in New Port Richey features more than 50 blow molds “Many of my blow molds are old,” the homeowner who submitted the display told Patch “Many have been restored and repaired and painted.” in New Port Richey features more than 40,000 lights “We also set up a photo bench in the tunnel of light Many people come to take their Christmas card photos on the bench,” the homeowner who submitted his light display told Patch The lights are on daily from about 6 to 10:30 p.m The Valley View Light Show at 960 Valley View Cir in Palm Harbor is now in its fifth year It boasts more than 15,000 LED pixel lights all synchronized to 38 different songs with “some amazing special effects like singing Christmas trees and bulbs,” the homeowner told Patch they introduced the Angel Wing Photo Station Visitors can control the color of the wings and take their photo in front of the show YOU can control what song you want to hear via your phone when you’re at the show,” the homeowner said “Just follow the instructions on the sign by the mailbox.” A home on Julia Circle North features more than 200,000 lights synchronized to music. The display includes a 23-foot tree with 10,000 lights and a 19-foot tree with 6,000 LED lights that does animation, according to christmaslightfinder.com Shows run continuously from dusk until 11 p.m and those in cars can listen to the music on 99.9 FM The Oakdale Christmas Display at 2719 Oakdale Street in St Visitors are invited to walk through the display Largo’s 182-acre Florida Botanical Gardens sparkle with 1 million twinkling LED lights in various colors The display is open to the public nightly from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m Nearby, the Largo Central Park holiday display features a walking tour of more than 2.5 million LED lights A Lakeland couple decided to “go big” after Hurricane Milton ravaged their home in October On top of their home, which is located at 1836 Tristram, is a 14-foot-high inflatable Godzilla crushing the part of the roof affected by the storm There’s also a single strand of colorful rainbow lights along the roof’s edge “All the lights are perfect along the entire roof line except where Godzilla is,” the homeowner told Patch “There the lights are dangling and hanging.” is an inflatable Santa with a slingshot poised to fling presents at the giant green monster Just Santa slingshotting presents at a Godzilla on a crushed house,” he said but some people like the creative lights.”Sarasota County Lights in Bloom at the Selby Gardens’ downtown campus is a Sarasota holiday tradition which features more than 2 million lights illuminating the gardens General entry to see the display is from 6:30 to 9 p.m Town Square University Parkway at 8450 Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota is decorated for the holiday season The 1950s-themed adult day center welcomes guests Monday to Friday to explore its indoor holiday displays and explore the 15 different storefronts The decorations will come down during the first week of January The University Town Center hosts its annual Festival of Lights The shopping destination hosts nightly light shows every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. as well as festive fireworks on Saturdays at 9 p.m There’s also a full calendar of special events The Cedar Hollow neighborhood in Sarasota is also known for its annual extravagant holiday display The lights start at the first roundabout off Honore Avenue just south of Fruitville Road There is lots to be found,” according to the Facebook page Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O’Brien is bailed following last week’s incident involving police in Greater Northdale Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O’Brien has been released from jail after posting a $50,000 surety bond The first charge carried a bail payment of $30,000 while the second was set at $20,000 O’Brien forced his way into an occupied family home ran towards police brandishing a knife when confronted his nearby home containing explosive ammunition was on fire Police had to Taser the guitarist before taking him into custody O’Brien lost all his possessions during the house fire with Deana Mazurkiewicz – the wife of Cannibal Corpse drummer Paul launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for her friend just a few days ago A statement on the MightyCause website reads: “These funds will help him get back on his feet with the regular much-needed necessities like clothing and other daily life necessities that are needed.  “Understanding that money is tight for everybody especially around the holidays but every amount does help $20 or more – every penny from this campaign will go directly to Pat.  Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer “If you’re a metal fan and you’ve had the honour of meeting Pat at a show or elsewhere when he’s out and about then you know how friendly he is “He would never start a campaign for himself but I know he would be absolutely humbled by the support shown.” The statement added: “I asked that people not jump to conclusions until the full details of what occurred come out and that you show Pat nothing but love and support and let him know that you’re there for him.” The campaign is aiming to raise $60,000 and at the time of writing Scott MunroSocial Links NavigationLouder e-commerce editorScott has spent 35 years in newspapers Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020 Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date writes about the best deals for music fans keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder He's previously written for publications including IGN covering everything from daily news and weekly features Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim Scorpions cancel three shows as illness leaves Klaus Meine with "inability to sing" Ghost's $130 Papa V Perpetua 'Ghildo' sells out in minutes “I see some of these younger guitar players and I’m like ‘Where did I go wrong?’”: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett admits he “should be a lot better” at playing guitar 2011 at 6:28 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Tampa Electric posts an outage map that on stormy days like today as some 60,000 customers were reported to be without service as the rough weather continues The report, issued at 12:43 p.m., also provided a link to TECO’s online outage map showed power outages in the Greater Brandon area ranging from “very small” (one to 10 customers) to “large” (200-plus customers) Tips are provided as well for a power outage kit. Also provided, a link to frequently asked questions about power outages To report a power outage or other safety concern, call: 1-877-588-1010. For details on reporting requirements, visit TECO online 2023 at 2:52 pm ETOceana captured this photo of a shiver of hammerhead sharks off the Florida coast divers spent more than $221 million on shark encounters in Florida (Oceana Florida)SOUTH FLORIDA — It may not be officially Shark Week but you'd never know it by the shark activity reported during the past week in Florida waters Despite the close encounters of humans and sharks a group that tracks sharks says they pose less risk to people than car crashes the Monroe County Sheriff's Office reported that a 35-year-old man was fishing off a dock in Summerland Key The shark had already been hooked and was laying on the dock when it decided to take its revenge on the angler The man was flown to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami via Trauma Star shortly after getting bitten There was no word on the fate of the shark Note to anglers: Make sure you secure sharks after you catch them the Monroe sheriff's office reported that a 20-year-old man was bitten on the leg by a shark Thursday afternoon in Marathon when a bull shark decided to be proactive and spear him first Kevin Blanco said he was bitten twice by the shark He was taken ashore by boat to the Sunset Grille & Raw Bar A helicopter then landed on the Seven-Mile Bridge and flew him to South Medical Center in Miami Note to anglers: Sharks don't like getting speared As residents and visitors plan trips to the beach this Memorial Day Weekend here are some interesting facts to keep in mind: Volusia County has the dubious distinction of being the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," according to the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum. Last year was a record shark attack year for the county Volusia County has had a total of 343 shark bites reported The county with the second-most shark bites since 1882 is Brevard with 156 shark bites Before these crucial marine creatures are unfairly maligned the Florida Museum said beach-goers need to put the statistics into perspective: According to the nonprofit Oceana Florida of Jacksonville which tags and tracks shark movements along the East Coast and Florida Gulf sharks are not only vital to the health of the marine ecosystem but play an important role in Florida's economy Hillsborough County has five evacuation zones:  To find out what evacuation zone you live in, enter your address on the Hillsborough County Emergency Management website. Print the results if you can It may even be wise to email the results to family or friends living nearby or out of state This may help if you lose or misplace the list during an evacuation If you are unable to look up your zone online People living in a mobile home must evacuate even if they are not located in an evacuation zone There are more than 60 shelters in Hillsborough County. Not all of them are activated for every storm and not all are special needs or pet friendly. Check out the complete list on the Hillsborough County Emergency Management's website to plan ahead if you need a specialized shelter The closest shelters to Carrollwood include: All of the information has been provided by the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management. For more information, download and print the 2013 Disaster Planning Guide or visit the Office of Emergency Management online 2020TAMPA — Before Graham Ivan Clark was arrested in last month’s high-profile hack of Twitter the 17-year-old was under investigation for a less conspicuous digital crime: “Sim swapping” is a scam where the cell phone provider is tricked into switching one person’s phone number to a phone owned by the scammer one could siphon personal information and money Clark’s history with sim swapping, first reported by the New York Times, was detailed in court documents filed this week by his attorney and prosecutors. They show he was the target of a sim swapping investigation by authorities in Florida and California. Those revelations were the subject of a bail reduction hearing Wednesday requested by the defense to convince the court to reduce the 17-year-old’s $725,000 bail. He has been in the Hillsborough County jail since Friday, when he was arrested on charges that he reaped about $117,000 by accessing the Twitter accounts of prominent celebrities and companies and to solicit payments of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The July 15 Twitter hack of accounts like Barack Obama and Kim Kardashian gained national media attention and so has Clark’s arrest. That notoriety brought unwanted attention to Wednesday’s virtual Zoom hearing, which was was “Zoom bombed” — provocateurs broke into the call to interrupt the proceedings. Posing as CNN and BBC News, they repeatedly interrupted the meeting with rap music, movie dialogue and shouting. Graham Ivan Clark, 17, of Tampa face 30 charges in connection with the July 15 hack of some of Twitter's most prominent celebrity accounts, authorities say. [ AP ]Then Hillsborough Circuit Judge Christopher Nash temporarily shut down the hearing after all of the participants’ screens were taken over by pornography. Clark gained access to Twitter’s systems by convincing an employee he worked in the company’s information technology department, according to the arrest report produced by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Clark then had the employee provide credentials that Clark could use to access Twitter’s customer service portal. Clark’s defense attorney, David Weisbrod, filed a motion seeking to reduce his client’s bail and overturn a court ruling Saturday that the teen must prove any funds used to post bail were obtained legitimately. Weisbrod said that last year Clark was the subject of a sim swapping investigation that involved prosecutors from Hillsborough County and Santa Clara, Calif. A search warrant was executed at Clark’s home in Greater Northdale in August 2019, where agents seized about $15,000 in cash and electronic devices. Subscribe to our free News Alerts newsletter But if a sim swapper can convince a cell phone carrier to switch the target’s cell number to a phone owned by the swapper, then they can use those texts to reset the target’s banking, email and social media accounts. The scheme has become more frequent due to a “perfect storm” of factors, said Ross, who lost about $1 million in the fraud. Smartphones and text-message two-factor authentication have both become commonplace. The third factor is the rise in value of Bitcoin: Each Bitcoin is currently worth more than $11,000, giving hacker a financial incentive to sim swap. Ross isn’t familiar with Clark’s background, but said most sim swappers are in their teens or early 20s, and many get their start by hacking shoot ‘em up video games like “Call of Duty” or “Fortnite” to up their kills. “The hackers grow up in this virtual world and they graduate from figuring out how to cheat to maybe doing credit cards to doing sim swapping,” Ross said. Clark developed a reputation in video games “Minecraft” and “Fortnite” as an “adept scammer,” according to the New York Times. During the 2019 investigation, agents froze a Bitcoin account used by Clark. The defense attorney said that account had about $1 million worth of Bitcoin. On Saturday, he told the court that authorities at one time had seized another $3 million worth of the cryptocurrency. In April, investigators agreed to return Clark’s assets, Weisbrod said, but held onto about $1 million worth of Bitcoin from the frozen account. The attorney said Florida and California prosecutors both agreed not to pursue charges against the 17-year-old. In a response to Weisbrod’s bail reduction motion, Hillsborough Assistant State Attorney Darrell Dirks argued in an opposing motion to keep the provision that Clark must prove the legitimacy of his funds. He wrote that last year Clark was the subject of a federal and California investigation into the alleged theft of about $1 million in cryptocurrency from California victims. Clark agreed to pay $900,000 worth of cryptocurrency as “partial restitution” to California victims, the motion said. The New York Times linked Clark to the theft of Bitcoin from Seattle tech investor Gregg Bennett and that the U.S. Secret Service recovered 100 Bitcoin from Clark. “Any attempt to suggest that this agreement should be read that prosecutors, here or in California, concluded that Defendant was not involved is incorrect and misleading,” Dirks wrote. Santa Clara County District Attorney Erin West declined to comment on Wednesday on the case, writing in an email that she cannot discuss a juvenile case. Clark was 16 when he was investigated by California authorities. Dirks argued in court on Wednesday that $725,00 bail was appropriate because the losses in the case are not necessarily limited to $117,000. The prosecutor also wrote that Clark’s “successful attempt to hijack the funds” took place little more than two weeks ago. “We are still discovering the breadth and extent of the defendant’s criminal conduct,” Dirks said in court. Weisbrod argued that believing the damages may be higher “isn’t good enough.” The judge split the difference. After a brief hiatus that he hoped would discourage the trolls (the Zoom interruptions continued) Nash said he would not change the bail amount. But he axed the provision that Clark must prove he legitimately obtained the funds he uses to post bail. The court this past weekend also forbade Clark from using the Internet. Weisbrod asked Wednesday that his client be allowed to go online to access his Bitcoin assets to post bail. That request was denied. The next hearing is set for October. The judge said it will be password protected. Josh SolomonFormer Times Reporter 2023 at 5:27 pm ETClearwater police said one structure was completely demolished by the tornado (Clearwater Police)Toppled trees from the tornado caused extensive property damage and knocked out power in the area (Clearwater Police )Toppled trees from the tornado caused extensive property damage and knocked out power in the area (Clearwater Police)The tornado flipped heavy trucks over in Dunedin this car was empty when a rain gutter crashed through its windshield in Clearwater roofs flew off apartment and condominium buildings (City of Dunedin)The tornado toppled over and displaced trucks and cars (Clearwater Police )In addition to damaging two homes streets and yards in the area are strewn with debris from fallen tree limbs building materials and unsecured outdoor furniture (Clearwater Police)Toppled trees from the tornado caused extensive property damage and knocked out power in the area (Clearwater Police)In addition to damaging two homes the tornado decimated a structure on North Clearwater Beach (Clearwater Police)Police said the tornado peeled metal roofs off mobile homes like shredding paper FL — Clearwater police are restricting access to the northern part of Clearwater Beach due to the damage from a tornado that touched down early Thursday morning Reports said Dunedin also suffered damage to homes and businesses from the storm The NWS has issued a tornado watch in effect until 3 p.m Manatee and Pinellas counties including the cities of Bayshore Gardens Other counties under the watch include: Alachua Strong thunderstorms will affect parts of Pasco Pinellas and Hillsborough counties through 12:45 p.m radar was tracking a cluster of strong thunderstorms near offshore Pinellas County extending northeast and moving northeast at 40 mph Wind gusts up to 40 mph and possible funnel clouds are a hazard The NWS has now confirmed that at least two tornadoes touched down in Florida early Thursday morning: one in North Clearwater Beach and another in Citrus County "There was significant damage throughout multiple areas in the city," said Crystal River Mayor Joe Meeks who provided photos of the damage including one showing the destruction of the pro shop at the Plantation Resort Golf and Country Club Because the west side of Citrus County experienced significant damage all public school classes were canceled," said Linda Blair public information officer for the Citrus County School District she said all sports and extracurricular activities have been canceled as well we have teams assessing damage at schools and will get more insight into the full scope of damage to buildings once the sun comes up," she said "There are other potential tornado impact areas that we will be assessing based on radar and damage reports photos/videos submitted to us from emergency management and media as well as a wealth of data mined from social media," said NWS meteorologists officers and firefighters were called to the area around Eldorado Avenue just after 2 a.m "It sounded like all heck was busting loose outside," said Clearwater resident Manny Carrasquillo not knowing a tornado hit so close to where I live," said Kathleen Slaven of Clearwater She said she learned how close the tornado was to her home with a neighbor sent her a photo taken near the Carlouel Yacht Club on North Clearwater Beach showing one building that was torn apart and debris strewn throughout the area very blessed there was no damage here," she said police said no injuries have been reported at this time The tornado was spawned by a storm system that swept through Pinellas Pasco Manatee and Hillsborough counties in the early-morning hours but it appears that north Clearwater Beach and Crystal River in Citrus County received the brunt of the damage according to the National Weather Service in Ruskin the city of Dunedin is reporting extensive damage that has forced the city to close the Dunedin Causeway radar indicated a waterspout had formed just offshore of Clearwater Beach near Harbor Bluffs and predicted it would make landfall around Clearwater Keystone and Beacon Square around 1:55 a.m The NWS issued a tornado warning at 1:59 a.m alerting residents that a severe thunderstorm Thursday had been detected over Palm Harbor and near Holiday in Pasco County moving northeast across Pinellas and Pasco counties at 35 mph The NWS said the dangerous storm caused severe damage to mobile homes as well as to the roofs and windows of permanent structures and parked cars meteorologists said the tornadic storm impacted the Keystone Pinellas County emergency management officials are warning residents that higher-than-normal tides may cause minor coastal flooding throughout Thursday morning and into the afternoon Coastal and barrier island residents and those traveling through these areas should prepare for localized flooding Tarpon Springs resident Holly Slay captured a video of the waterspout as it came ashore near the Dunedin Causeway Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2012 at 1:45 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Better World Books’ drop boxes may be relatively small but the company says they make a huge difference “A drop box brings 11,000 books a year on average and those 11,000 books equate to 126 trees saved,” said John Ujda vice president of marketing for the online retailer “As the network expands and gets into the thousands you can image how the environmental impact expands.”  Better World Books began placing 30 drop boxes in the Tampa Bay region including one in the parking lot of the shopping plaza at the corner of Dale Mabry and Ehrlich Road Better World Books is a self-described “for-profit social enterprise” that collects and sells books online They match each purchase with a donation — "book for book” — and give a portion of proceeds to literacy and nonprofit education programs Ujda said the Tampa drop boxes will benefit the local United Way plus the National Center for Family Literacy The business was founded 10 years ago by three University of Notre Dame students selling textbooks online, according to www.betterworldbooks.com A wide range of new and used material (in good condition) is accepted at the drop boxes “Pretty much anything that you would want to read for education or enjoyment,” Ujda said “We don’t take magazines or phone books or Reader’s Digest stuff.” Although e-readers continue to grow in popularity Ujda said Better World Books appeals to customers who still appreciate the tactile quality of a printed book And Better World Books sees a sale as more than a simple transaction “We’ve recycled over 90 million books,” he said “There have been over 1.2 million trees saved We’ve raised $12.5 million for libraries and literacy organizations.”  Believe the company is profiting off the charity and donations of others The company’s website says they donate a “significant portion” of proceeds to literacy initiatives and that their system proves it is indeed possible to “do good and do well at the same time.” Want to donate books to one of their bins? Check out this map for all Tampa Bay area locations. Search for academic programs, residence, tours and events and more The Sun Life Centre for Healthy Communities at Wilfrid Laurier University is delivering the MLSE House of Hockey ball hockey program to 40 Kitchener-Waterloo area youth as part of its summer programming introducing the game to some for the very first time MLSE House of Hockey includes 10 locations where youth learn the game The Sun Life Centre at Laurier’s Northdale Campus in Waterloo is the first location to host the program outside of the Greater Toronto Area MLSE Launchpad offers MLSE House of Hockey in collaboration with the Toronto Maple Leafs and partners Justin Bieber “Given the barriers to traditional ice hockey – financial transportation and others – we felt this was a great opportunity to get sticks in the hands of kids who might not be familiar with hockey or have never played the game,” says Nicole Vandermade program manager with the Sun Life Centre for Healthy Communities “Traditionally we serve a high number of new Canadians and a lot of them face barriers in accessing typical registered sport programming.” The eight-week MLSE House of Hockey program – including participants between the ages of 9 and 12 from Kitchener-Waterloo – kicked off on July 9 and runs through Aug Participants gather on Tuesday nights at the Northdale Campus where four teams face off in outdoor ball hockey matches against a different team each week “Participants get the opportunity to learn a new sport,” says Vandermade “And from Laurier’s perspective it’s great to have them come to campus and start building a connection with the university.” participating in MLSE House of Hockey is their first experience on a team or competing in a league learning life skills through participation in sport is a key focus of the program “With MLSE House of Hockey we are really trying to drive home the idea of ‘grit,’” says Alanna Harman executive director of the Sun Life Centre for Heathy Communities “More than 95 per cent of participants have never played hockey or ball hockey before so you’re not going to get it the first time You’re going to have to go back and do it over It’s building up that skill set that they can apply in other contexts.” “A lot of people see hockey as a traditionally male sport,” says Harman “We have really worked on creating an inclusive space for all to come and participate and build camaraderie.” Eight current Laurier students assist in running the program the students learn how to communicate with youth manage conflict and improve their leadership skills Vandermade says a prior relationship between the Sun Life Centre and MLSE Launchpad led to MLSE House of Hockey being delivered by the Sun Life Centre “Connecting with MLSE Launchpad in the past to share ideas and initiatives I was able to learn about the MLSE House of Hockey program and I thought it aligned really well with our mission,” says Vandermade “I also felt our membership and participants would really benefit from a program like this MLSE Launchpad was willing to partner with us and we are able to deliver this program for the first time outside of the GTA A research study being conducted as part of the MLSE House of Hockey program delivered by the Sun Life Centre is seeking feedback from parents and guardians to better understand their perceptions and experiences in the program The information provided will improve future House of Hockey programs and inform the delivery of other physical activity-based programs for children When MLSE House of Hockey concludes on Aug participants will get to keep the sticks and jerseys they used as part of the program It is hoped the young players will continue their journey learning the game and remain physically active “The hope is they will meet friends and play together so they can continue this physical activity on their own,” says Harman “The big mission for the Sun Life Centre for Healthy Communities is to impact the health of individuals in the communities where Laurier has a presence.” Founded in 2016 by Kinesiology and Physical Education faculty members Kim Dawson and Pam Bryden the Sun Life Centre for Healthy Communities focuses on providing physical activity and educational programming while conducting holistic and integrated research on physical activity and healthy living knowledge Dawson and Bryden sought to leverage the knowledge and resources within the university to help community members lead healthier lives Building on the skills and enthusiasm of Laurier students the Sun Life Centre today offers diverse programming for children and youth the Sun Life Centre welcomes between 50 and 60 Laurier Kinesiology student volunteers The Sun Life Centre offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year Programs offered during the coming fall include STEM and sport and an active integration program for new Canadian women All are offered free of charge and geared toward individuals who traditionally face barriers accessing similar programs Close to 1,000 participants benefit from the centre’s programs each year Visit the Sun Life Centre for Healthy Communities website to learn more about the centre By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website