Spectrum Bay News 9

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Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche says automated license plate readers are a valuable tool for law enforcement. Troche said he understood why people are hesitant about them, though, and explained how his department is putting up guardrails to prevent unauthorized use.

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The Florida Public Service Commission recently rejected Duke Energy Florida's proposal for handling costs tied to data centers, saying the plan violated a new Florida law that requires such customers to bear the full cost of their electric service.

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Finishing touches are being made outside Clearwater’s new City Hall. The 40,000-square-foot facility has opened. The public can tour the facility on Nov. 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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A Clearwater woman says she was just steps away from being hit when a driver lost control on Halloween night, tore through her yard, and crashed into a neighbor’s home.

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A historic ocean liner is about to get a new life under water. The SS United States is scheduled to be sunk Wednesday about 25 miles off Okaloosa County, creating an artificial reef in the Gulf.

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Hillsborough County Commissioners created new rules for people riding e-bikes, e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles after the sheriff's office reported more children getting hurt.

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Recycled oyster shells are getting a second life in Pinellas County.

Volunteers are drilling and stringing shells together to create vertical oyster gardens — structures that help baby oysters attach and grow.

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President Donald Trump said Monday that the FBI is investigating Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with an alleged Chinese government agent, but said he doesn’t think the executive who has helped to develop artificial intelligence has a reason to worry.

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The Tampa City Council is moving closer to asking voters to approve several charter amendments that could expand its authority over decisions made by the mayor.

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Hillsborough College is preparing for major changes as its Dale Mabry Campus, where the new Rays ballpark will be built. This comes as county commissioners are expected to vote today on the next step in funding the proposed stadium project.

New renderings show a large mixed-use

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Hillsborough County commissioners are considering an ordinance that would ban the sale of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a compound more commonly known as 7-OH, in certain kratom products.

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Citrus County is receiving an additional $3 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to expand a septic upgrade incentive program aimed at reducing nitrogen levels in local waterways.

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Because of the low number of homesteaded properties in their municipalities, leaders in some of Pinellas County's beach communities say the financial impact of Amendment 3's property tax changes may not be as significant as originally anticipated.

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SpaceX is getting ready to test the most powerful rocket ever built again this week. The 15th test flight of Starship is slated for Friday.

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The city of Auburndale is holding a special meeting Tuesday to discuss plans for a potential data center. The project would be housed inside two existing warehouses near Florida Polytechnic University, but some residents have already expressed opposition to the idea.

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What comes next now that Amendment 3 has passed | Political Connections https://t.co/XYJW5VVQTL via @YouTube

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If you notice helicopters flying low over your neighborhood this week, it's part of Hillsborough County's mosquito control efforts.

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Disabled military veteran Evelisse Bookhout started Hands of Hope America after seeing unmet needs in the Four Corners area, where Polk, Lake, Orange and Osceola counties come together. The nonprofit now operates two storefronts in a shopping plaza on Highway 192.

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Far below the Gulf’s surface, scientists are finding signs of a fragile ecosystem still facing challenges years after the BP-operated Deepwater Horizon disaster.

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Researchers, including USF St. Petersburg, are documenting declines in some deep-sea marine life in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.