Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Hillsborough County commissioners voted Tuesday to advance roughly $353 million in public funding for the proposed Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, including $263 million in tourist-tax bonds and a $90 million sales-tax appropriation, even as Amendment 3 raises questions about the county's long-term finances.
Local Government
Local Government
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Local Government
Local Government
Hillsborough County commissioners voted unanimously on Thursday, July 16 to adopt CPA 26-11, formally adding a proposed Fort Hamer Road extension and new I-75 interchange to the county's long-range transportation plan, though construction remains years away pending an FDOT feasibility study due winter 2027.
Local Government
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County researcher Dr. Stephanie Cadaval argues that residents who live alongside mangroves hold irreplaceable ecological knowledge that should inform conservation of the waterfront habitat defining Apollo Beach and Ruskin.
Local Government
South Kings Avenue in Ruskin dropped to one lane in each direction on Wednesday, July 29, as South Hillsborough Pipeline crews began a three-to-four-week lane shift between Buckhorn Creek Road and Ronele Drive.
Local Government
The USDA is accepting applications for up to $3 million per project to combat feral swine on agricultural lands in Florida, with a September 21 deadline relevant to Hillsborough County's nearly 2,000 farms and $704 million agricultural economy.
Local Government
All students at Apollo Beach K-8, Lennard High, East Bay High, and Ruskin Elementary will receive free lunch under the federal Community Eligibility Provision for the 2026-2027 school year, with no application required.
Local Government
Manatee County Beach Patrol's new rescue drone can reach distressed swimmers in four minutes, and local advocates say the technology could eventually benefit Apollo Beach and Ruskin waterways where boating emergencies are a recurring concern.
Local Government
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County confirmed a locally acquired dengue case on Tuesday, July 28, and issued a county-wide advisory urging residents to use repellent, wear protective clothing, and eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed.
Local Government
Apollo Beach and Ruskin residents face one-day-per-week watering restrictions and a 12-week burn ban under what officials call one of the worst droughts in 50 years, with fines starting at $100 for violations.
Local Government
Members of the On-Target 4-H Club, including 15-year-old Gabriel Holt, have testified before Hillsborough County commissioners and state legislators against the Two Rivers Ranch development, which would increase density from 704 to 3,900 homes on 8,000 acres along the US-301/SR-39 corridor and raise concerns about the county's shared water supply.
Local Government
FDOT is closing lanes on U.S. 301 between the Manatee County line and Sun City Center Boulevard every night from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. through Saturday, August 1, affecting Ruskin and Apollo Beach commuters.
Local Government
Crews will begin trimming and removing trees along the east side of Balm Boyette Road as early as Monday, July 20, working daily for about two weeks to prepare the corridor for the South Hillsborough Pipeline's Segment B.
Local Government
Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center in Ruskin hosts its free 18th Annual Back to School – Back to Nature event Saturday, Aug. 1, offering kids school supplies, raffle prizes, fossil digs, and nature exhibits from eight organizations including the Manatee Viewing Center.
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