Here’s what you may have missed, and what you need to know as you start winding down:
Vocal crowds of demonstrators making weekly visits to the Tampa office of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio have gotten the Miami Republican booted from the building. The owner of Bridgeport Center, a gleaming, nine-story office center at 5201 Kennedy Blvd., has decided not to renew Rubio’s lease. The reason: The rallies have become too disruptive to the other tenants and a costly expense for the company, said Jude Williams, president of America’s Capital Partners.
Sen. Marco Rubio said today that President Donald Trump’s proposed defense spending increase doesn’t go far enough but he expressed concern about cuts to other areas of the budget and said changes to Social Security and Medicare should be on the table.
As you head out for your drive home, check out our live blog for the latest traffic updates and road conditions across Tampa Bay.
Target, stung by the mass migration by its customers online and elsewhere, said its profit plummeted 43 percent during the most recent quarter as sales at its stores weakened. The coming year doesn’t look much better: Its outlook for the first quarter and all of 2017 were far below what industry analysts had been expecting.
For three years, the defendant in a Pasco County theater shooting has sat in silence at the center of one of the area’s most high profile court cases. That ended today, during a "stand your ground" hearing, as Curtis Reeves went on the witness stand to speak publicly for the first time about what happened the day he killed 43-year-old Chad Oulson in a dispute over a cell phone. His attorneys say Reeves was in fear for his life when he resorted to a gun inside a movie theater on Jan. 13, 2014.
The Internet network serving the Hernando County School District has been down since Friday afternoon, forcing the cancellation of computer-based Florida Standards Assessment tests, which had been scheduled to start Monday. Younger students, who use paper tests, have continued on their normal testing schedule.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp plans to put up a fight for transit when the board votes Wednesday on its $812 million transportation plan. Kemp said today she has serious concerns about how the county plans to spend that money during the next 10 years, namely that just over $1 million is earmarked for transit projects.
Attorney General Pam Bondi was at the White House today and got face time with President Trump. Trump met with about 25 members of the National Association of Attorneys General. "Some great people, some great people," he said. "And up here," he added, looking around next to him. Bondi, standing to his left, responded: "Thank you, Mr. President."
Daniel L. Brennan, who resigned Feb. 8 as principal of Pasadena Fundamental Elementary School, falsified documents to cover up his mismanagement of funds from the school’s Parent Teacher Association, a school district investigation has found. A 112-page investigative report released Monday details how Brennan, 43, changed his story several times and could not account for items purchased with the school PTA’s money. The report also says he will pay back more than $2,300 in unaccounted for funds.
Sen. Marco Rubio is bringing Florida Senate President Joe Negron as his guest for tonight’s address to congress by President Trump. Sen. Bill Nelson is bringing his wife, Grace. Some Florida House members are looking to make a statement with their guests.
The Florida Strawberry Festival, founded in 1930, keeps its old-fashioned charm with an 80-ride midway, contests, agriculture exhibits and of course, strawberries in every form. There’s no alcohol and festival organizers pride themselves on family-friendly, even corny, diversions and contests. Here are some basics if you head to this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival.
Depeche Mode has announced plans for a North American tour of arenas and amphitheaters, including Tampa’s MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Sept. 13. Tickets are $29.50 and up and go on sale March 10. Click here for details and ticket information.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota’s all-time leading rusher, will be an unrestricted free agent when the market opens next week. He is coming off a meniscus tear in his right knee that limited him to 72 yards on 37 carries over parts of three games.
Because the World Baseball Classic is being played in March, the Rays have to get some of their pitchers ready earlier, with three set to represent their countries in the opening round — Chris Archer (United States), Alex Colome (Dominican Republic) and Jose Alvarado (Venezuela).
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