τ Coronae Borealis going nova. Visualization courtesy NASA
Astronomers worldwide are eagerly anticipating a rare celestial event: a star exploding. Even better, the explosion and its remnants will be visible to the naked eye, and it will be visible from Florida.
The event centers around T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), a binary star system located approximately 3,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Corona Borealis. This system, comprising a white dwarf and a red giant, is expected to undergo a nova outburst in the very near future.
A Punta Gorda charter captain has been arrested following a heated confrontation on the Peace River that was captured on video and has since gone viral. The incident, which unfolded under the Barron Collier Bridge on April 1, involved Captain Brock Horner, 40, of Tarpon Coast Fishing Charters, and 22-year-old fisherman Gage Towles. Horner owns Tarpon Coast Fishing Charters in the southwest Florida town.
Florida officials announced that more than 7,800 bonuses have been awarded to newly hired law enforcement officers under the state’s recruitment bonus program. The one-time payments – approximately $5,000 after taxes for each officer – are part of a statewide initiative launched in 2022 to attract new law enforcement recruits to Florida and recognize their service.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presents the state’s 4,000th bonus check to new recruit Bay County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Belthrop last November. Credit: Rumble/Ron DeSantis
The Original Hooters in Clearwater, Florida Photo: Hooters / Facebook
Hooters, the iconic Clearwater-founded restaurant chain known for its chicken wings and distinctive “Hooters Girls,” has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing comes as part of a strategic plan to restructure the company and facilitate a sale to a group of franchisees, including some of the original Clearwater, Florida founders.
For the large contingent of retirees in Florida, manufactured homes have often been one of the few remaining choices of affordable living options. But now, even affordable trailer parks are fading fast as Florida housing costs rise.
Effective April 11, 2025, Canadians planning to stay in the United States for more than 30 days will be required to register with U.S. immigration authorities.
SpaceX is planning to launch the privately-crewed Fram2 mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon tomorrow evening from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is set for 9:46 PM ET.
The skyline of Miami, Fla. Patrick Bloodgood, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | DVIDS
(The Center Square / Steve Wilson) – Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez wants to cut the state’s sales tax rate, saying it would be the largest cut in the state’s history.
In The Villages, Florida, a legal dispute has emerged between local drone operators and the community’s developer over the use of drones to document construction projects. Don Wiley, a Sumter County Commissioner and licensed commercial drone pilot, has been at the center of this controversy. A law firm says Wiley’s use of his drone runs afoul of Florida’s drone law. Wiley vehemently disagrees, citing both legal precedent and his First Amendment rights.
Drought conditions. Photo via https://www.tampabaywater.org/
It’s dry in a great deal of Florida — too dry. While warm, sunny days are perfect for beachgoers and theme park guests, a drought is bad for farmers and others who need regular rains to maintain their businesses and way of life. It’s also bad for wilderness areas of the state, with lower water levels in rivers, lakes, and aquifers, impacting water supplies while increasing the risk of saltwater intrusion and algae blooms in the water supply.
Florida lawmakers are what might become a new Florida law, Senate Bill 1782 (SB 1782), a measure aimed at imposing stricter penalties on drivers who engage in extreme speeding, commonly referred to as “super speeders.” The bill, introduced by State Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D) Hollywood, seeks to deter reckless driving behaviors that have become increasingly prevalent on Florida’s roadways. Pizzo’s district covers parts of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
AAA reports that after a period of stability, the national average for a gallon of gasoline has risen by approximately 4 cents over the past week, reaching $3.12. This increase comes despite crude oil prices remaining below $70 per barrel. Fortunately, some parts of Florida are still well below the national average.
