PM Tampa Bay And Florida Headlines

Florida

Still no sign of a sailboat missing in the Gulf of Mexico with a man and his 3 teenage children aboard. But water jugs, life jackets, shoes, a basketball, a propane tank, and a kayak were found 33 miles off Sanibel Island. The man’s brother confirms it’s from the boat. U.S. Coast Guard officials say they are throwing everything at the search. The four were last heard from 3 days ago when they reported storms and high seas and that they were quote—attempting to survive.

A tragic end to the search for 16 year old Brandon Sun, who vanished while doing drugs with friends on the St. Petersburg side of the Skyway Bridge yesterday. A fisherman found Sun’s body in the water there this afternoon.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio now says he is running for re-election. The Republican freshman originally said he was getting out of politics after a disastrous presidential run. A new Quinnipiac poll reveals why Rubio is running again for U.S. Senate. The poll says Rubio is the only Republican who can beat both Democrats in the race, U.S. Congressmen Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy.

Tampa Bay home sellers keep getting more for their property. “Florida Realtors” says local single-family home prices are up 10 percent from a year ago. The average bay area single family home now goes for 224 thousand dollars.

Florida wildlife commissioners, likely to decide today whether there will be another black bear hunt this fall. Staff that advises the commission wants a more limited hunt this time. Hunt opponents held dozens of protests around the state last weekend.

A 58 year old man is recovering after getting attacked by an alligator outside his Bushnell home. He shot the gator and then walked up to it. That’s when the reptile, still very much alive, lunged and bit the man on the leg. A trapper euthanized the gator.

21 year old Orlando karate instructor Stephannie Figueroa, accused of asking an 11 year old boy in her class to have sex with her. The boy’s mother called police after seeing messages and photos from Figueroa on her child’s cell phone.