Here are the latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com.
COPS, TEEN CAR THIEVES AND A DANGEROUS GAME
The kids call him “Horny Dave.” Tim Brown, a St. Petersburg detective, is not sure why they think his name is “Dave,” but he hears “horny” means he’s always in their business, desperate to know what they’re up to. Brown, 52, has spent more than a decade going after kid car thieves. He knows they’ll be out of juvenile jail as soon as he catches them. He’s still got to catch them. In Part 2 of the Times’ Hot Wheels series, we go on duty with Brown to chronicle a seemingly never-ending job.
NFL DRAFT TONIGHT: WHAT WILL THE BUCS DO?
Rumors are swirling that the Bucs will make a trade, moving out of the first round. Then again, it wouldn’t be surprising if they made a trade to move up. Or maybe they won’t make a trade at all. Maybe they’ll stick with the 19th pick. If they do, what should they do? What player should they take? Columnist Tom Jones offers some ideas. Columnist Martin Fennelly says Tampa Bay can’t go wrong drafting a safety or tight end. You can keep up with the draft tonight on tampabay.com.
SCIENTOLOGY TAKES AIM AT CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM
The Church of Scientology has launched a statewide campaign blasting the ethics and financial practices of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a move that follows the aquarium’s recent decision not to sell the church a prized downtown property.
POLITIFACT: WHAT TRUMP HAS DONE IN HIS FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE
While the Trump administration hasn’t accomplished more than past administrations in the first 90 days, it has delivered on some campaign promises. We offer an overview of what President Donald Trump has done and not done so far, and how he fares on PolitiFact’s Trump-O-Meter, which tracks more than 100 promises he made on the campaign trail.
FLORIDA REPUBLICANS COOL TO LATEST OBAMACARE OVERHAUL
The state’s House Republicans aren’t rushing to embrace a new health care overhaul that would give states the option to back out of certain parts of the law. The Tampa Bay Times has asked all 16 members where they stand on the proposal and so far.
A HIDDEN TAX ON HARD-WORKING MOTORISTS? TAX COLLECTORS THINK SO
Did the state House just impose a new hidden tax on cash-strapped motorists in Florida? No, say lawmakers. Yes, say Florida’s elected tax collectors. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, was included in the same bill that includes a cut in the business rent tax, back-to-school sales tax holidays and other forms of tax relief.
BIG NAMES AMONG LAYOFFS AS ESPN RESPONDS TO CHANGING MEDIA MARKET
ESPN began laying off about 100 employees Wednesday as the sports network adjusts to a media landscape reshaped by the loss of millions of cable TV subscribers. Several well-known names are out of work, including athletes-turned-broadcasters Trent Dilfer, Len Elmore and Danny Kanell, and reporters and anchors, including Ed Werder, Brett McMurphy and Jay Crawford.
MOVIES IN THE PARK BEGINS TONIGHT IN ST. PETERSBURG
St. Petersburg Preservation’s annual Movies in the Park begins its 2017 season of free movies tonight with the 2012 feature about World War II’s Tuskegee Airmen, Red Tails, at the garden of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum. Check out the rest of the spring movie schedule, which includes Top Gun and Princess Bride, our Feed blog.
News at noon is a weekday feature from tampabay.com. Check in Monday through Friday for updates and information on the biggest stories of the day.