A tennis legend at 44, Serena Williams is returning to pro tennis this month, announcing plans to play in the HSBC Championships in London. Williams, a mother of two, retired nearly four years ago.

Lawmakers are back at the state Capitol this week for a special session on cutting property taxes. "Florida Matters Live & Local" takes a look at the governor's plan and more.

WUSF won five regional Edward R. Murrow awards, including the top honor for overall excellence. It's the second year in a row the station received the award, which recognizes work from the entire news team. @rtdna.bsky.social Learn more: www.wusf.org/wusf-station...

The Sarasota Music Festival or SMF is back June 1, with the opportunity for musicians to exchange ideas, learn and perform as faculty and fellows, playing side-by-side. Audiences can attend chamber and orchestral concerts. Read more: www.wusf.org/arts-culture...

Sand Key, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach will get fresh sand again in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after ending a decade-long stalemate Friday.

Hurricane season starts today. From what El Niño forecasting means to documents to have on hand during an emergency, here are some things to know. Read more: www.wusf.org/the-florida-...

Said Clearwater Deputy Police Chief Michael Walek: "I want to send a very, very clear message to anyone who plans to come here and engage in the kind of behavior we saw this evening. Don't do it. If you do, your trip to the beach will end up with a trip to jail."

The Blue Sharks from the tiny African archipelago will train throughout the tournament at the Waters SportsPlex in Town 'N Country, one of 25 team bases in North America that will not host matches.

After years of using dogs to track the scents of missing people, a Sarasota County search-and-rescue group has added a new team member: Splash, 2-year-old Asian small-clawed otter. Read more - and see more photos - here: www.wusf.org/arts-culture...

The budget includes $30 billion for K-12 schools, with $201 million for teacher pay increases. That raise, though, will only go to teachers with 10 years of experience, with the increase capped at $3,000 per year.

No new money will flow into the state's premier land conservation program this upcoming fiscal year — three years after lawmakers committed to spending a minimum of $100 million a year.

On “Florida Matters Live & Local,” Dr. Deby Cassill talked about the role of lovebugs in the ecosystem, how they reproduce and how they can damage car paint. Read more: www.wusf.org/environment/...

TGIF! Here's a highlight of some of the many events hapening around the Tampa Bay region this weekend. You can find more at artsaxisfl.org/events.

With just over two months to go until the primary election, disability rights and senior advocates fear that many Florida voters won’t renew their ballot requests in time to vote from home. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

The Center for Biological Diversity is suing Florida again over the immigration detention center in the Everglades nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz." Its attorney said the state violated the Clean Air Act by not getting permits for diesel generators.

On the season finale of "The Zest Podcast," restaurateur Billy Dec explores the cuisine of his Filipino heritage. Dec owns Sunda New Asian Restaurant in Tampa and is the subject of the PBS documentary "Food Roots."

On "Florida Matters Live & Local," our series of hurricane prep programs covers legal questions and important home documents. How do you pick up the pieces after the storm is gone?

Some college students are getting their hands dirty doing research into some of our closest aquatic neighbors. We join them as they tag stingrays and sharks off the Pinellas County coast. Read the full story - and see more photos - here: www.wusf.org/environment/...

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost visited the immigration detention center nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz" on Tuesday. He said based on what he saw, he believes the center is winding down.

Some waterfront homeowners in St. Pete Beach will soon get free designs on living shorelines and a permitting guide to update their seawalls with natural elements from a group helping them become more resilient.

It's almost time to celebrate the end of a short work week! Here are our music picks for this weekend. You can find more at artsaxisfl.org.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday said Hillsborough College will receive whatever state funding is deemed necessary to rebuild as part of a plan for a Tampa Bay Rays stadium. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

New companies are selling artificial intelligence assistance to mental health therapists. The AI tools can help with administration and recordkeeping, but some patients worry about their privacy.

Whether you’re a longtime Floridian or a newbie to this hurricane business, preparing for storm season can be intimidating. On "Florida Matters Live & Local," our expert panel has some answers.

Michael Stephens told the Tampa City Council the idea of an “air mobility hub” isn’t in the process of taking shape — yet. He also provided an update on the construction of a new Airside D. Read more: www.wusf.org/transportati...

Homeland Security Investigations Tampa signed an agreement with BRIGHT Network, a University of South Florida St. Petersburg-based platform that connects trafficking victims to essential services.

Even though it's rained the past few days, local officials say our drought continues. Now, Tampa is doubling down on enforcing water restrictions. Read more: www.wusf.org/environment/...

A state budget deal would give the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida. USF says it has plans for a teach-out of current students, and a FAQ list should the transfer get final approval later this week. Read more: www.wusf.org/university-b...

The Florida Department of Transportation opened new express lanes across the bridge early this morning, along with a pedestrian walkway. www.wusf.org/transportati...

The judge ruled the voting groups challenging the map didn’t show the previous one, which was passed in 2022, would be constitutional if he struck the new map down.

Her abduction at age 14 drew international attention. After her rescue, Smart says she struggled with feeling shame around her body. Bodybuilding has helped her see herself differently.

On “Florida Matters Live & Local,” we talk about why forecasters are calling for fewer storms than average, what you should pay attention to and more.

The Sarasota school district is seeing dwindlng enrollment and rising costs. A total of 136 teacher jobs were not renewed for the 2026-27 school year, including Audrey Naffe, who teaches orchestra at Pine View in Osprey. Read more: www.wusf.org/education/20...

On "Florida Matters Live & Local," Large explained why he believes he's suited for the role, and storm preparedness, along with other topics.

On "The Bay Blend" podcast, learn how the type of batteries you're throwing out makes a big difference in safety with Daniel Gallagher from Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management. Read more: www.wusf.org/environment/...

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was declared criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, but he will not serve a sentence for it, a Dominican judge ruled Monday.

Antoniette Jackson with The Black Cemetery Network says Florida is "leading the national conversation" on the work to preserve African American burial grounds and their equally buried histories. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

The much-needed rain will continue this week.

The spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will be nearly $115 billion, less than the Senate’s preferred budget but not the $113.6 billion plan preferred by the House.

Tampa Bay “record man” Phil Gernhard changed the Tennessee country singer’s fortunes.

Florida legislative leaders are negotiating next year’s state budget behind closed doors — a secretive process Gov. Ron DeSantis compared to selecting a pope. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

The national average for a gallon of gasoline is $4.55, as America heads into one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. What can you do to cut your costs?

Need some plans for the long weekend? We've got you covered!

Florida officials will pay nearly half a million dollars to a biologist who was fired by a state agency for criticizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media after his death.

The majority leader of the Florida Senate says he is against the governor's proposal to transfer the USF Sarasota Manatee campus to New College of Florida. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

On The Zest Podcast, we're grabbing a drink with The Tampa Edition Hotel's director of bars. Nihat Çam discusses the larger role that hotel bars play in society, as detailed in his book. It's called "Bar Culture: Hospitality, Hotel Bars and Spirits."

By a 4-3 vote, the city approved the non-binding agreement, allowing negotiations to continue on building the ballpark. But council members still have several concerns. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...

On “Florida Matters Live & Local,” an insect expert talks about why love bugs are so corrosive to vehicles, where they come from and why they’re more than just a nuisance.

🎶Don't need nothin' but a good time🎶 Here are a few of our music picks picks for May 22 - 23, 2026.⁠

Dozens of New York City firefighters with close ties to those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks brought a piece of the World Trade Center site to Sarasota on Tuesday. Read more: www.wusf.org/us-world/202...