Articles by Tamara Lush

Summer Flooding Causing Damage, Evacuations in Tampa Bay Area

A summer deluge has flooded streets in the Tampa Bay area, forcing some road closings and evacuations, delaying airline flights and overtaxing parts of local wastewater treatment systems. Major intersections were closed Monday near downtown Tampa, snarling traffic throughout the …

Judge Sets 2016 Trial Date for Hulk Hogan Sex Tape Lawsuit

A Florida judge set a trial date of March 2016 for a lawsuit brought by Hulk Hogan – the biggest name on pro wrestling marquees in the `80s and `90s and later a reality TV star – against the news …

NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter Planes Get $42 million Upgrade

The hurricane planes known affectionately as “Miss Piggy” and “Kermit” are getting new Rolls-Royce engines, new wings and better radar. Every hurricane season for nearly four decades, the two technologically packed planes have flown into storms at speeds of up …

Republican Atwater Expected to Easily Retain Florida CFO Seat

The races for two of Florida’s most important offices, state agriculture commissioner and chief financial officer, both pit incumbent Republicans with big campaign coffers against little-known Democrats who haven’t raised much money. CFO Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam …

Washington Navy Yard Shooting Victim’s Family Files Suit in Florida

The family of a woman slain during the mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard is the first to file a lawsuit against the U.S. government and defense contractors over the slaughter that left 12 dead, alleging that officials ignored …

Bill to Delay Flood Insurance Rate Hikes Stymied by Shutdown Politics

A bipartisan proposal to delay federal flood insurance rate hikes that took effect Tuesday is being stymied by a bitter congressional dispute over President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Sen. Bill Nelson said. Nelson, D-Fla., along with U.S. Sens. …

Flood Insurance ‘Sticker Shock’ Hits Floridians with New, Secondary Homes

When Colin and Joyce Elston bought their Florida dream home in May, they were confident they could afford the three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch with a pool and a backyard overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Now they are not so sure. The retirees …

Is European Hurricane Model Better Than U.S. Model?

When forecasters from the National Weather Service track a hurricane, they use models from several different supercomputers located around the world to create their predictions. Some of those models are more accurate than others. During Hurricane Sandy last October, for …

House, Debris Being Removed from Florida Sinkhole That Swallowed Man

Authorities hope to get a better look at a sinkhole that swallowed a man in his Florida home after demolition crews finish knocking down the remaining walls of the house and clear away the debris. Crews on Sunday razed more …

Unsecured Foreclosed Homes Pose Huge Risk as Hurricane Season Opens

Mike Manikchand points toward his neighbors in Lehigh Acres — a half-dozen empty, foreclosed-upon homes, sitting on weed-strewn yards — and he wonders: What will happen if a hurricane slams into southwest Florida this year? His simple answer: “A lot …