TAMPA -- City officials are closing down northbound Ashley Drive between E. Whiting Street and Kennedy Boulevard until Friday to allow workers to repair a broken four-inch water main, according to the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
Continue reading "Portion of Ashley closed due to water main break" »
The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for your help determining the identity of a driver pulling a utility trailer involved in a fatal accident on the Howard Frankland Bridge Monday afternoon.
Continue reading "Truck driver sought in fatal I-275 accident" »
A
state trooper investigates the scene of an accident today at Lake
Tarpon Drive and U.S. Highway 19 N in Palm Harbor. Two Bayflite
helicopters were used to transport patients from the scene. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]
TAMPA -- Tampa International Airport reported some flight delays this morning -- one of the holiday week's busiest travel days.
RIDGE MANOR -- Two weeks after a tractor trailer ripped a gaping hole into an overpass of the I-75 thruway, quick construction work has brought the bridge back to normal.
TAMPA -- New traffic changes at Tampa International Airport that took effect early this morning caused no major snarls, a Florida Department of Transportation spokesman says. A new ramp from westbound S.R. 60, or northbound Memorial Highway, onto eastbound Spruce Street opened at about 2 a.m., giving people a straighter shot toward the International Plaza area.
Continue reading "Traffic smooth at TIA after new ramp opens" »
TAMPA -- It's smooth flying out of Tampa International Airport this morning, a day after the airport experienced scattered delays because of wintry Northeast weather.
TAMPA -- The Hillsborough County Health Department cautions that a visitor from the United Kingdom traveling through Tampa has tested positive for measles. The person arrived at Tampa International Airport on December 13, 2008 at approximately 5:30 p.m.
The highly contagious disease is spread by sneezing, coughing and talking. Early symptoms are similar to those of a cold -- coughing, runny nose, fever, and red, watery eyes. Then a red, blotchy rash appears at the head and spreads down the body. The rash lasts longer than 3 days.
"While these symptoms could look like the common cold or other problems, fortunately there are other distinguishing symptoms including "a very characteristic rash that starts on the head, face, and neck, and eventually spreads to the abdomen, arms, and legs and upon closer observation, doctors can also see tiny white spots on the inside of the infected person's mouth," said Dr. Douglas Holt, Health Department director.
Health officials advise that anyone present at Tampa International Airport on December 13, 2008 from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. who develops these symptoms, especially those who have not been immunized against measles, should see a doctor for diagnosis and testing.
Dr. Holt, said the advisory is being made out of an abundance of caution. The other passengers on the plane are being contacted directly by public health agencies and the patient is receiving medical care and is under close supervision. There have been no reports of cases associated with this illness.
Vaccination can protect someone from measles, and is one of the routine childhood immunizations.
The HCHD recommends that children get their first dose of the MMR vaccine around 12 to 15 months of age, and the second before the start of kindergarten.
The National Institutes of Health also recommends that all adults 18 years or older, born after 1956, should receive an MMR vaccine if they are uncertain of their immunization status or if they have only had one shot prior to entering school.
For more information, see:
http://cdc.gov/Features/MeaslesUpdate/
-- Times Staff
TAMPA -- Five airlines canceled at least a dozen flights headed to Boston, New York, Newark, N.J., and Flint, Mich., from Tampa International Airport Friday morning because of ice storms in the northeast and and Midwest, according to airport officials. Forty-three arrivals and 16 departures have had delays of more than 30 minutes, said Brenda Geogahagan, an airport spokeswoman. And there may be more.
Continue reading "Icy weather may ground flights to Midwest, northeast" »
[BRIAN CASSELLA | Times]
Evening rush hour traffic passes north along Memorial Highway through the series of new overpasses near Tampa International Airport just after sunset today as a plane descends overhead.
Traffic slowed as commuters figured out routes through several new ramps that opened Monday. This view is from the ramp leading from southbound Memorial Highway into the airport. Traffic exiting the airport headed south is seen as a line of white headlights approaching the overpass.
Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade said his agency received no reports of any wrecks in the causeway area this evening during the rushhour, "so hopefully everyone was paying attention to the speed limits and the changes in the area."
Click photo to enlarge.
TREASURE ISLAND -- The implosion of what was left of submerged pilings under the old northbound span of John's Pass Bridge went off without a hitch this morning, transportation officials said.
The blast took place at 8:22 a.m. The Gulf Boulevard bridge closed at 7:50 a.m. for the blast but reopened to vehicle traffic when dolphins were spotted swimming below.
It closed again about 8:10, and reopened at 8:30.
Kris Carson, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said today's implosion would be the last. Since 2006, engineers have done several implosions of underwater structures that were part of the old twin-span drawbridge. Each time, a wildlife team looks out for protected animals in Boca Ciega Bay.
The $80-million rebuilt bridge, wider for drivers and taller for boats, is expected to be done by late 2010.
Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer
*
St. PETERSBURG -- Lots of sun, a little fog, no rain.
That's what forecasters expect for today, and the fog warning is just until 9 a.m.
The fog was so bad in parts of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Hernando counties this morning that visibility was just a quarter-mile on some roads, forecasters said.
But later this morning and afternoon, the skies will clear and the Tampa Bay area will warm up, according to the National Weather Service.
The high is expected to be in the upper 70s in St. Petersburg and in the mid 80s in Tampa.
Patchy fog will return to area roads after 3 a.m. until about 8 a.m., giving way to a Wednesday of mostly sunny skies and a continuation of the warm weather and dry conditions that are expected to last through the week.
Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer
*
A view of traffic at Tampa International Airport at 7 a.m. this morning. [LUIS PEREZ | Times]
Major traffic slowdowns are being reported this morning near Tampa International Airport.
The bottlenecks are a result of fog and several major traffic changes that took effect this morning.
The National Weather Service says dense fog could continue until midmorning, limiting visibility in some areas to a half-mile.
Florida Department of Transportation spokesman John McShaffrey conceded that some of the delays may be caused by drivers who are still veering into the right lane when getting off the Veterans Expressway.
But McShaffrey said that overall the 7 a.m. rush, considered one of the peak morning traffic periods, was not bad. "There's some ebb and flow to this stuff," he said. "We all see an occasional slowdown, and that's for a few seconds and then it's over." The second busiest traffic period is just before 9 a.m., McShaffrey said.
Electronic signs warning of the changes are posted on the road, and orange traffic cones are everywhere.
In short, five new ramps have opened. The changes are:
1) If you're headed east on State Road 60 or south on Memorial Highway, the Spruce Street exit is back on the right side. You'll also see a new exit leading the west end of Cypress Street.
3) If you're coming from the George Bean Parkway headed to the Veterans Expressway, get in your right lane. The exit on the left has switched.
4) If you're westbound on SR 60 headed to Clearwater at the airport, you want to merge left across two westbound lanes.
5) There's also new right exit from the airport, from the outbound George Bean Parkway, and from westbound SR 60/northbound Memorial Highway.
Stay tuned to This Just In for updates on traffic conditions.
Luis Perez, Times staff writer
*
The Florida Highway Patrol is urging motorists to be vigilant on roads this morning, as a heavy fog over the Tampa Bay area is making for dangerous conditions.
Here's what to do, according to the FHP:
Luis Perez, Times staff writer
*
TAMPA - In an effort to smooth traffic near the West Shore business district, the Florida Department of Transportation will open several new ramps that are part of the Tampa airport interchange construction project on Tuesday.
Five new ramps are scheduled to open at Memorial Highway and the Veterans Expressway. In addition, the eastbound State Road 60/southbound Memorial Highway exit to Spruce Street will move back to a right-side exit.
There will be a new exit from eastbound S.R. 60/southbound Memorial to the west end of Cypress Street and another one from the west end of Cypress to eastbound Spruce.
A new ramp from George Bean Parkway, the exit from Tampa International Airport, to eastbound Spruce will also open, in addition to one from westbound S.R. 60/northbound Memorial Highway to eastbound Spruce.
The left-side George Bean Parkway exit to westbound S.R. 60/northbound Memorial Highway will move to a right-side exit that also takes traffic to the Veterans Expressway. This change is temporary while crews work on the new Spruce Street connection to westbound S.R. 60 and a new ramp away from the airport toward Clearwater.
Until the new ramp is complete, vehicles leaving the airport toward Clearwater on westbound S.R. 60 must merge left across two westbound lanes of S.R. 60/northbound Memorial.
"On the first few days, as usual, there will probably be a bit of confusion," said John McShaffrey, FDOT spokesman. "But it's been going really, really well, especially as of late. The changes we've been making are helping motorists."
Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer
Graphic provided by FDOT
*
The driver of a dump truck surveys the the damage at the Interstate 75 overpass at State Road 50 on Tuesday afternoon. The driver said the trailer inexplicably started to rise as he passed under the bridge. [WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
BROOKSVILLE -- The left lanes of southbound Interstate 75 and eastbound State Road 50 will remain closed today after a dump truck headed east on SR 50 crashed into the interstate overpass Tuesday afternoon.
Continue reading "I-75 lane still closed after Tuesday overpass crash" »
Gas prices have hit a nearly five-year low and will continue to fall this week, according to AAA Tampa Bay.
The average price of regular unleaded gasoline in the Tampa Bay area is $1.70 per gallon, according to AAA. That's 2 cents down from yesterday's average price, and a far cry from the $3.04 we were paying a year ago.
The average price nationally fell 22 cents a gallon during the past two weeks, bringing it to its lowest level since March 2004.
The average price of regular gasoline Friday was $1.75 a gallon, oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said. The price of mid-grade was $1.90 a gallon, and the price of premium was $2.02 a gallon.
The last time gas was cheaper was in March 2004, Lundberg said, when the national average for regular was $1.74 a gallon. The all-time high was on July 11, 2008, when the price peaked at $4.11 a gallon.
Of cities surveyed, the nation's lowest price was $1.46 in Cheyenne, Wyo. The highest was $2.54 in Anchorage, Alaska, and the highest in the contiguous United States was $2.10 on New York's Long Island.
But you will see even lower prices locally this week. One Web site that tracks local gas prices already has spotted $1.59 a gallon regular in several area pumps.
Gregg Laskoski, a spokesman for AAA of Tampa Bay, said the higher figure is based on averages of actual purchases at the pump.
Laskoski said the price drop, which began in October, is extremely dramatic. Normally, gas falls by 10ths of a cent.
Laskoski said he doubts gas in the Tampa Bay area will fall below $1 any time soon.
Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer
*
Calling all Bucs and Rays fans: Local tax collector's offices across Florida will begin selling redesigned team license plates Friday.
The Bucs plate will feature the same skull and swords flag, but will include the lettering that's painted on the Raymond James Stadium end zone. The Bucs plates are the most popular specialty plates in the state, with more than 31,000 of the old design sold.
The Rays plate will have the new blue-based color scheme and trademark star instead of the old devil ray. About 1,000 Rays plates are now being used.
Proceeds from both plates support the Professional Sports Development Fund and the Florida Sports Foundation.
Two more plates recently approved by the Legislature -- a tennis-themed tag and one celebrating the Florida Lighthouse Association -- will also go on sale Friday. Sales of the tennis plates will support the Florida Sports Foundation, the U.S. Tennis Association's Florida unit 
and the association's foundation. Funds from lighthouse tag sales will help the Florida Lighthouse Association preserve the state's 29 historic lighthouses.
The specialty fee is $25 annually in addition to the routine registration fees.
Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writer
*
A 1999 Ford Taurus sits on top of the bridge railing on 8th Street South, near 8th Avenue South on Wednesday, Dec. 3. According to St. Petersburg Police, Michelle Christine Olson (beside car) told police she was driving on 8th Street when her left tire caught the curb and pulled her up the barrier wall. She also told police that someone forced her to the side of the street. No one was injured. Olson was cited for careless driving. [CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]
TAMPA — The left hand of Dr. Daniel Greenwald, which helped him earn a reputation as a plastic surgeon, will recover fully after a plane crash nearly killed him Friday.
“I’ve had better days. I am alive,” Greenwald said Monday. “My hand is pinned and may need some (more) surgery. ... I think I’ll be fine.”
Greenwald, 48, and friend, Mitch Kirby, 19, were returning from a sightseeing trip over the Port of Tampa when Greenwald’s Extra 300 single-engine plane struck a sailboat floating in a shipping channel and a sea wall before it flipped over onto the Peter O. Knight Airport airfield on Davis Islands. Kirby suffered a broken leg while Greenwald, who piloted the plane, broke a bone in his left hand.
Greenwald, former head of plastic surgery at Tampa General Hospital who now runs Bayshore Plastic Surgery, said he expects to be back to work within two weeks. He said he was on a normal approach for landing Friday when he didn’t see the sailboat in his flight path because of the angle of the plane’s approach and because the boat didn’t have its sails up.
Continue reading "Surgeon injured in plane crash will operate again" »
TAMPA -- A Plant High School senior died in a fiery crash Friday night that left one passenger in serious condition and two with minor injuries.
Allyson Marie Faulk, 17, was driving north on Interstate 75 near Micanopy with three others teens when she lost control of the Ford SUV for an unknown reason, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
The vehicle went into the median and hit several trees. It then erupted into flames, FHP reported.
Faulk was declared dead at the scene. She was wearing a seat belt, the report states.
Kristen Hurst, 17, was taken to Shands the the University of Florida in Gainesville in serious condition. Elizabeth Mischo, 18, and Karlyn McKell, 17, suffered minor injuries, the FHP reported.
Plant High School's principal, Rob Nelson, alerted students and faculty through an automated phone messaging system Friday about Faulk's death. The family gave him permission, school district spokesman Steve Hegarty said, and students were already text messaging each other about it, he said.
Faulk was a 12th grade student who took honors courses and was the leader of a service club, Hegarty said. Counselors will be available for students at the school on Monday.
-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- The Florida Department of Transportation has announced several lane closures tonight in New Tampa and Brandon. Check below to see if your routes will be affected:
* One southbound lane and one northbound lane will be closed on Interstate 75 from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to the Hillsborough River from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. tonight.
* Bruce B. Down's flyover ramp to southbound Interstate 75 will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. tonight for paving work.
* One lane will be closed on the Interstate 75 exit to the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Brandon from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. tonight.
-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- N Dale Mabry Highway will be under construction from Interstate 275 to Laurel Street, causing nighttime closings starting Monday though Nov. 20.
John McShaffrey, spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said Tampa Electric Co. will be installing new lines in the area, and the northbound Dale Mabry exits off I-275 will be closed from both directions from midnight to 5 a.m.
During those hours, southbound traffic on Dale Mabry won't be able to go past Spruce Street and northbound Dale Mabry traffic won't be allowed past I-275.
A detour will direct eastbound and westbound traffic toward Spruce Street or Cypress Street, and northbound and southbound traffic to Lois Avenue, he said.
"It definitely will add a little more time to anybody's travels in that time of night," McShaffrey said. "We're mainly talking commercial traffic."
Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer
*
VALRICO -- A Hillsborough County school bus rear-ended a black pickup truck around 9:30 a.m. this morning, but no children were on the bus and there were no injuries.
Witnesses said the bus hit the truck on Bell Shoals Road near Glenhaven Drive. The bus driver, Sandra Brown, was visibly upset, witnesses said. She was taken to the hospital for high blood pressure but was not injured.
Brown, 62, was hired as a bus driver in 2005. She has no prior accidents on her Florida driving record.
Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
*
LARGO -- Police have identified the woman who was killed by a car after getting off a PSTA bus on Monday.
Largo Police said late Wednesday that Jewel Marie Smith, 67 of St. Petersburg, was getting off the bus about 7 p.m. and crossed south to north near 7360 Ulmerton Road, which is near Belcher Road.
She was not in a crosswalk but made it to the median when a 2005 Honda Civic hit her. The driver was uninjured; Smith was killed.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
*
ST. PETERSBURG -- As a handful of gas stations around the Tampa Bay area ran out of fuel and others raised prices, Gov. Charlie Crist tried to reassure Floridians that there is plenty of fuel here and urged gas stations to stop any price gouging.
He estimated Florida's ports have 185-million gallons of fuel, in addition to what's now at gas stations, more than usual in anticipation of Hurricane Ike.
"I want Floridians to realize there's no need to panic and there's no need to buy fuel lest it be a self-fulfilling prophecy," Crist said as he stood in front of a sunny Bayboro Harbor with sailboats bobbing behind him in St. Petersburg Saturday morning.
In St. Petersburg Saturday two busy gas stations at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and 28th Street, a Racetrac and Citgo, had both run out of regular and midgrade fuel by noon.
Crist, in St. Petersburg Saturday, said he had no trouble filling up his car and paid $3.67 for regular. Nearby, he noticed a tanker filling up the station's tanks. Most of Florida's fuel does not come from pipelines in Texas, he said. It comes into Florida's ports.
"There's no shortage," he said. "There's plenty of fuel."
Crist said the state has received 98 complaints of gas station price-gouging, most in north Florida but some in Central Florida. He said reports of one gas station in Tallahassee charging $5.59 a gallon "were outrageous."
"When you see gas stations charging over $5 a gallon, that's unconscionable and it will not be tolerated," Crist said.
He urged Floridians who observe suspected price-gouging to call 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-866-966-7226.
Gas stations were bustling Friday night as people heard that gas prices could rise from Hurricane Ike's impact on the oil-producing Gulf Coast.
At the Snax Marathon at 9th Street and 18th Avenue South, Muard Saraman, 29, changed the sign to reflect higher prices. Unleaded went from $3.65 earlier today to $3.79. Saraman said higher prices hurt a small station like his because people buy gas at huge discount retailers like Racetrac.
"I heard it's going to go back to $4," he said. "Always they are jumping."
The Racetrac on 22nd Avenue North was busy this evening, even as prices went from $3.63 to $3.79.
Rob Henderson, 51, heard on the evening news that gas was going up so he headed to the Racetrac to fill up his Dodge Ram. He planned to call his kids to tell them to get gas before it goes up again.
"I think a lot of people are doing the same thing," he said. "It affects us, but you know, it's part of life these days."
--Leonora LaPeter Anton, Stephanie Garry, Cristina Silva Times Staff Writers
As prices at some gas stations in North Florida spiked to over $5.50 a gallon in the wake of Hurricane Ike, the state's consumer services chief pledged to investigate and subpoena records to check for price gouging.
Charles Bronson, who runs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said there is no gas shortage in Florida. He added that some smaller, independent gas stations may temporarily run out of gas, but he said they should be replenished soon.
"There's plenty of fuel available for quite a number of days," Bronson said. "I can assure you if anyone has upped the price of fuel to their personal advantage over the public, we're going to take them to court in the fullest extent of the law and fine them accordingly and charge them if we find they've been price gouging."
- Jennifer Liberto, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- The driver of the SUV in Thursday's fatal crash on the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway had beer in her vehicle, the Florida Highway Patrol reported today.
Cheryl Maria Riemann, of Ruskin, had several Budweiser beer bottles in the front of the vehicle, but FHP spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins said all the bottles he saw were closed, except one that broke in the crash.
The bottles led investigators to believe that alcohol may have played a part in the crash, he said. The Blood-alcohol test results are pending, he said.
The head-on collision occurred just after 2 p.m. yesterday, killing Jennifer O'Boyle, the driver of a Pontiac coupe. It happened on the lower portion of the expressway, not far from Palm River Road.
Riemann was driving east on the westbound part of the expressway. Her sport-utility vehicle hit O'Boyle's car head-on.
Investigators haven't interviewed Riemann yet. She is still unresponsive in the hospital, but is expected to recover fully, Gaskins said.
Summer Moll, O'Boyle's 4-year-old daughter, is still in critical condition. Her leg was crushed and she had severe swelling and bleeding. She had surgery yesterday on her head to reduce swelling, Gaskins said.
Investigators are interviewing people who saw Riemann driving, and they're trying to track down people who might have pictures or videotapes. They're also going to look at the photos taken at a nearby toll booth. The video recordings taken on the expressway are meant only for live streaming and can't be saved or retrieved, Expressway Authority spokeswoman Susan Chrzan said.
Gaskins declined to provide preliminary information from witness interviews, saying investigators want to get the full story first. But he did say that there were no broken gates, either at the toll booths or leading to the reversible express lane.
Gaskins said it would be possible for Riemann to enter the exit ramp on the expressway because they are built like most interstates -- there are signs warning drivers, but no gates.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said one of their deputies tried to stop Riemann. A deputy spotted her driving the wrong way and followed her, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. He wasn't able to catch up to her before the crash but is being used by FHP as a witness, she said.
Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
*
DAYTON, Ohio -- A Northwest Airlines airplane flying from Tampa to Detroit was forced to make an emergency landing in Dayton, Ohio, Sunday afternoon after a computer in one of its engines failed.
Six crew members and 182 passengers were aboard Flight 491, which was scheduled to depart from Tampa International Airport just before 10 a.m. but didn't take off until 10:23. The Boeing 757 landed in Dayton as a precautionary measure, according to an Associated Press report, and it was expected to depart to Detriot at 6 p.m. after a mechanic fixed the problem.
TIA spokeswoman Christine Osborn said the airport was not notified of the emergency landing and only heard about it when news reporters called with inquiries. She did not know why the plane took off later than scheduled, but did not believe that TIA would be involved in investigating any problems with the plane. "That would be something the airline would handle," Osborn said.
The emergency landing temporary halted the Dayton Air Show, a popular event held at Dayton's airport.
Emily Nipps, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Westbound traffic on State Road 60 was rerouted this morning onto a new elevated section that bridges Bayport Drive, instead of through the traffic light at the intersection. Drivers who want to turn onto Bayport Drive from westbound SR 60 must now exit to the right after crossing the Bayport Drive overpass.
Click here for live traffic reports on the area.
Times staff writer
TAMPA -- After heavy rains over the weekend washed out some road shoulders along Memorial Highway, one lane has been closed until further notice to allow construction crews to do repair work.
The right lane of northbound Memorial Highway is closed between the Courtney Campbell Parkway and the Veterans Expressway. It closed at 10:30 a.m. today and will likely reopen later this afternoon or evening.
Crews are repairing shoulder washouts behind barrier walls along the road, said John McShaffrey, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation, in an area where there's already a lot of road construction going on.
"They got a ton of rain out there this weekend," McShaffrey said at 1 p.m. today. "This is a preventative measure at this point. It isn't encroaching on the road. But if they don't fill it back in, that could make its way underneath the barrier wall there. They have to fill it back in with dirt and such."
Check traffic conditions before heading home.
Mike Brassfield, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Three inbound flights to Tampa International Airport were diverted briefly when severe thunderstorms hit the area, an airport official said.
ELLENTON -- All three southbound lanes of Interstate 75 opened today about 5:25 p.m.
Florida Department of Transportation officials expect the northbound lanes of I-75 to be back to normal by 6 a.m. Monday. Meanwhile, two lanes will carry northbound traffic.
On U.S. 301, the two northbound and southbound lanes and the southbound ramp onto the interstate are expected to open Tuesday night.
The reopenings will depend on weather and how much work can be completed. The department is still warning motorists to allow extra time for traffic in the area.
"The job is not over," said Cindy Clemmons-Adente, spokeswoman for the DOT. "But the impact to traffic is not what it was."
I-75 southbound has been closed since a fuel tanker drove off the interstate overpass on June 4 and exploded on U.S. 301 below.
Originally, transportation officials expected the interstate repairs to take more than a month. Earlier this week, the department said the southbound overpass would open by Monday.
Fair weather, quick work by construction crews and a $300,000 early-completion bonus offered by the state sped the project along, which led the Florida Department of Transportation to reschedule its time line for completion. The project -- a $1.7-million contract with Zep Construction -- was originally supposed to take six weeks, but now looks like it will be finished in about three.
--Stephanie Garry, Times staff writer
[Top: Tiffany Tompkins-Condie, Bradenton Herald; Bottom: Ken Helle, Times]
ELLENTON -- The new southbound overpass on Interstate 75 will open by Monday -- almost a month earlier than first expected -- and completion of construction is slated for mid July, said Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Cindy Clemmons-Adente.
Northbound I-75 is expected to open its three-lane configuration Tuesday, and the U.S. 301 to I-75 southbound ramp should be open by Wednesday.
"If we have good weather, it could be sooner or if we have bad weather, it could go later," Clemmons-Adente said. "This is a strong estimation. We wanted to give the public the strongest timeline we could. So Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we look to have those three areas on I-75 and U.S. 301 open."
Continue reading "Southbound I-75 in Manatee to open ahead of schedule" »
An SUV is engulfed in flames on Interstate 75 north bound just south of State Road 60 in Brandon.
[Skip O'Rourke, Times]
BRANDON -- Southbound traffic on Interstate 75 was reduced to one lane near Brandon this morning after a fiery crash involving a dump truck and a sport utility vehicle.
The dump truck, which was northbound, blew a tire about 9:45 a.m. and collided with a Mercury Mountaineer near the U.S. 301 interchange, witnesses said. Both vehicles flipped and ended up in the median, where the SUV began burning. At least one scuba tank inside exploded, shooting flames into the air and sending rescue workers and spectators scrambling for safety.
Robert Konty, 41, of Venice, and his 14-year-old son, Mike, were in the SUV on their way to go scuba diving near Ocala. Both suffered cuts and bruises in the crash. The dump truck driver, Eddy Lorenzo Macias, 34, of Tampa, not seriously injured.
"I'm just in shock," Robert Konty said as he watched his SUV burn beyond recognition.
All northbound lanes of I-75 remained open.
Jan Wesner, Times staff writer
It was slow going for motorists heading east bound on 19 Street East in Ellenton near the I-75, US 301 intersection where a tanker truck blew up on Wednesday. Motorists were using 19th Street East as a detour to get around the scene Thursday at 4:45 p.m.
[Photos by Scott Keeler | Times]
ELLENTON -- Drivers heading south on Interstate 75 should be prepared for nearly two-hour detours through the weekend after yesterday's fiery wreck that damaged a bridge near the Ellenton Outlet Mall in Manatee County.
By Monday morning, officials hope to have both southbound and northbound traffic running on the undamaged northbound span. To do that, Florida Department of Transportation officials announced plans at an afternoon press conference to create a temporary four-lane highway divided by a concrete wall running across the bridge.
Motorists on that temporary roadway will only be traveling 40 to 45 mph, said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Larry Dodson. That should at least ease some of the congestion seen this morning, when designated detours led to gridlock on the interstate and local roads surrounding Bradenton.
In the meantime, the state will demolish part of the damaged southbound bridge (photo at left) and replace it over the course of six weeks. FDOT and the Highway Patrol pledged to work around the clock to make that happen. They said they'd like to get to work as soon as this afternoon.
Continue reading "Driving to/from Manatee County? Here's how to get there" »
The crash of a fuel tanker on Interstate 75 in Manatee County Wednesday is likely to affect traffic patterns in the area for some time. Engineers expected to determine today whether the northbound span is safe.
Other tanker crashes have slowed traffic for weeks and even months. Last March, a tanker carrying diesel fuel slammed into a wall on Interstate 375 in downtown St. Petersburg, killing the driver. It took more than a month and around-the-clock repairs to reopen the road.
In December 2001, a gasoline tanker overturned and caught fire on the northbound lanes of Independence Parkway, right under an overpass carrying the southbound lanes of the Veterans Expressway. It snarled traffic at one of Tampa's busiest intersections and shut down traffic on both roads. It took nearly two months for both damaged spans to reopen.
-- Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Ouch.
For the first time, possibly ever, the cost for a gallon of gas broke the $4 mark in the Tampa Bay area.
A Web site tracking gas prices, gasbuddy.com, which relies on citizen contributions to record area prices, shows several stations with prices breaching $4 per gallon. A pair of Winter Haven BP stations are charging $4.03 and $4.07.
A gallon at a small, independently-owned Citgo gas station on State Road 54 and Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel will run you $4.19, according the site.
Prices in the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg area are averaging about $3.87 per gallon.
One month ago, Americans were paying an average of $3.60 per gallon. Last year, it was around $3.20 per gallon.
Nationwide and in Florida, motorists are paying $3.94 per gallon for regular unleaded and $4.77 for diesel, according to an AAA Web site. Both are record setting prices.
"This is no longer a rarity where we seem to be breaking record highs," said Randy Bly, a spokesman for AAA Auto Club South.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
The gas at the Texaco on Howard right next to the I-275 off ramp is at $4.01 today. [Carrie Pratt, Times]
CRUSO, N.C. -- Minutes before the plane carrying the Rev. Forrest Pollock and his son went down, the Piper Cherokee changed direction at least twice and dropped more than 3,000 feet, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Pollock, 44, of Brandon, left Rutherford County Airport at 5 a.m. on May 12, headed for North Little Rock, Ark. Also aboard was Pollock's son, Preston, 13. At 5:20, radar tracked the plane over Asheville at an altitude of 9,200 feet.
The plane continued flying west for the next 10 minutes and dropped to 8,300 feet. Over the next two minutes the Piper descended 1,200 feet and turned north, then northwest. It dropped 1,000 feet in 10 seconds, to 6,100 feet, then climbed to 6,300 feet before falling again. Radar last spotted the Piper's altitude at 5,700 feet.
Pollock's plane came to rest at an elevation of 4,700 feet on the steep southern slope of Cold Mountain, amid thick woods. The nearest weather data to the crash measured wind gusts of 27 to 36 mph.
Pollock did not file a flight plan for the trip. Investigators could find no evidence Pollock requested a pre-flight weather briefing or communicated with FAA facilities enroute.
Pollock had the ability to check weather from a computer system his plane, said airport manger Greg Turner of the Rutherford County Airport. "His plane had in-flight weather," Turner said. "He should have been aware of what he was getting into."
A final report on what might have caused the crash will take between nine and 15 months to complete, said NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson.
-- Andrew Meacham, Times Staff Writer
The National Transportation Safety Board released photographs today from the investigation into an airplane crash that took the lives of Bell Shoals Baptist Church pastor Forrest Pollock and his son, Preston, 13, in North Carolina on May 12.
The wreckage of the single-engine Piper plane was located at the 4,700-foot level of Cold Mountain, near Cruso, N.C., on a steep slope in heavily wooded terrain.
The aircraft departed from Rutherfordton, N.C., and was en route to Little Rock, Ark., when the accident occurred at about 5:34 a.m. No flight plan was filed for the flight.
Because the remote accident site is inaccessible to news media, the NTSB has released the photographs today.
[Images courtesy of The National Transportation Safety Board]
TAMPA -- Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board members today reduced the fare for the In-Town Trolley from 50 cents to 25 cents while they set the wheels in motion for an overall increase in bus fares.
Continue reading "HART decreases trolley fare; considers bus rate increase" »
TAMPA -- While American Airlines passengers continued to suffer flight cancellations today at Tampa International Airport, the number of problem flights was less than half of what they were the day before.
American Airlines scrubbed 5 departures and 5 arrivals at TIA, airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said. Midwest Airlines, which canceled two flights serving Tampa on Thursday, was back in the air today.
"That’s probably it for today," Geoghagan said of today’s cancellations. "But we’ll probably have a few cancellations on Saturday."
Questionable wiring in the wings of some jets has grounded dozens of American’s planes this week.or the fourth consecutive day, the nation's largest airline carrier canceled hundreds of nationwide flights on Friday. For the latest, check the airport's flight tracking Web page.
-- James Thorner, Times staff writer
ST. PETERSBURG -- Two construction workers were hospitalized early Thursday after troopers said they were injured by a drunken driver about midnight near the Sunshine Skyway bridge.
The workers were reportedly installing reflectors near an off ramp leading to a rest area just off the bridge in the northbound lanes of Interstate 275, Pinellas County emergency officials said.
They had been working in an outside emergency lane when a gray Saturn SUV crashed into the area at 12:05 a.m. The SUV crashed into a hot tar machine, and the ensuing impact sent the machine into Daniel J. Hollingsworth, 26, and Donald Howell, 18, both of Holiday. Scalding tar was spilled onto both men, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.
A third worker, Michael T. Lawrence, 20, New Port Richey, was also hurt by the tar. Troopers described his injuries as minor.
Hollingsworth was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he is listed in good condition. Howell was taken to Bayfront Medical Center and released later in the day.
Jail records show the driver of the SUV, Paul Roembke, 35, of Ellenton, was charged with two counts of felony driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury.
Records show he has a clean driving record. His attorney, Charlie Britt, wouldn't comment on whether he was drinking, but said that he takes responsibility for the crash.
"My client does realize that it's horrible and truly is upset," Britt said.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- American Airlines canceled more than 900 flights today while the carrier complies with federally ordered safety inspections, according to the Associated Press.
At Tampa International Airport this morning, eight total flights - seven departures to Chicago and Dallas as well as one arriving flight from Chicago - had all been scrubbed, said airport spokeswoman Kelly Figley.
Linda Johnston was headed to Dallas for a real estate conference. She said she checked her flight's details online at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Nothing indicated the flight would be canceled.
"We printed the boarding passes no problem," she said. "Then we arrived."
At 7:45 a.m. today, she discovered her flight had been canceled. Now, she's stuck scrambling to make new travel arrangements.
In problems unrelated to the FAA inspection, other unlucky Dallas-bound passengers actually got to sit on board their flight before they were asked to leave the plane, which had been slated to make a stop in Miami, because of problems with a faulty door latch.
Dan McClain, quoted in today's St. Petersburg Times story while waiting in line after two days of flight delays, was one of them.
"So now here I am, day three, trying to make it back to Dallas," he said. "Unbelievable."
Randy Crites, who was also heading to Dallas to visit family, didn't check the flight schedules before leaving his Tampa home. Big mistake.
When he tried to check his bags at the airport this morning, an electronic kiosk spit out a ticket saying the airline could not complete his transaction.
"We didn't check before we came," Crites said. "A mistake on our part."
Daniel Garton, an executive vice president of American, told the Associated Press that cancellations could extend into Friday.
-- Jared Leone and Casey Cora, Times staff writers
UPDATE: Florida DOT officials say the lane reopened after crews worked to repair a void between a temporary wall and the side of the shoulder caused by Sunday's driving rain.
TAMPA -- The right lane of eastbound State Road 60/southbound Memorial Highway is closed on the approach to Interstate 275 to repair washout damage from Sunday's record rainfall.
Florida Department of Transportation officials say the lane is expected to be closed until at least noon today.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
TAMPA - The brother and sister injured Wednesday when their car struck a school bus are improving.
Aaron Lorenz, 19, of St. Petersburg, was upgraded to serious condition from critical, said John Dunn, spokesman for Tampa General Hospital. His 16-year-old sister, Janet, was discharged from the hospital, Dunn said.
Their friend Charlene Murray was killed in the accident. None of the 29 students on the bus was injured.
Charges are pending against Aaron Lorenz, who was driving the car.
-- Bill Coats, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Charges are pending against the 19-year-old driver of a car involved in a fatal collision with a school bus Wednesday, Tampa police said.
"He violated the bus' right of way when he made that turn, and he didn't yield to the bus," said police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor.
Aaron Jay Lorenz of St. Petersburg wasn't cited at the scene because of his injuries, McGregor said. Lorenz was in critical condition this morning at Tampa General Hospital. His 16-year-old sister, Janet, who was riding in the car's back seat, was listed in good condition.
The car's front-seat passenger, Charlene Mercedes Murray, 19, was killed in the accident.
All three teens were wearing seat belts, police said.
It occurred at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday near Stetson University's Tampa Law Center, just north of downtown Tampa.
None of the 29 students riding the school bus were hurt, officials said.
-- Bill Coats, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Some 45 Tampa big-rig truckers assembled near Tampa's port this morning to protest an economic vise they say is tightening around them.
With diesel fuel approaching $4 a gallon, the truckers gathered this morning at Broadway Avenue E and 50th Street near the Port of Tampa, then rumbled up Interstate 275 for a stop off Fowler Avenue. They soon returned down I-275 to 22nd Street.
They parked around a pair of small cafes and complained that their rates haven't nearly kept pace with their rising fuel costs.
"I have two tanks that hold 150 gallons each. That's 300 gallons," complained driver Alex Hernandez, 43. "You can do the math. It costs me $1,200 to fill up."
"I personally think the oil companies are way out of line."
On Monday, Kenneth Beersingh hauled a load of fabric from the port to Lake Wales for $160, Beersingh said. He burned 25 gallons of diesel, costing nearly $100."Right off the top, $100," Beersingh complained.
He didn't know what could be done, but thought the economy needed to be released from the grip of "big oil."
"All I know is what I'm being squeezed for now is more than I can afford," Beersingh said. "I'm about to lose everything I have."
Many of today's protesters are independent truck owners who rely on brokers to arrange container hauling to and from the port. They complained about such middlemen more than the oil industry.
"The brokers, they raise the prices to the customers, but they don't pass it on to us," Hernandez complained.
"They ask you, 'What do you want to do?' " complained David Minaya of Riverview, one of the organizers of today's protest. " 'You want to stay home or you want to work for less?' "
-- Bill Coats, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Delta Air Lines will charge customers $3 a bag to check luggage at curbside, the airline said Friday.
The fee takes effect Tuesday at Tampa International and 10 other major airports, then rolls out at 75 more cities nationwide April 15.
"It's a business decision that reflects today's competitive landscape and cost pressures,'' said spokeswoman Susan Elliott.
Delta and Continental Airlines are the only major carriers that don't charge for curbside check-in. But Delta's fee will be $1 a bag higher than charges at American Airlines, United, Northwest and US Airways. The fee will be waived for the airline's elite-level customers, first-class and business-class fliers, and passengers who check in online.
Will the fee drive passengers from curbside to the ticket counter? "With the baby, probably not,'' said Peggy Braitsch, flying home to Cincinnati from Tampa on Friday with her 20-month-old granddaugher, Mary, in a stroller. "For me? It probably would have.''
One group certainly won't like the change: Prospect of Tampa skycaps working for Delta. Airlines keep the curbside check-in fees. Skycaps say the charges cut into their tips and reduce the number of bags checked at the curb. A group of skycaps in Boston has sued American Airlines, seeking restitution for lost tips.
-- Steve Huettel, Times staff writer
ODESSA -- The next door neighbor of auto dealer Ernie Haire has withdrawn his support for a helistop at Haire's home.
"I have enjoyed the peace and quiet here for over 10 years, but recently been disturbed by the noise of airplanes due to changing patterns of TPA," Dr. Alan Felker said in a letter to Hillsborough County. "I don't want to be disturbed by a helicopter next door."
Haire's request for a helistop was to go before a land-use hearing officer at 1:30 p.m. today, but Felker's 11th-hour switch has prompted the county's planning and growth management division to ask the LUHO for a continuance.
It will be the latest in a string of last-minute delays since Oct. 19. "It's a pretty significant piece of information and we didn't feel that staff could adequately consider this new information in a few days," said Tom Hiznay, the senior planner for planning and growth management.
When The St. Petersburg Times reached Felker in October, he had no objections and went as far as to ask Haire for a ride in the helicopter. At the time, he said a landing pad wouldn't diminish his quality of life "any more than someone racing down the road on their Harley Davidson." Less than a month later, on Nov. 5, he submitted a letter to county officials saying as much.
But on Monday, Felker rescinded that support. "My boat dock is very close to the adjacent property," he said in the new letter dated March 22. "The helicopter will probably create wake problems when my children take out the jet skis."
Hiznay had recommended the LUHO approve Haire's request with conditions. And a wildlife survey that Haire paid for showed a helistop would not endanger bald eagles as some neighbors had suggested.
The next available date for a public hearing is April 18. The LUHO would rule on the helistop within 15 days of that hearing.
Rodney Thrash, Times staff writer
TAMPA — Just a month ago, a plan to run Tampa's electric streetcar into the heart of downtown appeared to be in serious trouble. If it wasn't dead, it was at least on life support.
But officials who were at odds hammered out an agreement today to extend the tracks from the Tampa Convention Center to the Tampa City Center esplanade beginning next year.
The ultimate goal is to get more local passengers and office workers on board, not just the tourists and conventioneers who ride the streetcar now.
"The missing link" is what David Mechanik calls the four-block extension.
"We have always wanted to make this connection to the downtown core," said Mechanik, president of the board that oversees the streetcar. "This opens up the opportunity for people to use it as a commuter service to get to and from work," especially as the Channel District is expected to fill up with residents over the long term.
-- Mike Brassfield, Times staff writer
Hillsborough County Commissioners gave unanimous approval to a compromise route for the Citrus Park Drive extension this morning.
The 2.8 mile road now moves into the design phase. Commissioners agreed to move it at least 55 feet south of the backyards in Fawn Ridge, a Citrus Park community that had feared the road’s intrusion. And they agreed to increase buffering between the road and the homes.
To provide more protection for Fawn Ridge, they are calling for a 10-foot-wide path on the north side of the road instead of five-foot sidewalks on each side. The path will be designed for bicycles and pedestrians. The road is expected to cost at least $67 million and could be built within five years.
Jared Leone, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Speeders, take heed.
The director of the Florida Highway Patrol announced this morning a statewide crackdown on speeding.
Dubbed "Operation Safe Ride," troopers this weekend will use lasers, radars, helicopters, motorcycles, marked and unmarked FHP cruisers to nab speeders on each interstate and major state road as well as Florida's Turnpike.
Officials say March and April have historically been the peak months for traffic crashes. This weekend's special detail aims to reduce the number of traffic crashes over the spring break weekend.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
DALLAS -- Southwest Airlines says it grounded 41 planes Tuesday in the wake of its recent admission that it had missed required inspections of some planes for structural cracks.
Spokeswoman Christi Day says the move resulted in some flights being canceled Wednesday, but she didn't have a precise figure. No flights at Tampa International Airport were affected, airport officials said.
The move comes as Southwest faces a $10.2 million civil penalty for continuing to fly nearly 50 planes after the airline admitted that it had missed required inspections of the planes.
Southwest also put three employees on leave after being notified of the penalty by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Associated Press
The Florida Highway Patrol opened the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to all vehicles at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Tall vehicles, such as semi-trucks and recreational vehicles, could not cross the bridge from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., but troopers stopped turning them away in the afternoon as winds calmed.
Gusts of wind up to 45 mph spurred them to close the bridge to high-profile vehicles Saturday morning.
-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- A federal grand jury has indicted Benjamin Baines Jr., a 22-year-old Clearwater man accused of trying to smuggle a box cutter in a book through security at Tampa International Airport last month.
The felony federal charge of attempting to carry a dangerous weapon on an aircraft is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Baines already is serving a 30-day jail sentence after pleading guilty Feb. 18 to state charges of carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.
The federal grand jury handed up its indictment Wednesday.
Baines was scheduled to board Southwest Airlines Flight 338 to Jacksonville on Feb. 17, then catch another plane to Las Vegas, when an X-ray image of a box cutter showed up inside his backpack at TIA security. Officials found the box cutter hidden in a hollowed-out book.
Baines told investigators he forgot the box cutter was inside the copy of Fear Itself. Baines told airport police he had cut out the pages of the book to keep marijuana and money from being stolen by roommates.
- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- As a road-widening project continues along Interstate 275 near downtown Tampa, commuters are taking to the Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Parkway for relief from the congestion.
That could be a big problem.
Parts of those roads are under reconstruction by the Florida Department of Transportation -- one on Gandy Boulevard, and on the cluster of roads south and west of Tampa International Airport.
So while some changes made Monday along I-275 eased traffic congestion on the Howard Frankland bridge Monday night, the Gandy Bridge was backed up almost to Pinellas County.
"Unless you have a helicopter, getting across the bay from St. Petersburg to Tampa is going to be a challenge," said Bay News 9 traffic reporter Russ Handler.
It's a nightmare for drivers, but DOT officials are trying to put a positive spin on the situation.
"Unfortunately, there are three major projects going on," said DOT spokeswoman Kris Carson. Completing them one at a time, she said, is not "reasonable or feasible."
"If we wait to do these projects, we'd be more behind in transportation than we already are," Carson said.
Still, frustrations mount.
Sure, traffic is a necessary evil for motorists on the morning commute. But in the afternoon, kids need to be picked up from school. Day care is charging by the minute. And dinner still needs to be cooked.
All that amounts to a big, costly problem without a quick fix.
"There's really no way to avoid this mess," Handler said. "It's growing pains."
- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Call it the Monday morning miracle.
A slight tweak in the road construction pattern that spurred so much commuter anger last week appears to be working, with traffic on Interstate 275 near downtown Tampa on its usual slow crawl instead of all-out gridlock. And traffic on the Howard Frankland bridge into Tampa was backed up to the hump instead of all the way to Pinellas County.
Last week's congestion was caused by a relatively small change: the blocking off of an interstate merge lane between the Howard Avenue entrance ramp and the exit to downtown Tampa, one of many projects slated for a major interstate reconstruction project.
On Friday, Department of Transportation officials made a slight change in hopes of improving the traffic flow. Instead of blocking only about half of the milelong merge lane, they have now closed almost all of it to prevent drivers from weaving in and out. That, and the hope of habitual cross-bay drivers anticipating the change, should ease the commute.
Still, the real test will be the Pinellas-Tampa drive in the afternoon, according to Bay News 9 traffic reporter Russ Handler. The mornings, he said, "are note quite as terrible as the afternoons."
For updated traffic information, please see our Traffic section.
- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- A passenger aboard an AirTran flight bound for Atlanta was pulled from the aircraft this morning after talking about explosives and Pakistan, Tampa International Airport officials said.
Douglas Allen Most, 36 and a local tile setter, has since been released after being questioned by airport police, FBI agents and Transportation Security Administration officials, said Tad Hutcheson, AirTran's vice president of marketing.
The incident started before passengers boarded flight 120, when a man inside a men's bathroom overheard Most's conversation about current events, "including the war and the USF student case," according to a Tampa International news release.
The man who overheard the conversation's name was not released, but airport officials said he is the owner of a security consulting firm. He saw Most boarding his same flight and told a gate agent, who alerted the flight's captain.
Airport police and Transportation Security Administration officials removed Most, while the remaining passengers and their bags were re-screened, said airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan. Nothing was found.
Most was cooperative while being questioned and was acting confused "about what is going on and his reported suspicious behavior," the release said.
Still, "the comfort level goes down when people get too specific about details about explosives," Geoghagan said.
The remaining 44 people on the flight - 39 passengers and 5 crew members - left for Atlanta. AirTran officials say the flight departed at 8:32 a.m., more than 1 1/2 hours after the flight's scheduled 7 a.m. takeoff.
Most was released at 9:40 a.m. Airport officials say he was bound for San Diego, Calif.
Hutcheson, the AirTran spokesman, said the man who alerted gate agents did the right thing.
"You can't joke around with anything, any threat like that," he said. "There was an inconvenience, but you need to take all the precautions necessary."
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
Airport officials said today that Sarasota-bound flight made an emergency landing at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport because of a mechanical problem, the Associated Press reports. Michele Routh, a spokeswoman for the airport, said the USA 3000 Airlines flight from Chicago landed here about 9:30 p.m. Monday. A subsequent inspection of the plane showed no problems, Routh said.
TAMPA -- A fake bomb slipped past security at Tampa International Airport, CNN reports.
A tester from the federal Transportation Security Administration told officers that the device wrapped around his lower back was a back brace. "He gets through, which in real life would mean a terrorist was headed toward a plane with a bomb," CNN reports.
The TSA hires and trains security officers to check passengers at the airport; calls for comment were not immediately returned.
-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer
Fog shrouds downtown Tampa this morning. [KEN HELLE | Times] Fog also covers morning traffic on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard in Clearwater this morning. [JIM DAMASKE | Times]
Although the skies remain hazy, the thick blankets of fog have lifted over most of the Bay area, prompting the expiration of the dense fog advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Ruskin this morning.
Visibility ranges were reported anywhere from 1 to 5 miles, but some areas saw visibility plummet to below 1/4 mile, according to a National Weather Service statement.
Earlier this morning, Highway Patrol officials reported limited visibility at the top of the Sunshine Skyway bridge and very thick fog at Interstate 75 line in Manatee County.
Winter weather conditions in Florida are the prime reason for the recent spat of foggy mornings. The thick morning fog can be explained on two irreversible factors: cool air and long nights.
Bay News 9 meteorologist Juli Marquez explains it like this:
On most winter nights, temperatures usually dip to the dew point, saturating the air with moisture and producing blankets of fog. And winter nights - typically a stretch of uninterrupted calm - prohibit swirling winds that could break those blankets apart.
In coastal regions, "sea fog" forms when when the dew point exceeds water temperatures. When that happens, sea fog forms and pushes on shore.
Those longer, cooler winter nights provide more time for fog to develop from about midnight until sunrise begins burning off the fog.
"Unfortunately, that usually happens during the morning commute," Marquez said.
Forecasters say the chances for fog diminish for Friday morning. Clouds will clear out this evening as a cooler, drier air mass is expected to move in, making way for a sunny Friday with highs expected in the low 60s.
Driving in the fog? Authorities say slow down, use low beam headlights and keep a safe distance between vehicles.
Get the latest on traffic here.
- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
Interstate 4 has reopened in both directions after Florida Highway Patrol officials closed a portion of the roadway this morning after troopers reported zero visibility on a stretch of highway in Polk County, Division of Forestry officials said.
The road closures began at 3:38 a.m., when troopers closed the westbound lanes between CR 557 and U.S. 27. About an hour later, troopers closed the same portion of the eastbound lanes, said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Harold Frear.
The roadway was reopened shortly after 8:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, efforts by the state's Division of Forestry continue to battle portions of the fire, some of which are still smoldering.
"There's no visible flames on the fire, just some smoky sections on the interior," said Gerry LaCavera, a wildfire mitigation specialist with the Division of Forestry.
LaCavera said bulldozers continue to clear pathways for fire trucks hoping to penetrate the perimeter of of the fire.
"There's still some areas smoking," LaCavera said.
Please return to tampabay.com for updates.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
LAKELAND -- The Polk County County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the four people who were killed in the 70-vehicle pileup on Interstate 4 in Polk County last week.
Michael Fricke Jr., Jorge Fundora and Joseph Noel and Scott Snyder are confirmed dead.
Fricke, a truck driver, was from the Clair-Mel City area of Tampa.
Snyder, who worked for Disney, is from Auburndale. The hometowns of Fundora and Noel have not been released yet. Fundora was driving a dump truck, and Noel was in a Lincoln, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.
Authorities are still investigating the crashes, which also injured 38 people.
The Florida Highway Patrol has identified some of the people and vehicles involved in Wednesday's crash on the eastbound side of Interstate 4.
The list shows the vehicles that have been validated by the Florida Highway Patrol; not all of the identities of the drivers, other vehicle occupants or the identities of the four people killed have been validated or confirmed by the Florida Highway Patrol as yet.
Due to the damage on some vehicles, the exact year of the model could not be confirmed, and not all drivers and passengers have been interviewed and confirmed as being apart of the crash.
The list is as follows:
Continue reading "FHP identifies Interstate 4 crash victims" »
Update: The expiration of today's morning dense fog advisory at 9 a.m. could be the end of widespread weekend morning fog in the Tampa Bay area, National Weather Service forecasters say.
Patchy fog is possible, but the invading cloud cover headed for the area tonight is less conducive to producing thick fog, said National Weather Service meteorologist Russell Hennes.
Today's highs are in the mid 70s near the coast and will peak in the low 80s inland.
Hennes said Saturday will be a virtual carbon copy of today's temperatures before a 50 percent chance of rain cools us off Sunday.
Although it's too early to tell, Hennes said cooler temperatures and stronger winds could disrupt any forming fog for Monday morning's commute.
- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
[Department of Transportation workers start the resurfacing process on I-4 where yesterday's pile-ups took place. Ken Helle | Times]
Interstate 4 reopened to traffic in both directions on Thursday evening. Florida Highway Patrol officials declared the road safe for traffic shortly after 6 p.m.
The Florida Department of Transportation spent the day working on a $300,000 emergency repair job on a 650-foot stretch of the road that was damaged in Wednesday morning's pile-ups that involved 70 vehicles. The road's asphalt melted from flaming wrecked trucks, and oil spilled from a tanker involved in the crash.
"You literally go through and remove the bad roadway and lay down new asphalt, which has to set and dry," Clemmons-Adente said.
The repairs got under way Wednesday night but were delayed by heavy fog early today.
"As soon as it lifted, we got our crews out there," she said.
Now that the highway is back open, authorities will be watching it closely overnight and tomorrow morning. Heavy fog is not expected, but officials are continuing to monitor a smoldering swamp fire that could still produce smoke.
-- Mike Brassfield, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Checks in the mail? Check again.
The U.S. Postal Service this afternoon announced that about 490 pieces of priority mail were burned beyond recognition in Wednesday's traffic disaster along Interstate 4.
A postal service truck was among the 70 vehicles involved in the fiery crash that claimed four lives and injured 38 people, several critically. The 53-foot semitrailer truck was carrying seven containers of priority mail to an Orlando distribution center when it stopped next to a fuel tanker along the interstate.
Then, "the oncoming traffic behind the mail truck and fuel tanker slammed into them igniting the tanker," according to a U.S.P.S. news release. "Unfortunately, all of the mail was burned beyond recognition, and the Postal Service finds this outcome regrettable."
The driver of the truck made it out of the fire unharmed.
Postal officials say all of the mail originated in southwest Florida. Six of seven containers were headed to central Florida. One had been destined for Miami.
Possible originating zip codes include: 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 341, 342 and 346.
Officials say customers who purchased tracking and tracing for their Priority Mail on Jan. 8 destined to the central Florida or Miami area are advised to visit usps.com to check the status of their packages.
Those who purchased insurance for their mail and are seeking more information are encouraged to visit the Postal Service's claims page for claim information.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
Work will begin this month on a new 5,668-space economy parking garage at Tampa International Airport, with the first phase expected to open before Thanksgiving. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority accepted a bid of $60-million Thursday from Brasfield & Gorie LLC. In addition to the garage, the company will expand the airport's cell phone parking lot and build permanent restrooms there. The bid was $100 per space less than what the agency paid for the original economy garage that opened two years ago, said Louis Miller, the airport's executive director. The entire garage should be finished by May 2009.
[Cars pulled over due to poor visibility along Highway 559, near I-4, as fog swept through the area this morning. Ken Helle | Times]
Traffic updates
Road conditions got worse quickly
Video from the scene | Photo gallery | Share your photos
POLK CITY -- A 14-mile stretch of Interstate 4 remains closed, more than 24 hours after dense fog and smoke caused a disastrous chain of crashes on central Florida's main east-west highway.
By around 9:30 a.m., the fog had lifted and crews returned to work. Officials have not yet to decide whether to open the interstate later today.
"Don't even have a passing thought about driving on I-4 between Orlando and Tampa," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said just before 7 a.m.
Dense fog and smoke returned to the area early this morning, prompting officials to close more local roads and stopping repair work on I-4.
Wednesday morning's chain-reaction of crashes among 70 vehicles killed at least four people, sent 38 more to three hospitals and led officials to close I-4 indefinitely between the Polk Parkway and U.S. 27.
Polk Sheriff's deputies have opened several smaller arteries they shut down earlier this morning. But due to limited visibility, they closed Old Grade Road between Ruseell road and I-4.
Cleanup and repair work started on I-4 Wednesday and continued until early this morning. Judd said his office put an additional 24 deputies on the road overnight working on setting up a perimeter and an extra 35 deputies are working now.
Bulldozers pushed debris. Crews dumped sand on the road. "There were semis hauling semis," Polk County Public Safety spokeswoman Heather McClanahan said.
Resurfacing and repair work stopped around 3:30 a.m. due to poor visibility.
"They couldn't see their hands in front of their faces," she said.
Earlier this morning, a tractor trailer drove off Polk City Road and into a ditch, but the driver was not injured, she said.
Tow trucks and wreckers have removed all the vehicles involved in yesterday's accident from the interstate.
The nearby fire that sent smoke into the roadway yesteday is 90 percent contained, but continues to smolder over about 500 acres, Polk County Assistant Fire Chief Rick Parnell said.
Local fire crews and the Department of Forestry are monitoring the blaze. How long it burns depends heavily on the humidity and vegetation, he said. Smoke could linger for weeks.
"We don't have enough water to put it out," he said. "It's something that rain will have to do."
Judd said officials are continuing to investigate Wednesday's crash and still have many unanswered questions about the fire.
"For every question you have, I probably have three," Judd told a group of reporters at the command center this morning. "I would have liked to have been in on the front end of this discussion before any of this began."
-- Catherine E. Shoichet, Times staff writer
The multi-car traffic crash on Interstate 4 in Polk County is putting a pinch on donor blood reserves that were already at critically low levels in the region.
Florida Blood Services, which supplies blood to more than three dozen hospitals in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pasco counties, has put out an emergency call for donors, particularly people with blood types O, A and B-negative.
"We are doing our best to meet this additional need for trauma blood," said JB Gaskins, FBS Vice President of Donor Systems. "Yet, with inventories of types O, A and B-negative blood already at a one day or less supply, we need healthy donors to give blood as soon as possible so we can meet the ongoing demand. All blood types are needed to help these patients and others in our community."
Donors generally should be healthy, at least age 16 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. For other eligibility questions or to find a donation location, call toll-free, 1-800-682-5663, or visit www.fbsblood.org.
Bill Varian, Times staff writer
Louis Miller, executive director of Tampa International Airport, said he hadn’t yet had a chance to sort through the pile of NASA data released New Year's Eve to see whether it has any implications for airport operations. He expected airports, airlines and air safety regulators will thoroughly review NASA’s information.
“We take safety very seriously,” Miller said. “It’s our top priority. Obviously, I’ll be interested in seeing what comes out of the study.”
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- Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer