Hillsborough County

Eight people in Hillsborough and two in Pinellas recently contracted the mosquito-borne illness locally, officials say. Both counties are under alerts. The disease is not endemic to the Tampa Bay region.

The program offers healthcare coverage to uninsured residents who don't qualify for Medicaid. In July, Polk County expanded maximum income requirements from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty line.

Residents can pre-register for Hillsborough County’s special needs shelters ahead of a hurricane. These shelters provide medical staff, generator power and oxygen for people who need extra support during evacuations.

Hillsborough County officials recommend stocking up on healthy foods, keeping emergency kits ready and having a plan before a hurricane is at the door.

Hillsborough County is the seventh-largest district in Florida, with 305 schools and more than 224,000 students.

If voters approve the referendums in November, the Hillsborough County Commission would expand to nine members — with the current at-large districts eliminated. The school superintendent could also be elected, instead of appointed.

The law mandates local officials have to approve development if these spaces that legislators call "enclaves" are next to developed land — even if local zoning or comprehensive plans would otherwise prohibit it.

Recent rain showers coincide with the start of the annual fertilizer ban. Key nutrients from fertilizer runoff contribute to algae growth, which leads to murky, stinky waters and hurts marine life.

There are calls for transparency as the board negotiates using the half-cent Community Investment Tax to help pay for the new ballpark on the site of Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus.

An automatic recount may be triggered in the special election in Hillsborough County. Democratic political newcomer Brian Nathan has a narrow lead over Republican Josie Tomkow.

If you take the bus, rideshare or plan to use public transportation in Hillsborough County in the future, the county's transit service wants to hear from you. A series of workshops begins Tuesday night to give riders a chance to give their opinion.

The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's office published a digital tool to help taxpayers "see the numbers," as lawmakers consider measures to reduce or eliminate property taxes in the state.