Frontier Issues Continue, Rick Scott Fires Back, Smokey Bear Saved

Patch operates 23 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the top headlines from the past day:

Frontier Communications’ Florida Woes Continue

Frontier Communication’s takeover of Verizon’s Florida accounts was no April Fools’ joke, but a week following the transfer many Sunshine State customers are wondering if it might have been.

Watch: Spinner Shark Knocks Paddleboarder Into Water

A Florida man out enjoying sun and surf Thursday afternoon got a little more than he bargained for when a spinner shark shot out of the water, hit his board and knocked him off.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott Fires Back At ‘Latte Liberal’

Florida Gov. Rick Scott may have left a Gainesville Starbucks on Tuesday without a single drop of coffee after a woman blasted him about jobs and healthcare, but he’s not letting her have the last word.

Rare Clouded Leopard Cubs Set For Lowry Park Zoo Debut

Tampa Bay area residents and visitors in need of a dose of cuteness might want to set a course for Lowry Park Zoo where two rare clouded leopard cubs are ready to make their debut.

Firefighters Rescue Real Life Smokey Bear (Cub)

A tiny bear cub trapped in a blazing wildfire in Lake County escaped major harm courtesy of first responders who took actions that would make Smokey proud.

Details Emerge In Deputy-Involved Shooting

A 21-year-old Tampa man faces attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer charges after the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says the he opened fired on two deputies.

2016 Income Tax Guide: Refund Tips, Scam Warning

Procrastinators – and who isn’t when it comes to filing their income taxes? – are in luck this year. You have an extra weekend to buckle down, compile and submit your tax returns.

Tampa Bay Weekend Weather: Hazardous Boating, Sunshine

The Tampa Bay area is in for drier, cooler weather as the weekend arrives, but that doesn’t mean conditions will be ideal everywhere. The National Weather Service warned in its Friday morning Hazardous Weather Outlook report that a “strong late season front” is expected to move across the region in the overnight hours.

Photo courtesy of Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo