Heroin Overdoses, Tampa Bay Lightning, Manatee Twins

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

Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders 1st Game Set

Tampa Bay Lightning fans eager to see the Bolts return to the ice in round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs don’t have much longer to wait.

Florida Alligator Hunting: Application Period Opens Soon

Hunters daring enough to brave Florida’s swamps to go after alligators will soon get their chance to apply for a statewide permit lottery. A few rules of the road, however, have changed that state officials want hunters to be aware of.

Costco Membership Fees May Rise Soon

Costco should soon raise its membership fees, according to analysts. The membership-only wholesaler has roughly 700 locations worldwide, including several in the Tampa Bay area.

Restaurant Inspections: Roaches, Rodents, Dirty Ice Machine

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at three area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t hold up to state guidelines for health and safety. Live roaches, dirty conditions, unsafe food storage and evidence of rodents were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings.

Rare Manatee Twins Spotted Near Siesta Key

A manatee well-known to residents who frequent waters around Sarasota and Fort Myers has given birth in the wild to a rare set of twins. “Tomo-Bella” and her newborn twins were spotted in Grand Canal along Siesta Key on April 15, according to Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory.

Heroin Overdoses Up In Florida

Total drug-related deaths in Florida increased by 13.9 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the first half of 2014. “Deaths caused by heroin increased by 114.8 percent (171 more) compared with the first half of 2014,” according to a Florida Medical Examiners Commission report released Monday.

Florida Ads Aim To Snag Business From California

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is on a mission to bring more jobs to the Sunshine State and he doesn’t mind stealing enterprise away from other states to achieve the goal.

Joy McCann Culverhouse, Wife Of Buccaneers Founder, Dies At 96

The widow of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers very first owner has died at the age of 96. Joy McCann Culverhouse reportedly died at her Hyde Park home Tuesday from pneumonia, several media outlets have reported.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission