Gators Battle, Renaissance Festival, Life Sentence

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

Dramatic Gator Battle Caught On Video

A Clearwater office worker out to enjoy a sunny afternoon by taking an outdoor lunchbreak recently found himself holding front row seats for an epic battle between two alligators.

Bay Area Renaissance Festival Opens Saturday

Lords, ladies, knights and peasants have taken up residence once again at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival’s grounds at MOSI. The doors to the multi-weekend event officially open this Saturday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m.

Super Bowl Weekend Weather: What To Expect

Folks hoping to enjoy some outdoor time this Super Bowl weekend might want to bring a jacket along for the ride. According to the National Weather Service, the Tampa Bay area is in for a chilly weekend ahead.

Crime Stoppers Puts Spotlight On 3 Fugitives

Tampa Bay area residents in need of extra cash might find some is on the line if they happen to know the whereabouts of a wanted fugitive. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay, an organization founded to help law enforcement find fugitives, is putting the spotlight on three particular wanted men in the month of February.

Green Bench Brewing Up For National Honors

Green Bench Brewing Co.’s founders Nathan Stonecipher and Steven Duffy love a good challenge. That might explain why the two are among the only brewers on the country’s east coast to craft Belgian beers using foeders, special oak fermentation vessels. They also happen to own the only microbrewery in Florida nominated as a finalist in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in the Favorite New Brewery category.

8-Year-Old Charged In Armed Robbery

An 8-year-old boy whose mother thought he was outside playing with friends reportedly had other plans in mind Wednesday night. The child is accused of going into his mother’s purse and taking out her 9mm handgun.

Life Sentence For Bradenton Child Pornographer

A 40-year-old Bradenton man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday on child pornography charges.

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