Portillo's Opening, Damaging Twisters, Gator House Call

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

Roaming Gator Makes A House Call

A Plant City man found himself calling 911 recently when an unexpected, and very unwanted, visitor came knocking on his door. It seems the man attempted to leave his Partridge Pass home only to discover a 9 ½-foot alligator had climbed his front stairs and was attempting to get in.

Brandon Portillo’s Opens Next Week

Tampa Bay area residents eager to chomp down on a real Chicago hot dog don’t have too much longer to wait for Portillo’s to open the doors on its first Florida location.

Restaurant Inspections: Rodent Droppings ‘Too Numerous To Count’

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at five area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t meet state guidelines for health and safety.

The Colonnade Closes To Make Room For Development

A longstanding Tampa landmark is no more. The Colonnade Restaurant on Bayshore Boulevard served its last meals Tuesday.

Florida Vacation Scams: State Reports Uptick

Tampa Bay area residents who receive offers related to promotional vacation packages in the Sunshine State are warned to be very wary. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a consumer alert Wednesday related to scam offers that are meant to part victims from their personal information.

Dad, Son Put Gun In Dead Man’s Hand: Deputies

Three people face charges in connection with the shooting death of a Sarasota man in late March after deputies reviewed video evidence and found footage that shows a father and son placing a gun in the victim’s hands.

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.

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.

Tornadoes Wreak Havoc In Pasco, Pinellas Counties

A strong line of thunderstorms that moved through the Tampa Bay area early Thursday morning is responsible for numerous damage reports in both Pinellas and Pasco counties where tornado activity has also been confirmed.

15-Foot Gator Bagged In Florida

Two hunters in Florida are getting the credit for taking down a monster alligator believed to have been making meals out of a farm’s cattle. The beast, which measured in at nearly 15 feet, was killed Saturday at Outwest Farms in Okeechobee.

Photo courtesy of Lake County Fire & Rescue