GAINSWave Therapy in Westchase, FL

TAMPA, Fla. - With temperatures dropping, Hillsborough County is hoping residents will want to take a hike.

The county’s annual hiking spree runs from November through March.

"We pick trails that are at all of the preserves, parks and rec centers and put them together on a list," said Ashley Martin with Hillsborough County conservation/environmental lands management. "We also partner with a couple of state parks every year. That way everyone gets a wide variety of trails to choose from for their hiking spree."

The hiking spree is a collaboration between the county’s conservation department and its parks and rec department and has 25 trails to walk.

"We have so many parks and preserves and really great trails and one of the best ways to get people out there is to say, ‘Hey, if you hike this trail, you’re going to get a patch.’ It gets them to go explore more and get out," Martin stated.

READ: Hike, camp, learn: Bay Area company gets back to nature with guided tours of Florida’s great outdoors

Anyone who hikes eight of the trails can receive a patch a medallion and a dog bandana if your four-legged friend joined you on the adventure. Hikers report their walks using the honor system.

"I think it’s just something we can do and just get away from everyday life and just see the beauty of life," said Daniel Norris, who has been on the hiking spree for the past eight years.

He even met his wife at the Westchase recreation center and she began hiking with him.

"We just enjoy going out hiking and seeing the different nature," he stated.

The hiking spree offers and A,B, and C trails, allowing for hikers of different abilities to enjoy the trails.

The hiking spree has been taking place since 2016 and for the first time, the lineup includes Egmont key state park, which is only accessible by water and Ybor City Museum State Park which links to the Ybor City historic trail.

A tropical storm warning is issued for lower FL Keys; watch for Fort Myers area; Ian likely a hurricane Monday and a major storm Tuesday.

Updated at 11:10 p.m.

FLORIDA — A tropical storm warning has been issued for the lower Florida Keys and a tropical storm watch is posted for part of western Florida as Tropical Storm Ian grows stronger and slowly treks toward Florida. Forecasters expect the storm to become a hurricane by Monday and reach major hurricane strength Tuesday before it reaches Cuba.

The tropical storm warning covers from Seven Mile Bridge southward to Key West, including the Dry Tortugas.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Englewood southward to Chokoloskee in the Fort Myers area.

And a storm surge watch is in effect for: the Florida Keys from the Card Sound Bridge westward to Key West; Dry Tortugas; west coast of Florida from Englewood southward to the Card Sound Bridge; and Florida Bay.

Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is expected in the Florida Keys into southern and central Florida Peninsula, with local maximums up to 6 inches beginning Monday through Wednesday evening, the NHC said.

Heavy rainfall may affect north Florida, the Florida Panhandle and portions of the Southeast on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

There’s still a significant amount of uncertainty about where exactly it will land in the Sunshine State by mid-week, though. Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Tallahassee Sunday to urge residents across the state to prepare for a possible hurricane and widespread power outages.

Experts say that everyone in the Florida Panhandle and along the state’s west coast should be prepared for a major storm.

About 140 miles south of the Cayman Islands with 65 mph winds late Sunday, Ian is expected to bring hurricane or tropical storm conditions to Grand Cayman starting early Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm will pass near or over western Cuba Monday night and early Tuesday, then emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.

"Additional strengthening is forecast tonight, followed by more rapid strengthening on Monday and Tuesday," the NHC said in its 8 p.m. update Sunday. "Ian is forecast to become a hurricane on Monday and a major hurricane on Tuesday."

All of Florida has been under a state of emergency since Saturday, which allows for weight restrictions on trucks to be waived and emergency refills of prescriptions for 30 days. The Florida National Guard has also activated 2,500 members to support any recovery efforts.

In particular, residents on the western coast of Florida and the Panhandle should have supplies of fuel, food, and water on hand.

“Anticipate power outages,” DeSantis said, according to WFLA. “That is something that is likely to happen with a hurricane of this magnitude.”

“I just can't say this strongly enough, we need to continue to prepare for Tropical Storm Ian later this week. This track is far from set in stone. Timing has slowed to Wednesday through Friday,” Denis Phillips, the meteorologist for ABC in the Tampa Bay area, shared on social media Sunday morning.

As of Sunday afternoon, forecasting models show Ian hitting different parts of the state, he noted. “The American model (GFS) continues a track into the Panhandle. The Euro is not budging and keeps the path into the (Tampa) Bay Area. The (National Hurricane Center) track splits the difference. Even with all the new data added, the tracks have not come together.”

And regardless of where it hits, the storm “will become a strong hurricane in the Gulf and will have impacts of surge, strong (possibly destructive) winds and heavy rains,” Phillips added.

The storm is forecast to be a major hurricane Tuesday when it passes near or over western Cuba, the agency added.

Ian will likely “undergo rapid intensification in the days ahead,” during its northward turn, because of subsiding wind shear, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

It could develop into a Category 2 storm by the time it reaches Grand Cayman Monday morning and a Category 4 with wind gusts higher than 120 mph by the time it gets to Cuba, AccuWeather forecast graphics show.

“Along the system's path through the western Caribbean islands, there will be the risk of widespread power outages, torrential rain and flooding as well as dangerous and damaging seas,” the AccuWeather team said.

From there, it’s uncertain what will happen, especially its precise impact on Florida.

NHC forecasters expect it to remain a major hurricane as it moves generally north across the eastern Gulf of Mexico mid-week.

“Ian is expected to be a major hurricane in the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the middle of the week, but uncertainty in the long-term track and intensity forecasts is higher than usual," the NHC said. "Regardless of Ian’s exact track and intensity, there is a risk of dangerous storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall along the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle by the middle of the week, and residents in Florida should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place.”

Ian’s exact track across the Gulf will be determined by a southward dip in the jet stream across the U.S., according to AccuWeather forecasters. That dip could push the system north or northeast and the jet stream’s speed will play a key role in carving out Ian’s exact path.

“This is one of those frustrating situations where we're just unable to give a definite answer on track,” Phillips noted in a Facebook post. “Just a slight wobble either way would have a massive impact (positive OR negative) on our (Tampa Bay) area.”

In the meantime, experts and officials are urging people in Florida’s Panhandle and along the Sunshine State’s west coast to prepare for a hit.

“This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.”

NHC added, “Residents in Florida should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials and closely monitor updates to the forecast.”

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Florida is now fourth in the nation for the number of monkeypox cases with a total of 173.

TAMPA BAY, FL — Cases of monkeypox have begun to climb, with the first three cases now reported in Hillsborough County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Additionally, the number of cases in Pinellas County has risen to nine, while the number of cases in Polk County has remained at two throughout the month. So far, there have been no cases reported in Pasco County.

The latest data from the FDOH shows that, of the three cases of monkeypox in Hillsborough County, one patient is 30 to 34 years old, one is 35 to 39 years old and one is 50 to 54 years old.

In Pinellas, the ages range from 2o to 54.

Nevertheless, the number of Tampa Bay cases are nowhere near the amount of monkeypox experienced in South Florida.

Broward County is now reporting 103 cases and Miami-Dade 51 cases.

Overall, there have been 196 cases of monkeypox reported in Florida, which outpaces the total number of cases reported nationwide just three weeks ago — 173 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC, which is tracking several countries that don't normally report monkeypox, including the U.S., is continuing to refer to the cases as an "outbreak."

There's now been 1,972 cases reported in the United States. To date, the greatest number of cases (521) have been in New York, followed by California (267 cases), Illinois (200 cases) and Florida.

Note: the CDC reports 180 cases in Florida, seven more than the FDOH is reporting.

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The center said monkeypox virus is spreading mostly through close, intimate contact with someone who has monkeypox, and the CDC recommends a vaccination for people who have been exposed to monkeypox and people who are at higher risk of being exposed to monkeypox.

The DOH said monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that occurs mostly in central and western Africa, but can show up in other parts of the world.

The monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, especially African rodents and monkeys.

Once a person becomes infected with the monkeypox virus, he or she can pass it to other people, although it is not considered a very contagious disease and the risk of contracting it is generally low.

Monkeypox typically begins with flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, headache, tiredness, muscle aches) and swelling of the lymph nodes. It progresses to a rash on the face and body. The illness usually lasts two to four weeks.

Human-to-human transmission generally requires prolonged face-to-face contact with someone with an active rash, or indirect contact with contaminated items of someone with a rash, such as clothing.

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It's the restaurant that brought Nashville Hot Chicken to Tampa Bay and King of the Coop is quickly expanding.

"Nashville hot chicken. It's fried chicken and then you hit it with seasoned oil. And then you add extra seasoning for the spice, explains owner, Joe Dodd. "There's a cult following behind it where I like to see people push themselves like 'how hot can I really go' and it's it's funny to see reactions."

RELATED: King of the Coop: Tampa's first Nashville hot chicken restaurantRELATED: King of the Coop in Seminole Heights gives back to the community on Christmas Eve

The original Seminole Heights location draws people from all over Tampa Bay. It quickly led to Dodd expanding in other parts of the Bay.

Dodd first tried Nashville Hot Chicken in Raleigh and ever since then has been tweaking the recipe to find that perfect mix.

"It was a whole year and a half process of tweaking and playing, tweaking and playing, and to this day, we still do it. We still tweak every single day just trying to figure out different ways to make it better," says Dodd.

And as Dodd says moving to Westchase is just a no-brainer.

"There's so many opportunities over here. Westchase is a great community. When I first moved to Tampa, like right down the street actually, it's not Westchase. It was Town n' Country but everything we did was in Westchase. We have a huge following in Westchase that they go to Seminole Heights already. So for us, it was a no-brainer. And with this new plaza that they built in the Sprouts Plaza having Jeremiah's Ice next door, I think," explains Dodd.

King of the Coop is in three areas right now: Wesley Chapel, SoHo and Seminole Heights. Soon, they'll expand to St. Pete, Ybor City, Riverview and a food truck location in Bradenton.

"I don't know how the heck we're doing it. It's cool, though. It is. It's really cool. It's a lot of sleepless nights. But I love it," explains Dodd.

And it's evident every time he talks about the Coop.

He hopes the Westchase location will be open in the next few months.

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TAMPA, FL — Those looking for a place to live can't go wrong choosing Tampa. Four out of the five best places to live in Florida are in the city, according to Niche's 2022 Best Places To Live survey.

Although rarely referred to by this name, the neighborhood of Spanishtown Creek in Hyde Park was rated No. 1 in the state. It's located between West Bay Street and Bayshore Boulevard, across from Davis Islands and west of the Hillsborough River. It earned an overall rating of A+ with an A+ in the categories of good for families and nightlife, an A for schools, an A- for housing and a B+ for diversity.

Niche described the neighborhood of 3,637 people as one that provides young professionals an urban feel with lots of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks. Most (54 percent) of the residents in the neighborhood rent their homes.

The average cost of rent is $1,868 a month and the average price of a home is $499,784, according to Niche, although Tampa Realtors say they'd be hard-pressed to find a home in that price range.

Redfin has homes listed at $989,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath 1925 bungalow on South Georgia Avenue, $850,000 for a 1,600-square-foot bungalow on North Oakdale Avenue and $799,000 for a three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath condominium on SoHo Bay Court. From there, home prices shoot up to $5 million for a five-bedroom, six-bath mansion on West Parkland Boulevard.

Coming in second in Niche's 2022 Best Places to Live in Florida was Harbour Island, located directly across from downtown Tampa, east of Davis Islands. Like Spanishtown Creek, Niche described it as offering an urban feel with lots of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks.

Harbour Island received the same ratings as Spanishtown Creek in all areas, giving it an overall A+

But in the case of Harbour Island, most residents (59 percent) own their own homes. According to Niche, the average home price is $368,347 and rent is $1,794 a month, once again well below the actual prices homebuyers can expect to find on Harbour Island.

Dominated mostly by condominiums, Harbour Island has only one single-family home currently listed with a sale pending. It's located on Hemingway Circle for $1.2 million. Condos range from $300,000 for a one-bedroom, one-bath condo on Knights Run Avenue and $400,000 for a 3-bedroom, two-bath "fixer upper" on Normandy Trace Road to a $1.1 million 2-bedroom, two-bath condo on Knights Run Avenue.

Historic Hyde Park is No. 4 on Niche's list. Downtown Tampa came in at No. 5 on the 2022 Best Places to Live in Florida. The only neighborhood making the top five list that was not in Tampa is Park Lake/Highland in Orlando.

As for the 2022 Best Places to Buy a House in Florida, Tampa once again topped the list with Grand Hampton in New Tampa coming in at No. 1.

Rated an A+, Niche described the neighborhood in the Cypress Creek area as one that offers residents "a sparse urban feel." About 80 percent of the residents own their own homes, which, according to Niche, cost an average $293,310. Redfin actually lists homes in the neighborhood from $350,000 to $1.1 million.

No. 2 is Easton Park, also located in New Tampa. Harbour Island is listed as No. 3. Both received A+ ratings.

Fourth on the list is Crawfordville in Tallahasee and No. 5 is Chulota in Orlando.

Overall, Tampa came in No. 39 on Niche's 2022 Best Cities to Live in America, up from No. 40 on Niche's 2021 Best Cities to Live in America list. Tampa received an overall grade of A.

Niche based its rankings on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with millions of resident reviews. The company considers factors such as affordability, the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools and walkability.

"In the past year, many people have become more mobile than ever before. Especially if they're able to work remotely, people are asking themselves where they really want to live," said Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche. "Our rankings are designed to help our users find the next place they want to call home based on their unique priorities. For families, we know schools are an important factor."

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