Thomas Markle Sr., 82, is taken into federal custody in Lakeland, Florida, and scheduled for an initial court appearance today in Tampa on a single count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors say the FBI seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books, from two Los Angeles‑area storage units that he rented for nearly two decades. The Justice Department warns the charge carries a potential 20‑year prison term. Meghan Markle says she is deeply distressed by the allegations, while U.S. officials describe the case as extremely serious.
Tampa
3 stories since 31 October 2026, newest first
6 November 2026
2 November 2026
Federal enrollment data show that 443,000 fewer Floridians had health coverage in 2026. The drop follows the expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies in December 2025. In 2025, 4.3 million residents were enrolled in ACA plans. Most Senate Democrats voted to extend the subsidies while most Republicans opposed them. Premiums are expected to increase as open enrollment starts in November. Florida continues to decline Medicaid expansion, limiting additional coverage options.
31 October 2026
More than 400 locally acquired dengue cases have been reported in the United States this year, almost all in Florida, marking the biggest domestic outbreak in nearly a hundred years. The surge is tied to the death of an elderly resident and to travelers who returned infected from endemic regions, passing the virus to local Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. A drought followed by June rains helped hatch resilient mosquito eggs, and Tampa recorded a sharp rise in cases after showing less preparedness than southern counties.