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Monday, Jul 13, 2026

Good Monday morning. It'll be partly cloudy with a high of 92.

In today’s edition, read about car washes during a drought; officials seeking input on Pinellas County’s shrinking schools; and a member of Kiss coming to downtown St. Petersburg.

[DIRK SHADD | Times]

When visitors wander through a New Port Richey nature preserve, they might not notice that over 400 Floridians are buried beneath their feet. 

“Conservation burials” have boomed in popularity in the past decade — even in Tampa Bay. 

Heartwood Preserve, a 41-acre conservation cemetery, has spent a decade naturally returning bodies to the Earth.

Long road ahead: Will these sons of St. Pete get to redevelop Tropicana Field?

Drivers on the Howard Frankland: Some lanes on I-275 along the bridge will be closed nightly this week. 

Campus closures: Pinellas school officials are making plans to close and consolidate more campuses in the face of declining enrollment. They want public input before making any official recommendations. 

Literacy crisis in young boys: A Pinellas summer camp works to get boys interested in reading by meeting them where they are. 

Tampa General Hospital is believed to be the first in the nation to sue Eli Lilly and Company over drug pricing. Lilly recently stopped providing discounted drugs to hospitals that refused to turn over claims data attorneys say could violate patient privacy laws.

Keeping safe environments: After the Times broke news about a lawsuit filed against IMG Academy, we reached out to experts to ask for tips about keeping kids safe in sports. Here's what you should know about the lawsuit and abuse prevention.

"One of the great ones": Chad Johnson, the executive chef of Bern’s Steak House, died Thursday. He was a creative force behind several of Tampa’s fine-dining concepts and helped shape the area's elevated restaurant scene.

Rock and Roll All Nite: Gene Simmons from Kiss just booked a concert at St. Pete sports bar Ferg's. Wait, what?

Did not appear suspicious: A 31-year-old paddleboarder was found dead in the water at St. Pete's Lassing Park on Friday, police say. 

No matter the method — nets or trot lining — Richard Sanders and his wife Betty have been hauling up boatloads of fish in the St. John’s River most mornings, bringing wild-caught river catfish to the table for 63 years.

FIND MORE AT TAMPABAY.COM/POLITICS

Died at 71: Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress, has died after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said.

Not your typical trial: Florida Rep. Fabian Basabe is set to represent himself in a civil case accusing him of sexual harassment, battery and defamation.

Highest honor: Evan Longoria is accustomed to receiving lofty praise as the best player in Rays history. Still, he had trouble holding in his emotions this past weekend as the franchise retired his No. 3. See photos from "Longo's Legacy Weekend."

Promising futures: The Rays started their Day 2 draft selections on Sunday by taking two collegiate pitchers.

"They drafted a bulldog": Kaden Waechter, a standout pitcher at Jesuit High School and son of the Rays broadcaster Doug Waechter, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

Dive deep every weekday into all things Bucs, Rays, Lightning, USF and more with award-winning Times journalist Rick Stroud. If it’s major Tampa Bay sports news, he’s talking about it.