Ariel Plasencia
Ariel Plasencia joined FOX 13 in April 2023 and is excited to be reporting in the Sunshine State.
Ariel spent the last four years in Dallas, TX covering news, sports (yes, including the Cowboys), and traffic. From stories on TCU’s run in the College Football Playoff National Championship to issues with the power grid to all things barbecue, Ariel wore many (cowboy) hats during her time in the Lone Star State.
Before Texas, she worked as a reporter and anchor in North Carolina.
A Chicago native, Ariel grew up in cold, windy weather and studied math at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She received her master’s degree in journalism at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
When she’s not working, Ariel enjoys spending time outdoors – as close to water as possible! – with her husband, two kids and dog. She also loves cheering on the local sports teams – and her Chicago ones, too! (Go Cubs, Bears, Bulls & Blackhawks!)
The latest from Ariel Plasencia
NICU admissions: TGH doctors explain rise in newborn care cases
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions have risen across the country — and Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has noticed the trend, too.
4 sentenced in fatal fentanyl overdose of USF student, DOJ announces
Four men have been sentenced to federal prison following the lethal fentanyl overdose of an 18-year-old University of South Florida student, federal prosecutors announced on Friday during a press conference.
Saint Leo University to offer 3-year, reduced credit hour bachelor’s degree
Saint Leo University is launching a new bachelor’s degree this January that requires fewer credit hours than the traditional 120-credit model and is also one year shorter.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay unearths 1962 time capsule
As the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay prepare for their centennial exhibit at the Tampa Bay History Center, staff discovered a time capsule from 1962.
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. hiring 100 workers for new hotel, restaurant in Ybor City
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. is hosting a two-day job fair to hire 100 people for its new hotel, restaurant and cigar lounge – all set to open across the street from the cigar factory in about nine weeks.
Polk State College grad invents self-bathing machine after grandmother's death
A Polk State College graduate created an autonomous self-bathing machine designed to transform the cleaning process at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Mosquito species previously found only in Mexico discovered in U.S.
Scientists with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) discovered a non-native mosquito species in the U.S. that was previously only recorded in Mexico.
Dengue fever-related death reported in Hillsborough as mosquito treatments continue
More than 130 cases of dengue have been reported in Hillsborough County, making up 88% of the state’s total infections, according to most recent data from Florida health officials.
Meet Turbo Teddy: The robot dog fetching medications for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital patients
There’s a high-tech new hire rolling through the halls of St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa — and he’s unleashing a new way to fetch important medicines for kids.
Hillsborough County cat tests positive for rabies, area of Gibsonton under 60-day rabies alert
Officials with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County have issued a 60-day rabies alert for part of the Gibsonton area after a cat recently tested positive for the virus.