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News at noon: Emergency officials making preparations ahead of tropical storm's expected arrival; Tampa bike stop numbers continue to drop; woman in wheelchair fatally struck by tow truck; Buc to create scholarship in mother's memory

 
Daniel Brown, Senior Hurricane Specialist, works at the National Hurricane Center in Miami to track the path of a weather disturbance that has produced tropical storm-force wind gusts in heavy squalls over some of the northern Caribbean islands and surrounding waters and is of concern to Florida. [Getty Images]
Daniel Brown, Senior Hurricane Specialist, works at the National Hurricane Center in Miami to track the path of a weather disturbance that has produced tropical storm-force wind gusts in heavy squalls over some of the northern Caribbean islands and surrounding waters and is of concern to Florida. [Getty Images]
Published Aug. 29, 2016

A tropical system that had been meandering across the Caribbean last week is now gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico and preparing to dump heavy rains and produce tropical storm-force winds across the Tampa Bay area later this week.

EMERGENCY OFFICIALS MAKING PREPARATIONS AS STORM APPROACHES

Emergency management officials have begun to make preparations ahead of Tropical Depression Nine's anticipated arrival along Florida's Gulf Coast later this week.

WEEKS OF VOTING WILL CONCLUDE WITH TUESDAY'S FLORIDA PRIMARY

Voters across Florida head to the polls Tuesday to put the finishing touch on a marathon statewide primary election that began more than a month ago. After enduring an onslaught of TV ads, mail and phone calls, voters will help choose six members of Congress, dozens of state legislators and scores of county officeholders. They also will nominate candidates for U.S. Senate and decide a ballot proposal to add a property tax break for solar energy equipment to the state Constitution.

WHAT MURPHY AND RUBIO ARE UP TO

Patrick Murphy and Marco Rubio are expected to begin their general election campaigns this week, setting off a short but expensive and likely contentious race that could help decide control of the Senate. Here is what the candidates are up to this week, as of today.

GAS PRICES CONTINUE SHARP RISE

Just a few weeks ago, Tampa Bay drivers were filling up on sub-$2 gas, relishing the cheapest summertime prices at the pump in 11 years. Now heading into the busy Labor Day travel weekend, they're wondering how high it can go.

TAMPA BIKE STOP NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DROP

The number of bicyclists stopped by police and ticketed continues to decline as a result of a change in tactics by the Tampa Police Department.

WOMAN IN WHEELCHAIR FATALLY STRUCK BY TOW TRUCK

A woman in a wheelchair was killed early this morning when police say she was struck by a tow truck in St. Petersburg.

INFANT GIRL WOUNDED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING

A 1-year-old infant was injured late Sunday night in a drive-by shooting in Port Richey. Deputies say one of the bullets entered front bedroom, where the infant girl was sleeping, and struck her wrist.

VISITATION FOR MONSIGNOR HIGGINS STARTS TODAY

Three days of remembrances start at noon today to honor the late Monsignor Laurence Higgins, who served as pastor of St. Lawrence Catholic Church for 49 years and who died last Wednesday at 87. And while all events are open to the public, organizers expect a crowd, especially for this coming Wednesday's funeral.

POLLS SUGGEST SUPPORT FOR GENETICALLY MODIFIED MOSQUITOES

Two recent polls suggest that concern over the Zika virus has been heightened by the outbreak of the infection in two Miami-Dade communities and locally transmitted cases in Palm Beach and Pinellas counties.

THIRD-GRADERS PROMOTED AFTER JUDGE'S RULING

Only minutes after learning that one of their co-plaintiffs in their lawsuit challenging Florida's third-grade retention rules had been allowed into fourth grade at his Hernando elementary school, parents of three Chocachatti Elementary School students were told by principal Lara Silva their children could enter fourth grade at their zoned neighborhood schools --

just not at Chocachatti.

WE TASTED SIX DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF OYSTERS

Sea Salt in St. Petersburg offers more than a dozen varieties of oysters from most of the major growing regions. Chef Kenny Tufo led us through a tasting to show us the wide range of flavors and textures — oh, and he says the old saw about never eating oysters during months that don't end in "r" is bunk.

WEATHER'S JUST FINE FOR MACKEREL

The general thinking is that at this time of year in west central Florida it's just too darned hot to fish. The water temperature is too high and most of the big fish have headed to deeper, cooler waters. Unless you're willing to run several miles offshore, it's probably best to keep the fishing gear in the garage. Except, it's not necessarily true.

BUC TO CREATE SCHOLARSHIP IN MOTHER'S MEMORY

Bucs offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile has stepped up as a starting guard entering this season, and today announced that he'd done so despite a personal tragedy in the past month: his mother, Marie, died at age 57 and was buried Saturday. Now, five students from the YMCA d'Haiti will receive Marie Pamphile Scholarships in memory of his mother, to assist in the cost of their education for the school year.

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