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News at Noon: Bucs unveil new scoreboard; Invest 99L still disorganized; Rubio in Plant City; Honoring Terry Tomalin's legacy

 
New upgrades have been made in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Fame Club and the new installation of higher quality video screens at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. OCTAVIO JONES | Times
New upgrades have been made in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Fame Club and the new installation of higher quality video screens at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. OCTAVIO JONES | Times
Published Aug. 26, 2016

After two games on the road, the Bucs play their first home preseason game tonight, against the Cleveland Browns. There's plenty to scrutinize on the field and around it. Fans at Raymond James Stadium — and a national television audience on CBS — also get a first look at the stadium's new video boards, part of a $140 million renovation. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m.

WEATHER SYSTEM DISORGANIZED BUT COULD STRENGTHEN IN GULF

A tropical wave near the Bahamas now has a reduced chance of developing into a tropical storm, forecasters say, but it still has time to strengthen once it approaches the Gulf of Mexico in the next two days as it follows a track expected to go further south and west. This morning, forecasters give the system a 30 percent chance of development over the next two days, and 60 percent chance over the next five.

IS RUBIO READY TO REVERSE HIS SUPPORT FOR THE TPP?

Sen. Marco Rubio is expressing doubts about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, suggesting he may be ready to reverse support, a stark example of eroding support for trade agreements in the Donald Trump era. Rubio, who is running to retain his Senate seat and faces Carlos Beruff in the GOP primary on Tuesday, will be in Plant City at 11:15 a.m. today for a meet-and-greet at the Courier Field & Veterans' Monument.

DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times

Tara McCarty, left, and Caitlin Johnston, witIn the Times, in honor of Terry Tomalin's legacy of overcoming your fears, prepare to go snorkeling at Rainbow River in Dunnellon.

DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times

Tara McCarty, left, and Caitlin Johnston, witIn the Times, in honor of Terry Tomalin's legacy of overcoming your fears, prepare to go snorkeling at Rainbow River in Dunnellon.

HONORING TERRY TOMALIN'S LEGACY: EMBRACE FEAR, EXPLORE FLORIDA

Tampa Bay Times late outdoors editor Terry Tomalin's love of nature inspired two journalists to break out of their comfort zones and embark on a Florida adventure of their own — despite some pretty serious fears. Staff writer Caitlin Johnston and designer Tara McCarty spent two days immersed in the state's natural beauty, including rivers, canyons and canopies.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO TWINLAB?

In April 2015, a New York company called Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, a financially ailing maker of wellness supplements, announced it was moving its headquarters and 80 employees to downtown St. Petersburg. The news was music to the ears of city political and business leaders. Office space at the BB&T tower was built out for an expected move-in last summer. But Twinlab never showed up, and a search is on for a tenant interested in sub-letting the space.

FLORIDA LEADERS' CALLS FOR CRACKDOWN ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION GO UNHEEDED

For years, a small group of top Florida political leaders quietly prodded the federal government to be more aggressive in rooting out political corruption in the state capital. The bipartisan group, led by Florida's senior statesman, former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, got a polite thank you from the U.S. Department of Justice, and nothing more.

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EAST LAKE VS. PALM HARBOR U.: TWO KICKERS, ONE FRIENDSHIP, ONE HUGE RIVALRY

Hayden Schuster and Ian Woodward have known each other for about six months. Their friendship formed at kicking camps scattered across the country. On Friday night, they will stand on opposing sidelines in one of Pinellas County's fiercest high school football rivalries. Schuster kicks for Palm Harbor University, Woodward for East Lake. Stay with tampabay.com for highlights from tonight's action across the region.

MALLS SEEKING TENANTS THAT CAN SURVIVE ONLINE COMPETITORS

At a time when many traditional retailers are shrinking store sizes or closing locations, real estate developers are trying to fill malls and shopping centers with businesses that are "Internet proof" — not directly competitive sellers like Amazon. Think medical offices, hair salons, gyms and restaurants.

POLL: CLINTON HOLDS NARROW LEAD ON TRUMP IN FLORIDA

Democrat Hillary Clinton has a narrow 2 percentage point advantage over Republican Donald Trump in Florida, according to a presidential preference poll released this morning by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research. The survey shows the traditional Interstate 4 battleground is again the difference maker, with Clinton leading by four points in Tampa Bay and Trump by four points in the Orlando area.

FLORIDA CONSUMER CONFIDENCE TUMBLES

Florida consumer confidence in August is down to the lowest point of the year. The University of Florida's monthly index, released today, found consumer sentiment dropping 4.8 points to 88.2, with all five components that make up the index turning south.

JIM DAMASKE | Times

This Whole Foods Market at Westfield Countryside Mall in Clearwater, shown during its opening in 2014, is part of a trend toward having shopping destinations that are "Internet-proof."

JIM DAMASKE | Times

This Whole Foods Market at Westfield Countryside Mall in Clearwater, shown during its opening in 2014, is part of a trend toward having shopping destinations that are "Internet-proof."

SHOPPING CENTERS PURSUE 'INTERNET PROOF' TENANTS

At a time when many traditional retailers are shrinking store sizes or closing locations, real estate developers are trying to fill malls and shopping centers with businesses that are "Internet proof." Online sales only make up about 7 percent of all retail transactions in the United States, according to a recent report by the JLL global real estate firm. But players like Amazon are only getting bigger while traditional department stores and big box chains are getting smaller.

PAM KEITH DAZZLES DEMOCRATS IN FINAL STRETCH OF U.S. SENATE BID

A 47-year-old Miami labor attorney and Navy veteran paced around a pint-sized Marriott hotel ballroom Thursday evening throwing out ideas to Pinellas County Democrats. If you hadn't seen the flurry of social media feeds, you might not know who the attorney was. She's Pam Keith, and she's running as a Democrat for U.S. Senate in Tuesday's primary. You may have heard of her opponents, U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson of Orlando and Patrick Murphy of Jupiter, but she hasn't gained much traction — which is curious, based on the crowd's reaction.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED MOSQUITOES IN PINELLAS?

Elected leaders from the Tampa Bay area are calling on the federal government to grant "emergency use" authorization to allow genetically modified mosquitoes to fight the spread of Zika in Pinellas County. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the technology for a trial in Key West, saying it would have no significant impact on the environment.

News at noon is a weekday feature from tampabay.com. Check in Monday through Friday for updates and information on the biggest stories of the day.