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News at Noon: Sears future in doubt; British Parliament on lockdown; USF introduces new basketball coach; son suspected in mom's death in court

 
Sears said it doubts that it will be able to remain in business. The company, which runs Kmart and its namesake stores, has struggled for years with weak sales. [Associated Press]
Sears said it doubts that it will be able to remain in business. The company, which runs Kmart and its namesake stores, has struggled for years with weak sales. [Associated Press]
Published March 22, 2017

Here are the latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com.

SEARS HAS 'SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT' ABOUT ITS FUTURE

Sears, once the monolith of American retail, says that there is "substantial doubt" that it will be able to keep its doors open. According to a regulatory filing late Tuesday, Sears Holdings Corp. lost more than $2 billion last year. Adjusted for one-time charges, its loss was $887 million. Sears, which employs 140,000 people, has been selling assets, most recently its Craftsman tool brand. But it says its pension agreements may prevent the spin-off of more businesses, potentially leading to a shortfall in funding.

OFFICER STABBED AT BRITISH PARLIAMENT; REPORT OF CAR RAMPAGE

Britain's Parliament was on lockdown today after an attacker stabbed an officer and was then shot by police, and witnesses said a vehicle struck several people on the nearby Westminster Bridge. London police said they were treating the attack as a "terrorist incident until we know otherwise." The threat level for international terrorism in the UK was listed at severe. The city was also on alert for the Thursday funeral of Martin McGuinness, former IRA commander.

USF INTRODUCES GREGORY TODAY; WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE LIVE

USF will formally introduce Brian Gregory as its next men's basketball coach today. Check our Facebook page at 2 p.m. for live video coverage of Gregory's introductory news conference. Count ESPN analyst Dick Vitale as a fan of the hire.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS MOTHER HAS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE

A Riverview man accused of plotting to kill his mother and carrying out the plan on her birthday had his first appearance in court today. Joshua Carmona, 18, appeared by video link from the Falkenburg Jail. Judge Margaret Taylor set a bond hearing for Monday. Meantime, Taylor told Carmona, he would be held without bail on a first-degree murder charge. Carmona, who was voted "most likely to succeed" at Jefferson High School last year, is accused of beating and stabbing to death Tahirih Lua D'Angelo.

STATE'S REPUBLICANS PROCEEDING CAREFULLY ON HEALTH OVERHAUL

To understand the struggle GOP leaders face in getting votes for the American Health Care Act, the current proposal to replace Obamacare, consider this careful batch of Florida representatives.

FENNELLY: BOLTS DIDN'T TRULY JOIN THIS SEASON UNTIL IT WAS OVER

With a telling thud, the Lightning lost to Arizona, the second worst team in the NHL, which was playing the back end of a back-to-back, a third game in four nights and starting its back-up goaltender, who has a losing record. Call it a season, writes columnist Martin Fennelly. With 10 games left, it's all over but the tee times and who to protect in the expansion draft.

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JUDGE REJECTS PLEA DEAL IN FRAUD CASE AGAINST FORMER TAMPA COP

A federal judge has rejected as too lenient a plea agreement reached with Eric Houston, a former Tampa police homicide detective accused of using his job in a scheme to file fraudulent tax returns.

TROUBLED WALTER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT STOCK CONTINUES FREEFALL

Shares in troubled Walter Investment Management Corp. continued to tumble this morning after dropping below $1 a share on Tuesday. The Tampa mortgage company was trading down about 6 percent this morning at 90 cents a share as of 10:15 a.m. On Tuesday, amid a major stock selloff across Wall Street, Walter was among the hardest-hit Florida stocks, down 14 percent.

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, MAESTRO

Opera Tampa will be sending birthday wishes to the rafters for Anton Coppola, the legendary conductor from the famous family of Coppolas, who turned 100 on Tuesday. Times performing arts critic Andrew Meacham interviewed Coppola ahead of his return appearance at the Straz Center on Saturday, where the maestro will be conducting some of his original works and old favorites. Coppola has quite the life to look back on.

PINELLAS BUSINESSES LOOK FORWARD TO END OF SUNDAY BLUE LAW

An plan to move from 11 a.m. to 8 a.m. as the time allow Sunday alcohol sales in Pinellas must be presented as an ordinance in each city and approved. Every mayor has supported the changed except those in Seminole and Belleair Bluffs. A sampling of businesses from the beach to downtown St. Petersburg say the change will be good for business.

FIVE THINGS TO DO FOR FUN UNDER $5

Count the Spring Beer Jam in Dunedin and the Chasco Festival in New Port Richey among five things to do under $5 in the Tampa Bay area. Check out the details on these events and the other three.

EMPIRE OYSTER POPUP RAISES RAW BAR

How cool is St. Petersburg? Cool enough to draw Kevin Joseph, impresario of New York's Empire Oyster, a high-profile oyster producer, wholesaler and event company. Local developer Jon Daou has persuaded him to set up an avant-garde popup oyster bar four nights a week at hip little Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails on Central Avenue. The first week in March he sold 600 oysters, the second week it went up to 1,000 and this past weekend Joseph zipped through 1,400 of the bivalves. All via word of mouth.

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.