News at noon: Why is flesh-eating bacteria on the rise? Some point to climate change; Florida banking regulator fired; and more

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

Why is flesh-eating bacteria on the rise? Some point to climate change.

If it seems like you're seeing more reports about flesh-eating bacteria, you actually are. The number of cases is up, though only slightly. And scientists have begun pointing to an increasingly familiar cause: climate change. Read more here.

Florida banking regulator fired over sexual harassment allegations

Florida's top banking regulator was fired by the governor and Cabinet Thursday amid allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.

As commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation, Rubin oversaw more than 300 employees who regulated the state's banks, check-cashing stores and payday loan shops.

He made $166,000 a year, but he didn't last in the job even half that long.

Three St. Pete police officers disciplined over use of excessive force

Three police officers have been disciplined and two will undergo special training for using excessive force in two separate incidents, police said.

In the first case, on April 5, K-9 Officer Matthew Kirchgraber was helping a Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy in the arrest of Tyrin Thompson at 4701 4th Avenue South.

Kirchgraber was accused of delivering three "distractionary blows" to Thompson's left side. The arrest was captured on home security video that the family brought to the attention of the Police Department.

Read about the second incident.

New Port Richey man dies from lightning strike Sunday on Clearwater Beach, police say

A man struck by lightning over the weekend on Clearwater Beach died Wednesday.

According to Clearwater police, 32-year-old Garry L. Perks went into cardiac arrest and died. Perks, of New Port Richey, had been in critical condition at Morton Plant Hospital since the strike hit him directly shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday.

Three gunshots then a scream. Neighbor testifies in FSU student murder trial

Wesley Roe was chatting with his teenager daughter inside their house the night of Aug. 20, 2015, when he heard three loud noises outside.

Pop! A pause. Pop! Pop!

He wondered if it was kids playing with fireworks. Then he heard a scream.

"It wasn't a kid's scream," Roe said. "It was kind of a scream of agony or disbelief."

Roe, who took the stand Thursday morning, was the first witness to testify in the trial of Nicole Nachtman, his former next-door neighbor. Nachtman, 25, a former Florida State University student, is accused of murdering her mother and stepfather at their Carrollwood home that August night four years ago. Read more.

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Contact Dinorah Prevost at dprevost1@tampabay.com. Follow @dprevost1.