Good evening, Tampa Bay. We’re wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.
Your Weather Planner
It will be mostly sunny for Wednesday with highs near 70 in the afternoon.
Winds will be out of the south at 10 mph.
It will not be as chilly for Wednesday night with lows falling back to the low to mid 50s.
Expect some 40s north of Tampa.
High: 70
Low: 53
Rain Coverage: 0%
Check your hour-by-hour forecast here | Share your weather photos
Today’s Big Stories
1. Live Updates: State of the Union will hit on affordability, America’s 250th anniversary, Leavitt says
Make sure to refresh this page often this evening, along with during and after President Trump’s State of the Union address.
2. Hillsborough magistrate who was over school zone speed cameras is reassigned
Thomas Santarlas believes the program isn’t being fairly enforced by Hillsborough County and the sheriff’s office. He says that his concerns fell on deaf ears until December, when the magistrate dismissed a number of cases.
3. Final word on Pinellas schools closings and consolidations likely Tuesday
Parents and students at a handful of Pinellas County schools should have a final answer Tuesday night on whether their school will be closing or consolidating at the end of the school year.
4. New research could help strawberry farmers with two pests
Two-spotted spider mites and chili thrips are attacking the crops and destroying fruit, leaving farmers with smaller yields.
5. Zelenskyy says Putin has ‘not broken’ Ukrainians as he marks 4 years since Russia’s all-out invasion
Zelenskyy spoke Tuesday four years after an invasion that has severely tested the resolve of Kyiv and its allies and fueled European fears about the scale of Moscow’s ambitions
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Your Notes for Tonight and Tomorrow
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL | The 91st annual Florida Strawberry Festival will make its return to Plant City on Thursday. Guests can celebrate the history of the Florida strawberry while enjoying plenty of entertainment, rides, agriculture, fine arts and food — including the St. Clement “Make Your Own” Shortcake Booth. View our guide for everything to know.
RAYS THIS WEEK | The Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the Minnesota Twins 12-1 today, are at the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow in Sarasota, at the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in Ft. Myers and back in Port Charlotte on Friday to host the Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch for all three games is 1:05 p.m.
CLEARWATER TRAFFIC NOTE | The outside northbound lane of North Nebraska Avenue will be closed between East Seward Street and East Eskimo Avenue while the Tampa Water Department conducts maintenance on the water distribution system. Barricades and signs will be located in the area to assist with traffic flow. Completion of the work with a return to normal traffic patterns is expected by 4 p.m. Wednesday.
National Notes
Wednesday, Feb. 25
U.S. Supreme Court may announce opinions
Harvey Weinstein returns to court as he faces third sex assault trial
Rev. Jesse Jackson’s body lies in state at Rainbow PUSH headquarters in Chicago, ahead of public memorial Friday
U.S. Supreme Court hears tax foreclosure case
(Spectrum News)
Avery Ortiz teaches first grade at Moon Lake Elementary. She has been teaching there for four years, and she is this week’s A+ Teacher.