>> right now on newschannel8 at 5:30. >> good evening. i'm jennifer leigh. >> i'm josh benson. thanks for being with us tonight. hillary clinton seems to have just squeezed out a win in the iowa caucus us and now she heads to new hampshire. she had some florida help along the way. candace mccowan has more. >> reporter: bernie sanders is expected to do very well in new hampshire. and tampa's mayor bob buckhorn tells me that is why senator clinton needs his help. leaving tampa bay's sunny weather for the freezing temps and rain of new hampshire is a sure sign of commitment.

doors. we are going to reach out to the new hampshire voters. it is very, very important. >> reporter: and rubio tampa campaign chair says her trip to new hampshire shows her sincere commitment to marco rubio and she is not alone. >> it 80 degrees here, are you prepared? ingly >> i had to go online and buy winter boots. i'm going to go knock on doors and make phone calls and do what they need me to do. >> reporter: it is a commitment needed. the grass roots effort works well in new hampshire. face to face times with those who know the candidates. and the clinton campaign needs all the help they can get. they are behind in the polls headed into new hampshire and in iowa, clinton barely won. >> were you nervous? >> i knew it was going to be close. didn't realize it was going to be that close.

>> reporter: like most volunteers, mayor buckhorn will foot his own bill hoping to slaying the sanders momentum. >> senator sanders has done a good job energizing the caucus. a lot of young people have showed up for him. >> reporter: i talked to one jeb bush supporter. she says her high school aid son spent a few weeks volunteering in new hampshire. the young faces are important to get at the much needed younger voters. >> so the heat is on now. new hampshire is the first primary of 2016. >> reporter: it is a little easier on voters. they get to vote and go back home and wait for the results. they actually have paper ballots there in new hampshire. not many states have that. but they do. >> very interesting. >> looking forward to the report. >> thank you very much. speaking of which, candace mccowan is making the trip to new hampshire for the primaries. she will be following the candidates on the campaign trail.

they affect the voters in inflorida. police are investigating an accident between a car and a motorcycle in lakeland. police say a car pulling left pulled into the motorcycle's path. the rider armando faz died at the scene. police believe poor visibility because of dense fog contributed to the accident. a small plane went down over hallover beach. you can see the plane in the shallow water not far from shore. two people on board survived. it is unclear what caused the plane to go down. the national transportation safety board is working to figure out what happened. a young couple in naples lost everything as their house burned down on the first day of their lease. they had just unloaded their belongings.

the night before. when they came back the next morning to drop off their pet bird, the house was engulfed in flames. >> a couple of the neighbors were outside. they called 911. >> so i called 911 and they came on over. flames in the front. a lot of black and gray smoke. and popping noises. >> fire officials say the fire was caused by boxes left on the stove. the couple hadn't noticed that the knobs were on. when the utilities were turned on, they caught fire. a florida inmate has just been granted a stay of execution. in january, the nation's high court said parts of florida's death penalty are unconstitutional. now florida's justices have to decide if everyone on death row get as life sentence or if some may be executed. mike explains.

death warrant was signed weeks ago before it was decided florida's death sentences are unconstitutional. judges, not juries make the final decision. lambert's attorney told the state supreme court that the condemned man's sentence is invalid. >> there has not been a conviction of the facts necessary to impose death. >> reporter: the lawyer wants everyone on death row to get a life sentence. >> to execute people in florida on the basis of a statute that has been declared unconstitutional is just wrong. >> reporter: but the state argues that the supreme court decision does not apply to the 389 already on death row. and says all should be put to death. >> these are horriblely tragic cases. to unsettle the expectations of victims' family members in that manner is unwarranted. >> reporter: the arguments come as lawmakers are forced to

the current law allows a 7-5 split. for the last fur years, legislation required a unanimous death jury verdict. neither is going anywhere. >> defense attorneys say keeping a death sentence for some, but not everyone already convicted would violate the constitution's provision for equal treatment under the law. after a seven month $704,000 renovation, the rocky point golf course in tampa held its grand reopening today. mayor bob buckhorn was among those attending the ceremony. the major renovation includes new greens, bermuda grass, fair way bunkers. it is managed by the tampa sports authority. >> it is a great project by the city of tampa. golf is really popular in this market. and rocky point is the most

courses so this is a project that is being well received by all of our customers. >> the par 71 is considered to be the most popular of the three owned by the city of tampa. the bay area's newest university is getting global reck nation. it has botten more than 20 awards. the lakeland campus' building is considered one of the most innovative feats of architecture and engineering. >> it is cool to see it in person. it is a sight that had tourists buzzing. >> coming up, we will show you why they found the release of two sea turtles into the gulf so special. >> bill cosby back in court today. why his lawyers want to get the sexual assault case against him tossed out. >> a bright sunshine on this ground hogs day around the bay area. low 80s . temperatures very

unseasonably so. cooler weather all back in the seven day.

>> visit your local dealer today or shop buyhyundai.com. >> bill cosby in court today working to get the sexual assault case against him tossed out. according to his defense team, when he was first accused of drugging and assaulting andrea constand back in 2004, he made an immunity deal. former district attorney bruce castor promised he would not prosecute if he testified in a civil lawsuit. he did and settled in 2006. >> i remember thinking that he probably did do something inappropriate. but thinking that, and being able to prove it from two

>> okay, but fast forward and the current district attorney kevin steele says he has no evidence of an immunity agreement in writing. according to him, that is what cosby needs to get the case thrown out. actress helen mirren tearing into drunk drivers in a superbowl ad that features the 70-year-old throwing out some unique insults from people who drive inebriated. this is the company's first drunk driving superbowl ad since 2005. pope francis, movie star. not something you would usually associate with the pontiff, but he will make his acting debut playing himself in beyond the sun. it is a family adventure based on the gospels. it will be the first time a pope as hay peered in a feature film.

veteran scared off an invader who smashed in with an ax. he grabbed his handgun, fired a warning shot causing the intruder to run off. >> the guy up there with an ax trying to get in there. i came to the conclusion of it being a sunday, he assumed people would be going shopping or going to church and nobody would be home, you know? >> well, this intruder left his ax behind. investigators are hoping it leads to his arrest. well, an extraordinary reunion in up state new york. a 96-year-old woman was reunited with her long lost daughter after being apart for 82 years. she was forced to give up her six month old in 1933 after state officials concluded she was too young to raise the child. she was 14 at the time. the little girl grew up on long island with adopted parents but she finally found her birth mother. >> you know, it came through and she was alive. i had been talking to her on the phone.

my life is complete at this point. >> there is a lot of time that i had worried about her. wondered where she was. >> so incredible. the hour daughter pair spent the day of their reunion as they should be surrounded by family and friends. california firefighters got creative to rescue a puppy trapped in an abandoned building in a vault in an old packing facility. a woman called firefighters after hearing whimpering in the buildings. firefighters used a tripod and rope system to lower a firefighter into the hole and scoop up the puppy. >> it was pretty easy actually. i was more concerned about being bit. but as soon as i stuck my hands out, he was ready to go. >> the puppy is doing well and will be up for adoption if the owner doesn't come forwar in five days. after releasing two sea turtles into the gulf of

more room to care for more sea animals. >> as anthony shows us, they now have a clean bill of health. >> reporter: it was a good day for a construction project. on clear water beach. >> two great turtles. >> reporter: the project. to build a runway to return two sea turtles back to the wild. >> these are federally protected species. there are not as many of them out in the wild as there should be, so us getting the animals back in their natural environment increases the likelihood they will reproduce. >> reporter: they drew a crowd who used their cell phones to document something they have never seen before. >> it was fun and it is nice they were helping the turtles because they were helping them with when they were sick and when they are injured. >> it was really nice to see them. it was amazeing to see the research and the rehabilitation

and that they don't always put them on show. they are doing the right thing in putting them back into nature. >> i'm trying to hustle down here as fast as i could to watch the turtles. but i missed them. >> reporter: joanne and eight members of her family all have a turtle tattoo. it was her daughter's favorite animal. >> turtles have a special meaning in our family. we had a daughter who died of cancer six years ago. and turtles was her favorite thing to see. favorite thing to study about. >> reporter: for some folks, witnesses the release of the turtles makes this the best vacation ever. >> it is as it should be. there is more to the world than going to disneyland. this is the real disneyland. seeing the nature and the things people do. >> reporter: to rescue, rehab and release one turtle, it costs the aquarium $300 a day. now this that these two have

can concentrate on saving more lives. at clear water beach, anthony alred, newschannel8. well, she barely knows how to walk, but she can shred in the snow. sloane henderson is learning to snow board at 14 months old. her parents plan on teaching her some new skills soon like going over bumps and learning how to turn. frenchies looks beautiful. 71 degrees. we have a light westerly breeze. we are not seeing much in the way of any seas out there. 75% relative humidity. and, at the lake club and lakewood ranch, we have a southeast wind at 2 miles an hour. 65% relative humidity.

tomorrow for us. a cold front moves through thunderstorms. decent rain. thunderstorms not as much. looks like that will carry into our next chance of showers. below average temperatures into next week with a cool-down. 63 degrees again on sunday. you can see we will stay below our average line. warm temps in the 70s . a southeasterly flow. right now on radar, we have a little isolated shower here. south of the area. north of lake wales. there is nothing serious at this point. occur. the southeast wind at 5 miles

80 in the afternoon. a south wind at 10 miles an hour. 78 in saint petersburg. our dew point running 67 degrees. excuse me. quite a bit of dry air remains across the peninsula. we see shower and thunderstorm activity across the central part of the country. this is some serious activity. actual tornado warnings across sections of tennessee and mississippi. low pressure continue to wrap up with snow across the upper midwest. keith cate just escaping in iowa with winter weather there. blizzard warnings in place. ahead of that shower and thunderstorm activity, a lot of warm air lifting into this turning it into snow. places like minneapolis into the eastern sections of nebraska. further south, as you can see, this thunderstorm activity across the central part of mississippi as i mentioned even tornado warnings all the way up into tennessee. a few popup showers. very light stuff. nothing serious. a little popup shower possible again tomorrow. mostly cloudy skies in the forecast for us as we get into wednesday.

a few showers to the north. well above average temperatures. the front will arrive with a few thunderstorms for us. that will allow cooler air into the area. 82 not a record, but two degrees shy. 63 degrees for friday. timing at 40%. it will cool down and stay cool for a longer period of time, especially monday into tuesday. thunderstorm chances as well. but this particular round coming up on thursday looks like mostly rain with the more intense thunderstorms further to the north. >> thank you very much steve. well, a teen calls the cops on her mother. what the woman was doing that landed her in handcuffs. >> plus, a dangerous inmate released by mistake. how he was accidentally set

>> now, to what is making headlines across america. dangerous inmate on the loose after he was mistakenly

steven lawrence wright was in jail waiting for a trial on murder. he was accidentally let go from the inmate reception area. his release went unnoticed for over 24 hours. investigators have formed a task force to track wright down. a deadly plane crash in mobile is under investigation. the wreckage was found seven wooded swamp. the mobile regional airport. it was approaching to land when the tower lost communication with the aircraft. the pilot and one passenger did not survive. ntsb is working to find out what happened. an elderly new york couple escaped their home before it burst into flames. 79-year-old eugene upshaw crashed his car into the meter and he ran into the house to grab his wife. very smart move. they called 911 from a neighbor's house. while they were there, the house exploded.

a nearby house on fire. a georgia teen calmed the cops on her own mother for drinking and driving. the 16-year-old was riding in a car with her mom. fearing she was drunk she asked her to stop the car. she did not so the teen calmed 911. officers quickly arrived and pulled the woman over. >> she noticed that her mom was weaving all over the road. she asked her mom several times to pull over. also, her friends were in the car. we have to commend the daughter for calling and reporting this because she was concerned with her safety and the safety of her mom. >> the girl's mom is now facing dui charges. powerful wind gusts sent a 150-foot palm tree crashing through the roof of a southern california restaurant. look at that. the tree almost hit four people sitting on the patio. the patio roof and awning were all damaged but incredibly, no one was injured. newschannel8 at 6:00 is

>> stacie schaible is here with a preview. >> new information about the arrest of a man who had pipe bombs in his home. coming up, our exclusive interview with his business partner. how he helped agents take him into custody. >> plus, a litter of puppies put in a box and abandoned. how a good samaritan saved them and where they are recovering tonight. >> our 8 on your side investigation enlightened city leader to sink hole activities. action. >> the praise over what the cleanup goes on. coming up, why some people think it should go a little

>> right now on newschannel8 at 6:00. >> an eight on your side exclusive. the man who turned his business partner in for having pipe

>> breaking news.