right now on news channel 8 at 5:30 pm: >> a shortage of troopers in the sunshine state. by the agency is having a hard time recruiting new members. plus, a look at how it could impact you. >> i am josh benson. thanks for being the state is in desperate need of more state troopers. the department is facing a shortage with so many people -- retiring -- with so many people retiring so they are struggling to find recruits to replace them. what does the shortage mean for the general public? >> reporter: it could certainly mean a large host of problems. a shortage of troopers could mean a rise in crime and longer response times, which could put

to the new job. this marks for months that she has been a state trooper. she is a former motocross racer but decided to try something new. >> i wanted to do something that meant something . >> reporter: the florida highway patrol is looking for a lot more people like her. over the next few years, they will desperately need to fill some vacancies. >> we have a lot of people getting rid -- getting ready to retire so we want to combat that by hiring now. >> cut out for them. >> reporter: as recent uprisings have shown, law enforcement is battling a bad reputation. >> it has become more challenging simply because of all the events that have taken place over the last year. >> reporter: and money is an issue. if you want to be a trooper in new york, starting salary is $75,000. iowa pays $49,000. florida is the lowest starting salary in the nation at just under $34,000.

understand is that when you get into law enforcement, you are here to help people . >> reporter: and that's what matters to katrina. she not only gets to impact her community but she gets to drive a nice car. >> i am able to make a difference and help people. i am not in an office all day. i get to go out and do things. >> the whole state is your office.>> exactly . >> reporter: many people don't realize there is a lot more than just monitoring roadways that troopers do. they monitor homicide cases, help capture drug kingpins and there is a group of localized troopers that handle mobs or even prison riots. there is lots to do and lots of room for advancement. >> every day is a different adventure. how can people get involved if they are interested? >> reporter: there will be a recruitment fair on brayden schenn at the patrol office --

the patrol office . the family of a florida woman who was accidentally killed by police has been awarded a $2 million settlement. mary knowlton was killed in august when she participated in a role-playing scenario at a police academy. during the scene, an officer fired a round with live ammunition. the officer remains on paid wrong dosage sent a toddler to the hospital twice and left the pharmacy in a lawsuit. a mother is suing cbs after she says they mislabeled her two- year-old's medication causing her to overdose. in the lawsuit, the mother says the child now has permanent health damage. it's not just candidates with a lot at stake next week. some high-profile constitutional amendments are

power and utilities are shelling out big bucks to try to get it to pass. we sent that token to take a closer -- matt belkin to take a look.. some of the largest utility companies in the state have pumped another $3.5 million into the amendment 1 campaign. backers of the amendment have pitched it as pro-solar and consumer friendly, aims environmentalists say are false. the florida conservation voters says the influx of money from the utility company's means -- utility companies, means they are scared. >> they are pumping more money into their misinformation campaign because they are losing voters. >> reporter: support for the admin -- for the amendment might be coming down. 60% of votes are needed to pass it. >> amendment 1 stops there subsidies. >> reporter: former governor bob graham pushed back on the claims during a conference

solar saves the customer's money because it avoids having to build additional generating capacity . >> reporter: consumers were smart solar says it's all about fairness and that's why utilities are so involved. >> the utility companies are the most heavily regulated industry in the state of florida. shouldn't every other energy source also have to be regulated to protect consumers? we think so . >> reporter: the cash flow and low polling came after audio leaks suggested the amendment was posing as pro-solar but is actually squashing pro-solar competition. >> opponents of the amendment are planning a statewide rally thursday from cities to miami to tallahassee. the supreme court is holding hearings on women being required to wait at least 24

having an abortion. the court is in deciding if a law is constitutional but whether it should be in effect while lower courts decide its constitutionality. the state says the waiting period should be allowed by the aclu feels it prevents women from obtaining abortions. governor scott called on president obama to expedite the maximum amount available for zeke of funding. it has been more than a month since congress passed and the president passed a zika funding bill but florida has yet receive new money. florida is the only state to have active and ongoing transmission of zika. imposters luring unsuspecting passengers. >> robe drivers looking to pick you up and take your hard- earned money. what you can do to make sure you do not become a victim. and a monkey mystery. a primate on the lease has people on edge. news channel 8 set out to track it down and find out where it came from. see what we discovered. we have dry air above giving us a beautiful blue sky. 82 degrees is our current temperature.

the weekend coming up. that and more coming up. you are watching news channel 8, the station that is always on your side. hillary clinton: far too many families today don't earn what they need and don't have the opportunities they deserve.

women, and jobs they can really live on. people ask me what will be different if i'm president? well kids and families have been the passion of my life and they will be the

chances are you have used them, lyft, uber or another ridesharing app. trips a day globally. >> now the companies are faking -- are facing fake drivers posing as your ride. what you can do to stay safe . >> reporter: getting a ride has never been so easy. open uber or lyft on your phone, order a car on demand and within minutes, you are off. but a growing number of fake

even your home. >> it was just before 6 am . >> reporter: catherine believes she was almost scammed when she ordered an uber at her house for a predawn ride to the airport. >> i saw a car idle in front of our home. all i said was good morning, it's me and he said get on in. so i got in his car. i realized as i was looking at my phone that this is not my uber quickly got out and spotted her real uber driver two cars away. >> i realized something doesn't feel right . >> reporter: uber confirmed the driver was not there. in a letter to the port authority of new york and new jersey, uber says 2300 illegal trips have happened each week at jfk and laguardia airports alone with scammers using fake uber signs to lower people in their cars.

we know from individual complaints, where people feel locked in the car. one incident where someone was taken to an atm and the driver demanded they get more cash because he raised the price . >> reporter: the better business bureau says the drivers often prey on people who appear stressed, tired or distracted. >> you might fail to check that license plate, failed to check that it's the model of vehicle you should be expecting . >> reporter: uber and lyft along wi request a ride and never accept rides from people in person. match the actual license plate number with the number on your app. ask your driver who he or she is picking up before you get in and if you are writing alone, sit in the back seat. >> look at for yourself. you have to have your own back. >> the penalties for posing as an official ridesharing driver

point, just a small fine. uber and other companies are calling for more rigorous policies, especially at airports. new tonight, concerning news from the march of dimes after nearly a decade of decline, the preterm birth rate has gone up. 2000 more babies born too soon before 37 weeks gestation and before their lungs and brains are fully developed. the rise earned the united states a c grade in the march of dimes premature birth rate report card. states in orange and red earned d and f. southeast. the heart walk is just 12 days away. we're working hard to raise our goal of reaching $100,000 but we need your help. just go to bed www. -- www.wfla.com/heart walk to donate. we want to take a moment to thank some of our donors. phyllis brunswick, jennifer mayfield and karen thorman. thank you for your generosity.

find a group of minors who are missing after an explosion in a coal mine in southwest china. 35 miners were working underground when the explosion happened. 13 were killed and 20 are still missing. rescuers say they will find them at any cost. those little boy wrote his toy car into rush-hour traffic on a busy road in china. he seems unfazed as cars swirled around scooped him up before he was hurt. no word on where his parents were at the time. a monkey is on the run in the bay area. a lot of people say they have cnet. some have gotten pictures and video but experts are warning to stay away. the monkey could be dangerous or even deadly to humans. the monkey has been spotted in hudson beach and near lake tarpon and it appears to be heading south.

off keystone road. how's it going? >> reporter: the monkey was actually seen in the woods not far from here just a couple of days ago but one of the first sightings came from just two guys sitting on a dock. this man and his buddy were setting up for a facebook live program they call #coffee on the dock.>> that's a monkey, dude. that has legit never happened fo something out of the ordinary. >> i started freaking out about it . >> reporter: they took video and pictures and then watched as the monkey moved on. >> totally chill, walked to the corner over there and then sat down for a little bit. it hung off the side and then started walking off. >> reporter: florida fish and wildlife believes the monkey is the same kind that became known as the mystery monkey scene and

petersburg in 2012. this monkey is still on the move. >> we were on a bike ride and we were walking back and it was just right out there . >> reporter: aj was with his buddy ethan when they saw it. >> i was in the driveway. it turned around and right when we saw it, we could see the face and it was a monkey. >> we walked back over and sure enough we see it again but then it ran away and we never saw it have taken pictures and posted them on facebook. the boys' mother called fish and wildlife. >> they told me they were tracking a monkey and holiday, florida, just north of here. they were here within five minutes.>> reporter: i spoke with doctor steve johnson and an expert with the university of florida who has studied these monkeys. he says the monkey could have escaped from someone's home, which is probably unlikely.

this was a young male monkey that was kicked out of the troop of monkeys in silver springs near ocala and has just wandered down this far. doctor johnson once the monkeys can be dangerous if you get too close and if this monkey came from silver springs, that troop of monkeys is infected with herpes d virus. if you are bitten, it could be a major problem. >> you arst news. what should somebody do if they see it? >> reporter: stay away, take a picture from a distance, and call the fish and wildlife commission. they are trying to track this monkey. >> jeff patterson live for us tonight. thank you, jeff. here is a view right now. 81 slade right now. is that a monkey? now, just a tree. 49% humidity in land o lakes. at lakeland automall, 81 slade, clear skies and dry air high

lakeland. new port richey, 82 degrees with east winds at 8 miles per hour. clear skies about everywhere we travel. the same in tampa. a strong east wind kind of gusty at times around the region. as for november, slowly cooling down to 81 slade. our average high on november 1. the average in january is 70 degrees. we're definitely headed downward. 87 degrees was our high today. thatn' 90 degrees our record. we still have a nice easterly breeze and the dew points are still relatively low. at 9 pm, 75 degrees, 7 am 68 degrees, 4 pm 85 degrees. another warm day. 84 degrees our current temperature at tampa international airport. dew point in the upper 50s. our dew points are still very low at tampa international. much higher there as the breeze

st. pete. it will be a mild night for the folks in st. pete. 80 degrees the current tense, upper 70s before too long. we showed water vapor at 10:00 and miss berry red color indicates extreme dry air. a very stable atmosphere in place. for cleveland this time of year, 68 degrees. partly cloudy and mild. 8:08 pm as the cubs take on the indians. that's game 5. high pressure is our big feature and we are watching for a cold front to help drop our temperatures locally. we will see a few clouds of the east coast and the streamflow in place this evening. as for wednesday, a week disturbance may add a spin cooler two in the forecast, especially inland. you might see a few more clouds in the forecast area tomorrow with that easterly flow and

or two. probably not much in the way of measurable rainfall. thursday morning, temps in the upper 60s. there comes a cold front. the timing looks like friday. behind the front, temperatures will build in addison 10% chance of showers. on the european computer model, same pattern up until this front on friday. cooler conditions move in just in time for the weekend. it isn't outrageous but it has been a little higher thanks to the easterly flow. high pressure will take over through the weekend for saturday and sunday with that will probably, the breeze on friday when the front passes through the area. for saturday and sunday, the clocks go back before you go to bed saturday. overnight lows in the upper 50s. monday, tuesday, wednesday, high temps near 80 degrees. a little girl's beloved pet held for ransom. >> what a man who found this lost kitten wanted in exchange for reuniting her with her family.>> remember you can join us on news channel 8 on great

he's gus! he's gus! gus! gus bilirakis. gus bilirakis! gus is for us. for us. all of us. and he gets things done. and he gets things done. gus stood up to his own party... to stop flood insurance hikes. he's protecting our veterans... and our seniors. and he's fighting to keep america safe. gus is for us. gus is always for us. gus is for us. for us! all of us! vote gus bilirakis for congress. i'm gus bilirakis,

in my job, i see a lot of fires that could've been stopped before they started. that's why florida's firefighters support amendment 1. amendment 1 does solar the right way, commonsense safeguards for the health, safety and welfare of florida's consumers and it's first responders.

vote yes on amendment 1, for the sun. now to headlines across america. a school bus and a transit bus collided in baltimore, killing

the time. the school bus crashed into a car and then collided with a pillar on the side of the road, causing it to careen into traffic and hit a transit bus. the wreckage was so bad, police had a hard time getting to the victims. a 15-year-old in las vegas is accused of plotting a mass shooting at his high school. the plans were thwarted because a parent overheard a conversation between her child and another student. detectives would not say if they found weapons or if the boy researched organizations. he is charged with making terrorist threats. bill cosby back in court today for a pretrial hearing related to a sexual assault charge. in 2005, andrea constand said cosby gave her pills and wine before sexually assaulting her at his home in philadelphia. cosby has led not guilty and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. she settled a civil lawsuit against cosby in 2000 takes --

a little girl put up a missing poster hoping somebody would >> her. the man found the kitten and called the family but demanded $50. he said without payment, he would keep the cat. the family paid the ransom but says he took advantage of a little girl. some people. pretty low. news channel 8 at 6:00 is coming up next. a missing father's body found but investigators are not much closer to mysterious death. >> how his three-year-old son may hold the clues to what happened. we have new information about a deputy seriously hurt in a crash. how he is doing after surgery. an intruder found inside this bartow elementary school. how he managed to get in and what the school is doing about it. if you are visiting tampa, you spend millions to promote tourism but exactly how the money is spent is a bit of a

team 8 forecast and sports with dan lucas coming up on news channel 8, the station that is always on your side. >> storm team 8 weather brought to you by morgan and morgan,

carson and i have seen some terrible ads attacking our mom dana young. for things she never did. whenever something is not right mom is on it. trust us we know from experience. mom put her career on hold for us. to raise our family. she is a role model for everyone in our community. i'm proud of you mom, we both are.

my dad was a family doctor in pinellas county for 55 years. he used to even take me on house calls. ic service. as your governor we got things done, and if you send me to congress we can do it again. i'll protect social security and medicare. defend planned parenthood and women's health care. and i'll take care of our veterans. i'm charlie crist and i approve this message because i'll put you, the people first.

right now on news channel 8 at 6:00: >> mystery on the al faiyez -- alafia river investigators are doing to get answers. and an unsettling breach had a bay area school. how an intruder got inside and why parents are not happy with how the school handled it. just seven days until the election. how the clintons are courting tampa bay voters. i am stacie schaible. >> thank you for joining us. it's a sad ending to a search that lasted 24 hours.

was found today after he vanished on a jet ski outing with his three-year-old son on the altair river. do we know yet what happened? >> reporter: sadly we do not. a lot of questions remain. i spoke with billy morris's wife tina today and she tells me this is incredibly difficult as this mystery continues. his last hours remain a mystery. nobody knows what happened in the cold current during this final minutes. his three-year-old son was the only witness so could this child hold the key to crucial details about his father's death? >> at least the family can get closure about what we believe is a tragic accident . >> reporter: the one thing this dad loved more than anything