fire at a historic hillsborough county rec center, we're live with a look at the damage and what this means for the families that use this popular after-school site. >> he shot and killed his neighbor in an argument over a kid's skateboarding on a community basketball court this morning trevor dooley is about to walk free. we'll tell you why. >> then wildfire devastation in tennessee. seven people are dead and the officials fear that number could go up. this as rescue crews searched

still missing. good morning, welcome to newschannel 8 today, i'm gayle guyardo. >> i'm gene ramirez, thank you for joining us on this thursday morning. let's check with ed bloodsworth for a look at the weather. >> a few spotty showers this morning mainly in the interior locations, also areas of patchy dense fog. it's raining in some areas, a little minor showers south of the avon park stretching back to portions of hardee county. also a line of gulf. in association with our cold front. it's warm out there. upper 60s and low 70s. not only warm but extremely humid. that is causing fog, especially as you head towards interior portions of polk and hillsborough county. visibilities are below a mile. we hit 79 for today. mostly cloudy skies. a few of those spotty showers. we're going to preview the weekend coming up. i had to turn on my ac driving to work this morning. >> it's weird. >> considering it's december.

we have a pretty good drive on the bay area bridges. not seeing delays as you move across the water. very nice drive times. live look now at 275 in pinellas county. we're up to speed as well. also great drive in downtown st. pete. i-4 at the polk parkway a little fog but not so bad. down on the road -- the cameras are up so a little deceiving but it's out there. here's the latest on the update with sarasota. we've got the construction cleared now still a little lingering on i- 75 northbound. that should be wrapped up soon. that is a look at weather and traffic. back to you. we're following breaking news out of hillsborough county. a popular rec center in hillsborough county is a total loss after a fire broke out there early this morning. >> the fire is a devastating blow to families who use this center for child care and other activities. newschannel 8's mary mcguire joins us live from the scene at winston park rec center just

clair mel area. was anyone inside when the fire broke out? >> reporter: thankfully no one was inside this building when this sparked around 3:00 a.m. this morning. we're told this rec center was closed while construction was being done. and it was set to be reopened within the next couple of months. right now firefighters are still working to put out hotspots in this building. this is a very large structure. right now the fire marshal is on scene working to determine what caused this. when we arrived this morning the air and two aerial ladder trucks were brought in to fight the fire. it's a building that has been in the news lately. in march the vinic family foundation announced they were donating $2.5 million to renovate the rec center, the largest individual gift in the 90-year history of the boys and girls clubs in tampa bay and was set to be renamed the jeff and pen vinick boys and girls

individual challenges. this one, the size of the building and the -- how involved it was when we got on scene. put us in that defensive mode. so it's just a case by case basis depending on what type of fire it is, how big the structure is and so forth. >> reporter: this will be a big blow to families in the area who use this rec center not only for its child care facilities but also for kids here that come here to play. we're told there is a tennis court, also a basketball court. if there is any good come from this, there were no injuries in this fire. and we're told no firefighters sustained injuries while fighting the fire. 35 responded to the scene, two ladder trucks, that tells you how intense this fire was. >> when kids and parents wake up this morning and they drive by that rec center it's going to be "deflategate" state -- devastating for them.

years. and if that wasn't horrifying enough we are told he was working as a substitute teacher. bad brad belling - brad bellinger. developing this morning, a valrico man that shot and killed another man in 2010 over a skateboarding on a basketball court could walk out of jail trevor dooley was granted bond while he appeals his conviction. newschannel 8's ryan hughes is live at the orient road jail in hillsborough county. ryan, dooley asked to be released and the judge said yes. >> reporter: exactly. trevor dooley was serving an 8- year prison sentence when he asked for a new trial claiming that jury instructions given during his trial were incorrect. a judge recently agreed and will allow him to leave the

james six years ago after an argument about skateboarding on a neighborhood basketball court. the victim's 8-year-old daughter witnessed the killing. dooley claims stand your ground but was convicted of manslaughter. his attorney recently requested he be released and yesterday a judge agreed. we spoke to the victim's widow who certainly wasn't happy with the news. >> i hope that you enjoy the holidays. i know your birthday is coming up christmas, new year's, easter. all the rest -- just remember we never -- had to continue any of that with dj because you took him from us. so, enjoy that time. >> reporter: the judge told the 75-year-old dooley he must remain in hernando county where he lives and he can only leave that county if he's dealing with court related matters. he can't have any weapons and

we'll be here and we will let you know when he walks out of the jail. >> powerful words there from the widow. thank you. some more breaking news this morning, a police officer shot and killed in washington state, now other officers are locked in a standoff with the suspected shooter. this is all happening now in tacoma. south of seattle. the officer was responding to a domestic violence call when he was shot. backup officers quickly surrounded the house and they believe the suspect is holed up neighborhood on lockdown now. we're going to have more on the developing story as it happens. now to the ashes of gatlinburg, the search and rescue efforts resume this morning in the great smoky mountains as the first victims from east tennessee's worst wildfires in more than a century are now being identified. >> mer idyth has new information from overnight.

then searches continue. the death toll is seven and that could rise as search and rescue efforts continue today. the son of is a list haigler confirmed his mother one -- alice hagler was one of several found in chalet village. michael reed last spoke to his wife and daughters monday night, and they told him him there were flames across the street and he told them to call 911. >> for and my other daughter chloe who is 12. >> rescuers searched reed's home but there nor signs of his family. this morning i did follow up and mr. reed has learned his family was not among the confirmed fatalities but they are still missing. 14,000 people were evacuated this week and flames scorched at least 17,000 acres, more than 700 homes and businesses

until 6:00 a.m. homeowners hope they will be able to access -- or assess the damage rather in their neighborhoods later today. for ed with more on the weather situation in tennessee as well as here. >> in that part of the country, they've been undergoing a historic drought. exceptional drought underway, thankfully they got rain in the last 24 hours to help things out. certainly with the fire efforts ongoing there in tampa. here at home, we are tracking this cold front that, that same system that brought the severe he way. it's going to roll through in a much weaker fashion. step outside and the first thing you notice, air is very thick out there. it's warm, it's steamy, temperatures will hit 79 later on today. this is all thanks to a cold front. there it is. as it slides to the area. it will give us a few of those hit and miss spotty showers but the rain chance overall only around 20% for today for most of us. i think drops even lower as you head to the south, as most of the energy rolls away from the

weekend, got plans? upper 70s, low 80s. a bit more humid by sunday but all in all not a bad weekend ahead. >> especially in december. it's going to be beautiful. thank you. i'm going to bring good traffic too. how about that? veterans expressway, odessa area, looks great. ehrlich road, no problems. suncoast parkway farther to the north looks 275 looks great throughout pinellas county. and again a little fog, it's actually getting better i-4 around the polk parkway. let's move over now and look at st. pete, the travel times there looking good. from downtown st. pete to downtown tampa now on the interstate alone it's going to take you about 21 minutes. bay area bridges look great. that's a look at weather and traffic on the 8s. back to you. happening today -- a mission to save manatees stuck in a pinellas county lake after tropical storm colin.

summer. wildlife experts are concerned the water won't stay warm enough through the winter so today crews will search the lake by boat and air in homes of locating them and eventually moving them to warmer waters. that is a big search area. >> yeah. santa banned from the classroom. >> still ahead -- why old st. nick is on the naughty list. >> protest in charlotte. people took to the streets angry over a decision in the scott. we'll tell you why. >> in cuba, the island neighbors paying tribute to

we're back with 8 on your

forestop in cuba today but the impact of his death is felt everywhere across the island nation. newschannel 8 is the only bay area station in cuba to cover these historic events. >> reporter: this is plaza vieja in havana, it's been restored in the five 10 years, even in the last year and-a- half since i've come here. a lot of restoration going on. th interior of many of the buildings. it's a destination for the touristses. but here's something different. you have to listen to pick up the difference. you're hearing children's voices. we're not hearing music. here is a group pub that is normally packed with tourists and they have live music outside. but right now the pub is closed, they are not selling alcohol, no live music. it's part of the official nine days of mourning for fidel

santiago de cuba driving 900 kilometers across the country. >> jeff will be reporting from cuba all week. cheap it here to nam 8 for his special reports. new information on the possible cause of that dead low plane crash in colombia. a recording of the plane's final minutes indicates the pilot told air traffic controllers they were out of fuel. 71 people died in the crash, some o brazilian soccer team. last night thousands of soccer fans filled stadiums in brazil and colombia to remember those team members. the brazilian team was headed to colombia for a soccer tournament. 5:45. police say he drove his car into a crowd of people and then right through the bad monkey bar in ybor city. more than two weeks later that driver is still on the loose. surveillance video from the bad monkey bar on 7th avenue in ybor captured this dramatic

bar's front window. police tell us no one is cooperating in the investigation. including the man who was hit by the car. who according to officers is refusing to press charges. the car that the suspect was driving is a rental and police say that is also made it more difficult to prove who was behind the wheel. investigators are searching for the driver of a truck that spilled gravel on the crosstown connector causing a three-car crash. this happened near the entrance to crash got out of his car to check the damage. when another car hit him. the impact threw william schwartz over the barrier wall landing 33 feet below. we checked this morning and he's in good condition at tampa general hospital. looking across america. protests underway in charlotte after prosecutors decided not to charge the police officer who shot and killed keith lamont scott. more than 100 demonstrators hit the streets chanting anti-

justice for scott. the protests have been mostly peaceful despite some scuffles. three people have been arrested. new information now on that california mom who disappeared while jogging only to be found three weeks later. the victim of an apparent kidnapping. sherri papini found thanksgiving morning along an enter state highway in sacramento, hands bound, body battered and bruised. she said shelves held captive by two women captive by two women. she says captors kept her isolated, even branded her. investigators are still searching for the two women she described as her captors. the presidential election recount in wisconsin begins today. this is the first candidate driven statewide recount of a presidential election in 16 years. the recount was requested by green party candidate jill stein. despite the effort almost no one expects recounts this year

the hospital. earlier this month west launched an on stage rant supporting donald trump and cancelled his world tour. there were also reports of a fight at his personal trainer's studio. west has been at ucla medical center since november 22nd receiving treatment for "dehydration and exhaustion," we're told he's now home with his family. santa ended up on the naughty list at classrooms in oregon. >> a sc the iconic christmas figure this. happened just outside of portland. administrators told teachers and staff not to include santa in their holiday decorations. some parents are upset, others understand but believe the district is going too far. >> i'm from that generation where we believe in santa. my kids believe in santa. we should celebrate it. >> if you're going to put a giant cross on the window it's one thing. i think santa is more focuslore

point. >> the district explains the ban is in an effort to make sure no culture is offended. >> include all of them. 5:48. ed, what do you think? it doesn't feel like it's time for santa to roll into town. >> it doesn't. here's the reason why -- check out that temperature, 70. again, keep in mind we're just starting december here. it's 70. that is actually closer to where your actual high should be for this time of year. that's the view we have cloudy skies, we've been looking at areas of patchy dense fog, maim in the inland locations. also getting a little rain just south of avon park near sebring, it's sliding to the north. and east this morning. also line of showers out in the gulf, again we're tracking this with the million watt s ban radar max defender 8. there's the forecast, cloudy with spotty showers, rain chances around 20% today with a high of 79. longterm we have a more active

we'll have a chance for several systems to bring us rain chances next week but between now and then, looking good for the weekend with dry skies, upper 70s and low 80s. time for another check of the roads. >> good morning. we've got a great drive now on i-4, a little bit of fog but nothing to slow you down too much. throughout lakeland. i-4 between both entrances of the polk parkway, roughly 17 minutes there. 275, again in pinellas up parkway as i mentioned. let's look at sarasota, we have overnight construction this morning due to the diverging diamond interchange work that is going on. we did have both directions here of university blocked but now they have been reopened. that is a look at weather and traffic. back to you. many people who suffer from anxiety turn to meds for help. >> maybe we should try or perhaps wear something

5:53. there's this baby goat. from time to time he gets pretty stressed out. >> he's got a lot going on apparently. seems the owner found the perfect cure.

costume. apparently this dwoofy costume is just what the doctor ordered. not only does it help her severe anxiety but it's quacking up thousands on social media. >> obviously. now i actually had to go on social media and read more about this. i was curious. that is just the first and favorite costume but she has a pig costume too. and a fox costume. i think she just likes the furry, warm cuddly aspect of >> she probably needs time on the couch. there she is on the couch. >> the other friend eating the costume. that is another one that is a -- the family brought in to take care of. apparently since they brought that along she also just snuggles up with that goat. even without the costume. >> i feel this goat has an identity crays crisis. it's the time of year we all receive packages. >> many left by the front door, making it easy for thieves to swipe. in the next half-hour, a look

5:58. we have mostly cloudy skies, not much rain and also we're dealing with a little patchy fog. 71, it's very warm for this time of year. 70 68 lakeland. 79, what we get to this afternoon with just a few spotty showers expected. 60, partly cloudy and less humid overnight. time for another check of the roads with leslee. we have construction clear up in sarasota. let's talk about downtown tampa. we have franklin street closed northbound between -- over here. keep it in mind in the area, you need to take florida avenue as an alternate but should be

should be reopened tomorrow afternoon at 5:00. live look now at 275 at gandy, a great drive on 275 in

a bay area rec center goes up in flames. i'm gayle guyardo. >> i'm again ramirez, the flames shot 30 feet in the air. the fire so bad crews couldn't a center off palm river road. right now they are letting it burn to the ground. mary joins us live from the scene. what can you tell us? >> reporter: firefighters have been fighting this blaze close to three hours now and in the past couple of minutes the ladder truck has been brought back up we saw it come down for a little bit but it's back up trying to put out the hotspots at the rec center. the building is a total loss. when we arrived on scene flames were shooting 30 feet in the air and two aerial ladder