3 campaigns will be descending on the >> presidential campaigns will

and we'll 3 >> we have to win here. we're going to work really hard to do it. >> the presidential candidates set up shop in tampa. their big strategy to gain your votes ahead of the florida primary. >> the players are definitely making history. >> and the rays are gearing up for their big game in cuba. how the match-up is bridging a decades oa -old gap. >> and a car jackvictim

the big mistake that none of us should ever make. >> thanks for joining us everybody. the candidates brought their campaigns to the bay area with sights set on the march 15 primary, and they set up campaign headquarters as republicans are ready to go as well, marco rubio is fighting to stay alive. evan is here with more. >> yeah, kelley, in no uncertain terms the clinton campaign believes if it can win the florida primary, it will have the nominations locked up. they are knocking on doors, and feag phone

plenty of tv ad time. >> florida is going to decide who the nominees are. >> we are claimin' it. i declare and decree that she is going to win florida. >> the clinton campaign opened a tampa office, and while clinton formed well on tuesday and sees florida as the end of bernie sanders, native son rubio sees this as the beginning of a come back. >> i'm going to support the republican nominee because it's not going to be donald trump, it's going to be me. we have to win here and we are going to work really hard to do it. >> but hard work is different in florida. yes, there are phone banks and door knockers and bernie sanders

home in seminole heights, but two weeks out, this is going be about tv commercials. >> you can't expect to go door people. >> on the democratic side, florida has long been friendly turf to the clintons. mayor bob buckhorn ran bill clinton's campaign here in '96. >> let's go win! , let's go! >> the florida primary could very well be very important for drumple in his quest to get the republican nomination. he also could use this as a knock-out blow over ted cruz,

certainly decided presidencies before, and it could this time. >> it's going to be an interesting two weeks for sure. and also a possible shift in the race because republican candidate ben carson says he sees no political path forward after last night's disappointing numbers for him but he stopped short of saying he has dropped out of the race. >> the rays are poised to be a part of history next month as they head south to play a cuban team. with more on the trip, josh? >> mark, hearing from the organization you can tell there is a lot of excitement to go over and play in cuba. the team knows there are a lot of people looking at this game as bigger than just baseball. >> following decades of separation, the cold relationship between the u.s.

that thawed in recent years. today there is air travel and the path toward what appears to be normalized relations. >> there are more and more trips between our country and cuba and certainly the rays' trip is one of those. >> later this month on march 22 the rays will become the first team since the orioles since '99 to play in cuba, taking on their national team. this history museum curator. >> it's these goodwill missions that i think can help to break down the barriers that still exist. >> connections that date back to the 1800's and were

with the cigar industry in the 1880's. >> to be in the middle of it is just exciting. >> this season ticket holder will be one of the thousands of fans in attendance in havana. >> it's one of those events that you will just have to sit back and process but to be in havana in the middle of march watching a baseball game... i don't think i ever thought that i would see something like this. >> two nations coming together and it's the tampa bay rays that find themselves as a footnote in history. >> and the rays are able to do this because they won a lottery through mlb among teams who wanted to go over and play in cuba, and another fan who will be in attendance will be president obama there watching our tampa bay rays. pretty cool.

it's going be a monumental trip for sure. >> all right, keep an eye on the person walking up to this car outside a walgreen's in winter haven. a teen armed with a gun forced a woman out of the car and then he and two other teens drove away in her car, and four hours later their joyride came to a crashing end on the other side of the state, and the victim has a word of caution for all of us. >> we talked to her today and she asked us not to show her face because one of the robbers is still out there and two because she is embarrassed for having violated her own safety rule. >> i know better. >> the shadow on the left is kicking herself. >> i know better, and i am also saying be aware of your sur rowppeddings. >>

>> but outside this walgreen's she was only focused on her text messages and never see what the security camera did, a hooded man watching her and her car. >> all i saw was a man with a gun in my face. >> he ordered her out of the car and to leave her pors her purse and cell phone behind. >> others jump understood ed into the car and she ran to help. hours later a trooper spotted the car and gave chase. when the car crashed, three teens jumped out, and police caught two of them. police are still looking for 18-year-old william bradley

saw coming because she never bothered to look. >> i will never sit in my car again. >> be aware of your surroundings. that is sandra's message for all of us. police say that the 16-year-old did not take part in the carjacking. the two guys picked her up somewhere along the way and their plan was to steal a car and drive to jacksonville to rob a business. if you have any information on call police. >> and instead of charging offenders with small quantities of marijuana, the city may be issues citations. tampa city council will hold a public hearing and reading on

>> and after understaffing led to superlong wait times. you have to see this picture, look at the lines. we found hundreds of people waiting four to six hours to tbe seen today at the tampa irs office. many of the people are in line because of i.d. fraud. one filed taxes in their names to get their returns and in order to file themselves they now have to verify their identitied in person and had to stand in this line for six hours to do that? the irs says more than 700,000 people have been victims of this i.d. fraud but the agency blames the waits on slashed budgets and a reduced work force. in a letter to the irs commissioner urging action on the long waits but the irs says their hands have been tied.

this is to taxpayers and we sympathize and understand and we are very sorry they are going through this. we are doing what we can with what we have. >> they did promise to try to add more staff to this office and also to skip the lines, people can make appointments on line at the st. pete irs office if that helps. >> and the 86th florida strawberry festival gets underway tomorrow in plant city. some big names are coming to the festival. marty in a na mcbride, and donnie and maria. gates open at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, look at the link on our as seen on tv page, but there is a great lineup of musicians this year.

the greatest rides and great food. cake. >> still to come, a little girl with a big mission. >> we need more young people speaking out because they can cut to the heart of the issue. >> yes, they can. this 10-year-old's heart-felt message to county leaders. right after the break. >> pure and simple greed. i did it because i could -- >> a government agency wasting millions of dollars. the outrageous ways that the gsa is spending your money. >> paul? >> the weather pattern is about to change, and i think you are going to like it if you like sunshine and warming temperatures. a pretty fantastic seven-day

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a little girl has a big message fo >> a little girl has a big message for hillsborough county commissioners and she has the courage to step right up to the podium. she and her political passion stole the hearts of community leaders and just about everybody else there.

>> what do you do when you have a problem and you want to see change? even a kid can understand you take it up with your local leaders and that is exactly what 10-year-old megan sorbo did today. >> it started like any other hillsborough county commission meeting; that is until a little girl in a heart-patterned dress marched in. >> barely tall enough to reach the podium. >> that's okay, she brought her own stool. >> i'm here to speak on behalf of our florida black bears. the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission authorized the first bear hunt in florida in over 20 years. >> citing facts and figures, the 10-year-old begged commissioners to adopt a resolution banning bear hunting in the county and she certainly captured their attention.

did it well and you are to be commended. >> we have had young children come and comment before but this definitely caught our eye. >> i'm trying to not be so emotional but there's beautiful animals, i have seen one once. >> fwc reported just over 300 bears killed in last month's hunt, and argue it's a management tactic, but sorbo says the numbers are only a guess. >> if more people speak out than just blowing hot air on facebook they might actually get some results. >> wherever you stand, no arguing this young girl speaks with the poise and passion of a girl well beyond her years. >> we need more young children speaking.

for black bears. she has a blog that advocates on behalf of all florida wildlife. >> and the commission says it's looking into it to see if there is anything that can be done around here. >> a very braif brave girl. >> it's great to see that kind of passion and poise. >> it's contagious. >> and this has been good, and we've been slowly easing into a nice pattern since the first day of march, and now it looks good into the weekend. this is going to be the third nice weekend in a row and i can't imagine it being any better. temperatures into the 70's we had clouds come in late today and it made for a great sunset. take a look, this is sunset

springs and this is from andrew deets. and the tropical jet blows the high sirruk us back at us, and this is from sue, good swrob, job, sue, and love the contrast between the blue sky and the orange water and the distance, a good combo, and then this one from leslie sidell. we have 135 followers now on facebook. certainly appreciate that. low 80's away from the coast, 82 in frost proof, 81 in sebring, and cooling along the coastline today. that is typical of the season, the water temperatures are still in the 60's and any wind coming in from the west and the northwest will cool the beaching during the day, but look at the

tomorrow will be one of those days where high clouds will be in and out, and they were made of ice crystals and i would not be shocked if you didn't see a halo around the sun as the sunlight is refracted by the high clouds, but they are not going to produce any rain. the next cold front is coming our way on sunday, and it may produce a few showers not a big deal, but we have seen this happen many, many times this winter. the high fast jet blowing the clouds back at us. right now, a nice night with 50's and 60's around the bay area and the dewpoints are dropping as the cold front moving in iewshing ushering in a cooler and dryer air mass. a nice couple of days on tap.

outlook and it's a flip-flop. it's been chilly in the east and warm in the west and now this looks like it did back in november and december. this is including us. on top of that, rainfall should be above arrange across most of the country, more pacific storms out west and more rain poond the up and down the mississippi valley and so our forecast should be warm and west but in the short term we are looking pretty good with 61 and a cold front moving south of us, high pressure dominating in the southeast and cold and snow across the plains right now. temperatures tonight will stay in the 40's and 50's and highs tomorrow right along the coastline, with high clouds and the weekend is setting up to be perfect. sunshine both days in the mid 70's.

cooler and less humid, we are down to 55. sunshine through high clouds tomorrow but a nice day, back up to 73 and could be a shower tomorrow night into friday with the weak cold front and then back up to 72. check out a spring training sunday. that could getter should next week. >> a lot of visitors in town, they are going to love this weather. >> back to you. >> well, coming up the zika virus is spreading fast. >> the bigger the burrito, the bigger the fun. dunkin's new grandde burrito -- a breakfast burrito packed with big southwest flavor. go grande with veggie or sausage today.

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>> we have an update on the scary mosquito-borne virus sweeping brazil and more than a dozen other countries, too. officials in the u.s. says disee zika will continue to pread. >> spread. >> around puerto rico is expected to be sit especially hard. >> this is being called new and scary. testifying in congress today about the virus. >> we have staff in brazil and columbia and puerto rico looking at and learning from a developing situation. >> the cdc predicts hundreds of thousands of infections by the end of this year.

doubling each week. we are watching the wide-spread transmission and by june, mosquito season is likely to start in parts of the u.s. where the mosquito that can spread the virus is present. >> we now do have a couple of candidates we are looking at putting into a phase i trial by the end of this summer and early fall. >> meantime in hard-hit brazil, measures are now being taken to combat the problem ahead of the summer olympics. >> we have news of measures being taken constantly controlling the standing water in all olympic facilities. >> and cuba is now reporting its first case, a 28-year-old doctor diagnosed who has family in venezuela who have also tested

>> all right, so there has been 44zika cases reported here in the state of florida, three in hillsborough county and they are all travel related. >> thousands of florida rape victims who cases have gone unsolved may should have answers. >> we are talking about these rape testing testing kits and now lawmakers have unanimously passed a bill that would require faster tests. all of this follows the shocking revelation that 13,000 of those at this times have at this test kits have been sitting on shelves for months or years. attorney general pam bondi says getting through the backlog will solve old crimes and prevent new ones. >> these untested rape kits will

think of the potential of solving unsolved rapes and murders and other crimes throughout the country. >> the senate has passed the bill and now it goes to the governor's desk for his signature. >> and the gop wants to take down trump.

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ba da ba ba ba >> developing tonight we found more waste in an agency that is supposed to make government more special. >> remember how the gsa racked up big travel expenses in las vegas? we discovered other problems that are still burning taxpayers for millions. >> bring me my margarita! >> remember how congress scolded

much on hotel rooms and breakfasts. >> i'm a big man, i can't spend $44 for breakfast. >> this is the kind of stuff that makes people furious. >> what eats at me is the "why "? >> the general services administration will never live down the scandal of 2012, after all the agency responsible for improving government efficiency blew more than $800,000 at a conference in vegas and hired clowns in order to teach government workers not to act like clowns. >> i walk around and see how everyone else is working so i don't have to do anything. >> whatever it takes. >> but long after the gsa promised to stop flying around the world we found much more waste and inefficiency flying below the radar. >> log on to aloha.

cannot effectively track time off and overtime. it had more than 86,000 discrepancies. >> things need to change, would you agree? >> yes. >> and they wasted nearly 4 million and withheld payments to thousands of military families. >> and the gsa's surplus firearm program that was ripped for poor record keeping. >> there's no penalty for failure. >> the gsa also has trouble keeping track of its gas cards, we opened thieving filling up jugs with gas and audits show we are still getting burned. >> pure and simple greed. i did it because i could. >> and the inspector general says the gsa continues to

for example, it relocated staff and cleared out a building in pensacola because of mold but inspectors said there was no mold. >> i got it from pensacola to ma'am miami, everything that the gsa is involved in, unfortunately we have problems. >> the most recent report to congress revealed questionable expenses topping $1.3 billion. >> it's pretty damns and it's something that congress needs to attend to. >> there are such lose controls that in the private sector they would be out of business. >> and the director trying to reform the case says heads should roll. >> in the private sector you would be out the door in a nano second, and we should do the same --

to streamline the federal government. you will find the audits and records on our website, that is fox fox13news.com. >> all right, craig, thanks. if there is anything that you would like us to investigate, shoot us an e-mail. >> we have an odd twist in the colorful campaign that was captivated all of us, the gop is apparently waging war against donald trump. stop him. >> donald trump leads in the republican presidential race, and for some republicans a disturbing development for a party aiming to return to the white house and maintain control of the house and senate. >> the uncomfortable and cold

is one candidate who is not defeating hillary clinton and it happens to be the front runner. >> john corbin says tump trump would be an albatross around the neck of the gop. >> senate republicans condemn david duke and the kkk and his racism. that is not the view of republicans that have been elected to the united states senate. >> the "new york times" reported that mcconnell told republicans actively seeking re-election to actively separate themselves from trump. >> republicans control the senate with 54 seats and can maintain control with 51, but there are 43 contested seats and

them, including state where obama won in 2012. democrats are already tieing trump. >> he is their frankenstein, and they have spent eight years of spoking the fires of hate and resentment, building trump piece by piece. >> he has also won endorsements from several governors a senate and house members. >> well, coming up the pressure is building to the idol hopefuls. >> it's really hectic and you are being pulled from wardrobe to makeup to picking your next song.

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coming up tonig >> coming up in a few minutes at 11:00, a big loss for a polk county family, how thieves got away with two of these big

them up before they took off. and astronaut steve kelley is back on earth, and heading back to houston. who is going to be there to great greethim? coming up on the fox 13 11:00 news. >> all right, this young lady and nine other singers are vying for your vote. the "american idol" finals kick off tomorrow, and so what is it like for the top ten to have made it this far. >> we missed it tonight, didn't we? >> i know. >> caught us all off guard. >> saving the best for last! >> fresh of of off the hollywood red carpet, they are going to hit the stage hoping to win america's vote. >> my favorite part is performing and seeing how america reacts.

i hope it continues. >> i just think about like the next step. i realize when i think about the next, next, next, next step i lose my mind and so okay, all you have to do tonight is go out and sing this song and once you do that focus on the next step. >> every time one of us progresses it's like a miniature celebration in our head and then oh crap, what do we do next? >> they are all trying to stay focused, happy to have made it this far. >> i was like at home thinking about it and no one cared and now they do. isn't that weird? >> lots of preparation goes into each song, both in front of of and behind the camera. >> it's really hectic, you are being pulled from wardrobe to makeup to picking your next song to all of these things coming

that is incredible and scary at the same time. >> it did feel very arranged. >> and trying to keep the judges critiques in mind also adds pressure. >> you get caught up in opinions and get too cerebral with everything. >> who will stay and who will be send home, along with the special performances. >> the finals kick off tomorrow night at 8:00 and so we have two hours and you we are down to one night a week. >> and then we have ten. >> we are so ready for the two nights, and welcome our new sports director scott smith, welcome. >> very, very happy that you are here. >> what a day it's been, i'm getting a warm welcome with every show, it's nice. >> wait until tomorrow. what have you got, scott?

>> still unpacking but we've been here about a week, and my wife and two young babies and they just told me today they went on a bike ride around the neighborhood and they love it, the weather is >> >> this is. >> this is our money weather time but summers are fun. >> i have heard about that. >> but welcome. >> it's great to be here. >> coming up in sports, the rays play their first game of spring training in port charlotte and lightning represents team usa. sports. >> and a daring clerk turns the table on a would-be thief, and it almost looked like a saturday night live s3 eagle's nest?? hear what happened between state officials, a conservation

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put more fun in your day at dunkin' donuts. like butter pecan, cookie dough, or new pistachio. enjoy one today. america runs on dunkin'. >> yes, we are trending tonight. i saw this video today and just couldn't believe it and my facebook page went crazy today for obvious reasons. >> wow. >> yeah, i just saw that. >> the child is fine but imagine being in the car behind it,

cam and they stopped and jumped and grabbed the child and then were trying to chase down the dad, and he is go to come running back in a moment but we don't know exactly how the child -- somehow they were not in a seatbelt and was able to hope the hatch and well out. >> and the baby didn't know what it do, but it was posted and said right at the top, it's okay, the baby was not hurt. >> but you don't see that every day. >> especially seeing that bus just driving right by. >> thankfully the driver behind him was paying attention. >> well, an incredible surprise is trending. before the rays game the team honored the family of patrick

in service and his wife and family but the fan behind the mask is jackson himself. the family those that he was overseas and he is coming to return the ball to his kids and job -- >> they don't know yet. >> hey -- >> hey, it's dad. >> you don't remember me? catchin'. >> daddy! >> yes? >> ladies and gentlemen, one more time. >> that was awesome and i don't think i could ever imagine anything as beautiful and what happened today. just an awesome situation. i appreciate what the tampa bay rays did for my family and my son threw a good throw, right to combination. right? >> yeah, let's get this kid into

>> they have done a couple of these but i don't think i remember one in spring, and so hats off to him for serving. >> i never get emotional about much but then he see these and it's so oh my gosh, so beautiful and so important. and this is trending, video from georgia shows a man trying to rob a convenience store, pulls out the gun and points it at the clerk and she fights back. she has a hammer right there and she starts hitting him and threatening him with the hammer. he ran out of the store, still on the run and she was not going to be intimidated by that gun. i think police would say don't do this -- >> well, there is a moment and we are glad no one got hurt but there is a moment when he gets control of the gun again and she is very lucky. he pulling it away and right

didn't but this is exactly why police say, mmmm yeah. >> it's just scary. and it's scary to watch this. the video is so clear, you just know they are going to catch the guy. >> hopefully they will find him, you don't get much better pictures than that. >> and in georgia. >> okay, nowr your tern. >> turn.>> jackie khan has nothing on her. and president obama is going to be throwing out the first pitch, in havana. 23 rays player will be making this trip and kevin cash is going have to juggle his pitching staff around the bullpen to make sure everyone is getting their time in this

and one inning of work, a perfect inning inning with a spiek out strikeout and position players, kevin kiermaier and logan morrison come in, and people have been singing the praises praises of blake but a little bit of a rough afternoon. -- >> once the season comes around, i will take them out as quick as they come and one, two, will allow me to get deeper into the game, and that is something we need, go deeper and go longer. -- >> all right, and elsewhere the yankees taking on detroit in their spring opener.

in the outfield and with the game on the line, they can't locate it, and oh boy, the yanks get the winning run across. hat just like you draw it up, 10-9 walk-off winner and the yankees grab game one, and then roddy white, what do you think with him playing for the bucs. he was released and is 34, slower than he used to be but a good receiver. and now here. and hockey and the lightning, they have a total of ten players `selected for the world cup of hockey, next september. sam comes with a stamkos here with a no-brainer for canada, and johnson not among the first 16 picked and

quality of players the lightning have in this game. >> as the guys were named even in our room, the guys were all happy for them. it's great and fun to see and it will be a great experience especially for these young kids to play in this type of environment. it's just going to help our guys in the future. >> senior night at usf taking on east carolina about this lob up and the alley-oop to cousins, but the bulls made just two more field goals, shooting just 20%. a long night for south florida down 19 currently late in this one and guys we'll send it back over to you. >> thank you, and once again we are glad that you are here. >> welcome aboard. >> thank you, scott. >> coming up a big honor for

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>> a great stuff, this is sunset in haze road up by state road 52. bonnie smith, a fox 13 umbrella winner. love the way that the sun is setting right over the trees. and you have little palm tree on the right and all looks good. nice job from bonnie smith. today as we roll through the first day in march, chilly weather continues in the east, chicago only 32 for a high. what is interesting in during the next week or so, the cold and rain and snow will begin shifting out west as high pressure builds in the east. and phoenix, record high, up to 90 in fact, many spots in arizona had record highs because

for us it's a nice night. a few high clouds but temperatures are cool to mild, and airmasses air masses dryer behind a week cold front and then inland readings in the 50's and 60's and there are high clouds around. another cold front is approaching us thursday night and friday morning. we'll have high clouds around tomorrow, but not a bad day, and tomorrow night there will be a weakening cold front going by that should produce at least a few showers. and the timing is perfect, because once the front goes by, high pressure builds in hipped it and behindit and we are talking about a great weekend and good boating days. 60 to kick off the day tomorrow,

back to you. >> all right, thank you, pauly, pel, winning the national championship comes with perks. >> today the president welcomed the crimson tide team to the white house. >> hello, everybody! welcome to the white house, roll tide! >> the team just won their 16th national championship, beating clemson to clinch the title in january. the president commended them for their hard work on the team and off. >> coash coach saibins teams have something to be proud of. >> this is their fourth trip to

which means they can turn in their visitor badges, they are now employees. >> and i know there is a' a 'bama fan or two in the studio. >> i don't know about that, but right now at 11:00, local bird lovers are alarmed. >> they fear for an eagle's nest sitting dangerously close to a construction project. >> after the season they've been through, i would not be surprised if they didn't abandon this area. >> they say more need to be done to protect our symbol of freedom. >> and bringing the gaps through baseball, how a rays game in cuba will impact both countries off the field. >> there is nothing like new