because when you have insight, you know. the search for survivors. at this hour, emergency crews are searching for survivors of a 6.2 magnitude earthquake. the latest on the situation there just ahead. to tampa. we will tell you about the rally today at the state fairgrounds and where why the presidential candidate wants a prosecutor to target hillary rodham clinton. tracking the tropics. tropical storm gaston continues to gain strength in the atlantic and could become a hurricane later today. the latest on the projected track next. good morning. and welcome to news channel 8 today. i'm gayle guyardo. >> and i'm gene ramirez. thank you for joining us on this wednesday morning.

area. >> that's right. governor rick scott announced the first non-travel related case in pinellas county. we will have much more on the efforts to contain the spread of the virus plus governor rick scott is here to talk more about zika virus. but first, let's check on tropical storm gaston. good morning, leigh spann. >> yes, by far, the tropics are very active. technically three systems out there because there's still fiona to the north. there's tropical storm ga soon. and then we have invest 99l, not technically a tropical system yet but they are expected to fly into it later today and see what they can find. gaston, came a little bit ago at 5:00 a.m., it had 70 miles per hour. meaning it's close to hurricane status and the forecast makes it a hurricane before the afternoon is over. it stays in the atlantic.

stay there. and it could be a category two storm. 99l, this has the most potential to have an impact here in the florida. all the models take it into the bahamas and that's when it enters the area where it could strengthen. long term forecast, diverge as to where it's going to head. the european forecast pushing into the bahamas. going across far southern florida and into the gulf of mexico. and then we have the gfs computer model, right into the bahamas, strengthsens a little bit but even more as it heads up the east coast.

of polk parkway, 14 minutes. wesley chap frequently 52 to 75, that's a 13 minute commute. and we have a crash off to the side, old tampa at 92. and now back to gene and gayle. and now to the latest developments on the zika virus. in your backyard. governor rick scott is in tampa this morning to continue his local round tables on the state's response to the zika virus. yesterday the governor announced the first local case here in pinellas county. a round table discussion is happening at the florida department of health in hillsborough county morning. >> county leaders will discuss their efforts to stay ahead of the virus. and governor rick scott is joining us now in-studio. good morning governor and thank you so much for being here. people are worried. you hear about something locally transmitted, winwood, the hot zone comes to mind. what are we doing to make sure that doesn't happen here?

>> sure. we have to all be part of it. this is an effort to take care of our pregnant women and their developing child. that's our biggest risk. so we have the say, we're not going to have standing water around our houses and businesses. wear bug repellent. first, get rid of standing water. we have good mosquito control around the state and in the tampa area. we did two round tables yesterday in pinellas and pasco. and we're everybody has to be part of it. no standing water. school just started. if you think about where is the risk? well, people coming together. and when you do that, wear bug repellant, but get rid of the standing water. we have beat others. >> governor, when we talk about the zika virus in miami-dade county, we think of winwood and we heard about the miami beach cases. we're being more general and talking about pinellas county, it's a large county.

do the you think that's important to know specifically where? >> absolutely. but here's the process. we've had 42 cases so far. and when we had the cases outside of winwood, we find the individual and die lot of testing. we started doing start mosquito dade county. so hopefully that's the answer in pinellas. one case and nothing more. but all of us have to be part of this. we had good news yesterday. in the winwood area, we have been able to cut the area in half because of the education efforts, now it's half the size. it's about a one-half square mile. and the miami beach area, five cases and our area is between 8th and 28th street but we're

eradication, a lot of education. and for the pregnant women, that's who we're worried about. there's free assessment and testing at every county health department in the state because we want to keep them safe. >> and what about tourism? a matter of no time, the snow birds will want to come down and how cowe keep them from staying away? >> over 20 million people live here. over 60 million tourists already this year. we're safe. we have very good emergency management for storms. we've been preparing for zika virus since february. and the first travel related case happened, we started doing round tables and educating everybody. we started making sure the health departments and mosquito control efforts are working together and they are. >> andic we would want to know from scientists how do the mosquitoes travel? we heard that they don't travel a long distance but now we're talking about pinellas county very far from miami beach. i'm asking to you please and

happen? and if you could check back with us, but i want to turn to donald trump. he is visiting us today at the florida state fairgrounds. >> there will be a lot of energy there. >> a lot of people, a lot of energy. >> and we want to know, because he's talking about the possibility of maybe changing what he said about immigration and we hear that maybe there's a softening up of that plan. our state has a lot of people from countries. is that going to help him? and we have the latest poll clinton -- do we have that? maybe not. but the poll with clinton with a nine-point lead in florida. and that was the 15th. so recent. will a change in trump's immigration plan narrow that gap between hillary rodham clinton and donald trump in our state? >> you know, i'm the chair of the super pac that supports the trump campaign. i think it comes down to jobs.

i need a partner the white house. donald trump has created private sector jobs. hillary rodham clinton has never done that. when you go to polls in november -- >> but there are people in florida who have a relative, brother, sister, loved one, perhaps they're undocumented and they want to let them become legal citizens of the u.s. but now there's something else, the fear thats may be sent away. >> the federal government has failed us. they've don't have a policy that's beenworking. we don't know the policy. it changes. we need a secure boarder and have the federal government say, this is how you immigrate to our country. this is the process. we want to make sure that people come in and are vetted and we're safe. and so i'm hopeful that the next president and i think it will be donald trump, it will come up with a policy that we can understand and we will have v a secure boarder and possibly

polls. the nbc survey monkey poll shows hillary rodham clinton 50% to donald trump's 42%. we know it's an important area. >> thank you. we look forward to hearing more about the zika virus round tables. >> thank you. weather and traffic on the 8s. let's get a check on that with leigh. >> we know it's going to be a hot day. it was a hot day yesterday. sarasota 99, shattered the old and tampa tied the record of 95. let me take you hour-by-hour through the day. and watch how hot it gets quickly. 90 at noon with an afternoon high of 93. and the rain is out of forecast until about 11:30. notice it starts on the east coast, pushes into our area. and there could be spot, you see the blue with an inch of rain. not so widespread but you could get a heavy downpour.

how about traffic on the 8s. manatee county, in the parish area, old tampa road at 29 avenue, an accident off to the side of the roadway. and no injuries reported in this crash. that's good news. and let's move over here to sarasota. guess what, all that overnight construction has cleared from the roadway. and looks like the on-ramp to the northbound side of 75 from university is back open. so much better here all due to the diverging diamond intersection in the area. and again, all that has the polk parkway area, no delays through lakeland or plant city. and all the way into ybor, looks good on i-4. that's weather and traffic. back to gene and gayle. >> thank you. we are following breaking news out of italy. a massive rescue operation is underway just northeast of rome. an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the richter scale rocked italy in the middle of the night. there's new video just in in the past half hour.

you can see homes there reduced to rubble. and right now the search continues for survivors. nbc news is reporting 21 people are dead. several aftershocks also one measuring 5.5 have been reported. and a earthquake was felt as far as rome. this is damage inside a home. this was a bathroom. it's destroyed now. and you see some cracks on the ceiling, on the walls. and we want to now to the town. you can see the search continues there. they are using equipment to move rubble around, looking for people, possibly buried down there. but the man -- we will stay on top of this and bring you more images as soon as we get them here. and the man with autism who made headlines after a police involved shooting in north miami now living in central. why the family decided to move him.

children spend watching tv? the new research recommendations. -- the new recommendations. first, donald trump will be in the bay area today. a live report next. you're watching news channel 8

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donald trump is on his way to the bay area. we will speak at a rally at the florida state fairgrounds this afternoon. this comes as hillary rodham clinton is up in the polls in the state. one shows her ahead by two points and another up by 14. news channel 8's ryan hughes is live in tampa. and ryan, trump ready to take aim at clinton while he visits us. >> reporter: his attacks have

on hillary rodham clinton. and he used a speech in texas last night to pounce on her once again. >> she wants to let people overstay their visas without removal. one, lawless order after another. we must not let that happen! we are going to vote for president donald trump and we're going to stop it. >> reporter: and donald trump used texas, a border state, to outline his thoughts on immigration and criticize clinton on hers. he avoided clarification of a possible shift away from his hard line proposal. he told the crowd clinton wants an open border and said she will do anything to provide obamacare for illegal immigrants. and we expect to hear a similar

a packed house. and trump is expected to attend a private fund raiser later. >> we will be on top of this visit. thank you. and democratic presidential candidate hillary rodham clinton has no campaign event scheduled for today. but clinton did attend a private event tuesday night. her running mate will be in florida on friday. we're learning autism at a police involved shooting in north miami is now living in central florida. the 26-year-old was moved from a psychiatric ward to a facility for people with disabilities north of orlando. the family attorney says he is trying to process what happened. he was transported to a state facility because of a lack of group homes in south florida. the student accused of a

condition this morning. his father says his liver and lungs are failing, possibly from chemical poisoning. investigators believe the poisoning comes from whatever he drank in the victim's garage. you may remember deputies had to pull him from a victim as he bit off piece of flesh from the victim's face. a california officer killed a man when he fired seven times, all of it caught on camera. the investigation continues as the sher tries to figure out why the officer fired so many rounds. you can hear just if melee there. the 71-year-old victim who is still unidentified threatening police or people with a knife just outside this market. the officers involved are on administrative leave. an atlanta gas station shootout with the victim caught in the cross fire. all of this caught on camera. first, a confrontation between the driver of the black dodge

bullets start flying. once the shooting is over, the driver goes inside the store to call 911. a shot hit the girl in a passenger seat. police have made no arrest just yet. and heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in america but there are exceptions. in 20 4 , cancer was the top killer in 22 states, up from just two states in 2000. and new data shows cancer now causes more deaths among asian and hispanic americans than heart disease. smart phone, tablets and television, young toddlers love the screen time but how much is too much? for developmental reasons, doctors recommend children under the age of 2 have no screen time and after that, no more than two hours in any 24 hour period. experts say one thing is for sure, less is always best. all right.

more record-setting temperatures. >> yeah, steamy, even when you walk out before the sunrises. 82degrees at 8:00 a.m. sunny sky, and clouds kind of build up. and it's already hot at lunchtime at 90. and then 39 at 4:00 p.m. and near record heat with a 40% chance of storms. right now, 75 in zephyrhills. 79 in sebring. and 80 in sarasota right now. and i checked in with wendy in brooksville, 76. in the tropic, this is the nt atmosphere. that bright green color, deep, deep moisture. and there's tropical storm gaston. and thankfully staying out to sea there. and focusing on invest 99l. and the short term, the dry air, longer term into the bahamas with a better chance at developing. right now, still tracking showers along the east coast of florida. and with the constant northeast wind throughout the day, that's why it gets hot, we stay dry

toward our coast. and rain chance today about 40% with the high of 9. and 39 tomorrow too. how is traffic on the 8s? well, the bay areas bridges look fantastic. only going to take about six minutes to cross the howard frankland bridge. just nine on the courtney campbell causeway. and that's from pinellas to memorial. sunshine skyway bridge up to speed as well. and over in parish, old tampa road right and now just got word of an accident in lanes by 75. that's pasco county, more on that coming up in the next report and now back to gene and gayle. >> thank you. hot wheels, those superrer fast cars you might have loved as a kid. well, ever wondered what it's like to ride one? >> coming up, the ride or drive

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to find out. with just one bite, they knew.

check it out. what you're looking at is a gopro camera. it gives us the opportunity to see what it feels like to be inside one of those hot wheels. you can see through the backyard, down roads and through a swimming pool.

right there. under the water. how cool is that? kids get creative with the tracks. and we've wanted to be in one of those. i did. and now we can feel like you are. >> i love it. >> it brings you back to your childhood. you hear is sound when you watch the video. awesome. what began with last glass tiled flowers blossomed into a masterpiece. i want to show you this. this brooklyn brown stone is neighbor is just as colorful as her home. she began the display following the 9/11 attacks and it's become a wall of hope and beauty. and she isn't slowing down. she is working on a mother earth statue for the front stoop. >> she used cds, buttons. instagram, snapchat, facebook, they have their perks but also their downfalls.

bullying and how schools are now cracking down. first, a live look at the howard frankland bridge this morning. things moving all right. weather and traffic on the 8s is just three minutes away. my son has meningitis b. but how did we end up here? his mom thought he had the flu and that he was covered by the meningococcal meningitis vaccine he had received. until 2014 there were no vaccines for meningitis b in the u.s. now there are. while uncommon, meningitis b can lead to death within 24 hours. trumenba is a vaccine for 10 through 25 year olds to help prevent group b meningococcal disease.

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time for weather and traffic on the 8s. still dark outside but mostly clear from our wfla towercamera 79degrees though with 9 had% humidity. you're going to break a sweat just walking to the car this morning. and of course, this afternoon when it's 93 and feeling more like 100-plus for several hours. giving you relief about a 40% rain chance. how about traffic on the 8s? starting out in pasco county, i-75 looks good. not seeing delays there. but we have an accident at eastbound. it's on 52 right under 75. we are seeing a delay here

interstate. this accident is in lanes. so keep that in mind. and this is right at the dade

breaking overnight, central italy rocked by a powerful earthquake. new information is coming in on the damage and those lost in the rubble. and zika virus in your backyard. a new locally here in the bay area. what local and state officials are doing to protect you. plus, tropical storm gaston is expected to become a hurricane today. but it's a different system that could impact us here in the bay area. good morning. welcome to news channel 8 today. i'm gene ramirez. >> and i'm by the guy. let's find out -- i'm gayle guyardo. let's find out more with leigh spann. >> once again, the tropics have definitely become very active. technically still three systems because the remnants of fiona