Good evening, Tampa Bay. We're wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.

Your Weather Planner

Patchy fog will develop early Saturday morning before giving way to abundant sunshine. 

Temperatures will remain quite warm with highs in the 80s. Anyone heading to the Gasparilla Music Festival will be in for a nice treat with the weather. 

A sea breeze will keep temperatures slightly cooler at the beaches.

 

 

Highs: Mid-80s

Lows: 50s and 60s

Rain Coverage: 0%       

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Today's Big Stories

1. Live Updates: Russian forces press toward Ukraine's capital; U.S. to sanction Putin directly
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that 137 Ukrainians were killed in the first 24 hours of Russia's invasion, with more than 300 people wounded.

2. CDC significantly eases COVID-19 mask guidelines for communities, schools
The Biden administration significantly loosened mask-wearing guidelines to protect against COVID-19 transmission in local communities on Friday. 

3. Closings statements delivered in Curtis Reeves movie theater shooting trial
Reeves is the retired Tampa police captain who shot and killed 43-year-old Chad Oulson in a Wesley Chapel movie theater in 2014. He could face life in prison if convicted.

4. St. Pete Grand Prix prepares for big crowds
After two years of attendance drops because of the pandemic, St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch stated we could see a record crowd for this year's event that rivals the estimated 140,000 people who visited in 2019. (At the bottom of this Evening Briefing, check out the "What to Know" section.)

5. Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court: 'She is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds'
President Joe Biden announced Friday that he is nominating federal Appeals Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

6. Tampa Bay Times: Florida man who snatched Capitol lectern during riot gets 75 days in jail
Adam Johnson, the Manatee County man who became a prominent face of the riot at the U.S. Capitol when he famously posed for a photo toting Nancy Pelosi’s lectern, was sentenced Friday to 75 days in jail.

7. First look: What it's like aboard Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
The two-day, two-night “adventure” (as Disney calls it) is an interactive experience that lets fans — young and old — live out their own Star Wars stories during their stay. 

Your Notes for Tonight and This Weekend

  • IT'S BACK! Downtown Tampa's River O' Green Festival to return, bringing back a green Hillsborough River
  • FEEL THE THUNDER: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Nashville Predators Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
  • JOBS: The City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting a job fair this weekend for prospective candidates to learn about a variety of available roles. It's Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Gladden Park Recreation Center, 3901 30th Ave. N.  Available jobs can be found at stpeteparksrec.org/jobs.
  • NATIONAL NOTES:
    • President Joe Biden and First Lady spend weekend in Delaware (Saturday)
    • Donald Trump speaks at CPAC (Saturday)
    • 10 years since shooting death of Trayvon Martin (Saturday)
    • World Pistachio Day (Saturday)
    • CPAC day four (Sunday)
    • Screen Actors Guild Awards (Sunday)
    • International Polar Bear Day (Sunday)

In Case You Missed It

2022 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: What you need to know

Racing fans, start those engines. The 2022 Firestone Grand Prix is speeding its way into Tampa Bay!

Here's what you need to know, from parking to schedules and more.