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

A line of thunderstorms will move across the area on Thursday and some may be severe. 

The main concern is for damaging wind gusts, but an isolated tornado or two cannot be ruled out. 

While the overall risk of severe weather is low, it is important to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Download the Spectrum News app to receive alerts from Spectrum Bay News 9.

Thunderstorms will be possible anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. as they move from northwest to southeast. Skies gradually clear Thursday night. 

High: 78 Low: 60 Rain Coverage: 90%

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Today's Big Stories

1. Florida lawmakers send property insurance bill to DeSantis
A massive bill seeking a $1 billion reinsurance fund, reduced litigation costs and to force some customers to leave a state-created insurer passed the Florida House 84-33 on Wednesday, a day after it passed the Senate in a special session.

2. Fed raises key rate by half-point and signals more to come
The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight Wednesday by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come. But the Fed announced a smaller hike than it had in its past four meetings at a time when inflation is showing signs of easing.

• Could another Fed rate hike lead to a Bay area business downturn?

3. Ten years after Sandy Hook, Biden says U.S. has ‘moral obligation’ to prevent gun violence
President Joe Biden on Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., which saw a gunman kill 26 people, including 20 children between six and seven years old.

4. Pasco sheriff: Two dead in murder-suicide, child hospitalized
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a murder-suicide that left a man and woman dead Tuesday night.

5. Rubio, House Reps. introduce bipartisan bill seeking to ban TikTok
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and House Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., have introduced a bipartisan bill seeking to ban hyper-popular short-form video app TikTok over national security concerns.

6. Peach Valley Café in Maitland gets festive with Christmas cookie pancakes
This week’s Chef’s Kitchen visits Peach Valley Café, which has a festive holiday pancake that could become part of your Christmas traditions.

7. Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, ‘Ellen’ show’s dancing DJ, dies at 40
Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the longtime and beloved dancing DJ on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and a former contestant on “So You Think You Can Dance,” has died at the age of 40.

8. Tampa Bay Times: Pinellas approves $38M yacht venture near St. Pete-Clearwater airport
Pinellas County commissioners  unanimously approved a plan by Clearwater boat retailer MarineMax to build a new yacht building and storage yard for its Intrepid Powerboats branch. MarineMax will sign a 50-year lease for the 9.5-acre property at 60 cents per square foot, or about $248,987 per year, in order to build the 132,000-square-foot facility and 400-space garage.

Your Notes for Tonight and Tomorrow

• GAS PRICES STILL DROPPING: The trend continues on Wednesday as the Sunshine State's gas prices drop, AAA reported. The Sunshine State's average gas price on Wednesday is at $3.11 per gallon, two cents down from the previous day. To search for the cheapest gas in the Bay area, click here.

• CHRISTMAS DISPLAY LIGHTING: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and members of the Tampa City Council will be in the North Franklin Street Historic District for the lighting of a Christmas display in the area. Christmas lights will hang across N. Franklin St. between E. Royal St. to the south and Fortune St. to the north in Downtown Tampa. The lighting will start tonight at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

• DIABETES EMPOWERMENT EDUCATION: Diabetes is a leading health issue in Citrus County and in order to combat the condition, The Florida Department of Health in Citrus County will be hosting a free, diabetes empowerment education program. Participants will receive tools and information to manage and take control of their health through a series of interactive sessions. The program covers topics such as diabetes risk factors, identification, preventiions and medical care. Registration is open now and class space is limited. Click here for more info.

• FOSTER-TO-ADOPT PROGRAM: SPCA Tampa Bay is piloting a foster-to-adopt program beginning Thursday, December 15, just for dogs. Foster-to-adopt families can complete a standard pet adoption during their visit to take a dog home for up to 30 days before completing the adoption. The pilot program's goal is to get as many dogs as possible into homes before the end of December. To get addtional details, click here.
   

           NATIONAL NOTES

           Thursday, December 15

• President Biden hosts the final day of the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit
• Sentencing of the men convicted of supporting plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer
• House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on 'the search for bipartisan solutions to gun violence'
• Miss America winner crowned
• Volume II of the Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan documentary premieres on Netflix
• EU Summit held in Brussels, Belgium
• The Oscars’ preliminary voting ends
• Princess Kate hosts 'Royal Carols: Together At Christmas' at Westminster Abbey