Rain, 42,000 Jobs, Bullet Strikes Bystander

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The following are some of the top stories from the past day:

Rain Returns To Tampa Bay’s Forecast

While forecasters at the National Weather Service are warning that some parts of the Tampa Bay area are under red flag warnings for wildfire threats, they also say a change might be on the way. Rain is expected to make a return before the weekend comes to an end.

Stray Bullet Strikes Innocent Bystander

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Thursday night shooting that left a 56-year-old man injured.

Bebe Closing Tampa Bay Area Stores By End Of May

Tampa Bay area shoppers who love the clothing at Bebe will want to visit soon. The national retail chain, which caters to young women, is expected to close all of its stores by the end of May, according to documents the company filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Arlene Serves As Reminder Of Hurricane Season’s Impending Start

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season doesn’t officially start for more than a month, but don’t tell that to Arlene. She managed to gain tropical storm status on Thursday while kicking around in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,200 miles west of the Azores. With maximum sustained winds of 50 mph early Friday, the pre-season storm ended up fizzling out later in the morning after encountering a “large extratropical cyclone,” the National Hurricane Center reported.

Skimmers Found On 2 Pinellas Gas Pumps

Motorists are once again being warned to check their credit and debit card accounts for fraudulent charges after Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies found skimmers at two gas stations. The illegal devices were found on pumps in Palm Harbor and unincorporated Seminole.

Sarasota Man Found Guilty In 2016 Murder

A 35-year-old Sarasota man’s January 2016 decision to open fire on a man who started an argument and then refused to leave a 25th Street home has resulted in a conviction. Rufus Adams was found guilty of second-degree murder on Thursday.

Tampa Area Adds 42,000 Jobs In A Year: Gov. Scott

There’s good news for the Tampa Bay area on the jobs front. According to Gov. Rick Scott’s office, the area has seen thousands of new jobs added over the past year while its unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent as of March 2017.

2 Brush Fires Break Out In Lakeland

Polk County Fire Rescue and Florida Forest Service crews responded to two separate brush fires in Lakeland on Friday. One left structural damage behind while the second was brought under control before it could do much harm, officials said.

Photo courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office