When Hillsborough County elementary students return to class Monday, an armed police officer or deputy will be on duty at each one for security purposes. That decision comes after a joint meeting between the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Tampa Police Department and school district staff.

   The Pasco County Sheriff‘s office is treating an attack on a Tampa man Wednesday night as a hate crime, and have now released surveillance video of a suspect. He was shot in the face with a BB gun at the Land O Lakes Walmart after another man asked him if he was Middle Eastern. The sheriff is asking anyone with information to call.

   More people applied to buy guns last year in Florida than any other year. Almost 800,000 went through background checks, double the number for 2004 which was the first year those statistics were provided.

   Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is scheduled to meet with families of the victims of the deadly Newtown elementary school shooting today. Giffords was wounded by a gunman in a mass shooting two years ago in Tucson, Ariz. Six people died in that assault.

   The Capitol Theater in downtown Clearwater is about to undergo a major renovation project that will include more seating and state of the art sound and lighting. The theater will close in March and re-open in October.

   Oregon wins the Fiesta Bowl against Kansas State 35-17; Monday, it’s the Orange Bowl for the BCS Championship with Alabama and Notre Dame.

   And starting January 12^th, the “Python Challenge” begins in the Everglades in an attempt to hunt down the possible tens of thousands Burmese pythons. The only requirements – a $25 registration fee and a 30 minute online course that already has over 400 hunters registered.