Florida
Competitors Head Down to Florida for a Slithery Hunt
Friday marked the start of the annual Florida Python Challenge, where hunters head into the Everglades to track down invasive Burmese pythons in hopes of grabbing a share of $30,000 in prizes. The annual 10-day hunt, which started more than a decade ago, promotes public awareness of issues with invasive species in Florida while engaging the public in Everglades conversation, said Sarah Funck, the wildlife impact management section leader with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “They are a well-established invasive species across much of South Florida, unfortunately, in our natural areas,” Funck said of Burmese pythons, per the AP.
Funck added that the snakes “can be really detrimental to our environment.” Over the past decade, the python challenge has grabbed headlines for its incentive-based, only-in-Florida style of hunting, as well as for its celebrity participation. This year, more than 600 people registered for the event. During the challenge, hunters linger around designated areas spanning through western Broward County to the Tamiami Trail in the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, including other management areas like Southern Glades, Holey Land, and Rotenberger. The goal is to humanely kill as many pythons as possible, and prizes are divided between three groups: professional hunters who work for the state; hunters who are active in the military or are veterans; and novice hunters, which includes anyone who’s not working as a state-contracted python hunter.
Each category has its own prizes, with $2,500 going to the person or team that kills the most pythons, $1,500 going to the runner-up for most kills, and $1,000 going to the person or team that kills the longest python. The grand prize for the most kills in all categories gets a $10,000 prize. Last year’s challenge brought in 209 pythons, and the grand prize winner was Paul Hobbs, who bagged 20 pythons. Florida wildlife agency and district contractors removed about 2,200 pythons in 2023. Participants are required to undergo online training, including on how to identify Burmese pythons versus other snakes, Funck said. Additional in-person training is also available. “That’s a huge part of what we do, is try to get the word out on how to identify these pythons, how to safely and humanely capture [them],” Funck said. More on the competition.
(More strange stuff stories.)
Florida deputy handcuffs emu
A St. Johns County deputy had his hands full on Jan. 9 when a runaway emu decided to resist arrest. After a brief chase and a few kicks, Cpl. Keisler used a lasso and his handcuffs to bring the “suspect” into custody.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A runaway emu ended up in handcuffs after trying to evade a St. Johns County deputy on Friday, Jan. 9.
What we know:
Cpl. Keisler responded to County Road 13 to capture the emu, but the large bird ignored his commands, kicked him several times using its large talons and fled on foot recklessly, according to officials.
After a short chase, deputies say Cpl. Keisler cornered the emu and secured it with a makeshift lasso. Body camera video that captured the chase shows the deputy handcuff the emu’s legs.
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What they’re saying:
“In my 25 years, I’ve never handcuffed an emu,” Cpl. Keisler said. “This is definitely a new one.”
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says the emu was reunited with its owners and returned home safely. All criminal charges against the emu were dropped, according to deputies.
The Source: Information for this story was collected from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Ahead of the coldest temperatures in years for Central Florida, the National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Friday morning.
A freeze watch means temperatures of 32 degrees or lower are possible.
Exterior pipes should be protected in Marion, Sumter and northern Lake counties where temperatures could be below freezing for four to six hours.
Plants sensitive to the cold should be covered or brought inside by Thursday evening.
It’s also a good idea to bring pets inside.
A strong Arctic cold front is expected to arrive Thursday morning. Temperatures top out in the upper 50s and lower 60s early in the day, but are expected to fall for most of the afternoon.
Temperatures will bottom out in the 20s and 30s across Central Florida.
This does not include the wind.
Parts of Central Florida could again dip below freezing Saturday morning.
A reinforcing shot of cold air arrives Sunday which could send parts of Central Florida back below freezing Monday morning.
A big warmup arrives late next work week and into the following weekend.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A cruise ship that departed Florida has been hit by a norovirus outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported that 94 people fell ill on the Holland America Line cruise ship Rotterdam during its voyage between Dec. 28, 2025, and Jan. 9, 2026.
Those affected by the norovirus outbreak showed the typical symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus, which is highly contagious, is the number 1 cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms appear between 12 and 48 hours after exposure and can include other symptoms like stomach pain, headaches, and fevers.
According to the CDC, 85 passengers out of 2,593 reported being sick. Nine of the 1,005 crew members reported being ill as well.
The CDC said Holland America Line and the Rotterdam crew increased cleaning and disinfection measures and quarantined those who fell ill to prevent the disease from spreading further.
CruiseMapper.com showed that the ship departed Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 28. The cruise line’s website also has several future voyages out of Fort Lauderdale as well.
8 On Your Side has reached out to Holland America for more information on the outbreak.
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