JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Two dozen Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are rehabilitating in Florida after the frigid waters off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, left them struggling with frostbite, pneumonia and abrasions.

The 24 endangered sea turtles arrived at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, on Dec. 9, thanks to the nonprofit organization LightHawk. Last year, the center welcomed another bunch of cold-stunned turtles that were released into the Atlantic months later.

They are expected to remain at the facility until spring, when they’ll be released into the Atlantic Ocean to make their way back to New England, said Heather Barron, chief science officer and veterinarian at Loggerhead.

She said the turtles suffered from a conditioned called cold stunning, which requires treatment with antibiotics, fluids and nebulization.

Cold stunning occurs in extremely frigid temperatures and causes the cold-blooded sea turtles to become lethargic and lose mobility, and Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtles are typically affected.

The turtles migrate north in the summer and many get stuck while heading south in the hooked peninsula of Cape Cod, according to a New England Aquarium fact sheet. As the ocean temperatures drop, the turtles become lethargic, emaciated and hypothermic. They begin washing ashore, where volunteers rescue them and take them to the sea turtle hospital.

A number of turtles were sent to Florida to relieve overcrowding at the New England Aquarium, said Pam Bechtold Snyder, director of marketing and communications for the Boston facility. Most of those turtles were stranded during a strong westerly wind event on Nov. 28 and went through the triage process at the Boston facility, Snyder said.

They were sent to Florida to make room for more turtles coming in from Cape Cod, she said. So far during the annual cold-stunning phenomenon that began on Nov. 7, they’ve treated 472 hypothermic turtles.

The hospital staff works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service to transfer the turtles to various sea turtle hospitals, including Loggerhead, Snyder said.

“These guys are very critically ill when they get here, and they are undergoing extensive treatment,” Barron said of the turtles sent to Juno Beach. “They’re getting nebulized where they actually breathe in medicine. That helps their lungs do their job better.”

When turtles arrive in groups at Loggerhead, the staff gives them names, following a theme, Barron said.

“And in this case, it is Greek mythology,” Barron said. “So we have Pandora and Gaia and Persephone and Helios and all those guys.”

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Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

• Medical marijuana is legal for Florida residents with a state-issued card and a qualifying condition.
• Possession of marijuana without a medical card can lead to penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

Can Floridians or those traveling to Florida for the holidays light one up while taking part in festive activities? Doing so will result in your name being added to the state’s naughty list.

While it’s legal in about half the country, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida.

An amendment last year to make recreational marijuana legal in the Sunshine State came close and got a majority of the vote, but it failed to hit Florida’s required 60% threshold. The group behind it is trying again in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know about marijuana laws in Florida before the holiday.

Is marijuana legal in Florida?

Yes, but only for some people.

Medical marijuana is legal in Florida for residents diagnosed with a specific set of conditions who have applied for and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card or caregivers who have received a Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. During the 2024 General Election, an amendment that called for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass.

Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?

Medical marijuana is legal here, but only for Florida residents with the following conditions who apply for and receive a Medical Marijuana Card:

• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
• AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
• Crohn’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Comparable medical conditions or status to the above
• A terminal condition
• Chronic nonmalignant pain

Note that under a new Florida law as of July 1, medical marijuana registration will be revoked if a patient or caregiver is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to drug trafficking, sale or manufacture.

Can I bring weed if I have a medical marijuana card from another state?

No. The state of Florida does not offer reciprocity. A bill in this year’s legislative session that would have changed that died in committee.

AVENTURA, Fla. — A devastating terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has left 15 dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlangar, a beloved figure in the Jewish community.

The attack unfolded during the annual Chanukah by the Sea event, a celebration where Rabbi Schlangar had served as one of the organizers and the emcee.

South Florida Rabbi Tzvi Dechter, who had known Schlangar for decades, spoke tearfully about the profound loss.

The two first met when they were teenagers, and their friendship grew over the years. Dechter recalled the personal qualities of his dear friend, not just his leadership in the Jewish community, but the kind and caring person he was.

“I loved him very much, obviously. A lot of people can describe his community leadership, but you forget about the person himself,” Dechter shared. “He was a husband, a father, and he was a friend to so many. He genuinely cared.”

Schlangar was deeply rooted in the Sydney Jewish community, particularly among the 5,000-member Russian-speaking Jewish population.

His impact reached far beyond his role as a religious leader, and he leaves behind several children, including a two-month-old baby.

Dechter revealed that the two had become “cousins” after marrying cousins, a bond that strengthened their connection.

The tragedy took an even more personal turn for Dechter, as he confirmed that Eli’s wife was among the dozens of people injured in the attack. The death toll is expected to rise, with as many as 40 people still hospitalized in critical condition.

The impact of the attack has rippled across the globe, with authorities increasing security measures in Jewish communities, particularly in South Florida.

Local officials have heightened patrols around synagogues and Jewish schools, with a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy assigned for security.

Authorities in Sydney continue to investigate the details of the attack, while local communities, both in Australia and abroad, mourn the loss of Schlangar and all the victims.

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