Florida
The stories that defined South Florida in 2024
MIAMI – In a year marked by soaring costs and economic strain, South Florida residents grappled with skyrocketing rents, surging insurance rates, and record-high grocery bills, all while navigating a mix of triumphs, tragedies, and unforgettable headlines — from the chaos of Copa America at Hard Rock Stadium to the rescue of a little dog named Lulu in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
The rising cost of living in South Florida
In South Florida there is always plenty of news but the story that impacted everyone was, and is, the high cost of living and inflation.
“We have a very bad match in South Florida with high expenses and low salaries,” said Maria Castillo Dominguez who serves on the board of the Financial Planning Association of Miami.
It was a tough year for South Florida consumers, renters and homebuyers. Supermarket prices surged, landlords raised rents to cover their costs, and automobile and home insurance rates soared.
“To see the housing market prices double in a few years, it is crazy,” said Tommy Bartolomeo who lives in Broward.
Tyreek Hill’s takedown, Copa America final and Taylor Swift
The Miami Dolphins season opener made news before the game’s kick-off. A Miami-Dade police officer pulled wide receiver Tyreek Hill from his car, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him when a traffic stop escalated. The citations Hill received were later dismissed.
Soccer fans at Hard Rock Stadium caused chaos in July when they rushed the gates before the start of the Copa America soccer final between Argentina and Colombia. Taylor Swift fans were better behaved in October when she took the stage at “The Rock.”
Traffic nightmares and South Florida’s most tragic stories
Our everyday traffic troubles were a breeze compared to the nightmare one Sunday in April when hundreds of drivers were stranded on their way to Key Biscayne for up to six hours after the Rickenbacker Causeway flyover bridge was closed for repairs.
South Florida lived up to its reputation for the bizarre and tragic when a 71-year-old man was found dead in a North Miami nursing home closet. He had been missing for weeks. A little girl died in a freak accident on a Lauderdale-By-The Sea Beach. She was buried while playing in the sand.
There were stories with international impact that caused concern in South Florida.
Haiti was racked with instability and violence. Cuba’s economic plight was worse than ever. Add to that Miami resident and former State Department diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha who was arrested and charged as a Cuban spy.
High-profile Miami figures that made headlines in 2024
Insiders were shocked over developer Sergio Pino‘s suicide amid an FBI murder-for-hire investigation.
The year also saw two local politicians convicted. Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez was found guilty of political corruption while former state Senator Frank Artiles received jail time and probation after a guilty verdict in a “ghost candidate” trial.
South Florida lost civic leader Enid Pinkney. The educator, historian and first Black president of Dade Heritage Trust helped save the historic Hampton House where Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a portion of his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Months after the Miami Seaquarium‘s famous orca Lolita died, the tourist attraction received an eviction notice from the Miami-Dade County. Rent issues and maintenance problems plagued the long-time entertainment facility.
Florida and the 2024 hurricane season
Florida endured a rough hurricane season but South Florida escaped the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
We were very lucky and so was a little dog in Fort Pierce, whose story went viral after being pulled from the rubble of a tornado spawned by Hurricane Milton. The rescue was due in part thanks to CBS News Miami’s Morgan Rynor who was live on air when she realized the dog had been rescued reporting, ” He got Benji. He got Benji, Oh my Goodness.”
Benji, whose name we later learned is Lulu, was reunited with her family, a little bit of good news to wrap up the year 2024.
Florida
NW Florida authorities make two more arrests in murder case
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WALA) – The Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Florida posted on its Facebook page Saturday the latest arrests in the murder of Jason Coulthart.
Here is the post:
TWO ADDITIONAL ARRESTS IN JASON COULTHART HOMICIDE; JOHNSON STILL AT LARGE
WALTON COUNTY, FLA — The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has made two additional arrests in connection with the murder of Jason Coulthart, marking the fourth and fifth individuals charged in relation to the ongoing investigation.
On July 10, 2026, Michael Ray White, 74, and Kathleen Morris, 59, of Santa Rosa Beach, were arrested for accessory to a capital felony after the fact and obstruction.
According to investigators, White knowingly provided assistance to Johnson as she evaded law enforcement between June 25 and June 30, 2026.
Evidence shows White initially denied knowing Johnson while talking to investigators but later admitted she was at his home on multiple occasions during that period.
White also allowed Johnson and a second suspect, Martin Leaverton, to stay at the home, provided supplies, and later coordinated moving Johnson to a second location.
Morris, who resides at the same address, was also arrested in connection with the case after admitting she assisted Johnson by transporting her, providing supplies, and misleading deputies regarding Johnson’s presence at the residence.
Text messages recovered from Morris’s phone further corroborate her involvement in helping Johnson avoid capture.
Interviews with additional witnesses, including Martin and Sandra Leaverton, provided further confirmation that both White and Morris knowingly sheltered Johnson and assisted her efforts to elude law enforcement.
The Leavertons admitted retrieving Johnson’s belongings, supplying her with a cell phone, and attempting to find out‑of‑state refuge for her. They are still behind bars at the Walton County Jail.
The discovery of Coulthart’s remains occurred on June 25, 2026, following two independent statements provided to the Niceville Police Department regarding a body located on a property on Sunset Lane in Freeport.
A residential search warrant was executed that same day, leading to the discovery of human remains. An arrest warrant for Johnson was issued on June 26, 2026. This week, the remains were confirmed to belong to Jason Coulthart.
Johnson remains at large. She is considered dangerous, and anyone who has seen her or has information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office immediately.
“Anyone found to have helped or is still assisting Isabelle Johnson avoid arrest will be charged accordingly,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “If you give her a place to stay, help her hide, or lie for her, you will face consequences. This is a homicide case. We will not allow anyone to get in the way of this investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892‑8111 or contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 863‑TIPS.
Copyright 2026 WALA. All rights reserved.
Florida
Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for July 10, 2026
The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.
Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, July 10, 2026.
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 10 drawing
02-39-44-46-56, Mega Ball: 23
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from July 10 drawing
11-15-32-40-45-46
Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 11-20-21-24-25
Evening: 06-11-15-20-33
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 10 drawing
Morning: 15
Matinee: 13
Afternoon: 09
Evening: 04
Late Night: 08
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Winning Pick 2 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 6-0, FB: 5
Evening: 0-4, FB: 8
Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 7-5-3, FB: 5
Evening: 5-8-1, FB: 8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 2-2-4-2, FB: 5
Evening: 0-4-4-1, FB: 8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 4-4-6-0-0, FB: 5
Evening: 9-2-9-8-1, FB: 8
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
- Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
- Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.
You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.
Florida law requires public disclosure of winners
If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:
- Full name
- City of residence
- Game won
- Date won
- Amount won
- Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.
When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
Florida
Snake hunters gather in Florida to kill invasive pythons for $25,000 in prizes
The day has finally arrived. On July 10, hundreds of professional and amateur snake hunters entered the annual Florida Python Challenge, a 10-day race to remove as many of the invasive animals as possible from the Everglades. The person who bags the most snakes will earn a $10,000 first-place prize, while another $15,000 in payouts will go to various other categories, including for the longest snake captured.
Conservationists estimate between 100,000 and 300,000 Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) live across the state’s subtropical regions, where they have thrived as apex predators since their accidental introduction into the wild during the 1970s. Pregnant females can lay upwards of 70 eggs at a time, and each hatchling can reach an adult length of 13-feet long. Despite their population explosion, only around five percent of all pythons are spotted by the average onlooker. That means only one in about 20 snakes are noticed on any given day.
Over 600 people registered to participate in this year’s Florida Python Challenge as of July 7, according to Naples Daily News. Last year saw more than 900 local and international competitors, and the largest snake captured measured nearly 16 feet long. The annual event isn’t a free-for-all, however. Every hunter must complete a safety course prior to scouring for snakes, and while guns are allowed on private land with owner’s permission, all pythons must be euthanized as humanely as possible.
It may come as a surprise, but beheading one of the massive, coiling predators absolutely isn’t an ethical means of disposal. Because the snakes possess extremely slow metabolisms and can survive with very low amounts of oxygen, they can remain conscious (and in immense pain) for a prolonged period of time after decapitation. Instead, hunters are recommended to draw an imaginary line from each eye to the opposite jaw bone, then locate where those paths intersect. Then can then use a sharp rod or screwdriver to impale the top of the head before moving the tool in a multilateral direction to ensure an immediate loss of consciousness and a quick death. No one said python hunting was for the squeamish.
The Florida Python Challenge will end at 5 p.m. EDT on July 19, with champions announced soon afterwards.
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