Maine to Key West: Jacksonville unicyclist completes 2,400-mile trip on East Coast Greenway
Remember the Jacksonville man who made it his mission to ride down from Wells, Maine, to Key West, Florida โ all on one wheel? It took five months, but on Saturday, Avery Seuter accomplished his 2,400-mile journey to help make the roads safer.
Frigid weather doesnโt stop Santas surfing off Florida coast
For the surfing Santas off Floridaโs central coast, the Atlantic Ocean felt more like the North Pole than the Sunshine State as temperatures plunged to around freezing, while freeze warnings were in place for at least half of the state.
Florida man arrested, over $22K in citations issued over balloon pollution from Miami proposal party
A man was arrested and nine citations were issued to several people after an engagement proposal party on a yacht that ended with deflated balloons polluting Biscayne Bay, News4JAX partner station WPLG in Miami reported.
Mystery solved: Beekeeper identifies โweird, brown stuffโ falling on Northside
Whatโs described as โweird, brown stuffโ thatโs falling on cars and driveways in the Cedarbrook community on Jacksonvilleโs Northside has left residents scratching their heads. But a beekeeper believes heโs solved the mystery.
Man sentenced for threatening, sending dead rat to ex-wife
TAMPA, Fla. โ An Indiana man has been sentenced to four years and 10 months in federal prison for threatening his ex-wife over several years and mailing a dead rat to her Florida home. Romney Christopher Ellis, 57, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced Tuesday in Tampa federal court, according to court records. He routinely made racially and sexually charged statements in the text messages, including sending sexually explicit images of himself. Ellis sent text messages stating that he had traveled from Indiana to Florida to see his ex-wife. On one occasion, Ellis mailed a package to the victimโs home containing a dead rat and black rose.
Florida man holding trash can for friend finds dead body
SARASOTA, Fla. โ A Florida man who had been storing a trash can for a friend for more than two months, found a badly decomposing body inside when he opened it, authorities said. Manatee County Sheriffโs Office said the unidentified man had been holding the 55-gallon container for a friend who promised to retrieve it later. But that person never returned and after about two months, the man smelled a foul odor and opened the container. Inside were human remains that had been wrapped up. The Herald-Tribune reported Tuesday that the sheriff's office is investigating the identify of the remains and how they died.
Ever heard of the Raccoon Whisperer? These videos will leave you speechless
Thereโs nothing like a bond between human and pets, no matter how unusual it is. Instead of dogs, cats, birds or other common household pets, Blackwood is a passionate caretaker of raccoons, dubbing himself the โRaccoon Whisperer.โItโs not just a couple of the furry creatures that Blackwood takes care of. One of the videos shows Blackwood feeding the raccoons peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. On the channel, Blackwood said he has been rehabbing raccoons for 20 years. He has ever since, and all the raccoons in the woods know where to go when they get hungry.
Police arrest 2 for burglary after finding wallets with licenses at the scene
OCALA, Fla. โ Two Florida men are behind bars after the Marion County Sheriffโs Office says they left their wallets with driverโs licenses at the scene of a burglary. The Sheriffโs Office says Robert Hobby, 41 and Marcus Reeves, 23, face 14 charges total for grand theft and burglary. The Sheriffโs Office the duo broke into convenience stores and stole cigarettes and lottery tickets. In addition to leaving their wallets and licenses behind the two were seen on surveillance cameras smoking the stolen cigarettes in the stores.
โBombโ that prompted mall evacuation was sub sandwich rigged with wires
LAKE CITY, Fla. โ The Lake City Mall was evacuated Sunday after someone reported a suspicious item: a cylindrical shaped object with multiple wires protruding from it. Lake City police said the object was found by a concrete pillar near a fire hydrant. With the area secure and the Lake City Fire Department and Century Ambulance Service on standby, officials made a closer inspection of the object. โWe greatly appreciate the swift cooperation and patience of those who were affected by the evacuation,โ Lake City Police Chief Argatha Gilmore said. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Lake City Police Department at 386-752-4343.
Police: Man spit at boy who refused to remove his mask
TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. โ A Florida man was arrested after confronting a child wearing a mask at a restaurant and spitting in his face when the boy refused to take it off, police said. Jason Copenhaver approached the child's table Sunday and asked the boy if he was wearing a mask, according to Treasure Island police. He then grabbed the boy's hand tightly and put his face next to the child's, telling the boy he now had the coronavirus, according to police reports. โVictim stated that (Copenhaver) was in such close proximity that spit particles from (Copenhaverโs) mouth landed in his face,โ an officer wrote in the police report. Police said Copenhaver told them he didnโt know if he had coronavirus and has never been tested.
Lawyer known for dressing up as Grim Reaper is taking his message to Jax Beach
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Daniel Uhlfelder, a Florida lawyer, known for haunting Florida beaches dressed as the Grim Reaper is coming to Jacksonville Beach today. Scythe in hand, Uhlfelder first drew national attention when he scoured beaches in Walton County, Florida in May. He announced his visit to Jacksonville on social media, noting that he would be talking about the RNC. I will be addressing this tomorrow in Jacksonville for Grim Reaper Tour pic.twitter.com/0zOONJHZEm Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) July 3, 2020News4Jax spoke to Uhlfelder early this morning. The Grim Reaper will appear at the pier on Jacksonville Beach at 11 a.m.
Not kidding around: Florida woman sues for paternity test on goats
ODESSA, Fla. A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit seeking either a paternity test on her goats or a refund and she's not kidding. Kris Hedstrom filed the suit against her neighbor, Heather Dayner, last month seeking DNA for the goats she purchased. According to the lawsuit, Hedstrom believed the goats Bella, Gigi, Rosie, Zelda and Margoat could be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, a group that records goat pedigrees. Registered goats have higher values than unregistered goats. Proving paternity would require about 40 of the father goat's hair follicles for a DNA test, so Hedstrom wrote Dayner a letter requesting the DNA in February.
Two-faced kitten named Biscuits and Gravy passes away after almost 4 days of life
LINN COUNTY, Ore. Biscuits and Gravy, the kitten with two faces, has died days after capturing the hearts of animal lovers all over the world. Biscuits and Gravy "was born with the longest of odds and by living nearly 4 days, he beat those odds," the King family said on Facebook. To care for him, the King family had to take over much of Keenly's motherly duties. Shortly before Biscuits and Gravy died, the King family posted a short tribute to him on Facebook. The King family had decided to keep Biscuits and Gray and give away the rest of the litter, which were born healthy.
Marion County woman accused of manslaughter claims victim fell onto knife
MICANOPY, Fla. โ The Marion County Sheriffโs Office on Friday arrested Lillian Patterson and charged her with negligent manslaughter. The Sheriffโs Office said Patterson told Fire Rescue that Patterson stumbled out of a bedroom and collapsed on the floor. Patterson first told investigators that Collins fell onto a knife being held by one of the children in the home. During another round of questioning, Patterson claimed both she and a child were holding knives and Collins fell onto one of the knives. The Sheriffโs Office said Patterson admitted she had multiple opportunities to relinquish the knife before and during the โwrestlingโ match.
Nassau County dog found with arrow in head on the way to recovery
A remarkable story out of Nassau County where a dog was found Wednesday shot through the head with an arrow and survived. The dog, who earned the nickname Unicorn, was found in Yulee by a good samaritan who called Nassau County Animal Services. The lab mix was then rushed to Blue Pearl Animal Hospital where a vet removed the arrow. Once hes cleared by the vet, Nassau Animal services will take applications to foster him. No one knows who shot Unicorn with the arrow, or whether it was an accident or intentional.
Virginia family out for ride finds nearly $1 million in road
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. โ A Virginia family out for a ride to get a change of scenery after being holed up due to the coronavirus found nearly $1 million in two bags lying in the road. The Schantzes tossed the bags in the back of their pickup truck and kept riding, according to Emily Schantz. Only when the Schantzes returned home did they discover the bags contained money, she said. They contacted the Caroline County Sheriffโs Office, which sent deputies to the home. The deputies took inventory and determined the money totaled nearly $1 million.
Someone put kiwi on a pizza and we canโt unsee it
There are things that are sacred in this world, and one of those things is pizza -- and the toppings we choose to put on that pizza. Kiwi may be sweet, but when was the last time you heard of kiwi getting incorporated into a savory dish, let alone being used as topping on an innocent pizza that didnโt ask for any of this nonsense? The photo of the kiwi pizza was tweeted out in January and it went viral immediately -- with most people equally (or if not more) grossed out by this flavor combination. People compared it to a petri dish, called it a โtravestyโ and blamed pineapple on pizza for this cooking crime. Letโs just hope this was a one-off experimentation and kiwi pizza doesnโt start showing up at our favorite pizza chains.
Invasive โmurder hornetsโ have been spotted in the US for the first time
Now we have giant hornets with freakish eyes and a venomous sting to add to this yearโs list of worries. For the first time, Asian giant hornets have been spotted in the United States, specifically in Washington state, scientists say. Scientists don't know how these giant hornets native to Asia ended up in Washington state. Washington state agricultural officials are asking beekeepers and residents to report any sightings of the giant hornets. State officials are asking people in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Jefferson and Clallam counties to be especially vigilant.
Coronavirus forces name change of feature on first mainstream electric Mini Cooper
The automaker Mini, responsible for the production of Mini Coopers, rolled out its new model the Mini Cooper SE in 2021. The released of the SE was highly anticipated since it was the companyโs first mainstream electric model, equipped with many new to market features. This included a very specific wheel design. Itโs simply the right thing to do.โThe new name of the wheels with a funky design is the Power Spoke. I say wise decision, Mini.
Complaints pour in after inadvertent use of โPurgeโ siren to signal curfew
In that light, itโs not surprising pandemic-themed movies like Containment and Outbreak are among the most popular films in America right now. It started when the Crowley Police Department told residents, a new siren would be used to signal the parish-wide curfew which was put in place as a result of coronavirus. Inadvertently, the police department chose a siren also used in the horror movie, The Purge, which signals all crimes, including murder, are legal for the next 12 hours. The Acadia Parish Sheriffโs Office and the Crowley Police Department are now fielding numerous complaints about the alarm. The Sheriffโs Office took to Facebook to proclaim their innocence in the action.
An Oregon police department is asking residents to stop calling 911 because theyโve run out of toilet paper
(CNN) โ As police across the US brace for continued emergency calls in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, one Oregon police department is dealing with 911 calls for an entirely different type of emergency: Residents are calling because they've run out of toilet paper. The Newport Police Department put out a notice on Facebook urging residents to stop making emergency calls due to a toilet paper shortage. "Do not call 9-1-1 just because you ran out of toilet paper. Toilet paper is unavailable at many stores and supermarkets as people across the US stock up on household essentials due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak. The police also suggested using receipt papers, newspapers, cloth rags and even an empty toilet paper roll.
Army of rubber ducks used in school prank
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. โ An army of rubber ducks joined a fake gator head in the Flagler College pool Friday after students decided to prank maintenance staffโs silly solution to trespassing mallards. Last week, Flagler College, a private liberal arts college in St. Augustine, tried to solve its pesky duck problem at the pool by placing a fake gator head in the middle. The solution was short lived when the waterbirds made friends with the fake gator head just hours after itโs introduction to the water. However, the pool contention also fueled comedic relief among students at Flagler College in the form of a prank. It remains to be seen whether or not the fake ducks will win out over the real duck invaders.
Florida mother says day care wrote on childโs tummy to remind her to bring diapers
SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. โ A Florida mother was shocked to find her young sonโs day care had written on his stomach in black ink to remind her to bring more diapers, WPLG reports. Heather Chisum posted photos of her son Milo to Facebook after she found the Sanibel Island day careโs message on the boyโs tummy. But while changing Miloโs diaper after bringing him home Monday, Chisum noticed the message written in magic marker. โIn the very worst case scenario, I canโt see anything other than โneed diapersโ needing to be written.โ wrote Chisum. In her post, Chisum asked whether she was over-exaggerating in her anger, but nearly everyone who commented backed her up wholeheartedly.
A family thought they were just baking a pizza. Then they found a snake inside their oven
A family in North Carolina thought they were just making themselves some dinner, but there was something else in the oven with the frozen pizza. Amber Helm's husband Robert went to preheat their oven Monday night for what she said she thought would be an easy dinner. Once it had heated, Robert popped a frozen pizza in. The Helms noticed smoke in the kitchen of their Wake Forest home before realizing there was a snake in the oven, according to CNN affiliate WRAL. โThe oven started smoking and I told my boys โback upโ so I can make sure a fire or anything didnโt happen,โ Amber Helm told WRAL.
Colo. day care owner charged after allegedly hiding toddlers behind a false wall
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. โ The owner of a Colorado day care that allegedly used a "false wall" to hide 26 toddlers in a basement has been arrested and charged, court documents show. The day care had a licensed capacity of six children, according to May 2019 data on the Colorado Department of Human Services website. The department immediately suspended the day care's license while it investigated, the agency said in a statement at the time. Police didn't immediately find any children when they first arrived at the day care, Colorado Springs police said in a statement. Three day care workers were arrested for "misdemeanor child abuse relating to neglect," police said, but detectives canceled the charges "pending further investigation."
Florida man says wind blew cocaine into his car
FORT PIERCE, Fla. โ That darn wind is always causing trouble, especially for โFlorida Man.โA man pulled over by police in Fort Pierce last month claimed the cocaine residue found inside a Budweiser can along with a crack pipe was blown there by the wind, according to News 6 sister station WPLG. Police noticed Joseph Zak, 37, appeared to be trying to discard an item when he was stopped for failing to pause at a stop sign, The Smoking Gun reports. When cops asked Zak about the white residue inside the can which eventually tested positive for crack cocaine, he told them "the police or the wind must have placed it there." Zak was arrested and jailed.
The day the music died: Chuck E. Cheese ditches animatronic band
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ "The Day the Music Died" will have a whole new meaning for a generation that grew up listening to the iconic Chuck E. Cheese animatronic band. The food and entertainment chain has permanently given the band the hook as part of a redesign of the companyโs 600-plus restaurants, The Takeout reports. Originally called "The Pizza Players" when the group debuted at the first Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time Theater in 1977, the band evolved into "Munch's Make-Believe Band" before they were all given their termination papers. Refurbished locations will now include a dance floor where Chuck E. Cheese will dance with customers every hour. Along with the band, the chainโs tokens are also getting the ax as players will now use cards or wristbands to pay for video games.
List of weird items left in Ubers includes full set of gold teeth
Uber posted its annual lost and found index, and some of the items left behind are interesting to say the least. One driver reported finding a full set of 18-karat gold teeth after dropping off a rider. There were also some inattentive pet owners who got a ride using Uber. A fish tank was also left in a car, with water and live fish. If you ever forget something in your Uber, the company has posted a video of how to retrieve your items.
'I can't do it,' Florida woman tells couple after trying to give son away
VERO BEACH, Fla. โ A Florida woman is accused of abandoning her 2-year-old son in a restaurant parking lot after she unsuccessfully tried to give him to strangers, police said. Amber Warner, 31, approached a couple as they were leaving the Kountry Kitchen in Vero Beach and tried to get them to take her son, who she was carrying, Vero Beach police said. Warner told the couple, "I can't do it," and then put the boy on the ground before driving away in a black truck, police said. Warner faces charges of unlawful desertion of a child and resisting arrest without violence. Her 2-year-old son appeared to be in good health and was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
'Joker' arrested after pointing gun at passing vehicles, police say
MIAMI โ A Miami-Dade County man whose green hair and face tattoos resemble the look of Batman's nemesis the Joker was arrested Tuesday after pointing a gun at passing vehicles, police said. According to a Miami-Dade police report, police were alerted about a man with green hair and tattoos on his face standing at the corner of Southwest 104th Street and Hammocks Boulevard, pointing a gun at passing vehicles. When the officer asked the man, later identified as Sullivan, if he was armed, Sullivan said he had a gun in his pocket, police said. Sullivan told the officer that he didn't have a permit because it was too expensive, police said. Among the man's face tattoos are the words "Joker" stenciled across his forehead, next to a Batman logo with profanity scribbled within it.