Only in Florida

Strange But True Stories from Across the Sunshine State

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a warning about the appearance of the Oropouche virus in the country. Known to cause “sloth fever,” the virus is spread by mosquitos in South America. Of course, the first cases reported in the States just had to be in Florida. According to the CDC, 11 Floridians returned from a summer trip with the disease. The condition can cause fever, rash, joint aches and, in rare cases, brain swelling and death. Among the more than 8,000 cases reported in Central and South America this year, two women in Brazil died from it earlier this year. The CDC says there are no medicines to treat the virus or vaccines to prevent it.

Despite repeated warnings he was putting his life in danger, one-legged Joseph Malinowski decided to ride out Hurricane Milton inside his small sailboat floating in Tampa Bay. Malinowski, 54, known locally as Lieutenant Dan, even posted on social media during the Category 3 storm. “I’m not taking on any water. I haven’t even spilled my coffee yet,” he told his 242,900 followers on TikTok. “I’m good. I’ve got everything I need. I’ve got plenty of water. I’ve got plenty of food. I could be in here for two weeks.” Fortunately, Malinowski survived the wild night, having to cut his anchor line because the sailboat was repeatedly banging against a harbor wall.

Four years ago, Sarah Boone, 46, was arrested following the bizarre death of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, 42, inside the apartment the two shared in Winter Park. Recently, before taking the stand in a pre-trial hearing, Boone, who is represented by her ninth attorney, had the audacity to request professional hair and makeup services be available while she stood trial for murder. She is accused of fatally suffocating Torres in a suitcase. Boone has plead not guilty, insisting her boyfriend died during a booze-fueled game of hide and seek. Investigators doubt her story and have included into evidence video footage from her phone showing him thrashing around inside the suitcase and saying, “I can’t f*#@¢ing breathe.” Boone’s requests were denied.

“If FSU loses to Duke on Saturday, I will break the curse and eat dog s@#*! I’m 100% serious about this. I will post the video and all,” So proclaimed a person called DJ Ventora on Twitter in October. The Seminoles entered the year ranked in the top 10 in national polls but, as the season played out, the team lost six of its first seven games. The Noles had never lost to Duke in football, winning 22 games in row. That is until this year, when the Blue Devils beat FSU 23 to 16 in October  in Durham, North Carolina. Following the loss, DJ Ventora fulfilled his pledge including recording and posting the meal.

Speaking of sports and poor decisions: Former Jacksonville Jaguars financial manager Amit Patel pleaded guilty wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions in March 2024. Reportedly, Patel stole $22 million from the NFL franchise over the course of more than three years using the team’s virtual credit card system. The legal battles are far from over, however, as Patel recently filed a $250 million suit against  online sports gambling site FanDuel. Patel claims the site exploited his gambling addiction and ignored responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols. He is currently serving a six-year sentence in federal prison in South Carolina.u

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