1. FLORIDA PYTHON CHALLENGE: Longest snakes caught added up to 33 feet
Next to winning the $10,000 grand prize for the annual Florida Python Challenge, capturing and eliminating the longest python during the competition comes with some serious bragging rights.
The grand prize winner is determined by most snakes eliminated, which is the point of the Python Challenge, held this year from July 10-19.
This year’s ultimate grand prize winner for most snakes removed was Tom Rahill of Lutz, who harvested 96 pythons to claim the $10,000 award.
Python hunter Rahm Levinson took the honors in the professional division this year for longest python. A python he turned in to officials measured 16 feet, 5 inches. He won $1,000. Levinson caught the snake in Everglades National Park.
In the novice division, Vincent Poole won $1,000 for longest python − 8 feet, 2 inches.And in the Military Division (active and retired) the $1,000 prize was earned by Jeffery “Heath” Roser of the U.S. Army. His big catch was 8 feet, 7 inches.
The 2026 Florida Python Challenge was hosted by the FWC and the South Florida Water Management District. – Mark Bickel/USA TODAY Network-Florida
2. CYCLOSPORIASIS SPREADS IN FLORIDA: Lee and Collier areas not spared
The cyclosporiasis outbreak is escalating in Florida which includes seven new cases in Lee County in one week.Florida added 87 new cases of the parasitic illness associated with “explosive diarrhea” for the week of July 26 through Aug. 1, according to the state Department of Health update.
Collier County added one case while Lee’s seven new cases matches how many new cases it saw in the prior seven days.
Since May 1 when public health authorities began tracking the outbreak, Florida has had a cumulative 342 cases in 42 counties, according to DOH.
Lee’s cumulative is 30 and Collier is at 7. The state figures include confirmed and probable cases. – Liz Freeman/USA TODAY Network-Florida
3. READ MORE: Online now at marconews.com
If you missed Friday’s Marco Eagle, you can read those stories online now at marconews.com or click on the eNewspaper and read it and other past issues online, just as they appear in print.
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This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: 3 To Know: Python Challenge and cyclosporiasis updates and more
Reporting by Marco Eagle / Marco Eagle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marco Eagle | USA TODAY Network
