Latest news with #HurricaneDebby
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Florida beachgoer finds nearly half a million dollars of cocaine wrapped in "Yosemite Sam" packaging
A major storm has yet to hit Florida this hurricane season but that hasn't stopped the annual deluge of drugs from making landfall. A beachgoer on Sunday morning stumbled across nearly $500,000 worth of cocaine wrapped in "Yosemite Sam" packaging washed up on a Florida beach, authorities said, marking yet another discovery of illicit drugs along shores in the Sunshine State. The 25 kilos of drugs were wrapped in packaging with a design of the iconic cartoon character, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post, which included images of the cocaine. A beachgoer found nearly $500,000 worth of cocaine wrapped in "Yosemite Sam" packaging in the Florida Keys, authorities said. Walton County Sheriff's Office "While enjoying our beautiful beaches, if you come across any square groupers, PLEASE call the Walton County Sheriff's Office immediately and DO NOT touch suspicious packages," the office said. "The contents could be extremely harmful. We're here if you need us." Authorities said they confiscated the narcotics and logged them into evidence. It's hardly the first time illegal narcotics have washed up on beaches in the Keys — and often the drugs have distinct designs. In August 2024, Hurricane Debby blew 25 packages of cocaine onto another Florida Keys beach. The packages, bearing a red geometric logo, weighed about 70 pounds and were worth over $1 million, police said at the time. That same month, tourists found a package with 16 bricks of suspected cocaine in Florida. In June 2024, boaters off the coast of the Florida Keys found 65 pounds of cocaine floating in the ocean. A photo released by the sheriff's office showed a package of the suspected cocaine emblazoned with an image of a bald eagle. Just weeks after divers found about 55 pounds of cocaine about 100 feet underwater off Key West. Images released by the sheriff's office showed packages marked "Nike SB," with imitations of the footwear brand's iconic swoosh logo on the front. Researchers with the U.N. have estimated that about 90% of the cocaine consumed in North America comes from Colombia. Traffickers often try to smuggle the illicit substance over the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean with speed boats and "narco subs." Cocaine can be dumped into the water to evade detection from law enforcement or to be picked up by other smugglers, but currents or storms can carry the packages to shore.
Globe and Mail
07-06-2025
- Climate
- Globe and Mail
How a hot Italian saved my son's wedding day
More Weddings | Why are couples opting for two weddings? | Wedding guest wardrobe guide | The rise of the social-media wedding The night before our eldest son's wedding, I was in our cottage trying not to hyperventilate. The wind was howling, torrential rain was falling, and the bride-to-be was sobbing in the bedroom directly below ours. It was – to say the least – an inauspicious start to what was supposed to be a joyful, beautiful celebration last August in Lake of Bays, a popular summer spot about two hours north of Toronto. We had thought we had all our bases covered – venue, caterer, booze, transportation, accommodation for the 54 guests – until Hurricane Debby touched down in Florida and started making her way up the East Coast, causing misery and mayhem every step of the way. Readers: Tell us about the best wedding you ever attended Our situation was further complicated by the fact that the wedding was on an island, in the middle of a lake, which meant guests had to be ferried over by boat. I pictured women in lovely summer dresses and men in linen suits, drenched to the skin, and seasick from being tossed about in the choppy water. A hurricane is something you just don't plan for, and we were all momentarily paralyzed. All of us, except for a girl from Derbyshire, England (our youngest son's girlfriend) who said she knew exactly what we needed to do: Plant a sausage. 'We have a tradition at home of burying a sausage the day before a special event to bring good luck and great weather,' she told us cheerfully. I looked at my husband, he looked at me with an eyebrow raised, and I ran to the freezer, pulled out a hot Italian sausage from Costco, and put it in a Ziploc bag. Then the wedding party – who were spending that night on the island – headed out. I later saw photographs of the ceremonial sausage planting, with eight bedraggled young people, cocktails in hand, digging a hole. The bride reverently placed the sausage into the dirt. The hole was refilled. A prayer was said. And everyone went to bed hoping for a miracle. The wedding day dawned. Sadly, it didn't look good. Rain was still falling. The sky was an ugly grey. Resigned, my husband and I packed up our wedding outfits and took our boat to the island to start getting ready. It was time to put our game face on and make the best of it. Then, about noon, the hot Italian began to work its magic. Blue patches appeared in the sky. The cold north wind was replaced with a warm, gentle breeze. We all looked at each other in disbelief. Not a word was said. No one wanted to jinx whatever weirdness was happening. Two hours later, as the first guests stepped off the boat, the sun was beaming down, the sky was clear, and spirits were high. All everyone could talk about was the bizarre turn of the weather. That night as the speeches were happening, and the sun sank into the water leaving the sky a glorious display of red, pink and yellow, I gave thanks to the humble sausage and to the Brits, or the Scots (it's unclear who invented this wacky tradition) for saving our kids' special day. My advice to anyone with a wedding, or other special event on the horizon? Hope for the best, but prepare for the 'wurst.' And if you're still skeptical, don't just take my word for it. TikTok is full of testimonials – and hilarious videos – from grateful brides who have buried bratwurst, knackwurst, weisswurst, chorizo, breakfast sausages and even salami – and seen their rainy wedding days turn sunny, too.
