‘See ya later Alli-gator’: Police help wrangle a 10 foot long, over 400 pound alligator in Florida
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Police in St. Petersburg, Florida helped a trapper remove a 10-foot-long alligator from a neighborhood on Thursday. >> Read more trending newsSt. Petersburg Police Department on Facebook said officers helped remove an alligator that was 10 feet long and weighed about 400 pounds. “Hard to believe alligator trapping used to be part of the police academy requirements not too long ago! Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission uses contracted alligator trappers in a similar instance to help remove them if they are posting a public safety threat, according to WTSP. Florida has around 1.3 million alligators around the state, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said, according to the news outlet.
wftv.comIndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: Live updates from the season opener in Florida
North America's open-wheel series returns from its offseason as IndyCar takes over the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, this weekend. The NTT series will stage 17 races this season, culminating at Laguna Seca on Sept. 10. In all, the Indycars will visit 15 tracks comprising six road courses, five street circuits and four ovals. Foyt Racing ChevroletSimon Pagenaud (60), Meyer Shank Racing HondaCallum Ilott (77), Juncos Hollinger Racing ChevroletAgustin Canopino (78), Juncos Hollinger Racing ChevroletGrand Prix of St. Petersburg broadcast scheduleAll times ETFriday, March 3 3-4:15 p.m.: Practice 1 (Peacock, SiriusXM, IndyCar Radio)Saturday, March 4 10-11 a.m.: Practice 2 (Peacock, SiriusXM, IndyCar Radio) 2:15-3:30 p.m.: Qualifying (Peacock, SiriusXM, IndyCar Radio)Sunday, March 5 Noon-2:30 p.m.: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (NBC, Universo, SiriusXM, IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio)Grand Prix of St. Petersburg detailsTrack: Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida Turns: 14 (nine right, five left) Track length: 1.80 miles Laps: 100 Lap record: 59.346 seconds (Will Power, Team Penske Chevrolet, 2022)Weather for the Grand Prix of St. PetersburgIt's Florida and it's surrounded on three sides by water, so expect wildly varying conditions. Even in optimal conditions, St. Petersburg is described by drivers as one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar so having to wrestle the car around in the rain for even a portion of the 100 laps would present an even stiffer challenge.
wftv.comIndyCar series at St. Petersburg: Schedule, entries, details, qualifying and race results from the season opener
North America's open-wheel series returns from its offseason as IndyCar takes over the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida this weekend. The NTT series will stage 17 races this season, culminating at Laguna Seca on Sept. 10. In all the indycars will visit 15 tracks comprising six road courses, five street circuits and four ovals. As of Friday afternoon, it is forecast to be hot and humid with highs in the low 80s and a better than 50 percent chance of rain Sunday. Even in optimal conditions, St. Petersburg is described by drivers as one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar so having to wrestle the car around in the rain for even a portion of the 100 laps would present an even stiffer challenge.
wftv.comDrones Attack Russia From All Sides
Evgenia Novozhenina/ReutersChaos erupted in Russia overnight as drones swarmed multiple regions, sparking an explosion at an oil depot and the deployment of fighter jets near St. Petersburg, according to local reports.One strike at around 2 a.m. in the Krasnodar region was less than 100 feet from a Russian Defense Ministry barracks, the independent Agentstvo News reports. Two drones filled with explosives landed at a nearby Rosneft oil depot in Tuapse, sparking a blaze that was “quickly extingui
news.yahoo.comPutin's war in Ukraine enters second year
Vladimir Putin says he learned from his boyhood brawls in his native St. Petersburg: “If you want to win a fight, you have to carry it through to the end, as if it were the most decisive battle of your life.” That lesson, cited in the most recent biography of the Russian president, seems to be guiding him as his invasion of Ukraine suffers setbacks and stalemates.
news.yahoo.comTop Russian Military Official Dead After Fall From 16th Floor
Reuters/Alexey PavlishakA Russian military official in charge of financial provisions for the military district blamed for the Kremlin’s worst losses in Ukraine has been found dead after a nasty fall from a St. Petersburg high-rise.Marina Yankina, head of the department of financial provisions for the Western Military District, was found dead on a sidewalk on Wednesday morning, according to multiple local reports. She is just the latest in a growing list of Russian military officials, defense in
news.yahoo.comTampa Bay Rays open Spring Training at Disney
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Rays will train for two weeks at Disney before completing the rest of Spring Training at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Tampa Bay is holding Spring Training at Disney and The Trop this year because their usual home in Port Charlotte was damaged from Hurricane Ian. The Rays will play one official game February 28 at Disney against the New York Yankees. Tampa Bay is looking to win its third AL East title in four years this season.
wftv.comPutin: Ukraine action aimed to end 'war' raging since 2014
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow's action in Ukraine was intended to stop a “war” that has raged in eastern Ukraine for many years. Speaking at a meeting with veterans, Putin said that Moscow had long sought to negotiate a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where Russia-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. “Large-scale combat operations involving heavy weapons, artillery, tanks and aircraft haven’t stopped in Donbas since 2014,” Putin said. “All that we are doing today as part of the special military operation is an attempt to stop this war. Putin on Wednesday laid a wreath at the city's Piskaryov memorial cemetery where 420,000 civilian victims of the siege and 70,000 Soviet soldiers were buried.
wftv.comBelarusian factory catches fire in St. Petersburg, Russia
Belarus-MTW (Minsk Tractor Works) factory caught fire in the city of St. Petersburg, Russia, on 5 January. According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire was only contained. Source: website of the City Administration of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation Details: The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the fire has caused the death of two people.
news.yahoo.comRays moving spring camp due to damage caused by hurricane
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are relocating their spring base for 2023 due to extensive damage to team training facilities caused by Hurricane Ian. The team and Charlotte County released a joint statement Thursday, saying damage to Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte can’t be repaired in time to host games this winter. “Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training,” the statement said. “We are all disappointed for the residents of Charlotte County and the fans there. “The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.”___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comFlorida woman accused of attempting to drive into runners participating in 5K race
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida woman is accused of attempting to drive her vehicle into the path of runners during a 5-kilometer race on Thursday, authorities said. Police said Morgan was traveling at about 60 mph in her 2019 Range Rover Velar toward the Coffee Pot Turkey Trot race in St. Petersburg, WTVT reported. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, Morgan drove around officers and refused commands to stop. The officers stopped Morgan before she drove onto the roadway, where nearly 3,000 runners were competing in the 5K race, according to WTVT. “Our officers work these special events so that they can be there to avert potential problems,” St. Petersburg Police spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez told the television station.
wftv.comFlorida man accused of attacking woman in head with hatchet
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida man is accused of attempted murder after deputies said he attacked a woman with a hatchet and left it in her head, authorities said. ICYMI on @WFLA: Family members are preparing to say goodbye to Lisa Rogers Eaton after @SheriffPinellas detectives say a man attacked her with a hatchet, leaving it protruding from her head. The attack occurred at the Silver Lake Mobile Home Park in St. Petersburg, according to the television station. Detectives were able to trace Dougherty’s vehicle to Gainesville, about 150 miles north of St. Petersburg, according to WTVT. On Thursday, around 2:50 a.m., Dougherty was pulled over by an Alachua County deputy and arrested, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
wftv.comWoman IDed as killer of Florida man found near library in 1997
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida authorities have used DNA to identify a woman who died in 2010 as the alleged killer of a man found beaten and robbed outside a library in 1997. Michael Scheumeister, 45, was found dead the morning of Aug. 14, 1997, outside Mirror Lake Library in St. Petersburg, according to police. He was found lying on his back with his pants pockets turned inside out. “He had cashed his paycheck earlier that day and his money and wallet were missing,” St. Petersburg police officials said. At the time, investigators did not have enough evidence to arrest Morris for Scheumeister’s death.
wftv.comOfficials: Florida woman allegedly threatened man with sword over parking spot
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A woman allegedly threatened a man with a sword over a parking spot in St. Petersburg, Florida, officials say. >> Read more trending newsAccording to an affidavit from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Quiana Manning, 41, allegedly threatened a man with a sword. PCSO said in the affidavit that Manning and the victim were reportedly arguing over a parking spot at her apartment complex. During one point of the argument, Manning allegedly got out of her car and went over to the driver’s side window of the victim’s car with a sword that was about 2 feet long. Manning then allegedly raised the sword close to the victim.
wftv.comFlorida woman cashes in with winning $10 million Powerball Double Play ticket
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — While many Powerball players will be buying tickets hoping to win Saturday night’s $800 million-plus jackpot, a Florida woman cashed in a winning ticket from July worth $10 million. The winning ticket matched all five white balls -- 2-5-20-26-31 -- and the Powerball number of 13 from the Double Play drawing held on July 6, according to lottery officials. Players use the same numbers they used for Powerball, and by spending an additional $1 they qualify for the Double Play jackpot. Barnes’ Double Play Quick Pick ticket was bought at a 7-Eleven convenience store in St. Petersburg, WFLA-TV reported. She is Florida’s second person to claim the top prize in the Double Play promotion, according to WTSP-TV.
wftv.comPutin hosts United Arab Emirates leader for economic talks
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed a recent decision by OPEC, Russia and other oil producing nations to limit production as key to stabilizing the global energy market, as he met the leader of the United Arab Emirates for talks on fostering economic ties. Speaking at the start of his talks in St. Petersburg with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Putin hailed the ties between the two countries as important for regional and global stability. “Despite all the difficulties that exist in the international relations today, ties between Russia and the United Arab Emirates are an important factor of stability in the region and the entire world,” Putin said at the start of his talks with Al Nahyan. The United Arab Emirates has maintained close business ties with Russia and sought to refrain from joining the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other Western allies over Moscow's action in Ukraine. “I'm aware of your concern about the development of the situation and your desire to contribute to the settlement of all disputed issues, including today's crisis in Ukraine,” Putin said.
wftv.comPutin hosts United Arab Emirates leader for economic talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed a recent decision by OPEC, Russia and other oil producing nations to limit production as key to stabilizing the global energy market, as he met the leader of the United Arab Emirates for talks on fostering economic ties.
Leader of Belarus gifts Putin a tractor for 70th birthday
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin got an unusual gift for his 70th birthday on Friday: a tractor. As the leaders of several ex-Soviet nations met at the Czarist-era Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus presented Putin with a gift certificate for the vehicle. It wasn't clear how the Russian leader responded to the gift, which Lukashenko's office revealed. Putin didn't mention the gift in televised remarks at the start of the meeting when he talked about the need to discuss ways of settling conflicts between ex-Soviet nations. The leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a loose alliance of ex-Soviet nations, have another gathering to attend next week in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana.
wftv.comLeader of Belarus gifts Putin a tractor for 70th birthday
Russian President Vladimir Putin got an unusual gift for his 70th birthday on Friday: a tractor. As the leaders of several ex-Soviet nations met at the Czarist-era Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus presented Putin with a gift certificate for the vehicle. Lukashenko, an autocratic leader who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation with an iron hand for nearly three decades while cultivating a man of the people image, told reporters he used a model in his garden similar to the one he gifted Putin.
news.yahoo.comRussian police block mobilization protests, arrest hundreds
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russian police moved quickly Saturday to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization order, arresting hundreds, including some children, in several cities across the vast country. They moved quickly to arrest demonstrators, most of them young people, before they could hold protests. In St. Petersburg, small groups of demonstrators managed to gather and shout protest slogans before being rounded up. People who tried to hold individual pickets that are allowed under Russian law also were detained. The quick police action followed the dispersal of Wednesday’s protests, when over 1,300 people were detained on Wednesday in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities.
wftv.comKazakh businessman tells how Russia has lost ‘friends and well-wishers’ in Kazakhstan
Statements by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, DmitryMedvedev, that Kazakhstan and Georgia could be Russia’s next targets after Ukraine, have seriously undermined trust in Russia among Kazakhstan’s people and politicians.
news.yahoo.comMTP Compressed: VP Harris finds ‘the integrity of democracy’ under threat by election deniers
Vice President Kamala Harris sat down exclusively with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press to talk about the current threats to our democracy, abortion rights, the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, the Justice Department and Donald Trump, and her plans for 2024.
news.yahoo.comRasmussen loses perfect game in 9th, Rays beat Orioles 4-1
Rasmussen allowed his first baserunner when Jorge Mateo doubled down the left-field line on the first pitch of the ninth. Mateo, who went 5 for 5 on Friday night, later scored on a Rasmussen wild pitch. There hasn’t been a perfect game in the majors since Seattle’s Felix Hernandez accomplished the feat at home against the Rays on Aug. 15, 2012. Tampa Bay has never thrown a perfect game. Rays: LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-7) will start or follow an opener against the New York Yankees on Monday night.
wftv.comRays' Drew Rasmussen perfect through 7 against Orioles
Orioles Rays Baseball Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius) (Steve Nesius)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen has a perfect game through seven innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. He has five strikeouts, and Tampa Bay has a 4-0 lead. His longest career start lasted seven innings, coming June 4 against the Chicago White Sox. There hasn't been a perfect game in the majors since Seattle's Felix Hernandez accomplished the feat at home against the Rays on Aug. 15, 2012. Tampa Bay has never thrown a perfect game.
wftv.comSt. Petersburg woman has called police more than 11,000 times this year, police say
A St. Petersburg woman who police say has called the agency more than 11,000 times this year has been arrested on a charge of making harassing phone calls, according to court documents. In her arrest warrant, police said the woman “continuously calls and harasses, belittles, swears at, argues with, and demands officers come arrest her.” At one point in early July, she called the St. Petersburg ...
news.yahoo.comLowe and Díaz homer, Rays beat Guardians 6-4
Guardians Rays Baseball Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Diaz, right, celebrates with teammate Brandon Lowe after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 30, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Audette) (Scott Audette)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — Brandon Lowe and Yandy Díaz homered as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-4 on Saturday. The Rays had dropped two consecutive games, getting one run and 10 singles in 18 innings over the stretch. Andrés Giménez homered for the Guardians, who are 5-5 on an 11-game road trip. The Rays gave away a Devil Rays basketball jersey with Phillips' name on it to fans in attendance. Rays: LHP Jalen Beeks (right lower leg tightness) was reinstated from the 15-day IL and RHP Luke Bard was optioned to Triple-A Durham.
wftv.comUS offers $10M reward for Russian election interference info
Election Interference FILE - Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, gestures on the sidelines of a summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Konstantin palace outside St. Petersburg, Russia, on Aug. 9, 2016. The State Department on July 22, 2022, offered a $10 million reward for information about Russian interference in American elections, including a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a troll farm that officials say fueled a divisive social media campaign in 2016. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File) (Alexander Zemlianichenko)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The State Department on Thursday offered a $10 million reward for information about Russian interference in American elections, including a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a troll farm that officials say fueled a divisive social media campaign in 2016. The defendants were accused in a huge but hidden social media trolling campaign aimed at sowing discord on hot-button issues and at helping Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. The State Department described the reward as part of “wider efforts to ensure the security and integrity of our elections and protect against foreign interference in our elections.”Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comUS offers $10M reward for Russian election interference info
The State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information about Russian interference in American elections, including a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a troll farm that officials say fueled a divisive social media campaign in 2016.
LEADING OFF: O's get 1st pick in draft, M's win 13 in row
Many consider the best player available to be Georgia high school outfielder Druw Jones -- son of former Braves star Andruw Jones. Several other players have big league family connections, including Jackson Holliday (son of Matt), Justin Crawford (son of Carl) and Cam Collier (son of Lou). The reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves hold the longest winning streak this season, taking 14 in a row last month. Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Mookie Betts and Los Angeles face the Angels in the Freeway Series, two days before the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Sale pitched five scoreless innings against the Rays in his season debut Tuesday night, reaching 97 mph during his final inning.
wftv.comLEADING OFF: O's get 1st pick in draft, M's win 13 in row
Many consider the best player available to be Georgia high school outfielder Druw Jones -- son of former Braves star Andruw Jones. Several other players have big league family connections, including Jackson Holliday (son of Matt), Justin Crawford (son of Carl) and Cam Collier (son of Lou). The reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves hold the longest winning streak this season, taking 14 in a row last month. Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Mookie Betts and Los Angeles face the Angels in the Freeway Series, two days before the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Sale pitched five scoreless innings against the Rays in his season debut Tuesday night, reaching 97 mph during his final inning.
wftv.comPolk County detectives seek IDs of 3 men recorded carrying homicide victim
A St. Petersburg man was shot and killed Wednesday in Davenport, and Polk County homicide detectives are asking the public for help to identify three men recorded on surveillance video carrying the victim’s body out of a house, according to sheriff’s office officials.