Sheriff’s office: Man dies while trying to drain pool during Hurricane Ian

Volusia County, Fla.

A man died in Florida while attempting to drain his pool as Hurricane Ian made its way across the state on Thursday.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, authorities were contacted by the man’s wife after he went missing while going outside around 1 a.m.

Responding deputies said they found the man’s flashlight outside and spotted his body in a canal behind the home.

The sheriff’s office reports that deputies pulled the 72-year-old man from the water, but he was already unresponsive. The team performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the man could not be revived and was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Authorities said their initial investigation indicated that the man was using a hose to drain a pool down a hill and into a 30-foot-wide canal, where there was a steep decline. The ground was extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain that most likely led to the man falling.

According to the Associated Press, rescue crews have been busy piloting boats and wading through flooded streets to save thousands of Floridians trapped after the hurricane destroyed homes and businesses while leaving millions in the dark.

Sheriff calls man ‘evil’ in animal cruelty case for intentionally starving dogs

Brevard County, Fla.

A Florida man has been arrested for animal cruelty after investigators say he was intentionally starving his two dogs.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office reports Joseph Farkas is facing two counts of felony animal cruelty and two counts of unlawful confinement.

Authorities said the dogs were emaciated and in a state of paralysis when they arrived at Farkas’ home, and the animals required emergency medical treatment.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Farkas was intentionally starving the dogs to death, and investigators called what they saw “disturbing.”

Ivey called Farkas “evil” as investigators said he left a sealed bag of dog food in direct view of the two dogs, contributing to their further suffering and torment. Investigators said the bag wasn’t opened for at least a month.

“What kind of sick, demented, and cruel person does that to a helpless animal,” Ivey said.

Farkas reportedly refused to open the door when authorities came to his home to arrest him. Ivey said he tried to drink liquid detergent to avoid going to jail.

“You [Farkas] deserve to be under the jail, but since the law only allows me to put you in it, that’ll have to do,” Ivey said.

The sheriff said the rescued dogs are recovering thanks to their veterinary team and remain out of Farkas’ care.

“We have zero tolerance for crime and zero tolerance for animal cruelty,” Ivey said.

Police: Remains of missing man found in ‘makeshift tomb’; woman arrested

San Bernardino Calif.

Authorities in California have arrested a woman after investigators made a disturbing discovery at a home late last month.

The San Bernardino Police Department reports officers were called to a property on Aug. 23 after receiving a tip about possible human remains at the residence.

Police said they gathered enough information for a search warrant and found what appeared to be a “makeshift tomb” on the property.

According to the department, investigators found human remains inside the tomb that were identified as Eric Mercado, a person who was reported missing by his family in 2014.

Police said Mercado had previously lived at the property with another person, Trista Spicer. An arrest warrant was issued for Spicer’s arrest after homicide detectives said evidence found her responsible for his death.

On Sept. 2, investigators located and arrested Spicer in the city of Yucaipa. She was booked on the charge of murder.

Best states to live in: Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, report finds

Are you looking for a new place to call home? Many people have relocated during the current pandemic.

But a lot goes into selecting a new place, especially if that location is in another state.

WalletHub compiled a list ranking the best states to live in this year.

The personal finance website compared 50 states based on 52 key indicators of livability. Those categories included the cost of living, job opportunities, education quality and safety.

According to WalletHub, Massachusetts was the No. 1 overall state, closely followed by New Jersey and New York. Idaho and Virginia rounded out the report’s top five.

Adam McCann, a financial writer with WalletHub, shared that Mississippi was ranked the lowest on the report, coming in at No. 50 overall. Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico rounded out the bottom five states.

Some other key findings in the report were Iowa and Nebraska had the lowest housing costs in the country, while California and Hawaii had some of the highest prices.

Maine was found to have the fewest violent crimes per 1,000 residents. New Hampshire had the lowest share of residents living in poverty, while South Dakota was said to have the shortest average commute time.

Man sets state record with catching 10-foot white sturgeon, officials say

Mountain Home, Idaho

Officials in Idaho say a Utah man caught a massive, 10-foot-long white sturgeon at C.J. Strike Reservoir earlier this month.

On Friday, the Idaho Fish and Game shared a picture of the monster catch, congratulating Greg Poulsen, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, for setting a new state record for white sturgeon.

The government agency said Paulsen landed the 10-foot, 4-inch monster sturgeon while fishing on Aug. 5.

According to Idaho Fish and Game, the rare fish swam past the previous record of 119.5 inches, set in 2019 by Rusty Peterson and friends.

State officials said the C.J. Strike Reservoir is in southwestern Idaho and is typically known for abundant crappie and smallmouth bass.

According to the agency, fishing for Idaho’s white sturgeon is allowed strictly on a catch-and-release basis, and they may not be removed from the water while handling.