Idalia has moved away from Florida, but the storm continues to batter the Carolina coast.
In its wake, there is mass destruction.
The town of Keaton Beach saw the worst of Idalia, though damage can be seen across a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast.
Farther down along the west coast of Florida, heavy flooding and storm surge left many Tampa and St. Petersburg neighborhoods in knee-deep water.
Power outages remain a major issue in north Florida.
At one point, more than a quarter-million customers statewide were without electricity.
A man in Seminole County is recovering from a head injury after coming face-to-face with a bear.
Seminole County Fire Rescue said it happened last night when the man was walking his small dog in his neighborhood near Lake Mary.
He told first responders he thought he was attacked by a bear but investigators later determined that he fell and hit his head on pavement during the encounter.
The man says he heard his dog squeal before disappearing; however, the dog was later found.
The sheriff’s office said a witness saw a bear possibly accompanied by a cub in the neighborhood.
The man is being treated for serious head injuries in the hospital.
For the second time, Brightline is pushing back the debut of its high-speed rail service connecting Orlando to Miami.
All scheduled trips through Sept. 21 are now canceled.
Anyone who bought a ticket will get a refund along with a discount for a future ride.
Brightline said it’s in the final testing stages before rides can begin.
So far the company has not announced a new opening date.
Random Florida Fact
Florida State University football has a lot of odd traditions but this one might be the best.
Located behind the FSU stadium, the Sod Cemetery is a tribute to some of the Seminole’s greatest victories away from home that involves burying pieces of sod from competitors’ turf, replete with tiny coffins and headstones.
The story goes In 1962, during a pep talk at a practice before a matchup against the University of Georgia, athletic board member Dean Coyle Moore challenged players to “bring back some sod from between the hedges at Georgia.”
The team captain took that literally, pulling a handful of grass from the field after the 18-0 victory, and presented it to Moore at the next practice.
A monument was later put in place to commemorate the victory, and the tradition of the Sod Cemetery had begun.
Today, dozens of headstones litter the grass.