$2.8 Million Marlin, Goody Goody, Stingray Shuffle

Patch operates 23 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the top stories from the past week:

Florida Man Wins $2.8 Million for 76.5-Pound White Marlin

When the final seconds of the White Marlin Open ticked down Friday night, an angler out of Florida earned more than $2 million and the rights to tell one whopper of a tale.

Deputy Saves Drowning 3-Year-Old at Splash Harbour

An off-duty Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy enjoying an afternoon at a water park Saturday is officially a lifesaver.

Goody Goody Makes Its Return Next Week

Tampa Bay area residents who have been eagerly anticipating Goody Goody’s return don’t have to wait much longer. The Hyde Park eatery has announced plans to begin serving customers early next week.

Bullying: Florida Ranks Among Best Places for Kids, Study Finds

Just in time for most Tampa Bay area school kids to return to class, a new study has come out shedding light on the state of bullying in Florida and across the country. When it comes to the best places in the country for kids to potentially avoid this problem, the Sunshine State scores well.

Aetna Exiting Florida Obamacare Exchanges

Tampa Bay area residents who are insured by Aetna through Florida’s Affordable Health Care Act exchange will find themselves needing to look for a new carrier in 2017. The insurer has announced its intention pull out of most Obamacare exchanges across the country, including Florida, after suffering pretax losses of more than $430 million since January 2014.

NASA Asteroid Recovery Mission Readying for Takeoff

NASA typically shoots for the stars on its out-of-the-world missions, but that won’t exactly be the case in September. When the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft takes off from Cape Canaveral, it will aim for the asteroid Bennu.

Pinky the Flamingo’s Death Prompts Call for Tougher Animal Cruelty Laws

More than 87,000 people are demanding “Justice for Pinky the Flamingo” by asking Florida lawmakers to up the penalties for those convicted in animal cruelty cases.

Pasco County Hiring 911 Call Takers

Tampa Bay area residents who work well under pressure and enjoy helping people may find a job opportunity in Pasco County of interest. The county’s emergency communications department is in need of 19 new 911 call takers.

‘Dolphin Tale’s’ Winter Wants to ‘Make America Cute Again’

There’s a new female candidate in the race for the White House. She’s not exactly experienced in the political arena, but she is capable of swimming circles around the competition.

Watch Out: Stingrays Spotted at Clearwater Beach

It’s that time of year again when beachgoers need to be ready to bust a move by doing the “stingray shuffle.”

Photo used with permission from Goody Goody