Five Things We Learned on Patch this Week

: The Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies have to put themselves into a lot of dangerous situations, and some of them involve animals. New training the deputies undergo show them how to be more effective in dealing with animals, so fewer officers and animals get hurt, said Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

: Derryl O’Neal has returned to duty in Madeira Beach, at least for a little while. O'Neal is acting as the interim fire chief for Madeira Beach while the city looks for a replacement for Bill Mallory, according to an article from tbnweekly.com.

:  A 40-year-old veteran firefighter died Wednesday from injuries he suffered Nov. 20, after his Honda motorcycle hit a car leaving a shopping center on Bay Pines Boulevard. James G. Fehl, who is from Seminole, was driving his 1987 Honda west on Bay Pines Boulevard when the motorcycle hit a Pontiac Surefire driven by Shane Ross of Kenneth City.

: Fishermen, take note. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, it will be illegal to harvest tiger sharks and three species of hammerheads from state waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the ban last week during its two-day meeting in Key Largo.

: Detectives say evidence left at the scene of a deadly hit and run that killed an Indian Rocks Beach woman in February links a Palm Harbor woman to the crime. Pinellas Park Police arrested Heather Lynn Mayo, 33, on charges of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death and Driving While Intoxicated.