Your weekend must reads🗞️

In Florida, it's time to go hunt giant snakes. More couples are having to navigate the bitter divide of politics. And actor Matt Damon remembers his pal Robin Williams, who died ten years ago Sunday.

👋 Good morning, Short List fam! John Riley here, ready for the weekend. What better way to start than with some great reads from USA TODAY?

But first: Time for school. 🏫 Do you hear that? It’s the sound of millions of kids groaning. Problem Solved has tips for your back-to-school shopping .

Florida unleashes its annual Python purge

Burmese pythons, non-native to Florida, have a negative impact on native wildlife in the Everglades habitat, as they prey on birds, mammals, and other reptiles. Enter the Florida Python Challenge, a 10-day competition created by state wildlife agencies, in which participants have nine days to kill as many of the snakes as possible. Here's everything you need to know about the event. 🐍

She's a Democrat, he's a Republican. Can love conquer all?

Samantha and Andy Miller are a St. Louis couple who caught each other's attention at a casino toward the end of 2009. "It was just one of those things where we met and it was instant, and we were inseparable ever since," Samantha, 37, says. They eventually married and welcomed two kids. Perfect. Except for one thing: She's a Democrat. He's a Republican. Here's how they make it work. 💕

A 'deep, deep river': Matt Damon remembers Robin Williams

Sunday marks ten years since the passing of comedy legend Robin Williams, who took his own life , unwilling to contend with the debilitating impact of Lewy body dementia. He was 63. Williams left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him, says actor Matt Damon. "Robin, wow," Damon says softly while promoting "The Instigators," his new Apple TV+ heist movie co-starring Casey Affleck and Hong Chau. "He was a very deep, deep river." 🕊️

Keep scrolling: There are more great stories below. As always, thanks for reading!

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Your weekend must reads🗞️