Offbeat News for Monday, May 28th

Posted on May 28, 2018May 24, 2018 by Rick Watts

A very disgruntled kid is thanking cops at a Texas police department for pulling over his/her mom. The Fulshear Police Department shared the letter they received from the child who felt it was pay back. The kid writes, “Thank you for pulling my mom over because she deserved it because she took my phone away and I did not like it. And how she always brags about how good of a driver she is. And it just annoys me. And how that one time she got pulled over because she did not have a ezsticker on her window and when she came home and told me that I just laughed. And I also remember that time when one of my mom’s back lights weren’t working and she got pulled over.” The police department had a good laugh tweeting, “Love the (sometimes brutal) honesty of Elementary students.”

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When investigators responded to a call in Boulder Creek, Colorado of “skeletal remains” being found they weren’t quite sure what to expect. It could’ve been anything- perhaps an animal, at worse human remains, but what they discovered was plastic. Turns out they didn’t have a crime scene on their hands after all, the remains were simply a Halloween prop. Just to be on the safe side, the Boulder Fire Rescue ended up fishing the plastic skeleton out.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Cops from Broward Sheriff’s Office have arrested their very own deputy who shoplifted from a local Walmart in full uniform. Deputy Henry Guzman, a 13-year veteran of the department had stolen DVDs and “Star Wars” action figures from the store totaling up to $200. Investigators say he did this over the course of three days all while he was still wearing his uniform. Before being taken into custody Guzman had reported to Broward Sheriff’s Office’s internal affairs. He’s charged with three misdemeanor counts of petty theft and has since been bonded out of jail. Guzman has also been suspended with pay and is expected to be suspended without pay when the State Attorney’s office officially files charges.

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A junior firefighter in Pennsylvania has confessed to intentionally setting a vacant duplex on fire so he could respond to a call. Authorities say Patrick Gillis, a senior at Highlands High School and junior firefighter at Highlands Hose Company had been spotted by a witness shortly before the fire started at the duplex. He looked nervous and was fidgeting, but then left. The witness says the same man seen at the home before the fire had been among the firefighters at the scene. Gillis told authorities he had moved out of the duplex, but was meeting a someone there that afternoon. He says that person never showed and he left after about five minutes. He then got the call to respond to the fire. After being taken in for further questioning he admitted to purposely setting the fire so he could respond to the call. He’s been charged with arson, causing a catastrophe, and intentionally destroying an unoccupied structure. He’s held in jail in lieu of $25,000 bond. He has a preliminary hearing set for May 30th.

Offbeat News for Friday, May 25th

Posted on May 25, 2018May 24, 2018 by Rick Watts

What are the odds that seven firefighters at the same department become fathers within months of each other? At Glenpool Fire Department in Oklahoma…you don’t want to take that bet. In just one year, seven out of the department’s 20 firefighters have welcomed babies…and they’re all one big happy family.

“This is our normal — this is our fire family,” says one of the firefighters’ wives Sarah Hutchinson. All seven fathers and their babies lined up for a group photo at the station. The pack waited until the last baby to be born just four weeks ago to take the photo. Of the clan are five girls and two boys, the oldest being 15-months.

Hutchison notes that the families also happen to be really good friends. “Glenpool is not the biggest town; we only have one fire station. I couldn’t survive without the other fire wives,” she says. Firefighter Mick Whitney explains all the families hang out and go fishing. “We all just happen to have kids right under a year. It’s a pretty neat deal.”

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A baby girl is one of a handful of people with a super rare condition that causes her hair to stick up, much like Albert Einstein. The condition is literally called Uncombable Hair Syndrome (UHS) and no matter what Taylor McGowan’s parents do, they can’t seem to keep her bright white hair to stop sticking up.

“At first we thought we would just put a bit of water and comb it down, but it pops back up,” says her mother Cara. “I didn’t want to put a bunch of chemicals on her hair and I had read that aloe vera gel would act like hair gel. We tried that several times to no avail.”

In all, they have tried as many as 15 different products – and nothing has worked. According to Professor Regina Betz at the University of Bonn in Germany, the condition is caused by a mutation in the hair follicle’s structure, which causes the hair to be frizzy.

Taylor’s family has fully embraced her uniqueness and even nicknamed her “Einstein 2.0.” One time they dressed her up as the scientist for Halloween.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Maine police have arrested three men trying to steal a 25-foot shed by dragging it with a pickup truck. After receiving the call, police were able to catch up with the men, who weren’t even using any kind of trailer to pull the shed, plus they were blocking up half the road. Turns out Mathew Thompson, Timothy James and Robert Breton had stolen the shed from a foreclosed property. They’re being charged with unauthorized taking and more charges are expected to be added. One of the suspects also had crystal meth and prescription drugs that were not prescribed to him. They’re being held on $5,000 bail each.

Offbeat News for Thursday, May 24th

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

A local Missouri prankster has graduated from Missouri State University, except he was never even enrolled there. In fact, he flunked out of college himself. Once comedian Jaron Myers, learned all you needed was a piece of paper with your name on it to walk at graduation, he decided to give it a shot by sneaking into the college’s graduation.

Myers explains that he went down to the bookstore on the day of the graduation and bought himself a $38 cap and gown. He then went over to JQH Arena where the ceremony was being held and blended in with the real students. “I thought for sure that this was when I was going to get caught,” Myers said. “All of the sudden, I was in line. I just kept walking and suddenly on the floor.”

He did face one minor issue when he realized that all of the students had been carrying card stock papers with their names on them. Myers’ was written on printer paper. But that didn’t seem to matter to the announcer reading names who didn’t skip a beat when they read out his name, “Jaron Kyler Myers.” He walked across the stage, just like the rest of the students, shook hands with MSU President Clif Smart, and received a diploma holder.

He later tweeted a pic of his “graduation” writing, “I dropped out of college 4 years ago but today I bought a cap and gown for $38 and snuck into the line of a college I have never been enrolled in. Hope my mom is proud.” And she was – the comedian’s mom reportedly texted her son to tell him how proud she was of his prank.

And get this – MSU isn’t even mad about the prank. Suzanne Shaw, vice president of marketing and communications at the university feels the joke was on him. “He had to sit there for two hours for graduation, so I don’t know who the real winner was here,” Shaw says. “We were happy we were his college of choice to ‘graduate’ from.”

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Residents of Lake Worth, Florida thought “The Walking Dead” came to life over the weekend – when a power outage was accompanied by an emergency alert …warning of zombies. The false alarm was sent out on Sunday warning of a “power outage and zombie alert for residents of Lake Worth and Terminus.” As “Walking Dead” fans know, Terminus is the fictional city on the show.

“There are now far less than seven-thousand-three-hundred-eighty customers involved due to extreme zombie activity,” the notice offered. “Restoration time uncertain.” Officials have been looking into what appears to be a prank and so far they’ve ruled out an employee or former employee as the suspect. It was most likely a system hack.

Ben Kerr communications specialist for Lake Worth says, “I want to reiterate that Lake Worth does not have any zombie activity currently and apologize for the system message.” And by the way? While 7,880 customers were affected by the power outage, electricity was restored in 27-minutes.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

A Louisiana woman has been arrested after she faked finding a razor blade in her sandwich from a fast-food restaurant. Correill Bradley had originally told staff at Mercy Regional Medical Center that the injury in her mouth came after she’d eaten the razor found in her sandwich bought at the drive-thru. However, when police asked her to file a report, she was hesitant, saying she didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Eventually she complied, but cops began to think her wounds were self-inflicted. After some sleuthing they found out that Bradley had actually faked the whole thing. She was even caught on security footage stealing a fresh pack of razor blades “minutes before purchasing the sandwich.” On top of it, she’d filed a claim with the restaurants insurance and was already seeking a personal injury attorney. Cops determined the restaurant wasn’t at fault and Bradley is now facing criminal charges.

Cops in St. Augustine, Florida were involved in a four hour stand-off with a man who went crazy at a local Wendy’s and ended up in just his underwear on the restaurants roof. Witnesses say the man, who’s now been identified as Timothy Weber, had gotten into an argument with someone inside the restaurant. That’s when he started getting out of control, climbed up on to Wendy’s roof, and yelled at people passing by. Cops got involved and even tweeted out to residents to avoid the area. Wendy’s closed during this time. About four hours later, a rescue team was able to get the man down, but not without a fight. According to police, Weber threatened recuers with a block of wood and smashed several lights on the roof. Weber was seen climbing down a ladder in just his underwear, but it’s unclear if he’d originally climbed the roof that way. He’s been arrested and charged with assault on an officer or firefighter and criminal mischief.

Offbeat News for Monday, May 21st

Posted on May 21, 2018May 18, 2018 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

If you’re looking to travel to outer space you’re in luck because an offer is on the table. However there is an awfully large price to pay, but some extras are included.

Condominium owner, Daniel Neiditch is selling his $85-million pad on the 45th floor of the New York City Atelier building- home to some of the most famous celebs. With an astronomical price tag like that the apartment better come with something, which is why the owner is offering two seats for a trip to outer space with the purchase.

The 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom apartment comes with some other perks too. The owner is also giving the buyer two Rolls Royce Phantoms, a Lamborghini, courtside seats to a Brooklyn Nets game for a year, a summer mansion in the Hamptons, a $1-million yacht with docking fees for five years, a live-in butler and private chef. If that wasn’t enough, the complex also comes with a fitness center, swimming pool and basketball courts.

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A group of young squirrels are recovering after getting their tails tied together. The six eight-week-old squirrels got themselves tangled up when their tails became covered in sap from a tree. After wrestling around in their nest for a bit the tails got knotted together. Resident Craig Luttman noticed the squirrels’ struggle and describes it as “kind of like a tug of war, going in completely opposite directions.” He called Nebraska Wildlife Rehab who were able to untangle them and remove the sap after giving them a mild painkiller to help with the pain. Director Laura Stastny says some of the squirrels suffered some injuries to their tails, but all six will be released back into the wild in just a few short weeks.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

The owners at Mugshots.com are facing criminal charges of extortion and laundering for charging people fees to have their mugs removed. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is upset about the website’s “de-publishing fee” (which they’re charging people to remove mugshots from the site). “This pay-for-removal scheme attempts to profit off of someone else’s humiliation,” Becerra says. “Those who can’t afford to pay into this scheme to have their information removed pay the price when they look for a job, housing, or try to build relationships with others. This is exploitation, plain and simple.” Becerra argues that some of the victims were never charged with a crime. Others have asked to have their mugs removed, only to be told no. His office alleges the website brought in at least $64,000 in removal fees from 175 people in California. David Ferucci, attorney for site argues the photos are a matter of public record.

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Police in Florida were able to nab their fleeing suspect when his pants fell all the way down to his ankles. Tobias Smith tried to evade cops during an attempted traffic stop and ended up leading them on a chase around town. He seemingly crashed into everything; another car, a power pole, a fence and a barber shop. He then abandoned his vehicle and began to run on foot…until his pants fell to the ground, which gave police just enough time to arrest him. Tobias has been charged with leaving the scene of a crash, fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, and resisting arrest. The barbershop suffered $3-thousand in damages.

Offbeat News for Tuesday, May 8th

Posted on May 8, 2018May 7, 2018 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS

A man in Wisconsin has broken his second Guinness World Record for eating his 30-thousandth McDonald’s Big Mac. Don Gorske has held the record since 2016 and has continued to hang on to it by consuming two of the burgers per day – something he’s been doing since 1972.

Gorske says the reason he’s eaten so many is because he simply just loves Big Macs. He’s known that they were his favorite food since day one on May 17, 1972 when he did in three Big Macs from his car. He was recognized in 2016 for the achievement after eating 28,788 Big Macs.

Gorske notes that despite eating his favorite food every single day, he remains in relatively good shape. He thanks his wife, a nurse practitioner for keeping an eye on him and says his cholesterol and blood pressure are at bay. And by the way, Big Macs aren’t the only food on his menu. Gorske says his wife gets him to eat yogurt parfaits for nutritional reasons.

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A couple in the UK is in shock after receiving a letter from a neighbor who claims to have seen them naked “one too many times.” Karin and Jay Stone say their neighbor left them a note, commenting on the size of their parts and asking them to shut their blinds, or else.

The note reads: “Would you please close your blinds when getting dressed or undressing?”“We will report you both for indecent exposure. Your neighbors.”

Karin and Jay were pretty taken aback by the note and they feel like they’ve actually got a peeping Tom on their hands. “I don’t understand it, it’s not like we’ve been parading around naked – just living a normal life,” says Karin. “It does feel really creepy – I feel like somebody has been peeping. I’m considering putting a note over both my windows saying ‘stop looking!’”

Despite feeling threatened, the couple is trying to make light of the note. Karin has since posted it on Facebook where it’s garnered 15,000 comments. Some have suggested the couple perform a “choreographed naked dance.” Karin says, “We had quite a laugh about it.”

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Want some royal cake…and maybe eat it, too? Five slices of cake from the top royal weddings of the last 50 years are going under the hammer this summer. Among them are:

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s fruitcake from their April 29, 2011 nuptials, which is expected to go for $680.

A slice from Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s July 29, 1981 cake will also be available. That onecomes with a white box with silver print and is estimated to go for a little over $1,000.

Prince Charles and Camilla’s 2005 wedding cake will also be in the mix as well as Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s cake from 1986. Both are set to go for $680, as well.

Princess Anne and Captain Mark Philips wedding cake will also be on the block.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Police in Ohio have arrested a man who broke into someone’s home and fell asleep on their couch.The stranger had reportedly broken into a Rittman resident’s home through an unlocked window overnight, helped himself to left over Easter candy and then took a snooze on their couch. A male in the home called 911 at 6am to report that “some random guy” wouldn’t wake up. The operator heard the man yelling at the intruder to “get out of here,” but he didn’t leave. Police ended up arresting the guy nearby where they found prescription meds and two knives on him. He’s being charged with aggravated burglary.

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A shoplifter has been arrested in Florida for stealing“Dragon Ball Z” action figures. According to police, Phillip Warr had been carrying a bright pink bag that included nine of the dolls from a Target when he was arrested. They say he’d used the self checkout to purchase the pink bag along with a few other small items, but didn’t pay for the action figures and stuffed them in the bag. All nine dolls cost around eight dollars each.

Offbeat News for Friday, May 4th

Posted on May 4, 2018May 3, 2018 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

You know the saying, “when ya gotta go, ya gotta go.” Turns out, that’s not the case if you’re an Alaskan wood frog – then you hold it in until winter is over. A new study shows that the frogs go around eight months without peeing and surprisingly, its actually what keeps them alive during the winter.

The wood frogs freeze over completely during the winter. “Their eyes are white. Their skin is frosty. They’re like little rocks. They’re frozen,” says Jon Costanzo, the study’s co-author. Some frogs get as cold as zero degrees in the winter, but thanks to a bacteria in the frog’s gut the critters are able to stay alive. The bacteria recycles urea, which is the main waste in pee, and uses it to protect the frogs’ cells and tissues – kind of like antifreeze.

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You can now make like Buzz Lightyear and head out to infinity and beyond on the new “Toy Story” themed airplane. The craft is operated by China Eastern Airlines and has already taken its first flight over the weekend from Shanghai to Beijing. The new plane is in collaboration with China Eastern Airlines and the Shanghai Disney Resort.

The plane’s exterior is fitted with a giant image of Buzz Lightyear soaring through the sky. The colorful interior allows passengers to sit with some of their favorite characters from “Toy Story” including Woody, Jessie and Mr. Potato Head. Themed headphones, food and drink are also available in flight. This isn’t the first Disney aircraft of its kind. China Eastern Airlines has two other aircraft adorned with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

So far, the “Toy Story” plane only travels between Beijing and Shanghai – where the Shanghai Disney Resort also features a “Toy Story” hotel. The airline hopes to expand service to other cities in the future.

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Philly’s annual Naked Bike Ride is about to get a lot more interesting when it debuts Philly Bodypainting Day for its 10thanniversary. Nude riders can gear up for their ride with helmets, knee pads and have their body painted. Philly Bodypainting Day is all part of an effort to promote body positivity through the nonprofit organization Human Connection Arts. Painting will be provided by Bodypaint.Me. Philly’s Naked Bike Ride advocates for bike safety and protests dependence on fossil fuels all while promoting a positive body image. Nearly 3,000 naked cyclists are expected to attend.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Police have been able to nab a shoplifting suspect using a piece of Play-Doh. Police had responded to a call at a Massachusetts Walmart on December 11th when employees found their anti-theft devices covered in Play-Doh. This had been an attempt by the suspect to neutralize the devices. And while the suspect managed to get away, his finger prints were left behind in the Play-Doh. Police have since arrested Dennis Jackson and charged him with unlawful removal of an anti-theft device. Not surprisingly, cops say Jackson has a long criminal history with warrants in two other states.

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A man in Vermont has been arrested for shooting the smoke detector in his apartment. Police say Leroy Mason shot twice at his smoke detector to silence it, but bullets ended up hitting his neighbors adjoining wall. Mason has reportedly complained to fire marshals that his smoke detector is faulty, but they wouldn’t relocate it so he “took it upon himself to relocate the smoke detector, and shot it with the shotgun.” Authorities went to disarm Mason of his shotgun, but he pointed another handgun at them demanding it back. They were eventually able to disarm Mason who was then arrested. He’s since pleaded not guilty and has been released from jail. No injuries were reported.

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Last year, Markiko Sonnie Lewis of Cleveland was sentenced to 30 months in prison for robbing a local Key Bank. Now, just one day after his release, Lewis allegedly robbed the same bank he was originally in the slammer for. This time he’d taken $1,000. He’s been arrested and jailed again.

Offbeat News for Thursday, May 3rd

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

A 7-Eleven in California is using a new method to get rid of loiterers by cranking classical music. Store-owner Sukhi Sandhu says its all part of a new non-confrontational method to reduce loitering and panhandling outside of shops encouraged by a corporate program.

The music is blasted out onto speakers that store clerks have complete control over. It’s believed this is a good way of eliminating risks involved with asking panhandlers to leave. “Once the music started, the riffraff left,” said Manuel Souza, a homeless man who jokes that he’s part of the riffraff. He notes that the loud classical music makes it difficult “to hang out and gossip and joke around” outside the store.

Some stores have also implemented a device that makes a high-pitched screech which sounds like a mosquito buzzing in your ear. The device can be turned on and off as needed, but Sandhu thinks the classical music is much more effective. Sandhu notes that he’s received positive feedback from customers who feel much safer since he started playing the music.

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A Michigan Catholic school has made headlines after news of its “modesty poncho” for prom went viral. Officials from Divine Child High School in Dearborn put the “modesty poncho” on display in a hallway to remind students to dress appropriately to prom or they’ll be handed one of the pink oversized ponchos to cover up.

A note attached to the poncho read, “If your dress does not meet our formal dance dress requirements- no problem! We’ve got you covered – literally.” However, officials from the school are now speaking out saying its not to be taken seriously.

“Our intention with displaying the poncho was never to make students feel uncomfortable, but to remind all students and parents of our formal Prom dress policy, which has not changed for several years,” principal Eric Haley wrote in a statement. “To be clear: The poncho will not be passed out at Prom. It was on display to proactively remind students of our dress code policies and eliminate any confusion prior to this special event.”

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A postcard written by Jack The Ripper has sold at auction for nearly $30,000. The Grand Auctions of Folkstone in Kent, England sold the postcard believed to have been sent to police by Jack The Ripper dated October 29th, 1888 – just 11 days before he killed his alleged last victim Mary Kelly. The postcard reads, “Beware there is two women I want here and I mean to have them my knife is still in good order it is a students knife and I hope you liked the kidney. I am Jack the Ripper.” Before it was sold, the postcard had been kept in police files and given to a retiring police constable in 1966. His widow brought the postcard to auction where it was intended to sell between $816- $1,224. It ended up selling for more than $29-grand. Jonathan Riley of Grand Auctions notes that the auction proves “how much interest in the Ripper there still is.”

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

A man in Illinois who’d been jailed for impersonating a police officer is in hot water once again after joining an alleged fake police department. Robert Ellis had originally been arrested after showing cops a false Pembroke Township police badge and ID when he’d been pulled over. The officer had called on it and found out that there was no police station in Pembroke. Now after being released from jail, Ellis has reportedly joined another police department in Kankakee, which his attorney La Coulton Walls says is completely legit. The attorney says that the state law allowed the township to create its own police department. However, prosecutors in Cook County believe Ellis along with the other individuals trying to “become cops” are crooks. Ellis remains at home in Chicago on electronic monitoring until both sides duke it out in court May 9th.

Offbeat News: An Army of Chickens, Stupid Criminals & More

Posted on April 19, 2018April 19, 2018 by Rick Watts

China has announced plans to unleash an army of chickens to combat its locust problem this summer. The northern region of Shin-jang is gearing up for what’s expected to be its worst summer yet with the critters given their warmer winter.

You see, locusts typically feed off of crops and other vegetation. According to Yang Zong, an official with the local animal husbandry bureau, around 2,200 chickens are preparing for feeding time. About 2.8-million acres of grassland are expected to get hit with the locusts.

Yang points out that “use of pesticides pollutes the environment,” therefore they’re using the chickens. Herdsmen have been given the birds ahead of the outbreak so they can adapt to the environment. One chicken is reportedly able to eat at least 600 locusts in a day, but they won’t do it alone. The nation is bringing in the reinforcements, aka ducks and other birds, to help the chickens out.

The down side? The chickens will only be able to guard one percent of the grasslands that need protection.

A woman who’d just traveled from Serbia to Moscow had reached for her bags on the luggage carousel when she accidentally fell on it. The woman had reportedly lost her balance in an attempt to grab her dog carrier off the belt and was “swept away” into the luggage room. Adding insult to injury, the airport has fined her for the accident after damaging the airport’s freight transportation system. She’ll be billed at the max 1,500 rubles, which is the equivalent of $24.

The Chinese cities of Chongqing and Hunan have recently installed facial recognition technology inside their public bathrooms as part of their “toilet revolution.” The technology will be used to sense how much toilet paper will dispense in hopes of cutting back on waste and “theft of paper.” There will also be sensors inside toilet cubicles to alert an attendant if someone has been using the loo for more than 10 minutes. The attendant will be sent in to check on the person to see if they’re okay. Another button inside the stall can be pressed to alert if there is ever an emergency. Not surprisingly, the bathrooms are also equipped with WiFi and cell phone chargers.

STUPID CRIMINALS

A man in Birmingham, Alabama must have one strong smoking addiction… considering he’s been charged twice with stealing cigarettes. Joshua Magaul Sanders has been arrested after he smashed into the front door of two gas stations and stole cartons of cigarettes. Thing is, he was arrested back in 2015 for doing the same exact thing at an Exxon station and several other stores. His most recent escapades have happened between January and March. Sanders broke into multiple gas stations and put several cartons of cigarettes in a bag before fleeing. Police were able to identify him based on security cam footage. Once caught, Sanders said, “You caught me, I’m the cigarette bandit” and further admitted to his crimes. He’s been charged with two counts of third-degree burglary.
A drunk man in Florida had been hospitalized for falling off his bike and has now been arrested after hitting another man at the hospital with a folding chair. Jimmy McCray was being treated at Bayfront Health when he “jumped out of bed and approached his girlfriend in (the) emergency room.” Staff had asked him to return to his bed, but he got angry, picked up a metal folding chair and started swinging it around, hitting another man in the leg. Security was able to restrain him and strapped him into a hospital bed. He faces a charge of battery. The man hit by the chair only suffered minor injuries to his elbows after helping restrain McCray.

Offbeat News: A Puppy Gets a Tummy Tuck & More

Posted on April 5, 2018April 5, 2018 by Rick Watts

“Puppy Tuck”

An overweight pup in Britain is set to undergo a “tummy tuck” surgery to get rid of all the loose skin happening because of her weight loss following being rescued. Hattie, affectionately known as “Hattie The Fattie” as some have nicknamed the collie was fed a diet of straight burgers before she was rescued by the RSPCA. She weighs in at 88 pounds and staff at the center say she looked more like a pot bellied pig than a dog when she was first brought in.

Staffers have put Hattie on a special diet since she’s been rescued and she’s lost around nine pounds, but they’ve started a fundraiser to help Hattie receive tummy tuck surgery to remove excess skin after weight loss.

“I just knew we had to try and help her,” says RSPCA worker Ruth Rickard. “I take her home with me at night so I can administer her insulin injections, which she tolerates very well. As the weight has started to come off we have found that she is very spirited and extremely loving, despite the fact we put her on a diet.”

“The Walking Fed”

Ohio police have been investigating reports of “zombie” raccoons. Residents in the Youngstown area have called police saying they’ve spotted raccoons in their yards during the day acting strangely. Raccoons are nocturnal and are usually only spotted at night. Robert Coggeshall spotted one in his yard while playing with his dogs.

“He would stand up on his hind legs, which I’ve never seen a raccoon do before, and he would show his teeth and then he would fall over backward and go into almost a comatose condition,” Robert explained.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says its not rabies, but a disease called distemper, which causes the symptons Coggeshall mentioned. They say the disease will stay local and eventually die off among the population.

“Lost and Found”

A samurai sword used to make wine was found among debris after the California fires. The Paradise Ridge Winery had kept the sword that belonged to samurai and winery owner Kanaye Nagasawa in the 1800’s. The fires burned the facility down, but after debris removal last month, the sword was recovered. Rene Byck, co-owner of the winery says it’s the “best news ever” and wants to rebuild an exhibition with the sword.

Offbeat News: Border Collie Patrol, Stupid Criminals & More

Posted on April 4, 2018April 4, 2018 by Rick Watts

“Same Day Surprise”

Twin brothers Joshua and Justin Thorington were both in the hospital last week on the same day, for the same reason. Both of their wives were giving birth. First Joshua’s wife, Denise, gave birth to baby Jack and an hour later, Justin’s wife Alex arrived at the hospital… as she was in labor. Alex soon gave birth to baby Lucy. The couples had joked about it happening, but never thought it would come to fruition.

“At first it didn’t really hit me how unique this was, (maybe because I’m a twin),” said Justin. “But the more I think about it the more I realize how special it is.”

“Where the Dinosaurs Roam”

The world’s largest dinosaur footprints have been discovered on the Isle of Skye. The dinos are said to have roamed 170-million years ago. Dr. Steve Brusatte said based on the footprints found, “The sauropods were more than 49-feet-long and weighed more than 10-tons.”

They were also most likely wading in shallow water at the time the footprints were made. Scientists have found dozens more of the footprints nearby.

“Border Collie Patrol”

Yeager Airport in West Virginia is solving its biggest runway problem with the help of Hercules, an 18-month-old border collie. The airport has hired the dog to chase away birds and other animals that linger on the runway. Assistant director at Yeager, Nick Keller believes that once trained, Hercules will be able to reduce deadly animal collisions with planes. The staff will also be trained on how to work with the border collie as if he just a regular human colleague. He’s even getting a reflective vest, safety glasses and ear protection just like everyone else.

STUPID CRIMINALS

A Kansas woman called police when she returned home to find her door chained from the inside. She believed someone had broke into her house, but police never found anyone. Two-hours later her ex-boyfriends legs broke through the ceiling. Apparently, he’d been hiding in the attic. The good news? Her current boo was with her at the time and pulled Tyler Bergkamp the rest of the way through the ceiling. And while they did get into a fight, it’s Bergkamp who’s been arrested on aggravated burglary, stalking, criminal damage to property, criminal theft and possession of methamphetamine.
A woman in Alabama is arrested after setting fire to a ham that caused an explosion. Beverly Harrison’s family brought her the ham to the Bomar Inn where she resides, but Harrison refused to eat it. When they left she set fire to the package and through it in a garbage can. When smoke filled her room, Harrison fled the scene with her dog. According to police, the fire caused a can of butane fuel to explode. If Harrison is convicted of felony arson, she faces up to life in jail.

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