News of the Weird: March 3, 2022

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Bright Idea

Robin Folsom, 43, the former director of external affairs for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, was indicted on Feb. 10 for faking multiple pregnancies in order to get paid leave from her position, The Washington Post reported. Folsom reported her latest pregnancy to human resources in October 2020 and allegedly gave birth in May 2021. The "father" of the newborn, Bran Otmembebwe, emailed her bosses and said her doctor had called for seven weeks of leave following the birth, which she ordinarily would not have received. Pictures that Folsom shared with co-workers were found to be "inconsistent and depicted children with varying skin tones," the inspector general's report said. Co-workers also noticed that her baby bump seemed to be detached from her body. In addition, "a review of medical and insurance records found no indication that Folsom had ever delivered a child." Folsom resigned after an October 2021 interview with investigators and is due back in court in April.

Going to Extremes

It was sooooo cold in Beijing during the men's 50km cross-country skiing event. How cold was it, you ask? It was so cold (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit) that Finland's Remi Lindholm, who spent an hour and 16 minutes covering the course, suffered some painful frostbite to an unspeakably delicate body part that was not insulated enough by his thin suit and underlayer, The Guardian reported. Yes, that one. He endured a similar setback in Ruka, Finland, last year. Lindholm said he used a heat pack to thaw out the "appendage" after the Feb. 19 race but "the pain was unbearable. ... It was one of the worst competitions I've been in."

Police Report

Former Chadbourn (North Carolina) Police Chief Anthony Spivey, 36, was taken into custody in Conway, South Carolina, on Feb. 24, ending nearly a year of magnificent flouting of the law, WECT-TV reported. It all started in April 2021, when Spivey was charged with more than 70 offenses, mostly related to repeatedly raiding the department's evidence room and stealing narcotics, cash and firearms. In June, he allegedly embezzled $8,000 meant for a family whose son was battling leukemia. North Carolina Wildlife officers contacted the Columbus County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 21 about a boat and truck that belonged to Spivey that were found along the Lumber River. Family members told officers the scene might indicate a suicide, and investigators searched the waters and wooded areas nearby for three days. But as the investigation continued, "it became even more apparent that the scene on the river was staged," they said. He was finally located at his aunt's apartment in Loris, South Carolina. His total bond is set at $1 million.

It's Nice To Have a Hobby

People have discovered all sorts of pastimes during COVID-19 lockdowns, and Tom Quirk, 36, is no exception, as Metro News reported on Feb. 23. Quirk, of the Forest of Dean in the United Kingdom, treated himself to a new Shark vacuum a couple of years ago and quickly realized that he could make great art with it. For example, Quirk made a stunningly realistic portrait of Donald Trump in his living room rug, a frightening likeness of Jack Nicholson from "The Shining" ("Here's Johnny!") and a pretty good image of Slash. "You have to hoover the rug all over in just one direction first so it gives you an all over light image," Quirk said. "Then I remove the hose and add the thin attachment to the end and drag the long fibers the opposite direction to get the shadows of faces. It normally takes about 15 to 20 minutes, which isn't bad considering it took Leonardo da Vinci four years to do the 'Mona Lisa.'"

Questionable Judgments

• Welcome to Texas, where Sarah Stogner, 37, is running for railroad commissioner against Wayne Christian. Christian has amassed a war chest of $766,000, and Stogner is apparently willing to bare all to win the contest, Canoe reported on Feb. 23: "I have other assets," she said. To prove it, Stogner posted a 5-second TikTok video of herself wearing only cowboy boots and hat and straddling an oil pumping jack as "Apache" by the Sugarhill Gang played. Unfortunately for her, the stunt may not have worked: She lost the endorsement of the San Antonio Express-News and rankled some religious conservative supporters. "I knew it would be controversial," Stogner said. "I didn't realize it would incite the rage and anger that it did from the press."
• An unnamed 22-year-old student at Brigham Young University in Utah was busily trying to make 5 pounds of rocket fuel on Feb. 20 in his dorm kitchen when the mixture exploded, People reported. Flames "engulfed the walls and ceiling around the stove, and the intense heat tripped the fire sprinkler system," BYU police said in a statement. Although no one was injured, 22 students were relocated while cleanup and repairs were undertaken. Lt. Jeff Long said the student was trying to re-create something he saw online. "He didn't think this through," Long said. Which is basically a subhead for every article about a college student.

News That Sounds Like a Joke

What you've been waiting for: cologne for your dog. Yes indeed, none other than the queen of England has released Happy Hounds Dog Cologne, a unisex scent for pups that smells of "coastal walks" and features a "rich, musky scent with citrus notes of bergamot," Canoe reported. Dog owners can purchase the pooch perfume at Sandringham House, the monarch's estate in Norfolk, England, for 9.99 English pounds. Queen Elizabeth II, 95, is a big fan of corgis and has had pet dogs since she was 18 years old.

News You Can Use

Toddler Locklan Samples of Roswell, Georgia, looks "like a little rock star" with his nearly white hair that stands straight out from his head, People reported on Feb. 23. But it was only by chance that his mom, Katelyn, discovered what causes Lock's unusual locks: uncombable hair syndrome. After hearing about the syndrome, the Samples visited a specialist at Emory Hospital, who said she's only seen one case in 19 years. But after tests, they confirmed that Lock had the condition, which causes hair to grow with a soft and very breakable texture. Katelyn said she rarely has to wash his hair, because it doesn't get greasy, and she hardly brushes it because it's so fragile. "I just try ... not to mess with it unless I have to. It brings a smile to people's faces," she said.

Credit Where Credit's Due

The Henry County (Virginia) Sheriff's Office has offered kudos to a local resident who helped track down a person they were chasing on Feb. 13, the Martinsville Bulletin reported on Feb. 21. Capt. Scott Barker explained that Deputy David Parnell was trying to arrest a suspect for domestic assault when the suspect fled on foot, and Parnell gave chase. "A goat from the property joined Deputy Parnell," Barker said, and chased the man into the woods. Another deputy on the other side of the woods and the goat then flushed the suspect out of the woods, and Parnell took him into custody. Barker could not say if any official commendation would be offered to the goat.

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