News of the Weird: Week of April 17, 2025

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The Continuing Crisis

In December 2022, Mark Lucas, owner of HCS Furniture in Buckinghamshire, England, parked his 6-month-old work van in a stacked car park in central London, the BBC reported. It's still there. In this type of structure, mechanical platforms and lifts are used to stack the cars on top of each other, saving space. When Lucas went to retrieve the electric van, he was told he couldn't because "the stacking system had malfunctioned." He and his co-owner, Steve Davies, rented another van, which they thought would be a temporary fix, but after a couple of years, "we gave the hire van back and took out another loan to buy a second van," Davies said. In January 2024, Lucas was told the garage repairs were unlikely to happen before May 2024, but losses would be recoverable from the responsible party. But the partners can't claim losses until the van is freed. "While we're trying to grow the business, we can't because we have all this," Lucas said.

Recent Alarming Headline

An already difficult day was made even more dreadfully memorable on April 7 in Philadelphia, the Western Standard reported. As pallbearers maneuvered a casket to a graveside service at Green Mountain Cemetery, the plywood platform above the burial hole gave way, sending them sprawling and causing injuries to legs, hands and backs. The son of the deceased was pinned under the casket and briefly lost consciousness, according to the deceased's stepdaughter, Maribel Rodriguez. "It was just a horrible incident that happened in a bad moment," she said. The family is hoping for an apology and possible reimbursement for the chaos.

Overreaction

On April 1, Steven Cusumano, 45, stopped at a kids' lemonade stand in a Clearwater, Florida, neighborhood for a refreshing drink, The Smoking Gun reported. He purchased one glass but "became angry when he was not allowed to refill his cup," police said. Cusumano admitted that he then "grabbed the victim by the wrist aggressively ... telling the victim he would beat her up." The victim's age was not reported. He walked away but was caught soon after the incident. He was charged with felony battery because of his extensive rap sheet and held on $5,000 bond.

The Aristocrats!

Prince Laurent, 61, of Belgium, lost a court battle on April 7 in which he argued that he should receive social security benefits from the government, The Guardian reported. The prince argued that his work entitled him to the same support received by entrepreneurs, and that he was arguing over "principle" rather than money. But he was quick to point out medical costs and his concerns over his family's well-being to the court. However, the court ruled that his duties were more akin to the civil service, which is not covered by social security. Laurent received about $426,000 last year and lives in his home rent-free.

Animal Antics

A reporter from WFLA-TV was embedded in a war zone on April 9 -- not in the Middle East, but in Sarasota, Florida, where he went to report on a couple of fierce hawks. "It's not often you have to go to a story wearing a riot gear helmet and carrying an umbrella on a sunny day for protection," said reporter Jeff Patterson. Even so, a hawk attacked the helmet and left a gash in it. The hawks are nesting outside the business of Odalys Hayes, making it hard for clients to safely park and come inside. "The minute you go in the walkway here, you get attacked," Hayes said. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer called to the scene was attacked, and both Hayes' husband and son have suffered the hawks' wrath. She said her husband was attacked eight times just while taking out the garbage. Unfortunately, the FWC informed her that the hawks are protected. "I can't do anything while the nest is there," she said. One expert recommended moving the nest when the fledglings are gone and putting up noisemakers and shiny objects to keep them from coming back.

News You Can Use

              -- Here's a little factoid you may have missed: There are 96 bags of human waste left on the moon from the Apollo space missions. In an effort to curb any more space contamination, NASA is offering $3 million to anyone who can figure out how to recycle feces and other human waste in space and on the moon, United Press International reported on April 9. The LunaRecycle Challenge technology will be used on long spaceflights and at long-term outposts.

              -- An unnamed man in Chonqing, China, was admitted to a hospital after suffering a persistent cough, Oddity Central reported on April 9. Doctors noted suspicious shadows in his right lung on scans, and a bronchoscopy showed that he had a fungal lung disease. The man admitted that he had developed a habit of smelling his dirty socks when he removed them at the end of the day. Doctors tested some of his worn socks and found the Aspergillus infection that caused the lung disease.

It's Come to This

              -- Part of the "fun" of hiking is the exertion involved, but now the Lingshan Scenic Area in eastern China has made climbing to the top effortless, Oddity Central reported on April 7. The location has installed a series of linked escalators, scheduled to open in May, from the foot of a 1,500-meter-high mountain to the top. What was a two-hour trek will now take just a few minutes, and the views will be accessible to the elderly and those with disabilities.

              -- KFC has introduced a calorie-free (and fluoride-free) way to satisfy your chicken itch: fried-chicken-flavored toothpaste. The New York Post reported on April 9 that the toothpaste's flavor is "inspired by all of KFC's 11 herbs and spices. This toothpaste is irresistible, coating your teeth in flavor before leaving your mouth feeling fresh and clean." KFC partnered with toothpaste manufacturer Hismile to produce the paste for a limited time; it's available only on the Hismile website for $13 -- if it's not sold out. But wait! There's more! You can also snap up the KFC-branded electric toothbrush, which will set you back $59.

Irony

Memphis Allies, a community violence intervention group, was hosting a meeting at its offices on April 9 when shooting broke out, killing 22-year-old Matthew Williams and injuring five others, one critically. Williams' mother said he started participating in Memphis Allies to stay away from the violent streets, FOX13-TV reported. Nearby witnesses described the shooting as a drive-by, but the incident was still under investigation.

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