News of the Weird: Week of April 2, 2026

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Creme de la Weird

Professional cornhole player and quadruple amputee Dayton James Webber, 27, was arrested on March 22 in Charlottesville, Virginia, WBRC-TV reported. Earlier that evening, Webber and Bradrick Michael Wells, 27, got into an argument as Webber drove in La Plata, Maryland, witnesses said. Webber allegedly shot and killed Wells, then pulled over and asked his backseat passengers to pull Wells' body from the car. They refused and left the vehicle, then called police. Webber drove on with Wells' body, which was later found in a yard. When detectives found Webber, he was at a Virginia hospital seeking medical care. In Maryland, he's expected to be charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and more. Webber plays in the American Cornhole League, which in 2023 called him a "shining example of our slogan -- anyone can play, anyone can win." [WBRC, 3/23/2026]

Florida

Florida Highway Patrol officers stopped a truck near Plant City, Florida, on March 22 as it drove along a state highway, CBS12-TV reported. The driver, whom officers dubbed Rocket Man, had missiles mounted in the bed of the truck, and multiple other drivers had called it in. However, the missiles turned out to be plastic replicas used for shows and events, and the driver was released with a gentle warning to transport his "artillery" in some other manner. [CBS12, 3/24/2026]

Great Art!

In Mount Gambier, Australia, a large sculpture called Cast in Blue has garnered attention from locals since its installation last year, ABC News reported. Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, of Mount Gambier, Australia, added her own personal touches to the "blue blob" late last year, and on March 24, she pleaded guilty in court to a charge of making graffiti. According to Vanderhorst, she was high on MDMA and had consumed three liters of vodka before placing googly eyes on the sculpture. She said she wanted to make it look funny but admitted it was "one of the stupidest things I've ever done." She was ordered to pay $2,000 in compensation and complete 60 hours of community service. "Your actions mocked the sculpture and the artist," said Magistrate Kylie Schulz. [ABC News, 3/24/2026]

The Continuing Crisis

The Texas Department of Transportation has cut off the small town of Bug Tussle (population 15), United Press International reported on March 23. More than 70 Bug Tussle road signs have been stolen over the years, and the DOT announced it won't supply the burg with any more. "People just like the name Bug Tussle, and they steal the signs," explained resident Deborah Stout. [UPI, 3/23/2026]

It's a Mystery

Residents of three towns in New Jersey -- Edgewater, Fort Lee and Cliffside Park -- are suffering from a mysterious blast of loud late-night music, Fox News reported on March 25. The towns lie across the Hudson River from Harlem, which seems to be the source of the noise, the Edgewater police department said. While many believe a nightclub is to blame, the Edgewater mayor thinks party boats on the river might be the culprits. Some residents say the music sounds like it's in their own backyards; they described it as a thumping or vibrating that lasts from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the weekends. Until the source can be identified, however, Jerseyites are stuck movin' to the groovin'. [Fox News, 3/25/2026]

Saw That Coming

Well, it's official: CNBC reported on March 26 that AI has taken over the internet. A report released by cybersecurity firm Human Security detailed the incursion of bots in our lives: Automated traffic grew eight times faster than human traffic in 2025. "The State of AI Traffic" also concluded that AI that performs autonomously grew almost 8,000% last year. But Stu Solomon, CEO of Human Security, reminded readers that not all AI systems are malicious. "This notion of machine bad, human good is just not realistic," he said. "You have to live in a world where machines are acting on our behalf, and we have to establish a level of trust that's persistent over time." [CNBC, 3/26/2026]

Unique Tradition

Hundreds of people swarm to Annapolis, Maryland, each year for the Annapolis Oyster Roast & Sock Burning festival, NPR reported. This year's event on March 21 said goodbye to one of the coldest winters on Chesapeake Bay. Kelly Swartout of the local maritime museum said the event started in 1977, when "a local sailor got so fed up with the cold weather that he decided he was going to take his socks off and burn them." Festival attendee Scot Labin said he brought a sock with a hole in it and the "Egyptian cotton socks that your mom got you," because no one wears dress socks anymore. It's "a good party," he said. [NPR, 3/26/2026]

News You Can Use

If you're looking for an eye-catching ornament for your front yard, perhaps consider Tyra, the 86-foot-tall, 145,000-pound T. rex that currently graces the town of Drumheller near Calgary, Canada. Popular Science reported on March 24 that the fiberglass and steel dino will be evicted from its home in 2029, so officials from the Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology aren't wasting any time. They've had Tyra structurally assessed and declared her "safe, stable and ready to welcome visitors." The original plan was for her to be dismantled when her time is up, but the chamber is looking into "long-term options for the dinosaur." [Popular Science, 3/24/2026]

Weird Science

Applications are now open for the first-ever Sperm Racing World Cup, LAD Bible reported on March 13. While a date has not been set for the competition, organizers expect specimens from men from 128 countries around the world to race around a tiny track, all in the hopes of winning the $100,000 prize. Eric Zhu, Nick Small, Shane Fan and Garret Niconienko claim to have a higher motivation than getting attention. "Sperm racing isn't just a joke," they said. "Male fertility is declining. ... Nobody's really talking about it. And sperm motility -- how fast your sperm moves -- turns out to be a massive factor in fertility." Applicants must be 18 or older, free of STDs and be available to participate in qualifying rounds and tournaments. Good luck! [LAD Bible, 3/13/2026]

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