News of the Weird newspapers illustration
'Tis the Season
Leavenworth, Washington, has become a tourist destination because of the Bavarian theme businesses have adopted there, NPR reported. One shop, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, houses the world's largest nutcracker collection, thanks to 101-year-old Arlene Wagner. Wagner started the collection in 1976, and soon after, she and her husband were going to estate sales and auctions in the U.S. and Europe to find rare examples. Once they'd collected 7,000, Wagner said, "It was time to share it with people," and they opened the museum. The oldest nutcracker she has is a bronze device made between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D. Now, Wagner is training a new "Nutcracker Lady," Michelle McMullen.
The Aristocrats
On Dec. 7, The Washington Post reported, a drone flew over the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina, and dropped the ingredients of a swishy holiday dinner: steak, crab legs (along with a small container of Old Bay seasoning), two bags of marijuana and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. The contraband was picked up by law enforcement before reaching its intended recipients, the South Carolina Department of Corrections said. Spokesperson Chrysti Shain said the prison receives "nightly attacks" of drones trying to drop drugs into the prison yard, "but this was a bit unusual, even for us. I'm guessing the inmates who were expecting this package are a bit crabby."
Truth Is Stranger Than Netflix
When law enforcement questioned Calvin Johnson, 36, about the stolen BMW he had just crashed in Ormond Beach, Florida, they got an earful, The Smoking Gun reported. Investigators say Johnson took the car on Dec. 8 and drove it at speeds exceeding 100 mph before the crash, but Johnson had a different explanation. He said he was "teleported into the vehicle" and told officers, "You saved me from the aliens." He was charged with grand theft auto and driving on a suspended license.
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"Bright" Idea
Officers stopped a speeding car on Dec. 5 in Door County, Wisconsin, WBAY-TV reported. The sheriff's office said the car was also missing a front headlight on the driver's side, but no worries: A handheld flashlight had been jerry-rigged in the spot where the headlight should have been. "A flashlight is not a safe or legal replacement for proper headlights," authorities said.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
No one was seriously injured on Dec. 8 in Brevard County, Florida, when a small plane crashed into a moving 2023 Toyota Camry on I-95 around 5:45 p.m., Spectrum News 13 reported. The 27-year-old pilot was attempting an emergency landing, Lt. Tara Crescenzi said. He and his passenger remained at the scene. The 57-year-old driver of the car was taken to the hospital. Jim Coffey and his son, Peter, were in the car behind the Camry; Peter said, "I thought it might maybe aim around and not hit the car, but bam, the wheel just smacked right dab on the back of the car."
Animal Antics
Andrew Mackay, a politician in Sydney, Australia, was surprised in early December when he checked in on his dogs via a pet-cam, CBS News reported on Dec. 10. His dog Thunder nuzzled open a sliding glass door to get outside, but a couple of typically outdoor animals took advantage. A steer named Sue and a horse named Cricket soon appeared on the camera. "Over the next hour and a half," Mackay said, "they took turns playing inside, knocking things off cabinets. The fish tank has been drunk from."
Least Competent Criminal
A clumsy 20-year-old burglar bungled his own effort to break into a home in Spanaway, Washington, on Dec. 5, KIRO-TV reported. Homeowners called police because someone was banging on their front door, trying to get in. The intruder then moved to the back of the house and tried to break a window. As he attempted to escape, deputies said, he tried to crawl under a fence, but got his foot stuck. Law enforcement used bolt cutters to free his foot before arresting him on charges of residential burglary.
Weird in the Wild
Austin Dirks, a hiker in Arches National Park in Utah, found himself in a sitcom-worthy predicament on Dec. 7, CBS News reported. As he explored a small canyon on the second day of his backpacking trip, Dirks sank up to his thigh in quicksand. Fortunately, he had brought along an emergency satellite beacon, which was picked up by Grand County emergency responders. The team positioned a ladder and boards near him and slowly worked his leg loose. Once he was free of the quicksand, Dirks was able to hike out on his own and offer a few insights about the mythical substance. "In quicksand you're extremely buoyant," he said. "Most people won't sink past their waist in quicksand." Well, that's a relief!
Weird Science
In October 2024, an Idaho man was scratched by a skunk on his property, The New York Times reported on Dec. 6. Weeks later, he collapsed and died, presumably from a heart attack. The man's family donated several of his organs, and a Michigan man received a kidney. But a week later, he was hospitalized with fever, difficulty swallowing and fear of water -- symptoms of rabies. He died after a week in the hospital. Doctors believe the skunk that scratched the Idaho man had contracted rabies from a bat, but organ donations are not typically tested for rabies, according to the CDC. "Overall, the risk is exceptionally small," said Dr. Lara Danziger-Isakov, a board member of the American Society for Transplantation.
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Awesome!
Among the 80,000 items that were traded in to GameStop for store credit during the retailer's first-ever "Trade Anything Day" on Dec. 6 were a goose, a framed dog portrait and a tiny Jesus, KENS-TV reported. But a store in Corsicana, Texas, may have received the weirdest item: a lounging taxidermic bobcat. A company spokesperson said the stores gave out about $400,000 in trade-in credit vouchers. "Our customers showed up with big imaginations ... We are very happy with the turnout."
That's Bananas!
Cargo vessels have been in the news lately, but this fruity mishap has folks in southern England on high alert. On Dec. 6, eight containers full of bananas went overboard from a cargo ship, Yahoo! News reported. In West Sussex, rotting fruit has been washing up on the pebbled beaches, the U.K. coast guard said, adding that the public should avoid the areas littered with debris. They also discouraged the public from eating the floating fruits.
Who Knew?
In Japan, millions of families will head to their local KFC on Christmas Day for chicken and fixins, Yahoo! News reported on Dec. 3. "Stores with the Colonel statue will dress him in Christmas attire," said Takuma Kawamura, a KFC marketing manager. Fans will indulge in special "Party Barrels" with chicken, side dishes and ice cream or cheesecake. Not a terrible idea ...
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
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