News of the Weird: Week of June 1, 2023

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Ewwwww!

A visitor at Wonderland amusement park in Toronto, Ontario, was filled with more than wonder as he rode the Leviathan roller coaster on May 16, the Toronto Sun reported. Hubert Hsu of Toronto said as his coaster car neared the top of one of the ride's loops, it collided with a bird -- possibly a pigeon. "I looked down and saw blood on my hands and my face," Hsu said. "There was a feather on my hand, and feathers on the girl next to me's shirt. It seemed like the coaster car hit the bird and then it sort of exploded on us." Hsu said attendants gave them a roll of industrial brown paper towels, and he ended up washing up in a restroom. "The kids who work in the park seemed like they had no idea what to do, and that might be an issue," he added.

It's Come to This

Two Louisville, Kentucky, roommates got into a heated dispute at their home on May 20, The Charlotte Observer reported, over an unlikely subject: Hot Pockets. Clifton Williams, 64, was charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly shot the victim. Williams "got mad he ate the last Hot Pocket and began throwing tiles at him," police said. When the victim moved to leave the home, Williams retrieved a firearm and shot the man in the posterior. He remains in the custody of Louisville Metro Corrections.

Clothing Optional

• After crashing his truck into a Volusia, Florida, utility pole around 2 a.m. on May 21, completely severing it, 39-year-old Kevin Gardner did the obvious thing: He took off all his clothes and started banging on the front door of a home nearby. ClickOrlando reported that when officers arrived at the home, Gardner had injuries on his face and legs. The truck was registered to him, but he said it had been stolen ... and that he'd had seizures and didn't remember anything. A breath test revealed an illegal blood-alcohol content, and Gardner was held on multiple charges.
• In Georgia, residents can now use a digital driver's license, which can be uploaded to Apple Wallet and allows users to leave their IDs in their bag or pocket at TSA checkpoints. But, as United Press International reported, snapping a selfie for the ID comes with a few rules. "Attention, lovely people of the digital era," the Georgia Department of Driver Services posted on its Facebook page on May 23. "Please take pictures with your clothes on when submitting them for your Digital Driver's License and ID. Cheers to technology and keeping things classy!" Put your shirt on.

You Had One Job

Residents in Halethorpe, Maryland, are frustrated with the progress of a new bridge on U.S. Route 1, WBAL-TV reported. They've been waiting for months for the bridge to fully open, but a tiny error stands in the way. The bridge crosses over CSX railroad tracks, which require a minimum of 23 feet of vertical clearance, and it was built 1 1/2 inches too short. CSX has halted the remaining construction to complete the bridge, according to a Maryland Department of Transportation engineer. "I understand you get hiccups, but ... this is not a hiccup. This is a mistake. Somebody needs to be held accountable and it needs to be taken care of," said resident Desiree Collins. "You have engineers. This should not have happened." The State Highway Administration now estimates completion in late 2023 or early 2024.

The Passing Parade

High school seniors in Marlin, Texas, are getting a few extra days of school tacked on, KWTX-TV reported on May 23. The reason: Twenty-eight of the 33 seniors -- about 85% -- were not eligible to graduate, according to an audit performed by the Marlin Independent School District, because they had failed or neglected to complete a course or they had too many absences. The ceremony, originally scheduled for May 25, will take place sometime in June. "They told us that because of the students that didn't meet the requirements, it wouldn't be fair for only five students to walk the stage," said Alondra Alvarado, who is eligible to graduate. Victoria Banda, whose son did not meet the requirements, said they were given very little notice about the change in plans. They had family "traveling in from Mexico" for the original ceremony -- "and if anyone knows, it's not cheap," she said. Administrators hope the extra time will allow the majority of students to meet the state's requirements.

Florida

• When the Brevard (Florida) Public Schools board met on May 9, the topic of dress codes came up, but it went way beyond hoodies and beachwear, ClickOrlando reported. Vice chair Megan Wright told board members that she has heard concerns about students dressing up as "furries" -- people who anthropomorphize animals. District 5 Rep. Katye Campbell weighed in: "I'm not a big fan of the furry movement, but ... if 'ears' means a headband with pointed ears on them, it's a hair accessory. Tails are different, and students meowing and barking at other students -- that's not cool. But that's not dress code." Chairman Matt Susin said his daughter is "tired of furries" at school and the subject comes up at least once a month at his dinner table. Leave it to District 3 Rep. Jennifer Jenkins to cut through the kitty litter: "This is not rocket science ... If you don't want tails on kids, just say you don't want tails." She said among middle school students, the new thing is barking and meowing at each other, unrelated to furry costumes: "It's weird, but they're doing it."
• Omar Gutierrez, 32, of Gainesville, Florida, donned a cat costume before plunging a knife into his roommate's neck on May 22, WCJB-TV reported. When the victim asked why he stabbed him, Gutierrez said, "It was instinctual." Police reported that Gutierrez had told the victim a week earlier that he was "not above killing" him; Gutierrez had claimed that the roommate had hurt his cat, although he denied it. Gutierrez was charged with first-degree attempted murder -- because, you know, he had to plan the costume.

News You Can Use

Beer. Need we say more? OK, there's more. Researchers examining paintings from the Dutch Golden Age have discovered that artists preparing their canvases often used discarded material from local breweries, the Associated Press reported. They found traces of yeast, wheat, rye and barley, which would have been spread as a paste over the canvas to prevent the paint from seeping through. Scientists believe the Danish Academy of Fine Arts bought leftover mash from breweries and used it to ready canvases for artists such as Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg and Christen Schiellerup Kobke.

Awesome!

Ethan Brown, 16, a junior at Jericho High School on Long Island, New York, is a hero among his classmates this week, the New York Post reported. Brown argued before the school board in March that his highly ranked school had 186 days in session -- six more than the state's required 180 -- and that summer vacation ought to begin on Friday, May 26. "I was nervous, especially at first," Brown said. "I almost sat back down before speaking but I'm glad I didn't." He noted that on a stormy day in February, the school did not close, and not a single snow day was used during the year. Superintendent Hank Grisham said Brown "did an absolutely incredible job. There is no requirement to give ... snow days back to staff or the kids." But the board was moved, and a day off was granted -- dubbed the Ethan Brown Snow Day. "I'm getting a lot of thank-yous," Brown said. In his upcoming senior year, he's in line to take over the editor-in-chief position at the school newspaper.

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