News of the Weird: Week of September 22, 2022

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Creme de la Weird

Ranjita Kundu of Kodameta, India, has accused her husband of stealing and selling one of her kidneys four years ago, Oddity Central reported. Kundu recently discovered after visiting the doctor that she has only one kidney; she believes that when she was treated for kidney stones four years ago, her husband secretly arranged for one of her kidneys to be removed and sold on the black market. "I was unaware of the whole incident," she said. She even knows who he sold it to: Asim Haldar, who also lives in her district. Kundu and her husband were married for 12 years before he took off with another woman eight months ago. Kundu said with help from his sister, he sold the organ to make up for dowry money he believed he was owed. Police have taken him into custody and are investigating.

Geography Is Hard

The recently renamed Washington Commanders are, understandably, trying to drum up excitement for their new brand, but one effort went disappointingly wrong, Yahoo! Sports reported. In Week 1 of the NFL season, an official gear truck just outside the stadium, which is located in Maryland, featured a mug with a big "W" on it and a silhouette of Washington state in the background. Of course, the Commanders' Washington is the District of Columbia variety. The mugs were quickly removed from the inventory. 

Weapon of Choice

Pennsylvania State Police were called to a home in Monroe Township on Aug. 24 where a fight had taken place, WTAJ-TV reported. One of the combatants told officers that 35-year-old Brandon Shoop of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, had punched him after a disagreement about food. Next, he said, Shoop picked up a half of a cinder block and swung it at the victim's head; he was able to partially duck, but the hit left a contusion behind his ear. Shoop then tried to strangle the victim but was pulled off by a female witness; he was later charged with, among other crimes, aggravated assault. 

What's in a Name?

Al Pacino, admittedly, has committed a whole lifetime of crimes on the screen. Now, Alpatchino Jeune, 25, is following in his footsteps in real life, The Smoking Gun reported. Jeune was arrested in early June for beating up his pregnant girlfriend, who was driving him to work. She told police she asked him to "think of his unborn child," but he went on hitting her -- so she jumped out of the car and ran to an emergency room across the street. When Jeune didn't show up for his Sept. 1 court date, he was arrested again in Orlando, Florida, and his bond was revoked. 

Oops

• In a "my bad" for the ages, the City of Philadelphia erroneously chopped down 60 pounds of hops that belonged to the Philadelphia Brewing Co., Fox29-TV reported. "Despite our clear signage and fenced-off area," the company wrote on its Instagram page, "the city ... took it upon themselves to completely destroy our hop garden," which they claim will cost them tens of thousands of dollars. A spokesperson for the city said the incident was the result of "miscommunication and staff error" and "it appeared the lot was overgrown." 
• The Summit County (Colorado) Rescue Group was in a helicopter on Sept. 7 looking for a lost hunter, KCNC-TV reported, when they spotted a man waving slowly and casually. The crew radioed that they "had a subject that partially matched the description ... but his backpack was upside down so it was the wrong color," explained the group's Anna Debattiste. "The pilot said, 'He's saying hi, he doesn't seem to be in distress,' so they left," she added. In fact, it was the missing hunter, and in a classic case of blame-the-victim, Debattiste said he "should have" waved aggressively with both arms overhead, or waved "a brightly colored piece of clothing." Thankfully, the crew went back and retrieved the man, who was cold and dehydrated but otherwise unharmed.

Florida

Officials in Miami Beach, Florida, are weighing their options for dealing with the serious problem of invasive iguanas, Local 10 News reported. The city has quadrupled its budget for iguana removal and paid a hunter to shoot and collect the pesky and destructive reptiles. On Sept. 14, city commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez suggested a bounty. "I don't know -- dead or alive. But if we pay per iguana, we're going to get more iguanas. People are going to go out and hunt them for money," she said. A committee has been formed. 

Bright Idea

An outgoing state representative from Pennsylvania who earned a DUI arrest after a crash in June has proposed a bill that would allow residents to register for a self-imposed ban on alcohol purchases, Action 4 News reported. Matthew Dowling said the law would add "another tool to an addict or alcoholic's arsenal to help them live through recovery." He doesn't expect the measure to pass before he leaves office, he said, but hopes his colleagues will move it through in the future. 

The Aristocrats

• Toby Cohen and Jonathan Neman booked a rental home in the Hamptons for two weeks beginning on Aug. 22, to the tune of $10,000. On Sept. 15, they filed a lawsuit, saying the home, owned by Agnese Melbarde and Edouard Gass, was "uninhabitable." Why? Because the thermostat had been set to "a minimum temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit and then locked," The Daily Beast reported. The plaintiffs and their families, who wanted the A/C set at 68 degrees, were "forced to endure continuous discomfort for the duration" of their holiday, which ruined it for them. When they complained to the owners, they said, they were told to "suck it up and deal." Neman and Cohen also allege that workers showed up to spray "toxic chemicals" in the backyard during their stay, which forced them to stay inside for several hours. The suit asks for a full refund of their rental fee and "any further relief this Court deems just and proper." 
• The Kitchen at London House, a popular restaurant on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, put their foot down in August when they rolled out their new menu with no vegan items, the Daily Mail reported. The eatery used to feature some vegan selections, but owner Sally Cooper said they stopped because of a "militant minority. ... (W)e got fed up with the arrogant, 'holier-than-thou' attitude. ... If you want vegan food, go to a vegan restaurant. ... Your choice does not fit with our style of cooking." 

News You Can Use

Residents of the city of SeaTac, Washington, are on high alert about a "very aggressive" owl at North SeaTac Park, KIRO-TV reported. The bird, likely a barred or great horned owl, hasn't injured anyone -- yet -- but officials say people visiting the park should "wave (their) arms slowly overhead to keep the birds at a distance. Other protective actions include wearing a hat or helmet, or carrying an umbrella." Chase Gunnell with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also noted that owls will typically hoot repeatedly before attacking.