News of the Weird: Week of September 4, 2025

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Bad Attitude

Ralphie VI, aka Ember, is the mascot of the University of Colorado Buffaloes -- or was, until she became "indifferent to running," The Athletic reported on Aug. 26. The tradition of the bison charging ahead of the CU football team at the beginning of the game started in 1967; they typically also run at the start of the second half. The animals and their handlers can reach speeds of up to 25 mph, and Ralphie V once got so excited she pulled loose from her guide ropes at the start of a game. But Ember is just not that into it, the school said. "It was determined that it was in Ember's best interest ... to focus on relaxing strolls in the pasture, which is her favorite hobby," a statement read. A succession plan has been in place for months, but it's not known when Ralphie VII will take the field.

The Way the World Works

The Apple Valley (Minnesota) High School Eagles have been forced to switch some of their fall evening soccer and football games to daytime, thanks to some fellow birds of prey, the Associated Press reported on Aug. 22. A pair of ospreys built a large nest in the stadium lights at the sports field this summer, populating it with at least four eggs, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. The agency is monitoring the growth of the chicks; once they're old enough to fly away, crews can relocate the nest and switch on the lights.

The Foreign Press

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Tomatina -- Bunol, Spain's messy festival where revelers hurl overripe tomatoes at one another for an hour. The event on Aug. 27 drew about 20,000 people who smashed about 120 tons of tomatoes onto each other, the Associated Press reported. The tradition started as a diversion for children but now includes all ages; the tomatoes aren't wasted, organizers say, because they don't meet the quality standards for consumption.

Wait, What?

Fox Business reported on Aug. 21 that a U.K. snack company launched corn chips this summer that taste like ... licking a 9-volt battery. Apparently, this was a fad in the 1990s: getting an electric tingle by licking a battery. "Rewind now offers a snackable way to revisit one of the '90s weirdest shared experiences -- no batteries required," the company said. A spokesperson said the chips deliver a "very hard-hitting acidic zing to the tongue, followed up by some salty metallic notes." Oh, and by the way, "We do not recommend or condone licking, biting or otherwise ingesting real batteries," the company clarified. For now, the chips are only available in Dutch retail outlets.

It's a Dirty Job

Marineland Antibes in France has closed, but two of its orcas are waiting for a decision on their new home, the BBC reported. In the meantime, Wikie, 24, and her son, Keijo, 11, are being cared for by their trainers. And by "cared for," we mean extra loving attention. Managers at the facility are defending their decision to have trainers manually "sexually stimulate" Keijo once a month to relieve his tension and prevent him from inbreeding with his mother. "Although spectacular, this is natural and totally painless for the animals," they say. However, activist groups are condemning the practice, calling it "perverse."

Inappropriate Behavior

              -- Cleo Williams Jr., 44, of Leavenworth, Kansas, was found guilty on Aug. 25 of sexual battery against a law enforcement officer, KAKE-TV reported. During a domestic disturbance call late last year at a Leavenworth apartment complex, Williams kissed an officer's neck as he was being arrested, which apparently is frowned upon. "Any form of inappropriate physical contact, including kissing, is unacceptable," noted Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson. Williams will be sentenced in September.

              -- Nichola Corr, 51, of Suffolk, England, has received $4,700 in compensation from the Suffolk Police after an incident during a raid at her home, Metro News reported. Corr said police were searching her home as part of an investigation involving a relative when their body cameras recorded them acting like "children in a playground," tossing a G-string back and forth and fondling erotic gadgets she had in a basket. "A young female officer ... started pulling all the things out, saying, 'Oh, this is sticky!'" Corr said. She requested the bodycam footage after seeing her G-string on her pillow. A police spokesperson said the investigation "determined the officers' behavior was deemed to be unacceptable and unprofessional, but was considered to be more due to immaturity than spite."

Florida

On Aug. 22 at Westside High School in Jacksonville, Florida, a pep rally included a rousing game of musical chairs, News4Jax-TV reported. So rousing that 16-year-old Nyla Millikin suffered a concussion and bruised ribs when a male teacher allegedly slammed her to the floor during the final round. As seen in video taken at the rally, the teacher jumped up to celebrate his win even as two people helped the student up. Nyla's mom, Joanna Millikin, has retained a lawyer in the wake of the incident. Attorney Gary Englander said, "The teacher should never have put his hands on her and taken her to the ground." While the teacher has not been charged yet, the mother wants to accuse him of assault. The district said he has been "reassigned to duties without student contact."

Field Report

Firefighters battling a wildfire in North Yorkshire, England, are struggling with a large number of World War II bombs and tank shells that were left behind in the area, the BBC reported on Aug. 27. County Chief Fire Officer Jonathan Dyson said the area was a training ground in the 1940s and previously hidden explosives had been detonating in the fire. "We have now experienced over 18 ordnance explosions within key areas," he said. Firefighters and local farmers and business owners have been tackling the blaze since Aug. 11.

Suspicions Confirmed

Emely Martinez, 35, of Pinellas Park, Florida, is not a dentist, Yahoo! Entertainment reported on Aug. 26. Nonetheless, she allegedly called herself a "veneer technician" at Tapp Inn Beauty Bar and charged $3,000 for a full set of veneers, which she secured to patients' teeth with superglue. (Actual veneers can cost $1,000 per tooth.) Her victims suffered from infections and damaged teeth and had to undergo emergency (real) dental work. Martinez was unlicensed and had no formal training, police said. She was charged with fraud and practicing dentistry without a license.

Smooth Reaction

A customer at Las Postas Cafe-Bar in Los Palacios y Villafranca, Spain, became enraged on Aug. 20 when he asked for mayonnaise for his sandwich and was told the restaurant didn't have any mayonnaise -- or any ketchup. The Mirror reported that surveillance video from the restaurant shows the 50-year-old man leaving the establishment and returning a few minutes later after visiting a gas station nearby. He asked waiters again if they had mayonnaise, then sprayed the bar with fuel and set it on fire. Customers ran for safety, and the blaze caused about $8,200 worth of damage. "There's no explanation for what happened. It was awful," said cafe owner Jose Antonio Caballero. The unnamed customer was arrested in a nearby square and taken to a health center for burns on his left arm.

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