Lalita Kayi, 50, was discovered on July 27 in a forest about 280 miles from Mumbai, India, the BBC reported, chained to a tree. Kayi initially told her rescuers that her husband had shackled her to the tree and "left her in the forest to die without food or water." But police and her doctor say the American woman tied herself to the tree. After treatment in a psychiatric hospital, Kayi admitted that she is not married and was distressed because her visa and money were running out. Her doctor, Sanghamitra Phule, said Kayi's condition is improving and she has been in touch with her family in the U.S. [BBC, 8/6/2024]

Do. Not. Insult. The. Chef.

Georgetown County (South Carolina) Sheriff's officers were called to a home on July 28 on reports of an assault in progress, Fox59-TV reported. Deputies were told that the fight started while siblings Anthony Harper and Hope Harper were cooking chicken. Hope Harper allegedly asked her brother "why he didn't season the chicken ... so it could crust up," the report said. When Hope called Anthony a "dumb dog," he pushed her into a table and punched her. Someone else in the home fired a 9mm handgun into the ceiling, hoping to stop the brawl, but no -- Hope retrieved a steak knife and started swinging it at her brother. Next, their grandmother swatted Hope with a broom until she backed off. But Anthony, his chef cred cruelly questioned, picked up a can of Raid bug spray and sprayed Hope on the neck and face until she grabbed the can and sprayed him back. Each of the siblings is pressing charges against the other; both were released on bond. [Fox59, 8/1/2024]

Feeling Eel

About 150 people in and around Tokyo were stricken ill, and one person died, in late July after eating grilled eel sold at a department store, the Associated Press reported. The eel was prepared by a local restaurant chain and sold in the grocery area of the Keikyu department store, officials said. Roasted eel is considered a tonic against the summer's extreme heat; more than 1,700 servings of the dish were sold at the shop. [AP, 7/30/2024]

Fine Points of the Law

Evans Lee Jr. of Atlanta passed away on Oct. 26, 2022, the Atlanta Black Star reported. Because he left no will, Georgia law called for the nearest living relative to ask the probate court to make them an administrator, which is just what Randy Watson, 48, did. The problem: Watson was not related to Lee. Georgia's probate court does not require proof of being a rightful heir to an estate, so Watson became the executor, filling in false details on Lee's death certificate and listing Watson as the decedent's son. In response, Lee's nephew, Trahan Brown, was granted a court-ordered paternity test that confirmed Watson was not related to the dead man. But before the court could reverse his executorship, Watson had cleared out most of Lee's belongings, sold his home, and collected his urn of ashes. "There was never an opportunity to go in the home, clean the home, none of that," said Brown's wife, Renee. Authorities have opened an investigation into Watson and the funeral home. [Atlanta Black Star, 8/6/2024]

Bright Idea

On July 31, police responded to a fire in the early morning hours at a U-Haul business in Roseburg, Oregon, KEZI-TV reported. One van was fully engulfed in flames, and the fire was spreading to a second vehicle. Security footage from the area identified Jennifer Denise Holmes, 47, whose van with Nana's Sweet Treats on the side could be seen in the area. When officers spoke with Holmes, she admitted to siphoning gas from the U-Haul and then lighting a cigarette. She was charged on Aug. 3 with first-degree criminal mischief and reckless burning. [KEZI, 8/6/2024]

Haute Dog

CBS News reported on Aug. 7 that fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is going to the dogs. The designer has launched a perfume for dogs called Fefe in honor of Domenico Dolce's poodle. A 3.4-ounce bottle will set you back $108, and the company claims veterinarians approve of the alcohol-free scent. But apparently not ALL veterinarians. Federico Coccia, a vet in Rome, isn't a fan: "Dogs recognize themselves by smells, they recognize a person by smell. ... This world of smells should not be changed," he said. He also noted that some diseases are made apparent by their odors, and the perfume could mask those. Dog owner Francesca Castelli agrees: "It seems to be a very exaggerated process of humanization," she said. [CBS News, 8/7/2024]

Field Report

Visitors to downtown Orlando, Florida, might be used to seeing pigeons on the rooftops -- but not THESE pigeons. ClickOrlando reported on Aug. 6 that giant, brightly colored, inflatable pigeons are about to be installed on several of the city's rooftops. Creative City Projects, an arts group, is bringing the birds in to draw more visitors downtown. At 21 feet long and 16 feet high, the neon pigeons are expected to "foster a greater appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living beings in an urban environment," said Ashley Papagni, a city spokesperson. [ClickOrlando, 8/6/2024]

It's a Mystery

Officials in Sioux City, Iowa, are stumped by the appearance of several blue crabs around the city, Oddee reported on Aug. 5. The first incident happened at the Sioux City Public Library on July 30, when a crabby visitor was found in the computer lab (which is on the second floor). Circulation services manager Jenn Delperdang said the crab "must have been hungry for knowledge. We really have no idea the journey that this crab had to get to the library." The staff called Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center to retrieve "Chester," but he passed on two days later. Another crustacean pinched customers of a vending machine in a neighboring downtown building as they tried to retrieve their soda. [Oddee, 8/5/2024]

Latest Religious Message

Katie Moran, president of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, was taking pictures of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 2, when she witnessed a miracle, she said. WJW-TV reported that Moran took two subsequent photos, then saw that in the first one, Mary's eyes were open, and in the second, they were closed. The statue travels the world spreading the message of Our Lady of Fatima. "According to theologians, mystically her presence is there with the statue," said Moran. Larry Maginot, the statue's custodian, elaborated: "We know that she's wept 15 times." Moran believes Mary is sending a message to the world, but didn't specify what the message might be. [WJW, 8/6/2024]

It's Good To Have a Hobby

Handyman and electrician Steve Wainwright, 61, of Cambridgeshire, England, needed a project in his retirement, Metro News reported. "I felt a bit lost," he said. "I looked at my tape measure and I thought, 'I wonder if I can build this 10 times its size?'" And he could -- even with a giant retractable measuring tape. Wainwright's wife suggested a 10x lipstick, so he obliged, then went on to build pencils, keys, clothespins and a three-prong plug. He notices a difference in reactions between men and women; men love his creations, and women say, "What on earth are you going to do with that? Where are you going to put that?" he said. [Metro News, 8/1/2024]

Mary Jacobs, 77, of Newmarket, England, tried to sell her prized collection of bedpans at auction in July, the Suffolk News reported on July 29, but there were no takers. Jacobs said she started collecting bedpans in 1984: "I just wanted to collect something different," she said. "It snowballed from there." Now, with 160 unique items, she's run out of room to store them. The rarest ones are those with odd shapes, she noted. She's hoping to find a new home for them: "They're clean, washed and in fantastic condition." [Suffolk News, 7/29/2024]

But Why?

St. Petersburg, Florida, resident Jaclyn Goszczynski, 40, was arrested on July 26 and charged with felony child abuse, The Smoking Gun reported. Goszczynski, police said, had been hanging picture frames with her three children when she asked her 12-year-old daughter whether she'd ever been "screwed in the a

Saw That Coming

Homeowners' associations seem to aspire to be the group versions of "Karens." To wit: The Wildernest Home Owners Association in Summit County, Colorado, called the sheriff's office in late July to tattle on a kids' lemonade stand that they said was blocking the road. When officers arrived, KKTV reported, they found the kids were not blocking the road, "but did ask them to move back from the road a few feet for their safety," police said. "The original reporting parties came out and began yelling at the children, claiming they were on private property ... (but officers) determined the property was shared HOA property and because the children's parents are part of the HOA, they had a right to be there," the report went on. Kids 1, HOA 0. [KKTV, 7/28/2024]

Animal Antics

When Alicia Mastroianni left for work in Brighton, Massachusetts, on July 15, she found her car covered in scratches and a note, she told WBZ-TV. The note was from a neighbor, who wrote, "I just watched and recorded a massive turkey attack your car for over 15 minutes. Sorry you were the target of this turkey rage." "All sides of my car were messed up," Mastroianni said. The Massachusetts Environmental Police said turkey attacks aren't rare anymore in the area. One reason for the assaults is that the birds see their own reflection in the car's surface and attack. They recommend covering your car or yelling to scare turkeys away. [WBZ, 7/25/2024]

What's in a Name?

On July 22, when officers noticed a white van on the I-5 near Weed, California, that kept swerving out of its lane, they engaged their lights and sirens -- and it still took almost 3 miles for the van to pull over, KOBI-TV reported. Inside the van, they found 1,021 rooted marijuana plants, which, according to driver Yung Fai Sze, 53, were on their way to Oregon. However, Sze did not have the proper documentation from the California Department of Cannabis Control, so he was arrested and charged with illegal transportation and possession of marijuana. [KOBI, 7/26/2024]

Awesome!

In Leicestershire, England, a quaint problem is getting a practical solution, the BBC reported on July 25. The North West Leicestershire District Council received a grant of about $9,300 from Keep Britain Tidy's Chewing Gum Task Force to clean up the discarded wads of gum littering the sidewalks. "Many of the streets, pavements and shopping areas in our towns are affected by discarded chewing gum," said Michael Wyatt of the council, which will also install signs asking people to dispose of their gum properly. The grant is provided by gum manufacturers. [BBC, 7/25/2024]

It's Always Something

In 2016, the Scottish government declared it would increase the number of medical school placements because of a shortage of doctors, the BBC reported. Eight years later, professor Gordon Findlater, HM Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland, has declared an unexpected and potentially dire result of the change: a shortage of cadavers for medical students to train on. "This is already having an impact on the surgical colleges (which) are now having to cancel training classes," Findlater said. [BBC, 7/30/2024]

The Continuing Crisis

River Church Kansas City in Lenexa, Kansas, celebrated Father's Day with a raffle, KSHB-TV reported on July 29. Just what did the lucky winner receive? An AR-15 rifle, of course. The contest was so popular that for the Fourth of July, River Church gave away three more firearms. Why? Well, "A gun is a blessing because here in America, we have what's called the Second Amendment, and we're free Americans," explained pastor Christopher Zehner. "Christ gives us freedom, and so, as Christ has given us freedom on the inside, Americans are free as well, so it correlates," he went on. "Our attendance doubled after this whole thing happened," he said. "We will probably do it again. I would say maybe Christmastime, to be a blessing again." The four winners declined to comment. [KSHB, 7/29/2924]

Bright Idea

Jason Arsenault, 41, pleaded guilty in Portland, Maine, on July 29 to an unconventional bank robbery attempt, HNGN reported. Back in January, Arsenault, wearing a black hat, a mask and sunglasses on his face, pulled into the drive-thru lane of a Key Bank location and sent a note to the teller through the pneumatic tube: "CAR BOMB No Cops Alarms or WE ALL DIE $50,000 in 20s." The teller sent the money back through the tube, and Arsenault drove away. Surveillance video allowed law enforcement to track Arsenault's movements until they could spot him without his disguise; six days later, he was arrested. He directed police to a backpack with the money, hidden in the woods. He faces up to 20 years in prison. [HNGN, 7/29/2924]

Ewwwwww!

Have it your way! Tiffany Floyd of Gettzville, New York, stopped at her local Burger King on July 27 to get her 4-year-old daughter a hamburger, People reported. When the girl started eating her burger, she said, "Mom, I don't want ketchup." Floyd took the bag back, thinking the order had been made wrong, "And I look in her bag and there is blood all over. You could tell it was human blood." She called the restaurant and asked to speak with a manager, who admitted, "Yes, I had a worker here cut their hand right before your food was made and bagged. The worker knew he cut himself but did not think he was bleeding that bad." The manager offered Floyd a refund, but instead she hung up and called the local health department. Burger King closed the restaurant for retraining and deep cleaning, but Floyd said their trauma continues: "She now needs to get bloodwork done every month" to look for HIV and hepatitis, among other infections, and her daughter is afraid to eat. "She thinks there's blood in it." [People, 7/31/2024]

Mistaken Identity

Gallaghers, a New York City restaurant with a nearly century-long presence on 52nd Street, is decorated inside with photos of celebrities who have frequented the landmark over the many years, the New York Post reported on July 27. One of the signed photos is of Perry Como, a wildly popular singer and television personality during the mid-20th century. But Gallaghers was forced to add a couple of small disclaimers to the frame of Como's photo because of his vague resemblance to disgraced pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. "THIS IS NOT JEFFREY EPSTEIN," the first plaque reads. "THIS IS PERRY COMO." Gallaghers owner Dean Poll said "hundreds" of customers asked about the photo. "It was constant. Not one a day, but all during the day." He said Epstein was not a customer. [NY Post, 7/27/2024]

In China, the highly competitive practice of mukbang -- eating large quantities of food for viewers' enjoyment -- is a wildly popular streaming subject, Oddity Central reported. Successful mukbang streamers make good money and are showered with gifts from their followers. The trend took a sad turn on July 14, however, when 24-year-old Pan Xiaoting, a former waitress, lost her life during her mukbang livestream. As Pan's following grew, she took her overeating to greater extremes, pushing her weight to around 650 pounds. An autopsy reportedly showed that her stomach was full of undigested food and her abdomen was severely deformed. [Oddity Central, 7/19/2024]

Great Art

The Welsh town of Ruthin, Denbighshire, is struggling to embrace a 43-foot-tall inflatable figure of a laughing man in an odd squatting position, resting on a ball. Wales Online reported that the installation is related to the Ruthin International Arts Festival and was created by Chinese artist Yue Minjun, known for his self-portraits. Locals aren't impressed; some say the "sickly pink color of the piece" is frightening children, and one woman said, "Oh please. He looks constipated. Monstrosity!" [Wales Online, 7/24/2024]

Eyewitness News

Remarkably, two brothers out fishing off the coast of Rye, New Hampshire, on July 23 caught a once-in-a-lifetime experience on video: A 30-foot-long humpback whale breached nearby, throwing itself onto the back of a boat where Ryland Kenney, 44, and Greg Paquette, 54, were fishing. As the front of the boat rose into the air, Kenney and Paquette were thrown into the water. "As it collapsed onto the boat, the mouth closed and smashed the top of the motor and I heard a big crunch," Kenney told The New York Times. "I had three seconds to act. I wasn't scared, I didn't have time to be scared." Colin Yager, 16, who took the video, and his brother, Wyatt, rushed over to pull the men, who were unhurt, out of the water. Kenney said he'll take some time away from the water to work on his boat, which will include a radar system that can detect nearby whales. [NY Times, 7/24/2024]

Ewwwwww!

Gizmodo reported on July 19 that a few days before in Portoviejo, Ecuador, doctors removed an obstruction from a 24-year-old woman's stomach that had caused her pain, vomiting and difficulty eating. The object was a 16-inch-long hairball that weighed 2 pounds, Verdi Cevallos Balda General Hospital announced. The mass was so large it could be detected "by touch from the outside," said lead surgeon Pedro Lovato. It had started to move into her intestines, but doctors said it had not caused serious injury to her stomach and she would recover. The hairball was likely caused by trichophagia, a form of disordered eating where people swallow their hair. The patient is receiving comprehensive treatment. [Gizmodo, 7/19/2024]

That Escalated Quickly

On July 16, Talanye Carter, 41, returned to a St. Louis Jack in the Box restaurant she had visited three days earlier to complain that she'd been shorted one chicken strip, Yahoo! News reported. The store manager replaced the chicken strip, but that didn't satisfy Carter; she spit in the manager's face over the lack of adequate ranch dressing. When Carter went to her vehicle, the manager took photos of her license plate, and Carter noticed. She put the car in reverse and ran into the woman, knocking her to the ground and injuring her foot and ankle, then left the scene. She was charged the next day with second-degree and fourth-degree assault. [Yahoo! News, 7/22/2024]

Florida

The Walton County Sheriff's Office had to remind Floridians on July 18 not to "approach black bears at any time," United Press International reported. The bear in question was hanging out near Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach, looking "depressed," and onlookers were getting too close for comfort trying to take a selfie with it. Deputies borrowed a song title, "If Not Friend, Why Friend Shaped?" to discourage residents from cozying up to the sad-looking guy. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist visited the scene, but the bear wandered back into the woods. [UPI, 7/22/2024]

Least Competent Criminals

-- Tara Lyles and James Lyles of Louisville, Kentucky, where weed is not legal, showed their hand a little too publicly, WAVE-TV reported, when they posted videos of their marijuana production processes to TikTok. They were arrested on July 22 after a detective arranged to meet Tara in a Kroger parking lot to buy some devil's lettuce. During the exchange, she told the detective that she "packages the product on a thousands level scale and just completed a 1,000 pack order over the weekend." Police seized 218 pounds of marijuana, worth about $450,000 on the street -- again, in a state where weed is not legal. [WAVE, 7/23/2024]

-- Social media boasts also took down a foursome of 20-something criminals in Los Angeles County on July 23, KTLA-TV reported. Charles Christopher, 24; Jordan Leonard, 25; D'Angelo Spencer, 26; and Tazjar Rouse, 22, were arrested in connection with a months-long crime spree involving 7-Eleven stores. Leonard couldn't resist the chance to brag: He posted on Instagram, "love my bros we go hit every time," with a photo of stacks of cash, and he helpfully tagged his co-defendants Christopher and Spencer. All four face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count -- hardly justifying the $7,600 they netted. [KTLA, 7/23/2024]

Awesome!

Kai McKenzie, 23, was surfing off New South Wales, Australia, on July 23 when a 10-foot-long great white shark bit off his leg, the BBC reported. When he was washed back to shore, an off-duty policeman applied a tourniquet, and a few minutes later, McKenzie's leg also washed up. Onlookers put the severed limb on ice and transported it and the surfer to the hospital, where doctors are evaluating whether they can save it. McKenzie is in serious but stable condition. [BBC, 7/23/2024]

Reality No More

Reality show contestants Spencer "Corry" Jones and Oliver Dev were booted from USA Network's production of "Race to Survive" after an incident involving a protected New Zealand bird, BoingBoing reported on July 23. Jones said he knew he was breaking a rule when he caught, killed and ate the flightless weka bird during episode eight, but he was "desperate and hungry. Survival in the bush of New Zealand is not easy," he noted. Punishment for killing the bird could be up to two years in prison or a fine of about $60,000 (U.S.). [BoingBoing, 7/23/2024]

Irony

Did they not see this coming? A psychic reading business and a crystal business were damaged during a "tricky" overnight fire in Minneapolis on July 24, KSTP-TV reported. Crews were hampered by the lack of working fire hydrants (because of nearby construction); one person was in the building but was able to get out safely. "We had too much fire for how much water we were going to be able to put on the fire, so we had crews go defensive," said Minneapolis Deputy Fire Chief Rita Juran. They were able to keep the fire from spreading. [KSTP, 7/24/2024]

News You Can Use

The Ohio Supreme Court (!) ruled on July 25 that -- are you ready? -- bones are a natural part of chicken, so consumers of boneless chicken wings should be vigilant about them while eating, and that the presence of bones does not constitute a breach of duty on the part of the restaurant. The Columbus Dispatch reported that the 4-3 decision was derided by Democrats on the court, who contended that the question was one for a jury, not an appeals court. "The result in this case is another nail in the coffin of the American jury system," said Justice Michael Donnelly. The case originated with an April 2016 incident in which Michael Berkheimer felt "something go down the wrong pipe" while enjoying wings; he sued in 2017. [Columbus Dispatch, 7/25/2024]