LEAD STORY -- Creme de la Weird

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a ritual event took place at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo on April 22, The Guardian reported. The traditional "crying sumo" event features pairs of infants, held up by the parents facing each other, who are frightened into crying by staff wearing "oni" demon masks. The first baby to cry wins the match. "We can tell a baby's health condition by listening to the way they cry," said Hisae Watanabe, mother of an 8-month-old. "I want to hear her healthy crying." Crying sumo events are held throughout the country. "In Japan, we believe babies who cry powerfully also grow up healthily," explained Shigemi Fuji, chairman of the Asakusa Tourism Federation, which organized the event. [The Guardian, 4/22/2023]

Clothing Optional

Police in Mesa, Arizona, responded to the One Life Church on April 16 after receiving a call about a naked man in the church's baptismal fountain, AZCentral reported. Officers said Jeremiah Sykes, 20, was asked to leave repeatedly but wouldn't comply; he then wrapped himself in a blanket and wandered about the property. Sykes told officers he was baptizing himself. During his booking procedure, he punched two officers, compounding his charges. [AZCentral, 4/18/2023]

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Shivdayal Sharma, 82, died in a freak accident in the Alwar region of India on April 19, LBC reported. As Sharma urinated near a train track, a Vande Bharat express train struck a cow, launching it 100 feet into the air before it landed on him. Sharma was killed instantly, and another man narrowly escaped being hit also. Ironically, Sharma worked at Indian Railways before retiring 23 years ago. Officials are calling for metal fencing to keep cows away from the tracks, along with the removal of garbage and vegetation. [LBC, 4/24/2023]

It's a Dirty Job

The Blackpool Zoo in England is hiring! Wanted: "A team of people to join our Visitor Services team as 'Seagull Deterrents.'" You, too, can dress up in a large bird costume and scare away pesky seagulls, which steal food from both visitors and animal enclosures. The Daily Mail reported that candidates must be "outgoing, as you need to be comfortable wearing a bird costume," and hours will be variable. [Daily Mail, 4/23/2023]

The Passing Parade

On April 19, Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for a bizarre plot she cooked up against a lookalike friend from Ukraine, NBC News reported. Nasyrova wanted to avoid being sent back to Russia, where she faced charges in a 2014 murder, according to the Queens district attorney's office. So in 2016, she laced a cheesecake with phenazepam, a powerful toxin found only in Russia, and fed it to her "friend." The victim survived, but her Ukrainian passport and $4,000 in cash were stolen. Nasyrova's attorney said that she will likely be deported after serving her sentence. [NBC News, 4/19/2023]

The Continuing Crisis

In Carmarthenshire, Wales, residents have responded to the condition of a rural road that they describe as the "worst in the county" with a clever road sign, Wales Online reported on April 27. "Caution: Remove dentures. Adjust bra straps. Secure your nuts," the sign reads. Abergorlech Road is full of potholes, and while some have been filled, residents believe "the road is so worn and damaged that it requires complete resurfacing in many places," a spokesman said. "Whilst the sign is intended to be funny, the constant wear and tear on our vehicles is a real issue." The Carmarthenshire Council contends that there is no money budgeted for resurfacing, but residents say it's "ironic that the police can check our vehicles to ensure that they're safe for the road, but no one is ensuring that the road is safe for our vehicles." Maybe it's time to call the Terminator. [Wales Online, 4/27/2023]

Awesome!

-- Seventh-grader Dillon Reeves of Warren, Michigan, is being hailed as a hero after he came to the rescue of a wayward school bus on April 26, ABC News reported. Reeves noticed as he was riding the bus home from school that the driver was "in distress." Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said the student "stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop without incident. I could not be prouder of his efforts." The bus driver had lost consciousness; emergency personnel tended to the driver, and students were delivered home on another bus. [ABC News, 4/27/2023]

-- King Charles III's coronation is only days away, and while the royal family will be shuttled to and fro in gold-clad carriages drawn by fine white horses, the average Londoner will be on foot. Or ... you can hire a horse-and-carriage Uber! Metro News reported on April 27 that the Coronation Carriage will operate May 3 through 5 in Dulwich Park in London; the fancy carriage is fashioned after the royal vehicle and features a plush interior with embroidered cushions and throws. Even more posh, Uber will donate money from the rides to Spana, a U.K. charity that supports the welfare of working animals. [Metro News, 4/27/2023]

Inexplicable

-- The Madison County (Texas) Sheriff's Office is investigating the mysterious mutilations and deaths of six cows spread over three counties, Fox News reported on April 22. The cows were found along a highway with their tongues cut out, but strangely, no blood had been spilled and there were no signs of the cattle struggling. Furthermore, investigators said, the carcasses had lain undisturbed by scavengers for several weeks. All the cows were found in the same position: lying on their side, with the face cut along the jawline and the tongue neatly removed. There were no discernable tracks in the area, sheriff's officers said. They're working with other law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to identify similar incidents. [Fox News, 4/22/2023]

-- The Coniston Tavern in Nuneaton, England, is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a former drinker there, according to the landlord, Andy Gadsby. Fox News reported that on April 24, CCTV video captured an incident where a beer glass suddenly exploded, showering three pals with shards of glass. Earlier, at the same table, a different customer's glass suddenly slid to the floor. Gadsby said the ghost is Dave, who used to live in an apartment above the pub. "One night he drank a bottle of brandy and had a heart attack and died," Gadsby said. "Maybe his spirit is around the pub and he's desperately trying to pinch people's drinks. The two incidents have spooked people out." [Fox News, 4/27/2023]

News You Can Use

The Spanish parliament has "overcome the Spain of the past," as Jesus Martin, director general of the Royal Board on Disabilities, put it, with a vote banning "dwarf bullfighting." The Huffington Post reported that this traditional "comic" event features people with dwarfism dressed as firefighters or clowns who chase bulls without doing them any harm. The shows go back decades but are decreasing in popularity. "People with dwarfism are subjected to mockery in public squares in our country," Martin said. However, some of the performers are objecting to the ban. "They take it for granted that people are being denigrated or laughed at, and it's the opposite: The respect they have for us is impressive," said Daniel Calderon, one of the bullfighters. [Huff Post, 4/27/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

The Mondaiji Con Cafe Daku (loosely translated: Problem Child Concept Cafe) in Sapporo, Japan, was forced to fire one of its waitresses in April after she was discovered to be adding her own blood to cocktails, the Daily Mail reported. The cafe owner called her actions "absolutely not acceptable" and said the establishment would close while every drinking glass was replaced. "We will hire a contractor to clean the store, change glasses and dispose of alcoholic beverages that may have been contaminated," he said. He called her actions "part-time job terrorism." A local doctor said anyone who had patronized the cafe should visit a doctor and have a blood test. [Daily Mail, 4/13/2023]

It's a Mystery

Over the last several months, Don Powell and his wife, Nancy, have been puzzling over uninvited inhabitants of their fancy mailbox in Orchard Lake, Michigan. USA Today reported that in August 2022, two small dolls, a miniature couch and a small table appeared in the mailbox, which is custom-built to resemble the Powells' home, with windows and a solar-powered interior light that comes on at night. The dolls were accompanied by a note: "We've decided to live here. Mary and Shelley." Powell thought a neighbor might be spoofing him, but after exhaustive investigatory work, he's no closer to knowing the source of the figures. Over time, the home gained a four-poster bed, a dog, a rug and art for the wall. "The whole thing got rather whimsical," Powell said. At Halloween, Mary and Shelley were replaced by two skeleton dolls dressed in black, and at Christmas, tiny, wrapped gifts appeared. Now, Powell is thinking of writing a children's book about the mailbox mystery. "I think it creates a novel story," he said. [USA Today, 4/13/2023]

The Continuing Crisis

Angel Footman, 23, a teacher at Griffin Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida, was arrested on April 7 and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the New York Post reported. The charges came after school administrators learned Footman was allegedly hosting violent brawls between students in her classroom. Naturally, she set down rules: no recordings, and no pulling hair. No screaming (draws attention). Fights must be limited to 30 seconds each. However, several sixth-grade girls alerted administrators, and video turned up showing Footman at her desk while students fought each other. She's scheduled for arraignment in May. [NY Post, 4/10/2023]

Bright Idea

Drivers along Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon, were startled on April 11 to see $100 bills floating through the air, Fox News reported. In fact, many cars stopped along the highway to grab the loot. When the Oregon State Police tracked down the source, it was Colin Davis McCarthy, who told them he'd been throwing the money out of his car to "bless others." He said he thought he'd dispersed around $200,000. The OSP later revealed that McCarthy's family had been in touch; he had depleted a shared family bank account for his Robin Hood moment. [Fox News, 4/14/2023]

News That Sounds Like a Joke

Northern Railway in England has made a specific appeal to its riders: Please stop watching porn on the train. The Mirror reported that Northern provides "Friendly Wi-fi," which meets (apparently the bare) minimum filtering standards. Tricia Williams, chief operating officer, said people should remember that "some content is not suitable for everyone to see or hear -- particularly children." While the company understands that the ride may be "the first opportunity to view content," commuters should "wait until you get home." [Mirror, 4/14/2023]

Precocious

Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, told CNN on April 18 that a toddler was able to breach the fence around the White House, setting off security alarms. The "curious young visitor" crawled through the fence posts on the north side and was quickly apprehended by Secret Service police officers, who reunited him with his parents. Perhaps he's considering a bid for 2052. [CNN, 4/18/2023]

Update

Last week, News of the Weird reported that former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had taken street maintenance matters into his own hands and filled a pothole in his neighborhood. His good deed turned out to be an "oops" moment, though, according to the Associated Press. The "pothole" was actually a utility trench that had been temporarily filled by Southern California Gas Co. and was set to be fixed permanently later. SoCal Gas said rain had delayed the permanent paving. The Terminator tweeted, "Teamwork. Happy to help speed this up." [Associated Press, 4/14/2023]

Questionable Judgment

Parents of students at Desert Hills Middle School in Kennewick, Washington, are questioning the thinking behind a school assembly activity that took place before spring break, YakTriNews reported. The game involved a large piece of clear plexiglass with stripes of whipped cream sprayed on both sides; teams of students and staff competed to see who could lick the cream off both sides at the same time, making it appear as if the two people were kissing. District Superintendent Dr. Traci Pierce sent a letter to parents on April 12, which assured them that "The content of a video being shared on social media is highly concerning" and the activity "does not reflect the high standards we hold for our staff members." An investigation is underway. [YakTriNews, 4/12/2023]

Nyet

Olga Slegina, 70, was hit with a fine of about $500 on April 18 in Moscow for a remark she made in December about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Daily Mail reported. While speaking with another woman at a care home in Nalchik, Slegina called Zelenskyy, 45, a "handsome young man" with a "good sense of humor." That's a no-no in Russia; the Code of Administrative Offenses, introduced in March 2022, characterized her comment as "discrediting" the Russian military. Slegina was told that three people reported her over the discussion, and she was taken to a police station and told she had "praised Zelenskyy." She was unable to attend the trial due to health reasons and intends to file an appeal. [Daily Mail, 4/19/2023]

Overreaction

A Monopoly game in Belgium on April 2 took a sinister turn, Sky News reported. Four people were playing the game outside their home when a neighboring man and his son, apparently annoyed by the players, came outside with a stick and a Japanese samurai sword in a sheath. A scuffle ensued, and the sword came out of its sheath; police said two men -- one of the players and the son -- were injured by the weapon. The Monopoly player was later discharged from the hospital, but the son was reported to be in critical condition. Both men had been arrested. Large patches of blood and scattered Monopoly cards marked the spot of the dispute. [Sky News, 4/5/2023]

Awesome!

A batch of ale originally brewed to celebrate King Edward VIII's coronation in 1937 will hit the auction block, Sky News reported. Edward abdicated the throne before his coronation in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. The Coronation Ale went into storage until it was uncovered in 2011; several crates of the 86-year-old beer will be auctioned off in advance of King Charles III's coronation in May. The brewer, Greene King, says the beer is no longer drinkable and the bottles will just be collectors' items. (Keep an eye on News of the Weird for the unlucky collector who can't resist a sip.) [Sky News, 4/18/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams named former schoolteacher Kathleen Corradi to a new position on April 12, United Press International reported. Corradi is the rat czar (officially, director of rodent mitigation) of the Big Apple. Adams said it was "clear we needed someone solely focused on leading our rat reduction efforts across all five boroughs." In 2022, rat sightings in the city increased by 74% over the previous year. Requirements for the job included being "highly motivated and somewhat bloodthirsty" with a "swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor and general aura of badassery." "I look forward to sending the rats packing," Corradi said. [UPI, 4/13/2023]

Eyewitness News

Although he is no longer governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger still performs his civic duty -- in this case, filling a huge pothole in his Brentwood neighborhood with concrete. The Associated Press reported that on April 11, the Terminator himself, along with a helper, used a shovel and packaged concrete to fill a hole in the street. "Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that's been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it," he tweeted. "This is crazy. For three weeks I've been waiting for this hole to be closed." Arnold's heroics may have been misguided, however; according to a statement from SoCalGas, the "pothole" actually was an active work trench for a project to be completed in May. [Associated Press, 4/12/2023]

Cleaning Up

Police in Boardman, Ohio, are still on the lookout for a robber who broke into a Bed Bath & Beyond store early on April 8, WFMJ-TV reported. Surveillance cameras captured a "stocky male" throwing a rock through a window at the store, then heading to a stockroom in the back, where he filled four shopping carts with 33 Dyson vacuum cleaners. The vacuums were valued at between $500 and $750 each, for a total loss of $17,000. Because there are no surveillance cameras outside the store, authorities didn't get a picture of the getaway vehicle. That sucks. [WFMJ, 4/11/2023]

Recent Alarming Headline

In 2008, an enormous sinkhole appeared in Daisetta, Texas, NPR reported. At that time, it grew to a cavity about 900 feet across and 260 feet deep, then stabilized. Over the years, it became a sort of recreational area, where people fished and alligators lazed. But on April 2, the hole began expanding. "My neighbor came over and said he kept hearing popping sounds like a gunshot," said Tim Priessler. "We went to the backyard, and there were buildings falling in. It was like a movie. You can see cracks forming in the ground." Since then, a vacant building and several storage tanks have sunk. The EPA and city officials are working to find out what has caused the sinkhole to shift, but as of April 10, no evacuation orders had been issued. [NPR, 4/11/2023]

Least Competent Criminal

Seems like it would go without saying, but you might want to assemble an item you just stole away from the store's parking lot. On April 3 in Flagler County, Florida, Patrick Vandermeyden-Miller allegedly walked out of a Target store with an electric scooter he had not paid for, WESH-TV reported. Deputies were called to the scene, where they found Vandermeyden-Miller near a cart rack, putting together the scooter. He also had drug paraphernalia in his pockets. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and petit theft. [WESH, 4/6/2023]

News You Can Use

Darryl Pitt, chair of the meteorite division at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel, has an offer Mainers won't want to refuse: If you're the first to find a big (the size of a softball or bigger) space rock from a recent meteorite crash, the museum will pay you $25,000. The fireball was seen in the sky around noon on April 8, and NASA reported that "signatures consistent with falling meteorites" were registered by radar. The rocks probably fell to Earth in a remote wooded area near the border with Canada; NASA estimates the largest specimens will be found near Waite, Maine. Good luck! [AP, 4/12/2023]

But Why?

Late on April 7, Boris Richard, 21, made an "unauthorized entry" into the embalming room at the Smith Funeral Home in Monroe, Alabama, The Smoking Gun reported. Richard, who is an "unofficial" worker at the home, used his phone to FaceTime with a friend as he looked over several "post-autopsy" corpses resting there, police said. Richard declined to answer any of the officers' questions and was released on a $1,500 bond. [Smoking Gun, 4/12/2023]

The Neighbors

A feud among neighbors in China's Hunan Province that had been brewing since April 2022 recently came to a deadly head, Fox News reported on April 10. The original feud started when Mr. Gu cut down Mr. Zhong's trees without his permission. Mr. Gu was further inflamed when Mr. Zhong's wife towed away the cut trees, so he sneaked onto Mr. Zhong's property during the night and shone a flashlight at Mr. Zhong's chickens, causing 500 birds to rush into a corner and trample one another to death. To add insult to injury, Mr. Gu returned on a different night and employed the same tactic, causing another 640 chickens to die. A court ruled on April 4 that Mr. Gu had intentionally caused Mr. Zhong to suffer property loss to the tune of about $2,000. He was sentenced to six months in prison and one year of probation. [Fox News, 4/10/2023]

Is That a Knife in Your Head ...

Donald the Duck, a mallard who lives in Saint-Nolff, France, is infamous among residents because he seems to live a perfectly normal life with the blade of a knife stuck in his head, Oddity Central reported. While Donald could swim and eat without trouble, members of the Pinocchio et Sauvageons society decided it should be removed. On March 31, rescuers managed to catch him, and the surgery was a success, with Donald flying the coop as soon as the door was open. Authorities are now trying to discover who stabbed Donald. [Oddity Central, 4/7/2023]

Good Grief!

Bayley, a mini "sheepadoodle" dog with her own Instagram account, is famous because she looks remarkably like Snoopy, the cheeky beagle in the comic strip "Peanuts." Bayley has more than 240,000 followers on social media, People reported. Bayley's black eyes, nose and big, floppy ears make her a dead ringer for the beloved comic character, even though they are not the same breed. Now Bayley's owner just needs to get a small, yellow bird to round out the cast. [People, 4/12/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.