Call in to the Washington state Department of Licensing, and you'll have the option for Spanish language communication. At least that's what you'd expect. But instead, the Associated Press reported, an automated AI voice just speaks English with a strong Spanish accent. Maya Edwards, whose husband pressed 2 for Spanish, said, "It was hilarious to us in the moment because it was so absurd. But at the same time, it has real accessibility issues for people who ... need to speak in a different language." The DOL apologized and said the glitch had been fixed as of Feb. 27, but calls to the service still resulted in the accented voice and using Spanish words only for numbers, as in, "Your estimated wait time is less than tres minutes." Buena suerte! [AP, 2/27/2026]

Wait, What?

After being reported missing on Feb. 14, a 36-year-old Florida man was found on Feb. 26 up to his neck in mud, WCJB-TV reported. Andrew Giddens, who friends said had been depressed after a recent breakup, was found near the Vulcan Sand Plant in Melrose. A Vulcan employee discovered him and called authorities. Rescue crews from three counties spent more than two hours using ropes, ladders and other supplies to free him from the mud. After 12 days in the elements, without food or water, he was in critical condition at a local hospital. [WCJB, 2/26/2026]

Fine Points of the Law

Mob boss John Gotti's grandson, Carmine Agnello, 39, is headed to prison after pleading guilty to fraud in 2024, the New York Post reported. As his sentencing date, March 13, approaches, Agnello is hoping the federal judge will give him a break because he's donating a kidney to his mom, Victoria Gotti. But the Eastern District of New York isn't having it: "Being a kidney donor does not ... constitute extraordinary family circumstances and warrant a below guidelines sentence," the office wrote. They also argued that the Bureau of Prisons is more than equipped to care for Agnello after his kidney donation. Nice try. [NY Post, 3/1/2026]

The Passing Parade

On Feb. 28 in Thailand's Prakhon Chai district, 37-year-old Duangduan Ketsaro made headlines when, in the same ceremony, she married two Austrian men, the Times of India reported. Ketsaro met Roman, a retired police officer, five years ago, and then had flings with his friend, Macky, also a police officer. The three had settled into an open relationship, but they put a ring on it in a traditional Thai wedding. "Marry one, nobody remembers," Ketsaro said. "Marry two, they'll never forget!" [Times of India, 3/3/2026]

But Why?

Scientists in China have used gene editing technology to create a new tomato variety that smells like buttered popcorn, The Independent reported on Feb. 26. The project was conceived to address the problem of tomatoes losing some aroma and flavor during transport and storage. Peng Zheng, an author of the study, compared the alteration to creating varieties of fragrant rice. But why buttered popcorn? Why couldn't they smell like ... tomatoes? [The Independent, 2/26/2026]

That Rule Doesn't Apply to Me

Layne Featherngill, 58, took matters into his own hands on Feb. 26 in Sykes Creek, Florida, WFTV reported. An ambulance on a call had parked in a way that blocked Featherngill from moving his car, so he got into the ambulance and started to move it out of the way. Brevard County Fire Rescue crew members were working on a patient in the back when they felt the truck begin to roll. When one of the first responders got out and confronted Featherngill, he jumped out of the ambulance and into his own car, then struck a paramedic in the leg as he drove away. Deputies tracked him down and arrested him for grand theft of a motor vehicle and burglary of an occupied conveyance. [WFTV, 2/28/2026]

Field Report

Shoppers at The Market Place antique store in East Durham, New York, came across a cute little item on the shelves on Feb. 21, the Associated Press reported. There, tucked in next to a ceramic chicken cookie jar, was a sleepy eastern screech owl. The state's Department of Environmental Conservation was called in, and officers carefully cradled the sleeping owl and removed it from the store, then released it in a nearby woods. [AP, 2/27/2026]

News You Can Use

-- If you're planning to fly through Tampa International Airport anytime soon, better put on your best duds. The airport announced on X on Feb. 26 that pajamas would no longer be tolerated at the facility, Fox News reported. "We've seen enough. We've had enough. It's time to ban pajamas at Tampa International Airport," the post read. As it turned out, however, Tampa was just kidding (or maybe testing the water?). An airport statement said they "regularly share lighthearted, satirical social media content" and called the post "another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates." Mmm-hmmm. [Fox News, 2/26/2026]

-- This one's no joke: United Airlines updated its policy on Feb. 27 to prohibit travelers who watch videos or play games without using headphones, Fox News reported. Under United's "refusal of transport" rules, passengers who refuse to use headphones may be denied boarding or removed from a flight. Including the rule in the contract of carriage gives crews more ability to enforce it. [Fox News, 3/4/2026]

Oops

Visitors to the Shantou Zhongshan Park Zoo in Guangdong, China, may be admitted to a special feeding area where they can feed lions through cage bars, the New York Post reported. But on Feb. 26, a 10-year-old girl was attacked by two lions after being allowed in the area, even though she was underage. The girl was up against the cage when a female lion reached through the bars and grabbed her leg. A zoo staffer used a metal rod to hit the cat's paw away from the girl's leg, eventually freeing her. The staffer who let the girl into the restricted area was suspended, the zoo said. The victim had minor leg injuries and received a rabies vaccination. [NY Post, 3/2/2026]

Bright Idea

On Feb. 22, drivers on China's congested highways encountered a determined fellow traveler, the South China Morning Post reported. Tan, 26, was headed to his girlfriend's hometown 580 miles away from his home with a singular mission: to propose marriage. As such, he posted a sign on his car's back window that read: "Brothers, let me go first. I am heading to Guizhou to propose to the love of my life." His girlfriend had returned home for Chinese New Year, during which roadways become crowded with travelers. "At first, the journey felt endless, but the closer I got, the more excited I became," he said. "The kindness I received made my happiness even greater." Tan said his betrothed was surprised to see him after his 12 1/2-hour trip, and she happily accepted his proposal. [SCMP, 3/3/2026]

Inexplicable

Mitchell Fairbarn, 33, of Ontario, Canada, is this week's tourist behaving badly, KLAS-TV reported. On March 3 in Las Vegas, Fairbarn allegedly broke into the Flamingo Hotel's flamingo habitat around 5 a.m. and injured several of the iconic birds. Surveillance video showed that Fairbarn then grabbed "Peachy," one of the flamingos, and returned with it to his room. (Wonder what the other guy in the elevator thought?) Fairbarn told police that he had seen a flamingo in distress and went into the habitat to "pop" its wing back into place, saying doing so is "a common practice for birds, such as ducks," police said. "He has knowledge of this because he is a farm boy." But on Fairbarn's phone, officials found photos and videos of him torturing Peachy in his room, and police located a "large bloody feather" in the room. Fairbarn's bail was set at $12,000 and he was ordered to surrender his passport. [KLAS, 3/4/2026]

Gregory Saxton, 35, of New Virginia, Iowa, interviewed for a deputy position with the Warren County Sheriff's Office, which included a pre-employment polygraph screening, KCRG-TV reported on Feb. 23. During the screening, Saxton admitted that he had viewed child pornography on the dark web. On Feb. 19, investigators executed a search warrant for Saxton's phone, and he was arrested at his home and charged with 13 counts of possessing child pornography. [KCRG, 2/23/2026]

Hero

Reuters reported on Feb. 24 that during the first half of a football match in Zeytinburnu, Turkey, a ball kicked high into the air struck a seagull that happened to be flying by, knocking it to the ground. Istanbul Yurdum Spor team captain Gani Catan rushed to the fallen bird and began CPR on its little chest -- which worked! The gull began to move, and Catan took it to the medical staff on the sideline for further care. While his team lost the match, Catan had no regrets. "Helping save a life is a good thing," he said. "This was more important than the championship." [Reuters, 2/24/2026]

Mystery Unsolved

The Rockingham (North Carolina) County Sheriff's Department announced on Feb. 20 that it had located a woman who went missing in Virginia on Dec. 9, 2001, Cleveland19-TV reported. Michele Hundley Smith, now 62, kissed her kids goodnight and left her home to do some Christmas shopping around 8:30 p.m. She was not seen again. Detectives said they had "received new information" about her and made contact with her, but Smith requested that her whereabouts remain a secret. Netflix, are you getting this? [Cleveland19, 2/22/2026]

The Tech Revolution

Kaiya Reel of East Hollywood, California, ordered food for delivery, KTLA-TV reported on Feb. 22, but the Coco robot device that brought her dinner ran into some problems (literally). Reel said she was inside her home when she heard a commotion outside; "I came out here and found the Coco in my garden. It had got my fence caught up in its wheel ... then just drove away with the fence attached to it," Reel said. "I chased after it and looked like a total crazy person." The company that runs the Coco robots is going to reimburse Reel for the damage to her garden; apparently, it's not Coco's first rodeo with deliveries going amok. One ran into an ambulance, and another knocked over a parked motorcycle. [KTLA, 2/22/2026]

News You Can Use

The Nantucket Current reported on Feb. 19 that the island's occupants are having a MUCH BETTER time than you are, at least if wastewater data are your gauge. Eight months' worth of readings show that levels of cocaine in Nantucket's sewage are three times higher than the national average. Interestingly, levels of other drugs, such as meth and fentanyl, are lower than the national average. Nantucket Police Chief Jody Kasper said her department is focusing on illicit drugs in general, not just cocaine. "They have made a dent, but we certainly understand that the narcotics industry is the supply and demand industry, so that we need to stay on top of it," she said. [Nantucket Current, 2/19/2026]

Overkill

The Pocono (Pennsylvania) Mountain Regional Police are looking for Sean McDermott -- no, not the former Buffalo Bills coach, but a resident of a townhouse in Pocono Pines who is suspected of starting a fire that spread to other units. WPVI-TV reported that on Feb. 23, a witness said McDermott, 36, set multiple small fires in his own home to try to kill spiders. He allegedly had a small smoldering fire on his floor and placed a loveseat over it. The witness said he tried to put out the fires, but McDermott kept setting more. They left the scene, and when they returned it was fully engulfed. McDermott escaped in a U-Haul and is still at large. [WPVI, 2/24/2026]

Recurring Theme

When a 12-year-old in Monroe, North Carolina, missed the bus to school on Feb. 18, he made the obvious choice to just drive himself. The Charlotte Observer reported that a Monroe police officer made a traffic stop around 8:30 a.m. and discovered the middle-schooler behind the wheel. A school resource officer from Monroe Middle School transported the boy to school "without further incident," officers said. The state's social services department is following up with the family. [Charlotte Observer, 2/19/2026]

The Continuing Crisis

Drivers of two vehicles waiting at a stoplight in Omaha, Nebraska, on Feb. 24 suddenly found themselves staring at the sky, KETV reported. An SUV and a pickup truck suddenly fell into a sinkhole several feet deep; neither driver was hurt, but the SUV driver needed help from bystanders getting out of the hole. Omaha Public Works said the sinkhole was caused by an underground pressurized water leak. [KETV, 2/24/2026]

The Litigious Society

In a lawsuit filed on Feb. 19, Dennis and Patricia Swartz are seeking $150,000 in damages -- each -- from an incident in February 2025. The Independent reported that the couple were dining at LongHorn Steakhouse in Madison, Tennessee, when a "decorative object" (a large set of antlers) fell from the wall above them and struck them both. The lawsuit alleges the object was "improperly and inadequately secured to the wall of the premises" and the owner of LongHorn, Darden Restaurants, was negligent. The suit does not outline the Swartzes' injuries, but says they have suffered lasting "mental anguish" and "severe personal damages." [The Independent, 2/24/2026]

Government in Action

Long Island, New York, grandfather Seth Bykofsky went straight to the top after he was denied renewal on his car's vanity plate, United Press International reported on Feb. 26. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles said in a letter that his plate -- PB4WEGO -- was in violation of their regulations. Bykofsky did not agree. "In all my years as a parent and now grandparent, the worst I've gotten has been a gentle roll of the eyes from my kids and grandkids," he said. Eventually, the dispute made it to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who spoke with Bykofsky on the phone. She called the plate's message "an important lesson." "We'll get it back for you," she told him. [UPI, 2/26/2026]

Field Report

Ronaldo, a man from Cascavel, Brazil, was walking to work when two vicious dogs attacked him, Ratopati reported on Feb. 26. The dogs lunged at his neck, and as he fought them off, one bit down on the cellphone in his shorts pocket, which turned out to be fortuitous: The phone exploded, scaring the dogs off. "That moment was terrifying, but that very mobile phone saved my life," Ronaldo said. He did sustain some minor burns on his leg. The dogs' owner apologized and agreed to cover his medical expenses and the cost of a new phone. [Ratopati, 2/26/2026]

Anthony Sapienza, 63, was charged with two counts of felony battery on Feb. 8 in Port Orange, Florida, after a brawl broke out during a pickleball game at the Spruce Creek Country Club, the Associated Press reported. Sapienza's wife, Julianne Sapienza, 51, was charged with a single count of felony battery. The Sapienzas were playing against another couple when an argument began about a rule; words were exchanged between the men before the accused hit his opponent with his paddle, then punched him on the ground. Before it was all over, about 20 players became involved in the fight, police said. The victim was over age 65. [AP, 2/12/2026]

The Way the World Works

Back in the 1940s, carpenters would sometimes slide a newspaper between the floorboards of a house to fix uneven planks, The Washington Post reported. On Jan. 14, contractor Vincent Vincent tore up boards in a home in Fargo, North Dakota, and unsurprisingly found a newspaper page from Oct. 6, 1946. When he showed the paper to the homeowner, Casey Chapman, 75, Chapman recognized someone in the photo on the page: his mother. "It was just a shock," Chapman said. His family had no connection to the home before he bought it in 2017. That issue of the Fargo Forum featured the seven nominees for North Dakota Agricultural College's homecoming queen, one of which was Marty Anderson, Chapman's mom. (She won, by the way.) Anderson died in 2014. Chapman said she was "very active, and not afraid to take on leadership roles. My mother was a wonderful lady." He and his wife have already framed the clipping and will hang it in their renovated bedroom. [Washington Post, 2/11/2026]

Least Competent Criminals

-- A 25-year-old man in Philipsburg, Montana, drove to the Granite County Courthouse to pay a fine he had received for open container, KBZK-TV reported on Feb. 17. While he waited, Sheriff Rico Barkell observed that he appeared to be intoxicated. He asked if the man had driven to the courthouse, to which he answered yes. Then he admitted he had had two drinks and smoked two bowls of marijuana. A breath test confirmed the sheriff's suspicions, with the man's blood alcohol at three times the legal limit. He also had an open container in his car. He was charged with aggravated DUI and open container. The sheriff's office posted about the incident on its Facebook page, summarizing with "Stupidity is not an excuse!" [KZBK, 2/17/2026]

-- On Feb. 11, Dean Young, 26, entered a parked landscaping van in Hialeah, Florida, allegedly with intent to steal tools inside, NBC Miami reported. However, Young became trapped in the locked van and started screaming and beating on the doors. "Help me! I'm inside," he yelled. The landscapers called police but didn't free Young from the van, as there were machetes inside that he might have used as a weapon. Young, who had posted bail in an earlier case, was held on charges of burglary and criminal mischief. [NBC Miami, 2/12/2026]

Irony

A famous rock formation in Melendugno, Puglia, Italy, called Lovers' Arch collapsed into the Adriatic Sea on Valentine's Day, The Guardian reported. Strong storm surges and heavy rain pounded the area before the landmark fell. "It is a devastating blow to the heart," said Melendugno Mayor Maurizio Cisternino. "Nature has been overturned." [Guardian, 2/16/2026]

Meanwhile, at the Olympics ...

The real star of the Feb. 18 women's cross country team sprint qualifying round in Lago Di Tesero, Italy, was Nazgul, a 2-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog. NPR reported that as skiers flew across the finish line, Nazgul broke out of his doghouse and ran across, too -- even being captured with the official finish line camera. The dog's owner said Nazgul "just wanted to follow us. He always looks for people." [NPR, 2/18/2026]

Wrong Plane, Wrong Time

Fox5 Atlanta reported on Feb. 10 that a passenger on a United Airlines flight boarded the wrong plane, then wondered why it was taking so long. The passenger intended to fly from Los Angeles to Managua, Nicaragua, through Houston. Six hours into the flight, he asked a flight attendant why it was taking so long to get to Houston -- and realized he was on a flight to Tokyo. United Airlines paid for a two-night hotel stay as they worked out a new itinerary for the passenger and offered a $1,000 travel credit. [Fox5 Atlanta, 2/10/2026]

The Continuing Crisis

The Town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, declared a local emergency on Feb. 17 after at least two sinkholes opened up on its streets, WFMZ-TV reported. A dump truck that was hauling asphalt to repair one sinkhole ended up falling into the ground, while farther down the street, a car fell into a hole. The dump truck also damaged a water main, which could not be repaired until the truck could be removed from the hole. Using ground-penetrating radar, officials located several different voids beneath the surface, said Mayor Randy Piazza. The emergency declaration allows faster access to resources and assistance, town officials said. Public Works Director Matt Noel said eight homes had been evacuated, and residents of other homes have been encouraged to leave. [WFMZ, 2/18/2026]

Repeat Offender

Michael Delsid, 46, is no stranger to Fresno, California, police. KMPH-TV reported that Delsid was arrested after a chase on Feb. 17 for the 36th time -- in this incident, for evading police, reckless driving and probation violations. Delsid's criminal record dates back to 1994 and includes violent crimes, drug offenses and property crimes. He is ineligible for bail. [KMPH, 2/18/2026]

Oops

-- Australian TV reporter Danika Mason offered an on-air apology on Feb. 19 after her coverage from the Winter Olympics got a little sloppy, CTV News reported. On Feb. 18, Mason reportedly stumbled over several words and wandered off topic (the price of coffee in Italy and iguanas in the United States) before one of her colleagues in studio blamed the cold climate for her slurring. The next day, Mason said she "totally misjudged a situation. I shouldn't have had a drink, and especially in these conditions -- it's cold, we've got altitude, and not having had dinner probably didn't help as well. It's not the standard that I set for myself." [CTV, 2/19/2026]

-- In Sherman, Texas, pediatric dentist Kelly Buck, 36, was arrested on Feb. 16 after someone contacted police about her practicing dentistry and appearing to be intoxicated, WCAX-TV reported. Buck failed a field sobriety test and was charged with a felony. If convicted, she faces up to two years in prison. [WCAX, 2/17/2026]

The Perks of Being a Dogg

NBC Olympics correspondent Snoop Dogg, 54, visited a gastropub called Cronox in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 13, indulging in a cheeseburger, chicken wings, nuggets and fries, the New York Post reported. When it came time to tab out, however, his card was declined. Sofia Valmadre, the restaurant owner's daughter, said her mother "told him that it was OK (to take the food) without paying," which Snoop did. But the rapper and Team USA honorary coach paid his debt in spades ... or stomps. He gifted the restaurant five tickets to the men's snowboard halfpipe finals. "Grazie, Snoop!" Valmadre posted on X. [NY Post, 2/18/2026]