Cardinals manager Marmol buys tickets for fans to continue shirtless revelry at Busch Stadium
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol believes in the “no shirt, no problem,” mantra. His club was boosted to a win over the Royals Friday night by a group of college baseball players in the right-field seats who took off and waved their shirts as they sang, chanted and drew others into the fray. Marmol wants the good times to continue. He announced he'd buy tickets this weekend for fans who want to sit in the “right field Loge.” And the Lumberjacks of the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team took him up on that, returning for Saturday's win over Kansas City. They got to meet Marmol and Cardinals players after the game.
Owl found stuck in a concrete mixer is on the mend and flying free
A great horned owl found stuck in a concrete mixer in Utah is now flying free after recovering at an animal sanctuary. Workers discovered the owl in late October and quickly took action to save it. Staff at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab spent days carefully removing concrete from the bird's feathers. When the owl didn't molt as expected, they performed a procedure called imping in early May. This involved grafting donor feathers onto the owl's damaged wings. After the 90-minute procedure, the owl successfully flew silently, allowing it to be released back into the wild.
Such great heights: They're tall, they're proud — and they're getting together
SEATTLE (AP) — The Tall Tour is a traveling meetup drawing thousands of unusually tall people to cities across the United States, offering a rare experience: blending in. Founded by 6-foot-9 TikTok creator Tyler Bergantino, the events feature group gatherings, speed dating and a crowning for the tallest “king” and “queen.” In Seattle, a 6-foot-5 mother and her 7-foot son were crowned. Attendees describe relief at being surrounded by others who share everyday annoyances like fitting on airplanes, limited clothing options and constant public attention. Women bonded over the challenges of finding a taller partner.
Museum's 'Knight Rider' replica car got a speeding ticket. It hasn't gone anywhere in years
A museum in Illinois is wondering how it got a speeding ticket for its replica of the car in the TV show “Knight Rider” that hasn't moved from its display in years. The Volo Museum near Chicago says it got a $50 ticket from New York City linked to the black Pontiac Trans Am this week. The ticket includes traffic cam photos of a black Trans Am with the California license plate KNIGHT. That's the same plate as the one in the show and the novelty plate on the museum's car. It's unclear how the city connected the speeding car to the museum. Messages were left with city officials.
A massive 11,000-carat ruby has been unearthed in Myanmar’s war-scarred gemstone heartland
BANGKOK (AP) — Miners in Myanmar have discovered a massive ruby, considered to be the second-largest by weight ever found in the country. The ruby, weighing 11,000 carats, was unearthed near Mogok in mid-April. Although it weighs less than a 21,450-carat stone found in 1996, it is considered more valuable due to its superior color and quality. Myanmar produces about 90% of the world’s rubies, with gemstones being a major revenue source. Human rights groups have urged jewelers to stop buying gems from Myanmar, as the industry has funded military governments and fueled internal conflict.
South Florida officers sue Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, claiming details in 'The Rip' are too real
MIAMI (AP) — Two South Florida police officers claim Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s recent action thriller “The Rip” used too many real-life details in its fictionalized narrative, causing harm to the officers’ personal and professional reputations. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office sergeants filed the lawsuit in federal court earlier this month against Artists Equity, a film production company owned by Affleck and Damon. They play police officers who find millions of dollars inside a house. Parts of the movie were inspired by a real 2016 case, where police found over $21 million linked to a suspected marijuana trafficker. An attorney for Artists Equity says the film does not purport to tell the true story of that incident or portray real people.
A faint meow in the rubble of a Mississippi tornado leads to a stunning rescue
Storm chaser Ashton Lemley was helping search through a Mississippi trailer park destroyed by tornadoes when he heard a kitten meowing from the rubble. The storms hit the rural community of Bogue Chitto early Thursday and injured at least a dozen people. Lemley searched in the dark for several minutes before finding the kitten trapped inside the remains of a wall. Video shows him pulling the frightened animal to safety and comforting it in his arms. The kitten did not appear to be seriously hurt. Lemley says several people already want to adopt the cat, with some suggesting the name “Tornado.”
A Taiwanese town embraces a slow pace of life through a snail race
FENGLIN, Taiwan (AP) — The Taiwanese town of Fenglin has embraced its slow pace of life, using snail races to celebrate a focus on sustainability and community. The initiative aims to boost tourism after a 2024 earthquake impacted travel in the area. Fenglin joined the Cittaslow network of small cities in 2014, promoting quality of life and local foods. The town's population has shrunk over the years, with over 20% of residents age 65 or older. The snail races, held during the May Day holiday, attract locals and tourists alike. Besides the races, guided e-bike tours highlight Fenglin's historic sites and leisurely lifestyle.
Mexico City is sinking so quickly, it can be seen from space
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico City is sinking nearly 10 inches every year, making it one of the world’s fastest-sinking metropolitan areas. That's according to newly released satellite imagery from NASA. The sprawling megalopolis with a population of some 22 million was built upon an ancient lake bed. Over the decades groundwater pumping and urban development have dramatically shrunk the aquifer. So Mexico City has been sinking for over a century, leaving many monuments and older buildings visibly tilted to the side. In some parts the drop is coming at an average rate of 0.78 inches a month.
A real WKRP radio comes to Cincinnati, decades after the sitcom about a fictional station
CINCINNATI (AP) — The radio station WKRP isn't dead, and it's now live on air in Cincinnati. The call letters from the fictional station featured decades ago in a CBS sitcom were adopted by stations in the Cincinnati market in time for the Monday morning drive. The station's co-owner says delighted listeners have been mobbing the phone lines. The owners obtained the call letters by making a donation to a North Carolina nonprofit whose low-power radio station has had them since 2014. The show “WKRP in Cincinnati” ran from 1978 to 1982 and starred Loni Anderson, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid and Richard Sanders as bumbling newsman Les Nessman.
