Crews rescue 2 from hot-air balloon entangled on Texas communications tower
LONGVIEW, Texas (AP) — Crews in East Texas rescued two people stranded hundreds of feet in the air after a hot-air balloon hit a communications tower. Officials in Longview say firefighters responding to the tower on Saturday found the balloon entangled more than 900 feet above the ground. Officials say it took rescuers about an hour to climb up to the man and woman in the balloon’s basket, and it was another hour before the pair was secured inside the tower and could begin their descent. It took nearly two more hours for them to reach the ground. Both were taken to a hospital as a precaution. The Federal Aviation Administration says it will investigate the incident.
US half marathon women's leaders guided off course in error. One asks officials to 'make it right'
ATLANTA (AP) — The runner who was leading the women’s race of the U.S. half marathon championships until she was mistakenly led off the course by a guide vehicle is calling for USA Track & Field to make right an outcome that cost her a spot in the world road running championships this fall. Jess McClain was ahead by a wide margin with about 1.5 miles to go Sunday when she and three other runners followed the guide vehicle on a wrong turn. McClain says in an Instagram post that she followed a police escort, official lead vehicle and a media motorcycle off the course for about one kilometer.
A prehistoric skeleton found deep in a flooded Mexican cave was likely placed there in a ritual
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Archaeologists have found a prehistoric human skeleton deep inside a flooded cave system on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Cave-diving archaeologist Octavio del RĂo tells The Associated Press that the team recovered it late last year and experts are studying it now. Del RĂo says the body sits far from the entrance and about 26 feet down. That suggests the cave was dry when someone placed it there, possibly as part of a burial ritual, at least 8,000 years ago. He says sediment around the bones hints at an intentional burial. Officials say the find could add clues about early migration routes. Mexico is working to protect the threatened caves.
Callers to Washington state hotline press 2 for Spanish and get accented AI English instead
SEATTLE (AP) — Callers to Washington state’s driver’s license agency who select automated service in Spanish have instead been hearing an AI voice speaking English with a strong Spanish accent. The voice slipped Spanish numbers into key phrases. A recording of the odd-sounding accent drew attention on social media. And one person described the experience as “hilarious,” “absurd” and like a scene out of “Parks and Recreation.” The Department of Licensing has apologized and says it fixed the problem.
Injured mother manatee and calf are rescued in Florida and taken to SeaWorld
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Officials in Florida say an injured mother manatee and her calf have been rescued from a river and taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office shared video on social media showing Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staffers netting the pair on Wednesday. Drone video shows the rescue boat circling around the manatees to corral them in what looks like a fishing net before the crew hauls the sea cows aboard. Officials didn’t have details about how the mother manatee was injured or their current conditions. The mother and calf are among at least six manatees rescued in the county since Feb. 19 because of cold stress, watercraft injuries and malnutrition.
Toucan seen flying around Sin City has been rescued
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A toucan seen flying around the Las Vegas desert has been captured by a bird rescue group. The group has been trying to catch the bird for months since he escaped from his owner in November. The toucan named Sam flew into a garage, where the homeowners trapped it until the rescue group could come. Sam was taken to the veterinarian and shows signs of wear and tear, but the group thinks he'll be OK.
A Boston Celtics game-inspired friction test finally pinned down the sneaker squeak
NEW YORK (AP) — A new study uses physics to uncover why sneakers squeak on the basketball court. Scientists slid a shoe against a smooth glass plate over and over, filming it and recording the squeaking sounds with a microphone. As the shoe works hard to keep its grip, the sole changes shape thousands of times per second as it momentarily loses and then regains contact with the floor at a frequency that matches the pitch of the loud squeak we hear. These insights can help scientists understand essential questions about friction, which has important practical applications. The study was published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Ancient coupling may have happened more between human females and Neanderthal males
NEW YORK (AP) — Ancient linkups may have happened more frequently between female humans and male Neanderthals, according to an new genetic analysis. Scientists know that Neanderthals and humans mated because there is a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA in most modern humans. But they also know that the Neanderthal DNA is not distributed evenly throughout the human genome. Scientists looked at the human genes that got interspersed with Neanderthal ones during an ancient mating event and saw a surprising human fingerprint that told them the explanation may be mating behavior. The new study was published Thursday in the journal Science.
Hawks plan a Magic City tribute night with lemon pepper wings, T.I. and merch
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are turning a home game into a tribute to Magic City, the city’s famous adult entertainment club. Organizers plan food, music, and special merchandise built around the club’s brand. On March 16, the Hawks play the Orlando Magic, which fits the theme. Hawks owner Jami Gertz says the night matters to her after producing a STARZ docuseries about the club. Atlanta rapper T.I. performs at halftime. The team also hosts a live pregame podcast recording about Magic City’s influence. Magic City serves lemon pepper wings, including a version linked to Lou Williams.
She sang her national anthem during karaoke. Now she's under arrest
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (AP) — Police in the Dominican Republic have arrested a woman who sang the national anthem in a high-tempo style during karaoke. A police report on Tuesday accused 64-year-old Amarilis Brito RodrĂguez of disrespecting the anthem. A video from earlier this month shows her singing and moving to the beat as diners join in. Police say they found her at her home and arrested her on Monday. Brito told reporters she wrote her version 22 years ago. She said she meant no harm and did not know it was illegal. Social media users are split over the arrest.
