Mount Holyoke’s corpse flower blooms again, drawing crowds to its ‘rotting flesh’ stench
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (AP) — Crowds gathered at Mount Holyoke College’s Talcott Greenhouse to witness the rare bloom of “Pangy,” a corpse flower known for its powerful odor resembling decaying flesh. The tropical plant, native to Sumatra, blooms infrequently and emits the pungent scent to attract pollinating flies and beetles. Visitors described the smell as everything from rotting eggs and compost to stinky diapers, while others traveled hours to experience the fleeting spectacle. Pangy first bloomed at the college in 2023. Botanic garden director Tom Clark said the dramatic plant offers a unique opportunity to engage the public with the diversity and adaptations of the plant world.
Walmart is repackaging its Great Value brand to reflect changing consumer habits
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is redesigning the packaging of its Great Value products to make them more appealing to customers and to help shoppers spot nutritional information more quickly. Great Value is Walmart’s biggest store brand and one of the largest food and consumer packaged goods labels in the U.S. The revamp announced on Wednesday comes as shoppers have increasingly treated private-label foods not as a stepdown from national brands, but more as an equivalent. A company executive says the new cartons, boxes, bags and other containers will start to appear on Walmart store shelves next month. He says the overhaul doesn't involve any changes to the products themselves.
Hot dogs and steaks and bacon, oh my! Meat raffles keep a beloved Midwest tradition alive
WACONIA, Minn. (AP) — They're called meat raffles, and they're a tradition in a few pockets of the U.S. They're featured mainly at neighborhood bars or at American Legion or VFW posts in Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York state. Players enter for a chance to win a pack of ground beef, hot dogs, chicken breasts or steaks. The profits go to charity. But the games are under pressure in Minnesota due to rising meat prices. Minnesota’s prize limit was set at $70 total per event nearly 40 years ago. So there’s a move afoot at the state Capitol to raise the cap to $200.
WrestleMania is back in Las Vegas after a big showing last year
As WWE gears up for WrestleMania this weekend, the biggest annual event for the professional wrestling organization, data shows that its appearance in Las Vegas last year had an economic impact worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Parent company TKO said Wednesday that recent studies conducted by research firm Applied Analysis show that the event had an economic impact of $322.2 million, with wrestling fans traveling from all over the U.S. and abroad to spend money on hotels, restaurants, shops and at other businesses.
Ye postpones Marseille concert after French authorities say they will seek a ban
PARIS (AP) — The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has postponed his upcoming show in Marseille. French authorities had planned to ban the concert by Ye due to a history of antisemitic remarks. Ye announced the decision on social media, expressing a desire to make amends and not put fans in the middle. The show was set for June 11 at Marseille's Stade Vélodrome. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Marseille's mayor opposed the event. Ye has faced backlash for past antisemitic statements and actions. He has apologized, attributing his behavior to bipolar disorder.
NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigns from The Athletic after photos published of her with Mike Vrabel
NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet. The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the NFL owners meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29. Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after nearly a decade at ESPN, where she held various roles, including SportsCenter anchor, NFL analyst and insider. She hosted a podcast for The Athletic and made appearances on their video platform.
Raffle winner thrilled to claim a $1 million Picasso with a $117 ticket
PARIS (AP) — A Parisian art enthusiast has won a Pablo Picasso painting with a $117 raffle ticket. Ari Hodara was thrilled to learn he won following Tuesday's draw at Christie’s auction house in Paris. The raffle offered a chance to win a $1 million Picasso portrait, with proceeds supporting Alzheimer’s research. Organizers said all 120,000 tickets were sold worldwide. The painting, “Head of a Woman,” was painted by Picasso in 1941. It is the third “1 Picasso for 100 euros” lottery, with previous raffles supporting cultural and humanitarian causes.
FBI says suspects tried to rob Offset outside a Florida casino when he was shot in the leg
The FBI says rapper Offset was ambushed by a large group outside a Florida casino last week. The suspects tried to rob him and shot him in the leg. The incident happened Monday night outside Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood. Offset was hospitalized but quickly returned to perform in a wheelchair. The suspects fled in two SUVs. Police detained two people, including rapper Lil Tjay, who was charged with disorderly conduct. Offset, known for his work with Migos, rose to fame with hits like "Bad and Boujee." The group is celebrated for their influence on hip-hop.
Sergio Garcia apologizes for his Masters tantrum, saying the way he acted 'has no place in our game'
Sergio Garcia has apologized for his tantrum during the final round of the Masters. Garcia hit a bad tee shot on the second hole and twice slammed his driver into the turf. He also slammed the club against a bench and broke off the head. The Masters had an official issue a code-of-conduct warning to him a few holes later. It's the first time the conduct policy has been used at the Masters. Garcia says he respects and values everything about the Masters and Augusta National and regrets the way he acted. He says that has no place in golf.
Asian surnames have been the fastest-growing in the US, according to Census Bureau report
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The most popular last names in the U.S. might be unchanged from the previous decade, but Asian surnames were the fastest-growing at the start of 2020s. The U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday that Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones were the top five last names in the U.S. in 2020, unchanged from 2010. The fastest-growing surnames from 2010 to 2020 were Asian, including Zhang, Liu and Wang. The most popular male first names were Michael, John, James, David and Robert, while Mary, Maria, Jennifer, Elizabeth and Patricia topped the female list. Unlike the Social Security Administration’s annual count of baby names, the Census Bureau’s tally includes everyone, not just newborns.
