Offbeat News: Plastic Fashion, Stupid Criminals & More

Posted on February 28, 2018February 28, 2018 by Rick Watts

“From Drab to Fab”

High fashion brand Céline is jumping on the reusable plastic bag bandwagon and it ain’t cheap. The transparent “shopper bag” is available now at the Céline x Nordstrom pop-up in Seattle for a not-so-chic price of $590.

They’re not the only ones turning plastic bags into plastic fab. Balenciaga took inspo from Ikea’s 99 cent blue plastic “Frakta” tote and made it a $2,145 leather carryall.

“Can You Hear Me Now?”

The moon is about to get cell phone service. Vodafone Germany teamed up with Nokia and Audi to support a mission to put a mobile network on the moon and it will enable high-definition streaming. The companies have worked to create a space-grade network that’s no bigger than a bag of sugar to send up to the moon.

Vodafone Germany Chief Executive Hannes Ametsreiter says, “The project involves a radically innovative approach to the development of mobile network infrastructure.”

The network will be 4G rather than 5G for its proven reliability. Plus, experts aren’t quite sure if 5G would be stable enough from the moon’s surface. The companies have a launch scheduled on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2019 from Cape Canaveral.

“Broken Pot is No Joke”

A cracked teapot made in South Carolina which originally sold for about $20 in England was just auctioned off for a whopping $806,000. So what gives? Turns out the teapot was made pre-Revolutionary War and is an important previously undocumented piece created by John Bartlam, who was one of America’s first porcelain manufacturers. It’s only the seventh recorded from that time.

“Seeing Double”

One family will be seeing double when identical twin sisters marry identical twin brothers in a joint wedding this summer. Jeremy and Josh Salyers proposed to their girlfriends Briana and Brittany Deane at a Virginia park named Twin Lakes State Park. This, happening six months after they met at the Twin Days Festival in none other than Twinsburg, Ohio. The Salyers met the Deanes on their first-ever trip to the festival. Josh says they “lucked out on (their) first attempt.”

STUPID CRIMINALS:

A woman from New York was charged with DWI after picking up her brother from the police station, who’d also just been charged with DWI. Scott Vosburgh was charged after crashing his car at an alcohol level of .29 percent. His sister, Kimberly Ledoux drove to the station to pick him up. Police say she appeared to be intoxicated so they did a breathalyzer. She came in at .22 percent. Kim has since been charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated. Another sober person came to pick them up.
Teresa Warren of Florida was arrested after beating up her boyfriend when he interrupted their sexy time to go check on dinner. The boyfriend claims the two were “drinking alcohol, cooking, watching the NASCAR race and having a good time,” when he remembered he was cooking something. He took a break from the “good time” to go check on the food so it didn’t burn and then Warren smashed a TV into the floor. When asked “What’s wrong?” she began swinging at him. He pushed her out the front door and she took off with his vehicle. She was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge and her bond was set at $2,000.

Offbeat News: A Squirrel Hunter, A Hungry Dog & More

Posted on February 7, 2018February 7, 2018 by Rick Watts

“This is It”

A Michigan couple is expecting their 14th child. Sounds crazy, but what’s even crazier is that the first 13 were all boys. So why are they going for another? They want a girl. And sure, having a 14th child seems like a huge deal, but to Jay and Kateri Schwandt it’s business as usual.

“If you have three, it’s the same as having 10 at this point, if you ask me,” Kateri notes. “It’s more chaos, more noise. It’s nothing we’re not used to at this point.” As for whether it’s a girl or boy, Jay says, “I would live to have a girl, but I just don’t think it’s in the cards.” And get this – they’ve decided to wait until their new bundle of joy arrives to find out the gender.

If it’s another boy… will they try again? “I’m thinking that this is it,” Jay offers. “”It feels like this is going to be it, and we’re going to enjoy every second of it.”

“Location, Location, Location”

In case you missed it, a brilliant Girl Scout set up shop in front of a pot dispensary in San Diego over the weekend. And for her efforts – the unnamed girl sold more than 300 boxes in six hours…and scored roughly $1,500.

“I think our customers loved it,” says Urbn Leaf’s Savannah Rakofsky. “They went out and bought boxes.” The best part? She’s within the rules… well, mostly. She didn’t set up a booth, and was using a wagon – which is good. But being outside of a dispensary? Yeah… they’re not too thrilled.”

Spokeswoman for the unnamed girl’s troop, Alison Bushan says it’s a “gray area.”

For the record, the rules vary by state on whether scouts can take advantage of legal weed stores. In 2014, Girl Scouts of Colorado made it clear it’s not allowed – but for scouts in Oregon? Totally okay. Either way, the idea to sell in front of dispensaries seems to be catching on. “After the news story ran,” Rakofsky adds. “We had more Girl Scouts show up.”

“Hound with a Hankering”

There’s an old saying about if a tree falls in the woods – and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound? So if no one’s home except the family dog – how do you know he’s the one who started a fire? Thanks to a little thing called home surveillance cameras.

That’s what a family in Southwick, Massachusetts learned when local firefighters responded to put out the flames. Thanks to a home surveillance cam, we get to see the unnamed family’s golden retriever home with a second golden retriever. Apparently hungry, the dog went to the stove and got up on his hind legs to snatch the flapjacks. That’s when he hit the ignition button on the gas stove.

The good news? The alarm system was working, and it alerted emergency responders who saved the day. There was also minimal damage. As the department points out, “If you have pets or young children in the home look into safety covers for your stove controls.” Bad boy! Good call!

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

A Virginia man’s dream led him straight to the lottery jackpot. Victor Amole dreamed about the numbers 3-10-17-26-32 and decided to use them on four identical Cash 5 tickets. The number proved lucky and at $100,000 a pop, Amole earned $400,000. He plans to invest his winnings.

STUPID CRIMINALS:

If you’re hunting squirrels, it’s best to stay away from schools. A York County Pennsylvania elementary school was placed on lockdown Monday after a squirrel hunter armed with an air rifle came on the property. Police say one person was taken into custody and made it clear that students were not in danger. No word on the squirrels, though.
Even though he’s “embarrassed” and “regretful,” Adam Stalmach, better known as the ‘Waste Management Phoenix Open streaker,’ says “It was worth it.” His reason? He made people laugh. He was jailed after the incident on Jan. 31 and was released Monday. Stalmach says, “It sucked. Jail is not fun. It’s not a good idea.” We agree, dude. Stay out of jail.

To hear more ‘Offbeat News’, tune into The Morning Brew with Bob Allen on KMZN 99.5FM/740AM or follow him on Facebook.

1977: Stevie Wonder #1

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Rick Watts

On January 22 in Rock History

In 1977 – Wings went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Wings Over America’, Paul McCartney’s sixth US No.1 after The Beatles.

In 1977 – Stevie Wonder went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Wish’, his 5th US No.1, it made No.5 in the UK.

In 1969 – The Beatles moved from Twickenham Film Studios to Apple studios in London to start recording the “Get Back” LP. Billy Preston was brought into the sessions (John, Paul, and George knew Preston from 1962, when he was a member of Little Richard’s backing group). The Beatles were determined to record the album “live”, flaws and all.

And in 1964 – The Yardbirds featuring Eric Clapton appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England.

Singer Robert Palmer Born

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Rick Watts

This day in Rock History: In 2000 – tourism chiefs in Liverpool were banned from putting up motorway signs saying ‘Liverpool, the Birthplace Of The Beatles’, because the Highways Agency thought the signs would distract motorists.

Speaking of The Beatles, in 1971, The Beatles White Album was played in the courtroom at the Sharon Tate murder trial to find out if any songs could have influenced Charles Manson and his followers to commit murder.

In 1998 – Carl Perkins, the rockabilly pioneer whose song “Blue Suede Shoes” and lightning-quick guitar-playing influenced Elvis Presley, the Beatles and a slew of other performers, dies at the age of 65, from complications following a recent series of strokes.

And in 1949 – Singer Robert Palmer is born in Batley, England.

‘Offbeat News’ for December 12th

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

Imagine going to relax in front of the TV and finding a snake, but not just any snake. A man in Cooroy, Australia stumbled upon an eight-foot-long python relaxing on his couch.

Snake Catcher Luke Huntley responded to the scene and says the serpent was the largest he’s ever caught indoors. He also admits to getting a few laughs about how the snake seemed to be lounging around.

Huntley’s tip for keeping snakes out of your house? Keep your windows and doors closed.

Alwine, Germany now has a new owner. The town, which has a population of 20, was put up for auction. It wasn’t exactly a bidding war, though. Only one person was willing to cough up any money and ended up snagging Alwine for $164-thousand-900.

It’s unclear at this point what the anonymous buyer is planning on doing with his or her latest purchase or what Alwine’s current residents, who are mostly retirees, think about it.

A very lucky lady lives in Maryland. The unidentified 54-year-old bought a lotto scratch-off card that ended up being worth $2-million. This isn’t her first time at the rodeo, though. A few years ago, this same woman won $100-thousand on another scratch-off.

This time around, the winner kept the exciting news to herself, going to work and not telling anyone until she got home.

She decided to receive her jackpot in annuity, which comes to about $66-thousand a year for the next 20 years.

STUPID CRIMINALS:

If you’re going to travel with more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine, make sure you follow all other traffic laws. In case you missed it, police in Pratt County, Kansas pulled a car over for a routine traffic stop. After finding probable cause for a search of the car, they hit the narcotics jackpot with the massive meth haul. All in all, the drugs are worth about $404,000 on the street.
Jamie Esposito subscribes to the go big or go home method. The 32-year-old is being charged with stealing 144 bottles of nail polish from Bayonne, New Jersey CVS, worth around $14-hundred. She was pegged for the crime after getting caught stealing from a nearby Rite Aid. That time, Esposito was found in possession of $64 worth of formula. Authorities also discovered drugs on her. It’s unclear what exactly Esposito ended up being charged with.
A 16-year-old babysitter figured if he had to watch a 10-year-old, he might as well put him to work…as his accomplice. Police in Rochester got a call about a child dragging a suitcase along the street. When cops arrived, they found the suitcase was filled with goods from a recent burglary, which they tied to the teenage babysitter. Oh, and for what it’s worth, the babysitter gave cops a fake name and age. They figured it out, though, and charged the unidentified minor with burglary, two counts of grand larceny, criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal impersonation. The unknowing accomplice was released to his parents.

What is some of the most “offbeat news” that you’ve ever heard? Share below in the comments! Don’t forget to tune into KMZN 99.5FM and 740AM every weekday morning to hear more during “Bob’s Morning Brew” with DJ Bob Allen.

‘Offbeat News’ for 12-1-17

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

It’s not clear what Sahar Tabar loves more: Angelina Jolie or plastic surgery. The 19-year-old woman from Iran says she’s Angie’s biggest fan and she would “do anything” to emulate her. Apparently, that means undergoing 50 plastic surgeries.

Tabar’s Instagram has more than 460-thousand followers, but her unique look has also brought on plenty of haters. One follower even called her a “zombie.” At this point, there’s no way to know how much of Tabar’s look is due to surgery and how much can be chalked up to makeup.

Photos and more info here:

http://www.odditycentral.com/news/young-girl-allegedly-goes-under-the-knife-to-look-like-angelina-jolie-ends-up-looking-like-the-corpse-bride.html

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Sometimes it takes a little while for a guilty conscience to kick in. For one person in St. Paul, Minnesota, it took three decades. Enter South St. Paul police chief Bill Messerich, who opened a letter sent to him and found $1-thousand.

Included was a note apologizing for a hit and run committed in either 1985 or 1986. The anonymous sender asked for forgiveness and wondered whether police could track down the victim and give him or her the cash.

The sender asked that if the driver can’t be tracked down that the money be given to a police charity. Fortunately for the South St. Paul PD, their records don’t go back that far so the money was deposited into the police department’s general donation account and will be used to buy new equipment or technology.

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Goodwill stores wouldn’t be able to continue without donations. That doesn’t mean you can donate whatever you want, however. For example, it’s best not to drop off a hand grenade.

While going through a box that was dropped off, an employee at the Placentia, California store spotted the military weapon. Understandably, authorities were called and to air on the side of caution, a bomb squad was called in to remove the grenade safely.

Police are investigating, but all we know is that a woman dropped off the explosive donation.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Police in Revere, Massachusetts had a particularly smelly crook on their hands. Steven Spolidoro is accused of walking into a bank, demanding money, and fleeing with $1-thousand. An off-duty cop who was nearby provided a description of 41-year-old Spolidoro’s car, which was spotted in Boston. After a chase, officers saw the man abandon his car and run off on foot. He was eventually discovered and arrested inside a port-a-potty near the TD Garden arena.

‘Offbeat News’ for 11-30-17

Posted on November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 by Rick Watts

OFFBEAT NEWS:

Leah Alderman has to thank the spirit of her grandma for her recent lotto win. The Cumberland, Maryland woman spotted a Ruby Riches scratch off card and decided to pick one up, thinking of her grandma Ruby, who died when Leah was a teenager.

As she was preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, Leah scratched the card and discovered she was $30-thousand richer. “I was shaking when I signed the ticket,” Leah adds. “This is awesome!”

Leah and her fiancé are planning on using their cash to continue the restoration of their dream house. They’re also considering using some of the cash to get married.

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A man in India says he’s learned his lesson: make sure you ask for your doctor’s credentials. If not, you might be like this 60-year-old farmer who allowed what he calls a “quack” doctor to insert a metal cup in his back door, all in the name of curing a stomach ache.

After the eight-inch cup failed to do the trick, the man’s family took the farmer to an actual doctor who with the help of an x-ray saw the cup. It took an hour-in-a-half in surgery, but the cup was successfully removed.

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

If you want to get away with stealing a hot car, you’ve gotta ACT like someone who’d drive a hot car.

A 38-year-old guy named Israel Rangel wandered into a Ferrari and Maserati dealership in Costa Mesa, California last month, and he saw a Ferrari 458 Spider in their garage for service . . . with the keys on the seat.

So . . . he stole it.

Then, about two weeks later, Israel pulled into a Shell station . . . and started asking people there if he could get a little money for gas. And that was VERY suspicious, considering the Ferrari 458 Spiders start at about $230,000 . . . and this particular one was worth closer to $300,000.

So someone called the cops, and they found Israel hiding in some bushes behind a Holiday Inn nearby and arrested him. He was charged with felony vehicle theft and several other charges as well.

The Ferrari belonged to a woman named Susan Friedman, and Israel had trashed it so badly that her insurance company declared it a total loss. But don’t cry for her . . . she used the settlement to buy herself a new 2018 Lamborghini Huracan.

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Anthony Breslin was sent to pick up cattle by his dad. It’s unclear if the 18-year-old Irish teen actually did find any cows, but we do know Breslin drove his family tractor into the town of Derry. When police pulled him over, Breslin admitted he had gone to Derry to look for women. He was hit with a $67 fine and it’s probably safe to assume he didn’t meet his soulmate.

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What is the best “Offbeat News” you’ve heard today? Feel free to share below. To hear more “Offbeat News”, tune into “Bob’s Morning Brew” every morning on KMZN.

TAG SEARCH RESULTS FOR: "Bob Ballard"

“From Drab to Fab”

“Can You Hear Me Now?”

“Broken Pot is No Joke”

“Seeing Double”

STUPID CRIMINALS:

“This is It”

“Location, Location, Location”

“Hound with a Hankering”

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

STUPID CRIMINALS:

On January 22 in Rock History

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