A Pennsylvania man, Andrew Neirer, was attacked and bitten by a rabid black bear while walking near Jim Thorpe. A neighbor intervened, shooting the bear, which subsequent testing confirmed had rabies. Neirer received medical treatment and is expected to recover fully. While rare, the incident highlights the importance of reporting unusual animal behavior, and the effectiveness of rabies post-exposure treatment.
Early Saturday morning, robbers used explosives to break into the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, stealing a significant number of gold artifacts. The heist included a priceless gold Coțofenești helmet and three Dacian royal bracelets, part of a Romanian loan exhibit. Police are investigating a related car fire and are appealing to the public for any relevant security footage or witness accounts. The museum remains closed while authorities conduct their investigation.
Nearly 50 years after the murder of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara at Honolulu’s McKinley High School, Gideon Castro, 66, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Advancements in DNA technology, unavailable in 1977, linked Castro’s DNA to evidence found on the victim, finally solving the cold case. Castro, a McKinley High graduate who had previously been interviewed by police, was apprehended in Utah. The arrest brought a measure of closure to the community and Dawn’s family, though many unsolved cases remain.
Following intense criticism for a controversial TikTok video, Laura Smith resigned from her positions on the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library Board of Trustees and the Knights for Life nonprofit board. The Library Board cited Smith’s conduct as conflicting with its values of inclusivity and respect. Knights for Life similarly emphasized its commitment to service and community, distancing itself from Smith’s actions. Both organizations publicly rejected the sentiments expressed in the video.
Following a two-month search, all 43 rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina have been safely recovered. The last four monkeys were recaptured this week and appear healthy. The escape occurred due to unsecured doors, and the young, female primates were never used in research. Local police and the Alpha Genesis facility expressed gratitude for community assistance in the successful recapture effort.
The U.S. Air Force has removed lesson plans featuring the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) from its basic training curriculum. This action is part of a broader review of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training materials mandated by a presidential executive order aimed at eliminating such programs within the federal government. While the historical videos themselves may not be problematic, their inclusion in DEI coursework triggered their removal. The Air Force is taking a wide-ranging approach to ensure compliance with the executive order, pending further guidance.
Dustin and Jennifer Nehl, an Oregon couple, were arrested and charged with impersonating firefighters after attempting to enter a Los Angeles wildfire evacuation zone in a firetruck purchased at auction. They wore fake firefighter gear, including Cal Fire shirts and a helmet, and possessed radios, falsely claiming affiliation with a non-existent Oregon fire department. Authorities seized the vehicle and noted Dustin Nehl’s prior Oregon criminal record involving arson and criminal mischief. Both face up to six months in jail if convicted.
Kansas is experiencing the largest tuberculosis outbreak in U.S. history, with 66 active and 79 latent cases documented since 2024, primarily in Wyandotte County. While the outbreak is ongoing, the number of active cases has decreased to approximately 32, and public health officials assure the general public is at very low risk. The CDC is assisting state health officials in managing the outbreak, which is treatable with antibiotics. Active cases become non-contagious after ten days of treatment and three negative sputum tests.
A whistleblower complaint filed with FinCEN alleges that Mastercard and Visa knowingly facilitated money laundering related to child sexual abuse material and sex trafficking on OnlyFans. The complaint, submitted by a senior financial compliance expert, claims the payment processors ignored evidence of illicit activity despite prior warnings. While both Mastercard and Visa deny the allegations and assert zero-tolerance policies, the complaint also notes prior attempts to alert the companies in 2021 and 2022. OnlyFans, which previously attempted to curb explicit content before reversing that decision, has yet to comment.
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John Q. Hosedrinker