A man emerged with his groceries from an Albertsons supermarket in Las Cruces, N.M., on March 28, to find that his car had been overtaken by a swarm of about 15,000 honeybees, according to the Las Cruces Fire Department. The man, who had borrowed the car, had left the back window down during his 10-minute trip inside the store, and the bees took up residence in the back seat. The New York Times reported he called 911, and responding firefighters turned to Jesse Johnson, 37, an off-duty firefighter who keeps bees as a hobby. Johnson brought an empty hive box treated with lemongrass oil ("It really mimics the scent of the queen," he said) and lured the swarm out of the car. "I'll do anything to keep people from killing bees," Johnson said.
Ravens have good taste
The Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News reported on March 26 that customers at a local Costco store are routinely robbed of large cuts of meat as they transfer their groceries to their cars ... by ravens. More than a year ago, Olani Saunoa was buckling her toddler into a car seat when a raven swooped in and grabbed a package of short ribs from her car. "He had picked up the entire package," she said. And this year it happened to her again — a bird snatched a pack of pork ribs. Other customers are reporting similar incidents. Rick Sinnott, a former wildlife biologist, isn't surprised: Ravens "much prefer ... a package of short ribs from Costco to half of a hamburger bun from McDonald's."
Cliché comes to life
Around 4:15 a.m. on March 24, an unidentified resident of Laurium, Mich., woke to find a gun pointed at his head, WLUC-TV reported. Laurium Police said Warren Meyers, 52, of Calumet, Mich., allegedly demanded the homeowner give him his two cats. The "cat burglar" left with one cat and was later apprehended, along with the gun he used, said authorities. He was arraigned March 29 in Houghton County Court; the fate of the stolen cat is unknown.
Don't eat that chocolate
Among the treasures discovered at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, England, is a 121-year-old chocolate bar, still in its tin, commissioned by Queen Victoria for troops fighting in the Second Boer War in South Africa, Reuters reported on March 31. Oxburgh was the ancestral home of the Bedingfeld family for 500 years, and one of them, Sir Henry Edward Paston-Bedingfeld, fought in that war; the chocolate bar was discovered in his helmet case. "Although you wouldn't want it as your Easter treat," mused Anna Forrest, cultural heritage curator at Britain's National Trust, "it is still complete and a remarkable find." On the lid, a message is inscribed in Queen Victoria's handwriting: "I wish you a happy new year."
Unexpected diagnosis
Kent Ryan Tomao, 25, of the Philippines, has experienced pain in his chest during cold weather ever since he was stabbed by some teenagers on his way home from work in January 2020. Inquirer.net reported on March 24 that a recent X-ray taken as part of Tomao's application for a mining job revealed the source: a 4-inch knife blade buried in his chest, just inches from his lungs. Tomao told local media he had "no idea there is a knife in my chest" and now "I am just seeking help so it can be removed."
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