It was all over the news this week. An inmate disappeared from a northern Alabama jail. They also issued a warrant for the missing 17-year veteran (Assistant Director of Corrections) officer, Vicki White, 56, who is believed to have willingly assisted in the inmate escape. She is described as an exemplary employee. The inmate, Casey White, 38, was sentenced in 2019 to 75 years in prison, after being convicted of two counts of first-degree kidnapping and attempted murder. Then he confessed to stabbing a woman to death in 2015 and was set for trial next month. He is described as dangerous and may be armed with an AR-15 rifle, handguns and a shotgun. Like REALLY armed, so he’s bad news. But here’s what got me. The news said that the guy may be disguised. Hmmm. Considering this guy is 6’-9” tall, we were all wondering what he could be disguised as? A redwood tree. Perhaps a lighthouse. He wouldn’t be able to make it through our front door without bending in the middle. But I’ll be looking. It’s a pretty safe bet that I will run the other direction if I see a telephone pole that I don’t know.
Boris Becker, now age 54, who made tennis history in 1985 when he won Wimbledon at age 17, then went on to win five more grand slam titles over the next 11 years, was found guilty of four offenses relating to bankruptcy, including failing to disclose, and concealing and removing significant assets. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and is expected to serve half that time. Becker declared bankruptcy in June 2017, meaning he was legally obliged to disclose all his assets. Becker was accused of “playing the system with bad faith” by concealing and transferring assets and depriving creditors of more than $2.51 million in assets.
A litter of four Mountain Lion kittens were found abandoned under a picnic table near an office building in southern California. Two kittens died and were found to have THREE types of rat poison in their systems. When you put out any kind of poison or pesticide to kill rats, mice, squirrels or other animals, you have to be so careful. Their momma could have eaten a poisoned animal then nursed them. So much better just not to use anything like that.
With only two female northern white rhinos left in the world, scientists are rushing to find ways to save the species before it’s too late. They’ve come one step closer to this goal by creating artificial rhino eggs from stem cells.
OK listen up. If you have been reading this column for a while, you know I do what I can to help nature and encourage you to do the same. Pollinators are the basis of life. Butterflies, bees, and others carry pollen in and between flowers of the same species, fertilizing them so they produce fruit, vegetables, and seeds, so we can feed our faces. Without healthy pollinators, it will be devastating, and I just hope it’s not too late for us to do something about our extreme carelessness with nature. Threats include pesticides, global climate change, and illegal logging of the forests where monarchs migrate for the winter. Monarchs are on the waiting list for protection under the Endangered Species Act. I have always grown milkweed in my garden for the monarchs. Normally I have so much growing that people come and cut it when they run out of their own. This year I was amazed by how much was in the garden, then a few days later, there was nothing but hungry monarchs looking for more. Everyone I asked, said that their supply was also quickly eliminated this year. Please plant this pretty plant in your yard. You won’t even know how good it feels until you see your first caterpillar, chrysalis or new butterfly, and trust me, THAT FEELS SO GOOD! Go to SaveOurMonarchs.org to request free seeds. Be aware that the plant you buy at the nursery may have been sprayed with insecticides to make it aphid resistant. You can also receive FREE SEEDS by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Save Our Monarchs | P.O. Box 390135 | Minneapolis, MN 55439, along with envelope and $5 donation for each request. I just ordered.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Singer Toni Tennille is 82. Love Will Keep Us Together. Drummer Alex Van Halen is 69. Actor Melissa Gilbert is 58. Actor-turned-politician Glenda Jackson is 86. Guitarist Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets is 85. Singer Tommy Roe is 80. Best known for his hits Sheila, Dizzy, Jam Up and Jelly Tight, Yummy, Yummy, Yummy and Sweet Pea, also called bubblegum music. Singer-guitarist Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield & Poco is 78. Actor Candice Bergen is 76. Musician Billy Joel is 73. Actor John Corbett of My Big Fat Greek Wedding & Sex and the City is 61. He has been in a relationship with actress Bo Derek since 2002, after meeting on a blind date. Singer Dave Mason of Traffic is 76.
Singer Bono of U2 is 62. Model Linda Evangelista is 57. Singer Donovan is 76. Singer Eric Burdon of The Animals & War is 81. Composer Burt Bacharach is 94. Singer Steve Winwood of Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith. is 74. Blues musician Guy Davis is 70. Country singer Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn is 67. Actor Kim Fields of The Facts of Life is 53. Actor Sullivan Sweeten of Everybody Loves Raymond is 27. Actor David Keith is 68. An Officer and a Gentleman. Singer Stevie Wonder is 72. Movie director-producer George Lucas is 78. Musician David Byrne of Talking Heads is 70. Actor Cate Blanchett is 53. Singer Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block is 53. Director Sofia Coppola is 51.
Wynonna and Ashley Judd announced the death of their mother, Naomi Judd who was 76, saying they lost their mother “to the disease of mental illness.” Actress Joanna Barnes died at 87. She starred in 1961′s original The Parent Trap. Tony-winning actor Robert Morse who played the leader of the advertising agency in Mad Men, died at 90. David Birney of the 1972 sitcom, Bridget Loves Bernie, died of Alzheimer’s disease at 83. His co-star was Meredith Baxter and at one time they married in real life.
The Rolling Stones are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year. Yep. 60 years. Do you feel old? I do.
At a Jack in the Box in Houston, a 19-year-old fast-food worker was shot in the hand after customers became upset because they were going to be charged for added buttermilk dipping sauce. The young man had just clocked out and was waiting for his ride when he heard a dispute in the drive-thru window from women in a vehicle. They almost ran over him leaving, so he threw his drink at them, then they turned their car around, came back, and shot him. Somewhere in there he also threw his food at them, so he may have escalated the situation just a tad. But to shoot someone?
It looks like Russian President Putin is set to undergo some type of cancer surgery and will transfer control for two to three days, to a former federal police chief while he is incapacitated during and after the procedure. One news report said that in 2020, Putin was diagnosed with bowel cancer. His replacement, Nikolai Patrushev is considered an “outright villain and if he should come to power, Russians’ problems will only multiply.”
Al Pacino celebrated his 82nd birthday with his 28-year-old girlfriend. Madonna, 63, broke up with her boyfriend who is also 28, after three years of togetherness. Have you ever seen the movie, Harold and Maude that came out in 1971, starring Bud Cort, and Ruth Gordon, with great music by Cat Stevens. You should.
The LJ mulch site is overloaded with mulch, so they want you to stop by with a truck or trailer, your aunt, uncle, neighbor, friend or enemy, anyone at all… and help them get rid of it. Thanks to freezes, tornados, hurricanes, and every single time the wind blows, trees and branches have fallen, mulch happens. Help them out. Tell your friends in Brazoria, West Columbia or wherever, because you don’t have to be from LJ to pick up mulch right now. Spread the word and spread some mulch!!
An Illinois couple found a half-eaten, very well preserved, remains of a 63-year-old container of McDonalds’ fries and two burger wrappers, inside a bathroom wall while renovating their home. The remains were found inside a bundled-up towel. The fries were very well preserved, brown, and crispy. Or was it hard as a rock? Yikes. The picture was amazing but scary that it was still so preserved.
Russian troops stole nearly $5 million worth of farm equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol. The stolen equipment was located by remote GPS and locked, preventing them from being used. When they drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on. Don’t you just hate it when that happens? We need to continue our prayers for Ukraine.
A Columbus, Ohio couple were arrested (43 charges including money laundering & receiving stolen property) after making more than $480,000 in 2021, by stealing and selling 1,100 catalytic converters. It’s a thing now. That, and gas thieves who drill a hole in the gas tank then drain it into a container and walk away. Beware. Big trucks and vehicles that sit up high have easier access to the gas tanks.
Kentucky Derby: Grab a pretty little hat, a cigar, a bourbon, or mint julep, and get ready. Epicenter is the favorite to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby. He joins Zendon, Messier, and Mo Donegal as the only horses in the 20-participant field with odds of 10-1 or better. The longest odds of the Derby belong to the No. 2 horse, Happy Jack. He is considered a 67-1 longshot. Meanwhile, Simply Happy – with odds of 20-1 – is riding out of the No. 5 gate, which has been the best starting spot in Derby history, producing 10 winners since 1930, and four winners since the year 2000, which are the most from any starting gate.
A Louisiana couple in their 60’s, were arrested for second-degree murder after their 36-year-old deceased daughter was found sitting upright, partially clothed, submerged and fused by her own waste to a hole in a 1960’s style sofa, covered with feces, urine and insects. Her bed sores went all the way to her bones. Their daughter suffered from locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological condition that prevented her from moving her muscles. The couple were respected, and seen as pillars of the community, but neighbors said they were not aware that the couple even had a daughter.
Last week, The Source had only been online just a little bit when I received a text from Kay, who lives in Tennessee. Last week, I had written about half loaves of bread in India. Kay replied that she can buy half loaves of bread in Tennessee. She sounded like she might have been bragging just a tad… like “I have half packages of hot dog buns, hamburger buns, and everything since I moved to Tennessee!” She didn’t say that exactly, but I could hear it in her text. Like we aren’t smart enough in Texas to do something that clever. Which might be true. Then a couple of days later my phone pinged and there was a picture of her grocery basket filled with half loaves of sour dough, honey wheat, Hawaiian, whole wheat, artisan and get this… Texas Toast. That really hurt. You can buy a half loaf of TEXAS TOAST in Tennessee. It doesn’t seem right. I replied to her, “Show-Off.” I sure do miss that smarty-pants. 😊
Oh, wait. There was more today. Kay from Tennessee pinged me again, this time with a picture of the bread truck in traffic, passing right by the Citgo gas station, Dodge’s Fried Chicken, and an ambulance. There it is, pretty as you please. Lewis Bread. Half Loaf. Full Flavor. Written all over the back of the bread delivery truck. LewisHalfLoaf.com. Definitely, Texas can’t compete with this…
We have all heard about Johnny Depp and his crazy former wife, but an online petition to remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 now has 3.2 million signatures, and if it can each 4.5 million signatures, it will become one of the most-signed petitions. The petition (change.org) was set up by fans who claim that Heard “has systematically crusaded to ruin Depp in Hollywood” since the couple divorced in 2016. Have a great week-end and tell your mommas I said hello.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
