Magpie News Collector

N.C. man's son's birthday numbers deliver big lottery jackpot

By United Press International, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 1:18 PM

A North Carolina man who always uses his son's birthday to play the Cash 5 lottery drawing ended up scoring a $341,844 jackpot. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Crying kitten rescued from Texas storm drain

By United Press International, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 12:59 PM

Animal services officers in Texas teamed up with public works personnel to rescue a kitten heard crying from inside a storm drain. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: 7-foot alligator caught trying to cross Florida highway

By United Press International, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 12:44 PM

Sheriff's deputies in Florida helped wrangle a 7-foot alligator found jaywalking across a busy highway in Hillsborough County. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

'Escaped zebra' in Armenia was a painted donkey

By United Press International, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 11:27 AM

Officials at a zoo in Armenia said reports of an escaped zebra were the result of a donkey that had been painted black and white as a prank. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Baby eagle returns to nest after surgery to remove fish hook

By United Press International, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 11:05 AM

A 2-week-old baby bald eagle is back in a Pennsylvania nest with its family after undergoing surgery to remove a fish hook from its stomach. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

19 Screenshots Of Helicopter Parents Who Desperately Need To Loosen Their Grip

By BuzzFeed, Inc. | | 5/1/2026 12:25 AM

"I would rather die than play with my kids. It's boring beyond acceptability."View Entire Post › ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Passengers pulled from water after learner driver crashes bus into major European river

By Sky News | | 4/30/2026 4:38 PM

Four people have been rescued from the River Seine in Paris after a trainee bus driver crashed through a barrier and into the water. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: San Diego Zoo launches Elephant Valley live camera

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 2:00 PM

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is giving the entire Internet the chance to visit its new elephant habitat with a live camera on its website. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Helicopter complicates morning drop-off at Tennessee school

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 1:49 PM

Buses and cars arriving at a Tennessee elementary school Thursday morning had to work around an unusual obstacle in the parking lot -- a helicopter. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Ohio woman's mistaken lottery purchase wins seven-figure jackpot

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 1:40 PM

An Ohio woman bought the wrong lottery ticket by mistake and ended up winning a $1,852,212 jackpot. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Firefighters rescue chameleon named Mr. Peeps from house fire

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 1:17 PM

Firefighters in England responded to a house fire sparked by an unattended candle and ended up rescued a chameleon named Mr. Peeps. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Massive sea lion 'Chonkers' drawing crowds in San Francisco

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 1:08 PM

Crowds are flocking to San Francisco's Pier 39 to catch a glimpse of a rare visitor to the city: a massive sea lion. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Connecticut farm owner searching for escaped peacock

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 10:44 AM

A Connecticut woman is searching for a peacock that escaped from her farm more than a week ago and has since been spotted around town. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Escaped cow wanders University of Illinois campus

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/30/2026 10:29 AM

A cow escaped at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and went for a self-guided tour of the campus and a neighboring cemetery. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: 'Zonked out and stuck' bear rescued from tree in Colorado

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 12:15 PM

Firefighters in Colorado responded to an unusual late-night call involving a black bear that was "zonked out in a tree and stuck." ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Family member's zip code delivers $50,000 lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 12:05 PM

A Maryland woman used a family member's zip code to play a Pick 5 lottery drawing and ended up winning a $50,000 prize. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Deputy responding to animal call finds entire escaped farm

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 11:31 AM

An Indiana sheriff's deputy responded to a call about an animal in a road found animals including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and goats. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Wisconsin recycling center posts 17.3 mph speed limit sign

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 11:21 AM

A new speed limit sign posted outside a recycling center in Wisconsin is drawing attention for its oddly specific number -- 17.3 mph. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: YouTuber breaks Rubik's cube record while skydiving

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 10:43 AM

A 23-year-old German YouTuber broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to solve a rotating puzzle cube while in freefall. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Dashboard warning lights lead to baby squirrel discovery

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/29/2026 9:40 AM

A Virginia man opened the hood of his car to find out what was causing his dashboard warning lights and discovered a nest of baby squirrels. ... Read full Story

auto

2027 BMW i5

by Car and Drive | May 01 2026

basketball

76ers playing with house money in Game 7 against the Celtics, with decades of history working against them

by CBS Interactive Inc | May 01 2026

entertainment

Skincare Meets Sweat: Why Sofia Richie, Kate Hudson, and Adriana Lima Are Working Out at BURN

by ET Online | May 01 2026

FFNEWS

Xeneta: The worst may be over after air cargo prices surge in April

by Air Cargo News | May 01 2026

golf

Saudi Fund to Back Away From LIV Golf Under Mounting Financial Pressures

by NY Times | Apr 15 2026

music

Drake’s Rolex From the ‘Take Care’ Cover Has Reportedly Sold for $500,000

by Billboard | May 01 2026

new_jersey

Op-Ed: New Jersey’s child-care crisis rooted in low pay for educators

by NJ Spotlight | May 01 2026

odd_fun

N.C. man's son's birthday numbers deliver big lottery jackpot

by United Press International, Inc. | May 01 2026

people

Taylor Swift is staying one step ahead of AI by legally protecting her voice and image

by marca.com | Apr 28 2026

politics

Mullin defends WHCD security perimeter, Secret Service ‘performed their job’

by The Hill | May 01 2026

retirement

Trump signs order aiming to help expand access to retirement accounts

by Fox News | Apr 30 2026

science

Proton beam timing tool could check radiotherapy energy before nearly every treatment

by phys.org | May 01 2026

sports

Pentagon taps NVIDIA, Google, OpenAI to deploy AI on new top-secret military networks

by Interesting Engineering | May 01 2026

upstate

Empire State Weekly: Late NYS budget causing concern for school districts

by NEWS10 ABC | May 01 2026

Word of the Day

Beltane

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2026 is:

Beltane • \BEL-tayn\ • noun

Beltane refers to the Celtic May Day festival.

// Beltane falls each year approximately halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.

See the entry >

Examples:

“On May 1, we celebrate what began as the ancient Celtic holiday of Beltane. ... It started at sundown April 30, when, according to Celtic lore, the evil spirits that had wreaked havoc on humans since Halloween had a last fling before the dawning of May 1 cast them into their annual six-month exile. The night of April 30 is still celebrated, especially abroad, with bonfires and revelry.” — Deane Morrison, The Owatonna (Minnesota) People’s Press, 26 Mar. 2026

Did you know?

To the ancient Celts, May Day marked the start of summer, and a critical time when the boundaries between the human and supernatural worlds were removed, requiring that people take special measures to protect themselves against enchantments. The Beltane fire festival originated in a summer ritual in which cattle were herded between two huge bonfires to protect them from evil and disease. The word Beltane has been used in English since the 15th century, but the earliest known instance of the word in print—as well as the description of that summer ritual—appears in an Irish glossary commonly attributed to Cormac, a king and bishop who lived in the south of Ireland near the end of the first millennium.

N.C. man's son's birthday numbers deliver big lottery jackpot

Look: Crying kitten rescued from Texas storm drain

Watch: 7-foot alligator caught trying to cross Florida highway

'Escaped zebra' in Armenia was a painted donkey

Look: Baby eagle returns to nest after surgery to remove fish hook

19 Screenshots Of Helicopter Parents Who Desperately Need To Loosen Their Grip

Passengers pulled from water after learner driver crashes bus into major European river

Watch: San Diego Zoo launches Elephant Valley live camera

Look: Helicopter complicates morning drop-off at Tennessee school

Ohio woman's mistaken lottery purchase wins seven-figure jackpot

Look: Firefighters rescue chameleon named Mr. Peeps from house fire

Watch: Massive sea lion 'Chonkers' drawing crowds in San Francisco

Watch: Connecticut farm owner searching for escaped peacock

Watch: Escaped cow wanders University of Illinois campus

Watch: 'Zonked out and stuck' bear rescued from tree in Colorado

Family member's zip code delivers $50,000 lottery prize

Watch: Deputy responding to animal call finds entire escaped farm

Look: Wisconsin recycling center posts 17.3 mph speed limit sign

Look: YouTuber breaks Rubik's cube record while skydiving

Watch: Dashboard warning lights lead to baby squirrel discovery

2027 BMW i5

76ers playing with house money in Game 7 against the Celtics, with decades of history working against them

Skincare Meets Sweat: Why Sofia Richie, Kate Hudson, and Adriana Lima Are Working Out at BURN

Xeneta: The worst may be over after air cargo prices surge in April

Saudi Fund to Back Away From LIV Golf Under Mounting Financial Pressures

Drake’s Rolex From the ‘Take Care’ Cover Has Reportedly Sold for $500,000

Op-Ed: New Jersey’s child-care crisis rooted in low pay for educators

N.C. man's son's birthday numbers deliver big lottery jackpot

Taylor Swift is staying one step ahead of AI by legally protecting her voice and image

Mullin defends WHCD security perimeter, Secret Service ‘performed their job’

Trump signs order aiming to help expand access to retirement accounts

Proton beam timing tool could check radiotherapy energy before nearly every treatment

Pelé's life in pictures

Pentagon taps NVIDIA, Google, OpenAI to deploy AI on new top-secret military networks

Empire State Weekly: Late NYS budget causing concern for school districts

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

1.N.C. man's son's birthday numbers deliver big lottery jackpot

2.Look: Crying kitten rescued from Texas storm drain

3.Watch: 7-foot alligator caught trying to cross Florida highway

4.'Escaped zebra' in Armenia was a painted donkey

5.Look: Baby eagle returns to nest after surgery to remove fish hook

6.19 Screenshots Of Helicopter Parents Who Desperately Need To Loosen Their Grip

7.Passengers pulled from water after learner driver crashes bus into major European river

8.Watch: San Diego Zoo launches Elephant Valley live camera

9.Look: Helicopter complicates morning drop-off at Tennessee school

10.Ohio woman's mistaken lottery purchase wins seven-figure jackpot