News of the Weird: Mermaids vie in their own Olympics

Before we get to the 2024 Olympics, here’s an update on the Merlympics. The what? The event, held in Geneva, Switzerland, since 2015, is designed to “prove athleticism” among mermaid competitors, KSL-TV reported. At the May games, Mia Sim, 22, of Provo, Utah, secured her title as the fastest mermaid in the world. Merlympics athletes compete in five categories that, in addition to racing, include ecology (picking up trash that’s in the water) and underwater posing for photographs — all while wearing full mermaid or merman gear. “It’s not a skill that’s easily learned,” Sim said of mermaiding.

During a court hearing on July 2 in Crown Point, Ind., defendant Devontae Harris, 26, just couldn’t keep quiet, the Chicago Tribune reported. Lake Superior Court Judge Gina Jones was hearing Harris’ argument for a plea deal in a stalking and battery case from November 2022, but when she denied the deal, Harris called her names and said, “You think you know about stuff. I done killed [people]. I got bodies under my belt. Go solve them.” He also threatened to throw his chair at the judge and asked her to perform a sex act on him. Jones added 210 days to Harris’ jail term, increasing it to 13 months.

Bigfoot walks among us — or at least among campers in Louisiana, MSN reported. On June 28, the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for help from a group of high school graduates who were celebrating their matriculation. The kids were camping in Kisatchie National Forest and told officers they heard growling and saw a 5-foot-tall animal with glowing eyes. Officers were unable to locate the creature, but they escorted the campers back to their vehicle.

The San Diego Humane Society has put the city on the map, but maybe not in a good way. CBS8-TV reported on July 8 that the society claims the city has more fleas than any other city in the United States. “We have a perfect climate here, where it is warm year-round,” said Zarah Hedge, chief medical officer at the SDHS. “It’s just a perfect environment for them to live in.” Hedge recommended pet owners talk to their veterinarians about treatment. Or, they could move.

Roger Allan Holmberg Sr., 75, pastor of Grace Baptist Temple in Alaska, was arrested on July 2 after assaulting his wife on a flight from Seattle to Anchorage, ABC News reported. The conflict started when Holmberg’s wife got upgraded to first class, and he didn’t. Shortly after liftoff, Holmberg appeared in the first-class cabin and asked his wife, “How the hell did you get the upgrade?” She answered, “I’m a gold point member. Don’t speak to me like that.” Holmberg returned to his seat but then approached again, asking his wife to read what was on his phone, after which he gave her the finger. During a third confrontation, according to the complaint, Holmberg “attempted to swing his arm towards [the victim]” and struck “the top of the victim’s head with his hand.” An FBI agent met the plane when it landed and arrested Holmberg.

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