What Is This, a Center for PLANTS?
Lacking a green thumb? Take your plant(s) to Hilda Houseplant Hospital, run by Rosanna Costello of Edinburgh, Scotland. According to a July 11th report from the Good News Network, the hospital is run by horticulturist Rosanna Costello, who remembers going into plant shops and wishing she had more guidance to help her care for her own plants. Costello works up a “patient history” when customers bring in their plants, and chats with them about possible diagnoses and treatments. Like their human counterparts, “patients” in the plant hospital can be “put on drips,” quarantined, or even undergo “surgery” — which usually just means something like repotting or removing pests. “Once they’ve been repotted and trimmed, we feed them, give them a really good cleaning, and let the customer know they’re ready to collect,” Costello said. “There’s an awful lot of feelings and emotions attached to the houseplants that we see, and when they come to collect and get care information, there’s so much relief and joy.” [Good News Network, 7/11/26]
Gas Leak
Hundreds of moviegoers in Colombia fled the theater during a showing of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, thanks to a noxious smell, the New York Post reported on Aug. 3rd. Witnesses at the screening in Cartagena said they were overwhelmed by the stench of flatulence, forcing them into the hallways outside the showing. That’s right: Someone’s fart was so rotten that they cleared an entire theater full of people. The stinker hasn’t ’fessed up — who can blame them? — and so strong was the smell that some speculated someone had set off a stink bomb. The anonymous air-befouler let it rip about halfway through the showing, and many moviegoers left without finishing the movie. [NY Post, 8/3/26]
Skeleton in the … Deep Freezer
An Alaska family cleaning out a deceased loved one’s home called authorities when they discovered human remains on the property, the Juneau Empire reported on July 30th. Juneau police say the body — a man who would have been in his 70s now — was found in a deep freezer located in a locked outbuilding, and has been identified as a relative of the home’s deceased owner, though no missing person’s report was ever filed for him. Police estimate the body had been stashed for years, and are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. [Juneau Empire, 7/30/26]
Get Off My Lawn
Kyle James Steffen, 39, of Minnesota, faces charges after placing about 40 three-inch spikes in his lawn to deter neighborhood children from riding their bikes through his front yard on their way to a nearby park. KARE 11 reported on July 31st that a neighbor called police after witnessing Steffen yell at her children, and when police arrived, they discovered Steffen’s homemade spike strip. They charged him with a gross misdemeanor count of setting a spring gun/pitfall/deadfall or snare. Steffen could face up to 180 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. His court date is set for Aug. 25th. [KARE 11, 7/31/26]
Clothing Optional
Customers in Hollywood, Florida, are free to abide by an unusual dress code at the Class Soiree Steakhouse: clothing optional, UPI reported on Aug. 4th. On the first Monday of the month, the steakhouse offers a nude dining experience from 7 p.m. to midnight. Diners must be over 18 years old to participate, and are expected to follow additional guidelines, such as no touching without consent. Upon arrival, they are given a robe, a towel, and a seat cover. Chef and owner Maurad Ali says his staff members — who remain clothed during the event — have been well-trained and are respectful of the hungry nudists. Tickets start at $150 for women, $250 for men, and $300 for couples. [UPI, 8/4/26]
Death Becomes Him
A 26-year-old Welsh man has been arrested for dressing in a black hooded outfit to mimic the appearance of the Grim Reaper, climbing the roof of a local hospital and staring into hospital rooms, The Independent reported on Aug. 5th. Local resident Leon Gillespie has been charged with causing a nuisance or disturbance without reasonable excuse after a June incident at the Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital in North Wales. He pleaded guilty and was fined $270 for his stunt. [The Independent, 8/5/2026]
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
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