But Why? 

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But Why?
Lalita Kayi, 50, was recently discovered on July 27 in a forest about 280 miles from Mumbai, India, the BBC reported, chained to a tree. Kayi initially told her rescuers that her husband had shackled her to the tree and "left her in the forest to die without food or water." But police and her doctor say the American woman tied herself to the tree. After treatment in a psychiatric hospital, Kayi admitted that she is not married and was distressed because her visa and money were running out. Her doctor, Sanghamitra Phule, said Kayi's condition is improving and she has been in touch with her family in the U.S.

Do. Not. Insult. The. Chef.
Georgetown County (South Carolina) Sheriff's officers were called to a home on July 28 on reports of an assault in progress, Fox59-TV reported on Aug. 1. Deputies were told that the fight started while siblings Anthony Harper and Hope Harper were cooking chicken. Hope Harper allegedly asked her brother "why he didn't season the chicken ... so it could crust up," the report said. When Hope called Anthony a "dumb dog," he pushed her into a table and punched her. Someone else in the home fired a 9mm handgun into the ceiling, hoping to stop the brawl, but no—Hope retrieved a steak knife and started swinging it at her brother. Next, their grandmother swatted Hope with a broom until she backed off. But Anthony, his chef cred cruelly questioned, picked up a can of Raid bug spray and sprayed Hope on the neck and face until she grabbed the can and sprayed him back. Each of the siblings is pressing charges against the other; both were released on bond.

Fine Points of the Law
Evans Lee Jr. of Atlanta passed away on Oct. 26, 2022, the Atlanta Black Star reported on Aug. 6. Because he left no will, Georgia law called for the nearest living relative to ask the probate court to make them an administrator, which is just what Randy Watson, 48, did. The problem: Watson was not related to Lee. Georgia's probate court does not require proof of being a rightful heir to an estate, so Watson became the executor, filling in false details on Lee's death certificate and listing Watson as the decedent's son. In response, Lee's nephew, Trahan Brown, was later granted a court-ordered paternity test that confirmed Watson was not related to the dead man. But before the court could reverse Watson's executorship, the man had cleared out most of Lee's belongings, sold off his home and collected his urn of ashes. "There was never an opportunity to go in the home, clean the home, none of that," said Brown's wife, Renee. Authorities have now opened an investigation into Watson and the funeral home.

Feeling Eel
About 150 people in and around Tokyo were stricken ill, and one person died, in late July after eating grilled eel sold at a department store, the Associated Press reported on July 30. The eel was prepared by a local restaurant chain and sold in the grocery area of the Keikyu department store, officials said. Roasted eel is considered a tonic against the summer's extreme heat; more than 1,700 servings of the dish were sold at the shop.

Field Report
Visitors to downtown Orlando, Florida, might be used to seeing pigeons on the rooftops—but not this kind of pigeons. ClickOrlando reported on Aug. 6 that giant, brightly colored, inflatable pigeons are about to be installed on several of the city's rooftops. Creative City Projects, an arts group, is bringing the birds in the hope of drawing more visitors downtown. At 21 feet long and 16 feet high, the neon pigeons are expected to "foster a greater appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living beings in an urban environment," said Ashley Papagni, a city spokesperson.

It's Good To Have a Hobby
Handyman and electrician Steve Wainwright, 61, of Cambridgeshire, England, needed a project in his retirement, Metro News reported on Aug. 1. "I felt a bit lost," he said. "I looked at my tape measure and I thought, 'I wonder if I can build this 10 times its size?'" And he could—even with a giant retractable measuring tape. Wainwright's wife suggested a 10x lipstick, so he obliged, then went on to build pencils, keys, clothespins and a three-prong plug. He notices a difference in reactions between men and women; men love his creations, and women say, "What on earth are you going to do with that? Where are you going to put that?" he said.

Haute Dog
CBS News reported on Aug. 7 that fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is going to the dogs. The designer has launched a perfume for dogs called "Fefé" in honor of Domenico Dolce's poodle. A 3.4-ounce bottle will set you back $108, and the company claims veterinarians approve of the alcohol-free scent. But apparently not all veterinarians. Federico Coccia, a vet in Rome, isn't a fan: "Dogs recognize themselves by smells, they recognize a person by smell. ... This world of smells should not be changed," he said. He also noted that some diseases are made apparent by their odors, and the perfume could mask those. Dog owner Francesca Castelli agrees: "It seems to be a very exaggerated process of humanization," she said.

It's a Mystery
Officials in Sioux City, Iowa, are stumped by the appearance of several blue crabs around the city, Oddee reported on Aug. 5. The first incident happened at the Sioux City Public Library on July 30, when a crabby visitor was found in the computer lab (which is on the second floor). Circulation services manager Jenn Delperdang said the crab "must have been hungry for knowledge. We really have no idea the journey that this crab had to get to the library." The staff called Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center to retrieve "Chester," but he passed on two days later. Another crustacean pinched customers of a vending machine in a neighboring downtown building as they tried to retrieve their soda.

Latest Religious Message
Katie Moran, president of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, was taking pictures of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 2, when she witnessed a miracle, she said. WJW-TV reported that Moran took two subsequent photos, then saw that in the first one, Mary's eyes were open, and in the second, they were closed. The statue travels the world spreading the message of Our Lady of Fatima. "According to theologians, mystically her presence is there with the statue," said Moran. Larry Maginot, the statue's custodian, elaborated: "We know that she's wept 15 times." Moran believes Mary is sending a message to the world, but didn't specify what the message might be.

Bright Idea
On July 31, police responded to a fire in the early morning hours at a U-Haul business in Roseburg, Oregon, KEZI-TV reported. One van was fully engulfed in flames, and the fire was spreading to a second vehicle. Security footage from the area identified Jennifer Denise Holmes, 47, whose van with Nana's Sweet Treats on the side could be seen in the area. When officers spoke with Holmes, she admitted to siphoning gas from the U-Haul and then lighting a cigarette. She was charged on Aug. 3 with first-degree criminal mischief and reckless burning.

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