Odd News from across the World | Viral Now
German court restarts trial after judge repeatedly nods off
A German court had to restart the trial of two men suspected of robbing a grocery store because a judge kept nodding off during the proceedings.
The Muenster state court told the dpa news agency on Tuesday that the presiding judge decided it was better to start things over than provide immediate grounds for an appeal.
German trials are typically heard by a panel of five judges — three professionals and two lay judges. In this case, it was one of the lay judges who couldn't stay awake on Monday.
Fortunately, it was the first day of the trial and it was able to start again from scratch after an alternate judge took his place.
40-year-old Twinkie still going strong
In a glass box in a private school in Maine sits a 40-year-old chemistry experiment still going strong: A decades-old Twinkie.
ABC News reports the experiment started in 1976 when Roger Bennatti was teaching a lesson to his high school chemistry class on food additives and shelf life.
After a student wondered about the shelf life of the snack, Bennatti sent the students to the store with some money. When they returned with the treat, Bennatti ate one and placed the still-surviving Twinkie on the blackboard.
Bennatti has since retired, but the snack now resides in the office of George Stevens Academy's Dean of Students Libby Rosemeier.
Rosemeier told ABC News she isn't sure who will inherit the Twinkie when she retires, but joked that the Smithsonian hasn't called yet.
Deputy: Man tried to steal grandmother's frozen dinners
A New Mexico man is facing charges after authorities say he broke into his grandmother's home and tried to steal frozen dinners.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports Jonathan Saiz was recently arrested at his grandma's house near Carnuel, New Mexico. A criminal complaint says the 34-year-old Saiz stuck his thumb in a deputy's eye as he attempted to escape.
The deputy says he later found a gun in Saiz's pocket and several glass pipes with drug residue.
Saiz is facing firearms and battery on a peace officer charges.
It was not known if he had an attorney.
New Mexico parent making teen son live in tent as punishment
A New Mexico family is drawing scrutiny for punishing their troubled teenage son by making him live in a tent in the desert.
Jacob and Angela Boggus say they banished their 16-year-old son to the tent outside their Belen, New Mexico house after he brought home bad grades and kept stealing. The pair says they want to teach their son a lesson before his behavior gets worse.
Under the punishment, the teen stays in the tent during the day, he's fed, has all the water he needs and can use the bathroom in the house.
The couple says the punishment will last a month, unless he completes five book reports.
Valencia County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Gary Hall says he didn't see anything that was abuse or negligent.
Texas city council votes to oust library cat
A North Texas city council has started a cat fight by voting to oust the furry mascot of the city's public library.
The governing council of the Fort Worth suburb of White Settlement voted 2-1 to give the library 30 days to find a new home for Browser the cat.
The ex-shelter cat has been a library fixture for six years. But council member Elzie Clements moved at a June 14 council meeting for the tabby's removal.
Mayor Ron White, who has no vote on the council, tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/28SVZsK ) the vote was a tit-for-tat after a city employee wasn't allowed to bring a puppy to work at City Hall.
Ex-council member Alan Price said Browser's supporters will petition for a reprieve in November's elections.
Blue Light Special is a roundup of the Myrtle Beach area’s weird and wild crime, written with a saracastic and/or humorous twist. It is meant as a parody. Don’t take it too seriously; we don’t.
This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Odd News from across the World | Viral Now."