Mother dies, 6-year-old child missing in river after family fishing trip, officials say

Newburyport, Mass.

A family outing while fishing at Deer Island turned tragic after a mother died and her 6-year-son went missing in the Merrimack River on Thursday.

The U.S. Coast Guard reports watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Boston received a call at about 7 p.m. reporting six people, two adults and four children, had fallen in the water while fishing on Deer Island.

Officials said two people, a woman and a child, were recovered by a good Samaritan and transferred to emergency medical services for treatment. They were taken to Anna Jacques Hospital.

Three other family members, a man and two children, were recovered by the Amesbury Police Department. They were transferred to emergency medical services for treatment and taken to Seabrook emergency.

However, the Coast Guard said the woman was recovered unresponsive and later died while rescuers could not find the family’s 6-year-old and suspended its search for the boy on Friday at 5 p.m.

“It is always a difficult decision to suspend a search and rescue case, and even more painful when children are involved,” said Coast Guard Sector Boston Capt. Kailie Benson. “Considering the extensive search efforts by the Coast Guard and the numerous state and local agencies, along with on-scene conditions, I have made the decision to suspend the search for the missing 6-year-old boy. Our prayers are with the boy and mother’s family and friends during this time.”

More than a dozen agencies were involved in the search for the child.

The Coast Guard urged anyone with new information on the incident to call Sector Boston at 617-223-3201.

World-famous zoo welcomes 4-week-old cheetah cub, Rozi

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden announced the arrival of a singleton cheetah cub earlier this week.

Zoo officials said its cheetah team is hand-rearing the 4-week-old female cub and named her Rozi. The group said they selected the name as it has ties to the cub’s home.

“We liked Rozi because it means rose (or flower) in Swahili, one of the languages spoken in the cub’s native land and because she was born in the spring,” said Cat Ambassador Program lead trainer, Linda Castaneda. “It’s also a nod to the beautiful botanical garden that will be her backyard as she grows up here.”

Cheetah mothers do not receive enough stimulation from a single cub to produce an adequate milk supply. So, zoo officials said Rozi couldn’t be cared for by her mom at Wildlife Safari in Oregon.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Cheetah Species Survival Plan then identified the Cincinnati Zoo as the best place for the cub to be raised.

“We have raised all of the eight cheetahs that are currently in the Cat Ambassador Program,” Castaneda said. “The first few months are important for bonding and building trust, so we will be with her night and day. When she’s ready, she will join the other ambassadors and eventually participate in the Zoo’s Cheetah Encounter.”

In addition to spending time with her care team, zoo representatives said the group plans to pair Rozi with a puppy. Canine companionship provides play and socialization opportunities that humans cannot give the cub.

NASA: Total lunar eclipse happening over weekend

On Sunday, the Earth will cast its shadow over the moon, and we should start seeing the total lunar eclipse that evening.

According to NASA, the moon will begin entering the partial shadow of Earth at 9:32 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Sunday. But the slight darkening of the moon will not stand out until the moon starts entering the full shadow of the Earth at 10:28 p.m. ET.

It will take until 11:29 p.m. for the full shadow of Earth to cover the moon. The peak of the eclipse will be at 12:11 a.m. ET on May 16.

Officials said the moon will begin emerging from the full shadow of the Earth at 12:54 a.m. ET and finish emerging from the full shadow at 1:55 a.m. ET.

The moon will finish exiting the partial shadow at 2:51 a.m. ET, but the subtle shading from this last part of the eclipse will be difficult to notice.

The lunar eclipse will be visible anywhere the moon is visible. NASA reports lunar eclipses occur during the full moon phase. So, the moon will generally be visible starting around sunset.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth gets directly between the sun and moon. The sun’s rays then get blocked by Earth and cause a shadow that darkens the moon.

Rattlesnake handler dies after snake bite during show, family says

Freer, Texas

A rattlesnake handler died over the weekend in Texas while handling a snake during a show at the Freer Rattlesnake Roundup event.

Eugene Roberto DeLeon, 60, was bitten by a rattlesnake on April 30 while performing at the annual show, according to his family. DeLeon was flown to a hospital in Corpus Christi where he later died.

DeLeon was a veteran snake handler and part of the Snake Busters Snake Handlers. His sister, Monica Dimas, shared on social media that he had a passion for snake handling and died doing what he loved.

According to the Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home, DeLeon graduated from Freer High School in 1981. He was a volunteer firefighter for the Freer Fire Department and a custodian at Freer High School.

Dimas wrote for those to keep her family in prayer while she helps raise money to pay for her brother’s funeral expenses.

DeLeon was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend who will be sadly missed by all who knew him, according to his obituary.

Services for DeLeon are scheduled to be held on May 7 at the Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home Chapel in San Diego, Texas.

Live Nation: $25 Concert Week tickets for 3,700+ concerts

Live Nation announced its Concert Week lineup which fans can purchase tickets to more than 3,700 shows across the U.S. this summer for $25.

The entertainment company said the Concert Week $25 tickets will be available from May 4-10 and cover genres from country, pop, hip-hop, alternative and more.

The shows will be taking place in venues ranging from small clubs to giant stadiums, according to the announced lineup.

Live Nation said the performers will include 5 Seconds of Summer, Alanis Morissette, Alicia Keys, Backstreet Boys, Brad Paisley, Brandi Carlile, Chicago, Duran Duran, Eric Church, Imagine Dragons, Jack White, John Legend, Jonas Brothers, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Lady A, Machine Gun Kelly, Santana, Shania Twain, Shawn Mendes, The Black Keys, Wu-Tang Clan, Zac Brown Band and many more.