Sunbeam heated blankets recalled due to burn and fire hazards

Sunbeam heated blankets have been recalled due to burn and fire hazards. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of select Sunbeam heated blankets.

According to the CPSC, the recall includes about 43,000 queen-sized blankets made by Sunbeam as the items could overheat and create a fire or burn hazard.

Officials said there have been 13 reports of the blankets overheating with no injuries currently reported.

The blankets included in the recall were sold on Amazon and in small independent stores from September 2022 through January 2023 for $120.

According to the recall alert, the blankets have a model number of 32810027 with the Sunbeam logo and model number printed on the wash label.

The blankets were sold with detachable controllers in nine different colors from ivory to dark green.

The safety commission advised consumers to immediately stop using and unplug the blankets. Those affected by the recall can contact Star Elite regarding the refund process at 877-383-6399 or online.

Oldest animal at zoo, Mr. Pickles, becomes first-time father at 90 years old

Mr. Pickles, a 90-year-old tortoise and the oldest animal at the Houston Zoo, is a father for the first time. (Houston Zoo)

Houston

The oldest animal at the Houston Zoo is a first-time father.

Officials with the zoo said Mr. Pickles, a 90-year-old tortoise, has become a proud dad for the first time after three radiated eggs recently hatched.

According to the zoo, Mr. Pickles has been at the zoo for 36 years with his companion, Mrs. Pickles, since 1996.

The new tortoise babies are named Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeno. They will remain behind the scenes until big enough to join their parents.

Zookeepers said the new hatchlings came as a surprise with them spotting Mrs. Pickles laying the eggs during closing time.

According to the zoo staff, they had to move the eggs to a safe spot because the soil isn’t hospitable for Madagascar native tortoises and the eggs were unlikely to hatch on their own.

Air Force veteran wins $1M on lottery scratch off

An Air Force veteran won $1M off a lottery ticket purchased at Publix. (Florida Lottery)

Santa Rosa County, Fla.

A U.S. Air Force veteran hit a million-dollar prize while recently playing a lottery scratch-off game in Florida.

According to the Florida Lottery, 67-year-old Kerim Akel, a retired electrical engineer for the Air Force, won a $1 million prize in the lottery’s 500X The Cash scratch-off game.

Akel claimed his prize money at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee and chose to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.

The 67-year-old shared with lottery officials that he purchased his winning ticket at a Publix supermarket located on Navarre Parkway in the Navarre area.

Officials said the store will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.

Tickets for the 500X The Cash scratch-off game are available for $50 and offer a top prize of $25 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are 4.5-1, according to the lottery.

Ricky Bobby’s ‘Talladega Nights’ mansion hits market for nearly $10M

The Lake Norman mansion featured in "Talladega Nights" has hit the market for nearly $10 million. (Re/Max)

Cornelius, N.C.

You could buy Ricky Bobby’s house from “Talladega Nights” fame.

Re/Max has the Lake Norman mansion that was owned by the movie character Ricky Bobby in the 2006 film listed for $9.9 million.

The home features six bedrooms and nine total baths with more than 12,000 square feet of space on 1.3 acres.

The property is located in Cornelius and hosted several iconic scenes from the movie, including what the listing calls a Ricky Bobby room which has a fireplace surrounded by windows featuring water views.

The 12,000-square-foot home has three floors and an elevator.

According to the listing, the property’s owners recently completed renovations at the home that sits near Lake Norman with its own docks, a private garden, an infinity pool and a hot tub.

Cornelius is about 25 minutes north of Charlotte as many scenes from “Talladega Nights: The Ballard of Ricky Bobby” starring Will Ferrell were filmed in North Carolina.

Dogs found abandoned in hot crate on side of the road, authorities say

Texas authorities say two dogs were recently found abandoned on the side of the road. (Atascosa County Animal Control)

San Antonio, Texas

Authorities in Texas say they are looking for the person responsible for leaving two dogs on the side of the road.

According to the Atascosa County Animal Control, it received a call over the weekend regarding two dogs that were found abandoned in a hot crate.

Sgt. Paul Schneider, with the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office, responded to check on the welfare of the dogs and said he found the dogs infested with fleas.

Rescuers said there was a bowl of water on the outside of the crate but it did not do any good since the dogs couldn’t access it.

Atascosa County Animal Control Chief Henry Dominguez took possession of the dogs.

Animal control officials noted that one of the dogs rescued also had some sort of deformity on its right leg.

Authorities said they are hoping someone recognizes the dogs or the crate so they can identify the person responsible for leaving them.

“If you know who did this, we beg you to please call us and help us put them behind bars where they belong. We can assure you that we will post their booking pics once they are found and make sure that they never own a pet again,” animal control officials shared.

Those with more information were urged to contact animal control at 830-769-2341 and speak with a criminal investigator.