Man reels in 102-pound prehistoric river monster

Robert Murphy recently caught a massive 102-pound paddlefish while fishing on the Upper White River. (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Goshen, Ark.

Wildlife officials in Arkansas congratulated a man for catching a fish weighing more than 100 pounds.

Last week, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission shared that Robert Murphy, of Fayetteville, recently caught a 102-pound paddlefish, also known as a spoonbill, while fishing for walleye in his kayak

Officials said he accidentally snagged the large zooplankton-eating fish and battled it for over an hour on the Upper White River near Goshen.

According to the commission, the prehistoric river monster came up short of the state record of 118 pounds set in 2020 but the team still called Murphy’s catch massive.

Paddlefish typically congregate in the river-like sections of southern Beaver Lake during spring, officials said.

Former hockey pro dies at 38 after suffering heart attack during game, reports say

Reports say former NHL player Raymond Sawada, 38, died during a recreational hockey game. (GoFundMe)

A former NHL player has died while playing the game he loved, according to his family.

Raymond Sawada reportedly died at 38 years old Monday after suffering a fatal heart attack while playing a recreational hockey game.

His family made the announcement through a GoFundMe account created to honor his memory and to help his wife and two daughters.

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the sudden passing of Ray Sawada,” Brianne Sameshima, the fundraiser organizer shared.

He is survived by his wife, Nicole, and daughters, Victoria, 9, and Charlotte, 6.

ESPN reports that Sawada played in the NHL for the Dallas Stars from 2008 to 2011. He retired from professional hockey in 2016 and returned to his home in Richmond, British Columbia, to become a firefighter.

According to Sports Illustrated, the city of Richmond in British Columbia confirmed that a medical emergency occurred Monday night at one of its rinks.

Sawada’s family said he was a hard worker, dedicated father and husband along with being passionately driven in everything he did.

“Ray was such a bright light in the lives he touched,” Sameshima shared.

The Dallas Stars said they are mourning the death of Sawada in a social media post.

“Our love goes out to his family, friends, and all the people he impacted in hockey and as a firefighter in his community,” the team shared.

The family said they are grateful for the love and support they have received.

“It gives us reassurance that throughout this sad and difficult time, there are so many who love and care for the family,” Sameshima shared.

Taco Bell is bringing back Nacho Fries

Taco Bell is bringing back its Nacho Fries this week. (Taco Bell Corp. via PRNewswire)

Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries are making another comeback.

The fan-favorite item will be returning to menus on Thursday for the ninth time.

As a bonus offer, customers can also try them with Yellowbird Hot Sauce out of Austin, Texas.

The Yellowbird Nacho Fries version will be available for $4.99. It includes slim-cut potato fries, warm nacho cheese sauce topped with steak, and Yellowbird’s Spicy Habanero Ranch.

“We pride ourselves on serving bold flavors, so partnering with Yellowbird to deliver on spice and craveability feels like second nature,” said Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s chief food innovation officer.

The Yellowbird Nacho Fries will be available for two weeks while supplies last.

“While they won’t be on the menu for long, the Yellowbird Nacho Fries are something really special we’ve been working to bring to fans everywhere,” Matthews said.

The original Nacho Fries will remain on the menu for an unspecified time at $1.99.

Fans hungry for more can also order the Deluxe Cravings Box with Nacho Fries alongside the Chicken Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Doritos Locos Taco and a medium drink for $8.49.

Dog suffering from alcohol withdrawal recovering at animal shelter

A dog named Coco is recovering from apparent alcohol withdrawal. (Woodside Animal Welfare Trust)

An animal shelter says a dog is recovering from alcohol withdrawal.

The Woodside Animal Welfare Trust, a shelter in the United Kingdom, said it has been nursing a dog named Coco back to health.

The team said this was the first case for them dealing with canine alcohol withdrawal.

Coco has required intensive care for more than a month since arriving at the shelter with his canine pal following the death of his owner.

According to the shelter, a vet was on site at the time and was able to administer emergency care to both animals but, unfortunately, Coco’s pal died despite the team’s best efforts.

Coco required 24-hour care with all his symptoms pointing towards alcohol withdrawal. He spent weeks sedated to help with his symptoms.

Last week, the team shared an update with Coco saying the little guy is off all medication and starting to behave normally.

The shelter team said it doesn’t know how the dogs got alcohol into their systems but without the care Coco received, he would likely have not survived.

Coco is expected to be available for adoption once fully recovered.

Firefighters find 14 dead cats while battling house fire

Fourteen cats have been found dead after a fire broke out at a New Mexico home. (Las Cruces Fire Department)

Las Cruces, N.M.

More than a dozen cats died in a house fire in New Mexico over the weekend.

According to the Las Cruces Fire Department, firefighters were called to a home for reports of flames coming from the house.

Firefighters said smoke and flames were showing from multiple windows on the second floor of the home when they arrived.

Crews were able to contain the fire to the second floor and had it under control within about 30 minutes.

Firefighters said they rescued a cat that was found inside the home during their inspection, but also discovered 14 deceased felines on the second floor.

No other injuries were reported. The home was in the process of being renovated, officials said.

The home’s second floor was heavily damaged in the fire.

Las Cruces fire reports the cause of the blaze remains under investigation along with a damage estimation.