Mother, daughter graduating college together with 4.0 GPAs

A daughter and mother will be earning their college degree together from Our Lady of the Lake University in Texas. (Our Lady of the Lake University)

San Antonio, Texas

A mother-daughter duo will be earning their college degrees together.

Alissa Meyer, 50, and her daughter, Elizabeth Meyer, 25, are graduating from Our Lady of the Lake University with master’s degrees in social work and matching 4.0 GPAs.

“It’s an amazing feeling for me,” Alissa Meyer said. “Not a lot of people can say they graduated with their child or children.”

The school said this marks the fifth time a mother and daughter are earning their degrees together and the third time graduating together.

“She’s my best friend,” daughter Elizabeth Meyer said. “All our classmates call her ‘mom.’”

The Meyers work at Walgreens as pharmacy technicians and live on campus together. They have also both previously earned bachelor’s degrees in social work from Mary Hardin-Baylor and three associate degrees from Central Texas College.

The mother and daughter said they plan to take a year break after spring commencement before returning to pursue a Ph.D.

Zoo welcomes 2 litters of endangered red wolf pups

The North Carolina Zoo welcomed endangered red wolf pups. (North Carolina Zoo)

Asheboro, N.C.

The North Carolina Zoo is celebrating the birth of nine red wolf pups.

The zoo shared a video online of a few of the new pups that have arrived. The team said it welcomed two litters of the critically endangered animals.

The first litter, born to parents Marsh and Roan, had three pups, and the second litter, born to Denali and May, had six, for a total of 9 pups, the zoo shared.

Officials with the zoo said the red wolf population has been dwindling and was once declared extinct in the wild. But the team in North Carolina is working to ensure the survival of the species.

Both litters were born behind the scenes as a part of the zoo’s contributions to the American Red Wolf SAFE Program.

Veterinary staff said the pups will get continued checkups to make sure all nine remain in good health.

Disney World ending required theme park reservation requirements

Changes are coming to Walt Disney World next year.

According to Disney Parks, some of the changes include theme park reservations not being required starting Jan. 9, 2024, for date-based tickets and dining plans will be available again for resort hotel guests.

Date-based tickets are currently the standard ticket option at Disney World. For other admission types, including non-dated tickets, theme park reservations may still be required.

Dining plans are also returning in January 2024 as an option for those staying at Disney Resort hotels who purchase a vacation package. Those will go on sale starting May 31.

“We know our guests – and families in particular – have missed dining plans, which offer guests the convenience and peace of mind of pre-paying for their meals and snacks,” Eric Scott, communications manager with Disney, said.

For those planning to stay at a Disney Resort hotel, early theme park entry for visits through 2024 will continue across all four theme parks.

According to Scott, complimentary overnight self-parking at Disney Resort hotels is coming back along with attraction photos taken in the park being available on the Disney Genie+ service.

“Whether you’re getting ready to experience the feelings of a Disney thrill or counting down the days until your Disney visit, we hope these updates make you feel as excited as we are,” Scott said.

Live Nation offering $25 tickets to multiple events during ‘Concert Week’

Live Nation offering $25 tickets during its "Concert Week." (egon69 via Canva)

Live Nation’s “Concert Week” is returning this week.

The entertainment company said it is offering $25 tickets to more than 3,800 shows across the country.

“Concert Week” spans a wide variety of genres from rock and pop concerts to stand-up comedy shows.

Live Nation’s special offer runs from May 10-16.

Fans can check online to see the complete list of participating events. Once they’ve selected a show, they should look for the ticket type labeled concert week promotion and add tickets to their cart and proceed to checkout.

Tickets will be available starting with Verizon and Rakuten presales beginning Tuesday. The general “Concert Week” sales will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET and run through May 16 at 11:59 p.m. while supplies last.

According to Live Nation, tickets include all fees upfront in the $25 price. Any taxes will be added at checkout as applicable to each city, state and venue.

Airline passenger stopped with 22 snakes in checked baggage, officials say

Custom agents in India discovered 22 snakes in an airline passenger's baggage. (Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, India)

Chennai, India

Officials in India say customs agents made an interesting find when checking an airline passenger’s luggage last week.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs in India shared videos of agents finding 22 snakes in a woman’s checked baggage.

Chennai Customs reportedly intercepted the female passenger when examining her items.

The woman was arriving from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the snakes were of various species and sizes, according to officials.

Authorities said they seized the snakes as well as a chameleon that was found in the baggage per the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Officials said the wildlife act is for the protection of various species, such as the snakes found, and plants.