Man sets state record with 118-pound bighead carp

A man reeled in an Oklahoma state record 118-pound bighead carp from Grand Lake. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)

Delaware County, Okla.

Officials in Oklahoma say an angler set a new state record by catching a massive bighead carp.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, angler Bryan Baker recently caught a 118-pound bighead carp in Grand Lake.

Wildlife officials said they have asked anglers to help capture invasive bighead carp from the lake.

The fish consume large quantities of zooplankton and are a direct competitor with native species like paddlefish and bigmouth buffalo, according to officials.

The department urged anyone who catches a bighead carp to not return it to the water but to contact them at 918-683-1031.

Pittsburgh paramedics say they were able to save six kittens that were brought to them for help after being born. (Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS)

Pittsburgh

First responders in Pennsylvania say they were able to save a half-dozen kittens that were brought to them for help.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS said its team helped six newborn cats that were in distress on Tuesday.

Paramedics said a woman came to their medic station with a box of kittens that were rolled into a ball. They had their umbilical cords wrapped around their necks, unable to move or breathe.

According to the team, two of the kittens had the placenta covering the airways.

The crew said they were able to grab the necessary equipment to cut the cords and help all of the kittens get back to breathing.

First responders said they were greeted with a “meow” from the group as a thank you after the procedure.

‘I hit it’: Man wins lottery jackpot that’s good for rest of his life

Robin Riedel of Hubbard, Oregon, hit a lottery jackpot for life after playing the game for more than 20 years. (Oregon Lottery)

Salem, Ore.

A longtime lottery player in Oregon hit a jackpot that’s good for life.

According to the Oregon Lottery, Robin Riedel has been playing lottery games since 2001 with the philosophy of “It’s not a matter of if, but when” for hitting a jackpot.

And his “when” came on Monday, when he hit the jackpot in the Oregon Lottery’s Win for Life game, earning him a $1,000 check each week for the rest of his life.

Riedel, who drives a truck for a concrete company, said he has played the game regularly since it launched more than 20 years ago.

He purchased his winning ticket over the weekend at the Woodburn Liquor Store and learned of his big win Monday night when checking the numbers online.

“I hit it,” he said. “I hit it.”

Riedel said he plans to use the winnings — $52,000 per year — to pay bills, make improvements to a home he purchased three years ago with his wife Debi, and vacation in Saint Lucia to mark the couple’s upcoming wedding anniversary.

“The money will allow us to do some things we wouldn’t be able to do,” Riedel said. “I’m hoping to retire in another two to three years.”

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.