Bottle of Irish whiskey becomes most expensive ever sold at $2.8 million

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. reportedly set a new record by selling a bottle of whiskey for $2.8 million. (PRNewswire)

A 30-year-old Irish single malt whiskey has become the most expensive bottle of whiskey ever sold.

According to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., it sold a bottle of The Emerald Isle for a record-setting price of $2.8 million to collector Mike Daley.

“This world-first sale makes The Emerald Isle, already the rarest triple-distilled single malt in existence, the most expensive bottle of whiskey, or whisky, ever sold,” the company shared.

A company spokesperson said historically the most sought-after bottles of the spirit have been Scotch whiskies.

Last November, a bottle of The Macallan 1926 sold for at that time a record-setting $2.7 million at auction.

However, this year’s sale may represent a shift in luxury collectors’ interests.

“Irish is the future of whiskey. I’m excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker,” Daley said.

Daley is reportedly one of the more prolific collectors of the spirit in the United States, with a vast collection consisting of several thousand bottles.

According to reports, the bottle of The Emerald Isle comes in a walnut case that includes a single decanter, alongside a Faberge egg containing an emerald gem, a custom timepiece and a pair of Cohiba cigars.

“A bottle of The Emerald Isle becoming the most expensive whiskey or whisky ever sold is a monumental achievement for my business,” Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., said.

Woman screams, falls to floor after winning $1 million lottery jackpot

Sharon Culpepper burst into her home in joyous celebration on Monday after scratching off a $1 million win. (North Carolina Education Lottery)

Carteret County, N.C.

A lucky North Carolina lottery player couldn’t wait to tell her family about winning a million-dollar prize.

According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, Sharon Culpepper burst into her Newport-area home in celebration on Monday after scratching off a $1 million win.

“I jumped out of my car and ran into my house screaming at the top of my lungs,” Culpepper said. “Then I just dropped to my knees and hit the floor.”

She won the $1 million prize after buying a $10 Multiplier Mania ticket from a Newport BP gas station on Main Street.

“My son’s fiancé was home when I was screaming and she asked what’s wrong and I yelled, ‘I just won a million dollars!’” Culpepper said.

Culpepper said the timing of this win will come in handy to start the new year.

“This is a game changer for me,” she said. “The first part of 2024 is looking outstanding.”

Culpepper arrived at lottery headquarters on Wednesday to claim her prize money. She chose to receive a lump sum payment of $600,000.

Culpepper said she plans to buy a new car, pay some bills, do some home repairs and take a cruise to the Caribbean.

According to lottery officials, the Multiplier Mania game debuted last June and has since paid six players $1 million jackpots.

Deputy completes DoorDash delivery after driver arrested on suspicion of DUI

A customer's delivery order was completed by a deputy after the driver was reportedly arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. (Nassau County Sheriff's Office)

Nassau County, Fla.

A deputy in Florida ended up completing a customer’s food delivery after the driver was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to an area Chick-fil-A last week regarding a possible drunken driver who was almost hitting several vehicles in the drive-thru.

Authorities said arriving deputies made contact with the driver in question, later identified as 57-year-old John Kaminski. He was slurring his speech and stumbling, according to deputies who asked him to get out of his vehicle.

Kaminski was instructed to perform field sobriety tests, but the sheriff’s office said he couldn’t complete them.

The 57-year-old was arrested on suspicion of DUI and taken to the Nassau County Detention facility. Deputies said they also found controlled substances in his vehicle that he did not have an authorized prescription for.

According to Nassau County authorities, Deputy Dale Hutcherson completed Kaminski’s scheduled DoorDash delivery by taking the Chick-fil-A food order that was inside his vehicle to the customer “just in time for breakfast.”

Cat missing for nearly 3 years finds owner again thanks to animal rescue team

A woman has been reunited with her cat after it went missing for more than two years. (Maui Humane Society)

Puunene, Hawaii

A woman in Hawaii has been reunited with her cat after the feline went missing nearly three years ago.

According to the Maui Humane Society, its animal rescue team helped the two get back together this week.

The team said the woman, identified as Anna, was losing hope that she would ever find her lost cat named Hyssy.

Anna and her husband lost other cats in the deadly Maui wildfires last August and Hyssy had already been gone for more than two years.

She was working with a cat trapper in the area and searched tirelessly for him, but he was never found until this week.

The team said they were able to contact Anna after finding a cat they believed was her Hyssy.

Anna and her husband came to the shelter immediately.

“Hyssy recognized them right away, even after so long apart,” the shelter shared. “Thanks to an incredible group effort, Hyssy was able to be reunited with his Ohana only a few hours after arriving at our Annex location.”

2-month-old baby dies after being diagnosed with RSV and rhinovirus, family says

Lilliah Shirley, a 2-month-old baby in Georgia, has reportedly died after battling RSV and rhinovirus. (GoFundMe)

Hall County, Ga.

A baby in Georgia has reportedly died after battling RSV and rhinovirus.

The Shirley family says their baby Lilliah Shirley died this week after she was diagnosed with the viruses last year.

WSB reports the 2-month-old infant suffered from a brain bleed and seizures before she died. Lilliah was also put on a ventilator.

Lilliah’s aunt, Angel Shirley, started a GoFundMe to help the family with funeral expenses.

She said that her niece “entered into the arms of Jesus” on Tuesday.

Angel Shirley added, “She fought such a good fight and has brought so many people together and was definitely loved by many!”

According to reports, Lilliah was first diagnosed with the viruses on Nov. 28, 2023.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Associated Press reported last month that RSV infections rose sharply in some parts of the country, nearly filling hospital emergency departments in Georgia, Texas and some other states.

According to the CDC, rhinoviruses are the most frequent cause of the common cold. Most rhinovirus infections are mild, but they can cause severe illness.

“As our family goes through this hard time, I ask that y’all mainly keep her parents in prayer as well as the rest of the family,” Angel Shirley shared.