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Chris Farley, a comedic legend, shone in roles like Matt Foley on "Saturday Night Live" and Tommy Callahan, Jr. in "Tommy Boy." His untimely death at 33 in 1997 marked the end of a bright career. In 1995, as Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich rose to prominence within the Republican Party, Farley famously impersonated him during a House Republican Conference Meeting, celebrating the GOP's first 100 days in control of Congress, creating an unforgettable moment of comedy.

<p>Chris Farley, a comedic legend, shone in roles like Matt Foley on "Saturday Night Live" and Tommy Callahan, Jr. in "Tommy Boy." His untimely death at 33 in 1997 marked the end of a bright career. In 1995, as Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich rose to prominence within the Republican Party, Farley famously impersonated him during a House Republican Conference Meeting, celebrating the GOP's first 100 days in control of Congress, creating an unforgettable moment of comedy.<br></p>

Watch: SNL's Chris Farley's Hilarious Newt Gingrich Impersonation

BBC News

If there were ever a case for not judging a book by its cover, it might be the little fish and chip shop in a layby outside York that just beat the entire country. The Scrap Box in Dunnington, once a disused public toilet block along the A1079, has been crowned Britain’s best fish and chip takeaway.

For co-owner Aman Dhesi, the moment felt bigger than a trophy. The shop won Takeaway of the Year at the 2026 National Fish and Chip Awards, a title he described as the “Oscars of our industry.” It’s the kind of honour, he added, that “every chippy dreams of”.

Aman and his brother Gavin run the shop together, and the award—given by the National Federation of Fish Friers—felt like validation for the way they approach Britain’s most famous comfort food. “It was testament to the craft, care, and consistency we put into every portion of fish and chips,” Aman said.

Yorkshire was well represented on the shortlist. Mister C’s in Selby, Shaws Fish and Chips of Dodworth in Barnsley, and The Fish Bank in Sherburn-in-Elmet were also in the running, but this year the converted loo in a layby took the crown.

Gavin said hearing their name called at the London ceremony was “surreal”. His first reaction wasn’t triumph, he said, but gratitude. “Our first thought went to our staff, our customers, and everyone who has put in the hard work to get where we are today.”

Their rise hasn’t been glamorous. The Scrap Box is small, unassuming, and physically about as far from a white-tablecloth dining room as one can get. But inside, the brothers have invested heavily in technique, equipment, and quality ingredients. “We have put a lot back into the shop to make sure everything is best practice,” Gavin said.

He also made a case for the food itself, defending fish and chips’ reputation in an age when takeaway meals often come with a nutritional warning label. In his view, the national dish deserves better PR. “You have got a piece of white fish which is pure protein from the sea,” he said. Their batter, he explained, is just flour and water “with a few added products”, and the chips are cut from whole potatoes and fried in beef dripping. “I think the purity of the product is what sells.”

For a business that started with modest ambitions and an unconventional building, the win lands like a love letter to tradition, craft, and the belief that a simple meal made well still carries weight.

These Brothers Turned a Public Toilet Into a Restaurant — It was Just Named the Best Fish and Chip Shop  in the UK

ABC News

Dolly Parton is already known for rewiring American pop culture — from belting out factory-floor anthems to building a theme park empire — but now her name will greet families walking into one of Tennessee’s most important medical centers. East Tennessee Children’s Hospital announced that it will now be called Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, marking a rare tribute to a living figure whose philanthropy has become as influential as her music.

Parton shared the news in a video message, framing the gesture the way she frames most of her work. “Ever since I've been in a position to do my part, to help others, I have tried to do just that. Especially when children and families need it most,” she said. “I've always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and surrounded with love.”

Her imprint on Tennessee is enormous. Through her Imagination Library program, families can request free books delivered monthly — a reach now topping 3 million books every month. She donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for research that contributed to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Her foundation hands out college scholarships and regularly supports disaster relief efforts.

The hospital did not disclose how much Parton contributed for the naming gift, but leaders said her involvement strengthens their long-standing mission. “Every child who walks through our doors receives the treatment they deserve,” said Matt Schaefer, the hospital’s president and CEO.

Adam Cook, chief development and public affairs officer, called the partnership a long-term catalyst. “This is a generational collaboration that will transform pediatric care in this region,” he said. “It will positively impact patients and families for decades to come.”

The timing is meaningful. Rural hospital closures have left millions of Americans with shrinking access to care, particularly in states like Tennessee where geography and income can make health services difficult to reach. Since its founding in 1937, the Knoxville-based hospital — now officially bearing Parton’s name — has held to an open-door policy: no child turned away because of race, religion or inability to pay.

Parton closed her announcement with a characteristic mix of sincerity and practicality. She said she was honored to stand behind the hospital’s doctors and nurses — but she didn’t pretend she could carry the mission alone.

“I can’t do it all myself,” she said, inviting the public to help sustain the work.

The name on the building has changed. The mission, hospital leaders say, hasn’t. But with Parton’s support — and her ability to rally just about anyone — they expect its impact to stretch much further.

Tennessee Children’s Hospital Renamed In Honor Of Dolly Parton’s Lifelong Mission To Help Kids

Science Daily

Ireland’s rare Old Irish Goat has always looked ancient, but now scientists can say just how ancient. A new study has found that the breed shares a direct genetic link with goats that lived in Ireland roughly 3,000 years ago, during the Late Bronze Age — an unbroken lineage stretching back millennia.

The research, led by University College Dublin with Queen’s University Belfast and international partners, used biomolecular testing, radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence to assemble one of the clearest pictures yet of Ireland’s early farming history. Published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the work strengthens the case for conserving the Old Irish Goat as a living remnant of the island’s earliest agricultural communities.

Researchers examined goat bones recovered from Haughey’s Fort in Co Armagh — a Late Bronze Age hillfort dated to around 1100–900 BCE — along with medieval remains from Carrickfergus in Co Antrim. Using radiocarbon dating, DNA sequencing and protein fingerprinting, they confirmed that the Bronze Age bones are the oldest goat remains identified in Ireland.

When they compared the ancient genomes to hundreds of modern breeds worldwide, one match stood out: the critically endangered Old Irish Goat.

“Combining genetics, proteomics, and archaeological science has allowed us a glimpse of our animals hundreds and thousands of years ago — and how their descendants likely still live with us, as part of our biocultural heritage,” said co-lead author Kevin Daly of UCD’s School of Agriculture and Food Science.

The Old Irish Goat, historically known as an Gabhar Fiáin — the wild goat — holds an unusual place in Irish folklore. Long before cattle dominated mythology, goats appeared in local customs, place names and seasonal traditions. The best-known example is Puck Fair in Killorglin, Co Kerry, where each August a goat is crowned “King Puck” in one of Ireland’s oldest festival traditions.

For generations, the breed has persisted in small roaming herds, valued for its toughness, ability to survive on marginal land and nutrient-dense milk that once supported rural families.

But goats have often been overlooked in archaeological records because their bones closely resemble sheep. “Goats tend to get overlooked compared to sheep in the archaeological record because it is notoriously difficult to distinguish between their bones,” said co-lead author Professor Eileen Murphy of Queen’s University Belfast. She noted that medieval records suggest goats were kept not only for farming but also for a trade in skins from ports such as Carrickfergus.

To avoid misidentifying samples, researchers first used ZooMS protein fingerprinting to confirm they were indeed goats. Then came the DNA sequencing, which revealed something striking: both the Bronze Age and medieval goats showed their closest genetic relationships with today’s Old Irish Goat. This continuity suggests a stable goat population on the island for more than three millennia.

The study also uncovered a warning. While medieval goats displayed broad genetic diversity, the modern breed shows clear signs of inbreeding — evidence of a more recent population collapse rather than a long-term trend.

“This research is a huge milestone for the Old Irish Goat, and provides powerful scientific validation of what local communities and conservationists have long believed — that the Old Irish Goat represents a living piece of our ancient heritage,” said Sinead Keane of The Old Irish Goat Society. She added that the findings highlight “the urgency of protecting this critically endangered breed, which carries within it a living genetic record of Ireland’s ancient past.”

The work also serves as a tribute to co-lead author Dr. Judith Findlater of Queen’s University Belfast, who passed away before publication. Portions of the research stem from her PhD work examining Medieval Carrickfergus.

For now, the study offers something rare: a direct, uninterrupted thread between Ireland’s earliest farmers and the goats that still roam parts of the island today — living links to a past that is only now coming into full view.

Ancient DNA Reveals Ireland’s Native Goat Has A 3,000-Year-Old Lineage

Sunny Skyz

Some viral moments start big. Others begin on a quiet Chicago doorstep with a mail carrier who likes to sing.

Lavonte Harvey is known on his route for breaking into song as naturally as he delivers letters. On one stop, caught on a doorbell camera, he greeted a resident with a warm, “This is for you, Grandma,” before offering a heartfelt serenade. He didn’t know she had recently lost her husband of 50 years. He also didn’t know the moment would change both of their lives.

The song meant so much to her that she shared the clip with her granddaughter, Whitney Cumbo. Cumbo posted it with a caption that framed the moment perfectly: “My grandmother lost her husband of 50 years, and the mail man is her daily dose of life. You are appreciated.”

Two weeks later, the video had amassed millions of views and more than 10,000 comments. A small, simple act — meant to brighten a single person’s day — became a global moment of comfort.

“I didn’t expect for it to go viral,” Harvey said. Singing, he explained, is something he does to ground himself and connect with people along his route. “For me, singing isn’t just music. It’s about ministry, it’s about spreading hope and joy.”

After the video exploded, Harvey appeared on Good Morning America, where he thanked Cumbo and her family for believing in him from the start. They did more than post a video — they helped launch an online fundraiser that allowed him to buy a new car.

“I love you guys so much,” Harvey said on the show. “It’s because of you so many doors have been open for me that I’ve only dreamed of. There are not enough thank-you’s in this world… Just know that you have my heart.”

Harvey still keeps in touch with the family. What began as a quiet moment of kindness outside one Chicago home has rippled outward, carried by millions of people who saw something in his song: a reminder that small gestures can widen into something far bigger than we ever expect.

Chicago Mailman Sings To Grieving Grandma, Receives Heartwarming Surprise

It started with a wobble in confidence and ended with a desk covered in love notes. Not the romantic kind — the kind only a group of fourth-graders could dream up.

At DeBary Elementary School, teacher Joanne Miller had been working on something she calls the Kindness Squad, a gentle nudge for students to notice when someone needs support. But even she didn’t expect what happened next.

A girl in her class was having a tough day. Before Miller could step in, her students quietly took over. When the girl stepped out of the room, her classmates rushed into action, covering her desk and chair with handwritten Post-it notes — encouragement, reminders of her strengths, and tiny declarations of how much she mattered.

Miller later shared the moment on her Facebook page, Head Over Heels for Teaching, where she highlights small classroom victories. This one wasn’t small for long. The video has now been seen by more than 17 million people, earning over 250,000 likes and catching the attention of celebrities Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

In a statement, Volusia County Schools called the moment “a beautiful, student-led” example of the kind of culture schools strive to build — one where social-emotional learning isn’t a buzzword but something that happens naturally between kids who look out for one another.

Miller made sure everyone knew the idea was entirely theirs. “100% their idea,” she wrote, adding that the students filled the girl’s workspace with “sticky notes full of truth, kindness and reminders of who she is.”

After 27 years in the classroom, she called it one of her favorite teaching moments. And she didn’t mince words about why.

“When students learn to champion each other, that’s the real win,” she wrote. “No state test can measure this, it’s empathy in action. This is what building classroom community is all about.”

The girl returned to find her desk transformed. Her classmates didn’t say much — they didn’t need to. The notes spoke for them.

The moment lasted a few minutes in the classroom, but online it’s become something bigger: a reminder that empathy isn’t taught in a lesson plan. It’s modeled, shared, and passed around the room, one sticky note at a time.

A Fourth-Grade ‘Kindness Squad’ Turned One Low Moment Into a Viral Lesson in Empathy

Science Alert

Most people digging through an overgrown garden expect old bricks, lost tools or maybe a gnome that’s seen better days. Daniella Santoro and her husband, Aaron Lopez, found a 2,000-year-old Roman tombstone.

It started as one of those head-tilting moments. Half-buried in the vines behind their historic Carrollton home in New Orleans sat a marble slab etched in Latin. At first glance, it looked like the kind of decorative replica you’d find in a quirky garden shop. But Santoro, an anthropologist, couldn’t shake the feeling that this one was different.

“The fact that it was in Latin really just gave us pause, right?” she told the Associated Press. “I mean, you see something like that and you say, ‘Okay, this is not an ordinary thing.’”

Instead of brushing it off, she called in experts. Archaeologist Susann Lusnia of Tulane University and anthropologist D. Ryan Gray of the University of New Orleans examined the inscription. It didn’t take long for them to recognize the opening phrase: Dis Manibus — “to the spirits of the dead,” a standard dedication on ancient Roman tombstones.

Further translation revealed the man it honored: Sextus Congenius Verus, a Thracian-born Roman soldier who died at 42 after 22 years of service. The stone was commissioned by his heirs, Atilius Carus and Vettius Longinus. Nearly 1,900 years later, his memorial had resurfaced in a backyard in Louisiana.

And remarkably, it wasn’t an unknown artifact. Records showed that the tablet once belonged to the National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia, a coastal Italian museum. It had stood in a small cemetery there before the museum was heavily damaged in Allied bombing during World War II. Dozens of artifacts were lost or displaced in the chaos that followed. The soldier’s grave marker was among those listed as missing. Even the measurements recorded by the museum exactly matched the stone found in Santoro’s garden.

How it crossed the Atlantic turned out to be another story, one wrapped in wartime movement and fading family memory. Erin Scott O’Brien, a former owner of the Carrollton house, said the stone once sat in a display cabinet at her grandfather’s home in Gentilly. He was Charles Paddock Jr., an American soldier stationed in Italy during WWII. When O’Brien moved into the home decades later, her mother gave her the slab.

“We planted a tree and said this is the start of our new house. Let’s put it outside in our garden,” she told Preservation in Print. “I just thought it was a piece of art. I had no idea it was a 2,000-year-old relic.”

The full truth of how Paddock obtained the tablet may never be known. The war scattered countless artifacts across Europe, and many paths were never documented. But what matters now is where the stone is headed next.

After more than 80 years away from Italy, the tablet is finally going home. The FBI’s Art Crime Team is coordinating its repatriation to the museum it vanished from so long ago.

A forgotten relic in the weeds turned out to be a missing piece of ancient history — and soon, Sextus Congenius Verus will rest again where his story began.

A New Orleans Couple Just Found a Roman Tombstone in Their Garden — and It’s the Real Deal

YR - Google News Paramedic

Most overnight calls don’t end with a birth announcement, let alone in the middle of Georgian Bay. But on Feb. 7, a crew of Beausoleil First Nation paramedics found themselves doing exactly that — delivering a baby boy aboard the MV Indian Maiden as the vessel pushed through heavy ice in a snowstorm.

“We did deliver a baby in the middle of the night in the middle of Georgian Bay in the ice in a snowstorm,” said primary care paramedic Maggie Monague. “It is the first baby that was born on the MV Indian Maiden. This is one of our older vessels, it just happens to be the first time a baby has been born on this vessel.”

Childbirth is part of paramedic training, but everything else about the night was far from routine. The team had already transported the mother from her home on Christian Island to the dock, carrying their equipment by hand because the community’s car ferry wasn’t operating. Winter conditions had forced service down to the smaller passenger vessel, which usually only runs during daylight. That meant a late-night emergency call to the ferry crew just to get across the bay.

“In this particular incident, it just so happens that we were on our ferry for much longer to get through the ice that night than we typically are,” Monague said. “We were on the ferry for about two hours… We had a pretty good idea we were likely going to be delivering a baby.”

Advanced care paramedic Bensen Carter said firefighters helped first, lifting the mother safely from the house and onto the stretcher. But once aboard the ferry, the crew had no radio signal, no cell connection, and no way to reach a doctor.

“We were kind of all on our own so we brought everything that we could,” Carter said. They heated blankets on the ferry’s passenger warmers to prepare for the baby’s arrival, secured the stretcher to the floor, and worked with whatever oxygen supply they could carry. “It was pretty much a standard delivery with all the obstetrical equipment that we had,” he said, though the isolation added pressure.

Paramedic superintendent Christos Bamparamos said the team — which also included primary care paramedic Rob Rawson — was operating under harsh conditions. “They were in a boat, it’s very loud, the boat is not warmed up… They did everything they needed to do like putting the blankets on the heaters to make sure they had all the resources there. We are extremely proud of them.”

Paramedic Chief Tony Filice said the delivery was a reminder of the unique realities of island life. Travel to a mainland hospital can take an hour in the best conditions — and winter rarely offers the best conditions.

“It’s not really a big part of our job, but certainly a very great and impactful thing when it does happen,” Filice said. With labour often moving unpredictably, “an hour is sometimes just way too long.”

By the time the ferry reached the mainland, the baby boy had already arrived — warm, healthy, and officially the first child ever born aboard the MV Indian Maiden. The crew carried him and his mother into an ambulance for the final stretch to hospital.

A birth in a snowstorm, halfway across a frozen bay, inside a rumbling vessel — not exactly a typical shift. But for the paramedics who answered the call that night, it was a moment of teamwork, improvisation and calm under pressure. And for one family, it was the extraordinary place where their story began.

First Nations Paramedics Just Delivered a Baby Boy on a Georgian Bay Ferry During a Snowstorm

When her father died, Kaye Meadows felt swallowed by grief. A year later, she found herself stepping out of a plane — and discovering something she didn’t expect: peace.

Meadows, 43, from Braunstone Town in Leicestershire, says her dad’s death from Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia in 2023 left her struggling to keep going. “My grief was all-consuming,” she said. “All I could see was darkness while still living life, still doing the day job, looking after my daughter.”

She needed something that felt like light again. So in September 2024, she signed up for an Alzheimer’s Society charity skydive, a one-off challenge she’d always wanted to try. She raised £1,300, climbed aboard a plane at Skydive Langar in Nottingham, and watched the ground fall away.

“I rocked up to Skydive Langar in Nottingham, and we hurled out of a plane,” she said. “The exhilaration was just out of this world. I can't really describe it.”

The jump was supposed to be the end of the adventure. Instead, three days later, she started training for more. What began as a bucket-list moment became a full commitment to the sport.

Within months, Meadows earned her licence for unsupervised solo jumps, completed night jumps, and even competed in the Indoor Skydiving Championships. Skydive Langar named her Student of the Year in December. Unbeknownst to her, she was also nominated for the Mike Forge New Skydiver of the Year Award, given out at the 2025 British Skydiving AGM. When she learned she’d won, she said she “burst into tears.”

“Every now and then I look at the trophy and think ‘is this real?’” she said.

But skydiving didn’t come without obstacles. Her very first attempt at a solo jump ended with her panicking and staying in the plane. “They coached me and got me back up,” she said. When she finally stepped off on her own, the fear dissolved into clarity. It became “the most zen moment of my life.”

She kept going through setbacks, including an injury during a canopy course, an ACL tear that now requires surgery, and a malfunction on her 99th jump when her main canopy failed and she had to run through emergency procedures.

“I could have absolutely walked away,” Meadows said. “The trophy isn't about being brilliant — it's about persistence, it's about keeping going.”

She still carries her father with her on every jump. She calls him “the catalyst” for the whole journey. The peace she feels in freefall reminds her of being with him again.

A spokesperson for British Skydiving praised her achievement, noting the award’s legacy. Named for Major Michael Lancaster Forge, who died in the Falklands conflict, it recognises new skydivers who make standout progress and contribute to their club community. “Congratulations to Kaye Meadows,” the spokesperson said. “A fantastic achievement and a strong start to what we hope will be a long journey in the sport.”

For Meadows, skydiving wasn’t just a thrill. It was a way back to a life with colour in it — one jump at a time.

Grieving Daughter Transforms Loss Into Triumph, Wins New Skydiver Award After 100 Jumps

Guide dog puppies are getting a unique training experience at Southampton Airport in Hampshire. The charity Guide Dogs held its first-ever airport training session, aiming to familiarize the puppies with the bustling environment they might encounter later as working guide dogs. 

The young pups toured various parts of the airport, including the baggage carousel, duty-free shops, and departure lounges. They were accompanied by their puppy raisers, who ensured they remained calm and focused amid potential distractions. Morris Boyle, operations director at Southampton Airport, expressed interest in making these training sessions a regular feature.

One of the participants, six-month-old Lee, was among seven puppies attending this session during a quieter time at the airport. The experience offered fresh challenges for the pups. Simon Wallenburg, a puppy raiser, noted that navigating airplane stairs was particularly new for them compared to what they're accustomed to in places like Westquay Shopping Centre in Southampton.

"They've never ever come across stairs like this before," Wallenburg said, emphasizing how beneficial it was for their training.

Puppy raisers play an essential role in preparing these dogs for their future duties. Volunteers care for puppies from six to eight weeks old until they are ready for formal training with Guide Dog staff. During this period, they help with basic training and socialization while introducing them to new environments and experiences.

Sharon Wallenberg, another dedicated puppy raiser, finds this process "very rewarding." She explained that exposing the dogs to different sights and sounds is crucial because "in his future life," a guide dog might accompany its owner on flights. This kind of exposure helps build familiarity and confidence in such environments.

Leanne Kelley from Guide Dogs highlighted the importance of this exposure: "It's sometimes nice just to pause and for the dogs just to learn to relax in that environment." She pointed out that achieving relaxation can be challenging when dealing with lively, playful pups.

The day concluded as a positive experience for everyone involved—humans and canines alike—with many considering it a valuable step in preparing these puppies for their future roles as guide dogs.

Why These Guide Dog Puppies Just Took Their First Trip to the Airport — Without Leaving the Ground

For months, a toucan named Sam turned the Las Vegas desert into his own improbable playground. This week, he finally let someone help him.

SouthWest Exotic Avian Rescue confirmed Wednesday that Sam — who had been spotted all over the city since November — is now safe and getting care. “We’ve all just been so worried about him,” said Skye Marsh, the group’s president and co-founder. “It’s a relief.”

Sam’s saga began when he escaped from his owners’ cage late last year and somehow managed to survive the Mojave’s temperature swings, from chilly desert nights to dry, scorching days. Bird experts had been increasingly concerned about how long an exotic bird like a toucan could last on his own.

In the end, Sam made the decision himself. “(The) little stinker decided it was time for help, and he flew into someone's garage,” Marsh told the Associated Press. The homeowners recognized him immediately and quickly shut the door so he couldn’t slip away again.

After a rescue team arrived, Sam was taken to a veterinarian for fluids and bloodwork. He showed some “wear and tear”— dehydrated skin and a small chip in his beak — but overall, he looked better than expected. Marsh noted that Sam’s health had already begun to improve thanks to the specialized food the rescue group had been putting out near a cage in hopes he’d wander in. Even his droppings looked healthier, she said.

Sam’s owners, who previously posted about his escape on social media, have not contacted the rescue.

For now, Sam will spend 30 to 45 days in quarantine at a staff member’s home to ensure he doesn’t have bird flu, which could spread to other rescued birds.

After months of cheering him on from afar, Las Vegas residents can finally stop scanning the sky for a lone toucan beating the odds above the desert.

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