Happy Saturday! Today’s edition is 960 words, a 3 minute read.

First time reader? Sign up here!

🏃 

Saturday’s Quick Hits

Tropical Storm Ophelia to hit Carolinas, Mid-Atlantic with flooding

Tropical Storm Ophelia will hit the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic this weekend, bringing coastal flooding and heavy rainfall. The National Hurricane Center is warning of life threatening storm surge flooding along the coast of North Carolina, Virginia, parts of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. Southeastern North Carolina is expected to get hit hardest, with storm surges in the 3 to 5 foot range. (More)

Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine, indicted on bribery charges

Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife have been charged with bribery for allegedly accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in exchange for using the senator’s power and influence to benefit three New Jersey businessmen as well as the Egyptian government. The FBI searched Menendez’s residence and found $500,000 of cash stuffed in closets and gold worth over $100,000. Menendez is calling the indictment a smear campaign, but has decided to step down as the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee during the investigation. (More)

Braves' Ronald Acuña becomes 5th player ever with 40-40 season

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. became the fifth player in major league history to have 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. Acuña is a leading contender for National League MVP and has 68 stolen bases, the most in baseball. He is the only player ever to have a 40 home run and 60 stolen base season. (More)

Amazon is bringing ads to Prime Video

Beginning next year, shows and movies on Amazon’s Prime Video service will “include limited advertisements.” The company didn’t reveal how long the ads will be but said there will be “meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.” An ad-free tier will be available for an additional $2.99 per month. (More)

Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets land on public road

A pair of Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets landed on a highway for the first time on Thursday. The aircraft touched down in Finland as a part of a military exercise. They were refueled immediately after landing with the engines running before taking off again. Fighter jets are vulnerable on the ground so being able to use small airfields - and now roadways - will increase their survivability in war. Another type of F-35, the F-35B can actually take off and land vertically. Watch a video here. (More)

Auto workers are expanding their strike

The United Auto Workers expanded its strike by walking out of 38 parts-distribution centers operated by General Motors and Stellantis in 20 states. Ford got a pass because it has met some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week. This walkout could affect consumers quickly as GM and Stellantis service centers rely on parts from the striking distribution centers in order to service existing owners vehicles. (More)

😄 

Weekly Dose of Positive

Kansas farmer plants 1.2 million sunflowers for his wife.

Lee Wilson sacrificed 80 acres of crops to give his “gal” an unforgettable 50th anniversary present. He planted 1.2 million sunflowers, which are his wife’s favorite, and kept the secret for three months until their big day in August. People came from miles around to take pictures and experience the flowers in full bloom. (More)

Forty people life a Berlin city bus off a trapped man

A group of bystanders came to the rescue of an 18-year-old who got caught under the tire of a Berlin commuter bus. An alert bus driver quickly stopped after noticing the young man was trapped, and the crowd was able to move the bus, freeing the victim. He was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery on his arm. (More)

Starbucks workers raise over $40K for beloved barista after her car was burglarized

A group of baristas who attend Marshall University in West Virginia helped raise $40,000 for their manager at a local Starbucks who was having car issues. The vehicle was barely running after parts had been stolen. The group of co-workers started a GoFundMe page and set a $10,000 goal to help fix the car. However, their manager will be able to afford a brand new car with the donations. (More)

Lost Michigan toddler is found asleep in woods using a family dog as a pillow

A search party found a missing toddler cuddled up with her dogs in the woods after being lost for hours. The child wandered off from her home and local police and neighbors were called in to help search. She was eventually found by a citizen on a 4-wheeler, sleeping peacefully using her little dog as a pillow. (More)

Ambulance worker thanks patient and nurse who helped save his life

72-year-old amputee Tommy Stewart saved his ambulance care assistant’s life by doing the only thing he could; yell. Shaun McBride had just strapped Stewart into the ambulance when he fell over unconscious. McBride, who is an amputee, couldn’t unstrap himself to get help and began hollering until a nurse from inside the facility heard him. She performed CPR for 25 minutes until another ambulance arrived. The crew used a defibrillator seven times as they fought to save McBride on the way to the hospital. He eventually pulled through and even though he has no recollection of the incident, he says what happened not only gave him a second chance, but two new friends for life. (More)

🎁 

Bonus Material

Check out the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 winners. (Best viewed on desktop)

Where the world’s millionaires are moving to.

Japan hosts the first ever wrestling match on a bullet train.

Bears raid a Krispy Kreme doughnut truck in Alaska.