New Hampshire resident Henry Gribbohm said he lost his life savings, $2,600, on a carnival game in Manchester called Tubs of Fun, while trying to win an Xbox Kinect. Instead, he wound up with a giant stuffed banana with dreadlocks and became the butt of late night comedians’ jokes. Fortunately for him, a satire website saved the day, trading $2,600 and an Xbox Kinect for the banana and some free publicity.
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(WBZ-TV Photo)
Attleboro's Banana Joe Wins Westminster Dog Show
An affenpinscher from Attleboro named Banana Joe took the dog show world by storm, winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club. It was likely the final competition for the 5-year-old pup. Banana Joe is retiring to the Netherlands, and will now spend his days making big bucks for his owners in the form of breeding fees.
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(Photo credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)
Six-Clawed Lobster Captured Off Hyannis
A lobsterman pulled up a six-clawed lobster off of Hyannis over the summer. Instead of turning the 4 lb. crustacean into a smorgasbord of lobster salad sandwiches, the crew of the Rachel Lea donated Lola the lobster to the Maine State Aquarium.
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(Photo Courtesy: Richard Figueiredo/Rachel Leah)
Dodgeball Removed From Windham, NH Schools
(Photo by Micah Walter/Getty Images)
'Joy Of Burying Cars In Snow' Video Gets Lowell Plow Driver Fired
A snow plow driver in Lowell was fired after posting a video of himself bragging about burying parked cars in snow during February’s blizzard. Mark Hussey, who identifies himself as Dogg, defended his actions, saying that while he was trying to have some fun, he was just doing his job.
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(Screengrab from YouTube)
Hilltop Steakhouse In Saugus Closes Its Doors For Good
Holy cow. After more than 50 years in business, the famed Hilltop Steakhouse in Saugus that staked its claim on serving a great steak has served its last one. The landmark restaurant closed up shop.
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(WBZ-TV Photo)
Harvard, MIT Scientists Create Real Lightsaber
An MIT scientist helped develop real life lightsaber molecules. Professor Vladan Vuletic used lasers to discover the new form of matter. He says the discovery could lead to amazing scientific advancements.
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(WBZ-TV Photo)
Police: NH Woman Called 911 To Get Help Ordering Chinese Food
A Hooksett, New Hampshire woman was arrested in March after allegedly calling 911 because she wanted help ordering Chinese food. Police said 57-year-old Elizabeth Niemi called 911 requesting medical help. When firefighters showed up, she allegedly asked them for help ordering food. Police did not indicate whether she received a meal while behind bars.
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(Photo from Hooksett, NH Police)
Oxford Diner Owner Says Veteran, Service Dog Not Welcome In Restaurant
In August, Jack to Big I’s Diner in Oxford, co-owner Russell Ireland kicked James Glaser and his service dog out of the restaurant. Glaser, who survived 21 years in the Air Force and 2 tours in Iraq, has the dog to help with post-traumatic stress. Russell initially stood by his decision to toss Glazer and his “fake service dog,” as Russell put it. Days later, he apologized (pictured), citing a new understanding of PTSD service dogs.
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(WBZ-TV Photo)
55 Drive-Thru Customers Part Of ‘Pay It Forward’ Chain At Amesbury Donut Shop
A kind gesture by a drive-thru customer at an Amesbury donut shop triggered a chain reaction on a Friday in July. A regular customer at the shop paid for the person behind them in line. The next 55 drive thru customers did the same. The chain was finally broken only because there were no more cars in line.
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(WBZ Photo)
Dzhokhar Tsaernaev on Rolling Stone
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Rolling Stone Magazine published an article about suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that they described as “a riveting and heartbreaking account of how a charming kid with a bright future became a monster.” The controversial cover prompted a State Police photographer Sgt. Sean Murphy to release new images of Tsarnaev’s arrest, a move that was unauthorized and led to him being punished.
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(Image courtesy: Rolling Stone Magazine)
Tebowmania Hits New England
Tim Tebow. That’s all we have to say about that.
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(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Investors Confuse Tweeter With Twitter; Send Bankrupt Stock Up 1800%
About five-or-so years ago, plenty of not-so-tech-savvy New Englanders confused the now-defunct high-end electronics retailer Tweeter with Twitter. Fast forward to November 2012, the morning after Twitter (TWTR) announced its stock symbol and plans for an initial public offering, a number of impatient investors apparently hadn’t been paying attention. So many of them scooped up shares of Tweeter (TWTRQ), that it sent the bankrupt company’s stock up 1800 percent before trading was halted.
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(Photo Credit:Ildar Sagdejev (Specious)/ licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.)
High School Wrestling Champ Shares Glory With Special Opponent
Wakefield High School wrestler Danny Gill (R) fought hard just to get on his team. Gill, who has Down syndrome, took on state wrestling champion Steven Giampapa (L) in his first match. This hard-fought match ended with Danny winning. “This kid from Burlington, Steven, made him feel on the top of the world at that moment that night,” Danny’s father Kevin said.
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(WBZ-TV Photos)