Friday Snippets and Soundbites

If you need more news of all things random and strange, check out “Snippets and Soundbites” on page 38 of this month’s (and every month’s) issue of ec. We’ve always got more news of the weird to share with you!

• It took 47 years, but Fran’s postcard to Marion finally arrived at the right address. Yep, that’s right. When Dave Conn, who lives in Ohio, opened his post office box last week, he found a postcard sent in 1962. The greeting was addressed to Marion White, the previous renter of the mailbox, and was signed by “Fran,” who mentioned having a “marvelous time in Montana.” Conn asked around and surmised the card must be from White’s friend, Frances Murphey, a longtime reporter at the Akron Beacon Journal. She died in 1998 at age 75. White passed away in 1988. U.S. Postal Service spokesman Victor Dubina says the postcard may have been stuck in equipment or lost behind a mail chute. For more stories of mail that took awhile to be delivered, read here, here, and here.

• A Georgia man was arrested last week—for trying to sneak BACK into the jail. Harry Jackson, 25, was already in jail in southeast Georgia for charges including possession of a controlled substance and violating probation. Last week, he somehow opened a door in the exercise yard, climbed the outer fence, and strolled down to a convenience store near the jail. Authorities found the unlocked door and began searching for the inmate. They found him when he walked back to the jail carrying 14 packs of cigarettes the police believe were stolen from the store about a block away. Jackson faces new charges of breaking out of jail and burglary. Want to hear more stories of criminals who didn’t make the most intelligent decisions? Go here.

• Yesterday was the first full day of play in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the ec team couldn’t be more excited! It was actually a fairly straightforward day of play with a few upsets, but none that were completely unexpected. Seven-seed Clemson did fall to Michigan, a 10 seed; Maryland, another 10 seed, also topped 7-seed California. The University of Memphis, a 2-seed, got a sobering scare from 15-seed CSU Northridge, but pulled through for the win in the end. The biggest upset of the day came when 12-seed Western Kentucky University beat 5-seed powerhouse Illinois. (And ec editor, Mandy Crow, picked that to happen!) And in ec bracket news, ec’s graphic designer, Jen, is currently leading our team bracket competition with 14 correct picks.

• Big Daddy Weave is on the move! In more ways than one, actually. The band is busy crossing the nation on its “What Life Would Be Like Tour” and lead singer Mike Weaver is making progress in his drive to lose 90 pounds in 2009. Weaver’s “90in’09” challenge which has already influenced over 10,000 people to start a healthier lifestyle since launching in January. In addition, Weaver has already lost 30 of his 90 pound goal. He plans to meet with 90in’09 participants at each show to share support and encouragement for their commitment to the program. For more on the tour, which also includes Nashville resident Josh Wilson (his dad used to be the ec editor’s pastor!), go here. The guys will be playing shows in the West next week, hitting Wyoming, Montana, and Utah, among other locations.