Today in 2010, a big sale in Washington state: a woman sold a couple an entire town. And it turns out that owning an entire town, even a small, unincorporated community, can be a challenge. Plus:
oday in 1743, the birthday of Thomas Jefferson. You can tour his home, Monticello, today in Virginia - or if you’re in or near Somers, Connecticut, you can see a replica of the third president’s house.

Tour Deshais: Closure a downer on dry stretch (The Spokesman-Review)

THERE’S A REPLICA OF THOMAS JEFFERSON’S MONTICELLO IN CONNECTICUT (Untapped New York)

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This month in 1928, a West Virginia family found what would eventually be recognized as the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered in North America.  But for a while, the finders of that gem just put it in a box and left it in place. Plus: starting today in Stamford, Connecticut, it’s the 45th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

The Jones Diamond, the largest alluvial diamond in North America, was found in West Virginia

(WBOY)

The 45th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament 

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Today in 1949, one of the biggest names in TV helped usher in a big part of TV history. Before the famous Jerry Lewis telethons, Milton Berle hosted a televised fundraiser for 16 straight hours in New York. Plus: coming up this weekend, it’s the Chicago Tea Festival.

Hollywood Flashback: Milton Berle Hosted the First Star Telethon in 1949 (Hollywood Reporter)

Chicago Tea Festival 2026 

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Cambodia just put up a statue to honor someone who made a great contribution to public safety.  His name was Magawa, and he was an African giant pouched rat who just happened to be trained to detect land mines. Plus: a "simulated skylight" is a recessed ceiling fixture that uses LEDs to make it look like you're seeing in the sky, even in rooms where you can't.

Cambodia unveils statue to honour famous landmine-sniffing rat (BBC)

Simulated Skylight (The Awesomer)

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These times aren’t exactly easy for farmers, especially ones who grow in water-limited areas. But there’s a new project out of the University of California - Riverside that might help - and I’m pleased to tell you that it involves robots. Plus: the Facebook page Anonymous Works just featured a Star Trek fan's labor of love.

‘More crop per drop’: New UC Riverside irrigation robot is adorable — and revolutionary (University of California)

A remarkable collection came up for auction the other day (Anonymous Works via Facebook)

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Parts of England celebrated the Monday after the holiday with a special custom of picking strangers up off the ground for money. Sure, why not. Plus: today in 1909, the Peary expedition reached what they believed to be the North Pole, which wound up bewildering then-President William Howard Taft a bit.

Lifting and Heaving: An Easter Custom (University of Leicester via Archive.org)

GIVES NORTH POLE TO TAFT (The Spokesman-Review via Google News Archive)

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It's Easter weekend. Many people my age will fondly remember getting Cadbury Creme Eggs this time of year… or is it that they fondly remember those TV commercials promoting the eggs? Plus: in Buffalo, New York, many Polish Catholics in Buffalo, New York have another tasty and delicious Easter tradition, the butter lamb.

A Brief History of the Cadbury Egg (The Kitchn) 

Behold the Butter Lamb of God: A Polish Catholic Easter Tradition Beloved in Buffalo, New York (Smithsonian Magazine)

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Today in 1951, a 19 year old sent three words out into the world on the shell of an egg: “Please write me.” Her message simple and effective… though it took a long time for the reply to come in. Plus: starting this Saturday in Brighton, Missouri, the Tulip & Baby Animal Festival.

‘Please write me,’ she scribbled on a random egg in 1951. Someone just did. (Washington Post)

Tulip & Baby Animal Festival 

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Today in 2019, the world learned about a time when a TV host got some medical help from a viewer at home. Plus: the parent company of KitKat warns chocolate lovers in Europe that they may run into a few shortages, after a 12-ton chocolate bar heist!?!

Inside Edition's Deborah Norville to Undergo Surgery for Cancerous Thyroid Nodule After Viewer Spotted Lump (Inside Edition)

Nestlé says 12 tonnes of KitKat chocolate stolen in Europe (Le Monde)

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Reforestation is a big part of the world's efforts to curb global warming, but a new study finds it isn’t just the number of trees that makes the difference for the earth, it’s where you plant them. Plus: in Surrey, British Columbia, a cat named Louis is flaunting international law and convention by crossing the US-Canada border to chase mice.

Not every forest cools the Earth (ETH Zurich)

Cat keeps crossing the U.S.-Canada border (CTV News via YouTube)

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