Reds earn a no-hit loss

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene was close to perfect on May 15 against the Pittsburgh Pirates—but it just wasn’t good enough. Greene pitched eight no-hit innings before finding trouble in the 8th inning. After getting an out, Greene walked the next two batters, leading Reds manager David Bell to bring in right-handed reliever Art Warren to finish up the game. But Warren walked the next batter on four pitches and allowed a fielder’s choice to second that scored a run. Warren closed the inning without allowing a hit, but the damage was done. Pittsburgh’s David Bednar closed out the scoreless Reds in the top of the 9th, giving the Pirates a 1-0 victory. The Reds’ no-hitter marks just the sixth time in baseball’s modern era that a team pitched a no-hitter and lost the game.

Grandbaby due

An aging Indian couple has filed a lawsuit against their son and daughter-in-law because the young couple won’t provide them with grandchildren. According to the complaint filed in an Uttarakhand courtroom in the country’s north, the elderly couple wants to be repaid $640,000 for the cost of the wedding, reception, and other costs they incurred. “My son has been married for six years but they are still not planning a baby,” the parents said in their court filing. “At least if we have a grandchild to spend time with, our pain will become bearable.” The litigants’ lawyer said the younger couple have a fiduciary responsibility to help their parents. Unless the family reaches an agreement, the case will move to court in May.

Can’t help myself

In February, Riverhead Books canceled publication of writer Jumi Bello’s debut novel after discovering that portions of the novel were lifted from other writers. Editors at Lit Hub, a literary website, allowed her to publish an explanation on May 9 titled, “I Plagiarized Parts of my Debut Novel. Here’s Why.” But readers quickly discovered Bello’s explanation article also contained plagiarism and editors took the article down.

Life at sea

A Seattle couple has traded their mortgage for a cruise ship cabin, saying luxury cruising helps them cut down on bills. Accountant Angelyn Burk ran the numbers last year and discovered she and her husband Richard could save money cruising for as little as $43 a day rather than sticking with their house. So the travel-loving couple in their 50s quit their jobs, put their house on the market, and packed their bags. “We don’t plan to permanently live on land in the future,” Angelyn Burk told The National Desk in May. About a year in, the couple says their favorite destinations so far have been Singapore, Italy, Canada, Iceland, and the Bahamas.

Goodwill treasure

Back in 2018, art collector Laura Young had a good day at the Goodwill thrift store. She spotted a stone statue in an Austin, Texas, Goodwill and thought it looked old. She bought the marble bust for $35 and took it home. Eventually she was able to prove the bust was a Roman original from the time of Christ. Young placed the sculpture on display at the San Antonio Museum of Art until she could discover how it got from Europe to Texas. That answer came this year when a Sotheby’s consultant discovered the last known record of the bust showed it residing in a German museum prior to World War II. Young said she’ll return the bust to Germany next year. “It was bittersweet since I knew I couldn’t keep or sell the [bust],” she said.

Jews singled out

A German airline has created for itself a public relations mess after refusing to board a number of Jewish passengers on a plane bound for Budapest. The row began at Frankfurt Airport on May 4 when the flight crew noticed some passengers in the terminal weren’t adhering to the masking regulations. That’s when, according to bumped passengers, the airline began removing identifiably Jewish passengers from the flight. Passenger Yitzy Halpern told CNN he protested being removed by Lufthansa officials, telling them he was wearing his mask properly the entire time. But according to Halpern, Lufthansa officials told him he and other Jews complying with the masking regulations would have to suffer alongside their co-religionists. The German airline has since apologized and reiterated its commitment to combating anti-Semitism.

Man vs. HOA

A North Carolina man is taking his homeowners association to court after the group threatened him with fines over his dog treat station. Five years ago, Bedford, N.C., resident Chuck Pringle set up a self-service station consisting of a plastic container of dog treats atop a stone pedestal. Pringle says dog walkers often stop and reward their pooches from his stash. But officials at the Falls River HOA have told him to take down or move his treat station. Pringle put the pedestal and treat container in between the sidewalk and the street, something the HOA told him was against the rules. But Pringle has countered that the right-of-way belongs to the city. Resolving the dispute will be up to a judge in Wake County District Court.