Latest news with #Griff
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Fight between goat antelope brothers at Montana zoo ends with one losing an eye
A zoo animal in Montana lost an eye after a fight with his older brother, zoo officials said. Griff, a Sichuan takin living at ZooMontana in Billings, had 'an altercation with his brother, Kahn,' zoo officials said in a July 12 post on Facebook. 'Our amazing team of veterinarians responded right away, and it was determined that Griff's right eye had sustained significant damage. Surgical removal of the eye was performed right away,' zoo officials said. Griff is recovering from the late June incident and doing well, according to zoo officials, who said that 'while dominance displays this time of year are quite normal for the takin brothers, we have made the decision to separate Griff and Kahn for the foreseeable future to prevent any further injury to either takin.' Takin are sometimes called goat antelopes. 'The takin looks to be a mix of a lot of their distant relatives like the musk ox (in size and shape) and sheep, especially the Barbary sheep (when it comes to their face),' zoo officials said, adding that while takin may not be 'widely known here, in China they are recognized as a national treasure. There is also a theory that the Beast from Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' is based on the takin due to their similar features.' Griff was born in 2016 and came to the Montana zoo from Colorado in 2020, according to zoo officials. Kahn is a year older, and his forehead has a scar from sparring with Griff, zoo officials said.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- BBC News
Illegal cigarettes stashed in hidden Heaton 'James Bond' wall
A haul of illegal cigarettes worth £4,000 has been found hidden in a James Bond-style wall, police from Newcastle Trading Standards and Northumbria Police found 245 packs of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco behind a remote-controlled stone structure in a shop cellar in Heaton, Newcastle. The trading standards team's cocker spaniel, named Griff, led officers to the blank wall which featured a hidden drawer, camouflaged by brick and stone.A trading standards spokesperson said the team was investigating the shop owner with a view to prosecution. Further searches found a hidden remote control nearby which, when pressed, slid open a heavy stone wall next to where Griff had illicit haul, which has not had duty paid on it, was seized and would be destroyed, police confirmed. Councillor Alex Hay, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, said: "I want to thank our police, trading standards officers, and of course Griff for this unusual and impressive find. "Illegal tobacco isn't just a health risk, it's often linked to organised crime. "These are not victimless crimes, and the council will take firm action to protect our communities and local high streets." Gary Sharpe, neighbourhood sergeant of Northumbria Police, added: "This was a cracking discovery, with Griff's keen nose leading to the discovery of a stash of illicit cigarettes and tobacco concealed in a wall. "Items of this nature can be really harmful to the wider community." Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
ITV News
07-07-2025
- ITV News
'Miscarriage of justice' fears over brother and sister's deaths in Pembrokeshire
New questions are being raised about the 1976 deaths of a brother and sister who were found dead in their farmhouse in Llangolman, Pembrokeshire. At the time, Dyfed-Powys Police concluded that Martha Thomas - known as Patti - was killed by her brother, Griff, and that he died as a result of a fire he lit in the house. In a special episode of Y Byd ar Bedwar on S4C, two experts in historical cases claim there is room for suspicion that someone else could be responsible for their deaths, raising the question that Griff Thomas may have been wrongly blamed for killing his sister. For decades, relatives and those who knew them well have also insisted that Griff could not have killed his sister and that someone else was responsible. Griff and Patti Thomas, aged 73 and 70, were living at Ffynnon Samson farm in Llangolman. Both were unmarried and had lived together throughout their lives. However, on December 11, 1976, a murder investigation was launched after their bodies were discovered in their home. Two months later, the inquiry concluded that Patti had been unlawfully killed after suffering an assault at the hands of her brother. An open verdict was reached regarding the death of Griff Thomas, but police believed he died after setting himself on fire. Professor Niamh Nic Daed, head of the forensic department at the University of Dundee and one of the expert witnesses in the Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry, said she has never encountered a similar case before. "There were no ignitable liquids or liquid accelerants like petrol or paraffin or whatever used," she said. "So the most likely cause of the fire was somebody deliberately setting fire to the combustible materials that were present. You then need to think about using your experience to determine whether that type of fire would be likely to be self-inflicted." After reading the Dyfed-Powys Police report from 1976 on the investigation into the Thomas family's deaths, Professor Nic Daeid believes important questions arise, saying: "It certainly suggests to me that there are questions with regard to whether the fire was deliberately set by Griff, or whether it was the action of another person." Stephanie Davies, a former senior coroner's officer who is now an independent investigator specialising in interpreting death locations, has also looked into the case. While she states that the police investigation at the time was thorough, she feels there are important questions which remain unanswered. "I think they fell at the final hurdle," she said. "There are quite a few red flags for third-party involvement. "There needs to be a fresh inquest. When somebody has died they can't defend themselves, yet they can still be labelled a murderer on the balance of probabilities. "That, I don't think is right. I think it is very possible it is a miscarriage of justice and I think it is only right for at least an inquest to explore those factors." The programme also hears from relatives of Griff and Patti Thomas, who have been fighting for decades to clear their brother's name. "My father, from the beginning, said that the story wasn't right," says Huw. 'It was just the two of them. Neither would ever have harmed the other, never. 'I was 15 at the time and I'm 63 now, who's going to fight on after my day? I feel deeply about the injustice of the whole thing.' In October 2022, Dyfed-Powys Police announced it was conducting a forensic review of material which had been kept from the original investigation in 1976. Two and a half years after the review was established, family members say they are still waiting to hear about any developments. "I feel very strongly about this," said Huw. "How much longer is needed?" Dyfed-Powys Police was asked for an interview for the programme. In a response, a spokesperson said: "The review is ongoing and we are not in a position to provide guidance on timelines. We will not be providing an interview at this time."
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Student winner of Iowa education license plate challenge revealed
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ames High School student was surprised with some big news from Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow on Monday. Snow was at the high school to announce the winner of the Iowa Education License Plate Design Challenge. Scholastic Spotlight: Griff visits Norwalk classroom Sophomore Erin Cho was the winner and received a poster-sized version of her winning license plate. It features a goldfinch as an educator perched on three school books. Cho said that her design was meant to incorporate the educational theme as much as possible. 'I kinda just looked up like different symbols for education …and I incorporated that into my artwork. Like books, and like the graduation hat, and things like that. And also a pair of glasses on the educator finch that I tried to show in my artwork. And also used the state bird as well to show this is Iowa education,' said Cho. If you are looking to get her design for your Iowa license plate, it will be available later this summer. Student winner of Iowa education license plate challenge revealed Needed rainfall begins across Iowa, storms to develop tonight Scholastic Spotlight: Colfax-Mingo coffee shop Public safety leaders across Iowa to discuss impact of 911 systems charge Scholastic Spotlight: Griff visits Norwalk classroom Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scholastic Spotlight: Griff visits Norwalk classroom
A Norwalk classroom at Orchard Hills Elementary had a surprise visitor last Friday! Griff from Drake University and his owner came to the 3rd-grade classroom to be the mystery reader. This fun afternoon is this week's Scholastic Spotlight! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
