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Abandoned Dreams: How Stolen Souvenirs Devastate an American Ghost Town

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Nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the forsaken Gold Rush town of Bodie has garnered a reputation as one of America’s most bewitched locales.

Local folklore warns that anyone who dares to take even a pebble, a rusty nail, or a pinch of dust from this eerie California ghost town risks encountering a string of dreadful misfortunes.

Tourists who couldn’t resist pocketing a keepsake have often attributed these items to a series of unfortunate events, including car crashes, serious health battles, job losses, and prolonged periods of personal chaos.

Some souvenirs proved so ominous that their owners were compelled to return them, sending back the cursed tokens with heartfelt apologies and pleas for Bodie’s mercy.

The park staff has amassed so many of these remorseful confession letters that they have curated an exhibit in the Bodie museum to showcase them, serving as a stern warning to future visitors.

One visitor admitted that their trail of misfortune was so long and depressing that they could not bear to list it.

Others warned that their lives began to unravel only after they dismissed the curse as harmless folklore.

But the sinister legend may have been created by a park ranger to frighten tourists into leaving the town’s historic treasures untouched.

Anyone who takes home anything from the town falls victim to terrible ill luck

Anyone who takes home anything from the town falls victim to terrible ill luck

Bodie stands in the Bodie Hills, east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and close to California’s border with Nevada.

The former mining settlement is now preserved in a state of ‘arrested decay,’ with buildings stabilized but not restored and interiors maintained largely as they were left by their last occupants.

The town is also reputedly haunted by several ghosts, including a Chinese woman, a mysterious figure who peers from an upstairs window and a little girl whose laughter can supposedly be heard in the cemetery.

Kieron Connolly, author of Abandoned Places, a book about some of the world’s most mysterious abandoned locations, said Bodie’s eerie emptiness made it fertile ground for supernatural stories.

Connolly told the Daily Mail: ‘Whether you believe in the curse or not, you can see how the eerie emptiness of Bodie lends itself to the supernatural.

‘We expect towns to get bigger and busier and to be modernised. When we see somewhere that time has forgotten, unpopulated and left behind, we find it a bit unsettling – but fascinating.’

The letters sent back to Bodie offer chilling accounts from visitors who claim their troubles began after they removed objects from the town.

One, sent in 2004 with a collection of rocks, reads: ‘You can have these godforsaken rocks back. I’ve never had so much rotten luck in my life. Please forgive me for ever testing the curse of Bodie.’

By 1881, Reverend F.M. Warrington described the town as “A sea of sin, lashed by the tempests of lust and passion.”

By 1881, Reverend F.M. Warrington described the town as ‘A sea of sin, lashed by the tempests of lust and passion.’

Another visitor returned a shoe taken decades earlier.

‘Please find enclosed one weather-beaten old shoe. The shoe was removed from Bodie during the month of August 1978… My trail of misfortune is so long and depressing it can’t be listed here,’ the letter reads.

Even people who took seemingly worthless objects, including old nails and scraps of metal, later blamed them for a sudden run of bad luck.

One letter sent in 2003 said, ‘Dear Bodie… I’m sorry that I took this piece of metal from the town. I thought it was all a joke, but it wasn’t at all. Things are happening that are very hard to explain.’

Another, dated 1998, said, ‘So sorry for picking these up. I love antiques and being a Christian I felt so guilty for taking these on Monday. Not to mention Tuesday we got a flat tire and my husband hit his head on a rock.’

A visitor writing in 2002 issued an ominous warning to anyone tempted to test the legend.

‘Fair warning for anyone that thinks this is just folklore — my life has never seen such turmoil. Please take my warning and do not remove even a speck of dust.’

The stream of returned objects became so regular that park employees reportedly learned to recognize the packages when collecting Bodie’s mail.

The 'curse' itself is even more mysterious, with ill luck said to befall anyone who takes anything, no matter how small, from the town

The ‘curse’ itself is even more mysterious, with ill luck said to befall anyone who takes anything, no matter how small, from the town

Connolly said, “By 1940 the population was down to 40. Today, Bodie is maintained in a state of arrested decay as a visitor attraction.”

Connolly said, ‘By 1940 the population was down to 40. Today, Bodie is maintained in a state of arrested decay as a visitor attraction.’

However, California State Parks warns that returned objects create additional problems for the site.

Employees may be unable to prove that an item genuinely came from Bodie or determine its original location, meaning it cannot necessarily be placed back inside the park.

Processing the objects is also time-consuming, and park interpreter Catherine Jones said in 2018 that employees had to file a law-enforcement report for every returned item, regardless of its size.

Taking the objects is not merely an invitation for supernatural revenge – it is illegal.

California regulations prohibit visitors from removing rocks or disturbing objects of archaeological or historical interest inside state parks.

Officials also ask visitors not to pick up and move objects because Bodie is effectively a vast outdoor museum whose artifacts help tell the town’s story.

Long before it became associated with ghosts and curses, Bodie was one of California’s most notorious boomtowns.

Gold was discovered there in 1859 by W.S. Bodey, who died in a blizzard that same year while attempting to return to the site.

It remains unclear whether the town’s altered spelling resulted from a mistake or an attempt to make its pronunciation clearer.

Connolly said, ‘Gold was discovered at Bodie in 1859 (just after the initial California gold rush), and it went from mining camp to boomtown.’

Mining initially progressed slowly as richer discoveries elsewhere drew prospectors away.

But in the mid-1870s, the Bunker Hill Mine, later renamed the Standard Mining Company, struck a rich deposit of gold and silver ore.

The discovery triggered a rush, and by 1879 Bodie had approximately 8,500 residents and more than 2,000 buildings, according to California State Parks.

At its height, the town resembled something from a Western, with more than 60 saloons and dance halls lining its streets.

Gunfights, stagecoach robberies and street brawls helped give rise to the legend of the ‘Bad Man of Bodie,’ although historians believe the supposed outlaw was likely a composite of several lawless residents.

Bodie also had a sizeable Chinese community numbering several hundred people.

Its Chinatown contained general stores, laundries, boarding houses, gambling halls, saloons and a Taoist temple.

Chinese residents were largely excluded from white society and built what California State Parks describes as a ‘town within the town,’ where they could preserve their customs and traditions.

In 1881, Reverend F.M. Warrington described Bodie as ‘A sea of sin, lashed by the tempests of lust and passion.’

But the boom did not last.

Connolly said, ‘Its decline began in 1880, when word spread of new boomtowns elsewhere. The Standard Consolidated Mine closed in 1913, and four years later the Bodie Railway was abandoned.’

The town was already in decline by 1881 as rich deposits were exhausted, mining companies failed and residents departed for more profitable areas.

Its population had fallen to approximately 1,500 by 1886.

Fires subsequently destroyed much of Bodie, including a major blaze in 1932, and the settlement faded into a ghost town during the 1940s.

Others have warned visitors against taking even the smallest items from the town

Others have warned visitors against taking even the smallest items from the town

Connolly said, ‘By 1940 the population was down to 40. Today, Bodie is maintained in a state of arrested decay as a visitor attraction.’

The surviving portion of the town became a California State Historic Park in 1962 and was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Its deserted homes and violent past eventually spawned stories of restless spirits.

The J.S. Cain House is said to be haunted by a Chinese woman who reportedly dislikes adults but is fond of children.

Stories claim adults sleeping in the house have felt an invisible weight pressing down on them, while doors have allegedly opened and closed on their own.

The Dechambeau House is said to be visited by the apparition of a woman who peers from an upstairs window.

Bodie’s cemetery is also associated with the ghost of Evelyn Myers, known as the ‘Angel of Bodie.’

The three-year-old died in April 1897 after being accidentally struck in the head with a pickaxe while a worker was digging a drainage ditch near her family’s home.

Her grave is marked by a white marble angel, and legend holds that her laughter can still be heard around the cemetery.

The origins of the Bodie Curse are more recent, and apparently less supernatural.

Jones told KQED in 2018 that a lone park ranger had created the story years earlier in an attempt to stop visitors from stealing artifacts.

The abandoned Gold Rush town of Bodie in California is among America’s most mysterious

The abandoned Gold Rush town of Bodie in California is among America’s most mysterious

‘Years back,’ says Jones, a single park ranger at Bodie apparently invented the notion that misfortune would befall anyone who took something from the park. ‘That maybe if we started this idea that you’d have bad luck if you took artifacts from Bodie, it would try to keep people from stealing artifacts.’

Theft had plagued Bodie even before it became a state park, with one person reportedly removing an entire piano from the abandoned town and driving away with it.

That piano was eventually returned and placed inside Bodie’s Odd Fellows Hall.

But the strategy intended to protect the town had an unintended consequence.

Instead of simply discouraging theft, the legend apparently convinced visitors that returning stolen objects could reverse their misfortune, creating a steady flow of rocks, nails, glass and other items through the mail.

Skeptics say coincidence, guilt and the human tendency to connect unrelated events offer more likely explanations for the accidents, illnesses and other calamities described in the letters.

California State Parks now emphasizes the damage caused by removing artifacts rather than promoting the curse.

Officials warn that when an object is taken, part of Bodie’s history disappears with it, and mailing it back may not repair the harm.

Yet the letters continue to provide an ominous warning to anyone tempted to test the legend.

Whether the curse is supernatural or a remarkably effective piece of park folklore, many visitors have decided it is safer not to take the chance.

Diiadem Confronts Dabota Lawson Over Married Man Scandal, Alleges Rivalry with Ehi Ogbebor

Former reality show contestant Diiadem finds herself at the heart of swirling controversy concerning her past relationship with a married man. The drama intensifies as allegations fly, spurred by her former close associate, beauty mogul Dabota Lawson.

In response to the claims, Diiadem has spoken out, arguing that Dabota has been orchestrating a campaign against her reputation using blogs and social media outlets.

Diiadem alleges that Dabota has weaponized online narratives to malign her public image, a claim that has triggered a firestorm of public and media interest.

Diiadem, known from her stint on reality TV, is fervently addressing claims concerning her involvement with a married ex, while simultaneously responding to accusations made by Dabota Lawson, once a trusted confidante and now a formidable critic.

Tensions erupted after Diiadem charged Dabota with manipulating blogs to tarnish her name. The reality star suggests her former ally is behind a barrage of unsavory online stories tailored to discredit her.

In a response, Dabota claimed that she had been supportive of Diiadem in the past, particularly during her pregnancy in November. She alleged that Diiadem was involved with a married man identified as Churchill and accused her of maintaining a friendship with his wife despite the relationship.

Diiadem, however, fired back, making it clear that she had never denied knowing Churchill. She alleged that Churchill had previously rejected her former friend, interior designer Ehi Ogbebor, claiming Dabota had invested considerable effort in trying to facilitate a relationship between the pair.

She also accused Dabota of speaking negatively about actress Tonto Dikeh behind her back. According to Diiadem, Dabota allegedly insulted the actress, repeatedly expressed her dislike for her and even instructed Diiadem not to greet Tonto when she arrived in Abuja.

Taking the allegations further, Diiadem claimed that Dabota attempted to introduce her to several men and allegedly shared her pictures with them in exchange for financial benefits.

The accusations have now sparked a fresh social media controversy between the former friends, with both women trading serious claims about their past relationship and interactions.

Her words…

“I’m glad you’re finally speaking up.

Let’s address her right before I tell my own side.

First of all, I was never your fan, regardless of what you wrote. That’s a narrative you created in your own head.

And let’s be clear, there was never a time I begged influencers to attend my party. Also, which wealthy men are you referring to? Armani? The one that came in with Tolu Bally and you got upset? Restless human being.

As for Churchill, I’ve never denied knowing him. But let’s talk about her real issue: Churchill rejected your friend, Ehi, and you spent a lot of time trying to make that happen for her. You also tried to introduce me to him, and I clearly told you, ‘I know him’.

You went on to speak badly about Tonto, called her names, and repeatedly told me how much you disliked her. You even warned me not to greet her when I got to Abuja. I laughed and carried on. I got there and did the exact opposite, and once again you were upset.

As for the visa issue, I only asked for the visa agent’s contact because he wanted to attend the party with Teni. Please provide the messages where I supposedly sent you his data page or any other information”.

See post below

Hung Cao Defies Media Depiction of ‘Miserable’ USS Abraham Lincoln Crew Experience

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After the Air Force One speculation failed to gain significant attention, the legacy media is now fixating on another sensational topic: the situation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. In what seems to be a relentless pursuit of a headline-grabbing “gotcha moment” concerning President Trump, these media outlets have abruptly shifted their attention. Despite historically showing little interest, they are now probing into alleged dissatisfaction among sailors, hoping it might cast a shadow over the Commander in Chief’s actions.

RedState’s Bob Hoge has been closely observing this media frenzy over the purported unhappiness on the Lincoln, which has been stationed on extended duty in the Middle East. Here’s his take on the situation:

Numerous outlets have painted a picture of dire conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Stories abound about food scarcity, malfunctioning plumbing, widespread fatigue, and collapsing morale. The narrative has grown so grim, some reports suggest sailors are driven to such despair that they have attempted to leap overboard. Sensational headlines, such as “Conditions on US aircraft carrier at sea for more than 250 days raise alarms,” have flooded the news cycle, exaggerating the scenario.

According to Bob, this heightened media drama prompted CENTCOM to issue a clarifying statement urging calm and refuting misinformation. They specifically addressed a fabricated story claiming a deadly altercation aboard the Lincoln resulted in the deaths of seven sailors. CENTCOM’s response sought to dispel these misleading assertions:

“In the last 48 hours, numerous media outlets have disseminated several inaccurate claims about the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during its mission in the Middle East. Among the false reports was an allegation of a fatal skirmish involving seven sailors on the aircraft carrier, alongside rumors of a spike in suicidal tendencies. These statements are unequivocally FALSE.”

This did little to placate the press, which is hungry to head into the weekend with something to pin on Trump for the Sunday morning news shows.

Not willing to play that game, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao released a statement Friday afternoon shooting down the idea that the Lincoln and its crew were experiencing anything other than a long and challenging deployment. Something sailors and their families have dealt with for decades.


Viral Frenzy: Lindsay Clancy Trial Sparks Heated Social Media Debate Among TikTok Detectives

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“It’s kind of a cultural obsession,” remarked Peter Elikann, a criminal defense attorney based in Boston, as he discussed the public’s fixation.

Currently, the internet and social media platforms are buzzing, captivated by the Massachusetts murder trial involving a mother accused of killing her three children.

Lindsay Clancy, aged 35, stands accused of committing three counts of first-degree murder. The tragic case revolves around the deaths of her children—Cora, Dawson, and Callan—who were all under the age of six. The children were discovered strangled in the family’s Duxbury home in 2023.

Lindsay Clancy listens in court

During her trial held at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Thursday, July 30, 2026, Lindsay Clancy sat listening as proceedings unfolded. (Photo credit: CJ Gunther/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Clancy does not contest the charges of killing her children; instead, she and her legal team argue that she was experiencing severe postpartum psychosis during the incident. In response, she has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

“This isn’t a case of having the blues, being down in the dumps and being depressed,” Elikann, who is not involved in the trial, told News Media.

Lindsay Clancy and children in split photo

Jurors take a court-supervised view during Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial on Friday, July 31, 2026. (Josh Reynolds for Daily Mail /Pool | Instagram)

He explained that the world is just beginning to understand the impacts of postpartum psychosis – which differs from postpartum depression.

He referenced the Andrea Yates case from the early 2000s in Houston, Texas where the mother drowned her five children in a bathtub and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

“This psychosis is really kind of an emerging field,” he says.

Some TikTokers and social media sleuths are jumping to Clancy’s defense, developing conspiracy theories and claiming she did not have the support she needed.

Clancy’s attorney is hoping to have one TikToker testify, asking the judge to allow Emily Thorndike, a former McLean Hospital clinical social worker, to be added to the witness list. Thorndike had publicly accused witnesses of spreading “lies and misrepresentations” about the psychiatric facility where Clancy was treated weeks before she killed her three children.

Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, said he tracked down Thonrndike after she posted about the case on TikTok.

“I saw her video saying that she could not stand for, and I quote, ‘the lies and the misrepresentations from that witness stand about McLean Hospital’,” Reddington said.

Split photo of Lindsay and Patrick Clancy with their kids and Lindsay in court

Lindsay Clancy attends her murder trial at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth on July 29, 2026. Lindsay and Patrick Clancy with two of their three children in this undated photo. (Lindsay Marie Clancy/ Facebook; David L. Ryan/Pool)

Speaking about the high interest on social media, Elikann said, “It’s kind of a cultural obsession and people feel that they’re part of some kind of community.”

Elikann went on to say, “With the advent of not just the internet, but now social media, it’s like on steroids now, and everybody’s an expert.”

While unsubstantiated claims and speculation circulate online about what led to the killings, Elikann emphasized the importance of following official facts over social media speculation.

He mentioned one positive about the social media obsession.

“The public is getting educated as to this issue of postpartum psychosis and trying to understand how a supposedly loving mother—who always indicated great interest in her children, was happy with her life, liked her job, liked her marriage, lived in this great community by the water south of Boston—why she would suddenly, out of the blue, commit this horrific, monstrous nightmare of an incident,” Elikann said.

Clancy’s trial resumes on Monday.

Hailie Jade’s Heartfelt Journey: Navigating Turbulent Ties with Mom Kim Scott Amid Recent Arrest

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Hailie Jade has steadfastly supported her mother, Kim Scott, through thick and thin, despite the numerous personal and legal challenges that have punctuated their relationship over the years.

“Hailie has unfalteringly maintained her love for her mom, regardless of the circumstances,” an exclusive source revealed to Page Six. “Her main concern is for Kim’s well-being, with the hope that she’ll find her way back to good health.”

“Their bond has certainly been tested through numerous highs and lows over time,” the insider elaborated. “However, Hailie consistently chooses to refrain from passing judgment, fully aware of the myriad challenges her mom has faced throughout the years.”

These recent months have brought those challenges to the forefront, as Kim Scott, formerly known as Kim Mathers, confronts a series of personal and legal difficulties.

At 51, Scott found herself back in the spotlight when she was taken into custody at Macomb County Jail on Thursday. A Michigan judge opted to revoke her bond, citing multiple alleged violations connected to her ongoing legal issues.

Scott is currently dealing with two drunken-driving cases, as well as a separate case stemming from her July encounter with police.

She pleaded no contest in May to operating while intoxicated stemming from a February incident in which prosecutors said she crashed into a truck while impaired.

Just three days later, she was arrested in a separate alleged OWI incident after striking a parked vehicle and registering a .204 blood alcohol level, nearly three times Michigan’s legal limit.

Bench warrants were later issued after she missed court proceedings in June before being canceled when she appeared.

The legal turmoil came during an already difficult period for Scott.

On July 11, emergency personnel were called to her Chesterfield Township home following a reported suicide attempt.

Dispatch audio described a relative calling for help, and Scott was ultimately rushed by ambulance to McLaren Macomb Hospital after suffering severe bleeding. Video obtained by TMZ from the scene showed her appearing unconscious as paramedics wheeled her from the home on a gurney.

“This latest health scare was really hard on Hailie,” the source told Page Six. “Any time something happens with her mom, it’s emotional because she never wants to get that kind of news.”

“Becoming a wife and a mom herself has given Hailie an even greater appreciation for how complicated family relationships can be,” the insider said.

Hailie, 30, married longtime boyfriend Evan McClintock in May 2024, and the pair welcomed their son, Elliot Marshall McClintock, in March 2025. 

According to the source, “Hailie wants to be there for her mom in whatever way she can while also protecting the life she’s built with her own family.”

A representative for Hailie Jade did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Scott was previously married to Eminem — born Marshall Mathers — from 1999 to 2001. The exes were briefly remarried in 2006 but parted ways after the rapper, 53, filed for divorce.

The exes are the parents to three kids: Hailie Jade, Alaina, 33, and Stevie, 24.

Scott is also the mom to a son named Parker, whom she welcomed following her split from the “Lose Yourself” hitmaker.

Revolutionary Vaccine Reduces America’s Deadliest Cancer Cysts

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A groundbreaking experimental vaccine might provide a crucial defense against pancreatic cancer, especially for individuals with a genetic predisposition to the disease.

The innovative vaccine specifically targets the KRAS mutation, a genetic anomaly present in over 90 percent of pancreatic cancer cases, affecting approximately 60,000 of the more than 67,000 Americans diagnosed annually.

This vaccine is designed to educate the immune system to detect and destroy cells harboring the KRAS mutation. The goal is to halt the disease in its tracks at the precancerous stage, preventing it from evolving into a more serious, invasive form.

In an initial trial involving 20 individuals at high risk, due to either a KRAS mutation or a significant family history of pancreatic cancer, the vaccine successfully stimulated immune responses in 90 percent of participants. Notably, none of these individuals developed the disease during the monitoring period.

This trial represents a pioneering effort in using a vaccine against KRAS gene mutations in people with an inherited likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest, with a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent. It is often diagnosed late because its early symptoms are vague and easily mistaken for other conditions, by which time the cancer has usually spread. 

In a trial of 20 high-risk patients, the vaccine triggered immune responses in 90 percent of participants. Over 16.5 months, none developed pancreatic cancer and some saw their precancerous cysts shrink. 

Pancreatic cancer rates have been steadily climbing over the past three decades. Since 1995, the overall incidence has risen by nearly 20 percent – from 10.6 to 11.9 per 100,000 people – with women seeing a sharper increase than men. 

Pictured is Holly Shawyer, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in her 30s

Holly Shawyer of North Carolina was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in her 30s despite being a marathon runner. Her main symptom was a stomach ache. ‘I was in great health before this,’ she said

The trial, published in the journal Cancer Discovery, enrolled 20 people considered at high risk for pancreatic cancer. Some had a strong family history of the disease, meaning multiple close relatives had been diagnosed.

Others carried a specific genetic mutation, such as BRCA2, that is known to increase risk. All of them had small cysts on their pancreas – the kind of growths that can sometimes turn into cancer over time.

The vaccine, called mKRAS-VAX, contains six lab-made peptides, or short chains of amino acids designed to resemble fragments of the mutant KRAS protein found in cancer cells. 

When injected, the immune system recognizes these peptides as foreign and learns to attack any cell carrying the KRAS mutation. 

The vaccine also includes an adjuvant called poly-ICLC, which helps boost the immune response.

Patients received five injections over several months: three initial priming doses, followed by a booster. 

The goal was to train the immune system to recognize the KRAS mutation and then reinforce that training to sustain the response.

To measure whether the vaccine worked, researchers took blood samples before and after vaccination. 

They looked for T cells, a type of white blood cell that fights disease, that could specifically recognize the KRAS mutation. A strong increase in these T cells was considered a successful immune response. 

Ryan Dwars of Iowa with his family. He was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer at 36

Ryan Dwars of Iowa with his family. He was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer at 36

They also compared MRI scans taken before and after vaccination to see if any cysts had shrunk or disappeared and tracked whether any patients developed pancreatic cancer during follow-up.

In 18 out of 20 patients, the immune system produced T-cells specifically trained to recognize and attack cells carrying the KRAS mutation. This was not a fleeting effect. In many patients, the response persisted for up to two years.

The vaccine also appeared to affect pancreatic cysts. Among 16 patients whose cysts could be evaluated, three saw their cysts disappear entirely. 

Three others had partial shrinkage and the rest remained stable. 

When researchers compared the vaccinated group to a similar group of unvaccinated patients, they found that 37.5 percent of vaccinated patients saw their cysts shrink or resolve compared to just 6.8 percent of those who did not receive the vaccine.

Over a median follow-up of 16.5 months, none of the vaccinated patients developed pancreatic cancer.

The vaccine also proved to be safe. None of the 20 patients experienced serious side effects.

Each year, pancreatic cancer is diagnosed in 13.9 per 100,000 people and claims 11.3 per 100,000. Rates are age-adjusted based on recent data

Each year, pancreatic cancer is diagnosed in 13.9 per 100,000 people and claims 11.3 per 100,000. Rates are age-adjusted based on recent data

The most common reactions were mild, including injection site pain, fatigue, chills and flu-like symptoms, and all resolved on their own. 

Currently, high-risk patients undergo routine imaging to monitor for suspicious growths, but these scans often detect only a fraction of the precursor lesions that can turn into cancer – and when worrisome cysts are found, surgery can carry serious risks.

The vaccine offers a different approach. Instead of waiting for cancer to appear and then treating it, the goal is to intercept it early using the body’s own immune system to keep precancerous cells in check.

If larger studies confirm these early findings, the vaccine could one day offer a simple, non-invasive way to protect people at the highest risk, offering the chance to stop pancreatic cancer before it starts.

The results are still preliminary. This was a small study, and larger trials will be needed to confirm whether the vaccine truly prevents cancer. 

But the findings offer promising proof that a vaccine can train the immune system to recognize and potentially intercept pancreatic cancer in people at the highest risk.

Ex-Cop Executed for Child’s Killing Amidst New Allegations of Second Murder

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After nearly forty years of enduring a painful wait, the execution of James Duckett has finally allowed two grieving families to find a measure of closure, as they suspect the former police officer was responsible for the brutal deaths of their young daughters.

Duckett, aged 68 at the time of his death, met his fate through lethal injection on July 28. His execution came as a result of his conviction for the rape and murder of Teresa McAbee, crimes he committed while serving as an officer with the Mascotte Police Department.

The execution took place at Florida State Prison in Raiford, where members of McAbee’s family were present to witness the conclusion of a decades-long ordeal.

In support of McAbee’s family, relatives and close friends of Jeanifer Weldon also gathered. Authorities have long believed Duckett was responsible for Weldon’s death, occurring merely four months after McAbee’s, highlighting a series of chilling crimes attributed to the same perpetrator.

Split photo of Jeanifer Weldon and James Duckett.

Investigators believe Jeanifer Weldon (L) was killed by James Duckett (R) in Fort Meade, Fla., in September 1987. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

But law enforcement officials stopped pursuing a conviction out of fear it would prolong his life, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference.

It had been decided that piecing together evidence on the case could “jam up” the process or “create more defense, or more arguments, or more excuses why he shouldn’t be executed,” Judd told reporters on July 30.

So once Duckett was sentenced to die for McAbee’s murder, authorities stopped pushing to secure a conviction for the killing of Weldon, Judd said.

Two lives lost

McAbee went missing in May 1987. She was last seen with Duckett in his patrol car on an evening when he was the only officer working the streets.

When her body was found, evidence showed she’d been sexually assaulted, strangled and drowned, according to court records.

A month later, Duckett was named a suspect and was fired from his job as a cop. Very strong fingerprint and DNA evidence linked Duckett to the case, Judd said.

Shoe prints in the sand.

Authorities found Weldon’s body in a wooded area behind the road where her shoes were found. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

Then three months later, another girl went missing in Central Florida.

Weldon disappeared on Sept. 19, 1987, in Polk County, about an hour south of the town where Duckett had worked as a police officer.

It was three days before her 15th birthday.

She’d spent the Saturday with friends on a trip to town to Tampa, where she’d bought a fluffy kitten to add to the stuffed animal collection in her bedroom, Judd said.

Around 9 p.m., she left her friends to walk about two miles home, carrying her new stuffed kitten in a green plastic bag, Judd said. She never made it home.

For “13 frantic days, we looked for Jeanifer to no avail,” Judd told reporters almost 39 years later. There were few leads, until a phosphate miner pulled over to investigate a pair of shoes he spotted on the side of the road in Fort Meade. It had been about two weeks since Weldon had disappeared.

When he got out of his car, he was hit with the pungent smell of a decomposing body, Judd said.

Weldon’s “skeletonized” remains were found behind tall grass and a berm in a wooded area away from the road, Judd said.

Duckett eventually became a suspect in that killing, too.

Investigators believed Duckett had used his old law enforcement uniform to convince Weldon he could provide a safe ride home.

Family members and investigators felt Weldon wouldn’t have gotten in a car with Duckett without that reassurance and confidence that he was a police officer and someone she could trust, Judd said.

She died by strangulation, he said.

Investigators suspect she was raped before her death.

A heartbreaking clue

A month after Weldon’s death, Duckett was arrested for the killing and sexual battery of McAbee.

He quickly became a suspect in Weldon’s killing, too. But the evidence wasn’t as strong, and was more circumstantial, Judd said.

The night Weldon disappeared, Duckett had left for work at his new mining job five hours early. He drove down the highway “exactly past where Jeanifer Weldon would have been walking home,” Judd said.

He arrived at work sweaty and two hours late, saying that he’d had car trouble. But investigators learned that his hands weren’t “greasy or nasty or dirty,” Judd said. The next day, Duckett brought home a gift for his children—a stuffed kitten in a green plastic bag.

It matched the one purchased by Weldon.

Photo of the interior of Jeanifer's bedroom.

Weldon kept a collection of stuffed animals in her bedroom, and her last planned addition provided a clue for investigators looking for her killer. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

There also were “fingernail marks or scratches on his back,” Judd said. When his wife asked him about the marks, he told her, “I was climbing under a barbed wire fence at work,” Judd said. Polk County investigators spent tens of thousands of hours working to pursue a conviction in the Weldon case, Judd said.

Then a few years ago, after Duckett was convicted of McAbee’s murder and had received the death sentence, they questioned whether they should continue pursuing it, he said.

They continued to “chip away” at finding DNA evidence, Judd said. And they hoped Duckett would confess during one of his interviews before his execution.

He declined to talk.

Though he was never convicted of her killing, Duckett’s execution still brought some sense of closure to Weldon’s still-grieving family.

“I’m confident the right person was executed,” said Amy Weldon, Jeanifer Weldon’s younger sister. “I don’t like how long it took, but I am confident 100% that the right person died.”

Judd was less satisfied with the execution of the former cop.

“The problem is we didn’t put him to death soon enough,” Judd said. “You know, it’s never too soon to kill a psychopathic, child predator … It’s never too soon.”

For 38 years, Duckett was given multiple appeals.

“He just didn’t pay soon enough, but he did pay,” Judd said.

Judd also suggested that controversial surveillance cameras on roadways might have prevented Weldon’s death.

“Today, we may have found him before he ever got a chance to rape and murder her,” he said. “We would have found him within hours.”

Addressing the debate over the cameras, Judd railed, “Yet there’s some nut jobs that don’t think we should be able to look at a camera that’s on a public right of way, only looking at a tag and the color of a car.

“We’re going to find lost children, lost Alzheimer’s patients, warrant suspects, and we’re never going to invade your privacy to do it.”

Florida Primary 2023: Key Contests and Critical Trends Revealed

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Next week’s primary elections in Florida will prove pivotal as the state decides its political future. Voters are tasked with selecting nominees to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is stepping down due to term limits. Additionally, the ballot includes a close watch on a tarnished congressman’s bid for re-election and a rising socialist challenger aiming to dethrone a centrist Democratic incumbent.

The August 18 contests mark a significant shift, being the first following the adoption of Florida’s newly redrawn congressional maps. Political experts predict these will likely boost Republican chances in four key House districts as the crucial November midterm elections approach.

Here are the key races garnering attention:

Four districts where redistricting boosted Republicans

  • Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, held by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), who has opted to run in the 23rd District Democratic primary. Trump has not endorsed in the GOP race. The leading GOP candidates include university administrator  Belinda Keiser, businessman Casey Askar and entrepreneur Michael Carbonara.

  • Florida’s 25th Congressional District, held by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who has opted to run in the vacant 20th District Democratic primary. Trump has not endorsed a Republican. Businessman Dan Franzese, former state Rep. George Moraitis, and former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer are the top contenders for their party’s nomination. 

Incumbent Dem faces Hasan Piker-backed DSA challenger 

The Democratic primary in the newly drawn 25th Congressional District will see centrist Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) face off against insurgent socialist candidate Oliver Larkin. 

Larkin, 33, proudly touts endorsements from far-left streamer Hasan Piker and controversial kids YouTuber Ms. Rachel on his campaign website, along with his active membership with the Broward County Democratic Socialists of America. 

A former organizer with the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, Larkin has expressed support for abolishing the Senate and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza and many other far-left policy positions. 

Moskowitz, who has served in the House since 2023, is a staunch supporter of Israel and is backed by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). 

The incumbent is polling ahead of Larkin, and has the fundraising advantage, heading into primary night. 

Longtime Democratic rep faces primary challenge from indicted former congresswoman and rapper 

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and a member of Congress since 2005, is running in the black-majority 20th Congressional District this year and facing a slew of challengers. 

Among them is former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), who resigned from the House earlier this year after federal prosecutors indicted her on 15 counts related to her alleged use of $5 million in COVID-19 relief funds on her political campaigns and luxury goods, including a 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring.

Cherfilus-McCormick is slated to go to trial in February and faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted of all charges. 

Wasserman Schultz is also facing a challenge from Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, the rapper behind the 1980s hip hop group 2 Live Crew. 

Polling is all over the place in the 20th District race, with some surveys showing Campbell with a 24 point lead and others putting Wasserman Schultz ahead by 18 points. 

Trump-backed Republican fights to hold on amid scandals 

Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) is fighting to hold onto his 7th Congressional District seat amid allegations of domestic assault and “stolen valor” and reports he is under investigation by the Justice Department. 

Mills, who is currently being probed by the House Ethics Committee over “serious and complex” accusations, is being challenged by several Republicans, including former Orlando news anchor Ryan Elijah. 

Elijah has racked up dozens of endorsements in recent weeks, including from Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.). 

Mills, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing, has been endorsed by Trump three times and received a warm reception at a recent GOP debate in the district. 

Polls predict landslide win for Byron Donalds in race to replace DeSantis 

Eleven GOP candidates, including Rep. Byron Donalds, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins , former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and businessman James Fishback, are vying for the Sunshine State’s GOP nomination in the governor’s race. 

Donalds, a member of Congress since 2021, leads the field by 34 percentage points, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls. 

Donalds, who has Trump’s endorsement, has raised more than $100 million for his campaign and committees backing his bid. 

If elected in November, he would become Florida’s first black governor.

On the Democratic side, former Republican Rep. David Jolly is the favorite to make it out of the primary. 

Jolly served a term-and-a-half in the House between 2014 and 2017 before becoming a cable news pundit. 

In 2018, Jolly left the Republican Party to become an independent. In 2022,  he joined Andrew Yang’s Forward Party. Finally, in 2025 he registered as a Democrat to run for governor in the Sunshine State. 

Florida’s last Democratic candidate for governor, Charlie Crist, who lost in a landslide to DeSantis, was also a former Republican.

DeSantis has not made an endorsement in the race.

Renowned Scholar and Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Tragically Passes Away

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In a tragic turn of events, a prominent Cambridge University academic, embroiled in a plagiarism controversy, has been discovered dead.

Professor Jason Arday was found lifeless at a residence in London shortly after 3 p.m. last Friday.

This incident follows several turbulent weeks during which colleagues raised doubts about the originality of the 41-year-old scholar’s research.

The scrutiny had extended to reviewing his previous academic endeavors.

Amid growing inquiries from the academic community, media outlets, and broadcasters, Professor Arday stepped down from his esteemed position.

He had been Cambridge University’s youngest ever black professor, having been appointed a professor of sociology of education in March 2023.

But after a succession of questions about his past achievements, he quit on August 5.

Cambridge University announced it had ‘begun an investigation following new information about Mr Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments’. Jesus College, where he was a fellow, also launched an investigation.

Professor Jason Arday was found dead in London. Police said a 41-year-old had been found and that 'his death is being treated as unexpected, but not believed to be suspicious'

Professor Jason Arday was found dead in London. Police said a 41-year-old had been found and that ‘his death is being treated as unexpected, but not believed to be suspicious’

The high-flying academic father-of-two was 'unresponsive' at a London address

The high-flying academic father-of-two was ‘unresponsive’ at a London address 

When Professor Arday resigned from his professorship and his fellowship, he said that this should not be ‘mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me’. He cited the ‘personal cost’ of the furore which he said had been ‘too great’. He also cancelled a series of events to promote his new memoir, Great And Unfortunate Things, which was released in the US this week.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: ‘Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 3.12pm on Friday, August 14, following a report that a man had been found unresponsive inside a property.

‘Sadly, a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

‘At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious.’

The statement added: ‘The case is being investigated by officers from the Met’s Central South Command Unit. A file will be prepared for the coroner.’

In a statement, University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: ‘We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news. Our heartfelt sympathies go to Jason’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.’

Professor Arday, a married father-of-two, seemingly had the world at his feet in 2023 when he was appointed Cambridge University’s youngest ever black professor, with the appointment celebrated by the world’s media in which he was the subject of glowing profiles.

His rise was meteoric, given the childhood he described.

Diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay, Professor Arday said he could not speak until he was 11 and could not read or write until he was 18.

In recent weeks, doubts were cast on his claims but the then-professor denied the accusations against him and disputed claims made about his past.

Many of the claims were connected to Professor Arday’s work for good causes during which he said he had raised £5million for charity through long distance running.

When he quit, Professor Arday said it was ‘with profound sadness’. He said his appointment had been ‘without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life’, adding: ‘To become the youngest Black professor in the University’s history was something I could scarcely have imagined as a child growing up with a diagnosis of autism, unable to speak until I was 11 years old.’

After days of questions from all quarters, he said: ‘There comes a point when the personal cost becomes too great. I have a family. I want to be present for them. I want to reclaim some peace, some privacy and some semblance of an ordinary life. I no longer wish to feel as though I am living under a constant spotlight, where every aspect of my life is subject to public examination and judgment.

‘For my own wellbeing, for my family, and for those who have stood by me throughout this difficult period, I have concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away.’

Professor Arday said: ‘This decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship or in the values that first brought me to Cambridge. Nor should it be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me. It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure.’

Amid the mounting questions over the truth, Cambridge University announced an inquiry. This week the university’s vice-chancellor said she understood the concerns raised by the appointment and shared them too.

In a letter to staff, Professor Deborah Prentice acknowledged the ‘anger and anxiety around this damaging and difficult case’.

The university head also announced Cambridge’s investigation would be independent and carried out by senior academics from within and beyond Cambridge and will begin ‘as soon as possible’.