7/18/2025: What Would You Say … You Do Here?

PLUS: Blow-nanas; School For Wizards; and Oprah Ducks Around

Today is Friday, July 18, 2025.

It is the 199th day of the year.

166 days remain.

WHAT’S ON TAP

NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: A plains-state town faces a squirrelly nuisance.

The he-said, she-said has begun with DENISE RICHARDS and AARON PHYPERS. More in SHOWBIZ.

Another movie prop sells for big bucks. Details in CASTING CALL.

OPRAH WINFREY makes a big ducking deal about PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN SUSSEX. Details in ROYALS.

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The town of Minot, North Dakota, has a squirrel problem.

Specifically: the Richardson’s ground squirrel, a burrowing rodent known for digging extensive tunnels. Officials say their population has grown significantly in recent years and likely now outnumbers the town’s 50,000 people. With population growth turning prairie into subdivisions and commerce, the squirrels have stayed put but their natural predator have fled.

Their burrowing habit wrecks driveways, sidewalks, and lawns, and also creates tripping hazards – not to mention the threat of disease from fleas they carry.

In the meantime, business is good for pest control companies. One exterminator says he kills about 5,000 of the squirrels a year. [via NBC News]

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Russian customs officials intercepted 1,800 pounds of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment this week, with a street value north of $150 MILLION. Russia has strict controls in place and harsh sentences to combat drug trafficking, but has seen an increase in criminal activity in recent years. Amidst the war on Ukraine, which had been an epicenter for illegal drug distribution throughout Europe, drug networks are looking for new channels to distribute across eastern Russia and Europe. [via CBS News]

MEANWHILE, IN MIAMI: American drug enforcement agents recently busted up a fentanyl ring – and also confiscated $10 MILLION worth of cryptocurrency held by the dealers.

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WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU DO HERE: American workers feel increasingly disconnected from their management – with 46% saying their bosses don’t understand what they contribute.

Another 44% say they’ve been passed over for career advancement because their work is misunderstood. Nearly half, 48%, say they do more work than they get credit for. [via CNBC]

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WELLS FARGO has suspended all travel to China after one of its managing directors, who was born in Shanghai but works in Atlanta, was issued an exit ban, barring her from leaving the country.

Chenyue Mao likely entered China some time in July, based on her social media activity. Exit bans typically apply to visitors embroiled in civil litigation and business disputes. Mao specifically worked in international commercial banking.

The bank hasn’t shared many specifics, other than to say it is “closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.” [via WSJ]

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A Wisconsin judge signed off on a release plan for 22-year-old Morgan Geyser Thursday. She’s one of the two girls who nearly stabbed a classmate to death over a decade ago in a deranged tribute to the fictional character Slender Man.

The release plan was proposed earlier this year after three experts testified that Geyser had made progress with her mental illness. It was then denied by prosecutors after concern over the location of Geyser’s group home being located just miles from the victim. Changes have since been made, leading to its approval.

Details of the plan and timing were not shared.

WHAT HAPPENED: In 2014, Geyser and Anissa Weier lured their victim into a nearby park during a sleepover, and stabbed her 19 times. They were all only 12 at the time. Weier was released in 2021 after agreeing to live with her father and wear a GPS monitor. [via WTMJ]

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