The theme park has three high-speed roller coasters a 40-foot go-kart track, a bungee-jumping tower and several rides for families and younger kids

A US theme park is enjoying its final few weeks in business as it prepares to shut down after almost four decades.

The park, Fun Spot America in Atlanta, Georgia, originally opened as Dixieland Fun Park in 1990. It was acquired by the Orlando-based Fun Spot America Theme Parks group in 2017 and will close its gates for the final time on August 2.

The theme park boasts 14 major rides, including three high-speed roller coasters and a 40-foot go-kart track. It is also home to Georgia’s only legal bungee-jumping tower and several milder rides for families and younger kids.

The reason for the shutdown has not been made known by the owners.

In the absence of significant new financial resources, theme parks with aging attractions often end up too unprofitable to maintain or refurbish, The Street reports.

The theme park’s owners have said they will independently reach out to any customers who booked school or group trips past that date. Any gift cards or season passes that visitors purchased earlier will need to be used before then.

The two other locations under the Fun Spot portfolio – in Orlando and Kissimmee – will continue to operate.

It is not publicly known whether something else will be built on the lot currently home to the theme park, or how the rides will be disassembled.

It joins the list of theme parks closing down.

“This was an extremely difficult decision,” CEO John Arie Jr. said in a press statement.

“Our Atlanta team has poured their hearts into serving our guests and creating a place where families could have fun together.

“We are deeply grateful for their dedication and for the support we have received from the Fayetteville community.”

“Come see us, make one more memory, and take one last ride,” Fun Spot America wrote on its Instagram page on June 25.

A man in San Diego County has admitted to not only feeding his young children hallucinogenic mushrooms but also roping them into a scheme to distribute the illicit fungi.

Randal Vance, 43, said he, his wife, and a friend grew and distributed psilocybin mushrooms from two locations in San Diego County. He made the admission as part of a plea deal, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in the Southern District of California.

“Vance, the ringleader of the conspiracy, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to use a minor to produce and distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distributing a controlled substance to minors, and conspiracy to obstruct justice,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office. “Two co-defendants – his wife Rebecca Vance and friend Keir Ceballos-Rivera – previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.”

He also admitted to feeding his 9 and 11-year-old sons the hallucinogenic mushrooms via capsules every other day. Vance said he began giving his children the hallucinogens around October 2023 and by 2024 began giving the boys the capsules every day.

“Psilocybin mushrooms are a controlled substance,” the attorney’s office said in a statement, “that act as hallucinogenic drugs, inducing altered states of consciousness and vivid sensory experiences.”

Vance’s defense attorney, Peter Blair, said the government was misrepresenting his client.

“Mr. Vance made statements that he micro-dosed his children and he takes full responsibility, but many of his statements were either exaggerated or wholly dishonest in an attempt to ease the anxieties of friends and relatives seeking to replace their pharmaceutical prescriptions with mushrooms for medicinal purposes,” Blair said in a statement to Courthouse News.

He said Vance’s microdosing claims had to be “dishonest” because the boys would have experienced some ill effect from the volume of hallucinogenic mushrooms they would have consumed if his claim were true.

“Some of the doses my client said he gave the children, 0.2 grams every other day, for example, would have caused significant long-term effects, and the children have always denied that they felt any mind-altering effects from any of the supplements or mushrooms they were given by their father,” he said.

Blair said Vance’s children were doing fine.

“Mr. Vance regretfully put his family in a horrible situation,” Blair continued. “Despite that, the children are thriving, getting straight A’s in school, and are extremely well-adjusted, showing no signs of harm from any resonant exposure to illicit substances.”

He said that Vance initially became interested in the mushrooms as a possible treatment for Lyme disease and for his wife’s mental health struggles.

In October 2024, police executed a search warrant at one of Vance’s operating locations in Fallbrook, where they found 257 pounds of mushrooms and 18 pounds of growing material. Law enforcement officials found 25 pounds of mushrooms and five pounds of psilocybin capsules, as well as six firearms, at another location in Bonsall.

The firearms seized in the search include a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle

Vance reportedly used a pair of websites to market the mushrooms and provided both his wife and his eldest son — 12-years-old at the time — to sell the drugs to their friends.

The plea agreement says that Vance and his co-conspirators destroyed evidence by deleting messages from their phone and shuttering the websites used to market the drugs,

Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18.

Police attended after an unaccompanied Pitbull-type dog attacked a woman’s dog.

After intervening, the hound then attacked the woman.

Police say that her injuries aren’t thought to be serious, but her dog is currently undergoing emergency surgery.

Cleveland Police confirmed that, due to the risk posed to members of the public, it was forced to put the attacking dog down.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Sutherland said: “Initial indications are that a member of the public was walking her dog when she was approached by an unaccompanied Pitbull-type dog, which then attacked her pet.

“The lady sustained a dog bite during the incident, and thankfully, this is not believed to be of a serious nature. Sadly, her own dog sustained very serious injuries and was taken to the vet by police officers, where it is currently receiving emergency treatment.

“Unfortunately, due to the serious nature of this incident and the potential risk to other people in the immediate area, our specially trained officers had to put the dog down near the scene.

“We understand that anyone who witnessed the initial attack or the aftermath may have experienced shock or distress however, the safety of the public is always paramount.

“Enquiries are ongoing, and we are appealing for anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Cleveland Police via the 101 number or via the force website. Please quote reference 125672.”

The motorway is closed to traffic in both directions

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A major Lancashire is shut to traffic due to an ongoing ‘police incident’ tonight (Sunday, June 28).

The M65 motorway is closed in both directions between Junction 4 and Junction 3 near Blackburn and Darwen.

The closure was first reported shortly after 8pm and delays are reported in the area.

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A National Highways spokesperson said: “The M65 has closed in both directions between J4 and J3 near Blackburn due to a Police led incident.

“There are delays of 10 minutes and congestion of approx. 1 mile in the vicinity. Please allow extra time if you’re travelling in the area. Diversion route to follow.”

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We are currently dealing with a concern for welfare incident between Junction 3 and Junction 4 of the M65. As a result the motorway is closed in both directions. Please avoid the area if you can and we will provide an update when possible. Thank you for your patience.”

Inrix, the traffic data company, said: “M65 in both directions closed due to police incident from J3 A674 Chorley Road (Blackburn West / Wheelton) to J4 A666 Earcroft Way (Darwen / Blackburn South).”

Over a third of the children were still waiting for treatment, with more than 60,000 waiting over two years for help – an increase from over 44,000 children the previous year.

Fewer than one in five with suspected autism or neurodevelopmental conditions went on to receive treatment in 2024-25. Those who did waited, on average, a year for support.

Dame Rachel called the figures “stark”, saying that while there had been some improvements, with more children receiving support last year, it was hard to ignore the “colossal challenge” facing mental health services, as demand outpaces system capacity and funding.

She said there needed to be a shift in approach, with greater focus on joined-up services “across health, education and social care to ensure children are getting the help they need in schools and the community”.

The charity YoungMinds said it was extremely concerned about the additional barriers and waiting times some were experiencing, particularly by black and racially minoritised children and young people, as well as those referred to services with suspected autism or neurodevelopmental conditions.

The figures show that black and Asian children are underrepresented in referrals and that when they are referred, they are much more likely to be in severe distress or crisis.

One in four black children directed to children and young people’s mental health services were referred for being in crisis, compared with 16% of Asian children and 7.4% of white children – raising questions over why some children from ethnic minority backgrounds are not receiving help earlier.

Children from the poorest 10% of areas in England made up 15% of referrals, compared to 7.6% from the least deprived areas.

If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support in the UK are available at BBC Action Line

WHEN people think about improving their health, they often focus on exercise, diets or supplements.

While those things can all help, there is one simple habit that often gets overlooked – drinking enough water.

READ MORE: The simple rule I use to stay active when I have no motivation

It might not sound exciting, but water is one of the most important things for your health. It supports almost every function in the body and can have a big impact on how you feel each day.

One of the first things hydration affects is energy.

Many people feel tired during the day and immediately think they need more caffeine. In reality, they may simply need more water. Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling sluggish, less focused and lacking motivation.

Hydration also plays a big role in digestion.

Water helps move food through the digestive system and can help reduce issues such as constipation. If you often feel bloated or uncomfortable after meals, improving your water intake is a good place to start.

Another area where water is important is exercise recovery.

When we exercise, especially during warmer weather, we lose fluids through sweat. If these fluids are not replaced, recovery can be slower and you may feel more tired or achy the following day.

Water also plays an important role in joint and muscle health. Our joints need fluid to help them move smoothly and comfortably. When you are not drinking enough, you may notice more stiffness, especially first thing in the morning or after sitting for a while.

Muscles also rely on proper hydration to work well. Being dehydrated can increase the risk of cramps, tightness and fatigue. Simply drinking enough water can help your body move more freely and comfortably throughout the day.

Sleep is another area that can be affected.

If you are dehydrated, you may wake up feeling thirsty, uncomfortable or with a dry mouth. Drinking enough throughout the day helps support better sleep and can leave you feeling more refreshed in the morning.

One thing I often tell people is not to wait until they feel thirsty.

Thirst is one sign that your body already needs fluid. A better approach is to sip water regularly throughout the day.

During the summer months, hydration becomes even more important. Warmer weather means we lose more fluid, even when we are not exercising.

You can also include foods with a high water content such as cucumber, watermelon, strawberries and tomatoes.

Sometimes the most effective health habits are also the simplest. Water is a perfect example of that.

Officers from the Bolton North Neighbourhood Team were on patrol in Halliwell on Slater Street when they stopped a vehicle on Saturday evening (June 27).

Following checks, police discovered that the driver was disqualified from driving.

Further enquiries also revealed that the man was in breach of his bail conditions, which prohibited him from entering the Halliwell and Smithills areas.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of disqualified driving and breach of bail. His vehicle was seized at the scene.

He has since been charged and remanded in custody and is due to appear before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (June 29 June).

Vietnam is increasingly using broadly written laws to arrest activists, dissidents and others that authorities consider a threat to the Communist party’s rule, according to a new analysis released Monday by a human rights group.

The 88 Project, which focuses on rights issues in Vietnam, documented 56 such arrests in 2025, the third consecutive year of increases and double the number in 2022. The report includes only arrests where the defendant could be identified by name and the case tracked, and the actual numbers are believed to be much higher, said Ben Swanton, co-director of the group.

The report says the country under leader To Lam “routinely weaponizes criminal law” to quash dissent. To Lam, the country’s former top security official who has served as general secretary of the Communist Party since 2024, was also elected president earlier this year.

The arrests are largely driven by fears of an uprising against the leadership in a so-called “color revolution,” like the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine, or the 1986 Yellow Revolution in the Philippines, according to the report.

It is a fear shared by the Communist Party in neighboring China, which has been accused of using similar tactics to stifle critics. Though competing maritime claims have led to confrontations between the two countries and a tense diplomatic relationship at times, China and Vietnam were able to agree earlier this year to together “prioritize political security and enhance efforts to prevent and resist color revolutions,” the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

“With the ascendancy of To Lam, the country has become a literal police state that tolerates no dissent,” Swanton said.

“This represents a serious regression from the period of relative openness in the 2010s when some dissent was tolerated and civil society groups were able to engage in policy activism.”

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the findings of the report.

The report found that authorities are relying increasingly on Article 331 of Vietnam’s penal code, which makes it a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison to “abuse democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state.”

Previously little used, “authorities have enlarged the scope and application of Article 331 so that it reaches further into society, beyond human rights and democracy dissidents … to all those who voice any grievance with state or local Communist Party and government officials,” New York-based Human Rights Watch wrote in a report last year.

“The Vietnamese authorities’ increased use of Article 331 is a little known facet of the government’s expanding crackdown on ordinary people who are seeking to use social media and other peaceful means to publicly raise important social issues, including religious freedom, land rights, rights of Indigenous people, and government and Communist Party corruption,” Human Rights Watch wrote.

Among those arrested under Article 331 last year were three men behind the YouTube channel “Nguoi Da Tin’ — The Messenger — on allegations that videos they uploaded were ”distorted content” that violated the statute, The 88 Project reported.

The report provides details of every arrest identified as politically related in 2025.

Those also included an activist for the minority Montagnard group who was arrested in Thailand and extradited to Vietnam, a dissident writer accused of spreading “propaganda against the state,” and a man who helped residents of Ha Tinh province file complaints demanding fair compensation for land expropriated for a new highway.

“The Vietnamese government has dealt alarmingly severe punishments to longstanding targets like journalists and human rights activists, while displaying an increasing willingness to attack groups previously thought safe, such as political exiles and legal petitioners,” the report said.

For many of us, the approaching summer holidays are a time for relaxation, vacation and spending time with loved ones, however, for some it can mean prolonged time with abusers.

I am very grateful to Chief Inspector Grieve for allowing me to take over his column this week to provide an overview of some of the work being undertaken by West Lothian’s Public Protection Unit.

For many of us, the approaching summer holidays are a time for relaxation, vacation and spending time with loved ones, however, for some it can mean prolonged time with abusers.

I want to make it clear that domestic abuse has no place in Scotland and on a daily basis we work with a variety of specialist charities and support agencies to provide assistance to domestic abuse survivors and by acting on evidence they provide we will proactively target those responsible for domestic abuse to bring them to justice.

It’s been over a decade since the introduction of the Disclosure Scheme For Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) and over the last ten years we have seen DSDAS applications within the Division continue to rise.

These applications are a formal process allowing individuals or concerned third parties to ask Police Scotland if a current or prospective partner has a history of abusive behaviour.

The scheme aims to protect potential victims and help them make informed choices about their relationships

This year the Division has processed 937 applications, an 8% increase from last year.

The upward trajectory of proactive disclosures by police and partners demonstrates the effectiveness of DSDAS as a preventative tool against domestic abuse.

We also continue to work in conjunction with partners to maximise safeguarding of families exposed to domestic abuse.

A new Scottish Governments initiative provides expert, trauma-informed advice, empowering women to regain their financial freedom by identifying unseen financial barriers to fleeing or reporting domestic abuse.

This scheme is called The Economic Abuse Helpline – The Purple Phone and calls can be made to 0343 841 0132.

The Public Protection Unit also works closely with West Lothian Women’s Aid (WLWA), who administer the Scottish Government’s ‘Fund to Leave’ on behalf of West Lothian partners, enabling survivors of domestic abuse safer transitions away from abusive situations, including financial assistance to overcome immediate barriers.

In addition, our Domestic Abuse and Rape Investigation Unit has worked in conjunction with Amazon to help support survivors fleeing domestic abuse.

Backpacks for adults and children were provided that contain practical items including mobile phones, toiletries, non-perishable food and games.

These have been shared with advocacy partners Domestic and Sexual Assault Team and WLWA to maximise distribution.

Additional training is being rolled out across Police Scotland’s Public Protection detectives to increase knowledge of honour-based violence and forced marriage, highlighting the importance of collaborative working to maximise safeguarding for children and adults at risk.

We know that early intervention is key to preventing domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.

As such, proactive educational inputs have been delivered at every secondary school in West Lothian to over 4500 pupils by PC Scott McCulloch.

His commendable efforts at tackling misogynistic behaviour, domestic abuse, consent and sextortion resulted in him being recognised as Police Officer of the Year.

We will continue to tackle domestic abuse and all incidents of violence against women and girls. If anyone needs to report an offence of this nature, please contact us via 101, or utilise or third-party reporting mechanism.

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