Do you have an updated driver’s license? Federal officials are working to spread the word about a new law that will take effect in 2020. Anyone without a REAL ID-compliant license won’t be allowed to fly. Read on for details.
A woman broke into the lion’s habitat at the Bronx Zoo and taunted the animal that was standing just feet away. See the video below.
And a real estate agent in Michigan has an unconventional selling strategy that incorporates his love of Halloween.
Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.
TOP STORY: Americans Will Soon Need a REAL ID Driver’s License In Order to Get On a Plane
Take a look at your driver’s license. Does it include a star symbol? If it does, you’re in the clear. If you don’t see a star, that means you’ll need to get a new driver’s license before October 1, 2020. If you don’t take this action, then you’ll need a passport, military ID, or other accepted forms of ID in order to board a plane anywhere in the United States or enter a federal building.
Here’s why: the REAL ID Act will take effect at this time next year. Congress passed the law in 2005 as a response to 9/11, but its implementation was repeatedly delayed. The law adds extra steps for obtaining a driver’s license. To get a REAL ID, Americans need to present a birth certificate or green card, a Social Security card and two separate documents showing a home address at the DMV.
The problem is that many states were slow to adopt the new regulations. According to the Department of Homeland Security, only 26 states were issuing REAL ID licenses by January of 2017. Currently, 47 states are compliant. CNN reported that New Jersey, Oklahoma and Oregon have not yet begun issuing REAL ID licenses.
Federal officials are concerned that too few Americans even know about this law change. The U.S. Travel Association found in a recent survey that an estimated 99 million Americans don’t have any form of identification that will be accepted at airports beginning next October. That has increased fears that tens of thousands of American travelers could be turned away at airports on October 1, 2020.
WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: A Woman Taunted a Lion Inside Its Enclosure at the Bronx Zoo
Police in New York City are working to identify a woman who climbed over a barrier to get into the lion enclosure at the Bronx Zoo and taunted the animal. Video of the incident was posted to Instagram on September 29.
In the video, you can see the woman waving her arms and dancing while standing just a few feet away from the lion. The animal just stands and looks at her. But the man who recorded the video, Hernan Reynoso, told NBC New York that the lion eventually became visibly annoyed and roared at the woman. Reynoso said he moved his family away from the area at that point.
The woman was not injured, but officials at the Bronx Zoo say she easily could have been killed. The zoo filed a complaint with the NYPD and the woman could face a criminal trespass charge if police can identify her. Many people on social media that the woman had endangered the lion’s life by entering the enclosure.
OFF-BEAT: Realtor Dresses As ‘Scream’ Character to Advertise a House
A Michigan real estate agent had a daring idea to try to drum up interest for a home he is selling. James Pyle, who works for Century 21 in the capital city of Lansing, was inspired by his love for Halloween as he contemplated how to make the listing unique.
He decided to dress up like the masked character from Scream and post photos of himself creepily stalking around the house. The character called Ghostface carves a pumpkin in the kitchen, plays with toys while sprawled on the living room floor, and peeks out from behind doors and window shades holding a (fake) knife.
Pyle told the Lansing State Journal that’s been working as a real estate agent for 15 years and had been waiting for an opportunity to do something like this. “I just wanted people to take a look at the listing and smile, laugh and have fun with it. The reaction has been a lot of fun.”
The home for sale is located on Chestnut Street in Lansing and was originally constructed in 1911. The current owner of the home told the local newspaper that she trusted Pyle and had no problem with the unconventional selling strategy.
The listing went live on Zillow on Friday and had been viewed more than one million times in just four days. You can see the listing and all of the photos featuring Ghostface here.
DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP
- North Korea test-fired a type of ballistic missile designed to be launched from a submarine, days before negotiations with the United States are scheduled to begin.
- Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was found guilty of murder for the shooting death of her neighbor, Botham Jean, in his own apartment.
- Elementary school teacher Cari Cullum is accused of intentionally driving her SUV into a lake with her young daughter in the vehicle.
- Marie Benoliel is the French comedian and YouTube star who crashed the Chanel catwalk this week, leading to a confrontation with model Gigi Hadid.
- AlphaDream, the developer behind the iconic Mario & Luigi gaming series, has filed for bankruptcy.
- Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Less than 1% of all breast cancer cases develop in men.
CHECK THIS OUT
A mouse caused a stir in the White House briefing room on Tuesday. The small rodent fell from the ceiling directly into NBC reporter Peter Alexander’s lap!
The mouse scrambled away and the other reporters jumped into action trying to find the rodent as it scurried around the room.
In videos shared to social media, you can hear the reporters gasping and laughing as they made unsuccessful attempts to corner the mouse. The mouse found a way out of the room and was not caught.
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