Sweet mullets, lightning strikes, blue lobsters: This week's heartwarming, offbeat headlines

From a student putting his life on hold to adopt an abandoned baby to the start of the 2022 mullet championships, there was no shortage of intriguing tales this week. Here are some of our favorite heartwarming and offbeat stories from Aug. 13-19 that have helped make our days a little brighter - or at least, more interesting:

1. Phoenix partners with foundation to provide free backyard gardens: The city of Phoenix is looking for residents interested in growing a backyard garden, and you wouldn’t have to spend a penny for installation.

2. Texas State student puts life on pause to adopt baby he found abandoned in trash pile in Haiti: A Texas State student from Haiti is making headlines after his mission to adopt a baby he found in the trash back home went viral. 

Haiti photo

Photo of 27-year-old Jimmy Amisial with Emilio Angel Jeremiah.

3. Couple arrested for having sex on amusement park ride: The couple originally denied having sex, saying they were picking up a dropped packet of cigarettes.

Rides at Cedar Point, including the Giant Wheel ride, are pictured in a file image taken at the amusement park in in Sandusky, Ohio.

Rides at Cedar Point, including the Giant Wheel ride, are pictured in a file image taken at the amusement park in in Sandusky, Ohio.

4. Women searching for man they mistook as rideshare driver during Chandler health emergency: A group of women who visited Arizona to see a friend now have a strange story to tell, after what happened at a restaurant near Chandler Mall.

5. Snoop Dogg announces the upcoming release of his new cereal Snoop Loopz: Snoop Dogg has released mega hits like "Drop It Like It's Hot," has released his own gin called Indoggo and wine with 19 Crimes, has a cannabis company called Leafs By Snoop and is now entering the world of breakfast cereals with the newest addition to his resume, Snoop Loopz.

6. 'They are our heroes': Peoria woman grateful for 3 men who rescued her daughter: An Arizona mother is thankful three strangers stepped up to help save her daughter, as the car her daughter was in caught fire without her knowing.

7. The 2022 US men’s mullet championship is open: "Think you’ve got what it takes to ride the wave to Mullet Fame? Enter today and find out," the mullet championship beckons.

The USA Mullet Championships 2021 Men’s Open Division winners. (USA Mullet Championships)

8. Arizona detectives' SUV struck by lightning in Phoenix: "They initially felt a shock & experienced tingling sensations, but we're glad to report none were seriously injured," DPS said.

9. Rare blue lobster caught by father and son in Maine: You never know what the waters will turn up, and in Luke Rand’s case, it was a rare blue lobster. 

Rare blue lobster caught in Maine. (Credit: Luke Rand)

10. VIDEO: Drone spots hundreds of sharks swimming near shore of Florida beach: Garrett Zendek flew his drone over the waters off Cocoa Beach, Florida while visiting the area last week and says she was shocked to see hundreds of sharks less than a 1,000 feet from the shore.