AM Prep-Kickers

Man says his emotional support alligator, known for its big social media audience, has gone missing

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator named Wally has gone missing amid the coastal marshes of Georgia. Joie Henney’s alligator has attracted thousands of social media followers over the years, with videos and photos showing people petting and cuddling the 5 1/2-foot reptile. Wally’s popularity skyrocketed last year when the gator was denied entrance to a Philadelphia Phillies game. Now Henney says the alligator that has helped relieve his depression for nearly a decade vanished April 21 from an outdoor enclosure during a vacation in Brunswick, Georgia. He posted a tearful TikTok video asking people to help “bring my baby back.”

The Twins’ home-run sausage is fueling their eight-game winning streak

CHICAGO (AP) — The Minnesota Twins are no stranger to unique home-run celebrations. Last season, the team introduced a fishing vest and toy fishing pole to the dugout. This year, it’s none other than a midwestern delicacy — the summer sausage — fueling the Twins’ eight-game winning streak. Hitting coach David Popkins brought a tangy summer sausage into the dugout and beckoned his players to tap it. The presence of the sausage ignited a flurry of hits, including back-to-back homers. After Carlos Santana homered in the eighth, Ryan Jeffers tossed the sausage to the first baseman and the home-run celebration was born.

Want to spend the night in a Paris museum or a house owned by Prince? Airbnb plans to list them

Airbnb says it’s going to give customers a chance at overnight stays in a Paris museum, a bedroom filled with Ferrari racing cars, and other exotic settings. It’s a mix of game-show glitter and marketing. CEO Brian Chesky says 4,000 Airbnb users will be picked to book over the course of a year one of the 11 listings that the company is calling “icons.” They include a house made to look like the one in the 2009 Pixar-Disney animated film “Up,” one featured in the Prince film “Purple Rain” and an evening hanging out with comedian Kevin Hart. The campaign seeks to promote Airbnb as a company that sells experiences and not just hotel alternatives.

Paris crowns a new king of the crusty baguette in its annual bread-baking prize

PARIS (AP) — Paris has a new king of the crusty baguette. Baker Xavier Netry was chosen this week as the 31st winner of Paris’ annual “Grand Prix de la baguette” prize. His long loaf beat 172 others. The competing baguettes were evaluated for taste, look, texture, airiness and the quality of the baking. The jury included a deputy mayor, industry representatives, journalists and six Parisians that City Hall said were drawn at random. The Utopie bakery in Paris’ 11th district that Netry works for wins 4,000 euros ($4,290) and becomes one of the suppliers of the presidential Elysee Palace for a year.