5 things: Playing possum (with a Costco cake)5 things: Playing possum (with a Costco cake)

Okay, maybe just one more bite: In a move that most people only make in the dark hours when everyone in the house is asleep, one shameless opossum found a slice of heaven when she ate an entire Costco chocolate cake. After her indulgence, the Midwestern marsupial was rescued by Nebraska Wildlife Rehab Inc., where one animal control officer wrote that she “was panting a lot, however mobile and alert.” This girl wanted a sweet treat and knew just where to get it, which has to be respected. The rehabilitation center posted the opossum’s relatable tale on Facebook, where she was met with much sympathy, with one user commenting, “To be fair, if I ate a whole Costco chocolate cake I would probably be panting a lot, too.” Another commented, “I relate to this opossum on a spiritual level.” Other people mused whether it was a round cake, which serves around 15, or a sheet cake. One thing’s for sure: the only thing she regrets is getting caught. —Ally MacConchie

In need of some ‘self’ help: Proposed legislation in Washington state aims to take the burden off of supermarket employees who work self checkout. If passed, the bill would regulate when and how self-checkout sections could be used in grocery stores. The measure says self checkout would only be used when a regular checkout lane is open, and an employee who monitors the area would have to do so exclusively and could only monitor a maximum of two kiosks. Shoppers also would be under a 15-item limit with self-checkout. The rules would not apply to warehouse stores with memberships. The move is to protect workers, who testified in support of the regulations and claimed self checkouts made them feel unsafe and overwhelmed. The measure also attempts to nudge grocery retailers to hire more staff. That would certainly be a selfless task, don’t you think? —Bill Wilson

Don’t forget metal tariffs: President Donald Trump announced this month that he plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imported steel and aluminum as part of his continued plan to give preference to American producers. But industry experts say that the move could backfire, driving up the cost of imported steel and aluminum and ultimately making it more expensive to manufacture cans in the U.S. How would this play out? Higher costs to consumers, for one. And potentially real shifts in manufacturing. For instance, on a recent earnings call, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey suggested that if aluminum cans became more expensive, the company may package more of its drinks in plastic. At this point in human history, reverting to plastic sure feels like a step back. —Chloe Riley 

A drugstore crisis? Nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade closed by 2021, according to new research. Black and Latino neighborhoods were hit the hardest by retail pharmacy closures, which can have a serious effect on communities already strapped for care options, researchers said in a study published this week in Health Affairs. The trend has potentially worsened since the study was conducted. Walgreens and CVS have closed hundreds of additional stores (with Walgreens planning to close a thousand more), and Rite Aid also pulled back its store footprint during its bankruptcy reorganization. —CR

Will travel for snake snacks: An ornate cat-eyed snake, a mildly venomous species native to Ecuador, apparently hitchhiked its way to a southern New Hampshire Market Basket grocery store earlier this month. The adventurous reptile stowed away in a shipment of bananas, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement division. Market Basket workers spotted the slithery visitor and called a conservation officer for help. The snake was unharmed and has found a new home with Rainforest Reptile Shows, according to the division. Said one commenter on Facebook: “New fear unlocked.” We would have to agree. —Heather Lalley