Virginia Residents See 'Mysterious' Black Smoke Ring in the Sky; No Fires Reported

On Tuesday, 13 August 2024 residents of Williamsburg, Virginia saw a mysterious black smoke ring in the sky, took videos and photos of what they saw, and sent them to News Channel 8. The strange smoke ring was not directly tied to any known fire in the area. 

Graphic representation close up of a black smoke ring (credit: Dall-E)

Williamsburg Residents Send Photos to the Local News Station

WAVY News Channel 8 received photos and videos from many residents. They reported the following photos.

Ron Stepp was working near Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia when he first noticed it in the sky. He said it lasted for about 10 minutes.

Joshua Bean sent in the photo seen below.

Black smoke ring seen in Williamsburg sky. photo credit: Joshua Bean

Another resident, Peggy Olszyk, sent in a photo of what she saw in the sky around 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Her photo can be seen below.

photo credit: Peggy Olszyk

Renee Fisher sent in the photo seen below.

What Caused the Black Smoke Ring in Williamsburg Remains a Mystery

Many residents were perplexed by the black smoke ring seen in the sky until it disappeared.

What's even stranger is that the James City County Fire Department was asked if there were any reports of a fire at the time of the black ring in the sky. The fire chief was not aware of any fires that could have caused the singular black smoke ring.

The cause of the black smoke ring in the sky remains a mystery.

Watch the YouTube video below of the black smoke ring captured by Crystal West.

Why Did I Receive B Settlement Payment from Bumble?

 

Bumble B Settlement Payment

What is the B Settlement PayPal or Venmo Payment?

On March 4, 2021 many people received a mysterious B Settlement payment into their PayPal or Venmo account for $36.89 if you opted into the Bumble Boost settlement class-action lawsuit, which required you to give your contact information, including a method for electronic payment or to receive a paper check in the mail. If you received this payment, it is because you signed up for the class action settlement at some point, and it means that you used the Bumble app at some point in the past.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins gave Bumble and subscriber plaintiffs preliminary approval for a proposed class action settlement worth $22.5 million. Judge Cousins determined that, upon preliminary examination of the settlement terms, the deal appears "fair, reasonable, and adequate," agreeing with the plaintiffs' assertion that the recovery is an "excellent" outcome. (Source: TopClassActions.com)

As a result, PayPal or Venmo would have notified you around March 4, 2021 that you received payment from "B Settlement."

Notification from Paypal for B Settlement

Why did Bumble have a Class-Action Lawsuit against them?

It all has to do with the Bumble Boost subscription.

The class-action lawsuit alleges that Bumble's Terms & Conditions failed to notify subscribers of the legal right to cancel their Bumble Boost subscription and obtain a refund within three (3) business days of purchase in violation of certain consumer protection laws, that may apply to all of Bumble's Boost users nationwide. The case also alleges that for certain users in California, Bumble's auto-renewal practices violate California law. Bumble vigorously denies these allegations and does not admit fault.

There are two Settlement Agreement groups of people that are included in this Bumble class-action lawsuit:

1) The (New York) Nationwide Class includes all persons in the United States who purchased Bumble Boost at any time between November 13, 2014 and July 15, 2020. This is referred to as the "DSL Settlement Class" in the Settlement Agreement. Note: Anybody that qualified and signed up for just this B settlement agreement would have received $36.89 payment to their PayPal or Venmo account around March 4, 2021.

2) The California Class includes all persons who purchased Bumble Boost, within California, at any time between November 13, 2014 and July 15, 2020, and had their credit card, debit card, and/or a third-party payment account charged as part of Bumble's automatic renewal program or continuous service program. This is referred to as the "ARL Settlement Class" in the B Settlement Agreement. California class members would each have received a payment amount between $43 and $85.

If you are in both the Nationwide Class as well as the California Class, you will receive payments from both classes if you have made a valid claim. 

The deadline to file a claim was November 23, 2020.

What does the Bumble Boost Class Action Settlement Agreement Provide?

The Bumble Boost Subscription class-action settlements established a $22.5 million USD fund, which will be used to pay Settlement Class Members (described above) after deductions for amounts that the Court may approve for notice and administration of the Settlement attorney's fees and expenses and service awards for the Class Representatives.

Below is a chart of your legal rights in the Bumble Boost Class-Action Lawsuit:

Your Legal Rights to Submit a Claim against Bumble

Five Breeding Bulls Found without Blood on Oregon Ranch, Remains a Mystery

Bull carcass found without genitals, tongue or blood

Five bulls have been found dead in Oregon at Silvies Valley Ranch across the Summer of 2019, and their deaths remain a mystery.

The President of the Ranch, Colby Marshall, says that these breeding bulls are valued at about $6,000.00 each, and weighed about 2,000 lbs. each. All ranch staff have been directed to go out in pairs armed for protection, as it is not easy to take down a bull in such a manner without leaving a drop of blood. In addition to the scene devoid of blood, the genitals and tongues were surgically removed, in addition to the bulls' insides.

Bull Carcass Found without Blood, Genitals or Tongues 

The bulls were found without a drop of blood, with their insides removed, including their genitals and tongue surgically cut out. NPR writer Anna King describes it as experiencing a strange feeling walking up to the empty carcass. The coat is still shiny, there are no scavengers around the carcass, there is no blood, and the body of the bull carcass looks like a "deflated plush toy."

Oregon Sheriff says the Leading Theory is Alien Abductions 

The Harney County Sheriff's office Deputy Dan Jenkins says that calls are coming in with tips, and the leading theory is that the bulls were abducted by aliens. The prevailing theory is that aliens beam the bull up, perform surgery on the bull and beam its carcass back down.