Northeast

Four hikers on psychedelic mushrooms rescued in popular mountain destination

Published

4 months ago

September 11, 2025

Four hikers on psychedelic mushrooms rescued in popular mountain destination

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Four hikers who admitted to taking psychedelic mushrooms were rescued in New York’s Catskill Mountains after becoming disoriented and straying off the trail, officials said. It’s the second such case this year in New York’s popular mountain areas.

The group called for help around 5 p.m. on Aug. 29 when one member suffered a “debilitating high,” according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Forest rangers and the Pine Hill Fire Department located the group at about 6:45 p.m. – less than 1,000 feet from the marked trail.

New York State Forest Rangers carry a disoriented hiker out of the Slide Mountain Wilderness after a group admitted to taking psychedelic mushrooms near Giant Ledge in the Catskills on Aug. 29, 2025. Psilocybin mushrooms, seen at right, are a hallucinogen that can cause intense hallucinations and confusion. (Department of Environmental Conservation; James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CRIES FOR HELP LEAD RESCUERS TO INJURED HIKER AFTER TERRIFYING 25-FOOT PLUNGE AT POPULAR WATERFALL

The four men are in their 20s and one hiker was in the fetal position and unable to communicate, according to the New York Times.

One hiker was hallucinating about a bridge that did not exist, Forest Ranger Russell Martin told Fox News Digital.

Psychedelic mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms,” contain psilocybin, a hallucinogen that alters brain chemistry and can trigger vivid hallucinations, a warped sense of time, and rapid mood swings. Psilocybin mushrooms are illegal in New York.

“This was treacherous, steep Catskill terrain and when people intentionally get high like this, it reduces their ability to make good decisions,” Russell said. “Mushrooms are illegal, but whether you’re using marijuana or alcohol, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re with at least one responsible person who is not partaking.”

The men were hiking in the Giant Ledge area of the Slide Mountain Wilderness, about 80 miles southwest of Albany and one of the Catskills’ most popular trail destinations, offering sweeping views of Panther and Slide Mountains from a series of sheer rock outcrops. The ledges rise to about 3,200 feet, with hikers climbing roughly 1,200 feet from the trailhead to reach the overlook.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms are displayed in a glass bowl. (iStock)

DANGEROUS TRAIL LEAVES HIKERS STRANDED OVERNIGHT ON MAINE’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN

The men had strayed about 1,000 feet off the trail, according to the New York Times.

Once rangers and firefighters located the men, they guided the group back to the trailhead, where they were evaluated. Officials said none of the men required hospitalization and rangers later drove them back to their rental lodging.

Somewhere along the way, the hikers also lost their car keys, officials said. The following day, one of the rangers hiked back up and found a sling bag with the keys under a log in tall ferns.

Psilocybin mushrooms dry on a rack in the Uptown Fungus lab in Springfield, Oregon, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Craig Mitchelldyer)

In May, two hikers in the Adirondack Mountains – in the northeastern part of New York state near Lake Placid – called authorities to report that a member of their hiking party had died. It turned out they had taken hallucinogenic mushrooms and were mistaken.

The hiker who was believed to be dead called and was not injured. A ranger escorted the two hikers down to an ambulance, which took them to a hospital and brought the third to the group’s campsite, where they all later met up, officials said.

The two hikers who called 911 also told a steward on the mountain’s summit that they were lost. The steward “determined the hikers were in an altered mental state,” according to the DEC.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.

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Pennsylvania

Here’s what to try at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show food court

Published

30 minutes ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Here’s what to try at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show food court

As we were sequestered around the Expo Hall and Main Hall at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, guided by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and a Benjamin Franklin re-enactor Bill Robling, my mind began to wander to food.

Thursday marked my inaugural visit to the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, the 110th iteration the expo and one that coincided with the 250^th anniversary of the Untied States’ founding. While I and York Daily Record photographer Paul Kuehnel joined a flock of other reporters for the Farm Show’s preview, we were treated to a taste of many of the foods, both new and returning, that would be offered to visitors in the sprawling food court inside the Expo Hall.

Considering I hadn’t had breakfast that morning, I was willing to oblige.

With such an anniversary on the horizon, the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association unveiled a flight of red, white and blue milkshake flavors. Newer additions to the menu including pickle pizza from the Pennsylvania FFA and Lion’s Mane coffee from the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, among others.

Here are some of the items the preview provided, as well as what to try when the food court opens at noon on Jan. 9.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee

Mushrooms are a major cash crop for Pennsylvania, with nearly 60 percent of U.S. production of the crop running through the commonwealth. Lion’s Mane mushrooms, especially, have been linked to brain health benefits thanks to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, according to a published paper by the journal Nutrients.

The coffee itself is a dark roast blended with ground Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and the flavor provides a slight, hearty twang to its benefit. Considering I hadn’t had my own coffee that morning, it provided me with an immediate jolt of energy.

Pierogi

Fun fact: pierogi is plural! A classic done right by the PA Cooperative Potato Growers, Inc., the pierogi are soft, chewy and contain a starchy potato filling that satisfies any craving but doesn’t weigh you down. The pierogi also come with grilled onions on top, which adds a savory boost to keep you wanting more.

Blended Mushroom Steakhouse Burger

Piled high with a mix of mushrooms grown right in Pennsylvania and a slathering of Alabama barbecue sauce, the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers offer a burger with a twist. The patty itself is 75 percent grass-fed beef, 25 percent mushroom, and it works. The burger retains the flavor of a traditional all-beef patty while keeping in style with the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers’ mission to introduce the state’s cash crop to a variety of dishes. And the Alabama barbecue sauce provides a twang to the ensemble.

Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms

Returning to the menu provided by the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, you are provided with four bite-sized mushrooms that come in two flavors: artichoke and spinach and bacon and cheese.

The mushrooms are an excellent snack or starter for the Farm Fest, filled with flavor and firm enough to burst with juices after your first bite.

Potato Doughnut

The granddaddy of them all and a Farm Show staple, the potato doughnut makes its return in its three traditional flavors: plain, powdered and cinnamon sugar. It’s not as flaky as a traditional doughnut, and not as heavy either.

Red, White and Blue Milkshakes

With the 250^th anniversary of the United States’ founding, the The Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, a vendor with the Farm Show since 1955, saw fit to roll out a milkshake flight of red, white and bBlue milkshakes to ring in the sestercentennial. The white is a normal vanilla flavor, the red is strawberry and the blue is a raspberry flavor.

The Dairyman’s Association has also made an intentional move this year away from artificial dyes in their milkshakes, shifting to natural dyes to provide the color.

Dave Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, said the move had been a goal of the Dairyman’s Association ahead of the nation’s 250^th anniversary.

“That was one of my priorities, to figure out how we could do something like that,” Smith said. “What we found is that (the colors) are not as distinct as what they would have been if they were artificial. It’s more subtle.”

This shift doesn’t affect the flavor one bit. All three options are sweet, thick and delicious, as to be expected.

Plan your trip to the Pennsylvania Farm Show

For more information about the Farm Show, check out the full schedule of events here. The food court opens to the public on Jan. 9 from noon until 9 p.m. with the bulk of the expo running from Jan. 10-17.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Lucky For Life, Numbers Midday winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

36 minutes ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

05-12-13-39-48, Lucky Ball: 13

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 9-9-1-3

Evening: 0-9-6-6

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

01-07-12-30-35, Extra: 26

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Vermont

How Vermont basketball escaped with win vs Binghamton in final seconds

Published

1 hour ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

How Vermont basketball escaped with win vs Binghamton in final seconds

UVM welcomes Adrian Dubois as new men’s soccer coach

Adrian Dubois answers questions from the media following his introductory press conference on Monday, Dec. 22.

Momo Nkugwa’s two free throws and TJ Hurley’s defensive block in the final 18 seconds of regulation allowed Vermont basketball to squeeze past Binghamton for a 60-59 America East Conference victory in front of 1,874 at Patrick Gym on Thursday, Jan. 8.

Nkugwa, a freshman, sank both attempts at the line with 18 seconds to play for a 60-59 advantage, and Hurley followed with a block in the paint to deny Binghamton’s Jeremiah Quigley’s layup attempt.

Despite Vermont’s second straight win to open conference play, coach John Becker said his team was fortunate to take the victory against a Binghamton ranked 362 out of 364 Division I teams in kenpom rating.

“Great to win a game you shouldn’t win. I thought Binghamton deserved to win the game with how we played,” Becker said.

Gus Yalden, who was limited with a calf injury, led Vermont (10-7, 2-0) with 15 points and five rebounds in 19-plus minutes. Sean Blake added nine points, while Nkugwa and Ben Michaels chipped in eight points apiece.

For Binghamton (4-13, 0-2), Quigley collected 21 points and 10 boards and Wes Peterson dropped 11 points. The visiting Bearcats owned a 36-31 margin at the break and led for the majority of the game, but shot just 26.9% from the floor in the second half.

“Obviously, not our best game. But a win is a win,” Hurley said. “Every game matters whether you win by one point or you win by 20. We are happy with the win, but we know we have to get better from this as well.”

Who’s next for Vermont basketball?

The Catamounts play host to Maine at Patrick Gym on Thursday, Jan. 15. It will be a rematch of last year’s America East semifinals, which Maine won to end Vermont’s three-year championship reign.

UVM women’s basketball falls at Binghamton

Yanniah Boyd’s layup with 8 seconds to play broke a tie and gave host Binghamton a 69-67 win over Vermont women’s basketball in an America East contest on Thursday, Jan. 8.

Binghamton (10-5, 2-0) rallied for the win with a 24-13 edge in the fourth quarter. The hosts also benefited from 21-for-25 effort at the foul line to Vermont’s 4-for-7 performance.

Bella Pucci’s 20 points and Boyd’s 16 paced the Bearcats.

For Vermont (13-5, 2-1), Malia Lenz recorded 21 points and nine rebounds, Nikola Priede tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Keira Hanson added 11 points and Emma Haan tossed in seven.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

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