Carole Baskin I'm Bunkerin' Down With My Big Cats ... As Hurricane Ian Hits

Carole Baskin has no choice but to shelter in place as Hurricane Ian passes over her Florida sanctuary ... because places like hotels aren't down to take on 45 big cats onto their property.

Carole tells TMZ ... her 21 bobcats, 8 tigers, 6 servals, jaguar and leopard -- just to name a few -- are staying put and riding out this hurricane ... some of the other animals like chickens have been moved to a different sanctuary for the time being.

She's been working with her husband and volunteers this past week to protect them from the storm -- Carole says they've built structures, chopped down branches that could pose a threat, and loaded sandbags throughout her property.

People have donated equipment and chainsaws to help with the prep, and they've been able to collect generators and gas in case the power goes out. They also have a big propane tank just in case -- that'll help with the food prep for the cats.

Hang tight, kitties!!!

'Stranger Things' New Owner for Byers House ... Show-Themed Airbnb Coming!!!

The famous house from "Stranger Things" has a new owner who's going to bring in new tenants ... 'cause it's been sold, and is about to become a cash cow.

Of course, we're talking about the Byers' house -- where Winona Ryder and her onscreen sons lived for the early part of the series, and which featured some iconic scenes. Katie Siplon of TriCounty Real Estate in Savannah, GA tells TMZ ... it's been snatched up by one of her clients.

We're told the guy who bought it isn't famous, dude's an investor, and as soon as he heard the Byers' home was for sale in Georgia ... he told Siplon to pounce.

And get it she did -- Siplon says they made a cash offer, above the $300k asking price. The house only spent a week on the open market.

As for what this new owner plans to do with the property -- which is relatively modest and just 1,846 square feet on 6 acres of land -- we're told he's actually doing what investors do best ... make money. Siplon tells us it's being turned into a top-of-the-line Airbnb.

The new owner, we're told plans to recreate the Byers' home from the show to a T ... with different parts of the house made to look like "The Upside Down."

They also plan to recreate other places and scenes from the series on the six acres of land.

Siplon says they're trying to get something up and running by Halloween, and they're hopeful super fans come flocking to rent this thing for a good, long while. Let's be honest, y'know they will.

We're told the sale is expected to close in the next two weeks.

'BIG BRO' MIKE 'BOOGIE' MALIN Arrest Warrant Issued, Probation Revoked

"Big Brother" winner Mike "Boogie" Malin is in legal hot water ... a California judge issued a warrant after Mike failed to show up to a court date, and now his probation's revoked.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... Mike was MIA from a Wednesday court hearing related to his felony stalking case... so the judge issued a bench warrant, set Mike's bail at $20k and revoked his probation.

It sounds like Mike blew his second chance here ... we're told he was due in court two weeks ago for a "proof of live-in program" hearing but he didn't show up then either, but his public defender took the blame and the judge moved the court date to Wednesday ... but Mike was a no-show again.

We're told Malin, who won season 7 of the reality series, had a new public defender Wednesday, who told the court she emailed Mike and he was aware he was supposed to show up ... but when the judge told her to call Mike, he didn't pick up the phone.

According to our sources, Mike's probation officer said Malin told him Tuesday he would be in court Wednesday ... but after an hour of waiting around for him at the courthouse, the judge called the case and issued the bench warrant.

TMZ broke the story ... Mike pled no contest to felony stalking last year in a case involving his former 'BB' buddy Dr. Will Kirby, and Malin was sentenced to 2 years probation and ordered to pay Will more than $44k.

We're told Mike's latest public defender told the judge his client doesn't have the money to pay the restitution.

We reached out to Mike ... so far no word back.

Guess Who This Lil' Fairy Turned Into!

Before this juicebox-sippin' beauty was "Taking On The World" and acting her heart out, she was just playing dress-up and quenching her thirst, while growing up in Quakertown, Penn.

After starring in Disney's "Girl Meets World," she was in a drama/crime film and shared the screen with KJ Apa and Regina Hall. When she's not belting out the high notes, you can find this cute kid roaming around the globe and Instagramming every pit stop on the way.

Need one more clue on who this cutie pie is? Just ask her bestie Rowan Blanchard.

Can you guess who she is?

MARK ZUCKERBERG SIGNED LITTLE LEAGUE CARD SELLS FOR $120K

Mark Zuckerberg's Little League "career" is worth a lot of money to some folks ... because a baseball card from when he was a kid sold at auction for six figures!!!

The Facebook honcho's autographed Little League card from back in the day hauled in $120,750 in a fierce, five-day long auction.

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The folks at ComicConnect.com started the bidding at $1 ... so the final sale price shows there was a ton of interest in the card.

The anonymous buyer told the auction house the Zuckerberg card would join a collection already featuring rookie cards for MLB legends Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, plus an Action Comics #1 ... summing up Zuck as "the Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Superman of social media rolled up into one."

The signed card -- which is from 1992 -- was also sold as an NFT, and that went for $1,345.

Mark played Little League in Westchester County, NY ... where the trading cards were a novelty offered to families.

The card previously belonged to Mark's former camp counselor, Allie Tarantino, and Zuckerberg signed it when he was 8 years old. Allie says he sold the card to help pay for his kids to go to college.

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Mark even posted about the card last month on social media, fueling speculation he might try to swoop the card for himself. The buyer is anonymous, but as far as we know, Zuck doesn't own Babe and Mantle cards ... so, seems like someone else got it.

The $120k sale price is pretty eye-catching, and here's some other interesting numbers ... Zuck had a .920 batting average in his 1992 Little League season, with 23 hits and one home run.

Hurricane Ian Here's a Tip ... Real Reporters Use Condoms!!!

WRAP IT UP

Whoever said "necessity is the mother of invention" probably wasn't thinking about TV reporters putting condoms up to their mouths in the middle of a hurricane ... but, yeah, that's a thing now!

NBC's Kyla Galer is practicing safe reporting down in Florida as Hurricane Ian roars across the state -- proudly, and gently we're sure, rolling out latex protection for her microphones while out in the field.

As Kyla's pointing out to curious viewers ... "It is what you think it is. It's a condom. We can't get these mics wet ... so, we gotta do what we gotta do."

Translation: No glove, no love live shots from this reporter!

Just to wrap this up ... Kyla's getting pounded in the Naples area, just south of where Ian's eye came onshore Wednesday. She, and tons of other TV reporters, are out in the elements getting whipped by heavy wind and rain -- but a little prophylactic preparation goes a long way.

Condoms. They're not just for banging.

'Try Guys' Ned Fulmer & Wife Still Wearing Wedding Rings Amid Cheating Allegations

'Try Guys' star Ned Fulmer and his wife appear to be working on their marriage in the wake of a massive cheating scandal ... because they're both still rockin' their wedding rings.

Ned and his wife, Ariel, were both spotted donning their bands Wednesday, walking out of their house together and taking their kids to school in separate cars.

We're told they left in separate directions but ended up at the same school for drop-off. They then left in different ways after.

It's interesting, especially because of what went down Tuesday ... as we reported, Ned was removed from the extremely popular YouTube group after photos surfaced of him kissing one of the 'Try Guys' producers in a New York City club.

Ariel released a statement soon after Ned got fired ... saying "Thanks to everyone who has reached out to me - it means a lot. Nothing is more important to me and Ned than our family, and all we request right now is that you respect our privacy for the sake of our kids."

Hurricane Ian FL Weatherman Slammed on Twitter ... After Posting Vid of Struggling Kitten in Storm

UPDATE

11:24 AM PT -- 9/29 -- It appears there's some GOOD NEWS that's come from the stranded kitten situation ... another reporter, who claims she's posting for her friends at WINK without Internet says the kitten has been SAVED by one of the station's producers who will adopt the critter.

UPDATE

A Florida weatherman is feeling Twitter's wrath after posting a video of a struggling kitten in Hurricane Ian -- and not being able to bring it to safety -- as conditions in the area continue to worsen and pose life-threatening risks to anyone who dares to go out in the storm.

WINK-TV meteorologist Dylan Federico posted a short clip of the kitten outside the Fort Myers TV station clinging to a bench with water and wind thrashing all around it. Federico's caption read, "Storm surge is rising rapidly outside WINK News. A kitten is on the bench trying to escape the water. The doors are locked but we're trying to get the kitten inside."

More than an hour passed without an update on the kitten from Federico ... and his followers got PISSED.

One Twitter user wrote, "Less filming, more saving. If the water ain’t as high as a bench, you sure as heck can go out there and get that baby." Another said, "bro, save the cat! For the love of god!"

Dylan eventually deleted the post -- and the anger on social media continued. Another person wrote, "You may have deleted the video but none of us will ever forgive you. Cowardly, cruel and inhumane."

Finally, a couple hours after the video first went up, Federico Tweeted, "Right after the video was posted we attempted to get to the cat but it swam in a different direction out of view. I waited to post an update in hopes we could grab it. Please take your companions with you when you evacuate."

What's more, a source with direct knowledge tells us staffers were given strict instructions to stay inside the building as conditions continue to worsen and going outside could prove deadly.

HURRICANE HERO
NEWSNATION

On a better note ... one video showed a dog and a kitten rescued from a sailboat Wednesday while the storm hammered boats in a harbor.

Originally Published -- 9/28 3:32 PM PT

The Weather Channel Reporter Struck by Tree Branch During Ian Coverage

BRAVING THE ELEMENTS
The Weather Channel
UPDATE

12:59 PM PT -- Another Weather Channel reporter, Jim Cantore, was on air during scary conditions. During the broadcast, a tree branch flies at Jim.

UPDATE

11:23 AM PT -- A crazy video taken in Fort Myers shows water rushing past a camera that's 6 feet above the ground.

UPDATE
SIX FEET UNDER
Severestudios.com

Weather Channel reporter Mike Seidel looks like he deserves a raise -- he's working on the ground, in the winds of a category 4 hurricane ... and the videos are scary.

STORM CHASIN'
The Weather Channel

Mike threw on a rain jacket and trudged out into the thick of Hurricane Ian as the storm's eyewall made landfall Wednesday on Florida's Gulf coast ... and as you can see, the 84 MPH wind gusts are giving him a hard time.

IAN'S ARRIVAL
AccuWeather/Erik Mogelvang

With Ian's wind and rain bearing down on him and waves crashing at his feet, Mike admits live on the air he and his crew are getting hammered by the storm ... but the show goes on.

Mike's still out in this mess ... doing more live shots even as Hurricane Ian intensifies for folks in the Fort Myers area.

The wind is only going to pick up, and the water will continue to rise ... but so far, it looks like Mike can handle whatever comes his way.

CAUGHT IN THE STORM

These Florida men, who decided to go swimming off a pier in the area, also seem to think they can handle the storm. We're not as sure about their safety as we are Mike's.

Originally Published -- 9:36 AM PT

Mackenzie Scott Files for Divorce from Husband #2

MacKenzie Scott did not have chemistry, apparently, with her science teacher husband ... because the former Mrs. Jeff Bezos is ending her second marriage.

MacKenzie beelined it to a Washington state court Monday and filed to divorce Dan Jewett a little more than a year after they got hitched ... according to the NY Times.

She walked away from her marriage to Jeff with nearly $37 billion, pledging half to charity, so it's a good bet MacKenzie and Dan had a prenup.

MacKenzie's author page on Amazon already scrubbed all references to Dan, who used to be proudly mentioned, and her giving pledge page no longer features his name.

As we reported ... MacKenzie and Dan, a chemistry teacher at her kids' private school in Washington state, announced in March 2021 they had tied the knot. They did not have any children together.

MacKenzie was married to Jeff from 1993 to 2019 ... and she was the first to remarry after their divorce. Now, she's also the first to divorce again.

Meanwhile, Jeff is still going strong with his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez ... they've been together ever since his January 2019 split with MacKenzie.

Ernest Hemingway Hurricane Batters Key West House ... But All 59 Cats Survive!!!

Ernest Hemingway's famous home in Florida is a mess with debris after Hurricane Ian winds whipped it, but there's some really good news ... the 59 cats who live there are safe and sound.

Alexa, a rep for the Hemingway house in Key West, tells TMZ ... the estate is dealing with the hurricane aftermath, with staff cleaning up all the tree and leaf debris caused by the category 4 storm.

Fortunately, the structures from the 1930s home don't appear to be damaged ... and we're told the 59 cats who call the property home are all accounted for, and feline fine.

The Hemingway Home, where Ernest wrote roughly 70 percent of his published works, was well prepared for the hurricane ... we're told the cats were sheltered on the property before the storm hit, with some staff members staying on site to tend to the felines.

The cats are a famous part of the Hemingway house ... Ernest started the cat colony back in the day when a sailor gave him a six-toed cat, and some of the cats who live there now are direct descendants ... and all 59 cats are of the six-toed variety.

IAN'S ARRIVAL
AccuWeather/Erik Mogelvang

While the Hemingway house avoided major damage from Hurricane Ian, the storm has been wreaking havoc on Florida's southwestern coast, where it made landfall.

R. Kelly's NY Criminal Case Ordered to Pay Sex Abuse Victim $300k Herpes & Psych Treatment

R. Kelly's not just going to prison for his sex crimes in New York, but it also looks like he'll be ordered to pay a fortune to some of his victims ... including picking up the tabs to deal with their STDs and their psychological trauma in the aftermath.

There was a restitution hearing in Brooklyn Wednesday, where a judge weighed in on what Kelly will have to cough up, money-wise, to a couple of his victims in that case ... in which he's already been convicted and sentenced to prison.

For a victim named "Jane," the judge indicated Kelly will be ordered to fork over around $300K to cover treatment related to herpes, as well as psychological care that she apparently requires. Ditto for another victim in that case named "Stephanie," although a firm number hasn't been decided in her situation just yet ... the judge put a pin in it and will circle back later.

INVESTIGATING THE SECRETS
TMZ.com

A 3rd victim, "Sonja," was denied restitution. So, at this point, it looks like Kelly will be on the hook for hundreds of thousands ... and possibly more.

Remember, Kelly's already been handed down a sentence of 30 years behind bars in this case -- where he was alleged to have committed federal sex crimes.

He was also recently convicted in his federal case out of Chicago -- in which he was accused of similar crimes -- and there could be restitution in that case, as well.

In the recent past, Kelly has claimed -- through several court filings -- that he's strapped for cash these days ... so it remains to be seen if his victims will actually see a penny of what a judge says he has to hand over.

Washington Nationals Fan Arrested Over Altercation With Usher ... At Braves Game

UPDATE

2:07 PM PT -- According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, the fan was arrested for simple assault.

UPDATE

In the docs, police noted the usher was bleeding from his right hand following the altercation, though they said he refused further treatment after an initial evaluation.

UPDATE

Police also say in the docs the entire scene started because the man was in a section that he did not have a ticket for -- and refused to leave.

A fan at Tuesday night's Nationals game got so upset with a stadium usher that he hit the man in the face -- before biting him.

The wild altercation happened at Nationals Park during the ninth inning of the Nats' loss to the Atlanta Braves ... when several venue staffers appeared to try to boot a fan from his seat.

A video shot by a bystander shows fans near the guy chanting, "Get him out!" over and over again -- but the two staffers were having trouble getting him to leave.

Eventually, another usher came to the area to nudge the man away from his seat ... and that's when things took a violent turn.

You can see in the footage, the fan elbowed the usher in the face two times -- before he seemed to bite the man's hand.

Thankfully, two police officers arrived and separated the men before the situation escalated further.

Video shows the fan suffered a bloody head in the skirmish. It's unclear if the usher was injured.

We've reached out to both police and the Nationals for comment on it all, but so far, no word back yet.

Originally Published -- 11:33 AM PT

Ye Hires Melinda Gates' Divorce Lawyer ... To Rep Him in Kim Case

Kanye West has hired yet another divorce lawyer, this time tapping into the same attorney who represented Melinda Gates in her multi-billion dollar divorce case with Bill Gates.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Ye's retained Robert Stephan Cohen of Cohen Clair Lans Greifer Thorpe & Rottenstreich LLP as his sixth divorce attorney in the back and forth with Kim Kardashian. Interestingly enough, Cohen is based in New York, and the Kim divorce is in Los Angeles, so Ye's also bringing on Nicholas A. Salick of Salick Family Law Group, APLC as his counsel in California.

Not only has Cohen represented Melinda, but he's also had clients like Rupert Murdoch, Chris Rock, Athina Onassis and more.

TMZ broke the story, Kim filed for divorce in November, and a judge declared her legally single back in March, after she filed docs stating, "I very much desire to be divorced." The couple still has to iron out custody and property details.

FIGHTING TO BE HEARD
ABC

We know Kim and Kanye already had a prenup in place, so property shouldn't be an issue. As far as custody, that seems to be settled too, as Kanye recently said Kim's got the kids about 80% of the time and mostly raises them.

Kim and Kanye's relationship has been a rollercoaster since she first filed, at times they've gotten along -- hitting their kid's events together -- and at others, he's attacked her on social media on everything from her relationship with ex-boyfriend Pete Davidson, to where their kids go to school.

Bishop Robbery 2 Men Charged With Armed Robbery ... Allegedly Stole Jewelry Mid-Service

Two men have been charged in connection with an alleged armed robbery that took place in the middle of a church service which was stopped short while two men allegedly jacked some jewelry from the bishop during their live stream.

2 men from Brooklyn -- Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack -- were charged with armed robbery for their roles in the July 24 incident ... according to Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York on Tuesday.

7/24/22
HOLY MOLY

Peace's statement reads, "As alleged, the defendants brought guns into a place of worship, stealing from two members of the clergy, and terrifying the congregation in the process" ... adding, "to commit such an act during a religious service is incomprehensible."

Peace notes a 3rd suspect is still at large.

The incident was caught on camera during the service's live stream ... showing Bishop Lamor Whitehead stopping mid-service and quickly getting on the ground -- as two men begin to take items off his person.

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Whitehead tells TMZ ... "Today is the start of healing. We will let the justice system continue to work as I continue to do what God has called me to do."

Some have attributed the crime to Whitehead flaunting fancy cars and bling online ... but he goes on to say he hopes those pointing fingers at him "understand that I along with my family and church are the victims and not the villains.”

PnB Rock 17-Year-Old Arrested for Murder ... Alleged Shooter's Dad Still Wanted by Cops

UPDATE

10:44 AM PT -- A woman by the name of Shauntel Trone has also been arrested in connection to the shooting ... cops arrested and booked her for accessory to murder. We're told Trone is the stepmom of the 17-year-old arrested.

UPDATE

8:18 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources say the 17-year-old son of Freddie Trone has been arrested in connection to the shooting. We're told the son was the shooter, and Freddie drove the getaway car.

UPDATE

Our sources also say the father and son duo were already in the restaurant's parking lot when PnB arrived, seemingly removing the possibility that PnB was targeted from a social media post from his GF showing they were eating at Roscoe's. We're told after the murder, the suspects burned the getaway vehicle.

LAPD is naming a suspect in the murder of PnB Rock ... he's still on the loose, and should be considered "armed and dangerous."

Cops announced Wednesday morning, Freddie Lee Trone, is the guy detectives have fingered as "a person involved" in the Sept. 12 slaying of the rapper as he sat in a Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.

They've released this photo of Trone, but haven't yet said if he's the only person they're seeking in the case. You'll recall, police said there was a getaway car waiting outside the L.A. restaurant after PnB was shot and killed.

The killer fled with several gold and diamond chains the Philly MC was wearing as he ate lunch with his girlfriend.

ARREST MADE

Police are urging the public to contact 911 if you see Trone or have any info on his whereabouts.

Originally Published -- 6:30 AM PT

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