The Weekend Goodies: Aug. 14-15

President Obama took his family swimming in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend to reassure tourists that the waters are safe despite the recent oil spill. AFP

Willy Phillips Jr., 13, was released from Children's Hospital at Providence Alaska Medical Center, his mother said in a statement on Saturday. He was the youngest survivor of the plane crash that killed US Sen. Ted Stevens last week. CNN

Before midnight on Friday, papers were filed to take Proposition 8 to the next step. Mercury News

A $1.6 billion space telescope called the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) would enable scientists to search  nearby planets for potential life. MSNBC

Jazz singer, songwriter, actress and civil rights activist Abby Lincoln passed away on Saturday in a nursing home in New York. Los Angeles Times

The Silicon Valley Human Society's new animal shelter is now using solar energy to produce almost half of its electricity. Care2

A 6-month-old black bear from Florida named "Jarhead" was finally freed after having his head stuck in a plastic container for 10 days. Experts carefully removed the jar, and he can now eat and drink again. Guardian

Two zebras got loose in Sacramento, Calif. as they were being loaded into a truck heading to a ranch in Oregon on Saturday night. The zebras were not injured and are safe and sound in their new home. The Sacramento Bee

A new cat-sized species of monkey was recently discovered in the Colombian jungle. The Independent

Hilary Duff finally tied the knot on Saturday with hockey player Mike Comrie at a mansion in California mansion around sunset. The Star

Photo by Darwin Bell via Flickr.