Weekend catch-up: 7 stories you don’t want to miss

Here are seven stories from the weekend that you will want to catch up on before the work week hits.

1. ’Winter vomiting disease’ on the rise in California, officials say

It’s a disease humorist Stephen Colbert once poked fun at in this tweet: “Remember, if you’re in public and have the winter vomiting bug, be polite and vomit into your elbow.” But officials at the California Department of Public Health say a sudden increase in norovirus infections is no laughing matter.

2. UC Davis study: Calico, tortoiseshell female cats often most challenging

Veterinarians from UC Davis have discovered, in recently published research, that cats with calico and tortoiseshell coat patterns tend to challenge their human companions more often than felines whose fur is less flashy.

3. The black (and decker) crows: They use tools

Two species on Earth are known to use hook-shaped tools: humans and New Caledonian crows. And now, for the first time, the people have caught the birds using them on camera.

4. A talker: Torture case reveals horrible truth: It happens over and over

5. Popular on Twitter: Rajon Rondo, DeMarcus Cousins forge strong bond as Kings

The Sacramento Kings might have found an ideal mentor for DeMarcus Cousins in guard Rajon Rondo. Intense and fiery, like Cousins, Rondo has become a significant influence on the young All-Star center.

6. Popular on Facebook: Open Carry is the law of the land in Texas as of Jan. 1

As of Jan. 1, it’s a new world in Texas. Or a throwback to the past, depending on how you look at it. For the first time in more than a century, licensed Texans will be free to walk the streets, or travel the state, openly wearing their holstered handguns.

7. Popular on video: How to wash your hands

A fairly timely look at keeping one’s hands as germ-free as possible.

This story was originally published December 27, 2015 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Weekend catch-up: 7 stories you don’t want to miss."