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Window Installers Stranded Near Tower Top

Two Atlanta window installers were trapped near the top of the city’s tallest building on Monday after a motor malfunction. Atlanta Contract Glazing workers William Miller and Paul Barker finished installing a window on the 23rd floor of the 55-story Bank of America tower Monday and were on their way back to the top when the motor lifting their platform malfunctioned outside the 47th floor. They spent two hours in the basket, passing time by making phone calls and enjoying the view while 58 rescuers from the Atlanta Department of Fire and Rescue worked to rescue them. No one was injured in the incident.

2 Brothers Beat Up Roommate With Guitars Over Stolen Food

Police in Largo, Florida, arrested two brothers for allegedly using guitars to attack their roommate because they thought he was stealing food from them. Kevin Lambert, 24, and Dustin Lambert, 19, became furious with roommate William Reaume last Saturday because Dustin believed Will was “cooking his food.” Police said the brothers used their fists, an electric and acoustic guitar to hit Reaume for 15 minutes until he managed to escape and call police from a neighbor’s home. Reaume suffered injuries to his face, head and back during the attack.

Pharmacy Robber With A Cast And Bandages

Police in Weatherford, Texas, say a man walking with a crutch and wearing a cast on his left arm held a handgun in his good hand to rob a pharmacy of narcotic painkillers. Police said the robber, who also had bandages on his head, pointed a handgun at the Walgreens worker on Monday and demanded Oxycontin. The suspect fled on foot with a large amount of pills. Investigators believe the man was not really injured, but it should make for a good defense when and if he appears in court.

Toilet Seat Assault

Police in New Port Richey, Florida, arrested a woman who allegedly swung a toilet lid at her cousin before stealing his wallet at gunpoint. Police said Angelic Innamorato swung a ceramic toilet lid at her cousin’s head Saturday morning during an argument in his River Side Inn room. Investigators said that after Innamorato missed her cuz’s head with the toilet lid, she pointed a revolver at him, told him she was going to kill him, and then fled with his wallet. Police later arrested her at her home.

Museum Seeks Ruth Rookie Card Owner

Officials at a Baltimore museum dedicated to Babe Ruth are searching for the owner of a $500,000 rookie card loaned to the facility in 1998. Mike Gibbons, executive director of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, said officials had no idea the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card was so valuable when Richard Davis loaned it to them 12 years ago. They recently decided to create a special exhibit around the card when Forbes magazine revealed its worth. Gibbons said the museum entered an agreement with Richard’s son, Glenn, after his death in 2001, and officials thought the owner would like to know the good news about the card. However, they discovered he was no longer at his address and didn’t leave any forwarding information. Internet searches and calls to numbers listed under the name Glenn Davis have been unsuccessful.

Donald Duck Busted For Drunken Driving Again

Police in Ohio say the fifth arrest of a “frequent flier” named Donald Duck on drunken driving charges is nothing to quack about. The Massillon Police Department said 51-year-old Donald Norman Duck, who has four previous DUI convictions, was arrested last weekend after allegedly bumping another car at a drive-thru. Police said Duck’s eyes were red and glassy and he smelled of alcohol when they arrived. Officers said a bag of marijuana fell out of Don Duck’s vehicle when he opened his car door. Mr. Duck was charged with felony operation of a vehicle while impaired, and misdemeanor counts of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

81-Year-Old Machete Menace‎

Police in Salem, Oregon, arrested an 81-year-old man after he chased another man around a taco stand while armed with a machete last Sunday. The man accused the taco stand owner of stealing a drill from his business. When the taco stand owner denied it, the suspect left and returned with a machete. Police said the suspect chased the man around the stand several times before officers arrested him for menacing and attempted assault. No one was injured.

Hot Dog Champ To Miss Contest

This year’s July 4th hot dog eating contest in New York may not cut the mustard this year for a few fans of the event. One of the main competitors, Takeru Kobayashi, won’t be appearing in this year’s competition. That’s a BIG deal considering he’s won the competition six times! Though the organizer of the competition says Kobayashi won’t show at Coney Island over the Independence Day holiday, his rivals worry he could show up at the last minute. However, professional eater Joey Chestnut says he isn’t worried. Chestnut has won the past three years. Last year he crammed down a world record 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
 

Naming And Shaming Library Porn Viewers

A city councilor in Massachusetts thinks he’s come up with a way to stop people from looking at porn on public library computers – name them and shame them. Quincy Councilor Daniel Raymondi has asked Mayor Thomas Koch to make a public list of people who have viewed pornography on library computers within the past year. The council unanimously approved a resolution on the idea last week. Using library computers to access porn is against library policy in Quincy, and violators are given two warnings before they are banned. Library director Ann McLaughlin says she’s not sure publicly naming violators will work. The city’s legal department is reviewing Raymondi’s request.

So Much For The Grand Opening

A hair salon didn’t even have its grand opening before being burglarized. Investigators said Sunday’s break-in at Jayan’s Classic Cuts and Salon happened just days before it was to open for business. The burglar threw a brick through the front glass door and stole the shop’s computer equipment, clothing merchandise and cash. There’s no word yet on any suspects or charges.

Red Light Cameras Catch Cops

For those who have been busted by a red light camera that catches speeders and red light runners, this story should make you feel a little better. Traffic cameras have snapped 26 local patrol cars speeding and running red lights in eastern Iowa. Cedar Rapids Police Chief Greg Graham said six cops have been issued letters of discipline because they didn’t have their patrol car lights and sirens on when they were speeding to a call. He said five were not violations and that the remaining 15 instances are under review. Cedar Rapids police have also notified Marion police and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office of possible violations by their personnel, and are investigating infractions by city buses and a garbage truck. Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty said the authorities must be “consistent and show no favoritism.”

Scool Districted Testies Fulled Off Errored

The school superintendant in Springfield, Massachusetts, says he’s fully responsible for tests given to the district’s 11th- and 12th-graders that was filled with spelling, grammatical and factual errors. Two tests given in May to about 2,600 students contained a whopping 100 errors. The mistakes included the phrases “truning around” and “For Dog’s skae,” as well as a note on one test that read “This is the end of the Test,” when there were two more pages. The district contracts with an outside company to develop exams. Superintendant Alan Ingram said Monday it wasn’t the company’s fault. He said the district’s own proofreaders dropped the ball. Ingram said he would make sure the district does a better job of checking the tests in the future.

Chihuahua Saves Kids, Dies

A Northern California woman says her Chihuahua named Manchas died while protecting her children from two pit bulls that got into her apartment. Mayda Estrella, of Richmond, says Manchas jumped in between the pit bulls and her 4-year-old son as they were about to attack the kids. One pit bull grabbed the Chihuahua with its jaws and carried it away. Contra Costa County animal services officials say Manchas was killed and the pit bulls are now in custody. The owner of the pit bulls says they had escaped from their yard by chewing through a fence. Estrella says her front door was open when the dogs came in. When she saw the dogs, she ran into a bedroom with her other child, a newborn baby. The owner of the pit bulls won’t face criminal charges, according to officials.
 

Raccoon Blamed For 5-Hour Memphis Outage

A raccoon described as acrobatic and mean-spirited knocked out power to a section of downtown Memphis that included two hospitals and a newspaper for more than five hours. Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division said the raccoon climbed more than 30 feet, over barriers intended to keep animals out, and short-circuited a switch at a substation. Overall, about 8,000 customers were without power late Thursday and early Friday. Emergency generators restored power to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital within seconds, but the outage delayed production of Friday’s newspaper at The Commercial Appeal and disrupted other businesses.

6-Year-Old Girl On ‘No Fly’ List

The name of a 6-year-old Ohio girl wound up on the Homeland Security Department’s “no fly” list, according to her parents. Alyssa Thomas of Westlake found herself on the list when the family took a trip from Cleveland to Minneapolis. The girl’s father, Dr. Santhosh Thomas, said, “She may have threatened her sister, but I don’t think that constitutes Homeland Security triggers.” Despite the snafu, the family was allowed to fly and they later contacted Homeland Security to clear up the matter.

Newly Rescued Chihuahua Takes ‘Ugliest Dog’ Title

Princess Abby, a Chihuahua mix from Clearlake, California, won the title of “World’s Ugliest Dog” at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, on Friday. Abby, displaying her squinty left eye, a deformed right front paw and a swayed back, beat out last year’s winner, Pabst. Princess Abby’s owner, Kathleen Francis, received a $1,000 check at the 22nd annual contest. Francis adopted Abby from her vet about five months ago. It was Abby’s first such contest since she was found running wild through the street. Vet Karen “Doc” Halligan says Abby’s problematic back, legs and eye may be due to some inbreeding.

Sleep Falling?

A Lakemoor, Illinois, man woke up Thursday morning to find a female stranger on his couch. The 30-year-old woman fell out a third-story window, landed on a parked car, and then wandered into her neighbor’s house and crashed on his couch. The unidentified woman was staying with family when she fell out of the window and hit the couch. Her relatives believe she woke up around 3:30 a.m. and fell through the screen while opening a bedroom window. She was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say drugs and alcohol were not involved in the incident.

Home Intruder Catches A Nap

Police in Dyersburg, Tennessee, arrested a man who fell asleep after breaking into a home. The 22-year-old man broke a window and kicked in the door of the home while nobody was there on Thursday. Residents returned and found him asleep on the couch. Officers arrived and took him into custody. The man once lived in the residence but had been asked to move out. He was charged with vandalism and aggravated burglary.
 

Lion On The Links

Golfers at a Bozeman, Montana, golf course spotted a mountain lion while teeing off at Valley View Golf Club Friday morning. Bozeman Animal control officer Kathy Middleton said the lion was first sighted near Aspen Pointe Senior Living Center before it showed up at the golf course. Middleton said the lion spotted on the green last Friday was likely just passing through.
 

Don’t Bring A Chain To A Gun Fight

A would-be robber wielding a chain at a San Diego Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant didn’t count on one of the customers being an armed, off-duty plainclothes cop. Witnesses said the man barged into the KFC Saturday afternoon, smashed a heavy chain on the counter and ordered all the employees into the kitchen. But before he could open the cash register, the cop pulled his weapon, pointed it at the man and ordered him to hit the floor. The idiot actually demanded to see the officer’s badge. The suspect was arrested for attempted armed robbery.

Virtual Sperm Bank

BeautifulPeople.com, the controversial dating site with a strict ban on ugly people, has launched a virtual sperm and egg bank for people who want to have beautiful babies. Critics are questioning the ethics of the site but those running it are making no apologies. The site says its “beautiful baby service” is open to everyone. The founder said “even ugly people” would like to bring good looking children into the world. The website claims 600 babies have been born to people who met through the site already.

Worm Poop Lawsuit

A Cardiff, California, man at odds with state regulators over whether his worm-waste products are pesticides is taking his fight to court. George Hahn was fined $100,000 last year by the state Department of Pesticide Regulation for allegedly selling unregistered pesticides. Hahn claims his products are made from all-natural ingredients and should not have to be registered. He said his products – Worm Gold, Worm Gold Plus and Tree Rescue Solution – are made from worm poop, sometimes called castings, and are fertilizers that improve the soil and help plants grow. However, state regulators said Hahn marketed the products as repelling bark beetles, meaning they are subject to rules regarding substances sold to control pests. The lawsuit, which seeks to have the fine overturned, is scheduled for a hearing in July.

Woman Leaves Son Home Alone To Take A Drive

A 39-year-old mother is accused of leaving her 6-year-old son home alone at night while she drove to a city an hour away. Authorities say mom drove to Medina, North Dakota, late Wednesday, and the boy called 911 when he woke up early Thursday and became scared when he couldn’t find his mother. Authorities said the mother told them she couldn’t sleep so she went for a drive. She was charged with felony abuse or neglect of a child, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Her bond was set at $1,500 cash.

Woman Sets Wing-Walking Record

A Tulsa, Oklahoma, woman set a new world endurance record by wing walking four hours above San Francisco on a World War II-era biplane. Wearing an iPod, Ashley Battles stood, walked, stretched and danced to Christian music from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday on the 33-foot wing of a Super 450 Boeing Stearman, breaking the previous wing-walking record of 3 hours, 23 minutes set by a Frenchman in 1990. Battles reportedly endured hurricane-force winds, frigid temperatures and bugs, but she said her biggest worry was birds. “One bird is all it takes to kill me,” she said. “The force would just crush everything in my body. I get covered with millions of bugs, but I hold my breath every time I see a bird.” Battles studied at Oklahoma State University to be a pilot but became bored and turned to wing-walking.

Wallet Lost 50 Years Ago Found

Henry Heidman’s long-lost wallet has been found. A construction worker spotted the billfold in a closet at a Bellingham, Washington, school. It’s been there for more than 50 years. Whatcom Middle School Principal Jeff Coulter says the wallet contains everything you’d expect a 14-year-old to have in 1956 or ‘57. There are YMCA and student cards inside listing eighth-grader Henry Heidman as the owner. The century old school is being cleaned out after a fire closed it last November. Coulter searched the Internet for the owner of the wallet and found Heidman’s cousin, who put him in touch with Heidman.

Soup Packet Drugs

Authorities in the Washington area say a Pennsylvania man tried to smuggle more than four pounds of cocaine hidden in powdered soup packets. Customs officers at Dulles International Airport busted Jose Acevedo after a flight from El Salvador. Authorities say a customs drug dog sniffed out the coke. It’s not the first time agents at the airport have stopped creative drug smugglers. Last year cocaine was found in cooked chicken and heroin in juice boxes.

Playboy Model Jailer

A Washington County, Arkansas, jailer who posed nude for Playboy.com has been placed on administrative leave with pay. Jessie Lunderby, 21, was placed on leave Sunday, the first shift she was due back at work since the sheriff’s office began investigating whether she violated department conduct by appearing nude. Lunderby appeared in a gallery that went online this month and describes herself as a detention officer who wants to be an “undercover cop or (to) work for the drug task force.” Lunderby said she told her supervisors about the shoot beforehand and that it wasn’t an issue until after the photos came out.
 

National Hollerin’ Contest

Organizers of the 42nd annual National Hollerin’ Contest in North Carolina said turnout was high with 27 competitors and hundreds of spectators. Chief organizer Wayne Edwards said people from across the country came Saturday to Spivey’s Corner to share their best hollers, hoots, yodels and bellows to benefit the Spivey’s Corner Volunteer Fire Department. Tony Peacock of Silver City, North Carolina, said he was surprised his hollering rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime” earned him the top prize. Sheila Frye, who won the women’s competition for the fourth time, said the key to a good holler is preparation. She says it doesn’t hurt to be “committed to the tradition.”

Don’t Feed Homeless

A bumper sticker in Ocean Beach, California, reads: “Please don’t feed our bums.” They’re being sold at The Black head shop for $2.50. Ken Anderson says he had the stickers printed because he’s tired of rude panhandlers. He says they’re demanding spare change at the San Diego area beach rather than asking for it. Local blogger Frank Gormlie disagrees. He runs the “OB rag” and says Ocean Beach should be a place of “laid-back tolerance.”

Butterfly Funeral

Residents of a California apartment complex attended a funeral for a Monarch butterfly organized by local children. The Mission Terracina Apartments residents in Vallejo said a group of about 10 children, led by 11-year-old Savone Cummings and 4-year-old Alayah Speller, made programs, a guest book and designed the service for Friday’s memorial of the Monarch butterfly Cummings and Speller found dead in a carport last Wednesday.

NYC Pianos Get A Workout

A musician inspired by the pianos installed at New York parks and public spaces was on a quest yesterday to play 29 pianos in a single day. J. Roddy Walston said he and his rock band, The Business, planned to work their way through the 29 pianos installed in Manhattan as part of a program that includes 60 pianos across the city. Walston said he planned to spend about 12 minutes with each piano. The pianos were installed across the city by British artist Luke Jerram for his “Play Me, I’m Yours,” campaign, sponsored by the Sing for Hope charity.

ndidate Pranked By Urinal Cakes

A Florida man running for local fire district commissioner said he thinks a firefighters union is behind urinal cakes bearing his image. Pat McCourt, a former Bonita Springs Councilman, said he believes the Bonita Spring Firefighters Union Local 3444 is behind the prank. The urinal cakes were placed in multiple locations around town after McCourt proposed cutting the fire department’s $18.2 million budget. A spokesman for the union said he doesn’t know who is behind the urinal cakes and he does not “condone” the prank. He said an anti-McCourt group, Citizens Against Disaster Bonita, have sent several e-mails to the union containing pictures of the urinal cakes.

Cabbie Charged With False Imprisonment

A New Orleans cab driver is accused of locking a tourist in his cab and demanding a 10% tip on a $33 airport fare. Driver Sohail Kahn was booked on charges of extortion and false imprisonment and the New Orleans Taxicab Regulation Bureau seized his permit after the incident. The passenger, a 57-year-old woman from Texas, called 911 on her cell phone after arguing with the driver for 30 minutes. Deputies said Kahn initially told them the 10% was to cover the credit card transaction fee, but they discovered the company did not have a policy of making customers pay any such fee.

Black Widows Found In Bag Of Grapes

A Boston man and his son discovered at least two black widow spiders in a bag of grapes they bought at a Whole Foods Market. Jorge Fuertes said he reached into the bag, pulled out some grapes and saw something black fall out and run away. He thought it was an ant at first. Then he looked in the bag and found a black widow. He spit out his mouthful of grapes when he noticed the spider’s telltale red hourglass on its belly. Fuertes said the bag of Anthony’s brand red seedless grapes was full of spider webs. A Whole Foods Market spokesman said the entire shipment of Anthony’s brand organic red seedless grapes would be removed from store shelves. Fuertes said Whole Foods offered him gift cards if he’d leave the spider with them, but he wants to keep it for now.

Kid Invents Better Buns For Brats

A Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, father who invented a curved bratwurst bun designed by his 9-year-old son earned the boy an inventor’s prize and some cash. Jeremy Claxton’s son, Sydney, came up with the idea to make buns that are curved to fit the shape of a bratwurst for an inventor’s fair at school. The buns earned Sydney two ribbons at the fair, including the Judges’ Choice ribbon. The products, dubbed Sydney’s Curvy Brat Buns, are now sold in packs of five for $2.50 at Connell’s Orchard shop. Shop owner Ralph Couey said the buns are baked fresh every Friday and have been rapidly selling out.

Lack Of Lemonade Leads To Attack

Police in Immokalee, Florida, arrested a man who allegedly attacked a Burger King employee at a drive-thru window because the food joint was out of lemonade. Manager Brenda Jackson said the customer, Pedro Vargas, became irate when she told him the store was out of lemonade Sunday night. Jackson said Vargas got out of his pickup truck, reached through the drive-thru window and grabbed her by the shirt, nearly pushing her down. A female passenger in the vehicle was pleading for Vargas to settle down and leave. Vargas eventually released Jackson, got back in his truck without ordering any food and went across the street to another fast food restaurant. Jackson took down Pedro’s license plate number and he was later arrested at his home.

In-Flight Family Brawl

A family dispute led to a brawl between two men on a flight from Honolulu to Utah. An argument between a Russian national, who lives in Colorado, and his brother-in-law turned into a fight that lasted most of the flight. Passengers aboard the Delta flight bound for Salt Lake City tried to break up the brawl. Airport police met the plane and arrested both men. While being taken into custody, the man police determined had been the aggressor attacked an officer. He was booked on suspicion of intoxication, disorderly conduct and assault on a police officer. Police later confirmed the brother-in-law had only acted in self-defense. The FBI reviewed the incident but decided to leave the filing of charges to local authorities.

Man Steals Bus To See Girlfriend

A Greyhound bus driver accused of stealing a $600,000 coach in New York told investigators he wanted to visit his girlfriend in another town. Police said Duane Snipes, 29, gave several excuses for taking the new bus from a New York Port Authority Bus Terminal on June 9th, including taking his daughter to school. He eventually admitted he took the coach so he could visit his girlfriend in Mount Vernon, New York. The bus was found abandoned in Mount Vernon last Wednesday evening and Snipes was arrested the following day. Security cameras captured him taking the bus from the terminal and disabling its security system. Snipes pleaded not guilty to grand larceny. Greyhound fired him.

Man Tries To Amputate His Own Arm

A West Hartford, Connecticut, man is out of intensive care after trying to amputate his own arm. Jonathan Metz, 31, was working on his boiler on June 6th when his arm got stuck. He was rescued three days later when worried co-workers went to his home and called police. Metz said after about 12 hours he asked himself “what would MacGyver do?” and concluded that amputating the limb was his only chance for survival. Metz used his own tools to cut off most of his arm after he smelled his flesh beginning to rot. Paramedics completed the amputation. Doctors believe Metz’s actions saved his life by preventing the infection from spreading. Firefighters ripped apart the furnace with heavy tools to free Metz. His family has set up a website, http://helpjonmetz.com, to collect donations to help pay for a prosthetic arm.

One Helluva Halibut

A Colorado man fishing in the waters of southcentral Alaska has landed a 337-pound halibut – a record catch in the region this season. Aaron Buscher of Confer, Colorado, caught the 7-foot, 4-inch fish late Monday morning in Resurrection Bay while competing in a fish tournament. It took him 45 minutes to haul in the halibut.

Math Teacher Adds Up 75 Years In Classroom

A 93-year-old Maryland math teacher marking his 75th year in the classroom says he’s still teaching three classes a day and has no plans to quit. Paul Miller said he first began teaching in 1934, after obtaining a degree in elementary education from “the cheapest school that I could find.” He has now been teaching for an estimated 27,000 school days. Miller eventually earned two graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins and Louisiana State University, often teaching college-level math courses at Ner Israel high school outside Baltimore, where he has taught for the last 51 years.

Police Dispatched On Karaoke Call

Police were called to a Topeka, Kansas, hotel on a report of a man using a karaoke machine to put on an impromptu concert in the hallway. An employee at the Regency Inn & Suites called 911 Sunday morning and reported a man using an “amped-up karaoke machine” to sing songs in a hallway. He refused repeated requests to shut up. Police said the man and his karaoke machine were gone by the time they arrived. It was unclear whether he was staying at the hotel.
 

Kid Takes School Bus Joyride

Wisconsin authorities arrested a 14-year-old boy after he took a school bus for a joyride. Wauwatosa police said the Milwaukee teen was suspended from school on June 8th and, while walking home, saw a school bus with its engine idling. He jumped in and drove away as the bus driver helped a special needs student to his front door. Police said the bus was parked at the boy’s grandmother’s house for a few hours and then driven to a mall where he was spotted by a woman whose father drives for Lakeside Buses of Wisconsin, which owns the vehicle. The woman grabbed the kid and held him until police arrived and arrested him.
 

Boy’s Bottled Message Found 125 Miles Away

A Scottsdale, Arizona, boy who dropped a message in a bottle into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico in 2008 said it has been discovered by a science team. Jack Johnson, 12, dropped the bottle containing a note with his name, phone number and address into the ocean near Puerto Vallarta in October 2008. Johnson received a letter in March from scientist Peter Schaaf, who said he and his students discovered the bottle on January 30th while working on the uninhabited Isla Maria Magdalena, about 125 miles north of Puerto Vallarta.

Naked And Drunk In The Woods

Two Canadian men attended a church festival in Lewiston, New York, and then wound up in the woods, drunk, naked and covered in mud. State troopers found a 22-year-old man from Hamilton, Ontario, sitting naked on the roadside around 5:45 a.m. Sunday. He was covered in mud. After questioning him, troopers found a 23-year-old man passed out in a ditch nearby. Both men were extremely intoxicated and buck-naked. The men said they attended the St. John de LaSalle Carnival on Saturday and decided to make it a “Woodstock event” by dancing naked in the woods. Both men were taken to a hospital after it was determined they were so drunk they technically shouldn’t have been alive. Neither man was charged.

Dog Poo Money

A St. Louis man found $58 packed in a pile of dog poop. Steve Wilson was on a call for DoodyCalls Pet Waste Removal when he noticed money sticking out of a dog turd. After looking at it for a few minute, Wilson pulled the bills out of the poo, sanitized them, placed them in a zip-lock bag and returned them to the customer. The company said the money was torn, but the serial numbers were identifiable, which means the bills could be replaced with new money.

Another Gorilla Story

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro temporarily closed its gorilla exhibit after one of the apes nearly made a break for it. A zoo spokesman said a branch from a tree fell into the exhibit last Sunday. One female gorilla tried to use the branch as a ladder to climb out of the exhibit, but she didn’t make it. The exhibit remained closed Tuesday while horticulturists checked nearby trees for loose limbs. Zoo officials think the branch came down after a storm on Saturday.

Gonzo Gorilla Causes Zoo Evacuation

 No one likes going to the doctor – not even a gorilla. A building at the Atlanta Zoo was evacuated after a gorilla named Taz charged a thick piece of glass and cracked it. A zoo spokeswoman says no one was hurt and the other gorillas were put in their overnight holding area while the situation was brought under control. Zookeepers believe Taz was upset over a medical exam he had a day earlier. Taz went gonzo when he saw the veterinarians on the other side of the thick glass at the gorilla exhibit.

Police Bust 74-Year-Old For Depositing Mayo In Book Drop

Authorities in Idaho say a 74-year-old Boise woman arrested after pouring mayonnaise in the Ada County library’s book drop box is a person of interest in at least 10 other condiment-related crimes. Joy L. Cassidy was picked up Sunday at the library, moments after police say she pulled through the outside drive-thru and dumped a jar of mayo in the box designated for books. Cassidy is now under investigation for other cases of vandalism that started in May 2009. Library employees have reported finding books in the drop box covered in corn syrup and ketchup, among other condiments. Cassidy was charged with malicious injury to property. A loaded handgun was also found under her seat, resulting in a carrying a concealed weapon charge. She was also issued a citation for driving on an expired driver’s license. Additional charges could be forthcoming.

Flaming Liquor Arrest

A barkeep whose flaming liquor show was featured in “Real Housewives of New York City” has been busted. Authorities say undercover fire marshals arrested Albert Trummer after he set fire to the bar top at Apotheke. Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes says the stunt sparked a “huge fireball.” Fire officials say the flames created a danger for the dozens of people at the Chinatown bar. Trummer told The New York Times he’s a mixologist, not “a pyrotechnic maniac.”

Butterfinger Robber

Pittsburgh police are searching for a convenience store robber who got away with a Butterfinger, a buck, and seven packs of cigarettes. The man robbed the Uni-Mart in the city's Troy Hill section at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Police say he wore a ski mask and ball cap and pointed a handgun at a clerk who gave him $66. However, thanks to melting Butterfinger, he dropped all of the cash except for a dollar. Nobody was hurt in the heist.

Long Lost Ring Returned

David Mitchell has his class ring back 37 years after he lost it. Mitchell didn’t know exactly where or when it went missing. It was found in the drain area of a car wash in Illinois. He doesn’t remember stopping at the car wash, but figures it must have been on a cross-country drive to his brother’s wedding. The 1970 graduate of the Shelby, Montana, high school couldn’t believe it when he got a call that his ring had been found. He said it was “amazing, absolutely amazing.”

HAZMAT Team Finds Rotten Mayo

A foul odor that resulted in the closing of a road and the evacuation of some homes in Destin, Florida, was coming from a 5-gallon jar of mayonnaise. Fire Chief Kevin Sasser said two people called 911 to complain of the smell last Tuesday, saying the odor left them breathless and with a burning sensation in their eyes. A HAZMAT team searched a residence and discovered the 5-pound barrel left behind by the previous occupants.

Deer Drops In For Dinner

Customers at a western New York restaurant got a real surprise after a deer crashed through a window at an Applebee’s in Batavia just after 7 p.m. Sunday. Customer Bruce Beck, who was visiting from Wisconsin, says the deer nearly slid into the booth next to his before veering away and running through the restaurant. Other customers gathered and led the deer outside the front door. No one was hurt.

House Buying By Bike

Real estate broker Megan Power is peddling more than homes. She’s also pedaling her bike. Power and her clients tour homes by bicycle. She says it’s a great way to get the feel for the neighborhoods in Bend, Oregon. Many of her clients seek out Power because of her bike tours. But she also has a car, for home-buyers who rather see real estate the easy way.

Whining

Authorities arrested a 45-year-old Naples, Florida, man accused of kicking a fast food restaurant’s door after employees threw away his wine. Maurice Alfred Belmore faces charges of criminal mischief and trespassing. He was jailed on $3,000 bond. According to deputies, a manager of a local Sonic Drive-In told investigators that an employee threw away wine that Belmore had left in the restaurant’s parking lot. Belmore started kicking the restaurant’s door after he realized the wine was missing.

Washed Out Bridge Ruins Weddings

While most would agree rain on your wedding day is one of the worst things that can happen, a swollen creek washing out the only bridge to your dream wedding spot might be even worse. That’s exactly what happened in Colorado. Flooding destroyed the bridge to the Red Lion Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. Three couples had to scramble to find last minute alternatives over the weekend. One couple, Andrea Maneely and Tom Prince, met while waiting tables at the Red Lion. So they thought it would be the perfect place to tie the knot. They did manage to find another location for their vows – but it was double the price. Restaurant manager Christina Mueller said the washed out bridge has cost the Red Lion an estimated $100,000 loss from the weddings that were to be held there.

Cookie Crook

Police are searching for a burglar who stole a box of cookies from an Ocala, Florida, discount store. The thief took a $2.50 box of Oreo Cakesters from the Dollar General store early Friday morning. Surveillance footage shows a man entering the store after breaking a glass door. The same store was targeted by a burglar in February. In that incident, the suspect made off with snack cakes and other items.

Lois Lane Statue Erected Near Clark Kent/Superman

Lois Lane will always be near her true love. A statue of Lane has been unveiled in the southern Illinois city of Metropolis. There’s already a 15-foot-high bronze statue of Clark Kent as Superman standing there. The Lois Lane statue is modeled on Noel Neill, the actress who played Lois Lane in movies and on TV in the 1940s and 1950s.

Matador Runs For His Life

Mexican matador Christian Hernandez is going to have a hard time living this one down. He is perhaps the wimpiest matador in Mexico. His trouble began when a bull charged him across the ring, over the wall and into a huge controversy. Hernandez, who admitted he was terrified, was arrested after Sunday’s botched bullfight at the Plaza Mexico, apparently for breach of contract. He was released after paying a fine. The 22-year-old Mexican matador said “I didn’t have the ability. I didn’t have the balls. This is not my thing.” Hernandez was likely a little freaked because he was gorged by another bull in the leg several months ago. Officials said he needs to find a new profession.

Goat Found In Woman’s Trunk

Authorities said a regional drunken-driving checkpoint led to the discovery of a goat, bound and shoved in the trunk of a car. The Bedford Sherriff’s Office in Bedford, Virginia, said the car, driven by a 32-year-old woman, pulled up to the checkpoint on Friday when deputies heard bizarre noises coming from the trunk. When asked what was in the trunk, the woman said she bought a goat from a farmer to give to the four passengers in her car, who are from Kenya but live in Lynchburg. The goat was panting heavily and animal control officers said the temperature in the trunk was around 95 degrees. The woman told officers she is from the United Kingdom and transporting goats in a trunk is normal there. She was charged with cruelty to an animal and released.

Desperate Woman Shot Self To Get Medical Attention

An uninsured woman’s plan to shoot herself in order to get medical treatment for another health problem backfired. Kathy Myers, who lives in Niles, Michigan, hurt her shoulder last month. The local hospital had refused her health care because her problems weren’t “life threatening or an imminent danger,” so she took it upon herself to inflict a wound that they had no choice but to treat. But because the gunshot wound wasn’t serious, Myers didn’t get the care she thought she would get for her shoulder. She could face criminal charges of firing a weapon within city limits.

Mall Roof Bear

A black bear that found its way to the roof of a mall in Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been removed. The 400-pound male bear apparently climbed onto the roof of the Viewmont Mall after it searched for food in a trash bin early Friday. Scranton police responded to a report of a bear going through the trash around 2:15 a.m. When police put a spotlight on the animal, it climbed up a fence, got on the roof and began roaming around. Pennsylvania Game Commission officers were called. They climbed onto the roof and tranquilized the bear, then lowered it to the ground with a forklift. Officers plan to release the bear onto state game lands.

Two-Faced Kitten

A kitten born with two faces in Charleston, West Virginia, was given a 50% chance of survival by an area veterinarian. The kitten, known as Two Face, was taken to the vet shortly after it was born last Wednesday because its mother refused to nurse it. Dr. Erica Drake said the kitten was born with a rare condition called diprosopus, which means the kitten literally has two faces. Two Face has four eyes, two noses and two mouths. Drake said the kitten’s two mouths act independently and she believes each mouth has a separate esophagus leading to one stomach.

Home Depot Wedding

A southern California couple tied the knot Saturday in front of more than 100 guests at a Home Depot store where they work. The wedding party for 56-year-old Carolyn Weatherly and Audwin Mosby, 55, marched down an aisle of light bulbs, grills and paint to the outdoor garden section, where a wedding arbor and stage had been built from the store’s lumber and supplies. The bride said the store in Lake Forest is like a second home and her colleagues are like family. A regional manager said it’s only the second wedding in a Home Depot.

A Steal Of A Deal – Mansion Reduced To $16 Million

A Miami Beach, Florida, mansion listed for $25 million when it was finished in 2009 has sold for $16 million. The mansion was sold to a German businessman, but the agent, Nelson Gonzalez of Esslinger Wooten Maxwell, declined to identify him. The German will not move to Miami Beach to live in the mansion, Gonzalez said, “It’s a vacation home.” The 17,200-square-foot home has two docks, staff house, five-car garage, marble staircase and elevator. Despite the reduced price, it was the most expensive residential housing deal in Miami-Dade since Shaquille O’Neal’s home was sold for $16 million last year.

Impersonators Claim Hotel Kidnapping

Darth Vader and Zorro are in a First Amendment battle with police and the Venetian Hotel-Casino on the Strip in Vegas. Brothers Jason and Sebastian Perez-Morciglio, who impersonate Zorro and Darth Vader, say in a federal lawsuit that they were “kidnapped” by Venetian security officers, “strapped to a chair” and held in a small room for more than an hour in January before being kicked off the property. They say they were also searched by metro police officers and handcuffed. The two men perform on the Strip for tips, but they say they were just standing on the sidewalk in front of the Venetian when they were arrested and that Sebastian wasn’t wearing a costume. The ACLU has joined the brothers in the legal battle and says the Venetian wrongly assumed the public sidewalk was private property.

Attorney’s Bra Trouble At Prison

An underwire bra kept a Miami lawyer from seeing her client, and when she removed it, prison dress codes meant she still couldn’t see him. Attorney Brittney Horstman’s bra triggered a metal detector at Miami Federal Detention Center and security guards would not let her enter. So Horstman stepped into a bathroom, removed the bra, and cleared the walk-through detector. But security guards still refused to allow her in, saying since she was braless she violated prison dress code guidelines. Horstman called it “completely unacceptable.”

Drive-Thru Brawl

A fight involving customers and employees of a Wendy’s in Kalamazoo, Michigan, ended with two arrests. Police said four customers in a vehicle at a Wendy’s drive-thru lane Saturday claimed their order was incorrect. They hurled drinks, hamburgers and fries at an employee inside. The employee then threw food at the vehicle, hitting it with a drink, ketchup and fries. Two people from the vehicle went inside the restaurant, where they fought with employees. Two of the customers were arrested on charges of assault. The employee had scrapes and abrasions, but didn’t need medical attention. Police said employees blamed the fight on a “communication breakdown.”

Racy Lyrics Lead Wendy’s To Pull CD From Kid Meals

Wendy’s was forced to withdraw the “Disco Fever” CD offered in kid’s meals Saturday when it was discovered that the Donna Summer version of “Last Dance” included on the disc contained the line “When I’m bad I’m oh so horny.” Three other children’s oldies collections will continue to be included in the meals. Those CDs include the songs “ABC” by The Jackson 5 and “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang.

Stinky Gas Too Stinky

Metro Detroit energy officials said they rerouted gas flow for about 500 suburban customers because the supply had been infused with too much odorizing agent. DTE Energy said they received multiple calls about gas leaks in Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe and the surrounding area Wednesday night and yesterday morning. Investigators determined there were no leaks, but rather an overabundance of odorizing agent in the natural gas flow. A spokesman said the odorless natural gas is injected with the odorizing agent so customers can detect leaks. Officials have not yet determined what caused the problem.

Stolen Bike Returned To Autistic Girl

A San Francisco man said his autistic daughter’s tandem bicycle, stolen nearly a month ago, was found and returned to the girl at a police station. Michael Hoffman said the $1,425 tandem bicycle, a 24-speed Buddy Bike, was a favorite possession of his daughter, 9-year-old Rachel. It was stolen May 16th from a locked garage at the family’s apartment complex. Chandini Davis said she found the bike abandoned near her apartment, about three blocks from where it was taken, and learned of the theft while in the process of putting the bike in the lost and found section of Craigslist.com. Davis handed the bike over to police Tuesday and it was presented to Rachel at the police department’s Central Station Wednesday. Police said they are still searching for the thief, who was filmed on a security camera. He’s described as white with a shaved head and 25- to 30-years-old.
 

Plumber Helps Wife Deliver Baby On Bathroom Floor

Michigan plumber Brian Hines typically tends to toilets, but on Tuesday he helped his wife deliver their baby boy. Hines helped his wife Andrea deliver their son, 7 pound, 13 1/2 ounce Daniel Michael Lee Hines, on the bathroom floor of their Oakland County home on Tuesday. Hines said they didn’t rush to a hospital when the contractions began because their first child, Alexander, had taken hours to arrive. Daniel took just seven minutes. Brian said he recognizes the irony of the story, and says he and his wife will have “fun with that one for a long time.” Emergency dispatcher Joy Nick, who talked Brian through the birth, said it was her first over the phone in 22 years.

Man Takes 800-Mile Bike Ride To Attend Reunion

An Ohio man embarked on an 800-mile bike ride to attend his 50th high school class reunion in Massachusetts. Peter Noonan hit the road May 20th and was expected to arrive yesterday at Deerfield Academy, his old prep school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. The 68-year-old Noonan said he’s in good shape and thought the ride would be a nice way to see the country. But he said he won’t be cycling back. Instead, the bike will be loaded in a car for the trip back to Ohio. Noonan said 800 miles one way was enough to make his point.

Drunk Breaks Into Bank To Sleep

Police in Ellensburg, Washington, said a drunken man looking for a place to sleep broke into the basement of a bank. Surveillance video shows the man breaking a basement window about 3 a.m. Saturday and leaving before 8 a.m. Police tracked down the 21-year-old by Tuesday and arrested him at his home for investigation of second-degree burglary and malicious mischief. Police said the man was intoxicated and doesn’t know why he went to the bank for a nap.

Coked-Up Tea

A former New York City police officer is suing the NYPD, claiming he was unfairly fired for failing a drug test after drinking a cup tea. Alvaro Casado said his girlfriend’s mother served him a cup of mate de coca. It’s a tea made from the cocaine-producing coca plant. Casado, who’s also in the Air National Guard, says the guard cleared him on the tea issue.

Food Bank Theft An Inventory Error

Police in Seguin, Texas, said 14,000 pounds of food stolen from a food bank turned out to be an inventory error. Investigators said the food was reported stolen on May 7th from the EATS Foundation food bank. The investigation was opened because empty boxes were found in the building. However, officials said a more detailed inventory found the former contents of the boxes, valued at $2,100, still inside the facility.

Cop Admits Faking His Own Shooting

A New York police officer who pleaded guilty to official misconduct for taking three pizzas as payment for covering up a woman’s traffic ticket now admits he faked his own shooting. Officials said Jason Miller, a former part-time officer in the western New York village of Gowanda, confessed that he hung his bulletproof vest on a tree and shot it two years ago. The admission was part of last month’s plea deal in the pizza case. Miller admitted he arrested a driver for a suspended license in June 2009 and accepted the pizzas in exchange for ripping up the ticket.

Bossy Robbers

Indianapolis police say three armed men who broke into a man’s apartment, stole his flat-screen TV, then forced him to help them move it down a flight of stairs. Police said 30-year-old Jason Geminden and his girlfriend were asleep when three masked men armed with handguns woke them up about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The pair was forced to stay in the bed while the men ransacked the apartment, taking jewelry, electronics and car keys. At one point, one of the men ordered Geminden to get his butt out of bed and help carry his 32-inch TV down a flight of stairs. One of the suspects told the pair they wouldn’t be tied up because they were so helpful.

Woman Jailed For Calling 911 Seeking A Husband

An Alliance, Ohio, woman spent three days in jail for calling 911 five times looking for a husband. The flabbergasted dispatcher asked Audrey Scott, “You need to get a husband?” The 57-year-old Scott responded, “Yes.” Told that she could face arrest for misusing 911, Scott responded, “Let’s do it.” Scott was convicted last week of improper use of the 911 system and was sentenced to the three days in jail, which she has already served. Seven additional days will be suspended if she stays out of trouble for one year. Scott blamed the incident on alcohol.

Thief Returns Laptop

The guy who stole a laptop from an Athens, Tennessee, Staples store has apologized. Police say the man returned the computer three days after he stole it. The man called to apologize and said he was high on crack at the time. An employee at Staples says the remorseful thief has also agreed to pay for the security cable he cut. No charges have been filed.

Jail Trusty Uses Leg For Smuggling

Authorities in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, say a jail trusty used his prosthetic leg to smuggle contraband into the jail. The 42-year-old man was arrested and charged with introduction of contraband into a penal institution and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. The assistant chief deputy said during a routine check of trusties coming back to the facility last Friday, correctional officers discovered the contraband hidden in his prosthetic leg. Officers found bags of loose tobacco, 10 cigarettes, a container of smokeless tobacco and four Soma pills, a muscle relaxer.

Mayor Charged With Mixer Theft

A Southern California mayor is in hot water for stealing a mixer. Hawthorne Mayor Larry Guidi is charged with stealing a commercial-sized food mixer from a school district. Prosecutors say Guidi wanted to use the mixer to make dough to cook in his home pizza oven. According to authorities, the mayor was caught on surveillance video taking the giant mixer and a cart. Guidi has been mayor of Hawthorne for 17 years.
 

Mr. Potato Head – The Elvis Version

The Elvis Presley estate has inked a deal with Hasbro and PPW Toys to release an Elvis version of Mr. Potato Head. The first Elvis potato heads will be released during Elvis Tribute Week in August. The toy will be in a jumpsuit. A second version – with the likeness of Elvis dressed in black leather - will be on the market by Christmas.

Nude ‘Jesus’ Causes Accident

Police said a naked man yelling that he was “Jesus” was the catalyst for a five-vehicle accident on Interstate 95 North in Darien, Connecticut, that injured three people and slowed traffic for nearly six hours. Officers responded to reports Saturday that a nude male was causing a disturbance on I-95. The man got into a car and sped off when police arrived. That’s when the real problems began. A driver stopped to look at the scene unfolding, forcing a tractor trailer driver to slam on his brakes. The truck jackknifed, hitting several cars before flipping over and coming to rest against a tree. It took rescue workers three hours to free the big-rig driver. Officials said the injuries sustained in the crash were “relatively minor.” The naked man’s name was not released. It was not immediately known if he was charged.

Girl’s Skull Cracked By Line Drive

A 3-year-old girl in a crowd watching the Los Angeles Dodgers take batting practice was struck the head by a foul ball on Monday and was due to have surgery yesterday. Dodgers catcher Russell Martin was practicing 90 minutes before Monday night’s game when his hit hooked into the stands near third base. The ball hit the child with a sound that Martin said “did not sound good,” and she went down. The little girl was rushed, limp and unconscious, from the stadium immediately. Martin was teary and said he was “devastated” by the accident. The girl’s injury is not believed to be life-threatening but it was not clear if she would have any long-term disabilities, said Los Angeles Dodgers spokesman Joe Jareck.

Phillies Say Kid’s Beer Bottle Probably Empty

The Philadelphia Phillies said a beer bottle a small child appears to be drinking from in TV footage recorded in the stands was “probably empty.” Phillies spokeswoman Bonnie Clark said the team does not condone allowing children to drink beer, regardless of what the real story is behind the footage, which depicts a small boy – estimated to be about 3 or 4 – in the stands during Sunday’s game against the San Diego Padres with what appears to be a beer bottle in his mouth. “We are not able to determine the identity of anyone involved, nor are we able to determine what was in the bottle or whether it was empty,” Clark said. Clark said the theory that the bottle was empty is supported by the fact that the child was holding it with only one hand, indicating it was not very heavy.

Couple Renews Vows After Seven Decades Of Marriage

Ellen and Walker Robinette got married in 1936 when she was 17 and he was 20. Ellen and Walker are still married over 70 years later and they recently celebrated their anniversary by renewing marriage vows in front of family and friends. Although Ellen now lives in a nursing home in Citrus Heights, California, Walker visits her every day. His advice for a long and happy marriage? “Be sure they love each other,” he said. “The rest of it will take care of itself.”

Barefoot Runner

A Talent, Oregon, man enjoyed a peppermint mineral foot soak while relaxing at home Monday. It was well deserved after Todd Ragsdale ran a world-record distance without shoes over the weekend. Between 8 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday, the 41-year-old logged 102 miles barefoot by taking 413 laps on the South Medford High School track. Ragsdale made his run in the Relay For Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The run left Ragsdale’s feet bruised, blistered and swollen, but he said it was well worth it.

Teacher Finds 1792 Document In Classroom

A Peabody, Massachusetts, fourth-grade teacher cleaning up her classroom discovered a Colonial-era document buried in a pile of outdated textbooks and dusty scraps of papers. Michelle Eugenio found the yellowed paper two weeks ago. Dated April 1792 and protected by plastic, it appears to document the payment of a debt by a Vermont man named Jonathan Bates. Peabody Historical Society President Bill Power verified the paper’s authenticity. No one knows how the paper ended up at Peabody’s Center School or how long it has been there. Bates served in the Continental Army in 1780 and died in 1808 at age 63. He’s buried in Williamstown, Vermont.

Firefighter Rap Goes Viral

A rap-inspired fireworks safety video created by three Michigan firefighters has gained thousands of YouTube views and found its way onto national television. The Midland Fire Department said firefighters Mark Laux, Roger Bebeau and Steve Makowski created the rap video about summer fireworks safety and posted it to YouTube last Wednesday, drawing attention from thousands of people, including CNN’s “Rick’s List” program, which named the clip one of the best video moments of the week. Lines include, “Being unsafe makes you think you’re cool, but follow these nine rules, don’t be a fool.”

Rest Area Bear

A Washington State rest stop on Highway 8 near Elma was closed overnight because of a sleeping black bear. The bruin was snoozin’ between the restrooms and the truck parking area. Transportation Department crews closed the rest stop after finding the animal. They let the sleeping bear catch its zzzzzzzz. It woke up Monday morning and wandered off. The rest stop was then reopened.

Business Offers $1,000 For Stolen Doormat

A Washington state business is offering a $1,000 reward to catch a thief who took a doormat worth about $20. The owners of Advanced Metal Technologies in Spokane are angry and want to catch the man who may be looking to break into the business. Surveillance video shows the thief drove up about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, looked in the window and then grabbed the doormat.

Bee Thief

A northeast Florida beekeeper is under arrest after deputies say he stole bees, honey and equipment from his competitors. Ruben Josey was arrested Thursday in Putnam County after deputies said they recovered 48 stolen beehives and other goods worth thousands of dollars. The hives were reported stolen in December and January in Putnam and surrounding counties and possibly Georgia. Local beekeepers said they had become increasingly suspicious Josey was the thief and gathered evidence against him. Each hive has a state registration number. Josey was charged with dealing stolen property and larceny. He was being held Saturday on $50,000 bond.

Man Lends Car To Stranger, Claims Carjacking

Daytona Beach police said a 33-year-old man lent his truck to a stranger to make a beer run – then told cops he was carjacked. Officials said the man called police on May 27th to say two men, possibly armed, ordered him out of the truck while stopped at a light at 4 a.m. Police reviewed video taken by a camera at the intersection and found nothing. When investigators confronted the alleged victim, he confessed he had lent the truck to a man he’d met while drinking at a motel. He said the man said he wanted to get more beer, but never returned. He told police he lied about the carjacking because he was embarrassed. He was charged with making a false police report.

Bear Shuts Down Traffic

A Southern California freeway was briefly shut down while state wildlife officials tried to remove a bear that wandered into the roads. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Kerry Carter says the adult black bear was spotted just after midnight yesterday on surface streets near the Foothill Freeway in Duarte. The animal later walked onto the freeway, which was closed for about a half hour. Fish and Game Department workers were eventually able to corner the bear in a flood control channel, where they tranquilized it with a dart gun. The bear, estimated at 250 pounds, was taken to a remote forest area and release.

Happy Birthday Times Three

Three generations of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, women all share the same birthday. Little Roxie Koep was born on June 1st. She shares the birthday with her 29-year-old mother Rachel Koep and 56-year-old maternal grandmother Paula Ballanger. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the chance of a mother having the same birthday as one of her parents and her newborn is 1 in 133,225. The chance of them all having the same gender is even more remote. Koep and her daughter not only share the same birthday, but they were also both born at the North Memorial hospital. Ballanger was born in 1954 at what used to be Maternity Hospital, about a mile south of North Memorial.

Mail Trap

A woman making a stop to pick up her mail from a post office in Willis, Michigan, ended up trapped inside for four hours because of a door malfunction. The post office was closed Thursday evening when the woman stopped by but the post office box area was open. After she went inside to get her mail, she couldn’t get out. Another woman saw her and called 911. A Postal Service spokeswoman said something in the mechanical mechanism on the door prevented it from opening. She said the woman was “understanding” about the “unfortunate fluke.”

Nude ‘Jesus’ Causes Accident

Police said a naked man yelling that he was “Jesus” was the catalyst for a five-vehicle accident on Interstate 95 North in Darien, Connecticut, that injured three people and slowed traffic for nearly six hours. Officers responded to reports Saturday that a nude male was causing a disturbance on I-95. The man got into a car and sped off when police arrived. That’s when the real problems began. A driver stopped to look at the scene unfolding, forcing a tractor trailer driver to slam on his brakes. The truck jackknifed, hitting several cars before flipping over and coming to rest against a tree. It took rescue workers three hours to free the big-rig driver. Officials said the injuries sustained in the crash were “relatively minor.” The naked man’s name was not released. It was not immediately known if he was charged.

Lawnmower Repo Gone Wrong

A Twin Falls, Idaho, man who tried to repossess a riding lawnmower from a couple last Wednesday faces felony charges of attempted grand theft and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said Erik R. Jonsson cooked up a plan to have two men he hired tell the woman using the mower that they had hit her pickup. When the woman went into the house to tell her husband, Jonsson hopped on the lawnmower and started driving away. Jonsson told police he stopped when he noticed that the mower had the wrong serial number. He said he feared for his life after he was confronted by the woman’s husband, so he pulled his gun. Jonsson said he is the owner of an auto sales business and had repossessed cars in the past. He expected trouble at the residence and brought the extra men with him, but said they didn’t do their job right.
 

Warning Issued Not To Eat Lithium Batteries

We’ve all heard about those wacky and stupid warning labels on products - for the dumber consumer and to protect the companies from hotdogs who get the bright idea to try to iron their pants while they’re wearing them, among other things. Now a warning has been issued on batteries that it is not a good idea to eat to eat lithium batteries. The New York Times related a story of Aidan Truett, a one-year-old Ohio tot who came down with a strange illness that doctors assumed was pneumonia after he spent nine days vomiting. After a chest X-ray, doctors found not an infection but one of the tiny “button-sized” lithium batteries inside him. As a troubling as this story is, what’s surprising is how rare death from battery ingestion appear to be: fewer than 10 documented fatalities in the last six years. But that could be changing. About 3,500 cases of people ingesting button cell-size batteries now occur every year, but the consequences of those cases are worsening as batteries get more powerful while remaining the same size. That has prompted batteries makers to put warnings on the tiny batteries that read: “Do not swallow lithium batteries.” The move comes as people continue to be sue-happy, looking for an easy cash payout from companies.

Google Lawsuit Backlash Hits Wrong Person


A California woman who shares a name with the woman suing Google for giving bad directions says she’s receiving angry messages meant for the other woman. Lauren Rosenberg of Santa Monica said phone messages and e-mails began streaming in this week from strangers angry about the Lauren Rosenberg, of Los Angeles County, who is suing the search engine giant. The other Rosenberg said Google was “careless, reckless and negligent” when it gave her walking directions in Park City, Utah, that led her to a state highway where she was hit by a car. She is also suing the driver of the car. “They all tell me I’m stupid and how dare I sue Google… take some responsibility for your own actions,” Lauren Rosenberg of Santa Monica said of the phone and e-mail messages.

Shopping Buck

Workers at a Fresh Market store in Middletown, Kentucky, said a deer crashed through a plate glass window and was later dragged from the store by police who zapped him up with stun guns. Assistant manager Bob Scheitzach said the deer leapt through the window shortly after 4:10 p.m. Tuesday and ran through the store before collapsing near the rear of the building. “It went all through the store and bled all over the place,” Scheitzach said. Officers arrived about 10 minutes later and used a Taser to stun the animal. The officers dragged the deer out of the store by its back legs. It left the area on its own a short time later. Scheitzach said employees spent hours cleaning up the mess.

One-Lunged Robber

A Washington State man accused of robbing a jewelry store was run down by bystanders when he ran out of breath – because he only has one lung. Steven Kyle entered an Edmonds, Washington, jewelry store saying he was looking for engagement rings, then reached into the waistband of his trousers and told a saleswoman he was armed with a handgun. Kyle allegedly took more than a dozen rings worth $75,000 and ran from the store. Bystanders who saw him running away were able to catch up with him once he ran out of breath. Kyle, who told police he only has one lung, is being held on first-degree robbery charges.

Naked Man Charged With Drunken Driving

Police in Iowa City, Iowa, said a naked man charged with drunken driving had a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit for driving. Officers arrived at a Deli-Mart store at 2:41 a.m. Tuesday on a call about a drunken driver. Witnesses told them the driver was completely nude and hit a street sign while driving. Investigators said the vehicle was found empty with damage to the driver’s side front fender and rear tire. The driver, Kevin Scherschel, 20, was found nearby outside his neighbor’s apartment. Police said Scherschel, who was still nude, failed field sobriety tests and registered a blood-alcohol content of .189 percent, more than twice the legal limit of .08 percent.

Teen Admits Defecating In Classmate’s Soda

A 17-year-old high school student from Haddon Township, New Jersey, admitted in court last Thursday that he defecated in a classmate’s soda during an auto-shop class as a prank. Prosecutors dropped an aggravated assault charge in exchange for the boy’s guilty plea to a charge of tampering with a food product. Authorities said the victim sipped the soda, then spit it out as his classmates laughed on March 29th. A judge ordered the boy to serve probation, serve 200 hours of community service, write an apology to the victim, and to write a 1,000-word report on why it’s unhealthy to ingest fecal matter.

Double Punched 911

Police in Iowa City said a man who called to report that he’d been punched while at the Iowa City pedestrian mall was punched again by a second person while he was on the phone with 911. Police said the man told 911 dispatchers early Tuesday morning that he had just been assaulted and he was following the person who did it. While on the phone with officers, a friend of the original assailant punched him and knocked him to the ground. The victim was treated at a hospital for minor head injuries.

Car Groundhog

An Ohio woman was shocked to find out the thumping under her car’s hood was coming from a stowaway groundhog. Rebecca Martin said she heard the noise last Tuesday while running errands with family members in Athens, Ohio. When they pulled over in a Walmart parking lot and lifted the hood, Martin said one of the largest groundhogs she’s ever seen appeared. It then disappeared into the engine and Martin called 911. Athens County Dog Warden Jeff Koons responded and got him out of the engine after only five minutes, but it took him another 30 minutes to catch him. The groundhog was released in a rural area.

Sheriff’s Office Replaces Inmate’s Locks

A sheriff’s office in Washington State has paid more than $400 to replace an inmate’s locks and keys after a deputy left the keys on the back of his cruiser and took off without grabbing them. Authorities in Grant County say Michael Eugene Power was arrested for violating a protection order. Before transporting Power, a deputy placed his keys and wallet on top of the closed trunk of his patrol car. But when the deputy was ordered to respond to another call, he took off without grabbing the keys and wallet and they fell off. The wallet was returned to Power, but the keys have not been found. The sheriff’s office replaced the keys and locks for Power’s home and vehicle.

Creeps Steal Wheelchair Ramp

Police in northeast Ohio are looking for some lowlifes who stole a wheelchair ramp from a woman’s home. Cordelia Simpson says she discovered last Thursday morning that someone had stolen the 10-foot wooden ramp leading from the porch to the sidewalk at her rental home in Elyria. Simpson suffers from bone deterioration and weakness in her legs. She can walk short distances but uses an electric wheelchair for longer journeys. John Wright of American Ramp Services replaced the stolen ramp with a $4,000 steel one on Saturday. He says he couldn’t stand the thought of Simpson being confined to her house over Memorial Day weekend.

Zombies Walk For Charity

Zombies were out in full force over the holiday weekend in Boston and Columbus, having fun and raising funds for charity. The Zombie March Boston – in which participants dressed up as zombies and paraded from South Station to Copley Square – was “just for fun,” organizer Scott Trano said. “It gives kids something to do,” he noted. Boston police said they didn’t get any complaints about the zombie walk. In Columbus, organizers said they hoped the event would raise more than $1,500 for food banks.

Silly String Assault

A Kansas man was working with power tools in his garage when a stranger suddenly appeared and sprayed him with Silly String. The 31-year-old Wichita man told authorities he was working in the garage last Thursday when the stranger rushed in, sprayed him, and then ran away. No injuries were reported.

Coke/Mentos-Powered Rocket Car

A pair of Maine performers said their latest video project stars a rocket car powered by Coke Zero and Mentos. Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz, of Buckfield, built the vehicle from a modified girl’s bicycle and a utility trailer holding a propulsion unit, which involves 108 two-liter bottles of Coke Zero and 648 Mentos mints. The video will be available beginning today at www.eepybird.com. The performers said they are being careful not to reveal too much about the video, which was directed by “The Fast & the Furious” director Rob Cohen.

Drunk Drives To Police Station

Police in New York State said a man who found a stray dog and needed directions to the animal shelter allegedly drove drunk to the police station. Monroe police said Oleksandr Nayda, 38, drove to their headquarters around 10 a.m. Saturday to ask for directions to an animal shelter. Officers said Nayda smelled of alcohol and registered a 0.17 blood-alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit for driving. He told police he stopped drinking about four hours earlier, around 6 a.m. Investigators said Nayda was also wanted on a DUI charge from 2006. Nayda was jailed in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. An animal control officer took the dog to the animal shelter.

Restaurant Regulars Picking Up Checks

Workers and patrons at a New York restaurant say a mysterious couple has been picking up the tab for other customers. Employees at Spigolo said the couple, who refuse to identify themselves, come by for dinner and then pick up the checks of other customers randomly. “There’s no rhyme or reason to whom they pick,” bartender Paula Lukas said. “The tabs will vary. They also take care of the tip, but most people leave a tip too.” Manager Abby Merz said, “I have no idea how they choose people.”
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