CINCINNATI - WKRP is back on the air in Cincinnati - but this time it's for real.
A low-power TV station has changed its call letters to WKRP, the same as the fictional radio station in the 1970s hit series "WKRP in Cincinnati."
The station changed its call letters to promote its new digital TV signal. It formerly went by WBQC-TV.
General Manager Elliott Block says the new call letters give the station recognition because so many people remember the television sit-com.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thanks For The Turkey.....
OREGON, Wis. - A Wisconsin family found it hard to be thankful after a thief made off with their turkey dinner.
Lillian Moore says she sent a cooler stuffed with Thanksgiving food to her daughter Cindy, only to have it stolen from her porch.
Moore packed the cooler with half a turkey, potatoes and salad. She left it on her daughter's porch Wednesday evening because her daughter's refrigerator was too small to hold the food.
When Cindy Moore went to get the turkey Thanksgiving morning, the cooler was gone.
Cindy Moore says she had to buy turkey using money she sets aside for bills. The disabled single mother didn't bother reporting the theft to police.
Lillian Moore says it's "just awful" to steal from people who don't have much.
Lillian Moore says she sent a cooler stuffed with Thanksgiving food to her daughter Cindy, only to have it stolen from her porch.
Moore packed the cooler with half a turkey, potatoes and salad. She left it on her daughter's porch Wednesday evening because her daughter's refrigerator was too small to hold the food.
When Cindy Moore went to get the turkey Thanksgiving morning, the cooler was gone.
Cindy Moore says she had to buy turkey using money she sets aside for bills. The disabled single mother didn't bother reporting the theft to police.
Lillian Moore says it's "just awful" to steal from people who don't have much.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Super Frugal 4 Xmas
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Christmas ornaments for sale at the Miller Park Zoo's gift shop are partly manufactured by reindeer. Honest!
Staffers make decorations out of droppings from the zoo's two reindeer, Ealu and Rika. The droppings are dried, then clear-coated and either painted or rolled in glitter.
Zoo marketing director Susie Ohley has named the products "magical reindeer gem ornaments," and each comes with a label of authenticity. They cost $5 at the zoo gift shop.
Staffer Katie Buydos, who makes jewelry as a hobby, donated wire and beads, saying, "Susie asked me to bring some creativity to the table."
Some folks are surprised at the size of the "gems," which are only about as big as marbles. "Reindeer are so big," zoo maintenance worker Sheldon Williams said. But the droppings are "just a big pile of small."
Staffers make decorations out of droppings from the zoo's two reindeer, Ealu and Rika. The droppings are dried, then clear-coated and either painted or rolled in glitter.
Zoo marketing director Susie Ohley has named the products "magical reindeer gem ornaments," and each comes with a label of authenticity. They cost $5 at the zoo gift shop.
Staffer Katie Buydos, who makes jewelry as a hobby, donated wire and beads, saying, "Susie asked me to bring some creativity to the table."
Some folks are surprised at the size of the "gems," which are only about as big as marbles. "Reindeer are so big," zoo maintenance worker Sheldon Williams said. But the droppings are "just a big pile of small."
A Foot Up Your....
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - A woman wearing a cast on her foot has been charged with assault for allegedly kicking an 8-year-old girl and police officers. City police say they found the 32-year-old woman hiding under a bed in an apartment as they investigated a neighbor's complaint about a child being assaulted Monday.
Police said that when they pulled the woman out from under the bed, she kicked a sergeant and some officers.
Authorities said the girl told them that the suspect kicked her and threw her into a bedroom dresser, causing bruises on her legs and back.
The woman was charged with assaulting police officers, assaulting the child and other crimes.
She was arraigned Tuesday at New Britain Superior Court, and her case was continued to Dec. 11.
Police said that when they pulled the woman out from under the bed, she kicked a sergeant and some officers.
Authorities said the girl told them that the suspect kicked her and threw her into a bedroom dresser, causing bruises on her legs and back.
The woman was charged with assaulting police officers, assaulting the child and other crimes.
She was arraigned Tuesday at New Britain Superior Court, and her case was continued to Dec. 11.
The Slip And Slide Theft
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Police said a thief used a Vaseline-like lubricant to swipe an expensive ring off an elderly woman's hand in broad daylight. Authorities said two men bumped 80-year-old Helen Artim's car, then asked her to open her trunk to check for damage.
Police said the suspect ran his hand over hers, covering it with "some type of lubricant," then used a towel to wipe it off. It's then that police believe he slipped the ring off Artim's finger. The piece of jewelry was valued between $20,000 to $30,000.
No arrests in the Nov. 14 incident have been made.
Police said the suspect ran his hand over hers, covering it with "some type of lubricant," then used a towel to wipe it off. It's then that police believe he slipped the ring off Artim's finger. The piece of jewelry was valued between $20,000 to $30,000.
No arrests in the Nov. 14 incident have been made.
No Handicaps
MINNEAPOLIS - While the Hawkeyes were stomping the Gophers on the Metrodome field last weekend, police said two Iowa fans were having a romp of a different kind in a restroom. Both events, police say, had their share of cheering fans.
A 38-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man turned to a handicapped stall for their tryst Saturday evening.
On the field, the Hawkeyes were on their way to 55-0 trouncing of the Gophers. In the restroom, a crowd of intoxicated fans gathered to cheer the off-the-field event.
Eventually, a security guard tipped off University of Minnesota police. Officers had to interrupt the couple to cite them for indecent conduct, a misdemeanor.
Police Chief Greg Hestness said the woman initially gave a false name to officers. She was released to her husband and the man was released to his girlfriend.
Both people in the stall were intoxicated.
A 38-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man turned to a handicapped stall for their tryst Saturday evening.
On the field, the Hawkeyes were on their way to 55-0 trouncing of the Gophers. In the restroom, a crowd of intoxicated fans gathered to cheer the off-the-field event.
Eventually, a security guard tipped off University of Minnesota police. Officers had to interrupt the couple to cite them for indecent conduct, a misdemeanor.
Police Chief Greg Hestness said the woman initially gave a false name to officers. She was released to her husband and the man was released to his girlfriend.
Both people in the stall were intoxicated.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Covered In Glory
BOISE, Idaho - Police arrested a hit-and-run suspect who also allegedly stole a pair of shoes from a nearby home as part of his attempt to flee the crime on Sunday. Authorities said the 22-year-old faces charges ranging from drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident and burglary.
Witnesses told police that a vehicle hit a parked car and that the driver fled the scene on foot. Several minutes later, police said they received a call that a man matching the driver's description had entered a nearby residence, was bleeding and stole a pair of shoes before leaving the home.
Police said they arrested the man a short time later.
Witnesses told police that a vehicle hit a parked car and that the driver fled the scene on foot. Several minutes later, police said they received a call that a man matching the driver's description had entered a nearby residence, was bleeding and stole a pair of shoes before leaving the home.
Police said they arrested the man a short time later.
Tattle Tips
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The Albuquerque Police Department has turned to the want ads for snitches.
An ad this week in the alternative newspaper The Alibi asks "people who hang out with crooks" to do part-time work for the police.
It reads in part: "Make some extra cash! Drug use and criminal record OK."
Capt. Joe Hudson says police received more than 30 responses in two days. He says one tip was a "big one" but wouldn't elaborate.
An informant whose tip helps officers arrest a drug dealer could earn $50. A tip about a murder suspect could bring up to $700.
It's not the first time department has run ads. In a program 10 years ago, police received so many calls they turned the phones off.
An ad this week in the alternative newspaper The Alibi asks "people who hang out with crooks" to do part-time work for the police.
It reads in part: "Make some extra cash! Drug use and criminal record OK."
Capt. Joe Hudson says police received more than 30 responses in two days. He says one tip was a "big one" but wouldn't elaborate.
An informant whose tip helps officers arrest a drug dealer could earn $50. A tip about a murder suspect could bring up to $700.
It's not the first time department has run ads. In a program 10 years ago, police received so many calls they turned the phones off.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Not On Resume
JACKSON, Mich. (AP) - A mid-Michigan man who'd been looking for work found trouble after an arrest warrant popped up during a background check at a police station. Police also found cocaine in his pocket. The company the man was applying to required a police background check.
The Jackson Citizen Patriot reported that after running the 29-year-old man's name through their computer system Wednesday, police learned he was wanted on a domestic violence charge.
Deputy Police Chief John Holda said that while searching him at the station, an officer found several rocks of cocaine.
The man was being held in the county jail and will be arraigned on the domestic violence charge and possession with intent to deliver cocaine.
The Jackson Citizen Patriot reported that after running the 29-year-old man's name through their computer system Wednesday, police learned he was wanted on a domestic violence charge.
Deputy Police Chief John Holda said that while searching him at the station, an officer found several rocks of cocaine.
The man was being held in the county jail and will be arraigned on the domestic violence charge and possession with intent to deliver cocaine.
Walgreens Needs Lower Prices
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Law enforcement authorities arrested an 81-year-old man who illegally sold powerful prescription pain relievers. The arrest followed a raid on a home Monday by the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.
An undercover agent had purchased OxyContin, a prescription painkiller with opiate effects, at the home.
Officers said a woman in the home had 37 pills, which have a street value of $100 each in Fairbanks. She said she had sold pills.
While officers were at the home, another woman took a call from the man and told him that she needed more pills. He arrived 15 minutes later with 80 pills and was arrested.
The man was charged with felony drug misconduct.
An undercover agent had purchased OxyContin, a prescription painkiller with opiate effects, at the home.
Officers said a woman in the home had 37 pills, which have a street value of $100 each in Fairbanks. She said she had sold pills.
While officers were at the home, another woman took a call from the man and told him that she needed more pills. He arrived 15 minutes later with 80 pills and was arrested.
The man was charged with felony drug misconduct.
Granny Robber
CINCINNATI - Police in Ohio have arrested a 68-year-old woman on a bank robbery charge - and they want to know if she's the so-called "Granny Robber" they've been seeking since last May.
Police in the southwest Ohio town of Franklin say a woman handed a note to a teller in a Huntington Bank branch Friday and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
Officers said Barbara Joly of Middletown was arrested a short time later and they say she fit the description of the woman who robbed the bank.
Investigators say Joly had sunglasses and a scarf with her.
They won't say if those items were worn by the robber in Friday's bank holdup, but that is how an older woman was dressed during four bank robberies in the area since May.
Police in the southwest Ohio town of Franklin say a woman handed a note to a teller in a Huntington Bank branch Friday and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
Officers said Barbara Joly of Middletown was arrested a short time later and they say she fit the description of the woman who robbed the bank.
Investigators say Joly had sunglasses and a scarf with her.
They won't say if those items were worn by the robber in Friday's bank holdup, but that is how an older woman was dressed during four bank robberies in the area since May.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
No Amercian Music Award....
DUBLIN, Ga. - He shot a man twice and felt so good about it, police said, a rapper wrote a song describing the shooting and calling out the victim by name. A judge sentenced 25-year-old Rico Todriquez Wright Monday to spend the next 20 years in prison after his victim mentioned the hip hop confession to police.
Chad Blue, 28, told police he had known Wright before the September 2006 shooting, but that the men weren't friendly. He testified companions egged Wright on as he chased and shot his victim in the thigh and groin.
Later, Blue told police he recognized Wright's voice on a CD, rapping "Chad Blue knows how I shoot."
Wright was sentenced to 20 years for two counts of aggravated assault. He will spend another 20 years on probation.
Chad Blue, 28, told police he had known Wright before the September 2006 shooting, but that the men weren't friendly. He testified companions egged Wright on as he chased and shot his victim in the thigh and groin.
Later, Blue told police he recognized Wright's voice on a CD, rapping "Chad Blue knows how I shoot."
Wright was sentenced to 20 years for two counts of aggravated assault. He will spend another 20 years on probation.
$5 Footlong?
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - A man faces a domestic battery charge after allegedly hitting his girlfriend with a sandwich as she was driving on Interstate 95 on Friday. Police said the 19-year-old man became angry and hit the woman in the arm and face with a sandwich, knocking her glasses off.
The victim nearly lost control of the car because she couldn't see the road and the man then allegedly ripped off the rear-view mirror and used it to shatter the windshield.
The man was freed on $7,500 bail.
Police haven't said what type of sandwich was involved.
The victim nearly lost control of the car because she couldn't see the road and the man then allegedly ripped off the rear-view mirror and used it to shatter the windshield.
The man was freed on $7,500 bail.
Police haven't said what type of sandwich was involved.
This Cell Block Rocks
BLOOMFIELD, Ind. - Three male and three female inmates at a southern Indiana jail face charges that they devised a way to sneak between cell blocks to help pass their time behind bars by having sex.
The inmates figured out how to remove metal ceiling panels in the Greene County Jail and used the passageway more than a dozen times in September and October, according to court documents.
The men _ ages 44, 38 and 17 _ and the women _ ages 27, 26 and 21 _ crawled through the ceiling after midnight, having sexual encounters and drinking homemade alcohol that was found hidden in the male cell block, a police affidavit said.
One male inmate who was not charged said the female inmates would "hang-out, play cards or have sex with some of the male inmates" in their cell block, the affidavit said.
The inmates were able to find a security camera "blind spot" where they could remove ceiling tiles and create a passage between the cell blocks, Sheriff Terry Pierce said Tuesday.
The inmates used a shower drain as a tool to loosen security screws and the ceiling tiles were carefully replaced so they did not appear to be disturbed, Pierce said.
"We could not see it," he said.
The ceiling panels have since been secured, and Pierce said he was seeking funding to improve security at the jail, which was built in 1994 in the city about 25 miles southeast of Bloomington.
Pierce called the inmates' activities "embarrassing" to himself and his staff.
"If your facility has a flaw, if you house prisoners in it, they will show you. They will find it," he said. "We're going to have to find a way to have a better security system."
Prosecutors have filed felony escape charges against the six inmates, who were awaiting trial on a variety of charges. Five of the inmates remain in the Greene County Jail, while one has been transferred to the Monroe County Jail in Bloomington.
Pierce said the investigation is ongoing and other current or former jail inmates may be charged.
The inmates figured out how to remove metal ceiling panels in the Greene County Jail and used the passageway more than a dozen times in September and October, according to court documents.
The men _ ages 44, 38 and 17 _ and the women _ ages 27, 26 and 21 _ crawled through the ceiling after midnight, having sexual encounters and drinking homemade alcohol that was found hidden in the male cell block, a police affidavit said.
One male inmate who was not charged said the female inmates would "hang-out, play cards or have sex with some of the male inmates" in their cell block, the affidavit said.
The inmates were able to find a security camera "blind spot" where they could remove ceiling tiles and create a passage between the cell blocks, Sheriff Terry Pierce said Tuesday.
The inmates used a shower drain as a tool to loosen security screws and the ceiling tiles were carefully replaced so they did not appear to be disturbed, Pierce said.
"We could not see it," he said.
The ceiling panels have since been secured, and Pierce said he was seeking funding to improve security at the jail, which was built in 1994 in the city about 25 miles southeast of Bloomington.
Pierce called the inmates' activities "embarrassing" to himself and his staff.
"If your facility has a flaw, if you house prisoners in it, they will show you. They will find it," he said. "We're going to have to find a way to have a better security system."
Prosecutors have filed felony escape charges against the six inmates, who were awaiting trial on a variety of charges. Five of the inmates remain in the Greene County Jail, while one has been transferred to the Monroe County Jail in Bloomington.
Pierce said the investigation is ongoing and other current or former jail inmates may be charged.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Reckless Rage
PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - A 32-year-old man was booked and jailed for investigation of reckless endangerment and fourth-degree assault on Friday after allegedly throwing a wrench at another vehicle on a highway.
The tool broke a vehicle's driver's-side window, showering glass inside the vehicle, and struck the driver in his left shoulder on State Highway 16. The man driving the vehicle wasn't injured.
The State Patrol said investigators were unable to determine the reason for the assault.
Witnesses traveling westbound on the highway told troopers the man had been passing vehicles and traveling at a high rate of speed when he threw the wrench "for no apparent reason."
The man was arrested at his house.
The tool broke a vehicle's driver's-side window, showering glass inside the vehicle, and struck the driver in his left shoulder on State Highway 16. The man driving the vehicle wasn't injured.
The State Patrol said investigators were unable to determine the reason for the assault.
Witnesses traveling westbound on the highway told troopers the man had been passing vehicles and traveling at a high rate of speed when he threw the wrench "for no apparent reason."
The man was arrested at his house.
New Spin On Road Rage
LINCOLN, Neb. - A driver who threw an axe at another motorist, wounding him, has been sentenced to 37 days in jail. The man, 51, was sentenced Friday in Lancaster County Court for third-degree assault and criminal mischief after pleading no contest to the charges.
Authorities said two vehicles were traveling near an intersection on June 13 and one cut in front of the other, prompting both vehicles to stop. The man threw a 3-foot axe through the other driver's passenger window, striking him in the ribs with the blunt end
Authorities said two vehicles were traveling near an intersection on June 13 and one cut in front of the other, prompting both vehicles to stop. The man threw a 3-foot axe through the other driver's passenger window, striking him in the ribs with the blunt end
Thx Nurse Latoya!
LEWISTON, Maine - Army and Navy recruiters took one look at 330-pound Ulysses Milana and told him to forget about joining. "'You've got to lose weight,'" Milana remembers them saying. But Marine recruiters were willing to work with him as he began his weight-loss journey in December 2007.
Now, 11 months later, Milana is 140 pounds lighter as he leaves Monday for Parris Island, S.C., to begin boot camp.
It wasn't easy, Milana said, but he managed to slim down through exercise, healthier eating habits and forgoing an occasional beer after work. The 23-year-old said he even refused a beer at his going-away party Saturday night.
Milana said he always wanted to follow in his family's footsteps by serving his country. His wife, Latoya, also comes from a military family.
Much of his weight-loss motivation came from Latoya, a nurse, who helped him reduce his calorie intake when he began his effort in earnest last December.
"It was really difficult for him at first. He always said, 'I'm gonna lose weight.' But I never took him seriously," Latoya told the Sun Journal newspaper. "Then, when he started to do it, I told him he needed to cut his portion sizes way down."
Marine recruiters also worked with him, helping to develop a workout regimen.
"You can sit there and preach and preach, but if you're not willing to help, then it doesn't lead you to success," Staff Sgt. George Monteith said. "If I say, 'Go lose weight and I'll see you in a year,' then what kind of help have I offered to make that happen?"
A former culinary student, Milana said it was a challenge to give up favorites like pizza and hot wings, but cracking open a cold beer after work was perhaps the toughest guilty pleasure to abandon.
"It was really hard. You see all your friends drinking beer, and you're like, 'Oh, man, I want one,'" he said. But his determination kept him on track, and he would head for the gym or don a head lamp and go out for a run.
Now, 11 months later, Milana is 140 pounds lighter as he leaves Monday for Parris Island, S.C., to begin boot camp.
It wasn't easy, Milana said, but he managed to slim down through exercise, healthier eating habits and forgoing an occasional beer after work. The 23-year-old said he even refused a beer at his going-away party Saturday night.
Milana said he always wanted to follow in his family's footsteps by serving his country. His wife, Latoya, also comes from a military family.
Much of his weight-loss motivation came from Latoya, a nurse, who helped him reduce his calorie intake when he began his effort in earnest last December.
"It was really difficult for him at first. He always said, 'I'm gonna lose weight.' But I never took him seriously," Latoya told the Sun Journal newspaper. "Then, when he started to do it, I told him he needed to cut his portion sizes way down."
Marine recruiters also worked with him, helping to develop a workout regimen.
"You can sit there and preach and preach, but if you're not willing to help, then it doesn't lead you to success," Staff Sgt. George Monteith said. "If I say, 'Go lose weight and I'll see you in a year,' then what kind of help have I offered to make that happen?"
A former culinary student, Milana said it was a challenge to give up favorites like pizza and hot wings, but cracking open a cold beer after work was perhaps the toughest guilty pleasure to abandon.
"It was really hard. You see all your friends drinking beer, and you're like, 'Oh, man, I want one,'" he said. But his determination kept him on track, and he would head for the gym or don a head lamp and go out for a run.
I Luv $$$
BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) - A Burlington woman awaiting a court of appeals ruling on an earlier conviction for forging her mother's checks has been arrested for allegedly doing it again. The woman, 43, was sentenced last summer to 15 years in prison but is free on bond while the case is being reviewed by the Iowa Court of Appeals.
Last week, she was arrested again on charges she stole checks from her parents. She also was accused of stealing another woman's credit card.
Police say the woman took at least 15 checks and wrote them out for about $850
Last week, she was arrested again on charges she stole checks from her parents. She also was accused of stealing another woman's credit card.
Police say the woman took at least 15 checks and wrote them out for about $850
Saturday, November 15, 2008
$5.00 Crime
FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Authorities say an 11-year-old boy hit his mother in the head with a saw and then offered her $5 not to call police. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office reported that the boy and his 41-year-old mother got into an argument Wednesday when she was trying to get him to take his medication.
The boy left and went to another home, where he began hitting a tree with a saw. When the mother finally caught up with the boy, authorities say he hit her in the head with the saw, causing a minor laceration. A sheriff's report said that's when the boy began pleading with his mother not to call police and offered her a $5 bill.
The boy is facing an aggravated battery charge.
The boy left and went to another home, where he began hitting a tree with a saw. When the mother finally caught up with the boy, authorities say he hit her in the head with the saw, causing a minor laceration. A sheriff's report said that's when the boy began pleading with his mother not to call police and offered her a $5 bill.
The boy is facing an aggravated battery charge.
Hungry Thief
LYNCHBURG, Va. - A prosecutor says greasy fingerprints led police in Virginia to a suspect with sticky fingers. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Bethany Harrison said Lynchburg police matched prints on an orange juice bottle left at the scene of a breaking and entering to 33-year-old Bernard Wood.
He was sentenced Friday to six years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny.
Harrison said Wood stole appliances, jewelry and tools from several homes in June and raided his victims' refrigerators.
At one crime scene, police found the juice bottle and remnants of a chicken.
Harrison says police also recovered some of the 78 bags of popcorn also reported stolen when they went to Wood's home to arrest him.
He was sentenced Friday to six years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny.
Harrison said Wood stole appliances, jewelry and tools from several homes in June and raided his victims' refrigerators.
At one crime scene, police found the juice bottle and remnants of a chicken.
Harrison says police also recovered some of the 78 bags of popcorn also reported stolen when they went to Wood's home to arrest him.
Tattletale Robber
YORK, Pa. - Police say a central Pennsylvania man tried to rob a bank - but tellers' empty cash drawers thwarted his attempt. Springettsbury Township Police Lt. Scott Laird said the tellers were waiting for their cash drawers to be filled when a man entered a Susquehanna Bank branch Thursday morning and demanded money. The first teller fainted and the next two showed him their empty cash drawers.
Laird says the robber then threatened to file a complaint with bank management before leaving.
A customer at the drive-through called 911. A 48-year-old man was arrested about 10 blocks away and was held in the York County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. He was charged with criminal attempt to commit robbery.
Laird says the robber then threatened to file a complaint with bank management before leaving.
A customer at the drive-through called 911. A 48-year-old man was arrested about 10 blocks away and was held in the York County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. He was charged with criminal attempt to commit robbery.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Pound By Pound Paroled
TORONTO - An obese inmate who goes by the nickname "Big Mike" has been granted early parole because a Canadian prison could not accommodate his 430-pound frame.
Michel Lapointe, 37, was released from prison earlier this week after serving 25 months in Montreal's Bordeaux Jail for conspiracy, drug trafficking and gangsterism.
The Quebec Parole Board said this week that it based its decision for an early release on Lapointe's health, along with factors such as good behavior and the support of his wife and mother.
The two-officer board stressed that Lapointe was not violent and did not pose a risk to society.
Lapointe will have to follow a series of conditions, such as finding a job and staying away from bars. He will also have to meet with a parole officer on a regular basis over the next three months.
A former chef, Lapointe was arrested on drug-related charges in 2006. In February 2008, he pleaded guilty to all of his charges. At the time of his arrest, Lapointe weighed 375 pounds.
Defense lawyer Clemente Monterosso said the prison's poor diet caused his client to gain more than 50 pounds.
Following the court's decision to release Lapointe, his mother, Claire Lapointe, said her son has always had weight problems. She said the problems were exacerbated while he was in jail.
Convicts' weight has also been an issue in the United States. In one case, a 500-pound New York man accused of selling knockoff guitars was arraigned in a pickup truck in a parking lot because he could not fit into the courthouse.
Michel Lapointe, 37, was released from prison earlier this week after serving 25 months in Montreal's Bordeaux Jail for conspiracy, drug trafficking and gangsterism.
The Quebec Parole Board said this week that it based its decision for an early release on Lapointe's health, along with factors such as good behavior and the support of his wife and mother.
The two-officer board stressed that Lapointe was not violent and did not pose a risk to society.
Lapointe will have to follow a series of conditions, such as finding a job and staying away from bars. He will also have to meet with a parole officer on a regular basis over the next three months.
A former chef, Lapointe was arrested on drug-related charges in 2006. In February 2008, he pleaded guilty to all of his charges. At the time of his arrest, Lapointe weighed 375 pounds.
Defense lawyer Clemente Monterosso said the prison's poor diet caused his client to gain more than 50 pounds.
Following the court's decision to release Lapointe, his mother, Claire Lapointe, said her son has always had weight problems. She said the problems were exacerbated while he was in jail.
Convicts' weight has also been an issue in the United States. In one case, a 500-pound New York man accused of selling knockoff guitars was arraigned in a pickup truck in a parking lot because he could not fit into the courthouse.
Officer Toilet
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) - A 35-year-old man faces charges after allegedly driving drunk and then urinating in the back of a squad car and on the arresting officer. A criminal complaint said the man was pulled over early Wednesday after an officer saw him driving erratically and striking a pole at a gas station.
The complaint said the man failed field sobriety tests and when he was being taken to the police station, urinated in the back of the squad car and sprayed the officer, hitting him in the back of the head.
The man is facing four felony charges and two misdemeanors. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted.
The misdemeanors include a fourth-offense operating while intoxicated.
The complaint said the man failed field sobriety tests and when he was being taken to the police station, urinated in the back of the squad car and sprayed the officer, hitting him in the back of the head.
The man is facing four felony charges and two misdemeanors. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted.
The misdemeanors include a fourth-offense operating while intoxicated.
Great Job Benefits..
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. - A contract beer truck driver has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after his rig flipped over. Police said the man, 56, was eastbound on Colorado 58 about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when he took an exit ramp for eastbound Interstate 70 too fast. The truck and its 45,000-pound trailer full of beer overturned.
Wheat Ridge police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall said the beer remained enclosed inside the trailer. Authorities had to remove the entire load in order for the trailer to be set upright.
The wreckage blocked the ramp until about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
No injuries were reported. Stigall says the man was booked and taken to a detoxification facility.
Wheat Ridge police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall said the beer remained enclosed inside the trailer. Authorities had to remove the entire load in order for the trailer to be set upright.
The wreckage blocked the ramp until about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
No injuries were reported. Stigall says the man was booked and taken to a detoxification facility.
Gator Nite?
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Heard the one about the guy who walked into a bar with an alligator? At Johnny's Saloon in Orange County, it was more than a joke early Saturday when a man arrived with his 3-foot pet gator on a leash.
By the time police and animal control officers arrived at Johnny's, the gator was in the man's vehicle in the parking lot. Officers followed him home, where another alligator was found, animal control spokesman Ryan Drabek said.
Both alligators were impounded and were being held Wednesday pending an investigation by the Department of Fish and Game, Drabek said.
Alligators are not native to California and it is illegal to keep them as pets.
A woman who answered the telephone at Johnny's Wednesday night declined to comment.
By the time police and animal control officers arrived at Johnny's, the gator was in the man's vehicle in the parking lot. Officers followed him home, where another alligator was found, animal control spokesman Ryan Drabek said.
Both alligators were impounded and were being held Wednesday pending an investigation by the Department of Fish and Game, Drabek said.
Alligators are not native to California and it is illegal to keep them as pets.
A woman who answered the telephone at Johnny's Wednesday night declined to comment.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Shameful Communion
JENSEN BEACH, Fla. - Police in said they arrested a Connecticut man after he tried to steal communion wafers during a church service. The Martin County Sheriff's Office said 33-year-old John Samuel Ricci, of Canton, was cornered by fellow churchgoers when he grabbed a handful of wafers from the priest during communion services Saturday.
The Stuart News reported that Ricci was being held down by six or seven offended parishioners when deputies arrived at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach. Police say two parishioners, ages 82 and 61, received minor injuries in the scuffle.
Ricci was charged with two counts of simple battery, theft and disruption of a religious assembly. He was being held Tuesday on $2,000 bond at the Martin County Jail.
The Stuart News reported that Ricci was being held down by six or seven offended parishioners when deputies arrived at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach. Police say two parishioners, ages 82 and 61, received minor injuries in the scuffle.
Ricci was charged with two counts of simple battery, theft and disruption of a religious assembly. He was being held Tuesday on $2,000 bond at the Martin County Jail.
It Wasn't Me..
MONROE, La. - A Florida man stopped because of his windshield tinting was arrested for murder and released hours later - when fingerprint comparisons showed he wasn't the wanted man.
The man was arrested after a background check found a fugitive wanted for murder in South Carolina with the same name, birth date and description.
He was released Sunday, the day of the arrest, when fingerprint comparisons showed he wasn't the wanted man. His wife protested the arrest and was taken in for resisting arrest and interfering with a trooper. She made bond and still faces possible charges.
A Louisiana State Patrol spokesman, said troopers acted in good faith and that it was an unfortunate situation.
The man was arrested after a background check found a fugitive wanted for murder in South Carolina with the same name, birth date and description.
He was released Sunday, the day of the arrest, when fingerprint comparisons showed he wasn't the wanted man. His wife protested the arrest and was taken in for resisting arrest and interfering with a trooper. She made bond and still faces possible charges.
A Louisiana State Patrol spokesman, said troopers acted in good faith and that it was an unfortunate situation.
Stunned Awake
LARGO, Fla. - A Pinellas County detention deputy was suspended for using the sound of his stun gun to try and wake up an inmate. According to an internal affairs report, the deputy thought the crackling sound of his Taser would rouse an inmate on July 27. It did not.
The inmate had fallen asleep at on the floor of the jail's intake section.
The deputy, a three-year veteran, received a 15-day suspension. His punishment also includes a charge of misconduct for falsifying a report.
The inmate had fallen asleep at on the floor of the jail's intake section.
The deputy, a three-year veteran, received a 15-day suspension. His punishment also includes a charge of misconduct for falsifying a report.
Monday, November 10, 2008
99 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall....
SCHERERVILLE, Ind. - Indiana state police said that after a mother was arrested for drunken driving, the three relatives who came to pick up her 1-year-old son also had all been drinking. A state trooper stopped a minivan for speeding early Saturday on U.S. 30 in Schererville in northwestern Indiana. He arrested the 24-year-old woman on a drunken driving charges.
The boy's father arrived later to pick him up, but officers determined he was intoxicated and also arrested him on a drunken driving charge.
Police said the boy's grandparents then arrived. Both of them also had been drinking, state police said, but the grandmother who was driving was not over the legal limit, so officers escorted them home with the child.
The boy's father arrived later to pick him up, but officers determined he was intoxicated and also arrested him on a drunken driving charge.
Police said the boy's grandparents then arrived. Both of them also had been drinking, state police said, but the grandmother who was driving was not over the legal limit, so officers escorted them home with the child.
Mighty,Mighty Handbag
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Don't knock those trendy, oversized purses - they could save your life, as one college student found out. Police say the contents in an oversized purse saved Elizabeth Pittenger, a 22-year-old Middle Tennessee State University student, by stopping a bullet during an attempted robbery.
Pittenger was walking to her car on campus Thursday evening when a man confronted her and demanded her purse, cell phone and laptop, university Police Chief Buddy Peaster said. She fought the man off, but he fired a gunshot before fleeing.
The bullet was found inside the purse, along with a calculator, umbrella and small case that had been punctured. Pittenger was not injured.
Police nearby heard the gunshot and arrested Orlando Edmiston, 20. Officers found a .38 caliber handgun beneath a parked van.
Edmiston was charged with attempted murder, attempted armed robbery and possession of a weapon on school property. He was being held at the Rutherford County jail on $32,500 bond.
No one answered Monday at offices for Edmiston's court-appointed attorneys.
Pittenger was walking to her car on campus Thursday evening when a man confronted her and demanded her purse, cell phone and laptop, university Police Chief Buddy Peaster said. She fought the man off, but he fired a gunshot before fleeing.
The bullet was found inside the purse, along with a calculator, umbrella and small case that had been punctured. Pittenger was not injured.
Police nearby heard the gunshot and arrested Orlando Edmiston, 20. Officers found a .38 caliber handgun beneath a parked van.
Edmiston was charged with attempted murder, attempted armed robbery and possession of a weapon on school property. He was being held at the Rutherford County jail on $32,500 bond.
No one answered Monday at offices for Edmiston's court-appointed attorneys.
The Councilman Said So
DALLAS - Dallas Councilman Dwaine Caraway is on a mission: He wants those wearing low-hanging, baggy pants to pull them up.
As part of his ongoing campaign against saggy, underwear-exposing pants, the mayor pro tem held a summit Saturday. More than 100 adults, children, students, ministers, law enforcement officers and representatives from local organizations attended the hours-long derriere affair.
Local youth counselor Calvin Glover even brought a contingent of saggy bottom teens. The group piled into two elevators and made its way to the council chamber. Saggy britches, big belt buckles and untucked T-shirts were in abundance.
Glover, a 29-year-old former sagger who still admits to an occasional offense, said kids today have taken the trend too far, exposing too much of their backsides.
"Come on, man," he said disgustedly. "I don't want to see your dirty boxers that you've had on for two or three days. I mean, really."
Most listened. Others seemed still groggy from the early morning wake-up.
Looking at a toddler sitting on one woman's lap, Caraway said the baby girl had a right not to see dirty boxers. So does the elderly woman at the grocery store, he said.
Caraway told the crowd they wouldn't want someone to show up to their house for a date if their pants were sagging. It would be disrespectful, he said.
Outside the chambers, 16-year-old Ernesto Arias seemed undaunted. He would still wear his pants low - maybe even lower, he said.
"It's just a style. It looks good like that," he said.
Back inside the chamber, Caraway allowed that it was OK to sag sometimes. "You can do anything, but do it appropriately," he said.
"I know I'm preaching, but even if we reach one, that's good enough," Caraway said
As part of his ongoing campaign against saggy, underwear-exposing pants, the mayor pro tem held a summit Saturday. More than 100 adults, children, students, ministers, law enforcement officers and representatives from local organizations attended the hours-long derriere affair.
Local youth counselor Calvin Glover even brought a contingent of saggy bottom teens. The group piled into two elevators and made its way to the council chamber. Saggy britches, big belt buckles and untucked T-shirts were in abundance.
Glover, a 29-year-old former sagger who still admits to an occasional offense, said kids today have taken the trend too far, exposing too much of their backsides.
"Come on, man," he said disgustedly. "I don't want to see your dirty boxers that you've had on for two or three days. I mean, really."
Most listened. Others seemed still groggy from the early morning wake-up.
Looking at a toddler sitting on one woman's lap, Caraway said the baby girl had a right not to see dirty boxers. So does the elderly woman at the grocery store, he said.
Caraway told the crowd they wouldn't want someone to show up to their house for a date if their pants were sagging. It would be disrespectful, he said.
Outside the chambers, 16-year-old Ernesto Arias seemed undaunted. He would still wear his pants low - maybe even lower, he said.
"It's just a style. It looks good like that," he said.
Back inside the chamber, Caraway allowed that it was OK to sag sometimes. "You can do anything, but do it appropriately," he said.
"I know I'm preaching, but even if we reach one, that's good enough," Caraway said
Friday, November 7, 2008
Arrest Proof?
- Authorities said a 22-year-old Tampa man used his grandfather as a shield while he was being arrested. According to an arrest affidavit, the man pulled his 72-year-old grandfather out of a chair and in front of officers Wednesday morning.
The man kept fighting after his grandfather was removed for the scene. He was charged with two counts of felony battery and resisting arrest with violence and was taken to jail.
The man kept fighting after his grandfather was removed for the scene. He was charged with two counts of felony battery and resisting arrest with violence and was taken to jail.
Coolest Pit Ever
PRYOR, Okla. - A dog waiting in a car while at a car wash slipped the vehicle into gear and drove in a loop before the car came to a stop. Pryor police officer Brent Crittenden said the dog's owner was washing the vehicle when the 70-pound pit bull jumped on the dash and somehow shifted the car into reverse.
The car backed out of the car wash bay, continued onto a highway and then looped around before coming to a stop at an automated car wash lane.
Crittenden said the vehicle was impounded because its owner was unable to provide proof of insurance.
Because the dog was registered with the city, Crittenden said the owner was allowed to walk the pooch home.
The car backed out of the car wash bay, continued onto a highway and then looped around before coming to a stop at an automated car wash lane.
Crittenden said the vehicle was impounded because its owner was unable to provide proof of insurance.
Because the dog was registered with the city, Crittenden said the owner was allowed to walk the pooch home.
Put It On My Tab..
LAWTON, Okla. (AP) - A 28-year-old man who attempted to pay for his bar tab with gum wrappers was arrested after a scuffle with a police officer on Tuesday night, authorities said. A bartender told police the man was playing pool with an open bottle of beer and spilled some of it on the table. She said he first tried to pay his $32 tab with a credit card, which was declined.
When police arrived and ordered the man to pay his tab, they reported that he began counting out gum wrappers as if they were cash.
The man was detained on a complaint of disorderly conduct and assault on a police officer.
When police arrived and ordered the man to pay his tab, they reported that he began counting out gum wrappers as if they were cash.
The man was detained on a complaint of disorderly conduct and assault on a police officer.
Careful Burgular
BEAUFORT, S.C. - It could be called the case of the careful cat burglar. Authorities said a man wore not one, but two masks when he broke into a house in Beaufort on Wednesday. The Beaufort Gazette reported the suspect got away with a woman's purse and several other items.
He was draped in a sheet, but when the victim's son chased the burglar and tore the sheet off his head, it revealed only a white-faced mask similar to the one worn by the villain in the movie "Scream."
Beaufort Police Maj. Matt Clancy said the whole thing was "definitively unusual." There were no arrests Thursday.
He was draped in a sheet, but when the victim's son chased the burglar and tore the sheet off his head, it revealed only a white-faced mask similar to the one worn by the villain in the movie "Scream."
Beaufort Police Maj. Matt Clancy said the whole thing was "definitively unusual." There were no arrests Thursday.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Voter Determination
SAN ANTONIO - Betty Owen is 92 and after a stroke four years ago, needs a feeding tube and can't walk. But she was determined not to miss Tuesday's election. She arrived at her polling place on a gurney in an ambulance, where an election judge and support worker climbed aboard with an electronic voting machine and let her cast her ballot.
"And you have voted," precinct judge Sam Green said after Owen pushed the red button finalizing her choices. "You know, you look so pretty in that red dress."
Owen grinned, the San Antonio Express-News reported in Tuesday's online edition.
Her daughter arranged for the ambulance ride at the last minute after Owen failed to get an absentee ballot.
Owen, a Marine Corps veteran who served in World War II, cast her first ballot for Wendell Willkie, a Republican running against Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.
She became a Democrat after voting for John Kennedy in 1960. She cast a straight Democratic ballot Tuesday.
"And you have voted," precinct judge Sam Green said after Owen pushed the red button finalizing her choices. "You know, you look so pretty in that red dress."
Owen grinned, the San Antonio Express-News reported in Tuesday's online edition.
Her daughter arranged for the ambulance ride at the last minute after Owen failed to get an absentee ballot.
Owen, a Marine Corps veteran who served in World War II, cast her first ballot for Wendell Willkie, a Republican running against Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.
She became a Democrat after voting for John Kennedy in 1960. She cast a straight Democratic ballot Tuesday.
Arrested Rooster?
BENTON, Ill. - A rooster played chicken in the wrong town. That's the word from the downstate community of Benton, where police took a rooster into custody after it allegedly confronted a woman and her child. Police Chief Mike O'Neill said the rooster has been bothering people lately, trying to keep them from getting where they want to go.
O'Neill said officers had enough on Monday and took the rooster into custody after what he described as a brief scuffle.
Nobody was injured and the rooster was thrown in an enclosed area near the police department. There, it lived on chicken feed and water until police located the owner.
Chickens aren't allowed to live in Benton and the rooster was turned over to the owner only after he promised to find it a new home in the country.
O'Neill said officers had enough on Monday and took the rooster into custody after what he described as a brief scuffle.
Nobody was injured and the rooster was thrown in an enclosed area near the police department. There, it lived on chicken feed and water until police located the owner.
Chickens aren't allowed to live in Benton and the rooster was turned over to the owner only after he promised to find it a new home in the country.
Huff, The Magic Dragon
FORREST CITY, Ark. - Police arrested a woman for public intoxication after she reportedly demanded an officer return the can of compressed air she was inhaling "so she could finish getting high."
Officers arrested the 46-year-old woman on Monday after officers received a call about a woman "huffing a can of air" inside a car parked at a Wal-Mart store. Police say the woman was slow to react to questions from officers.
When the officer again asked her what she was doing, he said "she wouldn't say anything except that she wanted her can back so she could finish getting high," according to police.
The woman was booked on the charge and later released.
Officers arrested the 46-year-old woman on Monday after officers received a call about a woman "huffing a can of air" inside a car parked at a Wal-Mart store. Police say the woman was slow to react to questions from officers.
When the officer again asked her what she was doing, he said "she wouldn't say anything except that she wanted her can back so she could finish getting high," according to police.
The woman was booked on the charge and later released.
That's No Candy
RAMSEY, Minn. - When their children returned from Halloween trick-or-treating, a couple found suspected methamphetamine and $85 in cash among their 7-year-old son's Snickers bars and Skittles. Lars and Shelly Brosdahl called police, who confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine, worth up to $200 on the street.
Someone who looked like a teenager dropped something into their son's bag as he went trick-or-treating with his 9-year-old sister on Halloween night, the Brosdahls say.
"He said some bigger kid ran by him and asked if he wanted some candy," Lars Brosdahl said. "He said 'Sure,' and the kid dropped it into his bag."
The clear crystals looked like rock candy, the parents said.
"The (kids) could have OD'd on it. That's what makes me so shaky and upset," Shelly Brosdahl said.
Police think the young man was a suspect fleeing police after a report of an assault in the area that night.
Police in Ramsey, northwest of Minneapolis, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
Someone who looked like a teenager dropped something into their son's bag as he went trick-or-treating with his 9-year-old sister on Halloween night, the Brosdahls say.
"He said some bigger kid ran by him and asked if he wanted some candy," Lars Brosdahl said. "He said 'Sure,' and the kid dropped it into his bag."
The clear crystals looked like rock candy, the parents said.
"The (kids) could have OD'd on it. That's what makes me so shaky and upset," Shelly Brosdahl said.
Police think the young man was a suspect fleeing police after a report of an assault in the area that night.
Police in Ramsey, northwest of Minneapolis, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Happy Halloween???
BOULDER, Colo. - Boulder police have ticketed about a dozen people running naked on the street while sporting freshly gutted pumpkins on their heads as part of an annual Halloween event.
The citations for indecent exposure Friday night came as dozens of other costumed revelers, including a man with a red cape and a sword, chanted to police officers to let go of the streakers and "find real criminals."
The event known in Boulder as the Naked Pumpkin Run has been held for 10 years. This year it drew a huge crowd, prompting concern from police.
Boulder police Chief Mark Beckner says officers "wanted to do something before (the event) got out of hand."
---
The citations for indecent exposure Friday night came as dozens of other costumed revelers, including a man with a red cape and a sword, chanted to police officers to let go of the streakers and "find real criminals."
The event known in Boulder as the Naked Pumpkin Run has been held for 10 years. This year it drew a huge crowd, prompting concern from police.
Boulder police Chief Mark Beckner says officers "wanted to do something before (the event) got out of hand."
---
A $5,000 vote?
NEW YORK - A New York City couple has traveled halfway around the world in the name of civic duty.
Susan Scott-Ker and her husband arrived in New York on Wednesday after flying 9,300 miles to vote in Tuesday's presidential election.
They have been working India but decided to return to New York when their absentee ballots failed to arrive. Their trip began in Bangalore with stopovers in New Delhi and Chicago.
It will be their first time voting in a presidential election. The New Zealand-born Scott-Ker and her Morroco-born husband became American citizens a year ago.
They estimate the trip will cost $5,000.
Susan Scott-Ker and her husband arrived in New York on Wednesday after flying 9,300 miles to vote in Tuesday's presidential election.
They have been working India but decided to return to New York when their absentee ballots failed to arrive. Their trip began in Bangalore with stopovers in New Delhi and Chicago.
It will be their first time voting in a presidential election. The New Zealand-born Scott-Ker and her Morroco-born husband became American citizens a year ago.
They estimate the trip will cost $5,000.
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