Worth a click | Journal Gazette

Birth of anteater has zoo puzzled

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:40:42 EST

GREENWICH, Conn. – An anteater has given birth at a Connecticut conservation center, prompting officials there to wonder how the mother conceived.

Alaska man runs onto frozen lake to avoid jail

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:15:38 EST

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Anchorage police say a young man who didn't want to return to jail ran out onto the uncertain ice of an Alaska lake to escape officers armed with an arrest warrant.

Prom-bound students stop to help crash victims

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:19:22 EST

DAVIE, Fla. – A group of 20 Florida high school seniors won't soon forget the limo ride to their prom at a beach-side hotel.

Stinky corpse flower blooms again at Ohio State

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:06:39 EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A large rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its awful smell has bloomed again at an Ohio State University greenhouse, and there's more excitement because another corpse flower there is expected to open soon, a spokeswoman said.

NYPD officer tries to help cat in tree, gets stuck

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:42:59 EST

Authorities say a New York police officer who went after a cat stuck in a tree got caught himself and needed a little help getting back down to the ground.

Man charged in overnight feast at Ky. supermarket

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:51:02 EST

Authorities in Kentucky have charged a man who officers say had an overnight feast in a closed supermarket outside Louisville.

Ohio State awaits bloom of stinky corpse flower

Associated Press — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:10:29 EST

Researchers at an Ohio State University greenhouse are awaiting a rare second bloom by a rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its unpleasant odor.

NY man finishes writing out entire Bible by hand

Associated Press — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:34:14 EST

SPENCERTOWN, N.Y. - At last, it is written.

Letter suggests Kilmer’s 'Trees’ was penned in New Jersey

Associated Press — Sat, 11 May 2013 03:05:27 EST

NEWARK, N.J. - The location of the trees that Joyce Kilmer wrote were more lovely than any poem has long been in dispute, with a handful of towns from Massachusetts to Indiana claiming to have inspired the verse.

Alligator attacks suspect on lam from police

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:20:53 EST

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - Authorities say a Florida man ran from the law and into an alligator's jaws.

Scratch-and-sniff cards spark natural gas scare

Associated Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:20:19 EST

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Those scratch-and-sniff cards the energy company sends to customers to teach them to recognize the artificial smell added to natural gas? Turns out they work pretty well.

'There she is,' but without the song

Associated Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:51:16 EST

The song, “Miss America,” which starts with the words, “There she is, Miss America,” will not be part of the pageant.

Here comes the grad-bride!

Associated Press — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:41:27 EST

PULLMAN, Wash. – With friends and family already gathered for her graduation from Washington State University, Cassie Dotts thought it would be a good time for another ceremony – her wedding.

Husband bites dog to stop attack, wife says

Associated Press — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:43:16 EST

MADRID, Iowa – An Iowa woman whose nose was severely injured by an attacking dog says her husband bit the animal to make it stop assaulting her.

School closes because of nice weather

Associated Press — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:22:21 EST

Friday will be a “sun day” for 205 students at Bellingham Christian School in Bellingham, Wash.

Trial ordered in deer shooting from Wal-Mart lot

Associated Press — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:07:24 EST

BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. A western Pennsylvania man who allegedly shot a deer near a busy Wal-Mart parking lot on the first day of rifle season last year has been ordered to stand trial on reckless endangerment and state game charges.

Missing mom presumed dead shows up after 11 years

Mark Scolforo — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:23:49 EST

LITITZ, Pa. - A central Pennsylvania woman who mysteriously disappeared after dropping off her children for school 11 years ago has surfaced in Florida and has told police she traveled there on a whim with homeless hitchhikers, slept under bridges and survived by scavenging food and panhandling, authorities said Wednesday.

Woman, 80, swallows diamond at Fla. charity event

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:21:57 EST

The idea behind the Tampa Women's Club charity event was simple. For $20, you could buy a flute of champagne and a chance to win a one-carat, $5,000 diamond.

Stolen 'Pulp Fiction’ car recovered

Associated Press — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:21:46 EST

VICTORVILLE, Calif. - Authorities say the classic Chevrolet convertible featured in the film Pulp Fiction has been found nearly two decades after it was stolen.

Rare 1913 nickel sells for $3.1 million

Associated Press — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:29:49 EST

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - A rare century-old U.S. nickel that was once mistakenly declared a fake has sold at auction for more than $3.1 million.

Woman meets circus tiger in bathroom

Associated Press — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:39:58 EST

SALINA, Kan. A central Kansas woman likely won't remember her first circus for the clowns or performances it'll be the tiger in the bathroom.

Ohio zoo's baby monkey named for CBS TV character

Associated Press — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:03:01 EST

POWELL, Ohio (AP) The Columbus Zoo's recent additions include a monkey named after a quirky scientist character on the CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory."

Mormon bishop with Samurai sword runs off attacker

BRADY McCOMBS — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:49:05 EST

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) A Samurai sword-wielding Mormon bishop helped a neighbor woman escape a Tuesday morning attack by a man who had been stalking her.

Oregon juror jailed for texting during trial

Associated Press — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 07:29:23 EST

A judge in Oregon noticed an unexpected glow on a juror's chest while the courtroom lights were dimmed during video evidence in an armed-robbery trial.

Dead-critter revenge common problem, chief says

Associated Press — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:25:13 EST

BROOKVILLE, Pa. - Police in one western Pennsylvania community are investigating a case of bar kill: a groundhog and a grouse, both dead, tossed into a tavern by unsatisfied customers.

Judge holds self in contempt for his smartphone

Associated Press — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:31:19 EST

IONIA, Mich. – A Michigan judge whose smartphone disrupted a hearing in his own courtroom has held himself in contempt and paid $25 for the infraction.

Swallowed ring recovered by New Hampshire police

Associated Press — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 03:09:55 EST

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Police say they've got the $3,200 engagement ring a New Hampshire man allegedly swallowed during an attempted jewelry store theft.

Cross ripped off his neck, ex-mayor seeks help for mugger

Katie Zezima — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:46:32 EST

NEWARK, N.J. - Sharpe James, the charismatic former mayor of Newark, N.J., and a convicted felon, knows a little something about the power of empathy in the face of criminal charges.

Honolulu court screeners find pet duck in bag

Associated Press — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:05:33 EST

HONOLULU - Security screeners at a Honolulu courthouse noticed something moving inside a defendant's bag as it passed through an X-ray machine earlier this week.

Belt buckle saves store worker in barrage of bullets

Associated Press — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:26:26 EST

PHILADELPHIA - A belt buckle saved a supermarket employee by stopping a stray bullet from a shootout outside a Philadelphia grocery store, police said.

Man dressed as Cookie Monster arrested in NY

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:42:28 EST

A man dressed as the Cookie Monster has been accused of shoving a 2-year-old in New York's Times Square and has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Montana pet owner to feds: The dog ate my money

Associated Press — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:07:32 EST

HELENA, Mont. (AP) A Montana man whose 12-year-old golden retriever ate five $100 bills hopes to be reimbursed by the federal government.

Germany: Thieves swipe 5 tons of chocolate spread

Associated Press — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:47:47 EST

BERLIN - These thieves might really have sticky fingers.

Iowa museum says tortoise was never stolen

Associated Press — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:34:17 EST

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) An African leopard tortoise thought to be stolen from an Iowa museum was actually trapped behind paneling in her enclosure, and a misguided employee who found her lied to keep up the story about her theft, the museum announced Friday.

Ewes-ful: Paris hires sheep to mow city lawns PARIS (AP) —

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 08:42:04 EST

Will tourists soon see flocks of baaing sheep at the Eiffel Tower and bleating ewes by Notre Dame cathedral.

Police: Man tried to cut off girlfriend's toe

Associated Press — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:48:43 EST

A former New Mexico shoe salesman accused of biting off part of his girlfriend's toe has been arrested again, this time for allegedly stalking the woman and trying to cut off her big toe with a cigar cutter.

Man accused of stealing Cake Boss' freebies

Associated Press — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:48:26 EST

A Pittsburgh man has been accused of cutting a line waiting to get free cakes from the Cake Boss and stealing four of them.

Hydroponic gardeners sue after fruitless pot raid

Heather Hollingsworth — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:35:50 EST

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two former CIA employees whose Kansas home was fruitlessly searched for marijuana during a two-state drug sweep claim they were illegally targeted, possibly because they had bought indoor growing supplies to raise vegetables.

Divorce denied to transgender man who gave birth 3 times

Associated Press — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:52:16 EST

PHOENIX - An Arizona judge on Friday refused to grant a divorce for a transgender Arizona man who gave birth to three children after beginning to change his sex from female.

Forgery with a what? Hint: It was for a urine test

Associated Press — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:47:00 EST

Authorities say the man was submitting a sample last week as part of his probation when an officer spotted him using a Whizzinator.

Ga. woman's camera washes ashore in Taiwan

Associated Press — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:59:55 EST

A Georgia woman has been reunited with her camera and photos after the camera she lost during a 2007 trip to Hawaii washed ashore in Taiwan.

Who took my cheese? Stolen in Wisconsin, Muenster makes it to NJ

Associated Press — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:04:11 EST

CASHTON, Wis. - An Illinois man accused of stealing 21 tons of Wisconsin cheese has been arrested in New Jersey.

Prosecutor clears Phil the groundhog

Dan Sewell — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:19:11 EST

“I’m kind of done with animal cases. Maybe another prosecutor can go after the Easter Bunny.”

Woman sets fire to snake, which sets fire to home

Woman sets fire to snake, which sets fire to home — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 18:58:27 EST

TEXARKANA, Texas Authorities say a northeast Texas woman recently learned a hard lesson: Don't try to kill a snake by setting it on fire.

Deer bolts from car trunk past stunned officer

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:02:48 EST

Talk about junk in the trunk.

Punxsutawney Phil indicted; death penalty sought

Amanda Lee Myers — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:15:43 EST

CINCINNATI - Famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil might want to go back into hibernation.

Teen sentenced to not say "bingo" for 6 months

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:00:49 EST

Calling out "bingo" when you don't have one can get you in trouble in northern Kentucky.

'Bible’ producers scoff at Obama-Satan resemblance

Associated Press — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:51:04 EST

NEW YORK - The producers of the cable TV miniseries on the Bible say Internet chatter that their Satan character resembles President Barack Obama is utter nonsense.

Mourning on Facebook can be blessing, curse

JESSICA CONTRERA/Courier&Journal — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:07:04 EST

After 26 years together, Jennifer Gibson-Sargent never expected her closest connection to her brother to be strictly digital.

Auction house: We found Titanic bandmaster’s violin

Cassandra Vinograd — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:49:28 EST

LONDON - The violin played by the bandmaster of the Titanic as the oceanliner sank has been unearthed, a British auction house said Friday.

Boy, 10, calls 911 after dad, grandma OD

Associated Press — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:40:15 EST

NEW BRIGHTON, Pa. - Police have charged a man and his mother with endangering a 10-year-old boy who called 911 when they passed out at home while allegedly using heroin.

Aland islands brewery to make 'shipwreck beer'

Associated Press — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:01:56 EST

Local authorities on the Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea say a local brewer will begin producing a beer inspired by bottles found in a 19th century shipwreck three years ago.

Golfer survives mid-round sinkhole

Associated Press — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:57:45 EST

The player dislocated his shoulder when the 14th fairway opened under him.

Overdue library book returned 69 years late

Associated Press — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:46:40 EST

TALLINN, Estonia - An Estonian man has returned a library book 69 years late, partly blaming a World War II aerial bombing that damaged the library for the late return.