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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dead evicted from funeral home
Even the dead can't escape foreclosure.
Five bodies and the cremated remains of 22 people were removed in the wee hours Friday from the House of Burns Memorial Chapel, a funeral home in Pontiac.
They were delivered to the Oakland County medical examiner's office for storage around 4:30 a.m., said administrator Robert Gerds.
"I've been here over 10 years. It's a first for me," he said.
At the suburban Detroit funeral home, a woman answering the phone said: "It ain't nothing baby. Just God doing his work." She declined to give her name.
Gerds said some cremated remains are from the 1990s. The county will send the bodies to another funeral home if a family member makes a claim.
Five bodies and the cremated remains of 22 people were removed in the wee hours Friday from the House of Burns Memorial Chapel, a funeral home in Pontiac.
They were delivered to the Oakland County medical examiner's office for storage around 4:30 a.m., said administrator Robert Gerds.
"I've been here over 10 years. It's a first for me," he said.
At the suburban Detroit funeral home, a woman answering the phone said: "It ain't nothing baby. Just God doing his work." She declined to give her name.
Gerds said some cremated remains are from the 1990s. The county will send the bodies to another funeral home if a family member makes a claim.
Dog beaten with hammer then buried alive
He said he was trying to put a dog out of its misery but how he went about doing it is raising questions.
"I went out and I took a hammer and hit her and I thought I'd killed her pretty good," said Hyrum Long, about his 14-year-old dog, Molly, who he said had been suffering.
"When I left, she was not making no noise or movement," he said. "(Otherwise) I would have stayed with her and made sure she was dead." Long said after striking the dog with a hammer and burying her, he and his family went to dinner. And that is when neighbors heard the dog's cries.
And what they discovered was shocking - a dog buried up to its neck and suffering from an obvious head injury. There was a pillow under the dog's head and a log on top of that. "She dug her way out," said Long.
It turned out Molly was alive and she was taken to the Oregon Humane Society to be treated for multiple injuries. However, she was so badly hurt that they ended up euthanizing her. The owners said they didn't have the money to euthanize the dog and ultimately just wanted to bury her at home. And they said they never meant to harm her.
Police say there are a lot of unanswered questions. A criminal case has been opened and possible charges include aggravated animal abuse.
With news video. There's a very unpleasant, graphic photo on this page.
"I went out and I took a hammer and hit her and I thought I'd killed her pretty good," said Hyrum Long, about his 14-year-old dog, Molly, who he said had been suffering.
"When I left, she was not making no noise or movement," he said. "(Otherwise) I would have stayed with her and made sure she was dead." Long said after striking the dog with a hammer and burying her, he and his family went to dinner. And that is when neighbors heard the dog's cries.
And what they discovered was shocking - a dog buried up to its neck and suffering from an obvious head injury. There was a pillow under the dog's head and a log on top of that. "She dug her way out," said Long.
It turned out Molly was alive and she was taken to the Oregon Humane Society to be treated for multiple injuries. However, she was so badly hurt that they ended up euthanizing her. The owners said they didn't have the money to euthanize the dog and ultimately just wanted to bury her at home. And they said they never meant to harm her.
Police say there are a lot of unanswered questions. A criminal case has been opened and possible charges include aggravated animal abuse.
With news video. There's a very unpleasant, graphic photo on this page.
Horse gets artificial leg in pioneering operation
A horse has been given an artifical limb in a pioneering operation that has saved its life.
The mare, named Riley, was intended to be put down after it was taken to an animal centre suffering from a hind leg injury four years ago.
It had a metal plate inserted into its left leg, but it eventually became contaminated, causing the bone to deteriorate.
However, rather than put it down, sanctuary staff decided to try an innovative treatment and amputated the leg and designed a prosthetic limb.
Manager Jen Reid and vets Dr Tara Timpson and Dr Ted Vlahos were so successful that Riley is now able to trot around her paddock, and even carry a rider.
A spokeswoman for the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, USA, which came up with the solution, said: "Each year, thousands of horses are put down for reasons very similar to those that necessitated the amputation of Riley's leg. Were hopeful that horses like Riley will get the word out that we don't always need to kill them," he said.
The mare, named Riley, was intended to be put down after it was taken to an animal centre suffering from a hind leg injury four years ago.
It had a metal plate inserted into its left leg, but it eventually became contaminated, causing the bone to deteriorate.
However, rather than put it down, sanctuary staff decided to try an innovative treatment and amputated the leg and designed a prosthetic limb.
Manager Jen Reid and vets Dr Tara Timpson and Dr Ted Vlahos were so successful that Riley is now able to trot around her paddock, and even carry a rider.
A spokeswoman for the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, USA, which came up with the solution, said: "Each year, thousands of horses are put down for reasons very similar to those that necessitated the amputation of Riley's leg. Were hopeful that horses like Riley will get the word out that we don't always need to kill them," he said.
British immigration minister hit by cream pie
Immigration minister Phil Woolas has become the victim of a pie-throwing protester, angry at his call to limit UK immigration.
A member of the No Borders group threw a cream pie into the minister's face while he was speaking at a debate at Manchester University.
A spokeswoman for the group said Mr Woolas had been "spouting right-wing anti-immigration policies".
The No Borders group, which campaigns against immigration controls, were angered by Mr Woolas' recent remarks, in which he said the government would not allow the UK's population to rise as high as 70 million.
A spokeswoman for No Borders said: "We threw the pie because we didn't want to engage in debate and legitimise what he was saying."
A Home Office spokeswoman said the minister declined to comment. Mr Woolas was unharmed and later rejoined the debate.
There's another video here.
A member of the No Borders group threw a cream pie into the minister's face while he was speaking at a debate at Manchester University.
A spokeswoman for the group said Mr Woolas had been "spouting right-wing anti-immigration policies".
The No Borders group, which campaigns against immigration controls, were angered by Mr Woolas' recent remarks, in which he said the government would not allow the UK's population to rise as high as 70 million.
A spokeswoman for No Borders said: "We threw the pie because we didn't want to engage in debate and legitimise what he was saying."
A Home Office spokeswoman said the minister declined to comment. Mr Woolas was unharmed and later rejoined the debate.
There's another video here.
Broomsticks banned from school halloween party
Children have been banned from bringing broomsticks to a Halloween party because of health and safety fears.
Langham Pre-school near Colchester, Essex, announced it was barring brooms from its annual Pumpkin Party on Sunday after a child was hurt last year.
The fancy-dress party has been running at the village’s community centre for more than six years and is the nursery’s main fundraiser, attracting about 100 children and their families.
But this year committee members decided to officially ban play broomsticks and devil forks for health and safety reasons.
John Smith, committee chairman and a primary school headteacher, said: “It was not a whim, it was a considered decision. Last year, a child brought a full-size broomstick and another child got hurt."
A spokesman for the Pre-school Learning Alliance added: “Banning broomsticks at a Halloween party, however well-meaning, is taking health and safety a little to the extreme.”
Langham Pre-school near Colchester, Essex, announced it was barring brooms from its annual Pumpkin Party on Sunday after a child was hurt last year.
The fancy-dress party has been running at the village’s community centre for more than six years and is the nursery’s main fundraiser, attracting about 100 children and their families.
But this year committee members decided to officially ban play broomsticks and devil forks for health and safety reasons.
John Smith, committee chairman and a primary school headteacher, said: “It was not a whim, it was a considered decision. Last year, a child brought a full-size broomstick and another child got hurt."
A spokesman for the Pre-school Learning Alliance added: “Banning broomsticks at a Halloween party, however well-meaning, is taking health and safety a little to the extreme.”
Six brothers in jail at same time
Six English brothers are in prison at the same time after one was jailed for burglary. Jason Smith, 22, from Kingsland Road, Luton, admitted six burglaries, one charge of theft from a car, taking a car and making off without payment.
At Luton Crown Court, William Noble, defending, said: "He is one of six brothers, all of whom are in custody."
Smith was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He asked for 48 crimes in Bedfordshire and 24 in Hertfordshire to be taken into consideration.
Smith, who began offending when he was 11, had committed burglaries in Luton and North Hertfordshire mainly between May and July.
Mr Noble said Smith had been addicted to heroin by the time of his 15th birthday, and all his offending was to finance his drug habit.
Judge Peter Wright told him: "Your background leaves one saddened. Life has dealt you a pretty raw hand. But there are a shocking number of crimes here."
At Luton Crown Court, William Noble, defending, said: "He is one of six brothers, all of whom are in custody."
Smith was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He asked for 48 crimes in Bedfordshire and 24 in Hertfordshire to be taken into consideration.
Smith, who began offending when he was 11, had committed burglaries in Luton and North Hertfordshire mainly between May and July.
Mr Noble said Smith had been addicted to heroin by the time of his 15th birthday, and all his offending was to finance his drug habit.
Judge Peter Wright told him: "Your background leaves one saddened. Life has dealt you a pretty raw hand. But there are a shocking number of crimes here."
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