Sunday, October 04, 2009
Mother fights school that banned her bike rides with son
A New York mother is fighting back against her school district after administrators and officials told her she and her son didn't have the right to bike to school together — and that his safety, even beyond school walls, was out of her hands.
Janette Kaddo Marino said their 3-mile rides to and from school in Saratoga Springs have been met with stiff opposition from officials and even a state trooper who claimed it was unsafe — and illegal — for her 12-year-old son Adam to travel on his own pair of wheels.
Undeterred, she and her seventh-grader have continued cruising to Maple Avenue Middle School this fall in defiance of a 15-year-old school regulation that effectively forces kids to take the bus or hitch a ride in a family car. "They really don't have the right to tell me how to get my kids to school," Marino said, emphasizing that she always accompanies her son and is "very safety-oriented."
"This just doesn't seem right to me that the school district would have that kind of authority over a parent," she said — noting that students have been asked not to walk to school. "We're not hurting anyone — we're just riding our bikes."
Even though administrators have tried to stop the Marinos from biking, school officials say they don't actually have the right to bar parents or students from walking or biking to school, and that the policy itself has been widely misunderstood.
"The existing policy is worded in such a way that it may lead one to believe that we're prohibiting biking to school," said Saratoga Springs superintendent Janice White. The one-sentence clause in the school board handbook looks clear enough: "The riding of bicycles by elementary pupils to and from school is prohibited."
Janette Kaddo Marino said their 3-mile rides to and from school in Saratoga Springs have been met with stiff opposition from officials and even a state trooper who claimed it was unsafe — and illegal — for her 12-year-old son Adam to travel on his own pair of wheels.
Undeterred, she and her seventh-grader have continued cruising to Maple Avenue Middle School this fall in defiance of a 15-year-old school regulation that effectively forces kids to take the bus or hitch a ride in a family car. "They really don't have the right to tell me how to get my kids to school," Marino said, emphasizing that she always accompanies her son and is "very safety-oriented."
"This just doesn't seem right to me that the school district would have that kind of authority over a parent," she said — noting that students have been asked not to walk to school. "We're not hurting anyone — we're just riding our bikes."
Even though administrators have tried to stop the Marinos from biking, school officials say they don't actually have the right to bar parents or students from walking or biking to school, and that the policy itself has been widely misunderstood.
"The existing policy is worded in such a way that it may lead one to believe that we're prohibiting biking to school," said Saratoga Springs superintendent Janice White. The one-sentence clause in the school board handbook looks clear enough: "The riding of bicycles by elementary pupils to and from school is prohibited."
Piggy-bear ride
Arctic waters are at best chilly and at worst close to freezing.
Which may explain why a polar bear cub has recently been seen riding on the back of its mother as the bears swim across parts of the Arctic Ocean.
The cub then briefly rode her back as she clambered out of the icy water, a unique event photographed by a tourist.
Experts have rarely seen the behaviour, and they say the latest find suggests it may be a more common practice than previously thought.
Which may explain why a polar bear cub has recently been seen riding on the back of its mother as the bears swim across parts of the Arctic Ocean.
The cub then briefly rode her back as she clambered out of the icy water, a unique event photographed by a tourist.
Experts have rarely seen the behaviour, and they say the latest find suggests it may be a more common practice than previously thought.
Bank robbery foiled by poor handwriting
A 30-year-old woman tried to rob a bank Wednesday by handing a teller a threatening note, but the teller couldn't read her handwriting, police said.
Hillsboro police said Stephanie Martin walked into a Wells Fargo bank in Hillsboro and handed the teller a note that read, "Need $300 or I'll kill you. I'm serious."
The teller told Martin she couldn't read the handwriting, police said. Martin then walked to a counter and re-wrote the note on a bank slip, according to Lt. Mike Rouches, of the Hillsboro Police Department.
The teller then hit the silent alarm and the bank's manager asked how he could help Martin, Rouches said.
Martin then said she wanted to open an account with the bank, according to officers.
Police and FBI agents arrived at the scene and arrested Martin, who police determined was under the influence of drugs, Rouches said.
Hillsboro police said Stephanie Martin walked into a Wells Fargo bank in Hillsboro and handed the teller a note that read, "Need $300 or I'll kill you. I'm serious."
The teller told Martin she couldn't read the handwriting, police said. Martin then walked to a counter and re-wrote the note on a bank slip, according to Lt. Mike Rouches, of the Hillsboro Police Department.
The teller then hit the silent alarm and the bank's manager asked how he could help Martin, Rouches said.
Martin then said she wanted to open an account with the bank, according to officers.
Police and FBI agents arrived at the scene and arrested Martin, who police determined was under the influence of drugs, Rouches said.
Tourist faeces 'killed rare shrimp' on Ayers Rock
A wildlife scientist says people relieving themselves on top of Uluru may have killed off a rare species of shrimp.
Retired university professor Brian Timms says he has studied museum specimens of small inland shrimp that live in pools on top of Uluru.
He says his research shows the localised extinction of one species of fairy shrimp and the dominance of another - changes which could be due to human waste.
"It's happened already that the people going up the rock somehow have affected the animals which live in the pools, possibly by peeing on the rock and pooing on the rock," he said.
He says the Branchinella Latzi shrimp species, which once inhabited rock pools on Uluru, has not been found in collections since about the 1970s.
"Latzi is a very limited species and it might be susceptible to enrichment of the pools whereas [the other species on Uluru] is a widespread, tough species," he said. "Certainly if they [tourists] go up, they should be behaving themselves, not pooing on the rock."
Retired university professor Brian Timms says he has studied museum specimens of small inland shrimp that live in pools on top of Uluru.
He says his research shows the localised extinction of one species of fairy shrimp and the dominance of another - changes which could be due to human waste.
"It's happened already that the people going up the rock somehow have affected the animals which live in the pools, possibly by peeing on the rock and pooing on the rock," he said.
He says the Branchinella Latzi shrimp species, which once inhabited rock pools on Uluru, has not been found in collections since about the 1970s.
"Latzi is a very limited species and it might be susceptible to enrichment of the pools whereas [the other species on Uluru] is a widespread, tough species," he said. "Certainly if they [tourists] go up, they should be behaving themselves, not pooing on the rock."
Miraculous escape for duck shot through the head with nail gun
A duck had to undergo emergency surgery after surviving for several days with a 4in nail embedded in its skull. The bird, called Tully by vets, had been shot through the head with a nail gun.
But it took rescuers three days to capture the creature, who had the nail sticking out from both sides of its head. The duck was then rushed for emergency surgery at a vets in Devon Meadows, Victoria, in Australia.
After giving Tully an anaesthetic, vets were able to remove the nail which had pierced his head just 4mm from an eye. Nigel Williamson, 43, from Australian Animal Rescue, was eventually able to catch him after a concerned member of the public raised the alarm.
He said: 'Before trying to capture him I watched the duck to see what the situation was and he was just waddling around feeding, swimming and doing everything a duck should be doing with this nail in his head. 'He didn't seem bothered about it at all but in his healthy state it meant he was still very hard to get hold of.
'When we got him to the vets we found it had missed all the vital organs including his brain. We were able to get it out in about 15 minutes.' He blamed 'mindless yobbos' for the cruel attack.
Mr Williamson added: 'We don't know who did it but we see a lot of these kind of bizarre injuries when the schools break up for holidays. It might have been kids. It really is just a blatant act of senseless cruelty. It's hard to believe anybody would want to do something like this. Fortunately he is making a great recovery.'
But it took rescuers three days to capture the creature, who had the nail sticking out from both sides of its head. The duck was then rushed for emergency surgery at a vets in Devon Meadows, Victoria, in Australia.
After giving Tully an anaesthetic, vets were able to remove the nail which had pierced his head just 4mm from an eye. Nigel Williamson, 43, from Australian Animal Rescue, was eventually able to catch him after a concerned member of the public raised the alarm.
He said: 'Before trying to capture him I watched the duck to see what the situation was and he was just waddling around feeding, swimming and doing everything a duck should be doing with this nail in his head. 'He didn't seem bothered about it at all but in his healthy state it meant he was still very hard to get hold of.
'When we got him to the vets we found it had missed all the vital organs including his brain. We were able to get it out in about 15 minutes.' He blamed 'mindless yobbos' for the cruel attack.
Mr Williamson added: 'We don't know who did it but we see a lot of these kind of bizarre injuries when the schools break up for holidays. It might have been kids. It really is just a blatant act of senseless cruelty. It's hard to believe anybody would want to do something like this. Fortunately he is making a great recovery.'
Vatican priest caught in red light district police chase
A Vatican priest led police on a high speed car chase leaving three officers injured after being caught in a red light zone, a court has heard. Father Cesare Burgazzi, 51, said he 'floored' his Ford Focus car after he mistook the plain clothes officers who tried to flag him down during a spot check as robbers.
During the twenty minute early hours chase - which was described in court as "like something from a Hollywood movie" two police cars crashed and three police left injured. The court in Rome heard that Father Burgazzi was a priest who worked at the Vatican's State Department and was also a master of ceremonies at St Peter's Basilica.
Officers gave chase after Father Burgazzi was spotted driving slowly in the Valle Giulia, an area of Rome well known for prostitution and transsexuals, and flagged down but instead drove off at high speed. When he eventually stopped he told stunned officers: "You have no idea who I am. You don't know who you are messing with," not before he had tried to drive his car at them.
Father Burgazzi is accused of wounding, resisting arrest and failing to produce documents for the car or his identity when stopped.
His lawyer, Gianni Lostia, told the court in Rome: 'My client is not a user of prostitutes or transsexuals - he did not have condoms in his car and he contests the police's claim that the front seats were reclined. 'He was simply on his way home after a night out at a restaurant with priest friends. He thought the officers who had tried to stop him were trying to rob him and he panicked and drove off.'
Prosecutor Maria Bice Barborini asked the judge for an 18 month jail sentence while lawyers representing the injured officers said they were looking for 20,000 Euro damages for each of them. The case has been adjourned until later this month for sentencing.
During the twenty minute early hours chase - which was described in court as "like something from a Hollywood movie" two police cars crashed and three police left injured. The court in Rome heard that Father Burgazzi was a priest who worked at the Vatican's State Department and was also a master of ceremonies at St Peter's Basilica.
Officers gave chase after Father Burgazzi was spotted driving slowly in the Valle Giulia, an area of Rome well known for prostitution and transsexuals, and flagged down but instead drove off at high speed. When he eventually stopped he told stunned officers: "You have no idea who I am. You don't know who you are messing with," not before he had tried to drive his car at them.
Father Burgazzi is accused of wounding, resisting arrest and failing to produce documents for the car or his identity when stopped.
His lawyer, Gianni Lostia, told the court in Rome: 'My client is not a user of prostitutes or transsexuals - he did not have condoms in his car and he contests the police's claim that the front seats were reclined. 'He was simply on his way home after a night out at a restaurant with priest friends. He thought the officers who had tried to stop him were trying to rob him and he panicked and drove off.'
Prosecutor Maria Bice Barborini asked the judge for an 18 month jail sentence while lawyers representing the injured officers said they were looking for 20,000 Euro damages for each of them. The case has been adjourned until later this month for sentencing.
South African white supremacist demands Afrikaner state
A notorious white supremacist from South Africa's apartheid era has revealed plans to rally far right groups and apply to the United Nations for a breakaway Afrikaner republic.
Eugene Terre'Blanche was the voice of hardline opposition to the end of white minority rule in the early 90s, but has been in relative obscurity since his release in 2004 after a prison sentence for beating a black man nearly to death.
He said yesterday that he had revived his Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) after several years of inactivity and it would meet with like-minded groups on 10 October to discuss joining forces and pushing for secession from South Africa.
"The circumstances in the country demanded it," he told South Africa's Mail and Guardian newspaper. "The white man in South Africa is realising that his salvation lies in self-government in territories paid for by his ancestors."
Terre'Blanche said he wanted to organise a referendum for those wanting an independent homeland, where English would be an accepted language along with Afrikaans. "It's now about the right of a nation that wants to separate itself from a unity state filled with crime, death, murder, rape, lies and fraud."
Terre'Blanche said taking up arms was not part of the new far-right plan. "For now there are other options we have to exercise first. We have a strong case to take to the United Nations." The AWB – whose flag resembles a Nazi swastika – was founded in 1973 with the aim of maintaining white supremacy by any means.
Eugene Terre'Blanche was the voice of hardline opposition to the end of white minority rule in the early 90s, but has been in relative obscurity since his release in 2004 after a prison sentence for beating a black man nearly to death.
He said yesterday that he had revived his Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) after several years of inactivity and it would meet with like-minded groups on 10 October to discuss joining forces and pushing for secession from South Africa.
"The circumstances in the country demanded it," he told South Africa's Mail and Guardian newspaper. "The white man in South Africa is realising that his salvation lies in self-government in territories paid for by his ancestors."
Terre'Blanche said he wanted to organise a referendum for those wanting an independent homeland, where English would be an accepted language along with Afrikaans. "It's now about the right of a nation that wants to separate itself from a unity state filled with crime, death, murder, rape, lies and fraud."
Terre'Blanche said taking up arms was not part of the new far-right plan. "For now there are other options we have to exercise first. We have a strong case to take to the United Nations." The AWB – whose flag resembles a Nazi swastika – was founded in 1973 with the aim of maintaining white supremacy by any means.
Mourners sue over 'drunk' pastor
A Swedish family is seeking damages of nearly 30,000 euros (£27,500) after a Protestant pastor performed a funeral service in an apparently drunk state, the Church of Sweden said on Friday.
The pastor also raised eyebrows for apparently flirtatious behaviour towards the dead man's family members. He kissed the hand of the deceased's daughter and gave an exaggerated hug to the 20-year-old granddaughter, the family said in a letter to the former state church.
"Everything seemed to go perfectly well until this pastor came in mumbling for 30 minutes," the family said in the letter, complaining that he had alcohol on his breath. "Nobody, among his servers or in the audience, understood what he was saying."
"The first thing we will now remember thinking about our loved one is the drunk pastor," they added.
Apart from the 300,000 kronor (£27,500) the family also asked for a refund of the funeral expenses.
The Church of Sweden, which ceased to be a state church in 2000, confirmed that it had received the complaint, saying the issue was being investigated.
The pastor also raised eyebrows for apparently flirtatious behaviour towards the dead man's family members. He kissed the hand of the deceased's daughter and gave an exaggerated hug to the 20-year-old granddaughter, the family said in a letter to the former state church.
"Everything seemed to go perfectly well until this pastor came in mumbling for 30 minutes," the family said in the letter, complaining that he had alcohol on his breath. "Nobody, among his servers or in the audience, understood what he was saying."
"The first thing we will now remember thinking about our loved one is the drunk pastor," they added.
Apart from the 300,000 kronor (£27,500) the family also asked for a refund of the funeral expenses.
The Church of Sweden, which ceased to be a state church in 2000, confirmed that it had received the complaint, saying the issue was being investigated.
Christian preacher refused entry to Britain under rules intended to fight extremism
Christian evangelist Benny Hinn, from Texas, has been refused entry to Britain after falling foul of new rules drawn up to combat hate crimes and extremism. Thousands who travelled to see Mr Hinn perform at a London rally have been were left disappointed after officials at Stansted airport would not let him in the country.
Border Agency officials turned back Mr Hinn, who landed by private jet, because he had failed to bring a valid sponsorship certificate from his church, required under rules introduced last November. The Pentecostal preacher, who was due to perform at a three day rally in a Docklands exhibition centre this weekend, flew on to Paris, and attempted – and failed – to regain entry to Britain via Luton.
Thousands of evangelical Christians who had booked long weekend breaks to see the mission at the ExCeL centre were left waiting for Mr Hinn to appear at the free preaching event, not knowing why he failed to appear. Instead another pastor took his place. His "fire conference and miracle service" was scheduled to last three days, finishing on Saturday night. Among the "miracles" the Texan preacher performs is one in which he instructs participants to "let the bodies hit the floor".
Mr Hinn has previously visited Britain without problems, but since November, under Home Office rules intended to combat extremism, all religious workers must obtain a valid certificate of sponsorship before they arrive in the UK. One of the aims of the new points-based system was to prevent teachers of religious hate entering the country.
Border Agency officials turned back Mr Hinn, who landed by private jet, because he had failed to bring a valid sponsorship certificate from his church, required under rules introduced last November. The Pentecostal preacher, who was due to perform at a three day rally in a Docklands exhibition centre this weekend, flew on to Paris, and attempted – and failed – to regain entry to Britain via Luton.
Thousands of evangelical Christians who had booked long weekend breaks to see the mission at the ExCeL centre were left waiting for Mr Hinn to appear at the free preaching event, not knowing why he failed to appear. Instead another pastor took his place. His "fire conference and miracle service" was scheduled to last three days, finishing on Saturday night. Among the "miracles" the Texan preacher performs is one in which he instructs participants to "let the bodies hit the floor".
Mr Hinn has previously visited Britain without problems, but since November, under Home Office rules intended to combat extremism, all religious workers must obtain a valid certificate of sponsorship before they arrive in the UK. One of the aims of the new points-based system was to prevent teachers of religious hate entering the country.
Magistrates hit by biscuit cuts
Cuts in Ministry of Justice spending have resulted in magistrates in at least one city going without tea and biscuits, a senior judge has said.
Mr Justice Saunders said finances were so stretched, he would be supplying the refreshments for a meeting he was holding at a court in Oxford.
He likened the situation to "taking food parcels to refugees" and said "We're all doing our bit."
A spokeswoman for HM Courts Service said Mr Justice Saunders was going to Oxford for a private meeting and so they would not comment.
Mr Justice Saunders said finances were so stretched, he would be supplying the refreshments for a meeting he was holding at a court in Oxford.
He likened the situation to "taking food parcels to refugees" and said "We're all doing our bit."
A spokeswoman for HM Courts Service said Mr Justice Saunders was going to Oxford for a private meeting and so they would not comment.
Council orders cafe owner to take down 'dangerous' balloons
A council was accused of being “bang out of order” by a café owner after an official told him to remove two balloons from outside his shop over health and safety fears. Danny Philpott tied them to a signpost to advertise a coffee morning to raise money for a cancer charity. But a council highways official ordered him to take them down because they could be a hazard to motorists. The official explained that the balloons could obscure a “loading only” sign, which could lead to “dangerous or illegal parking”.
Mr Philpott, 50, who runs the Italian Job cafe in Paignton, Devon, called the ruling ”totally barmy”, and put up even more balloons. He said: ”A council officer came in and started complaining about the balloons. I thought he was joking at first.
”He said the signpost was council property and no one had authorisation to put balloons on it and I should remove them. He quoted some highway bylaw. I was incensed and refused to do so. I said, 'You can come back and arrest me but they are not going to be moved'. They were just normal-sized green balloons. There were only two but I added two more as he was winding me up. All my staff and customers are very angry about this.”
A waitress at the cafe, Sandy Abbott, said: ”I think it is overkill. The balloons were not causing damage, they were just helping to promote a cancer charity.”
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrat-run council defended the highways officer and said it was safety issue. ”The officer is from the council’s highways team whose responsibilities include enforcing highways legislation and offering advice on issues such as pavement cafes and highway obstruction.
”The officer advised the owners of the premises that unfortunately the balloons were covering the parking restriction signs for the highway and they would therefore need to be removed. The officer was concerned that a car might park dangerously or a motorist could get a parking ticket if they were unable to see the sign. Council officers will use their discretion on matters such as this, but will always take into account pedestrian and motorist safety.”
Mr Philpott, 50, who runs the Italian Job cafe in Paignton, Devon, called the ruling ”totally barmy”, and put up even more balloons. He said: ”A council officer came in and started complaining about the balloons. I thought he was joking at first.
”He said the signpost was council property and no one had authorisation to put balloons on it and I should remove them. He quoted some highway bylaw. I was incensed and refused to do so. I said, 'You can come back and arrest me but they are not going to be moved'. They were just normal-sized green balloons. There were only two but I added two more as he was winding me up. All my staff and customers are very angry about this.”
A waitress at the cafe, Sandy Abbott, said: ”I think it is overkill. The balloons were not causing damage, they were just helping to promote a cancer charity.”
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrat-run council defended the highways officer and said it was safety issue. ”The officer is from the council’s highways team whose responsibilities include enforcing highways legislation and offering advice on issues such as pavement cafes and highway obstruction.
”The officer advised the owners of the premises that unfortunately the balloons were covering the parking restriction signs for the highway and they would therefore need to be removed. The officer was concerned that a car might park dangerously or a motorist could get a parking ticket if they were unable to see the sign. Council officers will use their discretion on matters such as this, but will always take into account pedestrian and motorist safety.”
Schoolboy becomes father at 13
The teenager's 16-year-old girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl this week and both their families have vowed to support them. The schoolboy attended antenatal classes with his girlfriend and now has a weekend job to support his young family.
His father said the teenager was “taking his responsibilities very seriously” and said: “My son is mature for his age and will make a good father.
“He will make a better dad than most 25-year-old men would. He is taking his responsibilities very seriously. He went to all the antenatal classes and did what any expectant father would do. He is mature for a 13-year-old and knows what he’s about. He goes to a good school and is doing well.”
The teenager plans to quit school to find full-time work to support his new family. He and his girlfriend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, are said to have been in a relationship for some time.
The boy’s father, who is separated from the boy's mother, added: “She thought he was much older than he was and I think he even lied about his age at first, like lads do. They didn’t go to the same school but they have been together for ages and they are in love. He isn’t bewildered about what has happened.
“He was a bit shocked at first but now he’s chuffed to bits. He will carry on with his schooling and get a basic grounding before he looks for a full-time job.”
His father said the teenager was “taking his responsibilities very seriously” and said: “My son is mature for his age and will make a good father.
“He will make a better dad than most 25-year-old men would. He is taking his responsibilities very seriously. He went to all the antenatal classes and did what any expectant father would do. He is mature for a 13-year-old and knows what he’s about. He goes to a good school and is doing well.”
The teenager plans to quit school to find full-time work to support his new family. He and his girlfriend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, are said to have been in a relationship for some time.
The boy’s father, who is separated from the boy's mother, added: “She thought he was much older than he was and I think he even lied about his age at first, like lads do. They didn’t go to the same school but they have been together for ages and they are in love. He isn’t bewildered about what has happened.
“He was a bit shocked at first but now he’s chuffed to bits. He will carry on with his schooling and get a basic grounding before he looks for a full-time job.”
Town plans public alcohol ban to stop parents drinking while taking their children to school
Parents are dropping their children off at a primary school while swigging from cans of super-strength lager and bottles of alcopops. Some have even tried to enter classrooms to talk to teachers clutching their child in one hand and alcohol in the other.
Then at going-home time parents who have spent the day binge-drinking congregate at the gates of Doncaster Road Primary in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, to collect their children.
The problem is so bad that police have now applied for a 24-hour drinking ban to cover the 246‑pupil school and surrounding streets.
School support worker Lisa Hutton said: “I’ve often had to ask parents not to bring alcohol into school which has resulted in it being left on the wall outside. This makes it increasingly difficult for us to educate the children about the dangers of alcohol as they assume it is OK to drink excessively and on the streets.”
Arthur Mitchell, chairman of the school governors, said: “It is both dads and mums. I’ve seen them drinking from cans as early as 8.30am outside the school and then again in the afternoon as they pick up their kids.”
Barnsley’s Central Neighbourhood Team have applied for a ban on public drinking on Doncaster Road and the surrounding streets and parks. The council’s licensing board will decide on the request next week. Drinkers who flout any ban could faces fines of up to £500.
Then at going-home time parents who have spent the day binge-drinking congregate at the gates of Doncaster Road Primary in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, to collect their children.
The problem is so bad that police have now applied for a 24-hour drinking ban to cover the 246‑pupil school and surrounding streets.
School support worker Lisa Hutton said: “I’ve often had to ask parents not to bring alcohol into school which has resulted in it being left on the wall outside. This makes it increasingly difficult for us to educate the children about the dangers of alcohol as they assume it is OK to drink excessively and on the streets.”
Arthur Mitchell, chairman of the school governors, said: “It is both dads and mums. I’ve seen them drinking from cans as early as 8.30am outside the school and then again in the afternoon as they pick up their kids.”
Barnsley’s Central Neighbourhood Team have applied for a ban on public drinking on Doncaster Road and the surrounding streets and parks. The council’s licensing board will decide on the request next week. Drinkers who flout any ban could faces fines of up to £500.
Two in court over sperm website
Two men accused of making sperm available over the internet without a licence have appeared in court.
Ricky Gage, 48, and Nigel Woodforth, 42, from Reading, Berkshire, were charged with two offences under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.
They are accused of operating a company, Fertility 1st, without a licence. Both men deny the charges.
According to the prosecution, the firm had been making sperm from anonymous donors available through a website.
It is alleged the men acted as brokers for women who want to conceive, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Mr Gage and Mr Woodforth will stand trial in London at a later date.
Both men were arrested in Reading in November by Metropolitan Police.
Ricky Gage, 48, and Nigel Woodforth, 42, from Reading, Berkshire, were charged with two offences under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.
They are accused of operating a company, Fertility 1st, without a licence. Both men deny the charges.
According to the prosecution, the firm had been making sperm from anonymous donors available through a website.
It is alleged the men acted as brokers for women who want to conceive, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Mr Gage and Mr Woodforth will stand trial in London at a later date.
Both men were arrested in Reading in November by Metropolitan Police.
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