Wednesday, October 01, 2014
Student arrested for jogging while drunk
A student was arrested for jogging while drunk, Pennsylvania police report.
James Finan, 21, was spotted “jogging without any light” at 1:27 on Sunday morning, according to a Lower Saucon Township Police Department report.
Finan attends nearby DeSales University, where he is a business major. According to police, “vehicles were observed to take defensive measures to avoid Finan” as he ran alongside the road.
When officers confronted Finan, he reportedly smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet. A subsequent breathalyzer test registered his blood alcohol content at .19, more than twice the legal limit for driving.
James Finan, 21, was spotted “jogging without any light” at 1:27 on Sunday morning, according to a Lower Saucon Township Police Department report.
Finan attends nearby DeSales University, where he is a business major. According to police, “vehicles were observed to take defensive measures to avoid Finan” as he ran alongside the road.
When officers confronted Finan, he reportedly smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet. A subsequent breathalyzer test registered his blood alcohol content at .19, more than twice the legal limit for driving.
Men accused of assaulting neighbour dressed like a pirate
Larry Harcar was swaggering down his street in Florida last week in full "Pirates of the Caribbean" regalia: Bearded, in black and with a toy gun and sword. It's what he likes doing this time of year for entertainment, he told authorities.
The fun ended when Harcar, 49, found himself face down on the ground with two loaded pistols pointed at his head. The guns were in the hands of two startled neighbours from three doors away, the Broward Sheriff's Office said, who were fearful of the "pirate's" appearance.
The drama began on Wednesday afternoon, when Harcar was spotted by Ahmed Othman, 24, and Muhamad Ahmad, 22, who were home in Dania Beach. Harcar's outfit "scared" Othman, Sheriff's Detective Stephanie Newton said in a report. "They felt the man was acting peculiar," Othman's lawyer, Lawrence Hashish, said. "The man had a gun and a sword, and they didn't know they were toys." So Othman and Ahmad armed themselves and warned a security guard there was a man going around dressed in a costume.
Several neighbours and a security guard called 911. Othman and Ahmad drove around looking for Harcar, who they saw in a hallway of their apartment complex, the Sheriff's Office said. Pointing their guns, the pair told Harcar to put up his hands and get on the ground. When he complied, one of the men put Harcar's hands behind his back, placed a knee in the back of his neck and held a gun to Harcar's head. The other man also pointed his weapon at the prone man's skull, Newton wrote.
There were also verbal threats made to Harcar, according to the report. In a sworn statement, Harcar told authorities he was just walking home to fix his costume, and that he feared the men were going to kill him, according to Newton. Othman and Ahmad were each charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, battery and false imprisonment. They were released from a Broward County Jail on Thursday on $8,500 bond each. Neither man has a criminal record, according to state records. "They're the ones who called 911 and security," Hashish said. "All of this is really just a misunderstanding." At his apartment, with a bird squawking in the background, Harcar declined comment.
The drama began on Wednesday afternoon, when Harcar was spotted by Ahmed Othman, 24, and Muhamad Ahmad, 22, who were home in Dania Beach. Harcar's outfit "scared" Othman, Sheriff's Detective Stephanie Newton said in a report. "They felt the man was acting peculiar," Othman's lawyer, Lawrence Hashish, said. "The man had a gun and a sword, and they didn't know they were toys." So Othman and Ahmad armed themselves and warned a security guard there was a man going around dressed in a costume.
Several neighbours and a security guard called 911. Othman and Ahmad drove around looking for Harcar, who they saw in a hallway of their apartment complex, the Sheriff's Office said. Pointing their guns, the pair told Harcar to put up his hands and get on the ground. When he complied, one of the men put Harcar's hands behind his back, placed a knee in the back of his neck and held a gun to Harcar's head. The other man also pointed his weapon at the prone man's skull, Newton wrote.
There were also verbal threats made to Harcar, according to the report. In a sworn statement, Harcar told authorities he was just walking home to fix his costume, and that he feared the men were going to kill him, according to Newton. Othman and Ahmad were each charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, battery and false imprisonment. They were released from a Broward County Jail on Thursday on $8,500 bond each. Neither man has a criminal record, according to state records. "They're the ones who called 911 and security," Hashish said. "All of this is really just a misunderstanding." At his apartment, with a bird squawking in the background, Harcar declined comment.
Coyote recovering after being found stuck in vehicle's bumper
Passengers at Waukegan train station in Illinois couldn’t believe their eyes on Sept. 24 when a train conductor pulled into the employee parking lot before work with what looked like a fox stuck in the bumper of his vehicle.
“It was 6:30 in the morning when dispatch called me,” said Amber Manley, an animal control officer for the Waukegan Police Department.
“I asked if it was alive and they said, ‘yes.’ I told them I’m on my way,” she said. When Manley arrived, the owner of the vehicle, Kenosha resident Mark Armour, told her that he thought he hit something on his way to work as a train conductor. “He said he thought he hit something, he could feel it, but he didn’t see anything,” Manley said. Right away, Manley knew the animal wasn’t a fox, but a coyote.
She was stunned the coyote happened to be the right size to fit in the tight space. “It was even more amazing he survived,” she said. Using safety equipment so the animal couldn’t bite her, Manley helped the coyote get loose. The animal appeared to be in shock. “He seemed docile,” she said, adding that she placed him in an animal control crate and then into her van. Manley then called Susan Elliott, director of animal control in Waukegan, to see if the coyote could be taken to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation for medical attention.
Dawn Keller, executive director and founder of the Barrington-based wildlife center, agreed to take the coyote. She found the coyote had suffered three fractures in his legs. Keller set the fractures, gave the coyote antibiotics and reported that the coyote is now resting comfortably. By the next day, he was more alert and eating. The wildlife center hopes to release him back into the wild after winter.
“I asked if it was alive and they said, ‘yes.’ I told them I’m on my way,” she said. When Manley arrived, the owner of the vehicle, Kenosha resident Mark Armour, told her that he thought he hit something on his way to work as a train conductor. “He said he thought he hit something, he could feel it, but he didn’t see anything,” Manley said. Right away, Manley knew the animal wasn’t a fox, but a coyote.
She was stunned the coyote happened to be the right size to fit in the tight space. “It was even more amazing he survived,” she said. Using safety equipment so the animal couldn’t bite her, Manley helped the coyote get loose. The animal appeared to be in shock. “He seemed docile,” she said, adding that she placed him in an animal control crate and then into her van. Manley then called Susan Elliott, director of animal control in Waukegan, to see if the coyote could be taken to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation for medical attention.
Dawn Keller, executive director and founder of the Barrington-based wildlife center, agreed to take the coyote. She found the coyote had suffered three fractures in his legs. Keller set the fractures, gave the coyote antibiotics and reported that the coyote is now resting comfortably. By the next day, he was more alert and eating. The wildlife center hopes to release him back into the wild after winter.
Pilot flew hot air balloon deep into underground cave
A hot air balloon pilot succeeded in flying deep underground in a cave in Croatia, a feat he believes is a world first.
On September 18, Ivan Trifonov, 70, descended into Mamet Cave on Velebit Mountain and came back up about 25 minutes later.
Using a specially designed balloon, Trifonov was able to navigate the cave, which is 675 feet deep and 200 feet wide at the top. Instead of a basket Trifinov sat in a small steel frame, perched above twin gas tanks. "It was very hard and I don't think anyone else will ever repeat this venture," he said.
YouTube link.
Trifonov is expected to submit it into the Guinness Book of World Records. He has already established Guinness World Records as the first to fly a hot air balloon over the Mediterranean Sea, in 1989, over the North Pole, in 1996, and over the South Pole, in 2000. He was also reportedly the first to fly over Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, and the Kremlin in a hot air balloon.
On September 18, Ivan Trifonov, 70, descended into Mamet Cave on Velebit Mountain and came back up about 25 minutes later.
Using a specially designed balloon, Trifonov was able to navigate the cave, which is 675 feet deep and 200 feet wide at the top. Instead of a basket Trifinov sat in a small steel frame, perched above twin gas tanks. "It was very hard and I don't think anyone else will ever repeat this venture," he said.
YouTube link.
Trifonov is expected to submit it into the Guinness Book of World Records. He has already established Guinness World Records as the first to fly a hot air balloon over the Mediterranean Sea, in 1989, over the North Pole, in 1996, and over the South Pole, in 2000. He was also reportedly the first to fly over Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, and the Kremlin in a hot air balloon.
Thai tourism minister says visitors may be issued with identification wristbands
Identification wristbands may be distributed to tourists in Thailand, the country’s tourism minister says.
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists who get lost or into trouble.
“When tourists check in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their ID and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in, so that if they’re out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted,” Kobkarn said.
“The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail.” She said a “buddy system”, pairing tourists with a local minder at tourist destinations, was also being discussed.
Kobkarn admitted the wristband idea had already met some resistance. “Most people welcome the idea but some hotels are concerned that tourists may not want to wear the wristbands.”
“When tourists check in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their ID and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in, so that if they’re out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted,” Kobkarn said.
“The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail.” She said a “buddy system”, pairing tourists with a local minder at tourist destinations, was also being discussed.
Kobkarn admitted the wristband idea had already met some resistance. “Most people welcome the idea but some hotels are concerned that tourists may not want to wear the wristbands.”
Man faces jail if he writes more than two letters of complaint to the council a month
A man who has been plaguing the municipality of Dordrecht in the western Netherlands with thousands of letters in the last years has been warned that he has now been given a letter-limit of two per month.
The court in Dordrecht has ruled that for any extra letter or e-mail that Mustafa Karasahin sends to the municipality, he will spend a day in jail, with a maximum of a year. The warning extends to any other form of contact to the municipality. The city of Dordrecht asked the court to impose some sort of ban on the professional complainer, who has sent 3,500 letters to the municipality in only two years.
According to the municipality, Karasahin was a slumlord, but Karasahin himself believes that the municipality was using a different yardstick to measure him. That was two years ago. Since then, Karasahin has been beleaguering the municipality with letters. His lawyer stated earlier that it was out of revenge. Karasahin himself admits he wanted to make the city pay up. Dordrecht is obliged to answer all letters and e-mails.
Having to answer letters from residents costs the municipality money, and this particular complainer has been costing Dordrecht more money than the average citizen. The municipality spends almost €500,000 per year answering correspondence. With this ban, the municipality “hopes” that Karasahin will now stop sending letters. If he doesn’t, then the municipality will make use of the possibility to put the man behind bars. A spokesperson for the municipality said that Karasahin has said that he will continue pestering the city, perhaps under another name.
The court in Dordrecht has ruled that for any extra letter or e-mail that Mustafa Karasahin sends to the municipality, he will spend a day in jail, with a maximum of a year. The warning extends to any other form of contact to the municipality. The city of Dordrecht asked the court to impose some sort of ban on the professional complainer, who has sent 3,500 letters to the municipality in only two years.
According to the municipality, Karasahin was a slumlord, but Karasahin himself believes that the municipality was using a different yardstick to measure him. That was two years ago. Since then, Karasahin has been beleaguering the municipality with letters. His lawyer stated earlier that it was out of revenge. Karasahin himself admits he wanted to make the city pay up. Dordrecht is obliged to answer all letters and e-mails.
Having to answer letters from residents costs the municipality money, and this particular complainer has been costing Dordrecht more money than the average citizen. The municipality spends almost €500,000 per year answering correspondence. With this ban, the municipality “hopes” that Karasahin will now stop sending letters. If he doesn’t, then the municipality will make use of the possibility to put the man behind bars. A spokesperson for the municipality said that Karasahin has said that he will continue pestering the city, perhaps under another name.
Grandmother claims she can cure eye problems by licking eyeballs
A Bosnian pensioner claims she can cure eye problems by licking eyeballs with her golden tongue.
For over 40 years, granny Hava Cebic, 77, has been helping friends and neighbours in her small village of Crnjevo, in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, by licking eyeballs.
Later, as her fame spread, locals from other villages have travelled to see her. She said she had started when she was a child, and her brother had complained he had dry eyes, so she had pinned him down and licked them for a joke. She added: "He told me he had been able to see better after that". She had then tried it on others with eye problems, and it had really worked, to her surprise.
She said she had cured allergies, dry or tired eyes, as well as others diagnosed with problems like conjunctivitis and ocular hypertension. She says her licking can even help the symptoms in serious conditions like cataracts. "At first my husband was very confused and didn’t want me to do it," she said.
"But one day he got a piece of wood in his eye and after I licked it out he agreed that I had a gift, and I should help others. Now, whenever anyone has something stuck in their eye or whatever, they come to me," boasted happy Hava. "They come from different towns and villagers and in a minute or two their problem is solved. But I always make sure I wash my tongue in alcohol before and after an eye licking," she stressed.
Later, as her fame spread, locals from other villages have travelled to see her. She said she had started when she was a child, and her brother had complained he had dry eyes, so she had pinned him down and licked them for a joke. She added: "He told me he had been able to see better after that". She had then tried it on others with eye problems, and it had really worked, to her surprise.
She said she had cured allergies, dry or tired eyes, as well as others diagnosed with problems like conjunctivitis and ocular hypertension. She says her licking can even help the symptoms in serious conditions like cataracts. "At first my husband was very confused and didn’t want me to do it," she said.
"But one day he got a piece of wood in his eye and after I licked it out he agreed that I had a gift, and I should help others. Now, whenever anyone has something stuck in their eye or whatever, they come to me," boasted happy Hava. "They come from different towns and villagers and in a minute or two their problem is solved. But I always make sure I wash my tongue in alcohol before and after an eye licking," she stressed.
Transgender woman attacked paramedic with bottle of shampoo in back of ambulance
A transgender woman attacked a paramedic with a shampoo bottle in an unprovoked mid-afternoon assault.
Kevin Fletcher, 36, now known as Leyla, struck the worker on the head before kicking him after being found stricken in Manchester city centre.
Fletcher has been attempting to undergo gender reassignment surgery for the last 12 years, a court heard.
However after several failed attempts she began binge drinking to cope with the emotional distress, magistrates were told.
The emergency services were called to St Mary’s Parsonage in the city centre at around 1pm on a Thursday afternoon in September to reports a woman was having a fit. They found Fletcher on the floor though after checking her over they found she wasn’t fitting, Tess Kenyon, prosecuting said. They then put her in a wheelchair and put her into the ambulance which is where she launched the attack on paramedic Philip Ogden.
She threw a bottle of shampoo she had bought earlier that day at him, hitting him on the head, before kicking out and hitting him in the shin. Police were called and she was arrested. Fletcher of Salford, pleaded guilty to assault at Manchester Magistrates court. She was handed a conditional discharge by magistrates, meaning she will not be punished unless she commits any more offences, despite having a previous conviction for assault. Chairman of the bench Terri Farrow said: “Normally this offence would carry a community order.
“However given your personal difficulties and everything you have been through and are still to go through, we are going to impose a conditional discharge.” She was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to her victim, as well as £85 costs and a £25 victim surcharge. Ambulance service bosses have slammed her sentence. Speaking after the hearing, Director of Emergency Service for North West Ambulance Service, Derek Cartwright said: “The Trust is extremely disappointed with the sentence given to the perpetrator in this instance. Our message is that we will always push for those who assault crews to receive the maximum sentence allowed. It’s unfortunate that hasn’t happened in this case.”
The emergency services were called to St Mary’s Parsonage in the city centre at around 1pm on a Thursday afternoon in September to reports a woman was having a fit. They found Fletcher on the floor though after checking her over they found she wasn’t fitting, Tess Kenyon, prosecuting said. They then put her in a wheelchair and put her into the ambulance which is where she launched the attack on paramedic Philip Ogden.
She threw a bottle of shampoo she had bought earlier that day at him, hitting him on the head, before kicking out and hitting him in the shin. Police were called and she was arrested. Fletcher of Salford, pleaded guilty to assault at Manchester Magistrates court. She was handed a conditional discharge by magistrates, meaning she will not be punished unless she commits any more offences, despite having a previous conviction for assault. Chairman of the bench Terri Farrow said: “Normally this offence would carry a community order.
“However given your personal difficulties and everything you have been through and are still to go through, we are going to impose a conditional discharge.” She was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to her victim, as well as £85 costs and a £25 victim surcharge. Ambulance service bosses have slammed her sentence. Speaking after the hearing, Director of Emergency Service for North West Ambulance Service, Derek Cartwright said: “The Trust is extremely disappointed with the sentence given to the perpetrator in this instance. Our message is that we will always push for those who assault crews to receive the maximum sentence allowed. It’s unfortunate that hasn’t happened in this case.”
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