Monday, December 15, 2014
Kind tortoise helps its overturned friend
This tortoise, filmed last month at Taipei Zoo in Muzha, Taiwan, rushed to the aid of a friend in need.
YouTube link. Facebook video.
YouTube link. Facebook video.
Man got a rude awakening when car crashed through his bedroom wall
71-year-old Terry Brouillette from Worcester, Massachusetts, was rudely awakened from a sound sleep on Thursday morning when a Subaru Legacy crashed though his bedroom wall.
Fast asleep in his ground-floor apartment, Mr. Brouillette awoke at about 2:30am when a loud boom echoed through his room. Groggy and unsure what happened, he flipped on a light switch. “There was almost a whole car. It's a good thing I have a strong heart,” he said. “I heard a big bang. I jumped up out of bed.”
A car had veered off the street and smashed through a concrete wall and into the house before coming to rest inches from Mr. Brouillette's bed. Police said the car's front wheel was above Mr. Brouillette's bed. “I know my time will come,” he said. “Apparently this wasn't my time.” Police were still investigating how the car jumped the kerb and crashed into the side of the multi-apartment building.
YouTube link.
Three women and one man were in the car. The driver, identified by police as Jennifer L. Rodriguez, 33, was charged with drunken driving, driving to endanger, unlicensed driving and refusing to identify herself to a police officer. No one in the car was injured, according to police. Ms. Rodriguez was arraigned on Thursday in Central District Court. Judge Jennifer A. Stark set $1,500 cash bail and continued the case to Jan. 8.
Fast asleep in his ground-floor apartment, Mr. Brouillette awoke at about 2:30am when a loud boom echoed through his room. Groggy and unsure what happened, he flipped on a light switch. “There was almost a whole car. It's a good thing I have a strong heart,” he said. “I heard a big bang. I jumped up out of bed.”
A car had veered off the street and smashed through a concrete wall and into the house before coming to rest inches from Mr. Brouillette's bed. Police said the car's front wheel was above Mr. Brouillette's bed. “I know my time will come,” he said. “Apparently this wasn't my time.” Police were still investigating how the car jumped the kerb and crashed into the side of the multi-apartment building.
YouTube link.
Three women and one man were in the car. The driver, identified by police as Jennifer L. Rodriguez, 33, was charged with drunken driving, driving to endanger, unlicensed driving and refusing to identify herself to a police officer. No one in the car was injured, according to police. Ms. Rodriguez was arraigned on Thursday in Central District Court. Judge Jennifer A. Stark set $1,500 cash bail and continued the case to Jan. 8.
Whiskers grabbed from intruder's beard led police to burglary suspect
Police say a suspect was caught by a whisker when DNA from his beard helped lead authorities to his arrest.
According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, deputies investigated a home invasion that happened on December 20, 2013 in the Town of Vienna, New York.
The incident involved a white man who went into a home and confronted the homeowner.
The suspect was unknown to the victim and had armed himself with a knife from the kitchen after getting into her home, Sheriff Maciol said. The suspect and victim began to fight and the victim grabbed the suspect's beard. Deputies said the suspect then fled the residence and the victim was able to secure her home and call 911. A search of the area found no one matching the suspect’s description.
During the investigation, a clump of hair was located in the victim’s living room where the altercation had taken place, which she believed to be from the suspects beard, Sheriff Maciol said. The hair was collected and sent to the New York State Police Lab in Albany for DNA analysis. In October 2014, the Sheriff's Office was notified that DNA collected from the beard sample matched Leon M. Tennant, 54, whose DNA they already had on file.
Tennant was located in custody at the Monroe County Correctional Facility in Rochester, NY, the Sheriff's Office said. A warrant was obtained from the Town of Vienna Court and Tennant was charged with burglary in the first degree. On December 5, 2014, Tennant was released from the Monroe County Correctional Facility. He was transported to the Town of Vienna Court where he was arraigned on the charge and ordered to be held without bail.
The suspect was unknown to the victim and had armed himself with a knife from the kitchen after getting into her home, Sheriff Maciol said. The suspect and victim began to fight and the victim grabbed the suspect's beard. Deputies said the suspect then fled the residence and the victim was able to secure her home and call 911. A search of the area found no one matching the suspect’s description.
During the investigation, a clump of hair was located in the victim’s living room where the altercation had taken place, which she believed to be from the suspects beard, Sheriff Maciol said. The hair was collected and sent to the New York State Police Lab in Albany for DNA analysis. In October 2014, the Sheriff's Office was notified that DNA collected from the beard sample matched Leon M. Tennant, 54, whose DNA they already had on file.
Tennant was located in custody at the Monroe County Correctional Facility in Rochester, NY, the Sheriff's Office said. A warrant was obtained from the Town of Vienna Court and Tennant was charged with burglary in the first degree. On December 5, 2014, Tennant was released from the Monroe County Correctional Facility. He was transported to the Town of Vienna Court where he was arraigned on the charge and ordered to be held without bail.
Student hoping to change teacher's behaviour accused of spiking drink with Horny Goat Weed
Police say a student at Alexander County High School in Taylorsville, North Carolina, is accused of slipping a pill into his teacher's drink.
They said he thought by giving her the herbal supplement Horny Goat Weed it would help get her fired.
“The teacher walked into her classroom and saw students messing with something," said school resource officer Michael Millsaps. Taylorsville police said a student was putting something in her drink out of revenge after the teacher took away the student's Chrome Book in class, but the 15-year-old boy tossed out the drink he tampered with before she got to it.
Police say he put Horny Goat Weed in her drink. "The student took a pill and crushed it to a powder before putting it in his teacher's drink. They said he thought if she took it, it might change her behaviour,” according to investigators. "He just heard the word 'weed' and thought it was maybe some marijuana-type pill," said Millsaps.
YouTube link. Original news video.
"He wanted the teacher to do something stupid and cause her to get fired." The incident has the student facing an uncommon, but serious charge. Distributing of certain food at Halloween and all other times prohibited is considered a felony offence. Horny Goat Weed is typically used for joint pain, high blood pressure, memory loss and fatigue. The bottle also says it can be used as a source of "vital energy" for men.
“The teacher walked into her classroom and saw students messing with something," said school resource officer Michael Millsaps. Taylorsville police said a student was putting something in her drink out of revenge after the teacher took away the student's Chrome Book in class, but the 15-year-old boy tossed out the drink he tampered with before she got to it.
Police say he put Horny Goat Weed in her drink. "The student took a pill and crushed it to a powder before putting it in his teacher's drink. They said he thought if she took it, it might change her behaviour,” according to investigators. "He just heard the word 'weed' and thought it was maybe some marijuana-type pill," said Millsaps.
YouTube link. Original news video.
"He wanted the teacher to do something stupid and cause her to get fired." The incident has the student facing an uncommon, but serious charge. Distributing of certain food at Halloween and all other times prohibited is considered a felony offence. Horny Goat Weed is typically used for joint pain, high blood pressure, memory loss and fatigue. The bottle also says it can be used as a source of "vital energy" for men.
Deer stranded on top of 176 feet high ski jump killed as there was no safe way to remove it
A deer that was stranded on top of the Pine Mountain Ski Jump earlier this week had to be killed after Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel determined that there was no safe way to remove it from the structure.
DNR Public Information Officer Debbie Munson Badini said that a DNR officer and biologist located the young deer on the platform at the top of the scaffold on Tuesday evening. "We have no idea how it got up there or how long it was there," she said.
According to Badini, the officer and biologist looked at all available options on how to remove the deer. They could not find a way to do it without endangering their own safety or the safety of the deer. Badini added that the deer was starving and "not in good shape physically."
After considering all of these factors, DNR personnel dispatched the deer on Wednesday. The Pine Mountain Ski Jump, which is located in Breitung Township near Iron Mountain, is one of the highest artificial ski jumps in the world. It is is 176 feet high, and 380 feet in length.
DNR Public Information Officer Debbie Munson Badini said that a DNR officer and biologist located the young deer on the platform at the top of the scaffold on Tuesday evening. "We have no idea how it got up there or how long it was there," she said.
According to Badini, the officer and biologist looked at all available options on how to remove the deer. They could not find a way to do it without endangering their own safety or the safety of the deer. Badini added that the deer was starving and "not in good shape physically."
After considering all of these factors, DNR personnel dispatched the deer on Wednesday. The Pine Mountain Ski Jump, which is located in Breitung Township near Iron Mountain, is one of the highest artificial ski jumps in the world. It is is 176 feet high, and 380 feet in length.
Florida dog who made mysterious 1,500 mile trek is heading home
A dog who somehow travelled 1,500 miles from Florida to Salem, New Hampshire, is now heading back home.
Cooper the dog is making the trek down to Naples, Florida, with the help of dozens of volunteers.
Cooper disappeared from his back yard nine months ago.
"I've received several strays here in Salem, but I've never had one come from that far," said Corie Bliss, Salem animal control officer.
He showed up in Salem a week and a half ago, but how he got there remains a mystery. Cooper had no collar, but he had a microchip, which enabled police to track down the owner. The dog's owner Julie Shields says, "Somebody called me and said he was in New Hampshire. I said, 'you know I'm in Florida, right?' 'Yeah, we know everything about you. We found this microchip on your dog.'" Most of Cooper's life has been a mystery. The dog showed up on Shields' doorstep in Naples, Florida, a year and a half ago.
"I advertised him wherever I could think of - signs, Craigslist, that kind of stuff, nobody ever claimed him," said Shields. She decided to keep him and got him microchipped, a move that paid off when he left in May. No one is sure how Cooper got to New Hampshire, but Bliss said it's unlikely he walked. "He's in really good shape," said Barbara Hanson of Kindred Hearts Transport. "He looks like he's been well taken care of, so he's been with someone."
YouTube link.
Hanson is one of 30 people who have volunteered to get Cooper home. She planned to drive the first leg before handing Cooper off to another driver in Massachusetts. Hanson said transporting animals is the most rewarding part of her job. "You get to interact with the dogs, get them out of being caged up or being lost," she said. Bliss said Cooper loves to ride in the car, and that's good, because the 1,500-mile journey will take three days. While she will miss him, she said this is why she does her job. "Cooper is going home," she said.
He showed up in Salem a week and a half ago, but how he got there remains a mystery. Cooper had no collar, but he had a microchip, which enabled police to track down the owner. The dog's owner Julie Shields says, "Somebody called me and said he was in New Hampshire. I said, 'you know I'm in Florida, right?' 'Yeah, we know everything about you. We found this microchip on your dog.'" Most of Cooper's life has been a mystery. The dog showed up on Shields' doorstep in Naples, Florida, a year and a half ago.
"I advertised him wherever I could think of - signs, Craigslist, that kind of stuff, nobody ever claimed him," said Shields. She decided to keep him and got him microchipped, a move that paid off when he left in May. No one is sure how Cooper got to New Hampshire, but Bliss said it's unlikely he walked. "He's in really good shape," said Barbara Hanson of Kindred Hearts Transport. "He looks like he's been well taken care of, so he's been with someone."
YouTube link.
Hanson is one of 30 people who have volunteered to get Cooper home. She planned to drive the first leg before handing Cooper off to another driver in Massachusetts. Hanson said transporting animals is the most rewarding part of her job. "You get to interact with the dogs, get them out of being caged up or being lost," she said. Bliss said Cooper loves to ride in the car, and that's good, because the 1,500-mile journey will take three days. While she will miss him, she said this is why she does her job. "Cooper is going home," she said.
Hunt for free Christmas tree ended with man being winched to safety after falling down cliff
A man was winched to safety after falling an estimated 10 to 12 metres down a steep embankment in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, while trying to cut down a Christmas tree.
It is believed the man in his 50s was trying to cut down a small pine tree he had decided would make a great Christmas tree when he fell down the embankment alongside the Eastern Freeway in Doncaster.
Fire commander Bob Lanigan said the man was lucky to escape with minor injuries after being winched to safety. "There are a lot safer ways to source Christmas trees," he said. "Personally I got mine from a scout group and they delivered it to my door.
"No need to go over a cliff edge to try to get one." The rescue involved members of the high angle rescue team setting up a complex rigging system. The man was winched up from the bottom of the embankment on a stretcher and suffered cuts and bruises.
There's a news video here.
It is believed the man in his 50s was trying to cut down a small pine tree he had decided would make a great Christmas tree when he fell down the embankment alongside the Eastern Freeway in Doncaster.
Fire commander Bob Lanigan said the man was lucky to escape with minor injuries after being winched to safety. "There are a lot safer ways to source Christmas trees," he said. "Personally I got mine from a scout group and they delivered it to my door.
"No need to go over a cliff edge to try to get one." The rescue involved members of the high angle rescue team setting up a complex rigging system. The man was winched up from the bottom of the embankment on a stretcher and suffered cuts and bruises.
There's a news video here.
Student vows to help homeless man who offered her his last £3
After a homeless good Samaritan came to her aid, a 22-year-old student at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston has vowed to pay him back. Dominique Harrison-Bentzen from Leyland, Lancashire, lost her bank card while out in Preston city centre but only realised when she went to get money for a taxi home. She said: “I suddenly realised that I had no money and a homeless man approached me with his only change of £3.
“He insisted I took it to pay for a taxi to make sure I got home safe.” Dominique, who is studying for her Masters degree in fashion, didn’t take the money but so touched was she by the man’s kind gesture that she has set herself a mission to help him. She said: “I ended up posting a status on Facebook to try and find him the next day and it turns out I’m not the only person he has helped.” Identified only as ‘Robbie’ the man appears to have come to the aid of many, returning wallets to pedestrians and offering his scarf to keep people warm.
And now, Dominique will spend 24 hours with Robbie on Tuesday to raise money to help him get back on his feet. Dominique said: “He has been homeless for seven months through no fault of his own and he can’t get work due to having no address. And I simply can’t just give him the money, I have to go through the right channels so I will be spending 24 hours through the day and night as a homeless person to understand the difficulties they face each day.
“If people can sponsor me £3 – as Robbie attempted to give me his only £3 – in the hope of collecting enough to get Robbie a flat deposit so that he can be safe and warm.” Already the fundraising has gathered pace and over £2,000 has so far been raised. “It’s just so overwhelming the response I’ve had,” said Dominique. “Everyone has been so supportive and I’d love to get as many people as possible out with me on Tuesday to show Robbie our support – be it for the full 24 hours or just one.”
“He insisted I took it to pay for a taxi to make sure I got home safe.” Dominique, who is studying for her Masters degree in fashion, didn’t take the money but so touched was she by the man’s kind gesture that she has set herself a mission to help him. She said: “I ended up posting a status on Facebook to try and find him the next day and it turns out I’m not the only person he has helped.” Identified only as ‘Robbie’ the man appears to have come to the aid of many, returning wallets to pedestrians and offering his scarf to keep people warm.
And now, Dominique will spend 24 hours with Robbie on Tuesday to raise money to help him get back on his feet. Dominique said: “He has been homeless for seven months through no fault of his own and he can’t get work due to having no address. And I simply can’t just give him the money, I have to go through the right channels so I will be spending 24 hours through the day and night as a homeless person to understand the difficulties they face each day.
“If people can sponsor me £3 – as Robbie attempted to give me his only £3 – in the hope of collecting enough to get Robbie a flat deposit so that he can be safe and warm.” Already the fundraising has gathered pace and over £2,000 has so far been raised. “It’s just so overwhelming the response I’ve had,” said Dominique. “Everyone has been so supportive and I’d love to get as many people as possible out with me on Tuesday to show Robbie our support – be it for the full 24 hours or just one.”
Long-awaited KFC told by council it can’t cook chicken
A long-awaited KFC in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, has closed its doors, temporarily, after the council barred it from cooking chicken.
After opening to huge queues from chicken lovers who’d campaigned for years for the fast food firm to move back to the coast, management are understood to have shut up shop while they try to resolve an issue with the extractor fan.
Scarborough Council has been forced to step in after complaints about the smell and noise from the restaurant. While the authority didn’t close the site, KFC bosses were served with a planning enforcement notice, meaning food couldn’t be cooked on the site. It means they can serve drinks, ice cream or anything prepared – but the Colonel’s secret recipe chicken is banned, for the time being.
Andy Skelton, Scarborough Council Director of Service Delivery, admitted the news will be a blow to KFC fans, 6,000 of whom campaigned to bring the chain to Scarborough. But he said the council had no option but to take action, adding: “It is with regret that we have had to serve a planning enforcement notice on the operators of the business and we realise these actions may mean disappointment for KFC customers.
“However, we have been left with no other choice due to the operators opening without complying with planning requirements because the extraction equipment on the premises is not operating correctly. There has been a problem with odour and noise from this equipment and we have received justified complaints. We are hopeful that the operators will be able to resolve the problems as soon as possible and once we are satisfied that the extraction equipment works correctly, we should be able to lift the notice.”
Scarborough Council has been forced to step in after complaints about the smell and noise from the restaurant. While the authority didn’t close the site, KFC bosses were served with a planning enforcement notice, meaning food couldn’t be cooked on the site. It means they can serve drinks, ice cream or anything prepared – but the Colonel’s secret recipe chicken is banned, for the time being.
Andy Skelton, Scarborough Council Director of Service Delivery, admitted the news will be a blow to KFC fans, 6,000 of whom campaigned to bring the chain to Scarborough. But he said the council had no option but to take action, adding: “It is with regret that we have had to serve a planning enforcement notice on the operators of the business and we realise these actions may mean disappointment for KFC customers.
“However, we have been left with no other choice due to the operators opening without complying with planning requirements because the extraction equipment on the premises is not operating correctly. There has been a problem with odour and noise from this equipment and we have received justified complaints. We are hopeful that the operators will be able to resolve the problems as soon as possible and once we are satisfied that the extraction equipment works correctly, we should be able to lift the notice.”
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