Post insane / odd / unique news releases here

[LWM]

Landlord spray paints 'deadbeat tenants' on home (August 5th, 2010 @ 5:46am)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina landlord fed up with tenants who didn't pay their rent painted her criticism on the garage for all to see.

WBTV reports that landlord Vanessa McCants spray painted the words "deadbeat tenants" on a Charlotte house she rents to Shanae Jackson.

McCants says she hasn't been paid the $1,300 monthly rent for two months and she's losing the home to foreclosure.

Jackson admits she's not paying the rent but says she can't afford both the rent and moving expenses.

Jackson called police after painting over the critique on the side of the home's garage. Police refused to charge McCants because spray painting your own property is not a crime.

[Adondo]

Good ol' Seattle... right across the mountains from here.

And, their parking meters run at the rate of 40 minutes to a reality hour. Put in an hour's worth of quarters? You'll come back in 59 minutes to an already yellowing with age $35 parking ticket. Glad to see them get into the news with this.

VOIDED: Seattle dead man gets parking ticket
By The Associated Press

Seattle police say a veteran parking enforcement officer thought the man reclining in the driver’s seat of a parked car was sleeping.

When she found him unmoved in a two-hour parking zone after more than two hours had elapsed, police say she rapped twice on the window, left a $42 ticket and moved on.

About 40 minutes later, the 36-year-old man’s girlfriend found the car with a GPS device and called for help. The man was pronounced dead.

The King County medical examiner’s office identified the man found Tuesday as Derek Michael Eldridge. The cause of death was under investigation, but police say there was no sign of violence.

Police spokeswoman Renee Witt says the unidentified parking officer decided the man “was simply a sound sleeper.” Seattlepi.com says the parking officer later voided the ticket.

[LWM]

Court rejects candidate's appeal over expletive (August 9th, 2010 @ 7:53am)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A candidate for the Wisconsin Legislature who wants to use an expletive and a racially charged phrase to describe herself on the ballot has lost an appeal of a federal judge's order dismissing her lawsuit.

Ieshuh (eye-EE'-shu) Griffin appealed U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa's decision rejecting her lawsuit on Thursday. She wants to describe herself on the ballot as "NOT the 'whiteman's b----."

The judge on Friday dismissed her appeal, saying no matter how creatively she argues the issue, she can't file her lawsuit as a habeas corpus action. Randa says those are reserved for people in custody, which Griffin is not.

Griffin said Monday she will attempt to appeal the order directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.

[LWM]

Dancers from Ohio strip club protest at church (August 9th, 2010 @ 12:14pm)

WARSAW, Ohio (AP) - The owner of an Ohio strip club and some of his dancers have been protesting at a church that has done the same to them for four years. Women in bikinis sat in camp chairs Sunday outside the New Beginnings Ministries church in Warsaw, about 60 miles northeast of Columbus.

Tommy George owns the Foxhole strip club in nearby Newcastle. He says he and his employees decided to start coming to the church because they were fed up.

George says the church's pastor, Bill Dunfee, and his congregation have bothered the club's weekend patrons. He says they come armed with bullhorns, signs and video cameras for posting customers' license plate numbers online.

Dunfee calls George a "parasite" and says seeing the protesters outside the church has strengthened the resolve of his flock.

[LWM]

Man goes naked in Neb. for spiritual experience (August 9th, 2010 @ 12:35pm)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Lincoln police say a man was spotted walking naked near two churches and a parochial high school. Police said a passer-by called dispatch around 8:40 a.m. Sunday after seeing the man near Pius X High School. According to police reports, the 35-year-old man told officers that he went naked for a spiritual experience.

Capt. David Beggs said the man was cited on suspicion of public indecency, among other misdemeanors.

[LWM]

Police: W. Pa. woman used diaper in traffic beef (August 9th, 2010 @ 12:37pm)

CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - State police said a woman wiped a dirty diaper on the window of another woman's vehicle during a dispute in a traffic jam as both were leaving the Fayette County Fair. Jessica Hollis, 23, of Mount Pleasant, has been charged with harassment in the incident which state police in Uniontown said happened about 10:50 p.m. Saturday.

Police said Hollis smeared the diaper on the rear window of a vehicle driven by 36-year-old Melanie Campbell, of Hopwood.

Police said the women began arguing while they were stuck in traffic leaving the fairgrounds in Dunbar Township.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Hollis, and a phone number listed in her name was disconnected Monday.

[LWM]

Fargo man sentenced in feces assault on police (August 9th, 2010 @ 12:41pm)

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A Fargo man who tried to kick his own feces at police officers who responded to a party at his home was sentenced to serve a year in jail. Dennis Fike, 66. also must complete alcohol treatment or he might face another year in jail.

Fike was accused of defecating on a rug and attempting to kick feces at the officers last Aug. 28. His attorney argued that a handcuffed Fike had asked to use the bathroom and been denied.

[LWM]

Ga. pastor arrested protesting 'Demon' mascot (August 9th, 2010 @ 9:51am)

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (AP) - Police have arrested a pastor in Georgia for protesting outside a high school against its demon mascot.

Police spokeswoman Tabitha Pugh said 36-year-old Donald Crosby was arrested Monday in the central Georgia city of Warner Robins.

Crosby and supporters picked the opening day of classes to protest against the pitchfork-wielding mascot. Crosby, of Kingdom Builders Church of Jesus Christ, says his son attends the school and he doesn't want him exposed to the name's devilish connotations.

Crosby was charged with picketing without a license and disorderly conduct. He was released on bond. He did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

School officials say the mascot honors a World War II fighter squadron nicknamed the "Screamin' Demons."

[LWM]

Idaho farmer unknowingly tends to 300 pot plants (August 10th, 2010 @ 12:15pm)

JEROME, Idaho (AP) - Authorities say a southern Idaho farmer unknowingly watered and fertilized more than 300 marijuana plants while tending to his corn fields. The Jerome County sheriff's office says the farmer found the plot of pot growing between his tall, green stalks of unripened corn early Monday and called authorities.

The sheriff's office says the 314 low-grade marijuana plants are valued at $628,000 and would have been ready for plucking in the next month or so- just before the corn harvest.

A detective says the pot was started from seed and relocated to the field, a common way marijuana growers hide their plants.

Authorities have ruled out the farmer as a suspect, saying there have been at least two other similar reports in the past year.

[LWM]

Oregon residents report glow-in-the dark shrimp (August 10th, 2010 @ 12:17pm)

NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) - People who bought pink shrimp at some Oregon stores are reporting that it glows in the dark. Experts told The Register-Guard that they shouldn't worry because it's due to certain marine bacteria that can cause shrimp and other seafood to appear luminescent. They said it's not a health risk and does not indicate mishandling during processing.

Specialists at Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension say the bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, especially on seafood products where salt was added during processing.