Journalist at Large
Why I Love Local News
Why I Love Local News: Naked Man Arrested, Wanted Tan
March 9, 2010
Asked why he was not wearing clothes, Calvo said to get a tan and give people a show, according to a police report.
Full story (WPTV-TV of West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Why I Love Local News: FHP: Driver Lacked Razor-Sharp Focus
March 6, 2010
"Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash Tuesday at Mile Marker 21 on Cudjoe Key was caused by a 37-year-old woman driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat."
Full story (Key West Citizen)
Background Check? Remember Your Reefer!
March 2, 2010
"Lawson was going into the jail to pick up her criminal background check for a new job, and deputies found the dope when her purse was searched."
Full story (WALB-TV of Albany, Ga.)
Size-D Implants Saved Woman's Life
February 25, 2010
She survived a gunshot to the chest, but the the bullet left a scar and deflated the implant.
Full story (KNBC-TV of Los Angeles)
Mom Finds Snake Head in Frozen Green Beans
February 23, 2010
"When I saw it was a snake's head I just threw it down and called my kids and said I got a snake head in the green beans, everybody said 'Oh lord, you got a snake head in the green beans'," Jamison said.
Full story (KRIV-TV of Houston)
Man's Dog Turns Him In to Police
February 22, 2010
A German man on the run from police was given away by his own dog, which revealed its master's hiding place by wagging its tail while standing next to the small cupboard he was cowering in, authorities said on Monday.
Full story (The Telegraph)
February 21, 2010
I've confirmed through archives that this really did run in the Vallejo Times-Herald, although the original is no longer online:
Man Offered to Pave Driveway for Sex (Three Names Dept.)
February 17, 2010
"Investigators said 24-year-old Billie Bobbie Harrison, of Winston-Salem, and another man drove up to the woman's Chesnee home to solicit work on Tuesday."
Full story (WXII-TV)
Police Arrest Woman Covered in Jell-O, Drunk
February 16, 2010
"The officer had to conduct sobriety tests while the woman was still seated in the vehicle because he determined she was without other clothes and would not be safe outdoors in the 20-degree weather." (h/t to Dave Barry and Jeff Renner)
Full story (Milan, Minn., News Leader)
February 11, 2010
Cat Causes Fire; Dog Saves the Family
February 10, 2010
"A family's Golden Retriever is being called a canine hero, while the family's cat should probably be sent to the 'dog house.'"
Full story (WPTV-TV of West Palm Beach, Fla.)
February 10, 2010
Restaurant Promotes Bathroom Sex For V-Day
February 5, 2010
"We've always had little trysts in our bathrooms," chef/co-owner Donna Dooher said. "We're taking it to the next level on Valentine's weekend."
Full story (WDIV-TV of Detroit)
February 1, 2010
Authorities said a 53-year-old Los Banos hunter was wounded in the back when his Labrador retriever stepped on his shotgun.
Full story (KSBW-TV of Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Floor Collapses at Weight Watchers Meeting
January 15, 2010
"Members of the weight-loss club were lining up to compare readings on the scales when they heard a bang as the floor came away from the walls of their meeting room in Växjö in southern Sweden."
Full story (The Times of London)
Man Rams Car Into Restaurant, Eats Breakfast
January 13, 2010
Once Charles Pierce, 92, was sure all was well, he dug in to his breakfast.
Full story (WESH-TV of Orlando, Fla.)
Naked Rampage: OC Man Kills Dog, Covers Himself in Coffee
December 30, 2009
"'He may have been under the influence of drugs,'" Amormino said." You think?
Full story (WVIT-TV of Hartford, Conn.)
Memphis Attorney Bit Off Part of Man's Nose in Restaurant Scuffle
December 18, 2009
"While he admitted to biting off part of Herbers' nose, Lambert says he didn't swallow it, but spit it out."
Full story (WMC-TV of Memphis, Tenn.)
Man Claims House Damaged by Neighbor's Licking Cows
December 11, 2009
[Davis] says he left messages with his neighbor to tell him about the hungry heifers. When Davis got no response, he called the sheriff. "I said 'They’re licking the house.' They licked all the sealant and stuff off the back of the house and tore my screen down."
Full story (WSAV-TV of Savannah, Ga.)
Drunk Love, $600 of Meat, and a Plan Gone Wrong
December 10, 2009
When police arrived, Peterson -- who appeared intoxicated -- explained to them that she stole the meat in hopes of getting arrested. She wanted to get put behind bars with her boyfriend at the Knox County Jail. ... But unfortunately for her, women and men are segregated at the jail.
Full story (WMAQ-TV of Chicago)
Elf Threatens Santa at Area Mall
December 9, 2009
A man dressed as an elf disrupted Santa's holiday photo shoots at Southlake Mall Wednesday evening when he informed Santa Claus he was carrying a bag of dynamite.
Full story (WXIA-TV of Atlanta)
November 2, 2009
The bear walked through the front door of Marketplace Foods and headed straight for the beer cooler in rear of the liquor department. The bear climbed up 12 feet onto a shelf inside the cooler, where he decided to sit for about an hour.
Full story (KALB-TV of Alexandria, La.)
Woman Fries 7 Goldfish, Eats 3
October 6, 2009
The seven goldfish were purchased together by the couple during happier times.
Full story (KPRC-TV of Houston)
Vt. Crematorium Fire Guts Newlyweds' Upstairs Home
September 22, 2009
In real estate, it's location, location, location. "Bucossi says he has heard complaints from neighbors for 10 years about black smoke and odors emanating from the crematorium."
Full story (AP via WWBT-TV of Richmond, Va.)
September 19, 2009
Instead of putting on a mask to conceal his already-camera caught identity, the bandit puts his hands over his face and peeks through his fingers at the frightened cashier.
Full story (WTVJ-TV of Miami)
(Slow News Day Dept.): Arizona Cardinals' Handwriting Analysis
September 16, 2009
Hopper found several similarities in their writing, which he says says is not surprising, because they're all in the same profession.
Full story (KPNX-TV of Phoenix)
September 15, 2009
"Police say he refused to give information about the shooting other than to say he was shot while trying to buy marijuana." Which might have been the one detail he should have withheld.
Full story (AP via KTVF-TV of Fairbanks, Alaska)
Ala. Boy Fakes Kidnapping to Hide Bad Grades
September 14, 2009
Sgt. Mark Roberts said police were suspicious that the boy was able to "escape" with his band instrument, but not his bookbag.
Full story (AP via WFIE-TV of Evansville, Ind.)
6-Year-Old Driver Says Mom Was ‘Smoking the Smelly Stuff’
September 11, 2009
The 6-year-old girl told police her mother was just tired, but while calling her aunt from the scene, admitted mom had been “smoking smelly stuff” again.
Full story (NBC Newschannel)
September 10, 2009
"A Marquette woman who casts pregnant women's bellies says she's starting to get orders across the Midwest. ...
"'I had the one woman that wanted a frog, so we turned the whole thing into a frog, and then I had another woman who loved the Packers, so I decorated it in Packers colors,' says Wicklund."
Full story (WLUC-TV of Marquette, Mich.)
Illinois boy has a passion for vacuum cleaners
September 4, 2009
"The 10-year-old is such an expert on vacuums that he can tell which model is running by its sound."
Full story (WGEM-TV of Quincy, Ill.)
Police: Dad gave son sex for 15th birthday
September 3, 2009
"Authorities said the 41-year-old man wanted the sex to be a birthday present for his 15-year-old son. The teen said that when he refused the sex, his dad taunted him."
Full story (WESH-TV of Orlando, Fla.)
87-year-old woman waves gun while driving
August 28, 2009
"I'm like no. Come on. ... And she had it sideways like she's a gangster.”
Full story (WALB-TV of Albany, Ga.
Woman arrested, driving on 45 license suspensions
August 27, 2009
Police say not only was a Detroit woman behind the wheel of a stolen car with a 24-ounce can of beer on her lap, but her license had been suspended 45 times.
Full story (WEYI-TV of Clio, Mich.)
Arnold keeps 'Conan' sword in office
August 25, 2009
The sword is stored in a case behind the governor's desk, and he's not afraid to use it. Before the start of budget negotiations in January, Schwarzenegger brought out the sword and placed it on a conference table in front of legislative leaders.
Full story (KNBC-TV of Los Angeles)
Brett Favre-themed goat in trunk of car
August 24, 2009
It was painted Minnesota Viking colors -- purple and gold -- with Brett Favre's No. 4 shaved on its side. Favre made his Vikings debut Friday in a preseason game.
Full story (AP/KTTC-TV of Rochester, Minn.)
Group threatens speeders with paintballs
August 19, 2009
Angry Neighbors With Paintball Guns is fed up with what it calls Durham's inability or unwillingness to deal with speeders.
Full story (WXII-TV of Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Collector sells $30,000 'Archie' comic to protest storyline
August 18, 2009
When comic book store owner Dave Luebke heard that after 67 years, the carrot-topped everyman of the comic world, Archie, was proposing to va-va-voomy rich girl Veronica instead of girl-next-door Betty, he decided to protest by selling his copy of the series' rare first issue.
Luebke's Archie Comics No. 1 sold for over $30,000 when Dallas' Heritage Auction Galleries offered it Friday afternoon.
"Betty is it. Not Veronica," said Luebke, whose Richmond, Va., store has more than 1 million comics in stock. "This is serious." ...
Full story (Jamie Stengle/WTVJ-TV of Miami)
Ag group holds 'testicle festival'
August 18, 2009
Some young farmers and ranchers in Santa Cruz County will be serving up all-you-can-eat bull testicles while asking the all important question: do they really taste like chicken?
Full story (KSBW-TV of San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
Boiling mad: Man's phone turns on oven
August 17, 2009
Here's one to stew over.
A Brooklyn man has discovered that his cell phone somehow turns on the broiler on his oven — and repairmen have yet to figure out what's behind the dangerous glitch. ...
Full story (Victoria Cavaliere/WNBC-TV of New York)
37-inch flat screen TV for $100 is really an oven door
August 14, 2009
A brand-new 37-inch Sony flat screen television for $100? Great deal — until you take it out of the box and realize you just bought an oven door. ...
"It was very ingenious," Ballew said. "If you were a bargain hunter, you might think, 'Wow, this is the deal of the day.'" ...
Full story (Jason Sweeney/Oakland Tribune)
August 14, 2009
Oreo the cat spends her days doing typical cat things and some not so typical. She enjoys sitting with her owner Kelvin Collins and reading the newspaper.
"Oreo's a really smart cat... She keeps up with current events," said Collins.
Oreo's so smart, she has something many people don't: a G.E.D. She got her diploma from Jefferson High School Online. Collins took the test for her, but found out it doesn't take a genius to pass. ...
Full story (WMAZ-TV of Macon, Ga.)
Falling fish shatters driver's windshield
August 14, 2009
When a fish falls from out of the sky and cracks your windshield, the repair will cost you--but the story may be worth the price. ...
"I looked up and saw the biggest, most beautiful eagle I have ever seen in my life flying overhead."
"Then I see something silver undulating in its claws--it was a fish. The next thing I know, the fish falls from the eagles' grasp and falls forty feet onto my car -- shattered my windshield." ...
Full story (WKYC-TV of Cleveland)
August 14, 2009
... 51-year-old Brigitte France was attacked and suffered multiple bites from two Otters as she swam. ... D.N.R. and wildlife officials say this behavior is very unusual.
Full story (KBJR-TV of Duluth, Minn./WEAU-TV of Eau Claire, Wis.)
Pay to the order of ... Jesus Christ?
August 11, 2009
Emma told police Harrison was her maiden name, and she was married to Jesus Christ, and Jesus was coming in next week to sign the paperwork for the car. She also said the dealership called the wrong company to verify the funds.
Full story (WTLV-TV of Jacksonville, Fla.)
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