The Chicago Police Department is struggling to explain this morning how a 14-year-old boy walked into Grand Crossing District station impersonating a police officer and was given an assignment in a squad car for five hours before anyone realized that he was too young to drive, let one patrol the streets of the city.
Month: January 2009
As we approach the one-week anniversary of the Obama administration, it is a bit early to judge the level of true change brought by the 44th president. However, it is becoming increasingly clear what is not going to change (at least for the better) in the Obama administration. With all of the euphoria of the inauguration, many supporters fought back a strange and long-lingering sensation: doubt. There was little room for doubt in the collective celebration of our first African-American president and a new course after a ruinous eight years under George W. Bush.
Continue reading “Faith-Based Part II: Obama’s Expansion of the Bush’s Faith-Based Programs”
Now, this could make for an wrongful termination lawsuit. Micah Grimes, the coach of Covenant School of Dallas, was reportedly fired after refusing to apologize for a 100 – 0 victory of his girls’ basketball team over Dallas Academy. He insists that it is ridiculous to apologize “for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity.” He was fired shortly thereafter.
Continue reading “Christians Can’t Jump: Coach Grimes Fired for Beating Girl’s Basketball Team 100 To 0”
A new video has emerged in the case of Oscar Grant III, who was fatally shot by former transit police officer Johannes Mehserle in a BART station. The new videotape below shows a second officer, reportedly Tony Pirone, striking one of the detained men (possibly Oscar Grant) on January 1st.
In shocking documents reviewed by the Indianapolis Star, disclosed evidence shows that the Archdiocese of Indianapolis was fully aware that Father Harry Monroe was molesting numerous boys from 1974 to 1984 and allowed him to continue by transferring him from church to church rather than calling the police or terminating his employment or both.
Continue reading “Documents Shows Church Officials in Indianapolis Knew of Repeated Sexual Abuse by Priest But Transferred Him to Other Churches”
There has been a second death in a monster truck show this month. In Madison, George Eisenhart Jr., 41, of Chardon, Ohio died after he walked in front of a passing monster truck at the Dane County Coliseum. This is nine days after a boy was killed in Tacoma, Washington by flying debris in a monster truck show.
Continue reading “Death at the Motor Sports Monster Truck and Thrill Show”
Ryan Brinkerhoff has a curious way to dealing with being stuck in an elevator. When he found himself unable to get out of the 40th floor of 7 World Trade Center, he decided the best course of action was to spray the interior of the elevator with cleaning fluid and lighting it on fire. The automatic system then forced the elevator to the bottom floor where he was promptly arrested.
Continue reading “Drunken Commodities Broker Attempts to Set WTC Elevator on Fire in Escape Effort”
The BBC has officially refused to air an appeal for aid for Gaza from ten international aid groups, including British Red Cross, Oxfam, and Save the Children. The BBC insists that, no matter how crafted, the aid request would undermine its impartiality in covering the conflict. SKY has now joined BBC in the refusal to air any appeal.
Norman Hutchinson, 48, is a member of the Religion of Jesus Church who lives in Mexico, Maine. He has filed a lawsuit in the Oxford Courthouse in Paris Maine against the state, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Mexico Police Department to protect his right to use marijuana for religious reasons.
Continue reading “Mexico Man in Paris Sues State of Maine in Oxford Court Over Religious Use of Pot”
A federal court in Ungar v. New York City Housing Authority, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3578 (SD NY, Jan. 14, 2009) has ruled against the claims of a Hasidic group that the New York City Housing Authority should be required to give them preference in allocating units in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. They challenged the Tenant Selection Assignment Plan saying that they have religious needs to live near other members of their religious community in Williamsburg.
Continue reading “Federal Court Rules Against Hasidic Jews Who Challenged Public Housing Rule”
Taco Bell must pay the entirely of a $42 million in breach-of-contract award to the two Michigan men who created the idea of a taco-selling Chihuahua. oseph Shields and Thomas Rinks of Grand Rapids, Mich., prevailed in their claims against the chain as the originators of the “Yo quiero Taco Bell” ads. According to the court, Taco Bell and not its ad company is responsible for the full amount of the damages.
Continue reading ““¡Yo Quiero Taco Bell Dinero!”: Restaurant Chain Loses Case Over Talking Chihuahua”
There is a fight brewing about an Ebay sale after a supporter of Sarah Palin bought an effigy of her by mistake, thinking that it was just another item to add to his Sarah Palin collection. It turned out to be the controversial effigy of Chad Morrisette, a professional window dresser, who hung it in protest. The Palin supporter is now refusing to pay the $2,200.
Continue reading “Palin Fan Mistakingly Buys Infamous Effigy on EBay and then Refuses to Pay”
The Vanguard, one of Nigeria’s largest newspaper, has a different take on the conventional crime beat. The newspaper reported how a thief in Kwara state was chased and cornered by vigilantes and promptly turned himself into a goat.
Continue reading “The Goat Did It: Nigerian Newspaper Reports That Cornered Car Thief Turned Himself Into Goat”
Anthony Hernandez has sued the Chicago police department after officers arrested him without probable cause on drug charges and then held him for six months in jail. Not only did Hernandez lose his jobs, but he missed the birth of a child. It also turns out that one of the arresting officers, Slawomir Plewa, was stripped of his police powers in 2008 for his involvement in a false arrest.
Continue reading “Chicago Man Sues After Being Held Six Months on False Drug Charges”
The librarians in Independence, Iowa don’t take kindly to people holding on to their books. Shelly Koontz, 39, probably feels like she has become a character out of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment after police arrested her for failing to return a book that she checked out in April. The book value is $13.95.
Continue reading “Booked: Iowa Woman Arrested Over Failure to Return Library Book”