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October 31, 2009

SUNDAY’S WEIRD NEWS: Nov. 1, 2009

• Man rescues phone from dump by listening for ring



ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — A determined Colorado man found his missing cell phone at a trash dump after dialing the number and listening for the ring.

Billy Boyd says he dropped the phone Tuesday while raking his yard outside Aspen and unknowingly scooped it into a bag of leaves.

He says he didn’t realize his mistake until after he left the leaves at a city recycling center.

Boyd says he could hear the phone ringing but couldn’t reach it because of the grate across the recycling bin. By the time he reached city officials, the bin had been emptied onto a massive leaf pile at the dump.

After a half hour of dialing, listening and sifting at the dump, Boyd found his phone.

Landfill manager Chris Hoofnagle says it’s the first time he can remember anyone finding a lost item at the dump.





• Officials find gator that escaped at show and tell



PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Officials believe they have found an alligator that escaped from a wildlife officer who brought the animal to his daughter’s school for show and tell.

Stan Kirkland, a spokesman for the Florida wildlife commission, says officials think the 5-foot alligator is in a Panhandle pond. Authorities weren’t able to capture the gator Friday.

Searchers scoured a wooded area surrounding the school Friday afternoon after the alligator jumped out of the man’s vehicle with its mouth taped shut.

Kirkland says alligators have “amazing” jumping ability and that allowed it to escape.





• Crime-weary Ohioans say cops tell them to move out



COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Residents of Ohio’s capital city are complaining that police officers are telling them to move out if they’re fed up with neighborhood crime.

At least two Columbus city council members have heard the complaint.

An aide to Councilwoman Charleta Tavares says she has received more than 20 calls. Councilman Andrew Ginther says if police are making the comments, they’re neither acceptable nor appropriate, though he says he believes most officers want to be helpful.

A police spokesman says the department addresses the complaints when it’s given the name of an officer.

A police union official says he understands if officers are frustrated with crime. Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Gilbert says: “It’s like the OK Corral out there.”

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