Oddities - York Dispatch

Oddities

Funeral home has bicycle hearse for 1 last ride

EUGENE, Ore.—An Oregon funeral home in Eugene offers natural burials where the ride to the person's final resting place is on the back of a three-wheeled bicycle. Full Story

Birth of anteater has Conn. zoo staff puzzled

GREENWICH, Conn.—An anteater has given birth at a Connecticut conservation center, prompting officials there to wonder how the mother conceived. Full Story

Aussie minister sorry he 'liked' exposed teen pic

SYDNEY—An Australian politician says he has learned a valuable lesson in social networking after he "liked" a Facebook photo without realizing that it showed a teenage prankster exposing himself. Full Story

Fleeing Ore. man pleads to be pulled from river

IRRIGON, Ore.—Authorities in Eastern Oregon say a fleeing man tried to use a backstroke to get across the Columbia River but, exhausted, said he couldn't swim and pleaded with officers to retrieve him. Full Story

Wash. state woman spots stolen car in drive-thru

KENNEWICK, Wash.—A Washington woman whose car was stolen from her apartment complex saw the stolen SUV hours later—in the drive-thru of the McDonald's restaurant where she works. Full Story

Coin tossing breaks tie in Philippine mayoral race

MANILA, Philippines—What do you do when two candidates running for mayor in the Philippines get exactly the same number of votes? Full Story

Deer smashes Pa. bus windshield, takes short ride

JOHNSTOWN, Pa.—A deer has taken a ride on a western Pennsylvania bus. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat newspaper (http://bit. Full Story

NH city sues parking meter 'Robin Hood' group

KEENE, N.H.—The city of Keene, N.H., has sued a group that feeds change into parking meters that are about to expire, saying members are harassing enforcement officers. Full Story

Conn. chef set to feast on cicadas during invasion

NEW HAVEN, Conn.—Connecticut chef Bun Lai is already known for his Mexican grasshopper dish and his fried rice with meal worms and crickets. Full Story

Stinky corpse flower blooms again at Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio—A large rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its awful smell has bloomed again at an Ohio State University greenhouse, and there's more excitement because another corpse flower there is expected to open soon, a spokeswoman said. Full Story

Correction: Kenya-Sandal Animals story

NAIROBI, Kenya—In a story May 8 about artisans in Kenya who turn old sandals into art objects, The Associated Press included two paragraphs that closely paralleled the wording of an earlier story on the subject by the Voice of America. Full Story

Wisconsin boy gets handwritten response from Biden

MILWAUKEE—It might not be unusual for schoolchildren to write to the president or vice president. Full Story

Man charged in overnight feast at Ky. supermarket

(AP Photo/Bullitt County Detention Center)

MOUNT WASHINGTON, Ky.—Authorities in Kentucky have charged a man who officers say had an overnight feast in a closed supermarket outside Louisville. Full Story

Calif. man who said he fled zombies pleads guilty

TEMECULA, Calif.—A Tennessee man who stole a big-rig truck in California, caused several accidents and told investigators he was fleeing zombies when he did it has pleaded guilty to several felonies. Full Story

Ohio State awaits bloom of stinky corpse flower

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Researchers at an Ohio State University greenhouse are awaiting a rare second bloom by a rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its unpleasant odor. Full Story

NYPD officer tries to help cat in tree, gets stuck

NEW YORK—Authorities say a New York police officer who went after a cat stuck in a tree got caught himself and needed a little help getting back down to the ground. Full Story

Remains in Colo. car tied to man missing since '87

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—Authorities in western Colorado say a human skeleton found in a partially buried car belongs to a man who was reported missing 26 years ago. Full Story

Ice from Minn. lake pushed ashore to doorsteps

LAKE MILLE LACS, Minn.—Strong winds have pushed huge ice sheets ashore at a northern Minnesota lake and right up to people's doorsteps. Full Story

Bold turkey: woman hits cop to kick smoking habit

In this booking image released by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, is Etta Mae Lopez who was arrested for slapping a Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy, Tuesday, May 7, 2013, so she could go to jail in an effort to quit smoking. Lopez, 31

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Think you've heard of every way possible to quit smoking? Etta Mae Lopez came up with a new one: slap a cop and go to jail, where smoking isn't allowed. Full Story

Durango, Colo., area couple gives up catwalk fight

DURANGO, Colo.—A Durango area couple is giving up their fight to keep a 13-foot escape route for their cats outside their Colorado apartment. Full Story