Offbeat - News February 11, 2011

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Man accused in 'polite' robbery charged (WTHI-TV Terre Haute)
Seattle-area prosecutors have filed a first-degree robbery charge against a 65-year-old man accused of politely holding up a convenience store at gunpoint.

4-year-old saves family in car crash (WIVB-TV Buffalo)
A 4-year-old northwest Iowa girl who climbed her way out of an overturned pickup truck and trudged a quarter-mile across a field covered in a foot of snow said she just "wanted to help" her mother and younger brother.

80-year-old jewel thief off to prison (WWLP)
An 80-year-old woman with a decades-long criminal history who was convicted of stealing a diamond ring worth nearly $9,000 from a San Diego department store was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison.

App Store approves, but Vatican rejects: iPhone confessional app (examiner)
Earlier this week, it was announced that Confession: A Roman Catholic App had been approved by Bishop Kevin Rhoades, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, for Catholics to use. Unfortunately for Bishop Rhoades, the Vatican has the ultimate word in this matter, and they said the app is invalid.

Mini-skirted Russians urge better snow removal (Ledger Dispatch)
Too much snow and not enough beaus -- so says a squad of mini-skirted, high-heeled young women wielding snow shovels in Russia's second city.

Oregon dog to get stem cells to help heal hip (WHDH)
A former Oregon military dog that did two tours of duty sniffing out bombs in Iraq is going to receive stem cell therapy to treat osteoarthritis in his hips.

Man flees court, still ends up in jail (WWLP)
A Lafayette man who fled a courtroom Wednesday when he heard his sentence is finally in jail, but only after a struggle with police officers.

NYU professor has camera removed from head as body rejects implant (examiner)
Remember the socket that Neo and others had in the back of their heads in The Matrix? This doesn't go quite that far, but Wafaa Bilal, a New York University professor has surgically implanted a camera into the back of his head.

Woman accused of looting library fines (WANE-TV Fort Wayne)
A woman who worked for a New York public library has been accused of stealing more than $160,000, including fines for overdue books.

Philly ex-con makes homemade jail (WLUK-TV Green Bay)
Ex-convict Michael Ta'Bon is back in a prison of his own making. Literally. Ta'Bon, who served nearly a decade behind bars for armed robbery, says divine inspiration has led him to preach a gospel of nonviolence from a homemade, outdoor jail cell in Philadelphia.

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Researchers find ship from 1823 wreck (WLUK-TV Green Bay)

A fierce sperm whale sank the first whaling ship under George Pollard's command and inspired the classic American novel "Moby-Dick". A mere two years later, a second whaler captained by Pollard struck a coral reef during a night storm and sank in shallow water.

Detroit attempts to break world hugging record (Examiner)

Detroit is primarily known for its cars and music, and on Saturday February 12th, the city may be known for hugs too.

Stroik uses offbeat approach in... (The Business Journal of Milwaukee)

Before taking over Zimmerman Architectural Studios Inc., Dave Stroik flirted with the idea of building toys or furniture.

Baltimore City Police Department leaves Officer Darryl Strange in distress (Big News Network - Maryland News)

With very few programs in Baltimore for our youth and very few positive black men willing to step forward and mentor our youth, is heartbreaking?to know that Baltimore City Police Department is attacking Officer Darryl Strange.

Old Navy Nixes 'Irish' T-Shirts (The Post Chronicle)

U.S. clothing chain Old Navy said T-shirts that unfairly stereotype Irish people are being pulled from the shelves and online stores.

With Valentine's Day approaching, women already have a wish list of gifts (WCSH-TV Portland)

If you haven't looked at the calendar lately, here's a warning. The next give a gift holiday is just around the corner.

Bra Removal Not Jail Policy (The Post Chronicle)

Officials with a Virginia jail said a guard was not following official policy when female visitors were told to remove their bras.

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