Wiley Coyote Killed With Anvil Dropped On Head

Up in Lehigh County — part of the NBC 10 viewing area! — a coyote was killed after attacking three people.

One of the men who saw the coyote was Joe Gerbino, whose German shepherd dog spotted the wild animal: “[My dog] knew this was not a dog. . . So I kept the garbage can lid on and forced it out of the yard. From there it just took off.” Wait, what? He kept the garbage can lid on what? Was the coyote in a garbage can? Did he use a garbage can lid as a shield (no doubt after practicing on the new Zelda game on his Nintendo Wii) and then drive the coyote out with the Master Sword?

Anyway, the coyote was killed — without a trial — for attacking three people and two dogs, although Gerbino said he was a little choked up at the whole thing: “I feel bad for the coyote, but there are kids in the neighborhood, and at the bus stop.”

Yes, the whole “won’t someone please think of the children” meme extends to coyotes, too.

Coyote Killed After Attacking Three People [NBC 10]

Abridged ‘Daily News’ Columnists

Jill Porter: Heartwarming story about a cool dude. Eh, it’s still the Christmas season.

Only The Good Presidents Die Young

Former President Gerald Ford died yesterday at 93. The only president to not be elected prez or veep, Ford was also known as the guy who pissed off hippies by pardoning Nixon and the guy who pissed off Vietnam War supporters (both of them) by pardoning draft dodgers.

Despite his death, Ford was the second story on the cover of the Daily News. That’s okay, though, as all former presidents are honored with 30 days of flags at half-staff, according to U.S. Flag Code. (Even Nixon!)

He was good enough as a center at Michigan in college to be offered contracts by several NFL teams; however, he turned these down for a far less important career in politics.

And, uh, we’ll always remember the time he visited Villanova! Or, really, not.

‘True gentleman,’ ex-President Ford dies at 93 [CNN.com]

Reason #28 To Love Philadelphia: Out-Of-Town Hunters

A Lancaster man was questioned by Philadelphia police after the popo found him hunting on the side of I-95.

Tuesday was the beginning of doe season, and so this Lancaster hunter decided to celebrate it (and Boxing Day, presumably) by pulling his car to the side of I-95 at Island Avenue near the airport and taking some shots.

Not only was he hunting on the side of a highway, but this hunter was dressed in camouflage, had a bow and arrow and was in a tree stand. The cops presumably noticed his car alone on the side of the highway and decided to investigate, eventually taking him in for questioning.

Philly PD spokesman Benjamin Nash: “You are allowed to do bow and arrow hunting within the city if you have the proper license and you have the permission of the owner of the private property you are hunting on. There are probably not a lot of places within the city where that can give a person proper authority to do the bow hunting.”

The side of I-95? Not so much. But, hey, what isn’t there to love about the hunting culture that permeates the rest of our state. Need dinner? Pull over and bag a deer! Now that’s self-sufficiency.

Hunter Takes Unusual Stance [KYW 1060]

Leftovers: What? It’s Dec. 26!

• KYW 1060’s Hadas Kuznits reminds us that it wasn’t Christmas for everyone yesterday. Interviewee: “Well, I do often think that we should start a one-day temp service and offer to work alongside our hindu brothers and sisters.” [KYW 1060]

• Tons of people still went to Philadelphia Park’s new casino on Christmas. Let’s quote again: “I haven’t won a thing and ran out of money. It just feels like any other day in a casino. It doesn’t feel like Christmas.” Good to see that one can escape from Christmas cheer at the casinos. [Bucks County Courier Times]

• Tom Ridge is not going to run for president next year. So we don’t have to hate him. [Inquirer]

• Back tomorrow with more People of the Year and a full day. No more slackin’ here!

Keystone Cops: The 400 Blows

Keystone Cops is a look at police, crime, drug and public safety news.

• Over the Christmas weekend the homicide rate surged past 400, hitting 402 by the end of Christmas Day. [Daily News]

• Oh wait: Number 403 this morning. Sigh. [Inquirer]

• New movie: NJ Weedman shows off the “420 Raffle” he held to support his U.S. Senate bid. Alas, Mr. Weedman did not win the election. [YouTube]

• A toll collector on the New Jersey Turnpike was held up by a driver. The car’s license plate was covered with a plastic bag, and the man got away with coins and cash. He, unfortunately, spent it all at the next rest stop. [AP/NBC 10]

Scrooges In North Philly

The Inquirer’s Amy Rosenberg writes today about a street in North Philly that’s full of Christmas cheer.

Almost every house on the 800 block of North 10th Street is decorated in a smiliar fashion, and the neighbors walked around exchanging presents. (”And so you had Joan Adams in her white bathrobe leaning out of 810 and Marva Lazenbury in her turquoise and pink paisley silk bathrobe and pajamas leaning out of 806,” as Rosenberg puts it.)

But the Inky also blows the whistle on those who didn’t join in the decoration:

Pretty much the only ones who opted out of the decorations were the Jehovah’s Witnesses who live in two homes and the Sturgis family at 807 who, for various reasons, just couldn’t find the time this year.

Not to mention the undecorated house of Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz.

A block reborn, a neighborhood united in sharing [Inky]
Archives: Hurricane Schwartz

Warning: Rabid Skunks On Loose

Hey kids! Do you like rabid dogs? (Pictured: Not a rabid dog.) Then you should head to Bucks County! They have tons of ‘em!

Officials say 19 cases of animal rabies were confirmed this year - a sharp increase over last year’s six cases.

Seven raccoons, five skunks, three cats, three bats and a dog were found to be rabid.

The number of confirmed rabies cases statewide also was higher than last year. From January 1st to November 30th, 2005, there were 379 cases. In the same eleven months of this year, state Health Department spokesman Richard McGarvey says, there were 469.

Yep, this is news today. Eh.

Bucks County Sees Rise In Rabies Cases [AP/CBS 3]

Warning: B-West Impersonator In Stock Spam Scam

It’s always a watershed moment when a sports figure transcends into the general consciousness. Now that “Brain Westbrook” is sending out spam emails, he’s totally in.

‘10!’ Adds Alcohol, Gets Interesting

Office actress and UArts grad Kate Flannery was on the 10! show this morning. Clearly, it quickly became the best episode ever, because there was alcohol involved.

Hey, I’ve known that drinking yourself makes local television easier to digest for a while. But who knew drinking from the people on TV made it a lot better, too?

Archives: 10!