ODDLY ENOUGH: Officers arrest Ohio student who was cutting down pine tree

ODDLY ENOUGH

Officers arrest Ohio student who was cutting down pine tree

OXFORD, Ohio

Police in Ohio have arrested a Miami University student they say was drunkenly trying to chop down a 30-foot pine he wanted for a Christmas tree.

Oxford police tell the Hamilton JournalNews they were called Sunday morning.

They say the 21-year-old told them he planned to chop down the pine and then cut off the top part for his own Christmas tree.

Police say a friend apparently took off with the ax.

The southwest Ohio police department didn’t immediately release the student’s name.

He was charged with a minor misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct-public intoxication.

Ohio judge takes up collection to help clear defendant’s record

CLEVELAND

An Ohio judge has joined attorneys in chipping in money to help clear a defendant’s record.

The formerly homeless woman was in a county court in Cleveland earlier this month seeking to have a minor felony expunged, but she didn’t have $57 needed to pay restitution.

A judge not handling the case heard about the woman’s plight and plucked $20 out of his wallet to help.

Two public defenders came up with matching amounts.

Judge Timothy McCormick told The Plain Dealer it seemed like the easiest and best thing for him to do, especially given the season.

He received a lengthy thank-you note from the defendant.

Man in Santa Claus outfit robs Rhode Island yacht club bar

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I.

Call it a ho-ho-holdup.

Police say a man who was dressed as Santa Claus has robbed a Rhode Island yacht club.

Rhode Island authorities say a bartender was alone in the East Providence Yacht Club on Sunday night when a large man wearing a red suit, red hat, white beard and carrying a sack walked into the bar and brandished a gun.

The bartender fled the bar and ran to a nearby business, where she called 911.

By the time police arrived, the so-called Santa bandit — as well as an undetermined amount of cash from the register — was missing.

Co-owner Tony Perry says he’s just glad no one was hurt.

There were no immediate arrests.

Associated Press