Oddly enough

Oddly enough

Vacuum salesmen charged with damaging mattress

SYRACUSE, N.Y.

Two vacuum salesmen didn’t exactly close the deal at a recent home demonstration in central New York.

State police charged the Syracuse men with a misdemeanor after a $1,300 Sealy latex foam mattress was damaged.

Trooper Andy Davis says the damage occurred during a demonstration Monday at a home in Richfield Springs.

Davis wouldn’t elaborate on what was done to the mattress.

Davis says the men were at the home when police arrived and were trying to save the situation.

They’ve been charged with reckless endangerment of property.

The mattress owner is looking for reimbursement.

Ohio governor receives LeBron-themed gift basket

CLEVELAND

In the latest battle between cities fighting over Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says he received a gift basket from The Chicago Tribune that included the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You.”

Strickland said Thursday that the newspaper sent the basket in response to his cameo in an online music video featuring Ohio celebrities singing: “Please stay, LeBron. ... No bigger market’s gonna love you half as much as we do.”

Strickland says the basket also included a sympathy card and the self-help book “The Complete Idiots Guide to Enhancing Self Esteem.” He sent it back.

James becomes a free agent Thursday and soon will decide if he wants to stay with the Cavs or sign with another team. Chicago is among the cities vying for his attention.

Driven to distraction: 15 cats in car is too risky

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

The South Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that a police officer acted correctly when he seized 15 cats from a woman who was driving with the animals running free inside her car.

In a 3-2 decision Thursday, the justices ruled that the felines were a distraction and interfered with driver Patricia Edwards’ ability to see where she was going.

Chief Justice David Gilbertson said Edwards nearly backed into a police car at a convenience store parking lot in Pierre, S.D., because of the cats in her back window.

The court said Edwards and her cats presented a significant risk to the public.

Edwards was appealing a lower-court ruling that transferred ownership of the cats to a humane society for adoption.

Associated Press