ODDLY ENOUGH | In Pennsylvania, porcupines poised to be a public enemy

ODDLY ENOUGH

In Pennsylvania, porcupines poised to be a public enemy

HARRISBURG, Pa.

Pennsylvania hunting regulators say it’s time to stick it to porcupines.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is poised to declare open season on the slow-moving, razor-sharp rodents today, citing complaints of property damage from residents.

Other states allow porcupine hunting. In Pennsylvania, porcupines are listed as a protected species but can be killed by residents if they’re causing property damage.

Commission member Dave Putnam tells The Philadelphia Inquirer the proposal would offer residents the clear assurance they can kill troublesome porcupines. He says the animals damage log cabins and have been known to nibble on vehicle brake lines.

Some animal-welfare groups question the plan.

One hunter tells The Philadelphia Inquirer he wouldn’t consider it sporting. Tom Leete says, “You wouldn’t so much track a porcupine as bump into it.”

‘Tall tale’ helps police officers discover fake IDs in Pa.

WASHINGTON, Pa.

Police in one southwestern city say a tall tale of sorts has led them to discover an online service that is selling fake IDs to dozens of young people.

Washington, Pa., police Officer Johnathan Miller says police were alerted Saturday night when several young people tried to buy beer and other alcoholic beverages from a beer distributor.

The tip-off was a fake Pennsylvania driver’s license that says one of the purchasers was 54-feet tall instead of 5 feet, 4 inches tall.

The Observer-Reporter newspaper says as many as 60 young people may have bought the IDs online, which even include holographs and other security features found on state driver’s licenses.

Charges are pending against those caught with the IDs, which cost about $200 each — but can be had for closer to $100 each if purchased in bulk.

Woman in Georgia cleans out purse, finds winning ticket

FAIRBURN, Ga.

A Georgia woman’s decision to clean out her purse paid off in a big way when she found an old lottery ticket worth $189,302.

Fifty-five-year-old Rhonda Williams of Fairburn says she found the winning Fantasy 5 ticket in the bottom of her purse after cleaning it out recently.

WSB-TV reports that the ticket is from a Jan. 17 drawing. Williams picked all of the winning numbers: 18, 25, 28, 29, 35.

Williams says she plans to pay off bills and may take a cruise.

Associated Press