ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Bong brawl leads to charges

JOHNSTOWN, Pa.

Two western Pennsylvania brothers are charged with simple assault and marijuana possession charges after what police are calling a brawl over a broken bong.

Ferndale police tell the Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown they responded to a fight call last week in which one man was reportedly brandishing a screwdriver while the other hid in his bedroom.

After investigating, police say 18-year-old Tyler Kamler told them 23-year-old Brandon Kamler became upset when Tyler asked him about the broken bong — a glass or plastic water pipe commonly used to smoke marijuana. Police say they later found small bags of marijuana, an ashtray and two smoking pipes buried in a flower bed after asking Brandon Kamler if there were other drugs in the house.

The brothers don’t have attorneys and declined to comment when called late last week.

W. Pa. prison-board members all balk at taking on presidency

NEW CASTLE, Pa.

The board overseeing a western Pennsylvania county jail has postponed its reorganization meeting for a month because nobody wants to be its president.

The New Castle News reported last week that Lawrence County Controller David Gettings, who has headed the county prison board for four years, says he’s too busy and doesn’t want the nonpaying job anymore.

The county’s sheriff declined to say why he wouldn’t take the job at last week’s meeting, but District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa, President Judge Dominick Motto and Dan Vogler, chairman of the county commissioners, all say they’re too busy, too.

Newly elected commissioner Bob Del Signore says he doesn’t know enough about the jail because he just took office. The other county commissioner, Steve Craig, refused by saying his name already appears in the local newspaper too much as it is.

No shoes, no Statehouse entry

COLUMBUS

Officials at the Ohio Statehouse have ordered a cover-up — on bare feet.

A new rule approved Thursday by the state Capitol building’s overseers says that all visitors must be wearing “shoes or comparable footwear.”

The policy follows attempts to visit the Statehouse by a barefoot activist who has said going shoeless is a healthy lifestyle. Bob Neinast of the Columbus suburb of Pickerington says his feet hurt when he wears shoes, so he goes barefoot nearly everywhere, even in winter.

Statehouse spokesman Gregg Dodd tells The Columbus Dispatch the new footwear requirement was prompted by concerns about public safety.

Officials have said floors in the building are cracked or uneven and could hurt bare feet.

The policy must be approved by a legislative panel.

Associated Press