oddly enough

oddly enough

Pa. inmates making own beds — building, that is

NESQUEHONING, Pa.

Inmates at a northeastern Pennsylvania prison are going to make their own beds. But it’s probably not what you think.

Carbon County Correctional Facility’s warden, Joseph Gross, said at a prison-board hearing that he looked into purchasing an additional 18 bunk beds. At $700 each, that’s well over $10,000.

The (Lehighton) Times News says the warden found out that for around $3,400, they could buy the raw materials and make their own bunk beds because an inmate assigned to work release is a welder.

Gross says the inmate has volunteered to build the beds. He will be under the supervision of the prison’s maintenance supervisor.

The warden asked the board’s permission to spend the $3,400, and they agreed.

3 charged with tossing dead animals into Pa. bar

PITTSBURGH

Police have charged three men with disorderly conduct for reportedly tossing a dead groundhog and grouse into a western Pennsylvania tavern — but the borough’s police chief says in a news release that’s better than dealing with big-city crimes such as robbery, rape and murder.

Brookville police Chief Ken Dworek says his “big city” friends have been enjoying the story since the incident was reported by The Associated Press.

The (Dubois) Courier-Express first reported that the men who the chief says were “dissatisfied customers” have now been charged with disorderly conduct. They’re accused of tossing the animals into Bill’s Bar in Brookville, about 70 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Still, Dworek said in a news release faxed to the AP that he’s “happy we are not dealing with human bodies being dumped everywhere.”

Oregon juror jailed for texting during trial

SALEM, Ore.

A judge in Oregon noticed an unexpected glow on a juror’s chest while the courtroom lights were dimmed during video evidence in an armed-robbery trial.

The juror, it seemed, was texting.

Marion County Circuit Judge Dennis Graves cleared the courtroom and excused all jurors except 26-year-old Benjamin Kohler.

According to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Kohler had no explanation for his actions.

Jurors in Oregon are given explicit instructions at the outset of each trial not to use cellphones in court.

Graves held Kohler in contempt, and Kohler spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday in the county jail. He was released Wednesday night. Neither the nature of the text message nor its recipient was disclosed.

Associated Press