ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Surgeons remove tiger’s basketball-sized hairball

CLEARWATER, Fla.

It’s not unusual for a cat to get a hairball, but a 400-pound tiger needed help from veterinary surgeons when he couldn’t hack up a basketball-sized hairball by himself.

The 17-year-old tiger named Ty underwent the procedure Wednesday at a veterinary center in the Tampa Bay area community of Clearwater. Doctors said that they safely removed the 4-pound obstruction from Ty’s stomach.

The tiger, which is cared for by Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in Seminole, was brought to veterinarians after not eating for nearly two weeks. Doctors said they detected the hairball using a scope with a camera.

Vernon Yates, whose nonprofit group regularly assists law-enforcement agencies with seized animals, says he’s thankful the hairball was removed and Ty is doing fine.

Indictment: 84-year-old NM woman trafficking drugs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

An 84-year-old Albuquerque woman on an oxygen tank has been indicted on charges involving drug trafficking.

KRQE-TV reported that Lillie Smith was recently indicted by a Bernalillo County Grand Jury for trafficking, conspiracy to commit trafficking, tampering with evidence and possession. Court documents show the charges stem from a warrant served at Smith’s apartment back in 2011.

Deputies suspected that the woman’s son, Nathan Jones, was running a small drug operation out of her apartment.

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Aaron Williamson says deputies found cocaine and marijuana on her and she tried to stash them during the investigation.

Court records show that Smith was arrested and has been released. Her son also was arrested.

It was not known if Smith or her son had attorneys.

Council members abstain from vote on abstaining

YPSILANTI, Mich.

Three members of a Michigan city council have abstained from voting on a measure that would have prevented them from abstaining on future votes.

AnnArbor.com reported that Ypsilanti City Council member Pete Murdock proposed a resolution Tuesday that would have required council members to only vote “yes” or “no” on each issue unless they had a financial or professional conflict.

Mayor Paul Schreiber and council members Susan Moeller and Brian Robb abstained from the vote to show their disapproval of the resolution.

The resolution failed, with Murdock and another city council member voting “yes” while two other council members voted “no.”

Associated Press