oddly enough

oddly enough

Among change, gift of jewels for Salvation Army

DORAL, Fla.

In one of its famous red kettles in South Florida, the Salvation Army has received a gift worth more than a little bit of change: an emerald and diamond necklace.

On Tuesday afternoon, the agency received a call directing bell ringers to check a kettle in Doral, a Miami suburb. There, a worker found the necklace and a note telling the group to keep up the good work.

The Miami Herald reports that it’s the fifth-consecutive year the organization’s Miami-Dade chapter has received an unusual gift around the holidays. It always comes with a similar note and a phone call from a woman.

Judith Mori of the Salvation Army says the necklace is appraised at $1,340. Previously, the gifts have been a gold nugget, $1,000 and two diamond rings.

Maine city approves winter outdoor dining

BANGOR, Maine

Fork? Check. Spoon? Yep. Parka? Good call.

The city of Bangor, the gateway to northern Maine and one of the coldest cities on the East Coast, has approved year-round outdoor dining.

“I’ve certainly enjoyed a hot cup of coffee outside, when it’s sunny, it’s winter and there’s snow everywhere,” said Caitlin Brook, Bangor’s downtown coordinator. “There’s really nothing better than that.”

The average high temperature in January is 27 degrees.

The city council approved a process for restaurants to get permits for dining spaces on city sidewalks and other outdoor public places.

Brook said she anticipates most restaurant owners will wait until spring, but the option for winter dining is available.

One permit would allow alfresco dining from April to October while the other would run year-round, Brook said. Permits will be free in 2015, and fees will kick in the following year, she said.

Germany: 73 pounds of cocaine in coffee shipment

BERLIN

A Berlin coffee business found stimulants it didn’t expect in a shipment of unroasted coffee from Brazil: nearly 73 pounds of cocaine.

Police in the German capital said Thursday that employees at the coffee-roasting business found the bag full of the drug the previous day when they opened a newly arrived container of coffee, and contacted authorities.

The delivery was shipped from Brazil to the German North Sea port of Bremerhaven on its way to Berlin. Police said in a statement that they’re investigating who was responsible and how the drugs ended up at the coffee business.

Associated Press