ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Emergency services deduce ‘banana’ in tree is geocache

LINCOLN, Neb

Emergency personnel and a bomb disposal expert have determined that a suspicious “banana” hanging in a pine tree in Nebraska is simply a harmless geocache.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported that a utility worker spotted the device wrapped in yellow tape and attached to a wire last week in northeast Lincoln. The worker called 911.

Police, firefighters and a bomb technician determined the “banana” wasn’t a bomb, but a prize hunted by people on geocaching quests.

Geocachers across the world use GPS devices to track and find the hidden objects.

Lincoln fire investigator Chuck Schweitzer says city bomb technicians have been out on similar calls through the years as geocaching has grown in popularity.

Commissioners to meet before junior league hockey game

JOHNSTOWN, Pa.

The commissioners of a western Pennsylvania county are giving a whole new meaning to the term pre-game meeting.

The Cambria County commissioners planned to have their regular public meeting last Thursday at 9 a.m. — before the Johns-town Tomahawks game at the Cambria County War Memorial.

The commissioners often have their meetings Thursday evenings at various locations to encourage public participation. But they moved this meeting to the hockey rink before the 10:30 a.m. game to take advantage of the North American Hockey League Team’s first School Field Trip Day promotion.

The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat said the team was hosting several school groups, and offered discounted tickets to senior citizens in hopes both groups would come early to learn about county government.

The field trip also included a career fair and hockey-themed educational materials.

California carjacker thwarted by confusion over stick shift

CONCORD, Calif.

Police in Northern California say a man attempting an armed carjacking bailed when he couldn’t drive a stick shift.

Concord police Lt. Tim Runyon told the Contra Costa Times that the owner got into his car early Sunday to find the carjacker in the passenger seat, apparently in the middle of a burglary.

Runyon says the carjacker ordered the victim at gunpoint to drive him to another location, where he forced the owner out of the car.

Runyon says the carjacker tried to drive off, but gave up when he couldn’t operate the manual transmission. Runyon says officers couldn’t find the carjacker, who had run away.

Associated Press