oddly enough

oddly enough

Man dismissed from jury duty for wearing prisoner costume

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt.

A Vermont man escaped jury duty – by getting dismissed for wearing a prisoner costume.

James Lowe of Barnet said he was released from jury duty Tuesday when he showed up to court wearing a black-and-white-striped jumpsuit with a matching beanie.

The Caledonian Record reported that Lowe showed up on time and joined other prospective jurors before the start of the selection process. Deputies directed him to an empty courtroom to meet with the judge, who told him to leave.

Lowe said the judge told him he could have been found in contempt of court. That could have meant a fine or jail time.

Lowe said the juror instructions don’t restrict clothing, but that he’s happy to be released because of his work schedule and family obligations.

Earthlings, NASA send toast to Martians: Happy New Year!

MARS, Pa.

Earth to Mars: Happy New Year!

That’s the sentiment being offered this weekend in Mars, Pa., as NASA and other space enthusiasts gather to honor the red planet.

The Martian New Year occurs about every two Earth years. On Friday and Saturday, NASA will sponsor exhibits and activities in the borough of Mars, about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh.

The agency hopes to encourage young people to study science and technology fields that will further NASA’s goal of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

Mars on Earth has a population of about 1,700 and a sculpture of a flying saucer in the heart of town. Its festival includes a science-fiction costume contest. The next celebration is scheduled for May 5, 2017.

Does free pingpong in Seattle parks stop crime?

SEATTLE

The city of Seattle is wondering if free pingpong in its parks may help stop crime.

KING-TV reported that the city’s experiment with a free pingpong table seems to be making a difference.

A pingpong table was installed at Hing Hay Park in Chinatown four years ago. Since then, crime data from the Seattle Police Department suggests incidents in the area seem to be going down, although there have been ups and downs. There were 46 crime incidents in the area in 2009 and 16 in 2014.

No one is willing to draw a direct connection between the pingpong table and the crime statistics, but the city has installed four other tables since then. Officials believe the positive community activity could be crowding out crime.

Associated Press