oddly enough

oddly enough

‘Space’ oddity: Pastor living in capsule for fundraiser

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa.

A Pittsburgh-area pastor is engaging in a space oddity: He’s spending a week in a replica of the Mercury space capsule and communicating only by Internet to raise money for a community youth program.

KDKA-TV reports the Rev. Bill Galus entered the capsule immediately after Sunday’s service at Walnut Grove Assembly of God Church in West Mifflin.

The capsule nicknamed “Glory 7” is meant to mimic the one used by the United States in the first manned space mission in the 1960s.

The capsule is a little more comfortable than the real one, though: It has electricity, a portable toilet and a small refrigerator with bottled water.

But the pastor will be sleeping in a makeshift bed and eating freeze-dried meals like a real astronaut.

Police: Shoplifting suspect had raspberry cookies in pants

ALTOONA, Pa.

Police in Pennsylvania say a repeat shoplifter has been caught with his pants up – but full of raspberry cookies.

The Altoona Mirror reports 47-year-old James Kaylor faces a preliminary hearing Sept. 23 based on his most-recent arrest.

Kaylor, who has six previous retail-theft arrests and four convictions, was checking out at Martins Food Store in Altoona when a clerk told police Kaylor had shoved something down his pants Sept. 5.

Police say they confronted Kaylor after he paid for his other items but not the $3.49 box of raspberry biscuits.

Altoona police say Kaylor acknowledged the theft was a stupid thing to do.

The new charge is a felony – despite the small value of the cookies – because of Kaylor’s criminal record.

Vandals damage cars in Reno, Nev., with watermelons

RENO, Nev.

Police say vandals have been lobbing watermelons at cars in a Reno, Nev., neighborhood.

KOLO-TV reports Sunday night’s vandalism happened in Angelique Ybarra’s northwest Reno neighborhood. A watermelon dented the side of her car in July, and she says this new attack shattered glass and splattered fruit throughout her vehicle.

She says the incidents have cost her almost $1,000.

Several other cars also were hit by the melons.

Associated Press