ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Love Locks fence: After its removal, part on display

PORTLAND, Maine

A landmark in Maine where thousands of people have pledged their everlasting love to another with padlocks has been deemed a public safety risk and will be removed.

The Portland Press Herald reported that the city’s 30-foot-long Love Locks fence will be removed soon, but a portion will be displayed in a nearby parking lot.

People attach padlocks to the fence, viewed as a symbol of love like one removed in Paris. The city-owned fence is near Portland Harbor and has been sagging under the weight of hundreds of locks.

City spokeswoman Jessica Grondin says a portion of the chain-link fence came loose from its frame recently.

The replacement fence won’t allow locks to be attached to it.

Moo-ving out: Sensor sends text alerts from cows in labor

DURHAM, N.H.

University of New Hampshire dairy researchers are more relaxed these days about monitoring pregnant cows: A sensor attached to their tails sends text alerts to help detect when they’re in labor.

Moocall measures tail movement patterns triggered by labor contractions. On average, it alerts dairy managers by cellphone and email about an hour before a cow gives birth.

Moocall was developed in Ireland and released commercially last year. The company says the University of Kentucky also uses the technology.

Doctoral student Kayla Aragona says with about 70 calves are born every year at the farm, it’s a help.

But it’s not foolproof. One unhappy cow rubbed her tail up against everything and banged the sensor on the wall to try to get it to fall off, leading to false alarms.

Georgia city to move roadkill dumpster after getting odor complaints

JOHNS CREEK, Ga.

City officials in an Atlanta suburb say they’ll relocate a dumpster used for discarding roadkill after complaints of dead-animal smells wafting from the receptacle.

WSB-TV reports that the dumpster is on city-owned property behind some businesses at a main intersection in Johns Creek.

Business owner Tony Maurlanda says the smell can be overwhelming, especially on hot days.

Johns Creek city spokesman Doug Nurse says the dumpster, used to dump road debris including dead animals, will be moved to a site near a water reclamation area.

Associated Press