oddly enough

oddly enough

Florida woman fights to keep pet alligator ‘Rambo’ at home

LAKELAND, Fla.

A Florida woman is fighting to keep her 6-foot-long pet alligator in her home.

The 125-pound reptile named Rambo wears clothes, rides on the back of a motorcycle and has a bedroom in Mary Thorn’s home in Lakeland.

Thorn has had a license for the alligator for 11 years, but it recently grew to 6 feet. Wildlife officials say that size alligator must have 2.5 acres of land. Thorn tells the Orlando Sentinel that even if she had land available, Rambo can’t be left outdoors because of sensitivity to sunlight.

Thorn takes Rambo to schools and charity events to teach people about reptiles. She says she has trained him not to bite.

Florida wildlife commission spokesman Gary Morse says Thorn’s case is under investigation.

Mich. city with Dutch heritage removing ‘welkom’ signs

HOLLAND, Mich.

A Michigan city that’s known for its Dutch heritage is removing signs that greeted visitors with a “welkom.”

The Holland Sentinel reports four new, more-modern gateway signs are part of a rebranding campaign for the city of Holland. The Holland Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of removing gateway signs that used the Dutch spelling of “welcome.”

The new gateway signs will stand nearly 13 feet tall, featuring crisscrossed lines that symbolize lines of tulip fields and windmill blades.

Holland Community and Neighborhood Services Director Joel Dye says: “The goal was to still celebrate our heritage, but not be 1860.”

The newspaper says some of the old gateway signs are 30 years old. Over the next several years, about 125 new signs will be installed in Holland.

Too many turkeys: Staten Island calls foul over bird woes

NEW YORK

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is tackling a turkey problem on Staten Island.

CBS New York says residents are tired of turkeys trotting through traffic.

Turkey troubles have plagued one intersection for eight years.

City Councilman Steve Matteo says “the novelty’s worn off.”

Resident Marina DiNatale says she likes nature, but enough is enough.

Turkeys also have invaded the grounds of Staten Island University Hospital. Matteo says there are concerns that people could have bird droppings on their shoes when they enter the hospital.

The USDA will round up 100 turkeys and take them to a sanctuary upstate.

Associated Press