Watercooler Stories

Son named after Cubs ballpark

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Two Chicago Cubs fans in Indiana whose last name is Fields have named their son Wrigley Fields.

Wrigley Alexander Fields was born Sept. 12 to Paul and Teri Fields of Michigan City.

"He can go by his middle name if he wants to," Paul Fields said. "We'll go with Wrigley for now."

The couple decided 15 years ago what they would name their son if they ever had one, the Gary (Ind.) Post-Tribune reported Sunday. The couple said both of their families are supportive of the name.

Cubs officials have no record of other children named Wrigley, though they have come across babies named Zambrano and Ryne after Cubs stars Carlos Zambrano and Ryne Sandberg, the Post-Tribune reported.

Names in cement may cost Ohio youths

BEDFORD, Ohio, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Two youths in Bedford, Ohio, may face criminal charges for allegedly writing their names in wet cement.

Bedford City Manager Robert Reid said the two youths -- whose ages were not reported -- were asked to help repair the damage they allegedly inflicted to a local homeowner's construction project, but the pair refused, Cleveland's WEWS-TV reported Friday.

"We asked for voluntary compliance that you're going to help us fix the concrete, that it's taxpayers expense but instead they chose not to and said, 'What is this a capital offense?,' and they chose not to cooperate," Reid said.

Some residents wrote off the incident as a case of youthful indiscretion and said they oppose taking stronger action.

"They only wrote their names in a piece of sidewalk," said Jim MacGillivray. "It's not really destruction. It may have been wrong. Maybe the parents should discipline them, and as I understand there may be criminal charges against these kids, and that is ludicrous."

Marijuana alleged in load of cookies

CLEVELAND, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A cache of marijuana worth $1 million allegedly was hidden in a shipment of Chips Ahoy cookies en route to Cleveland from Texas.

Detectives said the 630 pounds of marijuana were seized Friday on the city's west side after police intercepted the shipment of a legitimate load of Chips Ahoy cookies, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported.

The marijuana, intercepted as part of a three-month investigation, originated in Mexico and was transported through McCallen, Texas, police said. Three men with addresses in southern Texas were arrested.

Texas waited 70 years to mandate pledge

HOUSTON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Texas created its first state pledge in 1933, made the pledge mandatory for schools 70 years later, and now legislators have made it religious.

The Houston Chronicle said Sunday that Texas Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, was among thousands of schoolchildren who grew up not knowing the historical pledge despite its existence for dozens of years.

"I didn't say the Texas pledge in school," Wentworth said. "The first time I became aware of it was when I went to make speeches to Republican women's clubs and they would say the pledge to the U.S. flag and then to the Texas flag.�

The Texas pledge, one of only 12 state pledges nationwide, has gotten a face-lift, owing to the efforts of two Republican legislators.

Sen. Dan Patrick and Rep. Debbie Riddle helped pass a law that brought religion into the mix, simply by inserting "one state under God" into the pledge, the newspaper said.