Watercooler Stories

752 dogs, 36 birds seized from home

AVRA VALLEY, Ariz., March 13 (UPI) -- Authorities in Avra Valley, Ariz., said animal rescue organizations from across the country were called in when 752 dogs and 36 birds were seized from a home.

A Humane Society of Southern Arizona spokeswoman said the canine head count continued to rise as multiple dogs gave birth to litters of puppies while en route to the society, the Tucson Citizen reported Thursday.

"We have about two dozen moms with puppies," said spokeswoman Jenny Rose.

Authorities said rescue groups nationwide are expected to begin putting the dogs, which were cared for at their previous home by an elderly couple, up for adoption as easy as the coming weekend.

"This is the largest seizure that's happened in Pima County that I'm aware of," sheriff's Sgt. Terry Parish said to the newspaper.

Rose said the former home of the animals was an unhealthy environment.

"The conditions were pretty brutal," she said. "There were lots of animals and feces everywhere."

However, she said only one of the animals had to be euthanized and the rest were in relatively good health, the Citizen reported.

Chef ate nothing but cookies

SHOTLEY BRIDGE, England, March 13 (UPI) -- A Shotley Bridge, England, chef says his food phobia has led him to survive on a diet of nothing but cookies for 25 years.

Andrew Forster, 27, heads the kitchen at the Sale Pepe Italian restaurant, said he was unable to enjoy even his own cooking because he developed a fear of food at about 18 months of age, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.

He said he mostly subsided on Blue Riband, Club and rich tea cookies.

"Just the thought of eating different foods would make me anxious and I'd start to feel sick," Forster told the Daily Mail.

However, he said his girlfriend brought the health risks of his diet to his attention and he has now sought the help of a psychologist and nutritionist to overcome his fear and enjoy real meals.

"It's fantastic to be able to taste good food for once," he said.

Skittles suspension expunged

NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 13 (UPI) -- A New Haven, Conn., honor student who was suspended for buying a bag of skittles on school grounds has had the punishment expunged.

Sheridan Communications and Technology Middle School Principal Eleanor Turner said she agreed during a meeting with Michael Sheridan's parents to erase the student's suspension record and reinstate him as Student Council vice president, the New Haven (Conn.) Register reported Thursday.

"In looking back over this incident, I warned the students repeatedly, but I should have reinforced it in writing to parents, that the district does not allow buying and selling candy at school," Turner said in a statement released by the district. "My intention throughout was -- and still is -- to maintain a safe and orderly building. I am sorry that this has happened. My hope is that we can get back to the normal school routine, especially since we are in the middle of taking the Connecticut Mastery Test."

The student who sold Sheridan the $1 bag of candy has also had his suspension expunged.

Turner said the policy banning candy sales will continue at the school.

"When students are allowed to break school rules like this, it does lead to problems," she said.

Canada's 'Cow Town' mulls poet laureate

CALGARY, Alberta, March 13 (UPI) -- Calgary, Alberta, the Canadian city known widely as "Cow Town" for its annual stampede festival and ranching, is mulling appointing a city poet laureate.

City aldermen Druh Farrell and Joe Ceci are two proponents working with the Calgary Arts Development Authority to boost the city's cultural reputation, the Calgary Sun reported.

Such other Canadian cities as Toronto and Vancouver have city-funded official poets, as does Alberta's capital, Edmonton, which pays $5,000 per year to E.D. Blodgett. Under his two-year contract, Blodgett must produce at least three original works each year and appear before the city council, at charity events and at official city functions, the newspaper said.

While Calgary's proposal details aren't yet ready for presentation to the city council, it already has detractors, including Alderman Jim Stevenson.

"My initial thought is there's a lot of other things we're putting off like fire stations and more police, why would we spend money on this?" he said.