Odd News

GRETNA, La., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Officials in Jefferson Parish, La., said an employee accidentally uploaded lewd e-mails about an old flame to the parish's emergency information Twitter feed.

COLUMBIA, Tenn., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Workers at a Tennessee library said someone has been using blue ink to completely scratch out curse words from books in the collection.

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Organizers of a musical festival in New York dedicated to Beatles songs played on the ukulele said nearly 100 musicians are slated to participate.

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Officials at a New York elementary school have promised to investigate after a visit by TV chef Rachael Ray was briefly interrupted by a lone cockroach.

AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- An Ohio man said he received an unexpected gift at a funeral home during visitation for his high school sweetheart -- the class ring he gave her 57 years ago.

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A San Diego man who pleaded guilty to robbery and smearing feces on his lawyer at his original trial was sentenced to 31 years and four months in prison.

FALL RIVER, Mass., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts pet store owner said he captured an alligator spotted behind a shopping mall to prevent the reptile from being killed by authorities.

BOSTON, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- The hot topics at this year's National Funeral Directors Association convention in Boston includes aging baby boomers and high-tech advances, organizers say.

ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Police in Georgia said a woman acted like a dog to successfully scare away a would-be burglar who was trying to get into her home.

ESSEX, Md., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Authorities in Maryland said an off-duty police officer was arrested for pulling his handgun and pointing it at the chest of an actor in a haunted house.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- The city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, says it has dropped its demand Shriners shrink the size of their role in the upcoming Christmas Parade of Lights.

Parents worry about park's smokers … Fla. officials made prank sex-line calls … Haunted house in home where boys died … Couple find knife in Subway bread … Watercooler stories from UPI.

Man wins $1,000 for eating 25 hot dogs … Avon lady thrives amid recession … Britons fail to find 'Waldo' record … 14 pythons, 10 lizards taped to man's body … The world as we know it from UPI.

UPI Almanac for Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009.

SKOKIE, Ill. (Oct. 27) -- Perhaps the most hovering of helicopter moms is my mother.