UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Man sues White Castle for bigger chairs

NANUET, N.Y., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- A 290-pound New York state man suing his local White Castle restaurant for bigger seats claims the chain violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Martin Kessman, 64, who weighs 290 pounds, said he first realized he couldn't fit into the stationary booths at the Nanuet White Castle in April 2009 and the restaurant responded to his written complaint with three "very condescending letters," the New York Post reported Monday.

"In each letter was a coupon for three free hamburgers -- but the cheese was extra!" Kessman wrote in his lawsuit, which was filed in New York federal court last week.

Kessman said restaurant officials promised to put in larger seats, but they have failed to follow through more than two years later.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is "applicable, not only to me, but to pregnant women and to handicapped people," he said in the lawsuit.

"I just want to sit down like a normal person," Kessman said.

The lawsuit is seeking larger chairs at the eatery and unspecified damages.

Woman blames neighbor for 150 lbs of mail

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- A Florida woman says she believes her neighbor is behind a harassment campaign that has resulted in 150 pounds of unsolicited mail arriving at her home.

Dana Kraus of Jacksonville said the unwanted items, which have been arriving since January, include about 70 magazine subscriptions. She said the falsified subscriptions left her on the hook for about $1,000, First Coast News, Jacksonville, reported Monday.

Kraus said she believes her neighbor, Randall Green, is behind the campaign. Kraus obtained an injunction against Green after authorities discovered he had ordered materials from a hair restoration company in her name.

"The handwriting is the same on all of them," Kraus said, describing the subscription cards that led to the magazine deliveries. "Also, my e-mail address is wrong, the server is wrong and on the address the 'g' is the same on every single one."

Green told First Coast News he made the call to the hair restoration company as a joke. He said he has since done nothing to violate the injunction.

Kraus said she has been unable to have Green cited for violating the injunction because she can't prove he is behind the scheme.

"He's not going to stop until it hurts him in his pocket or he's put in jail," she said.

Antelope found wandering at zoo

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- A photographer visiting New York's Bronx Zoo said he found an escaped kudu, a species of antelope, in a pedestrian area.

Andrew Lichtenstein, 45, said he was visiting the zoo Sunday when he stumbled upon the animal, one of two male kudus obtained by the zoo, in a walking area, the New York Daily News reported Monday.

"I just turned the corner and there was a kudu," Lichtenstein said. "It's a large animal."

Lichtenstein said he tried calling the zoo to inform officials, but the number went straight to voicemail. He said a food stand worker was able to contact zookeepers.

The photographer said officials arrived and opened the gate to the exhibit, allowing the kudu to walk back into the enclosure on its own.

The Daily News said zoo officials did not immediately respond to calls for comment.

Naval base to attempt cha-cha slide record

DAHLGREN, Va., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Organizers of a world-record attempt at a Virginia naval base said they are hoping more than 2,300 people will turn up to dance the cha-cha slide.

Jeron Hayes, a spokeswoman at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, said she "wanted to do something big" to mark Wednesday's 50th anniversary of the Combined Federal Campaign, a charity initiative for federal workers.

So, she organized a Guinness World Record attempt for Wednesday to attempt to break the mark of 2,387 people dancing the slide in unison, The Free-Lance Star, Fredricksburg, Va., reported Monday.

Hayes said civilians and military personnel alike are being encouraged to participate and lessons on the dance will be given right up until Wednesday's record attempt.

"Our goal is to try and set the record at 12:30 p.m.," Hayes said.