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Bear caught after hours in a tree

SAN DIMAS, Calif., June 27 (UPI) -- California wildlife authorities said they waited several hours for a bear to come down from a tree so he could be tranquilized and transported.

California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Andrew Hughan said a team of wardens responded around 1 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a bear in the area, arriving to find the bear had climbed a tree after rummaging through the neighborhood's trash, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The wardens said they waited until the 150-pound bear came down from the tree at 6 a.m. so he could be safely tranquilized and transported to the Angeles National Forest.

"The circumstances dictated that we could safely tranquilize and relocate this bear," Hughan said. "That's always the best-case scenario for Fish and Game."

Dog rescues toddler from pool

MARCELLUS, Mich., June 27 (UPI) -- A Michigan woman said her 4-year-old black Labrador retriever leaped to the rescue when her 14-month-old son fell into a swimming pool.

Patricia Drauch of Marcellus Township said she was doing yard work Sunday when her son, Stanley, plunged into the pool, ABC News reported Tuesday.

"Stanley usually follows us around and I went into the garage to put away some stuff and came back out," Drauch told WBND-TV, South Bend, Ind. "Just in a moment he wasn't behind me."

Drauch said her family dog, Bear, was on the scene and jumped into action when he saw the toddler in distress.

"Bear put his back underneath Stanley's back to keep him from going under any farther," she said. "I don't know where I'd be if Bear didn't go in for him and keep him up out of the water before I could get to him."

Drauch said Stanley wasn't breathing when she pulled him from the pool and she drove him to the Marcellus Fire Department when she couldn't get cell reception to call 911.

Drauch said the boy was taken to the hospital and released later in the day. She said doctors determined he had not suffered any ill effects from the incident.

The mother said she credits Bear with saving Stanley's life.

"He's my hero," Drauch said.

Man takes aim at laughter world record

SURAT, India, June 27 (UPI) -- An Indian "laughter therapist" said he wants to set a world record by having 25,000 laugh in unison in the same place.

Kamlesh Masalawala, who described himself as a full-time "laughter therapist," said he has taught the merits of laughing to more than 700,000 people and he now wants to use his skills to break the record of 10,000 people laughing together in the Netherlands, The Times of India reported Tuesday.

Masalawala said he wants to gather 25,000 of his students in Surat to laugh together and break the Guinness World Record.

The laughter teacher said several local schools have agreed to participate in his attempt, which he is hoping to schedule before the Diwali festival begins in mid-October.

Mob hit man's jewels headed for auction

CHICAGO, June 27 (UPI) -- A Texas auction house announced it is selling more than 250 items, including diamonds that once belonged to notorious Chicago mob hit man Frank Calabrese Sr.

Bob Sheehan, owner of the auction firm Gaston & Sheehan, said items including loose diamonds, gold necklaces, gold coins, expensive watches and other items will be auctioned on www.txauction.com July 10-24 to go toward paying the $4.4 million Calabrese, 75, owes the government in restitution and fines, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.

Calabrese is behind bars for life after being convicted of crimes including 13 mob hits. The items were seized when federal officers raided his home in Oak Brook, Ill., two years ago.

"He's got lots of diamonds," Sheehan said.