UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

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Police bust alleged drunken horse rider

BUNNELL, Fla., Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said a man charged with resisting arrest led officers on a chase while allegedly riding a horse intoxicated.

Bunnell Police Chief Jeffrey Hoffman said police received a call shortly after 2 p.m. Monday about a drunken man on horseback seen urinating in someone's yard and the rider, later identified as Charles Cowart, 29, led officers on a chase through the city's housing authority property and onto some railroad tracks, The Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal reported Wednesday.

"He made it into the heart of the city and was in and out of traffic," Hoffman said. "He was causing quite a hazard. He made his way onto the railroad tracks, and we had to stop a southbound train."

"We were going to have (Flagler County sheriff's) deputies come out on horseback to assist us," he said. "His father tackled him off the horse in the middle of U.S. 1, and we eventually caught him."

Cowart was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, aggravated fleeing and eluding, cruelty to animals and interference with a railroad track. He was jailed in lieu of $2,000 bail.

School band members appear in racy video

MIAMI, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Administrators in a Miami school distract said they were outraged to discover members of a high school marching band unwittingly appeared in a racy music video.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesman John Schuster said the students and administrators were told the marching band members would be appearing in "a drum line type video" with rappers Juicy J, Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, but they were shocked to later discover the footage had been edited into the racy strip-club themed "Bandz A Make Her Dance" music video, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

"It's just outrageous to think you have an individual take advantage of a school and students for a video," Northwestern Principal Wallace Aristide said. "They're playing their instruments and thinking it's something innocent, wearing our uniforms, only later to find out they edited the video with racy content."

School Board Attorney Walter Harvey is reviewing the video for potential action against the producers, officials said.

Pres.: Kansas State no longer K-State

MANHATTAN, Kan., Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The president of Kansas State University said he wants the school to be known nationally as Kansas State, instead of the traditional informal K-State.

President Kirk Schulz told Gov. Sam Brownback and state business leaders during a meeting of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors the school should be referred to as Kansas State to prevent it from being confused with other schools, such as Kentucky State University, The Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World reported Wednesday.

"We are consciously moving in that direction to a single brand," Schulz said.

However, the president's presentation violated his own policy when he handed out copies of the school's long-range plan, which was titled "K-State 2025: A Visionary Plan for Kansas State University."

Public funds spent on mayor mural

HORBY, Sweden, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- A Swedish mayor said the $91,584 used to paint a depiction of himself as a Roman legionary was a proper use of public funds.

Mayor Lars Ahlkvist of Horby said the council building mural, which also features a local financier depicted as Sweden's King Karl XI, said the law states public officials commissioning artwork should have adequate expertise, and he has the proper knowledge, The Local.se reported Wednesday.

"I feel that I am familiar with art. I come from a family of artists and have spent a lot of time on it," he said.

City Manager Arne Bertilsson said the commissioning process was done properly. He said Ahlkvist was allowed to choose an artist he was acquainted with instead of soliciting bids because it required specialist skills.

"That's why we decided to use the existing exceptions to the rules in the procurement laws which gave us the right to contact and chose one artist only," Bertilsson said.

Ahlkvist said the mural is designed to connect the past to the present.

"In the painting, Jesus is escorted by a modern police officer," he said.