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Detonated box was teen's science project

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- An Oregon teenager learned something about cause and effect when he blew up his science project and police showed up.

Police in Portland said they found an exploded device at a playground outside Sitton Elementary School Sunday morning.

Members of the Metropolitan Explosives Disposal Unit said they spoke to a woman who told them her 16-year-old son had used fireworks to blow up his science experiment, The (Portland) Oregonian reported Monday.

The teenager admitted putting the fireworks in a cardboard box with the experiment, the nature of which was not disclosed, and detonating it. He said he didn't intend to damage to school or playground, the newspaper said.

Bomb techs said the device did not pose a threat to the public or property and no charges were filed.

Handgun found in package of frozen meat

ROSWELL, N.M., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Authorities in New Mexico and Colorado said they are trying to find the origins of a gun and ammunition packet discovered in a package of frozen meat.

Police in Roswell, N.M., said a worker at a local Albertsons store discovered the Rock Island Armory .38 Super and ammunition Wednesday in a case of frozen ribs originating from the Swift Packing Plant in Greeley, Colo., KRQE-TV, Albuquerque, reported Monday.

"We could speculate on a lot of things," Sgt. Jim Preston said. "It could have been someone just dropped it there, or it could have been something that someone put it there trying to hide it for 100 different reasons."

Greeley police said they are looking into whether the gun may have been involved in any local crimes in 2011 when the meat was packaged.

California millionaire's billboard removed

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A billboard message posted by a California millionaire who was looking for a "Latina Girlfriend" was removed, likely by vandals, police said.

The billboard was put up by La Jolla real estate investor Marc Paskin, 62, Thursday in the Barrio Logan area of San Diego, KNSD-TV, San Diego, reported.

The billboard's massive message was gone by the weekend.

It featured a picture of Paskin's face and a note that read, "All I want for Christmas is a Latina Girlfriend," and it gave his email address.

The billboard stirred controversy in the neighborhood. Some people found it offensive. Others thought it was lighthearted and comical.

By Friday, half of the sign was removed.

Then, during the weekend, the entire message was gone, the TV station reported.

Employees who worked near the billboard told KNSD-TV they believed a group of young people may have removed the billboard's contents.