Firefighters in Florida have rescued a naked man trapped on a raised drawbridge.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel quoted witnesses as saying the unidentified man was walking across the Florida East Coast Railway railroad bridge in Fort Lauderdale on Friday morning when it began to rise, forcing him to scamper to the top, about 100 feet up.
The man said he had been swimming in the New River, which flows under the bridge.
Officials from the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Department said in a news release that the height was too much for their ladders, so two rescue workers climbed the remaining distance and secured the man with a rope harness. The bridge was then slowly lowered back down. (AP)
Doorman stabbed over bad drink
A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to more than 28 years in prison for a 2013 assault that prosecutors say stemmed from his anger over a botched drink.
The Sacramento Bee reports that Jovan Felix was sentenced on Friday for the near-fatal stabbing of a doorman outside Sacramento night club Level Up.
Prosecutors say Felix was angry about a bad drink and poor service when he returned to the club at about 2am with a friend and assaulted three people. (AP)
‘Brady is innocent’, says obituary
A Massachusetts woman has used her own obituary to convey a final message on Tom Brady and the “Deflategate” scandal.
Boston.com reports that Patricia M. Shong, of Auburn, Massachusetts, died last Monday surrounded by family. Her obituary says the 72-year-old enjoyed scrapbooking, weekly card night and spending time with her family. “She would also like us to set the record straight for her,” it reads. “Brady is innocent!!”
Brady was suspended for four games and the New England Patriots were fined $1 million and docked a pair of draft picks after league investigator Ted Wells found that the Super Bowl champions used illegally inflated footballs in the AFC title game. Wells found the New England quarterback “at least generally aware” of the scheme.
Brady is appealing his suspension. (AP)
Unusual help for sea lion problem
An Oregon community is bringing in some unusual help to try to fix their sea lion problem. They’re hoping a fake killer whale from Bellingham, Washington, will do the trick.
KING-TV reports that Terry Buzzard of Island Mariner Cruises has used the life-size mock orca to promote his business during parades and events. He heard about Astoria’s sea lion problems and offered to help.
Hundreds of sea lions have taken over the docks in Astoria, preventing boat owners from using their slips.
Buzzard says he doesn’t know if the fake orca will scare away the sea lions. The Port of Astoria has tried using electrified mats, but those aren’t working. They’ve also considered fences.
At worst, Buzzard says the fake orca will be an amusing distraction for the humans. (PA)
City goes dark to help stargazers
Telluride residents were asked to turn out the lights on Saturday night and early yesterday to help stargazers see the night sky free of light pollution.
“For all of humanity’s history up until the last two generations, humans have always looked up and seen the night sky,” said night sky photographer Ben Canales, who was joined by astronomers for a tour of the stars.
The steep canyon walls and high altitude of Telluride mean that little other light pollution will be visible if the town itself goes dark.
Canales guided photographers up the Jud Wiebe Trail to get a birds-eye view of the dark town and the brilliant night sky.
Homeowners and renters were asked to turn off porch lights and anything that might contribute light pollution before going to bed on Saturday night. Business owners were encouraged to leave their shops dark when closing down for the night. (PA)