Twins born on different days, months, years One was born just before midnight on New Year's, the other just afte

ROCHESTER, Mich. - They're twins, all right, despite what their spanking new birth certificates say.

Tariq Griffin entered the world at 12:17 a.m. on New Year's Day at Crittenton Hospital in Rochester, Mich. Twin brother Tarrance was born a bit earlier — 26 minutes to be exact.

That means the boys have the unique distinction of having been born on different days, months and years.Their dad, Tarrance Sr., is also a twin. The parents say the boys are doing well, which is their main concern.

'Hello 911? I'm driving drunk' - Do Not Drink and Drive

BISMARCK, N.D. - Police get calls about drunken drivers all the time, but rarely do they come from the alleged offender.

A 17-year-old girl in Bismarck called 911 on New Year's Eve "to report herself driving under the influence," police Lt. Randy Ziegler said. "I've never heard of such a thing happening, and neither has anyone here."

The girl told authorities her location shortly before midnight Wednesday and officers found her in a parked car near downtown, Ziegler said. She failed a sobriety test and was arrested for failing to have control of her vehicle while intoxicated.The girl, whose name was not released because of her age, was not cited for drunken driving, Ziegler said.

"Her keys were in her purse and she was parked," Ziegler said. "She did tell us that she had been driving around for hours."

The call probably was a plea for help, he said.

"She told us her life was spiraling out of control, and she had spent the majority of time drinking over the past two weeks," Ziegler said.

The girl was released to her parents Thursda

Hostage released for pizza

An Australian prison guard held hostage for two days was released after a ransom demand for pizzas was met.

Up to 20 inmates at the Risdon Prison in Hobart, Tasmania, seized the guard in a protest over conditions in the maximum security jail.

Initially they made 24 demands to authorities, but eventually gave up their hostage after agreeing to 15 pizzas, Coke and garlic bread instead.

"At midnight, the final sticking point with the inmates was that they were requiring pizzas to be delivered. Our staff member was negotiated out with the delivery of 15 pizzas," Graeme Barber, Tasmania's director of prisons, told The Advocate newspaper.

The guard is recovering from his ordeal at home.

Angry customer drives through restaurant

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday, January 02, 2009

Hate waiting to be seated at restaurants? One man in southwest Atlanta does.

Police say the unidentified man drove his car into the side of a Chili’s restaurant after being told he had to wait for a table.The incident happened on the evening of Dec. 20, at the Chili’s in the 3600 block of Camp Creek Parkway.

A witness told police the man walked into the restaurant and sat down, according to an Atlanta police report.

She asked the man to get up and wait to be seated, the report said.

“I’ve been waiting for over thirty minutes now!” the man replied, according to the report.

He left the Chili’s and, several seconds later, drove his Pontiac Grand Am into the side of the building, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage, the report said.

No one was injured.

The man fled the scene in his vehicle before an Atlanta police officer arrived.

Finally something nice in the newspaper

Sun Journal Staff
A Craven County couple are in the Guinness World Records book.
The two did nothing outlandish such as sky-diving upside down, dancing for days, taking the longest lawn mower ride or having the most tattoos.
No, Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher of the Brownsville community have been married for more than 84 years. That is a feat in itself.
They have the world record of the longest marriage for a living couple.
They can thank their granddaughter Iris Godette for getting the recognition. She submitted the information to the Guinness Book of Records..
The information was apparently checked by Guinness and a certificate was given to the couple.
However, when you ask Herbert about the Guinness recognition, he just says, "Oh, Yeah?" The recognition has not changed their life.
He still looks at her with love and concern, as she looks toward him as if he will give her strength and guidance.
They have lived for more than 50 years in a house near the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport . They lived in James City before that but the land was purchased for apartments and the two moved.
Herbert was born June 10, 1905. His hearing is going but his mind is sharp. Zelmyra was born Dec. 10, 1907. She uses a walker to get around the house and yard. The two of them can still give their reasons for marrying on May 13, 1924.
"He was not mean; he was not a fighter," Zelmrya said. "He was quiet and kind. He was not much to look at but he was sweet."
Herbert said Zelmyra never gave him any trouble. "No, no trouble at all. We never ar gued, but we might have disagreed," he said.
Norma Godette, one of the couple's five children. said her parents have gotten along well through the years.
"One time, mama wanted to work. Daddy told her she could not work, that he could take care of the family. She slipped down to Cherry Point and got a job as a caretaker there," Godette said.
"Well, it was done; she got the job. I had to let it be," Herbert said.
Different religions did not tear the two apart. He is a member of Pilgrim Chapel Missionary Baptist Church . She is a member of Jones Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church . The churches are in James City , where they both grew up. For all of their married life they have attended their own churches. They go their own ways on Sunday morning.She reads the Bible daily.
The two watch television together. "We separate when the baseball comes on," Zelmyra said.
Herbert loves baseball, especially the Atlanta Braves. He also enjoys golf, because one of hi s son-in-laws plays the game.
They have no secret or sage advice as to why their marriage has lasted so long.
"I didn't know I would be married this long," Herbert said. "But I lived a nice holy life and go to church every Sunday.
"Yes sir, anything for her."
Zelmyra said Herbert was the only boyfriend she ever had. "We got along good," she said. "There was no trouble."
She said she is not tired of seeing him. "I didn't think I'd be married this long. He is quiet," she said.
Zelmyra said her husband had no annoying habits. They both said they shared the title of "boss."
The two sit on the porch and as a train goes by they count the cars. They also watch the neighbors who walk by.
"They were excellent parents," said Norma Godette. "We were poor, but we didn't do without a thing. If he had two cents he saved one cent."Herbert worked as a mechanic at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in New Bern for 35 years.
He took a bicycle, caught a cab or had a neighbor dr ive him to work.
That hard work and savings put all five of the children through college.
Inside the house are plaques, letters of recognition, and awards that both the Fishers and their children received for accomplishments in civic duties and church.
The house where they raised their children has two sitting rooms and three bedrooms. Now that the children are grown, the Fishers enjoy having a bedroom for each. Herbert Fisher can stay up until the last ball is thrown in the ballgame he is watching. And he does.
Herbert makes his bed each day and sweeps his floor.
He also checks on his wife as she rests.
Between the rests, they enjoy their children, ten grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Both say that if they had it to do over, they would not change their life.

Atlanta inner-city school gets $365K from Oprah

ATLANTA — A letter from Oprah Winfrey last week seemed like the world's best Christmas present — until teacher Ron Clark noticed an extra piece of paper flutter out of the envelope.

That's when the Atlanta educator saw the $365,000 check for the innovative private school he opened in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods in 2007. It was, quite literally, an answer to a prayer.

"We teach school all day and fundraise at night," said Clark, who finds private donors to pay most of the $14,000 annual tuition for each student. "To have an unsolicited gift come like that is incredible."

Clark surprised his students with the news of the donation Wednesday morning in a gathering at the south Atlanta school. The children, parents and teachers erupted in deafening cheers when he showed off the check.

Several cried at the news.

"Everything they learn is enhanced because of the teachers' dedication and creativity," said a tearful Gloria Nesmith, whose son, Cameron, is a fifth-grader at the academy. "And Oprah noticed. I'm just overwhelmed."

The donation, which likely will go to scholarships for students, would pay for 26 children to attend the school for one year, Clark said. The 80-student middle school depends almost entirely on donations to operate.

Special-needs student, 22, left on NYC bus in cold

NEW YORK — A 22-year-old man with cerebral palsy spent a frigid New Year's night alone on a school bus after a caretaker left him there, police and his family said.

Authorities said police found Edwin Rivera in a bus yard Thursday morning. He had been on the bus for 19 hours while the temperature outside dropped below 20 degrees.

Rivera, who cannot speak, was being evaluated at a hospital. He was expected to recover.

Authorities arrested 51-year-old Linda Hockaday, the bus matron responsible for looking after him, on a charge of reckless endangerment, police said. No information was immediately available on whether she had a lawyer, and there was no phone number listed under her name and address.

His parents reported Rivera missing Wednesday evening after he didn't return home from his special-needs school.

"I'm so relieved, and I'm so mad at the bus company for leaving him," his sister Leslie Rivera told WCBS-TV.

A possible phone number for the bus company was answered Thursday only by a recording that would not accept messages.

AP

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