Unreturned library book leads to woman's arrest

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa — An Iowa woman has been arrested because she failed to return a library book.

Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping "The Freedom Writers Diary," which she checked out from the public library in nearby Jesup in April.

Police say the book — which is about a high school teacher's effort to inspire students to write — is valued at $13.95.

Court records show library employees tried repeatedly to contact Koontz by phone and mail. A police officer even visited her home last September.

Officials at the Buchanan County jail say Koontz was released after posting $250 bond. No telephone listing for Koontz could be found in the Independence area.

Disgraced pastor faces more gay sex accusations

DENVER — Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's former church disclosed Friday that the gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard — a revelation that comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.

Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, told The Associated Press that the man came forward to church officials in late 2006 shortly after a Denver male prostitute claimed to have had a three-year cash-for-sex relationship with Haggard.

Boyd said an "overwhelming pool of evidence" pointed to an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" that "went on for a long period of time ... it wasn't a one-time act." Boyd said the man was in his early 20s at the time. He said he was certain the man was of legal age when it began.

Reached Friday night, Haggard declined to comment and said all interviews would have to be arranged through a publicist for HBO, which is airing a documentary about him this month.

In an AP interview this month before an appearance in front of TV critics in California, Haggard described his sexuality as complex and something that can't be put into "stereotypical boxes."

Nigeria police hold 'robber' goat

Police in Nigeria are holding a goat handed to them by a vigilante group, which said it was a car thief who had used witchcraft to change shape.

A police spokesman in Kwara State has been quoted as saying that the "armed robbery suspect" would remain in custody until investigations were over.

But another police spokesman told the BBC the goat was being held in case its owner claimed it.

The belief in witchcraft and the power to change shapes is common in Nigeria.

Police reform activists have condemned the "arrest", saying it highlights the low education levels of many Nigerian police officers."There are officers who don't even have a secondary school education, and the police have a big job to do in finding these people and getting rid of them."

The BBC's Andrew Walker in Abuja says communities often rely on ill-educated and badly prepared vigilante squads to fill the gaps where the police will not patrol at night. He said in the past political leaders had allowed the police to be filled with incompetent and in some cases criminal officers so they could be easily bought to protect their own criminal activities.

Newspaper claims suspect transformed into a goat

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)— One of Nigeria's biggest daily newspapers reported that police implicated a goat in an attempted automobile theft. In a front-page article on Friday, the Vanguard newspaper said that two men tried to steal a Mazda car two days earlier in Kwara State, with one suspect transforming himself into a goat as vigilantes cornered him.

The paper quoted police spokesman Tunde Mohammed as saying that while one suspect escaped, the other transformed into a goat as he was about to be apprehended.

The newspaper reported that police paraded the goat before journalists, and published a picture of the animal.

Police in the state couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Belief in black magic is widespread in Nigeria, particularly in far-flung rural areas.

Ann Coulter Pwned on The View

Wal-Mart worker accused of rolling back prices

NATCHEZ, Miss. — A Wal-Mart employee has been charged with embezzlement after allegedly ringing up a sale of $5.25 for more than $500 worth of merchandise. Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said a 20-year-old cashier was arrested Thursday along with a 22-year-old customer at the Wal-Mart in Natchez.

Mullins said the cashier charged the customer $5.25 for seven pairs of jeans, a baby crib, a pair of scrubs, a picture frame, sweat suit, laundry detergent, a bra, four pairs of pants, diapers, pizza, coffee, four 12-packs of drinks, canned goods, air freshener, nachos, noodles, frozen goods, chips and a family pack of beef.

The actual total for the merchandise was $547.50.

Mullins said the two women were being held Friday without bond pending an initial court appearance.

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Man found burned in apartment with no sign of fire

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Investigators are baffled as to how a man suffered second- and third-degree burns inside his apartment — even though the only sign of a fire was a candle in the bathroom. Knoxville Fire Department crews found the 56-year-old victim inside his apartment bathroom Monday afternoon with third-degree burns to his face and second-degree burns to his hands.

Officials say they knocked on the door of the unit at Cagle Terrace Apartments, and went inside when they heard someone moaning.

The man, who was not identified, was later taken to a burn center for treatment.

Fire officials say their investigation is ongoing.

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Information from: WVLT-TV, http://www.volunteertv.com/

Cow knocks over woman on bike, steps on her legs

BOULDER, Colo. — A woman escaped serious injury and refused medical treatment after a cow knocked her down and walked on her legs. Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks ranger Pete Taylor said the woman was riding her bicycle along the South Boulder Creek Trail on Monday when she encountered the cow and stopped to let the animal cross.

Instead, the cow knocked the woman over and stepped on her legs.

Taylor said the woman wasn't seriously hurt. Her name was not released.

The cow had left the area by the time rangers arrived, but other people warned fellow bikers and hikers on the trail about the animal.

Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance vice president Jason Vogel called the incident "odd, rare and random."

Can't Miss That Hair Appointment: Woman goes to hair appointment after crash

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — An elderly woman in Palm Beach County crashed with her vehicle into a man on a scooter and then kept driving to make her hair appointment, police said.

Louise Davidson, 77, was arrested Thursday for leaving the scene of an injury crash, Boynton Beach police said.

Police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said the woman was turning right when she veered into the path of the oncoming scooter that had the right of way. The man was thrown by the impact onto the windshield and then fell to the road, she added.

Police said they later spotted the woman's car after she had her hair appointment.

Authorities said the man suffered abrasions all over his body but the injuries were not believed to be life threatening.

Hungary gorilla

BUDAPEST, Hungary(AP)— The Budapest Zoo says a 32-year-old female gorilla has undergone gynecological surgery, the first such operation in Hungary and rare even worldwide.

Spokesman Zoltan Hanga says veterinarians and doctors carried out the procedure late Thursday night based on the diagnosis that Liesel, who came to Budapest in 1989 from Germany's Frankfurt Zoo, may have a malignant tumor on her right ovary.

Hanga says no tumors were found during the procedure, which required Liesel to be fully sedated for three hours. She will be kept under observation and apart from the rest of gorillas at the zoo for about a week.

More exams will be needed to determine why the mother of three — Dango, Gorka and Ebobo — has not given birth since 2000.