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New London — The city turned off the water at the new whale tail fountain over the weekend after someone reportedly defecated in the water. "People are using the tail as a latrine,'' Evelyn Louziotis said. "It's an $11 million bathroom."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nearly two dozen police officers were called out to Wave Country on Monday afternoon and were forced to shut the water park down two hours early. The intense heat brought out thousands of people to the park's opening day. Metro Parks director Tommy Lynch said Wave Country was nowhere near capacity, but there were plenty of problems that caused the park to close early. Metro Police were called out to Wave Country around 1 p.m. because the crowd outside the gates and inside the park was acting up. The decision was made to close the gates, and...

It feels a little like Royal Wedding madness all over again across the pond. What did Duchess Catherine wear during the Obamas' visit to England? What did the president give the Queen as a gift? Who made a speech blunder? President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are once again under the microscope as they visit the United Kingdom this week. Each action, misstep and blunder is being interpreted by England and the U.S. media at a fevered pitch. Below we round up some of the moments of President Obama's UK adventure that are creating the most buzz: Botched...

The crooks walked up to Kenneth Carter's tornado-damaged property with the purposeful air of relief workers in need of an all-terrain vehicle like the one he had parked out back. "They said, `Excuse us, we've got to get this four-wheeler out of here,"' said the 74-year-old Apison resident. "I said, `I don't think so -- that four-wheeler belongs to me!" ...authorities say the South has been plagued by a variety of swindles since the twister outbreak killed 329 people in seven states. Looters have carried off televisions, power tools and prescription pills. ..businesses are charging double for a tank of...

Four white teachers at an East Falls elementary school have filed federal lawsuits claiming discrimination by a former principal who allegedly suggested that they were unfit to teach black students - the most recent episode in a racial tug-of-war that has dogged the school for several years. The teachers filed suits last week claiming that a former principal at Mifflin Elementary School, Charles Ray III, who is black, created a hostile environment at the school in 2008 and 2009. The suits allege that Ray forced white staffers to read an article that said that "white teachers do not have the...

An editorial cartoon in last Friday's Florida Times-Union depicting a gunman wearing a T-shirt saying "Don't Snitch" continues to draw criticism, with some black leaders calling for an apology, the firing of the cartoonist and other demands, according to a WJXT-TV report in Jacksonville. Two young children drawn in the cartoon say "I didn't see nuttin'!" Then the gunman says, "Now that's a good little ho! In a letter sent to all Jacksonville television stations as well as the newspaper, the Jacksonville Leadership Coalition called the cartoon "racist, culturally insensitive and degrading to African-American women." In addition to the apology,...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Memphis judge said the ex-wife of former state senator John Ford has an "attitude problem" and ordered her to spend the weekend in jail for violating her probation. Tamara Mitchell-Ford, 42, has a year left on a three-year probation she was sentenced to after a 2001 incident in which she rammed her Jaguar into the home of Connie Mathews, who has two children by John Ford. "She has an attitude problem and an anger problem," said Criminal Court Judge Arthur Bennett at a hearing Friday to determine whether Mitchell-Ford failed to report to her probation...

Hip hop gets out vote Houston event aims to register 10,000 youths By WYATT BUCHANAN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Political and hip-hop industry leaders are kicking off an effort to register 4 million new voters for the November general election at a "Hip Hop Summit" in Houston scheduled during Super Bowl week. "There is a new movement. It is hip hop ... it is the civil rights movement of the 21st century," said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, among local political leaders and hip-hop artists announcing the event Thursday at Texas Southern University. The event will draw top hip-hop...

Secret Service Probes Eminem 'Bush Threat' By Mark Sage, PA News, in New York The United States presidential bodyguard said today it was examining lyrics by rap star Eminem to see whether he had threatened George Bush. The Secret Service confirmed it was probing lyrics by the controversial artist, who says in a song: “I’d rather see the president dead.” The words to the song, We As Americans, are available on the internet and have not been released by the award-winning rap artist. Eminem says in the song: “F*** money, I don’t rap for dead presidents. I’d rather see the...

'Dirty dancing' booted by Oakwood School's letter gives ultimatum to students By Mara Lee e-mail address: mara_lee@coxohio.comDayton Daily News Oakwood High School is going to kick students out of school dances for MTV-style “freaking” or “booty dancing,” which looks like simulated sex acts on the dance floor.Last week, Oakwood High School Principal Joe Boyle warned parents in a letter sent to parents: "We firmly believe Oakwood High School should not provide the forum for such obscene and degrading behavior."Administrators around the Miami Valley agree.Trotwood-Madison High School Assistant Principal Imani Zaire said, "A lot of kids have no shame. They're not...