Free Republic

A 79-year-old Illinois man is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor, all because the man was using a leaf blower, according to authorities. Ettore Lacchei was arrested on murder charges Tuesday over the killing of his next-door neighbor William Martys, 59, in the village of Antioch on April 12. Martys was using a leaf blower in his own yard when he was approached by Lacchei and the pair began arguing. Lacchei allegedly shot Martys in the head around 7:35 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said. When deputies arrived at the home on North Black Oak Avenue, they found Martys...

Authorities received multiple 911 calls about a disturbance at the Edwards Big Newport 6 movie theater complex in the 300 block of Newport Center Drive (map) beginning about 10:51 p.m. Saturday, the Newport Beach Police Department stated in a news release. The callers reported that at least two men had entered a theater with a loud, handheld machine. ... Another moviegoer said the man was screaming when he burst through the emergency exit door. “All of a sudden someone comes in screaming from the emergency exit … he waves something in the air and cranks it and everyone thinks it’s...

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. -- It's still OK to use leaf blowers in Marblehead. Town Meeting members on Tuesday voted 285-211 to defeat a partial ban on the yard maintenance devices. Christopher Bergonzi had at first proposed a complete ban on leaf blowers, saying their emissions were a public health risk. He compared leaf blower emissions to second-hand smoke. But he later amended that, proposing a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15 and Sept. 15, while still allowing the use of battery-powered and electric leaf blowers. The Daily Item reports that resident Edward Friedman questioned Bergonzi's scientific research and said...

If you're running a leaf blower, some people in Marblehead want you to reconsider the rake. They've even put the issue on the warrant for the May 7 Town Meeting. The proposed article says simply, "To see if the town will ban the use of leaf blowers in the Town of Marblehead or take any other action relative thereto." Some supporters have suggested the wording be amended on the floor to merely limit leaf blowing. Noise is the main objection to leaf blowers, although there are other drawbacks touching on health and the environment. Getting rid of the noise, said...