Free Republic

Woman enters bear trap, faces obstruction charge   Wednesday, August 25, 2004 An animal rights activist arrested in Vernon on Monday for locking herself inside a bear trap says she's a prisoner of her own conscience."I did the only thing I could do. I followed my conscience," said Angie Metler on Tuesday. Metler, 47, plans to plead not guilty to one count of obstructing a government function when she appears in Vernon Municipal Court next Tuesday. She is also accused of trespassing.In recent weeks, residents living in the Highland Lakes section around East Lakeshore Drive have complained about a female...

DEP official: Bruin wasn't trying to eat Vernon hiker By Rob Jennings, Daily Record A 400-pound black bear that pounced on a Vernon hiker was not trying to eat her, New Jersey's top environmental official said Tuesday in refuting a description by his spokesman about Sunday's apparent attack in Wawayanda State Park. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell added that he "had no reason to doubt the victim's account" of being chased and pulled down by the bruin on the Wingdam Trail. The trail remained closed Tuesday evening, with the bear on the loose and unlikely to be...

<p>He was a 400-pound hulking young bruin officials described as "predatory," looking for a meal.</p> <p>She said he came up behind her on a trail in Wawayanda State Park in Sussex County, chased her down and tackled her.</p> <p>She said she did the only thing she could. She threw a hard elbow at his snout, and caught him flush, stunning the bear and giving her time to escape.</p>

The long list of Republicans running for the 5th Congressional District got a little shorter yesterday. Robert Clark, a member of the Winston-Salem City Council, said yesterday that he will not run for the Republican nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Richard Burr, who is running for U.S. Senate. Clark said that he does not have enough time to campaign. He owns Leesona Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of textile equipment. 'It's a full-time job running (for office), and I already have a full-time job running my own business and a part-time job as a city councilman,' he said. He said...

<p>WEST MILFORD, N.J. (AP) A homeowner who shot a large bear that was drawn to his house by the smell of sizzling pork chops was charged Thursday with unlawfully injuring an animal.</p> <p>The state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife cited Patrick Flynn Jr. for shooting a 400-pound black bear that entered his yard last week.</p>

<p>A 200-pound black bear crashed through the screen door of a Vernon home yesterday, ransacking the kitchen and trapping a woman and her two young children in a bedroom until police arrived and rescued them.</p> <p>The female bruin was shot and killed as it tried to get out of the house through an open window.</p>

The United Way of Miami-Dade on Tuesday discontinued its funding for boy scouting programs, saying the local Boy Scouts of America affiliate failed to abide by an agreement requiring it to help gay youths cope with their sexuality. In a private meeting, the United Way's board of directors voted unanimously to withhold its yearly funding grant of $480,000 for ''traditional scouting programs,'' according to the agency's spokeswoman, Tamara Klingler. The grant serves primarily to pay the salaries of scout leaders in low-income areas including Little Havana, Liberty City, Homestead and Hialeah. About 4,200 kids, most between ages 6 and 17,...

Can someone tell me about the city of Vernon, Texas, population some 12,000 in Wilbarger Co.? I know it is in a tornado zone, and it is the birthplace of the late Roy Orbison. Tell me about its people, churches, real estate, education, the Waggonner Ranch, etc.