Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Earn $15K to move to Topeka

Thinking about moving to Topeka, Kansas? You could get paid $15,000. City officials announced an initiative to offer financial incentives to people willing to live and work in the city or its home Shawnee County. They hope the plan will attract at least 40 people to various sectors like animal health science and financial services. Topeka isn’t the first region to offer this type of “moving bonus.” Vermont and Oklahoma have done similar. Vermont officials claim it paid off — about 300 people moved because of the program. (The New York Times)

Petition filed in effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma

A new petition filed Thursday looks to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Oklahoma. The petition calls for State Question 806 which would add an amendment to the state’s Constitution that legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana for people 21 or older throughout Oklahoma. Voters legalized medical marijuana in Oklahoma in 2018, but past attempts to approve its recreational use fell short. Supporters will need nearly 178,000 signatures to get the amendment onto the ballot in 2020. The Oklahoma Marijuana Authority would be established to license and regulate marijuana-related conduct. The Authority would be funded by the 15 percent excise tax on sales which would also fund localities, school programs, and drug addiction treatment programs. (Fox 23)

Campus Cop Body Slammed Kid …

A campus resource officer in North Carolina is out of a job after he was caught on camera physically abusing a middle school student by slamming the kid to the ground, twice. The Vance County Sheriff’s Deputy who was assigned to Vance County Middle School in Henderson, NC was, in fact, fired. The school district there filed a complaint with the Sheriff’s Office on as footage of the violent incident surfaced. The deputy is seen walking down a hallway with the student and then suddenly slamming the child (reportedly under 12 years old) to the ground like a rag doll. The aftermath is equally disturbing as the deputy drags the seemingly unconscious child through the hall. It’s unclear what precipitated the violence. No word yet on whether further legal action is going to be taken on behalf of the student or the district. (TMZ)

Restroom sign says employees may face smell check to ensure they’re ‘not sitting on phone’

A company has a bathroom sign that claims that employees must follow a strict time limit or else face a smell check. The sign, which appeared on Reddit, attempts to stop workers from taking long breaks. “If in bathroom for more than 10 minutes, a smell check will be completed to ensure employee not sitting on phone. If it does not stink, employee’s name will be reported to office.” The post got a lot of engagement with one person posting “I’d stop flushing just in case.” Another person said, “Who is the lucky employee entrusted with this noble task.” (WBFF)

Pranksters charged after home, cars covered in cheese slices

A man and two teenage boys who allegedly covered two cars and a home with cheese slices are facing disorderly conduct charges. Pennsylvania State Police say the prank occurred in Girard, Pennsylvania, but it’s not clear what motivated it. The three suspects are a 17-year-old from Girard and two Lake City residents, ages 17 and 18. Authorities say they admitted their involvement in the prank. It’s not clear if anyone was in the home at the time. (ABC News)

New Jersey waitress surprised with $1,200 cash tip

Nearly a dozen people surprised a New Jersey waitress with a $1,200 cash tip as an early holiday gift. An activist and teacher said that he and a group of his friends left the tip with a waitress at an IHOP restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey. Each person brought $100 to the restaurant. The waitress was so shocked that she tried to return the money at first. The man said he hopes the tip inspires others to do good deeds for strangers. (NJ.com)

Bank mistakenly deposits $37M into Texas woman’s account

A clerical error by her bank made a North Texas woman a millionaire for a day. A woman in Dallas, TX checked her bank account earlier this week, it had some extra money in it: $37 million extra to be exact. She had wanted to believe “someone really gifted us with that $37 million” but she knew it was too good to be true. Her husband called their bank, LegacyTexas, which informed the couple the extra money wasn’t a Christmas miracle but a mistake. The bank apologized and took the money back. (KTVT)

Babe Ruth’s 500th homer bat sells for more than $1 million

Babe Ruth has hit another one out of the ballpark. The bat used by the legendary baseball player to hit his 500th home run was auctioned on Saturday for more than $1 million. SCP Auctions didn’t identify the buyer. The auction was held in Laguna Niguel, California. Babe Ruth hit his 500th homer on August 11, 1929, in a game against the Cleveland Indians. According to SCP Auctions, the ball cleared the right field wall at League Park and rolled down Lexington Avenue. Ruth was the first of just 27 Major League Baseball players to reach that mark. He gave the autographed bat to his friend, former Suffern, New York, Mayor Jim Rice, in the 1940s. It’s been in the family for nearly 75 years. Another Ruth bat used to hit the first home run out of Yankee Stadium in 1923 sold for nearly $1.3 million in 2004. (WGME)

Wednesday Slides In Sideways With:

• Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day
• Arabic Language Day
• Give A Wine Club Day
• International Migrants Day