By ,
Published January 14, 2015
The fine folks of Key West, Fla., are in a fowl mood these days over an unglamorous bird — the feral chicken.
An estimated 2,000 hens, roosters and chicks run wild over the island community, descendants of Depression-era flocks that were let go when times got better.
A city ordinance forbids killing the cluckers, but their growing numbers, plus their tendencies to scratch up yards and defecate where they please, have prompted city officials to plan to move half the chicken population to a bird sanctuary near Tampa.
In response, the chicken-lovers have come out in force. ChickenFest Key West (search) has been scheduled for June 17-20, including a Foghorn Leghorn look-alike contest and a "Poultry in Motion" parade.
"We're definitely not inviting Colonel Sanders to be the grand marshal," Key West Mayor Jimmy Weekley told the Associated Press.
One man pleaded with the city not to go ahead with the plan, according to the Miami Herald, imploring officials to think of the island's children.
"They grow up with computers, with war," he said. "If you take away natural life, our children are going to have a harder time in the world."
Nevertheless, the city still plans to hire a designated "chicken wrangler."
"He's got to be fast, he's got to be brave and he's got to be smarter than the chickens," Assistant City Manager John James told the St. Petersburg Times. "They're smart, those chickens."
Sorry, Wrong Airport
The eight passengers aboard a US Airways Express flight from Pittsburgh to State College, Pa., got in a bit of unexpected sightseeing last Friday — their pilot landed at the wrong airport.
The flight, operated by Shuttle America, ended up at Mid-State Airport (search) near Philipsburg, about 20 miles away from State College.
"When the pilot walked in, he said, 'Here's one for the news,'" Joanne Shields, business secretary at Mid-State Airport, told the Centre Daily News of State College.
Shields said the pilot apparently wasn't familiar with the area, and called into a flight service center from her office.
"They faxed him page after page of things. I guess he had to report it as an incident of some sort," Shields told the newspaper.
US Airways had the passengers driven over to State College in a van. Shuttle America did not respond to the newspaper's phone calls.
Christmas Was Last Month, Buddy
The owner of a Houston restaurant came in to open up Thursday morning when he noticed something strange — a pair of legs sticking out of the chimney in the dining-room fireplace.
"Please help me, get me out of here. I'm not armed," said the man inside the chimney to Joe Mannke, owner of the Rotisserie for Beef and Bird, according to KHOU-TV. "I know I've got to go to jail ... just get me out of here."
Mannke called the cops, who turned up with firefighters to pull Michael Arlington out of the chimney.
"I'd been drinking too much vodka," Arlington told police who arrested him for felony burglary. "[A friend] said, 'Jump down head-first, and I'll meet you inside.' .... I jump down head-first. I get stuck."
Arlington said he just wanted a bite to eat, and knew the restaurant was good because his parents ate there often, according to the TV station.
Mannke said he'd never had the chimney cleaned in 25 years — and now wouldn't have to.
— Thanks to Out There reader Kristie S.
And You Shall Find Him by the Trail of Panties
Sheriff's deputies in Kirtland, N.M., didn't have a tough time tracking down the suspect in an store burglary — a trail of women's underwear led straight to the alleged perpetrator's door.
At around 6 a.m. Thursday morning, San Juan County deputies found the front door of the local Family Dollar Store (search) had been broken by a rock, reported the Farmington Daily Times. Lying next to the door was a red pair of panties.
In the adjoining parking lot were two more pairs. There were several in the front yard of a house nearby.
Deputies knocked on the door and received permission to come in. In the bedroom of a 13-year-old boy, they found the rest of the underwear — about 16 pairs — as well as a portable cassette player.
The boy, described as "agitated" by Detective Sgt. Tyler Truby, may be prosecuted for commercial burglary and larceny. Truby told the newspaper the kid had no known previous criminal record.
— Thanks to Out There reader Erin S.
Co-Worker Gets Too Steamy for California Firefighters
KEYES, Calif. (AP) — Seventeen firefighters in this small rural town walked off their jobs to protest a fellow firefighter's other career — as a porn star.
Not only did Alexa Jones openly discuss the topic in the firehouse with her husband, Assistant Chief Roger Jones, they say, but Roger Jones also fired a cadet who checked out Alexa's porn site — without paying.
"We feel pretty strongly that there needs to be a separation between the pornography and the fire service," Capt. Herb Collier said.
Collier said the firefighters also are upset with their chief, Eddie Jones — Roger's father and Alexa's father-in-law — because he will not discipline his son.
Alexa Jones's site, which does not mention her job as a firefighter, promotes X-rated material, including pornographic wrestling and topless boxing videos, in which she stars under the pseudonym Chantel Lace.
"If they're going to be out there, I might as well be making money off them," Alexa Jones said.
Her husband added: "It's called freedom of expression, and speech also. It's not illegal."
Another Great Moment in Women's Sports
LONDON (AP) — Female soccer players should wear more revealing uniforms, says the president of the world soccer federation.
"Tighter shorts, for example," FIFA President Sepp Blatter told the Swiss newspaper SonntagsBlick. "In volleyball, the women also wear other uniforms than the men. Pretty women are playing football today. Excuse me for saying that."
U.S. player Brandi Chastain caused a stir at the Women's World Cup (search) in 1999 when she removed her shirt in celebration of a title-winning victory over China to reveal a sports bra.
England goalkeeper Pauline Cope called Blatter's suggestion "typical of a bloke."
"To say we should play football in hot pants is plain ridiculous," she said. "It's completely irresponsible for a man in a powerful position to make comments like this."
Norwegian players Lise Klaveness and Solveig Gulbrandsen also rejected Blatter's fashion advice.
"If the crowd only wants to come and watch models then they should go and buy a copy of Playboy," said Klaveness.
Added Gulbrandsen: "If I wanted to wear a bikini, I would have chosen to play beach volleyball."
There's a Reason They Call It Dope
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man going through a courthouse metal detector emptied his pockets, tossing a small bag of marijuana into the security tray.
When Clyde Lamar Pace II realized what he had done, he ran — straight into a locked revolving door.
"He threw in a baggie of marijuana without realizing it, and the person working the security post said, 'Hey, what is this?'" said Polk County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Bill Vaughn. "He kind of gave that old I've-been-caught look, and the chase was on."
Pace, 18, first tried to retrace his steps, then ran through the building before he was stopped by deputies at the locked door.
Pace was arrested for drug possession and resisting arrest, causing him to miss a scheduled hearing on drug and driving charges filed after a traffic stop last month.
Compiled by Foxnews.com's Paul Wagenseil.
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