Coffee Shop Goes Decaf

A Provo, Utah, establishment has everything you'd expect from a college-town coffee shop — except coffee.

Vermillion Skies De-Cafe and Lounge owner Christin Johnson, a 22-year-old Brigham Young University (search) student, wanted to provide her Mormon peers with a hip, funky place to hang out, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

But since Mormons, who make up nearly the entire BYU student body, are forbidden from touching coffee, cigarettes or alcohol, customers will find none of those substances on the premises.

"It's not about seeing how close to the line you can get without crossing it," said Johnson of her ownership philosophy. "It's more about how much you can enjoy without compromising."

Instead of brewing java, Vermillion Skies serves up hot drinks made with Pero, a German-made coffee substitute made from roasted barley.

Like many regular coffee shops, the caffeine-free cafe features live bands, poetry readings and art shows, and is open 24 hours a day during the school year.

"They've got good drinks," said Whitney Mower, a Utah Valley State College (search) student who sometimes plays acoustic guitar at Vermillion Skies. "But it's not like you're going to go there and feel strange and feel like people are drunk."

Town Switches Off Jesus

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — City officials have turned off a streetlight that drew more than 250 people to see a shadow that some say resembles the image of Jesus Christ.

East Chicago Police Chief Angelo Machuca called an emergency meeting Sunday to recommend the light be turned off in the interest of public safety after nearby residents complained about blocked cars and visitors congregating until 5 a.m.

Several arrests were made Friday night after a large fight broke out in the area.

"The city respects everyone's religious beliefs, but it's getting to the point now where it's almost too dangerous" to leave the light on, said Damian Rico, the city's public relations director.

People have flocked to the site since Wednesday, when a woman first claimed to see the image on the side of a tree. The image is only visible at night when the streetlight near the tree is illuminated.

Machuca said his department doesn't have the manpower to maintain regular patrols and control the crowd.

"The light will remain off until we can get some kind of solution," he said.

— Thanks to Out There reader Mat F.

Psychologist Suspected of Inhaling Nitrous Oxide

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — An expert in eating disorders collapsed in a supermarket after inhaling propellant from whipped cream cans, according to police.

Lisa G. Berzins, a prominent psychologist who has been on national television and radio shows and in newspaper articles, was arrested on a warrant Friday charging her in the May 29 incident, The Hartford Courant reported.

Berzins, 49, of Farmington, has a practice in West Hartford. She has written and lectured on eating disorders, female development, sex roles and self-esteem, according a speaker's biography from the American Psychological Association (search).

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, West Hartford police responded to the Farmington Avenue Stop & Shop and found Berzins lying on the floor and bleeding from her head. Berzins, the affidavit says, told police she did not know what happened.

Police interviewed witnesses and collected evidence, then determined that Berzins apparently inhaled from three cans of whipped cream containing nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, the affidavit says.

Berzins was charged with possession of a restricted substance, criminal mischief and creating a public disturbance. She was released on $500 bail and is to appear in Hartford Superior Court on July 21.

— Thanks to Out There reader D.G. F.

Man Bites Man; Dog Still Involved

MADISON, S.D. (AP) — Charges have yet to be filed in Lake County in connection with a June 18 assault in which one man reportedly bit off the ear of another man during an argument over a dog.

Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Tony Aas told the Madison Daily Leader that the men, whose names have not been released, were at Brant Lake (search) on that Saturday evening.

The two began arguing when a dog belonging to a 36-year-old man from the Sioux Falls area started running around the picnic grounds, he said.

Aas said a 43-year-old man had fishing lines in the water and apparently became upset when the dog started swimming and running on the beach.

"It started as a verbal argument and escalated pretty quickly into a physical" argument, the deputy said.

He said at some point, the older man bit "most of the ear off" the younger man, who was treated at the Madison hospital and released. The older man suffered minor cuts, Aas said.

An aggravated assault charge, a felony, is pending against the older man and a misdemeanor simple assault charge is pending against the younger man.

A 33-year-old woman who was with the younger man also faces a disorderly conduct charge.

Lake County Sheriff Roger Hartman said he would not release details of the case because the state's attorney's office was handling it.

L.A. Hires Four-Legged Park Workers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The latest workers at San Pedro's Peck Park Canyon (search) may have spent most of their time on the job eating, but officials were pleased with the end results.

For the past two weeks, goats have been grazing on 12 acres of brush at the canyon, reducing the threat of wildfires.

"The goats were happy, the city was happy and the park looks beautiful. We look forward to welcoming them back," Councilwoman Janice Hahn said.

The animals didn't work for free, either.

The city's pilot program brought in 143 goats last month to clear away the brush. Oregon-based Nanny & Billy's Vegetative Management was paid $11,500 to clear the park's Hernandez Ranch area in advance of the wildfire season.

"Basically, the department likes the goat idea," area recreation and parks superintendent Ron Berkowitz said.

Giant Catfish Becomes Family Pet

SIX MILE, S.C. (AP) — A recent fishing trip netted a new pet for a South Carolina family.

Clarence Reid and two young family members were fishing at Hartwell Lake (search) recently when they hooked a 50-pound flathead catfish.

Instead of a trip to the skillet, the family decided to keep the prehistoric-looking fish in a huge decorative pond.

"We were catching little ones and the big one, nothing in between," Reid said.

The fish now swims in exotic surroundings that include palm trees, a waterfall and a swimming hole containing more than 2,100 gallons of water.

Reid's wife, Deborah, said the fish is ugly but it can stay.

As for its diet: Clarence Reid plans to feed the fish dog food. He also has some concerns about how well it will get along with other pets — dogs, cats and a goat — that enjoy playing in the sand and plants surrounding the pond.

"I'm afraid if it gets too big what might happen to the cats," Reid joked.

Click in the photo box above to see a giant, cuddly catfish.

Compiled by FOXNews.com's Paul Wagenseil.

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