crime

Mysterious Giant-Food Thefts Continue

An eight-foot-tall fiberglass doughnut was stolen from a billboard in the 2200 block of Baleson Avenue sometime Thursday night, the fifth such large representation of a foodstuff stolen over the past month. The doughnut, decorated with foot-long multi-colored fiberglass sprinkles, was part of an advertisement for Do-Or-Do-Nut, a Star Wars-themed drive-through doughnut stand.
Lt. Arnold Corrigan,… »

City Residents Going Out of Town For Guns

This recession has meant hard times and few customers for most local businesses, but 23 miles south of the city, in nearby Lakeview Falls, at least one retailer is doing well. Slaven’s Outdoor World has been filled to capacity with city residents looking to purchase firearms. In fact, according to owner Lou Slaven, sales are… »

Case of Mistaken (New) Identity Leads to Mob Hit?

Joseph Green, head of the regional division of the FBI’s Witness Protection Program, held a press conference yesterday to publicly apologize to the friends and family of Anthony “Tony” Battaglia, who was found murdered in his Roxboro home late last week, in the city’s first major “old-fashioned” gangland slaying in nine years.
Battaglia, formerly of New… »

The Blotter: Who Will Protect Gotham Now?

As a public service, The City Desk periodically offers up selected items culled from local police reports. (Note: More violent, standard items do not frequently show up here, as they are covered in the local papers with regularity.)
7:29 AM
700 block of Westmont Street: 26-year old man found sleeping in backyard hot tub of ex-girlfriend.
10:41 AM
1300… »

The Blotter: Potato Guns Are Surprisingly Illegal

As a public service, The City Desk periodically offers up selected items culled from local police reports. (Note: More violent, standard items do not frequently show up here, as they are covered in the local papers with regularity.)

7:23 am
3700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue: A group of students are arrested after carrying Davidson High School principal… »

Times That the Sword of General Gainsborough has Gone Missing

Though the famous statue of General Archibald Gainsborough in Ataraxia Park is made of bronze, sculptor Jeffery Couveign chose to create the general’s sword as a separate piece, made of stainless steel, hoping the weapon would “shine in the sun, as a symbol of the illuminating potential of violence.”
Here is a listing- in chronological order-… »

The Blotter: Monster party, pets in trouble, misc.

As a public service, The City Desk periodically offers up selected items culled from local police reports.
9:17 pm
200 block of Euclid Avenue: A 7-year-old girl reports to 911 that “monsters are knocking at my door.” Dispatch sends a cruiser to reassure the girl, only to find people dressed as Frankenstein and the Werewolf knocking on… »

Amandour Prison’s Final Inmate

In 1980 the only remaining state correctional facility within the city limits – Amandour Prison – closed its heavy iron door for last time. The order to shut down the facility, once home to as many as 494 inmates, actually occurred in 1951. While it is not surprising for the wheels of justice –… »

Friday Facts: That Which Rests On One’s Shoulders

:: Number of police districts which accounted for 65% of the city’s violent crimes in 2007, according to a report released this week: 7
:: Total number of police districts in the city: 21
:: Channel 8 weather report reader Destiny Edwards returns on Monday morning’s program, which will also feature the winner of the “Guess the… »

Friday Facts: Bag of Chips, Bunco Squad

:: Flavor of potato chips being eaten by Mayor Wilders in a photo on the front page of the News the day he unveiled the Mayoral Citywide Nutrition and Fitness Initiative: Utz Carolina BBQ
:: A correction- in last week’s Friday Facts, we incorrectly listed a 6-month subscription to The Evening Press as one of… »