In the News August 8, 2008

Detroit Mayor Heads to Jail after Bailing to Canada

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is charged with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice, all tied to his testimony in a civil trial last year. At the heart of the case: steamy text messages contradicting their claim that they didn't have a romantic relationship.

Kilpatrick had paid $7,500 — 10 percent of his bond in the perjury case — to remain free while that case moves through court, along with other conditions, including notifying the court about leaving the state on city business. He acknowledged violating that term when he visited Windsor, Ontario — minutes away from Detroit — on July 23 to discuss the sale of the city's portion of a tunnel connecting the U.S. and Canada. He didn't call prosecutors or the court.

"Detroit's government will continue to operate as usual. ... Trash will continue to be collected, recreation centers will remain open, grass will be cut and fires will be extinguished," a statement from the mayor's office said.

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What would an international well-intended event be without extremists?

In Olympic news, police shut down the bustling bazaar in the capital of China's restive Muslim region of Xinjiang on amid threats from an Islamic group that attackers might target buses, trains and planes during the Olympics.

A sign at the entrance of the bazaar in Urumqi did not explain why the area, surrounded by mosques with minarets, was off limits. However, there are reports that the extremist issued a warning to all Muslims to avoid public areas.

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Postal worker may get thigh burn...

A 6-foot-tall, 250-pound letter carrier in Seattle is campaigning for the right to take off his pants. Dean Peterson wants the U.S. Postal Service to add kilts as a uniform option for men.

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Grandma, a nurse, drives car with granddaughter on roof.

A grandmother spent the night in jail in Florida after she drove her car with her four-year-old granddaughter on the roof. She told reporters that it was just a misunderstanding and that officers overreacted.

Grandma is now charged with felony child abuse for an incident that made national news.

"They made it sound like I had her crawling around on the luggage rack. Anybody that knows me, knows that I'm far smarter than that," said Brenda Bouschet.

Bouschet says her granddaughter sat on the sunroof for about a minute while she and the child's aunt held her legs and she drove the car slowly into a Publix grocery store parking spot.

"It wasn't even registering on the speedometer. I was just crawling. I could walk as fast as I was moving," said Bouschet. "She's my only granddaughter and I adore her. She adores me. She wanted to sit up there. I didn't see any harm in it."

The grandmother was released from jail 15 hours later.