Odds and Ends

PROVO, Utah - Residents here can now officially own both cats AND dogs.

City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to replace the word "or" with the word "and" in existing city code, which means residents can now own up to two cats - and - two dogs at the same time.

The problem was discovered when Susan Sewell and her family went to the Utah County Animal Shelter in Spanish Fork to adopt a kitten in August. The family already has a cat and a dog.

They chose a kitten and began filling out the adoption paperwork. But when shelter staff learned of their existing pets, the family was told they couldn't have the new animal because Provo only allowed residents to have cats or dogs, not cats and dogs.

"I don't think people will abuse the law just because it gets changed," Sewell told the council.

She said the family will be returning to the shelter after Christmas to try again to adopt a kitten. "The kids will be begging us tonight, I'm sure," she said after the council meeting.

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NORWICH, Conn. (AP)- The mystery of the disappearance of at least one 6-foot inflatable SpongeBob Square Pants has been solved.

It was not thievery at the Norwich Burger King. It was the heat.

Police said Tuesday the case was solved after they learned that a restaurant maintenance crew discarded a deflated SpongeBob after it melted into the rooftop heating system air ducts.

SpongeBob had been a fixture on the roof for nearly a month before disappearing Nov. 30. The maintenance crew did not tell management of the meltdown and subsequent cleanup.

Burger King managers reported the item missing Dec. 3, the same week Burger Kings in 14 states reported stolen SpongeBob displays.

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DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Police said Ryan M. Steel picked a pretty bad place to grow dozens of large marijuana plants - on land owned by a retired police chief.

Steel, 26, of Upper Makefield Township, was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, criminal trespass and agricultural vandalism. Authorities said he grew the plants on land owned by Robert Bell, the retired police chief of Bucks County's Springfield Township.

It was unclear why Bell's land was chosen to grow the plants.

"I don't think he had any knowledge of where he was," said Bell, who lives more than 20 miles away from Steel. "It was a this-is-your-brain-on-drugs type of thing."

Police pulled 29 6- to 10-foot-tall plants from Bell's property in September and arrested Steel on Dec. 2. Authorities did not say how they concluded Steel was the one who planted the crops.

Steel did not return a phone message seeking comment from The Intelligencer, and his father declined to comment when reached at home Wednesday night.

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STATESVILLE, N.C. - The owner of an adult night club that last year gave gifts to hundreds of needy children in public housing says he's been told "thanks, but no thanks" this year.

Jeff Bustle, owner of Teasers, said the Statesville Housing Authority told him that it won't accept gifts collected at his business.

"It's really sad," said Bustle, who has participated in toy drives for the past 14 years. Last year, Teasers donated more than 500 gifts to the authority.

David Meachem, executive director of the housing authority, said he rejected the toys because he was criticized last year for accepting the donation.

At least one minister sides with Bustle. The Rev. Jeff Porter, pastor of First Baptist Church, said differences such be set aside during the holidays.

"Christmas gives us the chance to cross barriers for the less unfortunate," he said. "The Bible is full of times when folks of all backgrounds took one step closer to God by acting like Jesus."