Odds and ends 8/15/04

Police: $46,000 from bank found in landfill

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A cache of cash found in the Columbus landfill was the result of a bank error, police said. The money -- more than $46,000 -- was found on July 23 by a backhoe operator who was digging through mounds of garbage at the Pine Grove Landfill. That was about the same amount of money a Columbus bank official told the local FBI office in July 2002 the bank had misplaced. Bank officials alerted police about the possibility the money belonged to the bank after the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported the backhoe operator's find. Police proved the money belonged to the bank because remnants of bank wrappers were mixed in with the misplaced cash. The money was returned to the bank Friday. Officials asked police not to reveal the bank's name.

Twin delivers quadruplets on her 34th birthday

WYNNEWOOD, Pa. -- The odds of a fraternal twin giving birth to two sets of identical twins may be one in a million, but Geana Morris can attest to it. She delivered the quadruplets on her 34th birthday at Lankenau Hospital. Mom and babies were doing well, hospital officials said Friday. "It's a very special 'birth' day for me," said Morris, herself a fraternal twin. Morris was implanted with two embryos in January, with the hope of carrying one to term. She and her husband, Kurt, also have a 2-year-old son. Dr. Andrew Gerson, who delivered the babies, put the odds of such an occurrence at about one in 1 million quadruplet births.

Detroit's operatic hot dog vendor heads to minors

DETROIT -- Charley Marcuse, the Detroit Tigers' operatic hot dog vendor, is taking a trip to the minors. The Tigers' AAA-affiliate Toledo Mud Hens have invited Marcuse, 22, to sing his "Hoooott Doooogs" this weekend. Marcuse said he'll belt out his song three times an inning. The Birmingham resident drew worldwide attention when Tigers officials told him in May to stifle his singing. He wound up singing on "Good Morning America" and was interviewed by the BBC. Fans responded with petitions, a Web site and T-shirts proclaiming, "Let Charley Sing." In June, the Tigers and the park's concessions service reversed a decision to silence Marcuse. But the team said Marcuse could sing his hot dog serenade only during a promotion in the middle of the second inning.

Man drives into pond, tries to smoke crack

NORTH PATCHOGUE, N.Y. -- A police chase ended when a Long Island motorist drove into a backyard pond and tried to smoke a crack pipe just before his car sank, police said. Officers tried to stop Yasyn Abdul-Mattin, 32, after seeing him driving erratically after midnight Friday, Suffolk County police said. Instead of pulling over, Abdul-Mattin took off and went up a private driveway, continuing into a backyard pond, police said. Police said Abdul-Mattin refused to get out of the car and tried to light a crack pipe instead. Just before the car sank, he climbed out a rear window that an officer had broken, police said. Police said they were charging Abdul-Mattin, of Smithtown, with driving while impaired by drugs and several traffic violations.

-- From wire reports