Nation & world

Jan. 4 birthdays

run in Ohio family

TOLEDO, Ohio - Jan. 4 birthdays have been running in one Ohiofamily for four generations.

Richard Stiff of the Toledo area turned 65 on Wednesday. The dayis also the 34th birthday of his daughter, Julia Gonyer, and it'sthe first birthday of Gonyer's daughter, Kourtney.

The string began with Stiff's late father, Marshall Stiff, whowas born on Jan. 4, 1924.

The Blade newspaper reports that some people can't believe itwhen they learn about all the birthdays on the same day in onefamily. Others have said it's kind of creepy.

All four family members arrived on Jan. 4 through unscheduled,natural births.

The birthdays have traditionally been celebrated with one cakeand one singing of "Happy Birthday."

Man could be tried

for slaying chicken

BEAVER, Pa. - Authorities say a western Pennsylvania man shot achicken, and a neighbor wants justice.

The Beaver County Times reports Matt Savage, 39, allegedly shot aneighbor's chicken last September.

At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday Tiffany Keys testified thatshe was raising chickens with her children, ages 10 and 2.

Keys says police told Savage he could shoot the chickens if theywere on his property.

But Assistant District Attorney Kevin Kindred says the fact thatSavage shot a domestic fowl shows that there was willful andmalicious intent.

Defense attorney Steven Valsamidis says there's no evidenceSavage acted with malicious intent, just that two neighbors aren'tgetting along.

Savage is charged with cruelty to animals in the case.

Mom seeks arrest

of bickering teens

SALEM, Mass. - A Massachusetts woman fed up with her bickeringchildren called police and asked responding officers to arrest twoof them.

The Salem woman told police who came to her home on Mondayevening: "Arrest them both - I can't take this anymore."

The woman said her five children had been fighting all day butthings came to a head when her 15-year-old son hit her 8-year-olddaughter, and a 16-year-old daughter intervened to protect hersister.

When police asked what they could do, the mother said she wantedthe teenagers arrested.

Instead, police say they will summon the 15-year-old boy to courtfor hitting his younger sister. Police also notified state childwelfare authorities.

No names were released.

Secret Santa ends

pie-delivery run

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Secret Santa has told an Ohio man not toexpect any more pecan pies, which arrived mysteriously for 35 years.

Willis Welch, 87, says the pie that showed up at his Columbushome during the recent holiday season was accompanied by a note thatsaid, "It has been a great ride." The person who signed it "PieFairy" also wrote: "My wings are shorter now and I am a little toofat to fly anymore. But I still love you!!"

Welch still doesn't know who was sending his perennial pastries,though whoever did it knew him well enough to know of his fondnessfor pecan pies. Welch believes the first one came in 1976.

His two daughters have denied any involvement.

Compiled from wire reports