Odds & Ends

Wayward elephant

BARABOO, WIS. (AP) » The pachyderm was a startling sight for residents of one small Wisconsin neighborhood.

A full-grown elephant sauntered through Baraboo early Friday morning on a brief walk of freedom. Themammoth creature more suited for the ‘big top’ clashed with the quiet residential neighborhood.

Lawenforcement officers quickly got in touch with the nearby Circus World Museum, home to the wandering pachyderm. A trainer arrived and led the elephant back to the circus complex.

Circus World spokesman Dave Saloutos says the elephant, named Kelly, was freed by her pachyderm partner, Isla, who used her trunk to disengage a restraint.

Saloutos says Kelly lumbered across the shallow Baraboo River and wandered into a neighboring backyard where she unlatched a gate and munched on some marigolds during her couple hours of freedom.

Overloaded van

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) » One New Hampshire driver should’ve heeded the old advice that you can’t take it with you.

WMUR-TV reports a minivan pulled over onWednesday had furniture, bicycles and boxes strapped to the roof and a wheeled basket dangling over the back window. There was also a furniture dolly hanging against a driver’s side window.

The items on the roof doubled the height of the van, which was pulled over going north on Interstate 93 near Londonderry.

State police posted a picture of the van on Facebook.

Police are warning people to avoid driving with too many items strapped to the tops of their vehicles. They say the number of items on the van constituted a hazard.

Police issued the driver a ticket for negligent driving and having an uninspected vehicle.

Buried in Harley

STEEL CITY, PA. (AP) » A Pennsylvania man who loved motorcycles and recently died is taking one last ride.

Familymembers say 89-year-old Steel City resident Arthur Werner Sr. made plans way ahead of his death from cancer Sunday to be buried in the sidecar of his 1990 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail.

LehighValleyLive.com reports he found a funeral home run by motorcycle enthusiasts who were more than able to comply.

Heintzelman Funeral Home has three motorcycle hearses in its fleet.

David Heintzelman says the funeral home doesn’t even have to modify the sidecar to make it happen.

Werner will be in the sidecar for Thursday’s viewing and will be buried in it Friday.

He bought the Harley with his retirement bonus after working 42 years as a Bethlehem Steel welder.

His daughter-in-law Cindy Werner says “he lived for that bike.”