The Wendler Word

By: Angela Wendler

A Roman Catholic priest was arrested for viewing over 100 images of child pornography on his office computer within the church, reports Reuters.

The Rev. Bart Sorensen, 62, of St. John Fisher Church in Churchill, was charged with possession of child pornography after a church staff member caught him viewing the images Friday, reports Reuters.

He was being held Sunday at Allegheny County Jail on $100,000 unsecured bond, reports the Pittsburg Tribune.

The Pittsburgh diocese said that Sorensen was removed from the active ministry and placed on administrative leave, reports the Pittsburg Tribune.

By: Angela Wendler

The Bloomington police say a man who robbed two women in their city, may be connected to a similar attack Monday evening in the Southdale Mall parking lot, reports the Star Tribune.

One woman was robbed shortly after 8 p.m. Monday when she was followed home from Lund's at 98th St. and Normandale Blvd. She said she was approached in her driveway by an armed man, who demanded her purse and fled, reports ABC.

Thursday morning around 5:45 a.m. a second woman said she was followed into the Caribou Coffee parking lot at 3835 W. Old Shakopee Road. Again, a man approached her, took her purse, and ran, reports the Star Tribune.

The suspect and vehicle descriptions were similar in both incidents. The suspect is described as a black male around 40 years old, 6 feet tall, and about 200 pounds. He was said to be driving a dark mid-sized sedan, reports the Star Tribune.

The similar descriptions lead the police to believe that the suspect is also responsible for the Edina robbery on Tuesday night at Southdale Mall. The armed suspect approached and robbed her, reports ABC.

Edina is offering as much as $5,000 for information about these incidents, reports the Star Tribune.

By: Angela Wendler

The man who shot and killed a police officer before killing himself Thursday at Virginia Tech was identified as 22-year-old Ross Truett Ashley, reports Reuters.

Ashley was a part-time student at nearby Radford University, reports CBS News.

Ashley stole a Mercedes SUV at gunpoint from an real estate office in Radford, about 15 miles away, the day before the shooting. The car was found on the Va. Tech campus Thursday, reports Reuters.

The police said Ashely walked up to the police officer, who he did not know, and fired the gun and ran. Ashley ran toward a parking lot nearby, where he reportedly shot himself, reports CBS News.

Deriek W. Crouse, 39, was the police officer who was killed. He had been a Va. Tech officer for four years, reports CBS News.

By: Angela Wendler

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook Mexico's western Guerrero state Saturday. The quake resulted in three deaths, reports the Associated Press.

An earthquake of this magnitude is generally very destructive, but the depth of the tremble lessened its impact, reports USA Today.

The U.S. Geological Service said that the quake occurred at a depth of 40.3 miles, reports USA Today.

Roads were blocked by rubble from the quake. High-rise buildings shook for more than a minute, causing shoppers and workers to vacate the buildings, reports the Associated Press.

People fled their homes and gathered in the streets, hugging and crying, reports USA Today.

By: Angela Wendler

Como Zoo celebrates the 16th birthday of Neil and Buzz, the resident polar bears, reports the Star Tribune.

The zoo staff recognized the special occasion by giving each of the polar bears a 16-layer ice cake. The cake was made of lard, peanut butter, fish, fruit, and grape Kool-Aid, reports ABC.

The bears were also given a new toy for their birthday, reports the Star Tribune.

The polar bears moved into their brand new enclosure, Polar Bear Odyssey, in the spring of 2010, reports the Star Tribune.

By: Angela Wendler

A St. Paul woman threatened to shoot a teacher after she had broken up a fight between her daughter and another student at Washington Technology Magnet Middle School, reports the Pioneer Press.

Christina M. Parks, 29, told the teacher on May 2 that she would come back and "shoot you...and the whole school," reports the Pioneer Press.

Parks denied making the statement, reports the Pioneer Press.

Parks was sentenced to three days in jail, which she has already served. In addition she was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service, reports the Star Tribune.

According to the charges Parks thumped on the back of the teacher after he tried to prevent her daughter from getting up after she ad been pushed down, reports the Star Tribune.

Parks and her daughter got into her truck and left, reports the Pioneer Press.

By: Angela Wendler

A British soldier was jailed for 18 months and discharged from the military for bayoneting a 10-year-old boy in Afghanistan, reports the AFP.

Grenadier Guardsman, Daniel Crook stabbed Ghulam Nabi in March of last year while on patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of the southern Helmand province, reports AFP.

The guardsman had drunk a "considerable amount of vodka," so much that he had to be treated by medics the night before the incident occured, reports The Telegraph.

The next day Crook armed himself with two hand grenades and a bayonet for patrol, because his rifle had been confiscated as a safety precaution, reports the AFP.

During patrol Crook was approached by two boys on bicycles. One of the boys, Nabi, pestered Crook for chocolate. In response to the boy's plea Crook stabbed him with the bayonet near his kidneys, reports The Telegraph.

When Crook caught up with the patrol, he admitted to stabbing the boy. When Crook was later questioned by the military police, he could not explain his actions, reports the AFP.

By: Angela Wendler

McDonald's has edged around the new San Francisco ban of fast-food meals containing a free toy by charging a small fee to add a toy to a Happy Meal, reports the New York Times.

Beginning Thursday, McDonald's will charge 10 cents for a Happy Meal toy to comply with the new city ordinance, reports the Associated Press.

San Francisco is the first major US city to ban the practice of including a free toy in children's meals that do not meet the state health qualifications for levels of sodium, fat, and calories, reports the Associated Press.

McDonald's has attempted to make their children's meals healthier by decreasing the french fry portion and including apple slices, but they still fail to meet the state nutritional guidelines, reports the Associated Press.

McDonald's says that without the toys the Happy Meals do not have the same appeal. Spokeswoman Danya Proud said, "While we will fully comply with this law, we also have a responsibility to give our customers what they want," reports the New York Times.

All of the proceeds earned from the additional 10 cent charge will go towards the building of a new Ronald McDonald house in San Francisco near the new University of California hospital, reports the Associated Press.

By: Angela Wendler

A 125-pound mountain lion was shot and killed Sunday in rural southwest Minnesota by a local resident, reports the Star Tribune.

It is illegal to shoot a mountain lion in Minnesota, unless the animal poses an immediate threat to human life, reports the Pioneer Press.

Bruce Ihnen of Round Lake Township spotted the cougar when leaving his brother's farm around 6:30 p.m. Ihnen called a friend, Daniel Hamman, who came with a rifle and shot the cat as it was running away, reports the Star Tribune.

The animal posed no immediate threat when it was killed. Hamman is facing the possibility of legal charges in connection with the shooting, reports the Pioneer Press.

Neither Hamman or Ihnen were available for comment, reports the Pioneer Press.

Mountain lions have an increasing presence in Minnesota and continue to be protected by the state, reports the Pioneer Press.

By: Angela Wendler

A 15-year-old Maple Grove student's face was badly burned during a classroom science experiment, reports NBC.

Dane Neuberger suffered second-degree burns to his face, neck, and right hand. He was rushed to the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, reports the Star Tribune.

Three other Maple Grove Junior High students suffered minor burns. They were treated at the hospital and have been released, reports the Star Tribune.

Neuberger is expected to make a full recovery and have minimal scarring from the accident, reports the Star Tribune.

The accident was reported by NBC to have been the result of an experiment performed by teacher Matthew Achor, 61, involving matches and menthane gas.

The fire was small and was put out before the police and firefighters could arrive, reports NBC.

An investigation is underway by both the State Fire Marshall and the school to determine the cause of the fire, reports NBC.