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News of the Weird

Staff
Thursday July 04, 2002

Couple to sprint  

down the aisle 

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Kentucky couple has decided to forgo the traditional walk down the aisle for a sprint down Main Street. 

Tim Bailey and Wendy Cegielski planned to get married Thursday at a downtown park during a short ceremony about 45 minutes into a 10k race. 

The newlyweds — clad in modified nuptial attire — will then finish the 26th Bluegrass 10,000 arm-in-arm before departing on their honeymoon — at a Costa Rican adventure camp. 

“I always thought traditional weddings were stuffy and too expensive anyway,” said Cegielski, 26, a high school teacher. “I wanted something I could remember.” 

Bailey, 44, is a teacher and cross-country coach who has run in every Bluegrass 10,000 — the last seven dressed as a superhero. 

He competed as The Silver Surfer last year and has donned Captain America, Spider-Man and Space Ghost costumes in previous years. In fact, it’s the costumes that led Cegielski to notice him. 

“I saw this guy dressed up as Spider-Man, and I thought, ’Who is that crazy guy, and why is he dressed up?”’ she said. “When I met him, I thought it was ironic that he was the guy I remembered.” 

“We started running together, and one thing led to another,” Bailey said. 

 

Don’t bring your kids  

to work, dad  

 

SOUTH FORK, Pa. — A 29-year-old man is accused of bringing his two young sons along while he tried to steal a cash box from a neighbor’s house. 

Shawn E. Popish was charged with burglary, criminal trespass and corruption of minors. 

Popish was seen June 25 trying to pilfer the box from the house, about 65 miles east of Pittsburgh, authorities said. 

The homeowner, Robert Fresch, told authorities he came home and found Popish’s sons — ages 4 and 6 — waiting for their father, said borough police Officer Michael H. Popma. 

Popish said he was stopping a burglary, not committing one. 

“He said he observed an individual go into the house and he was trying to be a good neighbor,” Popma told The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown. “It’s very unlikely.” 

Popish was jailed on $25,000 bond. The boys were turned over to their mother. 

 

Goat is a natural born  

marketing agent  

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A 4-month-old goat with a curious birthmark has fans of the late racing star Dale Earnhardt flocking to a north Florida farm. 

The brown Nubian goat, named Lil’ Dale, was born with a distinctive white three — Earnhardt’s number — on her right side. 

“It’s weird,” said her owner, Jerry Pierson. “I’ve seen people take pictures and get tears in their eyes.” 

“One woman said, ‘Man, she gives me chills,”’ Pierson said. 

Although she was born on a meat and dairy farm in Interlachen, about 50 miles south of Jacksonville, Pierson says Lil’ Dale likely has a career in advertising. 

“How couldn’t she be something to NASCAR or auto racing?” Pierson asked. “All you have to do is put an oilcan in front of her and it’ll sell.”