by John Galt

January 7, 2010

Four  stories that have bothered me over the past month or so. As a nation have we fallen or are we falling. Some are local, some national. Falling rapidly is my call. You can decide for yourself as you read what is happening, as I am sure many of you have local horror stories to share also.

The Kansas City Star

Toys stolen from Toys for Tots warehouse, but helpers rush to the rescue

WICHITA | Toys for Tots in Wichita will be able to play Santa Claus this year after all.

After 1,000 toys were stolen from the Toys for Tots warehouse over the weekend, calls and donations began flooding in on Monday. The Marine Corps, which runs the Toys for Tots program, says it has received more than enough toys to replace all those that were stolen.

The Rev. Mike Stockwell, committee chairman for the Wichita program, said any toys or money left over would be used for next year’s program.

Gov. Mark Parkinson donated $1,000 on Monday, and thousands of dollars more came from congressional candidate Wink Hartman, Spirit AeroSystems employees, the Bombardier Aerospace Learjet Care Fund, unions and Wichita residents.

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Palmdale man arrested in funeral donation scam

A Palmdale man has been arrested and charged with grand theft after a woman saw a funeral collection box on display at a grocery market with the photo of her two daughters, who are alive, authorities said.

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Salvation Army left short of cash by fake SC check

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Salvation Army thought it had received a grand gift ahead of Christmas — a $25,000 check. But the donation turned out to be an expensive hoax that may force the charity to cut back on winter assistance for the needy.

Investigators said Wednesday that more than a dozen Charleston-area charities received fake checks before Christmas purporting to be gifts from a genuine local company.

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St. Petersburg police: Acid bomb thrown at homeless woman

By Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, January 6, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG — Police want to know who threw an acid bomb at a homeless woman as she slept on a city street early Wednesday.

The woman was sleeping near the St. Vincent de Paul Society food center at 401 15th St. when she was attacked about 12:40 a.m., according to St. Petersburg police.

Someone in a passing car hurled a plastic container filled with acid at the woman as she lay asleep near the intersection of Fifth Avenue N and 15th Street N, police said.

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