Imus sidekick to audition
A radio station plans to audition Don Imus’ ex-sidekick to co-host a fallen politician’s morning talk show. Bernard McGuirk will audition live on WRKO-AM’s “Finneran’s Forum” next Wednesday through Friday in Boston. He is the “Imus in the Morning” producer and on-air jester who took part in the exchange of racist banter that led to his and Imus’ dismissal last month.
State awards $1.5M to man
A man who spent 26 years in prison for a bank robbery and murder he did not commit settled his wrongful incarceration lawsuit against the state of Ohio for $1.5 million. The agreement between Gary James and Atty. Gen. Marc Dann’s office awards James $700,000 upfront and $500,000 to be disbursed over 15 years. His lawyers get the remaining $300,000.
Bank bandit: I wasn’t worried
One of two young women charged with robbing a bank in Acworth, Ga., while laughing and wearing sunglasses says she didn’t worry about the crime’s consequences because “we had an inside man.” In a Friday interview on “Good Morning America,” Heather Johnston said she didn’t consider how the Feb. 27 crime might terrify others because the teller was in on the plan.
Rain helps soak wildfire
A second rainstorm in three days soaked a forest fire on Friday and raised hopes that it could be brought under full control by day’s end. The fire, which has burned 17,250 acres in New Jersey since it began Tuesday, was now 70 percent contained. No serious injuries were reported, but five homes were destroyed. About 6,000 people were evacuated at the height of the blaze.
AND FINALLY
The complete (pot) package
A school principal in Kent, N.Y., received a surprise delivery of 12 pounds of marijuana from a mysterious sender whose address was traced to a vacant lot in California, police said. The principal had the box moved to the rear of the school property, and an X-ray taken by the bomb squad determined the package wasn’t a threat, said police Lt. Alex DiVernieri. Police opened it and found the marijuana, he said.
