With a new Star Wars movie in the works, all Han Solo fans want to know is if Harrison Ford will be returning for the sequels. But Ford isn’t giving anyone a straight answer.

The actor has been playing it coy with reporters and hasn’t shed any new light on his involvement in the new movies. Today, Ford told ABC that he wasn’t sure if he was going to get invited to reprise the role of Han Solo.

Ford said: We’ll see. I don’t know if I’m going to be invited to the party. So we’ll so. I really enjoy J.J. Abrams. I admire him. I did his first movie, Regarding Henry, about 20 years ago.”

George Lucas said last month that he had talked to Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher about joining the 7th Star Wars movie but added that contracts hadn’t officially been signed yet.

Lucas said: “We had already signed Mark and Carrie and Harrison — or we were pretty much in final stages of negotiation. So I called them to say, ‘Look, this is what’s going on… ’ Maybe I’m not supposed to say that. I think they want to announce that with some big whoop-de-do, but we were negotiating with them. I won’t say whether the negotiations were successful or not.”

If negotiations were successful, you can bet that Disney will announce the casting decision with a big celebration.

Do you think Harrison Ford will join Star Wars: Episode 7. Do you think Ford knows a little more than he’s letting on?

Harrison Ford: I Haven’t Received ‘Star Wars’ Invitation Yet is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Montana man’s dog ate $500, and he wants the government to replace the chomped funds.

Wayne Klinkel is the unlucky man whose dog ate $500 in cash money, and the Montana resident has already gone above and beyond to recover his losses. Oh, yes, that means exactly what you think it means.

Klinkel’s 12-year-old Golden Retriever is the dog with the $500 appetite, and the Independent Record talked to the owner of Sundance, errant, elderly cash-munching canine.

While Klinkel is clearly displeased, he can laugh about it, and he told the paper:

“I thought ‘You dumb SOB,’ I couldn’t believe he did that.”

Klinkel and his wife had left the $500 and the dog in his truck during a road trip, along with a $1. As you can imagine, the dog ate the five hundreds, and left the $1. And half a Grant. Ones just taste cheap, you know?

Sundance’s owner explains:

“Sundance is notorious for eating anything and everything, so right away I knew what happened.”

As you can imagine, the next few days were not a walk in the park — well perhaps an actual walk in the park, but with gloves and a baggie. And when all was said and done, Klinkel explains, he had a pretty good case for a reimbursement from the feds:

“I pretty much recovered two fairly complete bills, and had some other pieces … But it wasn’t nearly enough there to do anything with it.”

Even more of the post-puppy digestive system cash showed up later, and the eaten $500 surfaced when snow melted. Klinkel says his daughter brought a few more pieces back when she visited her dad:

“She said ‘Oh, Dad, look what Coty found in the back yard.’ They found it after the snow had melted. She said they were shocked it hadn’t blown away. Good thing it’s a fenced yard.”

Klinkel went to the bank with the pieces but ultimately had to go all the way up the chain and is waiting to see if the government will replace the mostly-recovered $500 the dog ate. He says the family “has to wait and see what happens.”

Should Klinkel be reimbursed for the $500 his dog ate?

Dog Eats $500, Owner Wants Feds To Reimburse Him is a post from: The Inquisitr

Authorities say University of Texas wide receiver Kendall Sanders was arrested early Saturday morning on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

According to ESPN, Sanders, 18, was booked into the Brazos County Jail in Bryan just after 5 am Saturday and was released on $3,000 bond just three hours later.

After Sander’s arrest, Longhorn coach Mack Brown released the following statement:

“We’re aware of Kendall’s situation, have talked with him and his family, and are disappointed any time one of our players is accused of wrongdoing. We take a strong stance against drinking and driving and will continue to monitor this situation to get more details. Following the completion of the legal process, we will do what’s best for The University, Kendall and the team. One thing we have great pride in about our program is our family atmosphere and there also will be discipline handled within our family.”

A second-year player who served as a backup wideout in 2012, Sanders played in 11 games as a true freshman and had two receptions for 15 yards. Sports Illustrated notes Kendall was pegged as one of the favorites for UT’s No. 3 receiver spot behind Mike Davis and Jaxon Shipley for the upcoming season.

Unfortunately, Sanders isn’t the first Longhorn football player to have a run in with the law in recent days.

Cayleb Jones, another sophomore wideout, was suspended from the team last month after being charged with aggravated assault for allegedly punching a UT tennis player in a dispute involving a former girlfriend.

More on Kendall Sanders’ DWI arrest in the video below:

Kendall Sanders Arrested: Texas Longhorns WR Charged With DWI [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Regardless of the outcome tonight, Rick Pitino is a Hall of Fame Coach.

The head of the Louisville program will be fighting for an NCAA title tonight against Michigan. If he wins, Pitino will become the first coach in NCAA history to win championships with two different men’s teams. If he loses, he’ll be a Hall of Fame coach with over 600 college victories, 22 postseason appearances, seven Final Four appearances, and an NCAA Championship.

Pitino said that the Hall of Fame announcement today was a little bit of a distraction from his goal tonight. But it’s not like Pitino was bothered by the honor.

The coach said: “It’s a pretty special distraction. I’m just so proud to be here.”

Seattle Super Sonics guard Gary Patyon will also join the class of 2013. Payton played 17 NBA seasons, most of which were in Seattle, and was named to nine All Star teams and nine All-Defensive teams. Payton won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat and is considered one of the greatest defensive point guards to ever play in the NBA.

New York Knicks star Bernard King will also be joining the hall of fame. King averaged 22.5 points per game during his 15-year career and was named to the All-Star team four times.

CBS reports that North Carolina women’s coach Sylvia Hatchell, Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian, former University of Virginia star Dawn Staley, and former University of Houston coach Guy Lewis will also join the class of 2013.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame previously announced that Edwin E.B. Henderson, Roger Brown, Oscar Schmidt, Richie Guerin, and Russ Granik would be inducted into the hall of fame this year.

Rick Pitino, Gary Payton To Join NBA Hall Of Fame is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mickey Mouse club star Annette Funicello, who was beloved in her generation as one of Disney’s first big stars, has died at the age of 70.

Annette Funicello’s cause of death has not yet been reported. Currently, all that is known is that Funicello, who came to fame in part on The Mickey Mouse Club show, had suffered from multiple sclerosis in the time before her death.

It has been reported that Funicello had lapsed into a coma before her death, possible due to her chronic struggles with MS. In the years before her death, the Disney queen also suffered a house fire, one that later led to lawsuits from neighbors who claimed Funicello’s house fire spread and damaged nearby properties.

News of her death broke on Twitter, where a verified Disney account posted about the star’s death, simply tweeting out an image of Annette Funicello and confirmation of her death. (Tweet embedded below.)

Annette Funicello was also one of America’s most iconic teen stars, starting out with Disney like modern day celebs such as Justin Timberlake or Britney Spears, before moving on to the big screen in hits like Beach Blanket Bingo and Beach Party. Along with Frankie Avalon, Funicello was a cross-genre icon, breaking out of child stardom to headline films and conquer pop as well, with hits like ”Pineapple Princess” and “Tall Paul.”

We’re sorry to report beloved Disney Mouseketeer and iconic teen star Annette Funicello has passed away at age 70: twitpic.com/chyte0

— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) April 8, 2013

Actress Shelley Fabares was Annette Funicello’s best friend and fellow child star, and Fabares spoke of Funicello’s condition back in October, saying:

“There are some people who will think she must be preserved in people’s minds exactly as she was. But exactly who she was is not who she is now. In order to get people to understand the ravages of this disease and what happens…there is no better way.”

Husband Glen said at the time of the decision to finally go public with Annette’s illness:

“We’re going to use Annie’s name, yes. And it’s not going to be used in vain, we’re going to do something with it. I want to touch their hearts so they will go out there and help us raise some money … [I'm] going to continue to fulfill her wish that to help find a cause and a cure.”

Early reports indicate that Annette Funicello’s official cause of death is complications from MS.

Annette Funicello Dies, Disney Confirms [Breaking] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alice Cooper reportedly rejected the sexual advances of Raquel Welch during the 70s.

The information was revealed in a recent memoir from guitar Dick Wagner. The musician said he and Cooper were in Miami for the Super Bowl in 1976. Welch happened to be performing in the area at the time.

The encounter took place after Alice Cooper and Dick Wagner were invited up to Raquel Welch’s room. The guitarist said he could tell that she was up to something as soon as they arrived.

“You gotta do it at least one time for all us horny b******s in the world,” Wagner told Cooper at the time.

However, Alice Cooper would ultimately reject Raquel Welch’s sexual advances. The rocker stayed true to his 19-year-old girlfriend Sheryl Goddard.

The guitar wrote in his memoir that Cooper was “crazy not to allow himself to be seduced.”

Although the proposed seduction took place at Welch’s suite, she continued her advances with the rocker the next day. Wagner and Cooper were reportedly playing golf when Welch approached the “School’s Out” singer once again.

Raquel wanted to sign on as Cooper’s caddy. Instead of allowing her to follow him around while they played golf, Alice decided to call it a day. Wagner wrote that the musician quickly fled the golf course in order to avoid Welch.

While Wagner may think that Cooper was crazy for rejecting the sexual advances of someone like Raquel Welch, being faithful to his girlfriend ultimately paid off. Sheryl and Alice would later marry. The two are still together to this day.

Those who are interested in learning more about Dick Wagner’s life in the music industry can pick up his memoir right now. Not Only Women Bleed: Vignettes from the Heart of a Rock Musician hit bookshelves last September.

Are you a fan of Alice Cooper? What do you think about the musician rejecting the sexual advances of Raquel Welch?

[Top Image via Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com - Bottom Image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]

Alice Cooper Rejected Raquel Welch’s Sexual Advances is a post from: The Inquisitr

Microsoft on Monday reminded customers that it will stop supporting Windows XP in 365 days. Windows XP originally launched in New York City on October 25, 2001. Since that time Microsoft has rolled out Windows Vista, Windows 7, and most recently Windows 8.

Microsoft plans to cut off corporate support for Windows XP SP3 and Microsoft Officer 2003 starting April 8, 2014.

Once the company drops Windows XP support users will no longer receive new security updates, hotfixes and support.

The move to end support is a big step for Microsoft as just under 40 percent of all desktops and laptops worldwide still use Windows XP.

Windows XP ended mainstream support for Windows Xp in April 2009 but continued to offer extended support for its commercial customers. The company also promised to continue its release of security updates for consumers.

As of April 2014 Microsoft warns customers that using XP will be at their “own risk” and that refusal to migrate will likely be more costly for customers down the road.

Microsoft is warning business customers that it can often take 18 to 32 months for them to go through the full deployment phase for a new OS.

Many company’s have refused to upgrade because there is no simple path from Windows Xp to Windows 7 in terms of upgrade packages. That lack of a direct path has put some strain on company’s that do not have the support of IT workers.

Microsoft in the meantime is already using the end of Windows XP support to convince customers that Windows 8 offers a stronger interface with cutting edge technology.  Microsoft is telling upgrade customers that Windows 8 “is the modern OS for modern businesses, building on Windows 7 fundamentals like speed, reliability and security, while creating a modern platform designed for a new generation of hardware options.”

Windows 8 has been adopted by approximately 3 percent of worldwide customers.

Microsoft is currently offering a 15 percent discount to Windows 8 Pro customers through June 30.

Microsoft Warns Customers: Windows XP Support Ends In 365 Days is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s all over for the worm. Dennis Rodman was fired last night by Donald Trump on Celebrity Apprentice after he spelled Melania Trump’s name wrong during a skincare promotion.

In all fairness to Rodman, he only missed by one letter. The former NBA star and Kim Jong Un’s BFF spelled Melania Trump’s name with an “i” instead of an “e” during Celebrity Apprentice last night. For the Donald, that was an unforgivable mistake.

Rodman argued that his team ran a better campaign for Trump’s skincare line but Donald couldn’t get over the fact that Rodman had spelled Melania’s name wrong on the posters and artwork for the campaign. Rodman tried to pass the buck to his creative team and Trace Adkins even admitted that he should have caught the error.

Adkins said: “I am embarrassed for all four of us … We are all grown adults and we missed the spelling mistake.”

But since Rodman was the project manager Trump felt that it was ultimately the worm’s responsibility.

Trump said that Rodman had spent a lot of time sitting in the hot seat and it was finally time to let him go.

Trump said: “You’re in here all the time. You’re team brings you in. Every week I let you go and every week they bring you back… You are the project manager, you did lose. I’m sorry Dennis, you’re fired.”

Here’s last night’s episode of Celebrity Apprentice.

Dennis Rodman was fired last night but there are still plenty of celebrities left. Gary Busey, Lil’ Jon, Trace Adkins, Lisa Rinna, Brande Roderick, Penn Jillette, Stephen Baldwin and Marilu Henner are still alive on the show.

Dennis Rodman Fired For Mispelling Melania Trump’s Name [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Margaret Thatcher’s death has drawn as polarizing a reaction as her political career did, but one very high-profile champion of the former British politician is the acclaimed actress who won as Oscar for playing her. None other than Meryl Streep.

Streep won the award for Best Actress at the 84th Academy Awards for playing Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Thatcher passed away on Monday after suffering a stroke, which inspired Streep to release a statement about her.

Her comments about the iconic British Prime Minster are mostly flattering, highlighting the amount of good Thatcher did “willingly or unwillingly, for the role of women in politics.”

Though Streep concedes the controversial nature of Thatcher’s political career, she praises the late Conservative pol for her “personal strength and grit” and points to her influence as an individual who rose not from nepotism or wealth, but from her own drive and conviction.

Streep’s full statement is below:

“Margaret Thatcher was a pioneer, willingly or unwillingly, for the role of women in politics.

“It is hard to imagine a part of our current history that has not been affected by measures she put forward in the UK at the end of the 20th century. Her hard-nosed fiscal measures took a toll on the poor, and her hands-off approach to financial regulation led to great wealth for others. There is an argument that her steadfast, almost emotional loyalty to the pound sterling has helped the UK weather the storms of European monetary uncertainty.

“But to me she was a figure of awe for her personal strength and grit. To have come up, legitimately, through the ranks of the British political system, class bound and gender phobic as it was, in the time that she did and the way that she did, was a formidable achievement. To have won it, not because she inherited position as the daughter of a great man, or the widow of an important man, but by dint of her own striving. To have withstood the special hatred and ridicule, unprecedented in my opinion, leveled in our time at a public figure who was not a mass murderer; and to have managed to keep her convictions attached to fervent ideals and ideas — wrongheaded or misguided as we might see them now –without corruption. I see that as evidence of some kind of greatness, worthy for the argument of history to settle. To have given women and girls around the world reason to supplant fantasies of being princesses with a different dream: the real-life option of leading their nation; this was groundbreaking and admirable.

“I was honored to try to imagine her late life journey, after power; but I have only a glancing understanding of what her many struggles were, and how she managed to sail through to the other side. I wish to convey my respectful condolences to her family and many friends.”

Streep’s Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady was a huge box office and critical hit in 2011, grossing more than $110 million worldwide.

[Image via: Andreas Tai, Wikimedia Commons]

Meryl Streep Reacts To Margaret Thatcher’s Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

Andrew Lloyd Webber will bring director Richard Linklater’s comedy School of Rock to Broadway.

The film starred Jack Black as a fake substitute teacher who educates students about rock music at a private school. Once he realizes his students have a plethora of musical talent, he uses them to form a band.

Andrew Lloyd Webber recently revealed that he had acquired the rights to the 2003 comedy. He hopes to transform the story into a full-blown Broadway production.

“Another thing that I’ve just got the rights to that I am very excited about but will obviously not be — there may be songs for me in it, but it’s obviously got songs in it as it stands — is that movie ‘School of Rock,’” he explained during an interview with CBC.

Webber added, “So, I will go from ‘Stephen Ward,’ which is really going to be sort of a chamber musical, to a musical about kids playing the guitar!”

Although acquiring the rights to some of the iconic songs used in the movie may prove to be difficult and costly, it would seem that Andrew Lloyd Webber is up to the task. Should any of the artists not approve their songs for the show, the composer would likely write his own.

School of Rock star Jack Black stated that a sequel to Linklater’s film was in the works back in 2008. However, little information about the follow-up was released to the public. He revealed during an interview last year that the sequel probably wasn’t going to happen.

“I wouldn’t want to do it without the original writer and director, and we never all got together and saw eye-to-eye on what the script would be. It was not meant to be, unfortunately. But never say never,” Black explained. The actor said he and Richard Linklater simply didn’t see eye-to-eye.

It’s currently unknown when Webber’s production of the story will premiere.

Are you a fan of School of Rock? What do you think about Andrew Lloyd Webber putting together a Broadway version of the comedy?

Andrew Lloyd Webber Takes ‘School Of Rock’ To Broadway is a post from: The Inquisitr

Westboro Baptist Church members have announced plans to protest the funeral of film critic Roger Ebert, who battled with the church during his life.

The anti-gay church released a statement saying that members will protest Ebert’s funeral “in lawful proximity” to Holy Name Cathedral, which will hold a mass of remembrance. Ebert died last week at age 70 after a long battle with cancer.

Roger Ebert took on the Westboro Baptist Church in the days before his death. On March 25 he tweeted tweet a link to a Salon post that included an excerpt from a gay man who spent a day at the church. Ebert sent the link out twice, with the message “Just another day at Westboro Baptist” and a second time with a similar message: “One more day at the Westboro Baptist church.”

Ebert had spoken out against the group in the past, calling them “odious” in a previous tweet.

In a rambling statement announced the Ebert funeral protest, the Westboro Baptist Church noted this controversy on Twitter.

“American entertainment industry publicity leech Roger Ebert took to Twitterverse to mock the faithful servants of God at Westboro Baptist Church, just days before he received the horrifying summons,” the announcement read.

The funeral for Roger Ebert, a Pultizer Prize-winning film critic, is expected to draw thousands of mourners to Chicago.

The Westboro Baptist Church has made a name for itself with anti-gay protests at a number of high-profile events, usually funerals. The group has picketed services for dead soldiers and threatened to protest at memorials for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Aurora shootings.

But the group often fails to deliver on its threats, aiming instead to rustle up controversy and fear of a possible protest. It has not been seen yet if the Ebert funeral protest will fall in this same category.

Ebert Funeral Protest: Westboro Baptist Church Announces Plans To Picket is a post from: The Inquisitr

This chick has serious game!

OkCupid Like A Boss [Female Edition] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kim Kardashian’s rapper ex Ray J emerged from relative obscurity this week with a new single, titled “I Hit It First.” Despite thinly-veiled lyrical references to Kim K and heavily disguised cover art, Ray J insists that the song isn’t about his reality star ex after criticism started pouring in.

The cover art for “I Hit It First” shows a highly pixelated image of a woman, which (as you can see above) is originally a picture of Kim Kardashian.

Seems pretty cut-and-dried already, but Global Grind noted an extra dig with the cover art, namely that it’s meant to look like Kanye West’s album cover for “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”

As if the single isn’t clearly about Kim Kardashian from the cover art alone, the lyrics have been widely interpreted as a reference to Ray J’s past relationship with Kim Kardashian.

“I had her head going North and her ass going South, but not baby chose to go West. No matter where she goes or who she knows, she still belongs in my bed.”

So it’s pretty obvious that the song is about his relationship with Kim Kardashian, right? Not according to Ray J.

“It’s a song, it’s not about that, it’s about a concept,” he said in a radio interview with New York’s Hot 97. ”People going way too deep. They just gotta keep it on the surface. I’m not trying to create no war, it’s all love; we’re doing music.”

And on Twitter, he added:

Lol have some fun! It’s not that serious!! #LIVE!!

— RayJ (@RayJ) April 6, 2013

Whether “I Hit It First” is a Ray J swipe at Kardashian and West, the latter-most isn’t thrilled with the new song. A source reportedly close to the rapper said “Kanye don’t condone broke a*s, jealous [guys] who be trying to bite off he and Kim’s fame just to stay, wait, just to become relevant.”

We’ve embedded Ray J’s “I Hit It First” below, and as always, you can decide for yourself. Is this track an obvious dig at Kim and Kanye, or is it “all love” and “about a concept” as Ray J says? Sound off!

Ray J Says ‘I Hit It First’ Isn’t About Kim Kardashian (Except It Is, Right?) is a post from: The Inquisitr

A lone kayaker is being lauded as a hero after he saved a family whose SUV plummeted off a cliff into a Northern California river.

According to KCRA-TV, the rescue happened on Thursday afternoon when 50-year-old Christian Lemler of Livermore, his wife, and their three children were traveling in their SUV on Highway 50 in Kyburz, California. At some point during their trip, Lemler lost control of the vehicle, hit a concrete mile marker, a large tree, a boulder and then went plunging into the American River below.

Mark Divottori, a lawyer who was kayaking in the river at the time of the crash, said the out-of-control vehicle hit the water just behind him.

“It was fortuitous that they didn’t actually land on me. I was kayaking right there moments before they plunged off the cliff,” Divittori told KCRA.

Not wasting a moment, Divittorio sprang into action and rescued the three children from the wreckage.

After transporting the children across the rocky waters to safety, Divittorio went back to the terrifying scene, where he reportedly found Mr. Lemler pinned upside down with his head partly underwater. His wife was helping hold his head up.

Thankfully nearby firefighters were able to respond to the scene quickly and helped the husband and wife exit the vehicle. All five family members were taken to an area hospital.

El Dorado County Fire Protection District told KCRA that only the driver had major injuries, and the rest of family only had bumps and bruises.

More on the California kayaker rescue story in the video below:

The Lemler’s were’t the only ones rescued by a man on a kayak in recent days.

Last month, a kayaker joined police and fire rescuers to help them save a dog trapped on ice floes in Lake Michigan.

Kayaker Rescues Family After SUV Crashes Into California River [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

At least they’re not tracking mud in?

Go Outside And Play, 2013 Edition is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ouya reps have responded to negative reviews of their console.

A handful of sites got their hands on early versions of the Ouya console, and the reviews on those consoles were less than flattering. It was obviously a mistake to promise early consoles to Kickstarter backers, as the consoles sent were not finalized yet.

According to Engadget, the Ouya is basically a box with smartphone technology and no display. The processing power was considered nice for players who just want a gaming system without all the bells and whistles, but not for regular console gamers who want the next generation games to show them better graphics and such. The controllers are flat and simple, not easy to hold, hearkening back to the SNES with its button layout.

According to The Verge, the Ouya’s controller is Bluetooth wireless, not the kind of signal you want to depend on for a console game controller, as it can be spotty even on phones. If you’ve ever spoken to someone using a Bluetooth headset, you know how bad the voice quality is. As a result of the Bluetooth wireless connection from controller to console, there is a random lag.

Ouya replied that the consoles it sent to Kickstarter backers weren’t finalized, and they are still putting the finishing touches on the public release. Some would say that was a bad idea, because it shows the people who actually paid to get it made that you aren’t willing to give them the final product.

What Ouya reps actually said was, “We will be making Ouya review units available in early to mid-May so that you are able to review the more complete consumer experience and prepare your coverage in time for the June 4th retail launch. To clarify for you — Ouya has sent no review units out to press. Any reviews you have seen online are a result from individuals who received early backer units from supporting our Kickstarter.”

What do you think of Ouya’s response to negative console reviews?

Ouya responds to negative console reviews – bit.ly/ZJgxUZ – early rigs weren’t for review, they say

— VG247 (@VG247) April 8, 2013

Ouya Responds To Negative Console Reviews is a post from: The Inquisitr

Multiple autistic children were abused by a special needs teacher, according to a lawsuit filed by their parents. Theresa Allen-Caulboy is accused of physically and mentally abusing several elementary age students in her care. The incidents reportedly occurred at MNO Grant Elementary School in California.

The lawsuit, filed by three sets of parents, also names principal Michael Green, special education director David Wax, special ed coordinator Kai Montgomery, and assistant superintendent Keith Rogenski. School administrators are accused of refusing the address the situation despite multiple complaints.

As reported by CourthouseNews.com, the complaint alleges that Allen-Caulboy tormented the special needs students in her classroom. She allegedly yelled, called them names, and subjected them to physical abuse. Several of the children allegedly suffered bruising from being forcibly restrained.

The lead plaintiff, Larry Evans, claims that his 5-year-old autistic son was repeatedly struck, thrown to the ground, and poked in the face. His son indicated that he observed similar abuse toward his classmates.

Evans’ child is unable to speak due to his disability, but his parents realized something was wrong when he stopped enjoying school. The parents reportedly called the school nearly 20 times trying to address their son’s behavioral changes, with no resolution.

As reported by Contra Costa Times, in September last year, a speech-language pathologist observed Allen-Caulboy shouting at students that were unable to respond verbally. On two other occasions, the pathologist reportedly informed school administration of the concerns, but nothing was done.

Allen-Caulboy was not suspended from her position until the middle of January 2013. School administration received numerous complaints in the span of four months, from the pathologist and parents, that multiple autistic students were being abused by the special needs teacher.

The complaints included unexplained bruises, reported physical abuse, and an incident where Allen-Caulboy allegedly twisted a student’s nipple. She was also overheard calling the children “retards.”

The teacher eventually resigned from her position in February 2013, but parents are not satisfied as they blame school administrators for letting the abuse continue for months.

The parents contacted police and the allegations have been filed with the prosecutor’s office No criminal charges of abuse have currently been filed against Allen-Caulboy.

The tree families have filed a lawsuit, asking for medical expenses and punitive damages. The lawsuit is claiming that the constitutional rights of the autistic children were violated. They also accuse the special needs teacher of discrimination.

Multiple Autistic Children Abused By Special Needs Teacher is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alternate with “guy who keeps talking about air disasters.”

Standard Airplane Seating Chart is a post from: The Inquisitr

Clinton, MI – A woman reportedly used two cans of spaghetti sauce during a recent bank robbery.

Authorities stated that the suspect put the cans inside a sack before proceeding into a Fifth Third Bank on Saturday. After placing the bag on the counter, she informed the teller that she was in possession of a bomb. Police explained that she then demanded money.

Clinton Township Lt. Eric Reincke said that it clearly looked like there was some sort of hard object inside the bag the woman was carrying. Since it was folded over, the teller had no idea that the suspect was actually using two cans of spaghetti sauce during the robbery.

“If you don’t know what’s in a package … you have to treat it like it is possibly an explosive device,” Reincke explained to the Detroit Free Press.

The woman left the bag before after she collected the cash. It was only after the local bomb squad scanned the contents of the sack that they discovered the spaghetti sauce.

Bank employees said the suspect was a woman in her 60s. After she collected the money from the teller, she climbed into a “boxy car” that was reportedly being driven by an unidentified man. Police explained that they are currently investigating the case.

Fifth Third Bank officials did not say how much money the woman managed to obtain after she tricked everyone with the cans of spaghetti sauce. Although the suspect is still on the run as of this writing, police are apparently hot on her trail.

“We’re still developing suspect information. But we do think we have a pretty good lead on a suspect,” Reincke explained on Sunday.

This isn’t the first time someone has used a harmless item to rob a business. A woman was sentenced earlier this year to 15 years in prison after she used a water pistol to rob a White Castle in St. Louis.

What do you think about the woman who used two cans of spaghetti sauce during a bank robbery in Michigan?

[Top Image via Shutterstock - Bottom Image via Wikimedia Commons]

Woman Uses Spaghetti Sauce In Bank Robbery is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Maryland Senate passed a bill legalizing a medical marijuana program 42 – 4 Monday. The bill is now on its way to Governor Martin O’Malley, who is expected to sign it.

Once the bill turns into law, Maryland will become the 19th state to legalize the use of medical marijuana.

The Maryland bill allows medical marijuana to be distributed by doctors and nurses through academic centers only. These academic centers will be charged with studying the effects of the program. The bill also calls for the creation of a state panel to oversee the program.

Unlike other states, Maryland will not yet permit the distribution of medical marijuana by private dispensaries.

The bill had the support of Maryland’s health secretary Joshua Sharfstein. Democratic Delegate Dan Morhaim, who sponsored the version of the bill that passed Maryland’s House of Delegates, pushed the bill as the tightest of any state.

States that have passed laws to legalize the use of medical marijuana include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The nation’s capital will permit the use of medical marijuana once dispensaries have opened to distribute it.

The Pew Research Center recently released a report showing that the majority of Americans now support the legalization of marijuana use. Just 45 percent oppose permitting marijuana use, but only a third of all Americans find smoking pot to be morally wrong.

Only two states have passed laws to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Both Colorado and Washington voters approved of a ballot initiative to permit marijuana use during the November elections. The federal government still lists marijuana as an illegal drug, putting both state and federal officials on uneasy ground.

Maryland will legalize medical marijuana use and begin distribution in 2016.

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Maryland May Become 19th State To Legalize Medical Marijuana is a post from: The Inquisitr