AP - For millions, New Years is marked by the descent of the giant crystal ball in Times Square. For others, it's a giant acorn or peach. But perhaps the most savory countdown is in McDonough, Georgia, where thousands gathered Wednesday to watch a giant chicken nugget drop into a vat of dipping sauce.
AP - The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said an 88-year-old woman fended off a naked intruder by grabbing the man's crotch and squeezing. Deputy Paul McRedmond said the man got into the house Tuesday through a sliding door. He backed the woman into her living room and pushed her face down onto a chair.
AP - A 19-year-old Hutchinson man was arrested after allegedly breaking into his own home and stealing a car, jewelry, some money, and other items. Police said he allegedly lured his other family members away Friday afternoon by making a dinner reservation for them in Chanhassen. Then, while they were away, he broke into the garage and house, grabbed the booty, and took off in the car.
AP - Authorities said a Sarasota man about to be pulled over by police tried to lure officers away by making a fake 911 call. Officers said they were following a 28-year-old man's car Monday to make a traffic stop when they got a 911 call for an armed robbery happening several blocks away.
AP - Some women in Naples said they won't make love if their men shoot off dangerous fireworks on New Year's Eve. "Se Spari, Niente Sesso" (If you shoot, no sex), as the reported group calls itself, claims to have signed up hundreds of women in the Naples area to combat celebrations that injure or maim hundreds each year.
AP - A former Fort Lauderdale city commissioner who helped create a program to combat bicycle theft had his own bike stolen while trying to help people involved in a vehicle crash.