North by Northwest

Unbelievable!

A 19 year old twin cities resident and NWA flight attendant lit some paper towels on fire to set of the plane’s smoke alarm and bring the flight to an early end because he was frustrated with the MSP to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada route.

KARE11.com reports:

The charge of setting fire aboard a civil aircraft carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Pilot Steve Peterka told authorities that an indicator light came on about 35 minutes into the flight, showing smoke in the rear bathroom.

Peterka called Rojas, who was assigned passengers in the back of the plane, and asked him to check the bathroom, documents said. Rojas, another flight attendant and a passenger were credited with quickly putting out the flames with fire extinguishers, authorities said.

Investigators later found a lighter in one of the overhead bins. Rojas confessed after authorities interviewed him, the complaint said.

---

In other unbelievably bizarre news – another local 19 year old survived jumping head-first into a wood chipper.

---

And some less odd news – a MN Judge tries to close a loophole in a recent smoking ban. Since smoking is allowed only as part of a theatrical performance, bars held “theater nights” where patrons paid a small fee to become an “actor” in the evening performance (i.e. smoking).

Following the ruling, Bullseye owner Robert Ripley said he is asking his bartenders to prevent smoking indoors and remove all ashtrays.

But he also seized on a footnote in the ruling speculating that some performances may fit within the statewide ban and that they may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“I think we’re going to start writing our own scripts,” Ripley said.

February, customers in bars from the Iron Range to the metro area — with the bars’ encouragement — started dressing in Renaissance costumes or calling themselves Garth Brooks and lighting up.

Many bars said it was an often-successful attempt to win back patrons after seeing steep declines in revenue after the ban took effect last year. Notices about the smoking performances were posted on doors outside the establishments, and customers would typically buy a pin for $1 or $2 designating them as part of the show.

But Abrams didn’t buy arguments made in court last week that the performances are a form of protected free speech that fit within the law’s exception.

“The criterion for selection of the cast appears to be people with $2 and a desire to smoke in the bar. There is not the slightest suggestion that talent or an interest in conveying a message, other than smoking, is sought from any actor,” he wrote.

---

Twin Cities get State OK to extend bar closing time for RNC – for a fee!

Twin Cities bars can stay open extra late during the Republican National Convention, thanks to a state measure signed Thursday by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The provision, part of an omnibus liquor bill, allows bars within the seven-county metro area to stay open until 4 a.m. from the evening of Aug. 31, through the early morning of Sept. 5. The border cities of Northfield and New Prague are included.

Cities can decide whether to allow the later bar closings and what areas or license and zoning classifications would be affected. And they will be able to charge bars a fee of up to $2,500.

Because 2AM just isn’t late enough for national Republican big wigs. Or maybe it’s an attempt to make the city more protester friendly?

---

And speaking of the GOP RNC this Sept. in St. Ron Paul, city leaders are partnering with Humana to provide 1000 free bicycles during the convention.

To use a Freewheelin cycle, participants would register with credit cards to ensure that they don’t make off with the bikes, which otherwise are expected to be free to use. They then can go online, too, to track how many miles they’ve logged and calories they’ve burned.

Humana also is making 1,000 bicycles available to Denver during the Democratic National Convention, in turn giving Denver and the Twin Cities the opportunity to join Washington at the forefront of communal two-wheel initiatives.

---

Stories via the Daily Glean.