Crash Tax Repealed

The "crash tax" has hit a dead end in Sacramento, California.  The controversial ordinance would have charged out-of-towners hundreds of dollars if firefighters had to respond to a car crash.  While the measure was passed by the City Council in January, members decided to vote on it again.  A local paper (Sacramento Bee) reports the council voted 6-2 to repeal the crash tax.

Code of the West

The Code of the West is a step closer to being the law of the land in Oregon.  The State House has voted to adopt Cowboy Ethics as a symbolic standard for Oregon.  The Code of the West includes principles like live each day with courage and when you make a promise, keep it.  Critics point out the Old West had its problems, too.  The Code of the West measure now moves on to the Oregon Senate.

Forged Doctor Note

It was a doctor's note -- but it was a fake.  Authorities in Southern California say a woman showed up in court seeking a delay in her sentencing.  Michelle Elaine Astumian had pleaded no contest to forging drug prescriptions.  Prosecutors say her doctor's note asking for a postponement was also forged.  Officials tell a local paper (San Luis Obispo County Tribune) she will be sentenced a later date.   This woman receives the Morning Buzz Dumb Criminal of the Week Award.

Fish Tank Wedding

Taking the plunge isn't just a figure of speech for Leonard Sonnenschein and Valentina Machlich.  They got hitched in a giant fish tank at the World Aquarium in St. Louis.  The idea isn't all wet.  Sonnenshein is the C-E-O of the aquarium.  They didn't have to worry about the stingrays and the other aquatic creatures that circled them, either.  The couple and a rabbi who officiated stood on a dry platform in the tank.  The groom tells KSDK-TV his love of the sea and the creatures in it made the aquarium wedding a natural.  Anyone who loves the Morning Buzz, is welcome to discuss with us the possibility of getting married in studio.

Hollywood Diner

The Hollywood Diner isn't in Hollywood.  But you might recognize it from a movie.  The diner has been a Baltimore landmark ever since local-native Barry Levinson filmed parts of his breakout film "Diner"  there in 1982.  Catering company owner Cheryl Townsend reopened the Hollywood Diner earlier this month.  She tells the Daily Record of Baltimore that business has been great, despite the sagging economy.  Townsend is advertising "good food at 'recession-friendly' prices!"  We may make this the next Buzz Tour stop.

TechShop

"Lasers and Beer."  Just the thing to attract techies in the San Francisco Bay Area.  TechShop is a little like a gym.  But instead of workout equipment, TechShop has two floors of tools for members to use.  One of the most popular is a $30,000 laser cutter, so accurate it can etch everything from paper to glass.  Chief executive Mark Hatch says one of TechShop's most popular evenets is an evening called "Lasers and Beer".  He jokes that members first engrave mugs, then drink the beer.  Hopefully, we will see one of these in Cleveland very soon.

Junk Patrols

There's an eye in the sky over San Jaun County, New Mexico -- looking for junk.  County officials are spotting trash piles from small aircraft.  It's part of a program that's also updating 3-D maps used by local governments.  Officials say people shouldn't ignore county warnings about their growing junk piles.

Firefighters Race

Where's the fire?  Firefighters in their full gear hit the ski slopes yesterday at Maine's Sunday River resort.  But there was no fire.  It was a friendly race for firefighters from Maine and New Hampshire.  Not only did they wear their turnout gear, each team skied a giant slalom course lugging a 50-foot fire hose.  The squad from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, takes first place.  The firefighters' race benefits the Maine Handicapped Skiing program. What we've gathered from this story is all though we think its still cold in Northeast Ohio, at least its not so cold that the ski slopes are still open.

Comic Book Convention

Stormy Vipperman isn't Poision Ivy.  But she spent a month trying to look like her.  Vipperman created a Poision Ivy costume for the annual MagaCon convention in Orlando, Florida.  Clay and fabric became the dangling vines used by Batman's female enemy.  Vipperman -- A-K-A Poision Ivy -- wasn't the only character at the sci-fi convention.  Jay Leckie went as Thro.  The convention also hosted actor William Shatner and Marvel Comics' legend Stan Lee.

Final Four Odds

As promised On-Air, I told you I'd throw up the odds of VCU reaching the final four, since I can not mention them on the air.  At the beginning of the tournament, the odds of VCU making the final four was 1,370 to 1.  I wish I could go back in time.  VCU's head coach was so convinced that his team would not make the tournament field at all, that he wouldn't let them watch the Selection Show, instead he took them out for burgers.  They made it, and now they have proven they belong, as they have made their way to the final four.

Puppets Stolen

A Connecticut man syas his friends have been kidnapped.  But they're not people, they're Daniel Thomacos' puppets.  Thomacos says 20 puppets were stolen from a shed behind his New Britain home one night earlier this week.  A neighbor reports spotting the puppet-nappers.   Thomacos says his puppets are worth more than 10-grand.  Thomacos and his wife use them in a local cable TV show.  He says he'll be happy if the thieves just leave the puppets on his lawn.  The Morning Buzz suggests replacing these puppets with sock puppets for next week's episode.

Wine Inclined

White or red?  When it comes to American wine, teh color is green.  For the first time in U.S. wine sales have topped the wine-loving French.  Stephanie Gallo of California-based Gallo Family Vineyards
says, "It's exciting".  U.S. wine consumption has continued to climb despite the recession.  And there's still room to grow.  American adults dring about two and a half gallons of wine a year each.  But French wine consumption is more than 12 gallons a year.  If these numbers confuse you and it seems like the French consume more wine than the American's that is true, however American wine sales are more because America has a greater population.  Still the first time this has ever happened, I think its pretty cool.

WBWC Spring Concert

The annual  WBWC Spring Concert is right around the corner.  It is this Saturday, March 19th at Baldwin Wallace College's Student Activity Center.   Doors are at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7pm.  Tickets are $3 with a BW student ID and $5 without ID.  Anyone is welcome!   There will be 5 local bands playing:  Winters Warm, 70 Lewis, Goodnight City Lights, Call To Attraction, and the headlining band is Call It Fiction!  All the proceeds from this show goes to To Write Love On Her Arms!  Also, we have some great raffle prizes to give away, including a pair of tickets to the sold out All Time Low and Yellowcard show on April 24th at House Of Blues!

Come check it out!