Mummy baby buried without family present

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – A Concord man is upset that he didn’t get to witness the burial of an 18-inch mummified baby boy that had been in his family for decades.

Police confiscated “Baby John” from Charles Peavey’s family two years ago, and a judge later ordered the remains buried after DNA tests failed to prove the boy was related to him. Peavey and his family showed up to the cemetery Tuesday only to find out the baby already had been buried before they got there.

Peavey says he felt humiliated that cemetery officials and a police officer stood by while they said their goodbyes. Like his relatives before him, Peavey considered the mummy a family heirloom and believed it was possibly the stillborn son of a great-great-uncle.

Nashua, N.H., asks court to block teacher strike

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) – The school board and superintendent have taken legal action to try to prevent a teacher strike planned for later this month.

Superintendent Christopher Hottel filed a request for a temporary restraining order Friday against the Nashua Teachers Union, which announced last week that they would strike March 31 unless the city approves a contract. The restraining order was filed to prevent the union from taking any job actions until a hearing can be held before the Public Employee Labor Relations Board, Hottel said.

Hottel also sent a letter to teachers telling them that if they strike, he will recommend they be fired.

“While I find it very difficult to write this letter because of my high regard for you, and for the entire teaching staff in Nashua, I find it equally difficult to understand why our teachers would decide that an illegal strike was the right action to take,” he wrote.

The teachers have been working without a contract since September 2006. It is illegal for public employees to strike in New Hampshire.

There is a negotiation session scheduled for Tuesday involving representatives from the union and the school board.

Suspect in pet shop theft, fatal crash indicted

PELHAM, N.H. (AP) – A Massachusetts man has been indicted on manslaughter and negligent homicide charges for a fatal crash in New Hampshire last September.

Jason Connolly of Lawrence was charged earlier this week in the death of 52-year-old John Sweren of Pelham.

Police said Connolly was driving the getaway car from a pet shop theft in Salem when he crossed over the center line in Pelham and collided with Sweren’s motorcycle.

Salem police previously charged the 34-year-old Connolly as an accomplice to the theft of a $1,900 baby macaw from the pet store. Police say Joseph Murabito, who was with Connolly, jumped out of the car after the crash and ran into the woods to hide the bird.

The bird was found alive two days later. The 35-year-old Murabito, also of Lawrence, has been charged with felony shoplifting.

Rep. Frank says he’ll file bill to legalize marijuana

BOSTON (AP) – Rep. Barney Frank said he plans to file a bill to legalize “small amounts” of marijuana.

Frank announced his plans late Friday on the HBO show “Real Time,” hosted by Bill Maher.

“I’m going to file a bill as soon as we go back to remove all federal penalties for the possession or use of small amounts of marijuana,” Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, told Maher.

Frank didn’t define “small amounts.” Efforts to reach Frank on Saturday were not immediately successful.

Frank said he’d filed a similar bill in the Massachusetts Legislature in the 1970s, but hasn’t tried since he was elected to Congress.

Frank said he thinks “its time for the politicians in this one to catch up to the public. The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly.”

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