Weird, But True

Instead, only commercially produced, prepackaged baked goods and candies will be served during school parties and picnics.

Sally Weener, a school district nurse, said administrators already discouraged homemade foods but the handbook lacked such a policy.

"It's not a matter of trust," Weener said. "Our biggest concern probably would be protecting parents."

Stan Ponstine, who cast the only no vote, said schools were "going a little overboard on policies" and he would trust "a parent before a vendor."

While board members could not cite an example of a student sickened by homemade treats at school, they noted that several elementary school teachers fell ill after a staff-appreciation dinner where parents provided food.

Mayor wants to ice criminals

To the growing death penalty debate, a mayor in Greensboro, N.C., submitted this suggestion: put inmates on ice -- literally.

During a city council meeting, Mayor Keith Holliday said Tuesday that the worry over executing innocent people could be resolved by cryogenically freezing death row inmates, then reversing the process if later evidence clears them of crimes.

Several council members laughed.

But Holliday said he wasn't joking. He said the technology had been the subject of a television talk show he had watched.

"I'm just trying to think outside the box," he said.

James Southard, former president of the Society for Cryobiology, said technology to freeze and revive human beings is not on the horizon.

"There's no legitimate basis for it," said Southard, whose research seeks to improve short-term preservation of organs for transplant.

Schools ban teddy bears, balloons

In Seattle, a few roses here and there were one thing, but three high schools have called a halt to teddy bears, balloons and bouquets after being flooded with gifts delivered for students.

Bothell, Franklin and Inglemoor high schools adopted the ban this school year, following a number of other area schools.

"We cannot continue to run a delivery service," Inglemoor Principal Vicki Sherwood said. "We would have florists deliver bouquets, or balloons or cookies or message grams. It was a constant barrage."

Bothell even reports instances of trespassing, when envoys sang telegrams in classrooms without approval from the office.

At Bothell and Inglemoor, principals said they have been forced to hire gift-sorting help. Both have warned florists that deliveries for students will no longer be accepted.

"On Valentine's Day, we didn't even have counter space to put them," said Sherwood. "We had incidents where parents were angry because we didn't deliver at a certain time."

Shannon's Flowers and Gift owner Peg Dowd said the ban cost her $300 during the first week of classes. Woodinville Florist owner Deloris Brittain said it has made a 5 percent dent in her business.

The most miffed are divorced parents who live apart from