U.S. wants cannon used as lawn ornament

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U.S. wants cannon used as lawn ornament Associated PressFeb. 12, 2002 08:19:00LUDINGTON, Mich. - It's not your ordinary lawn ornament.Since 1947, Henry Marek has kept a World War I-era cannon in his front yard.Marek obtained the cannon in 1942 for $25 as scrap from the Work Projects Administration. Over the years it has become a Mason County landmark.But a Defense Department worker happened to notice the cannon last week, knocked on Marek's door and told him that the cannon is government property. That means it could be seized and destroyed.That's when Marek brought out his heavy gun - U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who has ridiculed the government's sudden interest in the weaponry."This cannon has been in the community for more than 50 years without a problem," Hoekstra said Monday in a news release. "And the only problems surrounding this cannon now are being caused by the government."Hoekstra said the cannon's breech was welded shut and its barrel was cut, making it unusable as a weapon. His office contacted the Defense Department and expects a quick resolution to the matter."At a time when the Defense Department is fighting a war against terrorism, it seems strange they would want to fight Mr. Marek over an 80-plus-year-old cannon that was long-ago disabled," he said.--- ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Take that, Osama bin Laden.A bill introduced Monday in the Minnesota House would put bin Laden's image on a state lottery scratch-off ticket. Players would discover any winnings by scratching off "and thus obliterating," as the bill notes, bin Laden's face.Sixty percent of the proceeds - the maximum allowed under the state Constitution - would go to anti-terrorism efforts.The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Rich Stanek, is a Minneapolis police officer who also is pushing for a broad new state security plan. It has a price tag of $25 million to pay for training and equipment, although a state budget deficit has made funding scarce.Stanek said he's gotten nothing but positive reactions to the bill."Can you imagine the guys sitting in the American Legion, how they'll respond?" asked Stanek. "They might go out and buy 100 tickets."If the bin Laden idea falls through, Stanek said he still wants a themed lottery ticket. Like what? "Three cruise missiles is a winner. I don't care." http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0212Cannon-ON.html