Odds ‘n’ ends: Man leaves Ga. jail naked, gets arrested again

By The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Sometimes, it’s better to look like a jailbird than sport a birthday suit.

Police say Bill Merit, 49, left the Chatham County jail and began walking by the side of the road, naked. Witnesses called police, who arrested him and jailed him again on a charge of public indecency.

A police report says Merit told an officer that he didn’t take the clothes jailers gave him because he thought they were stolen. The report says the man “appeared rational, except for being naked.”

Jail records show Merit had been booked two days eariler on charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Chatham County Sheriff Lt. Thomas Tillman said Wednesday Merit remains in jail awaiting arraignment. He says he does not know if Merit has a lawyer.

Deep-dish pizzas headed to troops in Iraqq

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ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. – Retired Air Force Sgt. Mark Evans wanted to send a taste of Chicago to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

So he’s doing it deep-dish pizza-style.

The Elk Grove Village man has arranged for thousands of pizzas to be frozen, packed in dry ice and shipped to the Middle East in time for the Fourth of July. His 16-year-old son, Kent, came up with the idea.

“I think it’s good for them. They’re in too good of shape,” he joked.

Evans said DHL Global has volunteered to ship the pizzas that Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria offered at a special rate. He hopes to get as many as 3,000 pizzas to the troops with the “Pizzas 4 Patriots” program.

“It’s saying ‘here’s a taste of home,'” Lou Malnati’s spokeswoman Mindy Kaplan said.

But Kaplan suspects there might be some soldiers who won’t feel that way.

“Maybe New Yorkers won’t like it so much,” Kaplan said.