The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

Odds and Ends

Crunch the alligator to stand in for Beast of ‘Busco in Ind. town

CHURUBUSCO, Ind. — Crunch is no Beast of ‘Busco, but he’s a decent stand-in for a legendary snapping turtle purportedly the size of a rowboat.

The northeastern Indiana town of Churubusco is hosting a four-day festival this week in honor of the 60th anniversary of a big hunt for its beast.

Problem is, he hasn’t been found. Ever.

That’s where Crunch comes in. He’s a 150-year-old, 170-pound alligator snapping turtle that will be on display instead in a 700-gallon aquarium from Wednesday through Saturday during the Turtle Days Festival.

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The Beast of ‘Busco has a name: Oscar, whose legend dates in various accounts to 1900. It was after reports of a sighting in 1949 that newspapers and wire services picked up on the story and hundreds of people beat a path to the town about 10 miles northwest of Fort Wayne to watch the hunt for the giant turtle.

Jim Guiff, 97, remembers the two-month turtle hunt well. He’s lived since 1927 on property that borders Fulk Lake, the pond where Oscar was said to lurk. The turtle was named after Guiff’s uncle, Oscar Fulk, who once owned the farm.

“It caused a lot of publicity. We had newspapermen out here and radio people. People from Chicago and Indianapolis and all over,” he said.

Gale Harris, the property’s owner after Oscar Fulk, even drained the pond with pumps, but Oscar was never found.

“I was always suspicious about the turtle being as big as he was,” Guiff said. “I used to hunt for snapping turtles when I was a kid, and I never saw them that big. I never disputed them, though, because maybe I was wrong.”

Student charged with keeping teachers from entering grade reports

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (AP) — A high school computer whiz didn’t get a high grade for a recent feat: designing software to shut teachers out of the grading system.

A New York State Police spokeswoman says 16-year-old Matthew Beighey has been charged with unauthorized use of a computer and third-degree identity theft. He was ordered to return to court Wednesday.

The school district says the teenager temporarily blocked teachers’ ability to enter grades at the high school in upstate Clifton Park. They needed technical support to regain access.

From Associated Press reports

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