BOSTON — As a foreign traveler, Punit Pawar is used to the security when he flies into the U.S., so he barely noticed Tuesday when he was asked to put his 10 fingers on a digital scanner as part of an enhanced security system rolling out at airports across the country.
“It didn’t take much of my time, so it didn’t bother me,” said Pawar, a citizen of India and a student at Boston’s Northeastern University.
Since 2004, nonresidents traveling internationally have been required to allow airport personnel to scan their two index fingers at airports as part of a program called US-VISIT. But now, foreign travelers will be asked to scan all 10 fingers, an enhancement the U.S. Department of Homeland Security hopes will help officials more closely monitor watch lists of suspected terrorists, criminals and immigration violators.
Logan Airport, where two of the passenger planes involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks took off, became the third airport to use 10-finger scanners last week. Dulles Airport began using the devices in November, while Atlanta’s airport began using the new system this month.
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Authorities search for teen believed to be kidnapped
RENO, Nev. — Investigators went door to door Tuesday searching for a 19-year-old college student who they believe was kidnapped from a friend’s home over the weekend.
Brianna Denison was last seen around 4 a.m. Sunday when she went to sleep on her friend’s couch after a night of partying. She slept near an unlocked glass door and used a 2-foot-tall teddy bear as an extra pillow, police said.
When the friend awoke, Denison and the teddy bear were gone. Her purse, cell phone and clothes, including two pairs of shoes, were undisturbed, police said.
Panty thief is jailbound for stealing 93 lbs. of undies
COLFAX, Wash. — A man is facing a sentence of one-and-a-half months after admitting he stole 93 pounds of women’s undergarments.
Garth Flaherty, 24, was charged with first-degree theft and burglary in the stealing of 1,613 pairs of panties, bras and other women’s underwear from laundry rooms.
In his bedroom, police said, they found enough women’s underwear to fill five garbage bags. Under an agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced Friday in Whitman County Superior Court to 45 days in jail.
Nearly everything stolen returned to man’s home
WAUKESHA, Wis. — Perhaps it was a case of robber’s remorse.
Frederick Meyer reported a laptop, a PalmPilot, a GPS unit and a digital camera stolen from his home — only to have most of the items left in front of his house a few days later, according to a subpoena filed in court Monday.
Meyer reported the items stolen Nov. 3. Three days later, Meyer said he received a call from a blocked number in which the caller said he had the items. The caller told Meyer his items would be returned within a day. Less than two hours later, the doorbell rang. In his driveway he found most of the items, except for the GPS unit. It was found on his porch.
Cake lobbyist gets busy; Md. legislators eat it up
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Legislators had no trouble swallowing the latest candidate for a Maryland state symbol: the 10-layer Smith Island cake.
Delegate Page Elmore, R-Somerset, wants to make the decadent offering the state’s official dessert, and he cooked up a sweet bribe: 450 slices were delivered Tuesday to state lawmakers and their aides.
“I make a pretty mean sweet potato pie, but oh, this is good,” said Delegate Melony Griffith, D-Prince George’s, who tucked into a thin slice of the cake’s most common flavor: yellow cake in centimeter-thick layers with chocolate frosting.
Foot of snow buries parts of Michigan, Wisconsin
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A foot of snow blanketed parts of Michigan and Wisconsin during the night, closing schools Tuesday and causing numerous traffic accidents.
At least three traffic deaths were blamed on the weather in Michigan. Winter weather also was blamed for deaths in Oklahoma and Kentucky, where a school bus slid off an icy road and injured several children.
PTA mom charged in sex, drugs case involving teens
NEW CITY, N.Y. — An ex-prosecutor and former PTA president who is also the wife of a suburban police chief has been charged with having sex, smoking marijuana and drinking with high school-age children.
Beth Modica, 44, a former assistant district attorney in Rockland County and Queens, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to counts including statutory rape, sex abuse and endangering children.
— Wire Reports
