Community Corner

Priest Furloughed, $330 Million Pet Costume Craze and Police Target Private Parts in Public

Plus, driver arrested for punching it and town gets spooked — and likes it.

Editor's Note: Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and D.C., and not a day goes by that something weird isn't happening somewhere in the area. Here's a look back at some weird goings-on over the past week.

Bow Wow? No. Boo Wow? Yes!: A recent Halloween spending survey by the National Retail Federation estimates that 22 million people will dress up their pets for Halloween and spend an estimated $330 million on pet costumes. In case you’re wondering, we’ll be dressing our dog up like a dog.

Pulpit Shutdown: For those Catholics praying for an end to the federal government shutdown, here’s another reason. As a contractor, the priest leading Sunday Mass at Marine Corps Base Quantico is not permitted to work or volunteer his time during the shutdown. According to an attorney for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, contracted priests would risk arrest if they continued working. 

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Haunted Town: The small town of Occoquan is embracing the spookier side of the season, with witches, ghouls, skeletons and other spooky decorations adorning steps and doorways. There’s also a paranormal investigator offering tours of Occoquan’s ghostly haunts. What’s scarier? Two politicians arguing about whether they’ll help us get health insurance or help us balance our checkbook.

Road Rage Fisticuffs: Two rush-hour motorists were arguing with each other through open car windows lask week. When they got to a stop, one of the men reportedly let his feet do the talking — and then his fists! According to police, he got out and punched the victim through the open car window. The suspect was charged with assault and battery. The victim told police he wasn’t sure what they were arguing about.

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Weird Crimes: Arlington Police are investigating a report last week of a heavyset man seen pleasuring himself in his vehicle while watching women walk past on South Arlington Mill Drive. The department is also investigating an unrelated report of a man doing the same, um, thing, in the shoe section of a Pentagon City store.



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