Patterson, New Jersey:

When 60-year-old Al Asbaty returned to his car after shopping, he was startled to find that thousands of bees were building a hive inside his Oldsmobile.

Due to the sunny and warm weather, he had left the windows rolled down, allowing a queen bee to fly in, followed by about 20,000 of her most faithful servants.

Just as one of Asbaty’s relatives was about to spray the inside of the car with a can of insecticide, police bee expert Tom Fuscalo arrived and managed to coax the insects into an artificial hive.

Farmer’s Branch, Texas:

Customers waiting for car repairs at Swedish Auto Incorporated now have an alternative to reading old magazines.

William Signs, owner of the garage, is offering a free marriage ceremony with any 30,000-mile inspection on Hondas, Volvos and BMWs. For the $290 price of the inspection, he will throw in the cost of being married by the local justice of the peace, a $25 value.

The inspection comes with a warranty, but there is no guarantee on the marriage. Then again, the justice of the peace, Judge Bob Forman, suggests, “Maybe the car will break down and the marriage won’t.” He says he hasn’t seen anything like this stunt since his days as a practicing attorney, when a client asked him to draw up wills for employees in lieu of cash bonuses at Christmas.

Signs said he got the idea during a trip to Las Vegas, where he noticed a helicopter operator offering free marriage ceremonies with the purchase of a deluxe helicopter ride. He decided to borrow the concept and bring some joy to the unhappy business of auto repair. “Normally people don’t get good news” at auto shops, he adds.

The mechanic isn’t concerned about his offer hastening the nuptials of mismatched partners or cheapening the institution of marriage. After all, 30,000-mile inspections aren’t inexpensive. “They’re going to have to spend almost $300.” he says.

If the promotion proves popular, Signs is prepared to expand it to providing one-size-fits-all tuxedos and wedding dresses of the type that grooms and brides easily slip into at high-volume Las Vegas wedding chapels. For customers whose marriages fall apart, Signs is considering another bargain — an uncontested divorce after four 30,000-mile inspections, a $100 value.

To advertise the promotion, Signs sent out a mailing to prospective customers and placed an ad on the side the shop van. But the ad began two months ago, and so far no one has taken Signs up on it. He has, however, heard lots of giggles and guffaws from people who call or stop to ask if the deal is real.

Meanwhile, his own Volvo is approaching another 30,000-mile point, and he’s worried that his girlfriend may notice and pressure him to cash in on his own offer. To avoid that, he says he’s considering disabling his odometer.

Martinez, California:

Gus Kramer faces an unusual challenge in his race for county assessor: His opponents would rather see a dead man elected.

Kramer’s only rival in the Contra Costa County race, Dan Hallissy, died of a heart attack April 10 — too late for anyone else to run.

But Hallissy’s name will remain on the ballot for the June 7 nonpartisan primary. And the incumbent assessor is working to get him elected.

Voters should have “a chance to elect an honest, experienced person to this office,” said assessor John Biasotti.

A Hallissy victory would force a special election next March, open to any candidate.

U.S. Representative Bill Baker, a Republican, also is backing the posthumous effort. His spokesman said voters should have a choice.

Kramer, who briefly stopped campaigning to mark Hallissy’s death, decried the effort as a “classical case of cronyism.” He said his opponents “want the taxpayer to blow $800,000,” about the cost of a special election.

Kramer also bristled at the charge he’s unfit for the job, citing his experience as city clerk for Martinez and as a real estate agent for the county’s Public Works Department.

The assessor’s office is responsible for estimating property values in the 830,000-person county, 30 miles east of San Francisco. The job pays $84,000 a year.

Seattle, Washington:

The new U.S. Weather Service radar on Camano Island and atmospheric profiler at Sand Point began to pick up a mysterious 20 mile per hour wind out of the south each night about a month ago, a wind that started about sunset and ended at dawn.

Forecasters finally realized the new instrument is almost too accurate for its own good: It was detecting no wind, but the annual nighttime migration of thousands of birds towards the north, said a meteorologist.

Fort Worth, Texas:

Lee Lively thought he was doing the right thing when he shot a drunken driving suspect who had beaten up a policeman and was running away.

His faith was shaken when Jesus Puentes demanded $1.7 million for his wounds.

But the jury said Puentes is the one who must pay — $1.75 million in punitive damages and $1,000 for Cpl. Randy Whisenhunt’s injuries.

“We just wanted to make a statement. We’re tired of the frivolous lawsuits that are plaguing our court system,” juror Elsie Bowles said.

February 17, 1990, Lively saw Puentes grabbing for Whisenhunt’s gun. The officer managed to knock it away, but ended up with Puentes sitting on his chest, beating his face.

Lively said he leaped out of his truck and beat Puentes to the gun. As Puentes began to run, Lively said he shouted twice for him to stop, then shot him twice in the legs.

Moscow, Russia:

First it was a flight in a MiG fighter jet. Then 30 seconds of weightlessness in a cosmonaut-training device.

Soon thrill-seeking tourists may be able to ride in a Russian submarine, tank or missile ship.

Pressed for money and burdened with surplus weaponry since the end of the Cold War, Russia is pioneering a new fad: military tourism.

The only requirements are a taste for adventure and plenty of cash.

As the plane goes into a dive from 30,000 feet, passengers in its padded zero-gravity chamber suddenly rise from the aircraft’s floor.

The price for floating free for half a minute: $4,000.

Des Moines, Iowa:

A repentant burglar returned his loot to its owners, along with a note explaining why: “My priest said I done a wrong.”

More than $200, a pair of sunglasses and some golf balls were found Monday morning on the steps of Potthoff Foods Incorporated, a meat wholesaler.

“He took my sunglasses, but I didn’t know he took them until I got them back this morning,” sales representative Phil Barber said. “You know, I don’t think something like this happens that often. It’s sort of neat. The guy did wrong, but he tried to make it right.”

The break-in at Potthoff’s happened late Friday or early Saturday. The thief pried open a door and rummaged through some desks.

Potthoff officials said they’re not going to depend on the honesty of thieves’ nature in the future.

“We are adding an extra security system today,” Barber said.

St. Paul, Minnesota:

For people with lots on their agenda, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company creates 25-inch-by-30-inch Post-It Easel Pads.

Tokyo, Japan:

A bull bound for slaughter gave its handlers the slip Wednesday and escaped into Tokyo’s teeming streets.

The 1,300-pound bull, shipped in from southern Japan, thundered down the gangplank as soon as it was lowered, bolted past port police and headed for the wide open spaces.

More than 20 policeman chased the animal for 40 minutes through nearly three miles of city traffic before managing to herd it into the parking lot of a posh hotel. Waiting patrol cars formed a makeshift corral to avert another escape.

Police then roped the bull’s horns and tied it to a tree until the owner came to transport it.

Denny’s resturants are also open 24 hours a day. When they decided to close last Christmas (first time ever), they realized that a lot of doors did not have locks, most of those that did have locks, no one knew where to find the keys!