KILGOROUND
MITCH LUCAS

YOU ARE GETTING VERY SLEEPY...

You are still reading this column.

You will give me all your money.

Well, not really. But apparently, a bank robber in Italy is using that method to actually succeed in robbing businesses.

Over the weekend, police in Rome issued an arrest warrant for "a mysterious bearded man" who walked up to a supermarket cashier, and told her to look into his eyes. The next thing she remembered, the lady told police, her cash drawer was empty.

Later in the weekend, police believe the same man pulled a similar stunt in a bank, "mesmerizing" a teller and leaving with the equivalent of at least $1,200.

Surveillance videos of the incident seem to confirm the teller's story, Rome law enforcement reported to the country's TV networks.

When I worked in Columbus, Miss., around 1994, 1995, I covered a

man who actually used a big stick to rob a bank. The guy was caught by police about 30 minutes after he did it, walking in the median down a nearby highway. He was still carrying his stick and the bag full of money.

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HERE'S HOPING everyone had a great Easter holiday. Easter's passing means this to local sports fans: it's the home stretch for the high school sports year.

We've still got baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, and golf ongoing. The Kilgore High School baseball and softball teams play district games in Hallsville tonight, and track and tennis are back in action this weekend. You can see more on each of these items in today's sports section (page 8), although we did have a quiet weekend last weekend, due to spring break and Easter.

I'll do my best to keep you guys up to date on everything I can.

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THE CRISIS CENTER here is in need of canned goods, I'm told. If you'd like to donate some, you may take them to the office (905 Broadway Street), or you may call (903) 984-3019.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY locally today to John E. Smith Jr., Bradley Clark, John James, Jerry Wood, Mrs. Harry Seidel, Dickson Baun, Bennis Dudley, Garrett Claer, Windy Watson, Otis Taylor Sr., George Wyatt, Kathy Robinson Adams, Jim Robberson, Kristalin Brown, Huey Smith, Lisa Beverly Stafford, Chad Stephen Silvertooth, Elsie Thrower, Tami Williams, Clint Toon, Brianna Agers, John Hasselmeier, Jim Robberson.

One of the famous folks celebrating with you: "Starsky" is 65 (actor Paul Michael Glaser, of "Starsky & Hutch" - and everyone under the age of 28 reading this just said, "Who?). Also celebrating a birthday today: Singer Elton John (61), movie critic Gene Shalit (76), singer Aretha Franklin (66), actress Marcia Cross (46), singer Katharine McPhee of "American Idol" (24), singer Anita Bryant (68), and actress Sarah Jessica Parker (43).

+++ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TODAY to Larry and Vickie Brig-