Odds and ends

Armored car driver vanishes

SAN DIEGO -- The driver of an armored car has vanished -- along with more than $100,000, police said.

The Loomis Fargo armored car was found abandoned Thursday with its engine running and door open in downtown San Diego, a few blocks from a major command center police have set up in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl.

The 29-year-old driver had dropped off a fellow security guard moments earlier at a city administration building for the final pickup of the day, police Lt. Jim Collins said. When the passenger walked out of the building 10 minutes later, the truck was gone.

Police were trying to determine whether the robbery was an inside job.

"We're covering our bases," Collins said. "We're treating it both ways."

------

AUSTIN, Minn. (AP) -- High school students who make the honor roll here used to look forward to public recognition. Now, they'll have to settle for a certificate.

Principal Joe Brown said he decided to end publication of the honor roll as a matter of data privacy. That's because school policy barred students who met grade requirements from the list if they had discipline problems.

"It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that certain students had gotten in trouble with school and/or legal policies," Brown said.

Brown said the change was his idea and was not prompted by complaints from parents or students.

"I've always felt uncomfortable about releasing an honor-roll list that wasn't fully complete. People would be calling and saying, 'I know so-and-so's a straight-A student. Why isn't he or she on the list?"'

Brown says he'd be open to hearing other views.

"If I heard from more folks who want it publicized, we might consider doing that," he said.

After first quarter, only one person called to inquire about the absent honor roll, he said. "It's not a hot issue until we get three calls," Brown said.