Weird but true

Ypsilanti Township in Michigan doesn't want its way of life to go to pot.

The township filed suit against residents of perpetually hazy homes for allegedly smoking so much marijuana that the "overwhelming" smell and contact high were making neighbors sick.

***

Would you like a side of fries to go as you go to jail?

Donald Delong, 21, allegedly pulled a pellet gun on a McDonald's drive-thru employee in St. Cloud, Fla., police said.

The worker had told Delong that the drive-thru had just closed, cops said.

The hungry alleged hoodlum was arrested at the Pizza Hut next door.

***

Volunteers are organizing cleanup efforts on beaches up and down the West Coast to pick up debris that floated east from the March 2011 Japanese tsunami.

Seasonal winds and coastal currents are likely to wash in loads of debris this winter.

"There's a bit of tsunami-debris fever. It's like an Easter egg hunt," said Charlie Plybon, Oregon's regional manager at the Surfrider Foundation.

***

The wheels of justice are rolling against a man who allegedly tried to sneak cocaine into Logan International Airport in Boston in the wheels of a wheelchair.

Emmanuelli Rojas-Moraza, of Puerto Rico, was busted in possession of 200 grams of blow, officials said.

The suspect had a cast on his leg, but X-rays later showed his "injury" was bogus, police said.

***

In August 1964, Bob and Norma Clark tied the knot — or so they thought — at a Northern California church.

But when the aging Redlands, Calif., lovebirds were putting their affairs and documents in order recently, they and the county clerk couldn't locate their marriage certificate.

So Bob and Norma finally got married, officially, with the maid of honor and an usher from the 1964 service serving as witnesses.

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NYU student stole an Apple a day: cops

An NYU student has been charged with stealing at least five Apple computers from his classmates, police sources said yesterday.

Christian Windley, 20, of Texas, went on a five-day rip-off rampage from Dec. 18 to Dec. 22, stealing thousands of dollars worth of MacBooks in study halls and dorm rooms, according to a Manhattan Criminal court Complaint.

Windley's haul also allegedly included an iPhone, a calculator, a wallet, cash and credit cards.

When the victims briefly left their property unattended, Windley allegedly grabbed their pricey toys.

"I was working on my MacBook and I got up for a second, and it was gone when I came back," said a 20-year-old student who asked not to be identified.

"NYU wouldn't tell me anything. I didn't know who the thief was."

Windley allegedly struck six times on campus before he was nailed at Hayden Hall around 4:20 a.m. Saturday, the sources said.

When cops frisked Windley, they allegdly found another student's NYU ID, a forged Connecticut driver's license, stolen credit cards — and a stash of cocaine, according to the sources.

Windley allegedly confessed and was charged with multiple counts of grand larceny as well as criminal possession of a controlled substance.

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Separate seats for Bruce, Kris Jenner at Clippers game

Is a Bruce and Kris Jenner split a slam dunk?

Well, there is no way to tell that just yet, but there were some troubling signs at Tuesday night's game between the Clippers and Nuggets at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

During the final NBA game of the league's traditional Christmas Day slate, the Kardashian Klan was seen sitting courtside as they cheered on the Clippers and Khloe's husband Lamar Odom. Alongside Odom's wife Khloe was mom Kris, sister Kim and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West.

Notably absent, at least from the best seats in the house, was Bruce Jenner. Jenner was seated one row back from the rest of his family, conveniently stationed between two gorgeous women, adding fuel to the rumors that the reality TV power couple could be heading straight for splitsville.

The odd seating arrangement comes less than two weeks after reports surfaced that the relationship between Kris and the former Olympic gold medalist was on the rocks and a split was "imminent."

While there have been murmurs about a potential divorce for over a year now, the chatter hit an all-time high earlier this month when it was reported that Jenner was unhappy with the way Kris was managing the careers of the couple's youngest daughters Kylie and Kendall.

A source told Star Magazine that the two girls went crying to their father about how their mother was putting their careers before their childhood and that an "all-out war" was underway in the Kardashian-Jenner household.

Both Kris and Bruce have denied the rumors recently, but the signs still remain.

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Sandy-struck Staten Island family gets ornaments from White House — 1000s still powerless

Most Christmas tree lights blink on and off — but incredibly, thousands of New Yorkers are still stuck completely in "off" since Hurricane Sandy.

But in the areas hardest hit, the lights are slowly coming back — each a symbol of hope.

In Rockaway Park, power was finally restored yesterday to a 70-unit apartment building.

Until now, the residents had only partial power provided by generators.

"Before, it was candles, flashlights and takeout food,'' said Dennis Krecko, 57. "It was a nice Christmas present.

"I can live my life normally again,'' he said. "I can use the microwave. I can heat something in the toaster.

Matthew McDermott

STALWARTS: Debbie and Joe Ingenito (above) enjoy a makeshift tree yesterday outside their Staten Island home.

Next year, it will be inside and feature this ornament (above) from President Obama.

William Miller

Meanwhile, Valerie and Dennis Krecko (above), of Rockaway Park, finallly have power back last night.

"Life is slowing coming back to Rockaway.''

His tree sports ornaments cut by a neighbor from pieces of the destroyed boardwalk. They say "Hope'' on one side and "2012'' on the other.

More than 1,000 Con Ed customers are without power in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. LIPA says some 8,100 homes in the Rockaways are so badly damaged, they still can't accept electricity.

Meanwhile, Joe and Debbie Ingenito and their three children are among the lucky residents of Staten Island — their power is back and their lives have been brightened by President Obama's gift of two ornaments for their tree.

After The Post wrote about the makeshift Christmas tree that Joe had erected on his sidewalk from a fallen spruce in front of his Sandy-ravaged New Dorp home, the commander-in-chief sought out the family and an aide delivered the special gifts.

"It's an honor. It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal," said Joe, who decorated his 7-foot outdoor tree with debris salvaged after the storm.

He's still improvising. The tree outside the home now sports a string of white lights, a mask, goggles, a worker's glove, bells, a can of Goofy String, someone's cap and a Hannah Montana bag.

Joe is saving the president's two precious ornaments until next year, when the family's tree, hopefully, will be back inside.

One depicts a Santa holding a big red bag outside the White House and reads, "I hear there are some kids in the White House this year." The other is a vintage car with a driver and passenger wearing a top hat.

"The ornaments are beautiful, very authentic and detailed," said Debbie, who keeps them in the velvet-lined boxes they came in for fear they would be stolen if they're put on the tree outside.

She can't wait until next year, when the family will put them "right at the top" of the tree.

"They will be passed down to the family," said Debbie.

"When I go, they will go to my firstborn."

A week after presenting the gifts, Obama gave the Ingenitos a shout-out.

"Today, if you go to Joseph's street, you'll see a lot of damage and debris scattered all over the block," he said.

"But you'll also see the top of that tree, standing tall in front of his house." Additional reporting by Yoav Gonen and Joe Tacopino

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Good Sam helps reunite girl, 7, with stolen dog

A 7-year-old girl got the best present ever yesterday — she was reunited with her best friend, who'd been dognapped by a coldhearted thief the day before.

"I couldn't sleep last night without Marley smiling," Mia Bendrat said of her little pal, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel stolen from in front of a Washington Heights grocery.

Her relieved mom, Angie Estrada, said, "It's a Christmas miracle. Oh, yes!"

The hero of the holiday story is good Samaritan Tena Cohen, who was headed to the Greenmarket in Union Square at about 1:30 p.m. Monday when she heard a man yelling, "Dog for sale!"

Robert Miller

Mia Bendrat with Marley

Robert Miller

SAVIOR: Tena Cohen (above) paid $220 out of her own pocket to reunite Mia Bendrat with Marley, who had been stolen. "I'm not going to let Marley go now, no matter what!" Mia beamed after recovering the dog.

"It looked nervous and sad, and was kind of an older dog," Cohen said. "I figured it was stolen.''

She offered to buy the pooch.

"I said I had $100. He said the guy who owns it wants more" and pointed to a man, Cohen recalled.

The supposed "owner'' was "very stoned, on drugs," said Cohen, who teaches Spanish at Brooklyn Tech HS. "He said he paid $3,200 for the dog, and had it for years."

Cohen then walked into a nearby Staples and made three debit-card purchases totaling $220.

Then she returned them for cash and went back to negotiate.

"I said, 'Look, this is all the money I have,' " Cohen said. "He gave me the dog. I gave him the money."

She took Marley to a vet and also called cops. Both men were gone by the time police arrived. But last night they picked up 29-year-old Brad Bacon, of Washington Heights, and charged him with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

The vet checked out the dog for free and held him overnight. Cohen called a group called Cavalier Rescue USA.

Its president, Carolyn Stigler, remembered the story about Marley in yesterday's Post.

Stigler contacted the vet, who called the Post reporter. She arranged for the dog to be taken to Mia's family, to see if it was Marley. It was.

"This was my daughter's Christmas wish," said Estrada.

Until then, the family had been devastated.

"It was so sad," Estrada added. "She sat in Marley's nook and refused to dress up the tree."

The happy ending came just in time.

"I can't believe a grinch would steal our Marley," Estrada said. "But the grinch didn't win.''

Mia chimed in, "I'm not going to let Marley go now, no matter what!"

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Peace amid strife: Dolan Yule message

It's here in the Nick of time.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan touted the hopeful message of Christmas yesterday as a much-needed respite from a string of recent tragedies that have socked the Northeast.

The red-clad cardinal delivered afternoon Mass to a group of more than a dozen severely ill children and their families on the Upper East Side who were put up by the Ronald McDonald House for the duration of their medical treatment.

"My message would be the message of Christmas: Hope, promise, love — and do we ever need it," Dolan said afterward.

"There has been a lot of darkness, a lot of discouragement — when we look at the hurricane, when we look at what happened in Connecticut," he added.

NY Post: William C. Lopez

O, HOLY NIGHT: Timothy Cardinal Dolan prepares to deliver Midnight Mass and a message of inspiration this morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

"What happened that night in Bethlehem, with the light of God bursting through — that happens every Christmas."

Dolan said his visit to the Ronald McDonald House was a way of thanking the center for its wonderful care of his niece Shannon Williams, who was successfully treated for bone cancer 12 years ago.

"It's an honor and joy to be with you," Dolan told the crowd.

"You're a gift, and this house is a gift."

Brayden Kuhl, a 14-year-old from Deer Park, Wash., who was paralyzed in March by tumor on his spine, is spending two months at Ronald McDonald House rehabilitating from surgery at various NYU hospitals.

His mother, Bobbi, called the 23 steps her wheelchair-using son took on his own yesterday a "Christmas miracle."

"I'm the most blessed woman you'll talk to today," she said.

Dolan echoed his earlier message at Midnight Mass this morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

While not directly addressing the recent tragedies, he told his flock, "Christmas is all about repair, restoration, renewal.

"Today's bells chime in joy rather then in sorrow. For a moment, things are as they should be."

Families from across the city echoed the cardinal's message of holiday cheer.

"It's been a sad year in many ways. We are all trying to be optimistic and hoping for a better year," said Paul Piscitelli, who attended the midnight service with his girlfriend, Helga Cepeda, and their daughters, Annalise, 12, and Juliann, 9.

"A lot of people lost their homes, and that tragedy in Connecticut — they're all in our thoughts tonight," he said.

"New York is a great place to be to feel the Christmas spirit . . . It does make you forget about the troubles." Piscitelli added that Dolan delivered an excellent message:

"I think he's a wonderful speaker. I always look forward to hearing him talk."

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Bishop welcomes ‘state of Palestine’

Addressing an audience of thousands packing Manger Square in Bethlehem to hear his pre-Christmas homily, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, the senior Roman Catholic bishop in the Holy Land, yesterday urged "men of good will" to seek peace in the Middle East — and celebrated "the birth of Christ our Lord and the birth of the state of Palestine."

"The path [to statehood] remains long and will require a united effort," said Twal, who is a Palestinian citizen of Jordan.

In Vatican City, meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI marked Christmas Eve with a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica that began at 10 p.m. with the blare of trumpets, symbolizing joy over the news of Christ's birth in Bethlehem.

The basilica's main bell tolled outside, and the voices of the Vatican's boys choir wafted across the similarly packed venue.

Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican traditionally begins at midnight, but the start was moved up years ago to give the pope, now 85, more time to rest before delivering his Christmas speech.

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Boss made me a sex toy

This toy story is X-rated.

A fired Upper East Side toy-store manager is suing her former boss, alleging he forced her into a kinky quid pro quo — having "rough" sex twice weekly in exchange for a promotion and perks.

Amanda Reyes, 26, of Queens, was subjected to a "master-and-servant-like" relationship by Steven Reis, owner of Fantastic Kids Toys on Third Avenue near 84th Street, according to her lawyer, Walker G. Harman Jr.

Reyes filed her lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Reached at his Yorkville shop yesterday, Reis called the allegations "false."

Riyad Hasan

Fantastic Kids Toys store owner Steven Reis called sex-for-promotions allegations 'false'.

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It’s a rainy ‘season’ in Big Apple

Hope Santa got you an umbrella — you'll need it today and tomorrow.

The Big Apple is expected to wake up to "maybe a little bit of rain," but probably not a white Christmas, AccuWeather.com meteorologist Tom Kines said yesterday.

"By the afternoon, the sun will be out and temperatures should be in the lower 40s," he said.

"We have a stormy period coming up Wednesday and Wednesday night and maybe Saturday," Kines said.

Tomorrow, expect a mix of rain and snow in the afternoon with a high of 40 degrees. At night, it'll be windy with rain that could be heavy at times.

On Saturday, there's a chance of rain and snow, with a high of 39. Sunday should be cloudy with a high of 36.

If you're heading to Times Square Monday night to ring in the new year, "it looks dry and chilly," Kines said.

The first day of 2013 is expected to be partly sunny but frigid with a high of just 28 degrees.

rdelfiner@nypost.com

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New York, new year, new laws

ALBANY — New state laws banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors and giving businesses new tax exemptions for installing solar-energy systems are set to take effect next week.

In 2013, New Yorkers will also calculate state income taxes owed based on rates that took effect in 2012, which should have already been reflected in payroll deductions. Meanwhile, taxable income amounts could change based on a cost-of-living index adjustment in the law for the next two years.

The ban on sales to those under 18 of e-cigarettes — battery-powered devices used to inhale vaporized liquid nicotine instead of tobacco smoke — takes effect Jan. 1. Although initially sold as an alternative to harmful tobacco, they come in candy flavors appealing to youths, critics note.

State Sen. Owen Johnson (R-LI) said the law is necessary to protect children because e-cigarettes "have not been proven to be safe for use at any age."

Commercial solar units will become exempt from the 4 percent state sales and use tax starting next week. The law lets cities and counties do the same. It follows the 2005 tax exemption for residential systems.

The income-tax law enacted in late 2011 lowered the rate in 2012 for a married couple filing jointly and earning $40,000 to $150,000 from 6.85 percent to 6.45 percent.Department spokesman Cary Ziter said those brackets are posted in mid-January.

For those earning $150,000 to $300,000, it lowered the rate from 6.85 percent to 6.65 percent.

At the same time, surcharges on higher tax brackets expired this year. Those earning $300,000 to $2 million, who had been paying rates from 7.85 to 8.97 percent, saw their rate drop back to the permanent rate of 6.85 percent.

Those making more than $2 million yearly, who had been paying 8.97 percent with the surcharge, had their rate changed to 8.82 percent.

According to the Department of Taxation and Finance, for 2013 and 2014 the income tax rates will remain the same, though dollar amounts in the tax tables will be indexed by a cost-of-living percentage adjustment if it's applicable.

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