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TRYING TO SPREAD CHEER, SANTA IN NH SCARES INSTEAD: HOLLIS, N.H. (AP) — Police in southern New Hampshire say a man dressed as Santa Claus was only trying to spread some cheer but ended up panicking officials when he knocked on school windows and entered the building.

The Nashua Telegraph reports that administrators at the Hollis Primary School called police around 10 a.m. Thursday after they saw the man running around the school, tapping on windows and waving at students.

He was buzzed into the building but fled when he saw a look of alarm on a staffer's face.

Other schools and parents were notified and kids were kept inside for recess.

The man has contacted police to say he was only trying to spread "holiday cheer" and didn't mean to cause panic. Police aren't identifying him because he wasn't charged.

POLL: ADULTS SAY 'WHATEVER' IS SO TOTALLY ANNOYING: POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) — When it comes to phrases that annoy, it looks like it's "whatever" forever.

Pollsters at Marist College found that Americans considered "whatever" to be the most annoying word or phrase in conversation for a fifth straight year.

Thirty-eight percent of adults polled said "whatever" was most annoying in conversation, followed by "like" at 22 percent and "you know" at 18 percent. Bringing up the rear were "just sayin,'" and "obviously."

The telephone poll of 1,173 adults living in the continental United States was conducted Dec. 3 through Dec. 5 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

MAN HELD IN MOLOTOV ATTACK AT US-MEXICO BORDER: SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 39-year-old man is charged with throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at inspectors at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing in San Diego.

Ricardo Martinez is charged with assaulting a federal officer Wednesday at the San Ysidro (ee-SEE-droh) port of entry, the nation's busiest. Despite a large fireball, no injuries or property damage is reported.

Authorities say the incendiary device landed about a yard south of a vehicle inspection booth near four officers and motorists.

The federal complaint says Martinez, a U.S. citizen, admitted to authorities that he ignited the bottle filled with gasoline and stuffed with a rag. It doesn't say whether Martinez disclosed a motive.

NY BOY DIES AFTER BEING TRAPPED IN SNOWBANK: GREECE, N.Y. (AP) — Police say a 10-year-old boy in western New York has died from his injuries after being trapped in a snowbank near his home.

Police in the town of Greece say Cory Denoncourt was building snow forts with a friend at an apartment complex Wednesday when the snowbank he was playing on collapsed.

Several children from the apartment complex helped pull him out, while another child ran for help.

Police say the boy was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died Thursday night.

Greece school officials say a crisis team will be available Friday at Denoncourt's elementary school.

Police are urging children to use caution when playing on big piles of snow and to never play alone.

MASS. POLICE FIND HEROIN STAMPED WITH 'OBAMACARE': HATFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Massachusetts state police say they've stopped a car carrying 1,250 packets of heroin stamped "Obamacare" and "Kurt Cobain" and arrested the four people inside it.

Police say a trooper was making a traffic stop in Northampton when another car passed and he noticed several violations. He stopped the car a short time later in nearby Hatfield and found the driver wasn't licensed to drive it. A state police dog found the bags of heroin.

The four arrested people have been charged with heroin trafficking.

State police Lt. Daniel Richard says it's not unusual for heroin to be stamped with numbers, words or symbols to identify who's selling it. But he says the "Obamacare" stamp is one he hadn't heard of.

OFFICER SHOT IN HEAD DURING HIGH-SPEED CHASE DIES: SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A San Antonio police officer shot in the head while chasing robbery suspects has died of his injuries.

Authorities announced Friday that 31-year-old Robert Deckard died at a San Antonio hospital, 12 days after being shot during a high-speed chase.

Police Chief William McManus said in a statement that the Deckard family thanked the community for prayers and support in recent days.

Deckard's family issued a statement earlier in the week saying there was nothing more doctors could do to save the officer. His organs will be donated in the coming days.

FLA. TEEN IN UNDERAGE SEX CASE RELEASED FROM JAIL: VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teen convicted of having sex with her underage girlfriend has been released from jail after finishing her sentence.

Jail records show Kaitlyn Hunt left the Indian River County Jail around 1 a.m. Friday. As part of a deal with prosecutors, the 19-year-old pleaded no contest in October to battery, interference with child custody and contributing to the dependency of a child.

Hunt was charged in February with having sex with a 14-year-old female schoolmate when she was 18. A previous plea deal was withdrawn in August following allegations that Hunt exchanged thousands of texts with the girl and sent her nude photos. A judge revoked her bond, sending her to jail, where she remained the past four months.

Under her plea deal, Hunt does not have to register as a sex offender.

SHIP WITH MUSHY BANANAS ORDERED TO STAY IN NJ PORT: GLOUCESTER CITY, N.J. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a ship to stay in port in New Jersey because of a dispute over a shipment of mushy bananas.

Del Monte Fresh Produce filed a lawsuit Thursday over a shipment of 110,000 cartons of bananas from Guatemala that arrived Monday at its facility in Gloucester City, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.

The produce company is seeking $1.5 million and requested the ship, the Green Brazil, be arrested, or not allowed to leave the area.