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U.S. House Member Seeks To Stop Turkey Drop At Arkansas Festival

Turkey Trot Yellville
Rose Hilliard

A Nevada congresswoman wants her colleagues to ban the dropping of live turkeys from low-flying airplanes, as is done at an Arkansas festival every fall.

Democratic Rep. Dina Titus told the House Rules Committee on Tuesday that while the scene is reminiscent of a 1970s sitcom, maiming animals at the Yellville Turkey Trot is serious business.

Titus' amendment to a Federal Aviation Administration rules package was not sent to the House floor, and the congresswoman told The Associated Press on Wednesday she intends to raise the issue in a separate bill.

Meanwhile, a new sponsor for the October festival stepped up Wednesday. The Mid-Marion County Rotary Club replaces the local Chamber of Commerce as the lead sponsor, but says it wants no live turkeys on or above the festival grounds.

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