After the verdict, Blacknell said that the case was the result of “blatant overcharging” and that prosecutors focused more on Facebook posts and rap …
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Jury acquits Palos Verdes Estates man of murder in suspected gang killing in South LA
After the verdict, Blacknell said that the case was the result of “blatant overcharging” and that prosecutors focused more on Facebook posts and rap …
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Jury acquits Palos Verdes Estates man of murder in suspected gang killing in South LA
BRANSON, Mo. (CBSNews/AP) — More than half of the 17 people killed when a tourist boat sank on a lake in Missouri were members of the same I ndiana family , and they likely would not have been on the ill-fated trip but for a ticket mix-up. Others who died in the accident at Table Rock Lake included a Missouri couple who had recently celebrated a birthday, a longtime Rhode Island pastor who was operating the boat, and an Indiana father and son. The Stone County Sheriff’s Department identified the Indiana family members as 45-year-old Angela Coleman, 1-year-old Arya Coleman, 69-year-old Belinda Coleman, 76-year-old Ervin Coleman, 7-year-old Evan Coleman, 40-year-old Glenn Coleman, 70-year-old Horace Coleman, 2-year-old Maxwell Coleman, and 9-year-old Reece Coleman. A relative of the family, Kim Thomas Sr., said they’re taking the news hard. “The kids are doing better than we are. We have to live in this world; they have gone to the other side,” said Thomas, 51, of Indianapolis, whose cousin, Tia Coleman, was one of two members of the family to survive the accident at Table Rock Lake near Branson. Coleman said the boat’s captain told them “don’t worry about grabbing the life jackets. You won’t need them” — so none of the family members grabbed them. “However in doing that, when it was time to grab them, it was too late and I believe that a lot of people could have been spared,” she told CBS Indianapolis affiliate WTTV . “The only thing that I would like to be done but can’t, is to bring my family back.” Others who died were 69-year-old William Asher, 68-year-old Rosemarie Hamann, 63-year-old Janice Bright, 65-year-old William Bright, and the crew member operating the boat, 73-year-old Bob Williams, all from Missouri. Also killed were 64-year-old Leslie Dennison of Illinois, and 53-year-old Steve Smith and his son, 15-year-old Lance Smith, both from Arkansas. State and federal investigators were trying to determine what sent the vessel known as a duck boat to its demise in what was the deadliest accident of its kind in early two decades. An initial assessment blamed thunderstorms and winds that approached hurricane strength, but it wasn’t clear why the amphibious vehicle even ventured into the water. The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area Thursday, saying conditions were ripe for winds of 70 mph. It followed up at 6:32 p.m. with a severe thunderstorm warning for three counties that included Branson and the lake. The warning mentioned both locations. The boat went down about 40 minutes later, shortly after 7 p.m. Suzanne Smagala with Ripley Entertainment, which owns Ride the Ducks in Branson, said the company was assisting authorities with their investigation. She said this was the company’s only accident in more than 40 years of operation. Twenty-nine passengers and two crew members were aboard. Seven of the 14 survivors were hurt. The captain survived, authorities said. Among the injured was 14-year-old Loren Smith of Osceola, Arkansas. Her father, retired math teacher Steve Smith, and her brother died in the accident. Loren suffered a concussion. “It’s a hard thing,” Steve Smith’s father, Carroll Smith, said of losing his only child and his only grandson. “It’s a very difficult day.” Branson Mayor Karen Best said Williams, the boat driver, was known by many as “Captain Bob” and was a “great ambassador” for the city. “He was at every event. He knew everyone. He was always promoting Branson,” Best said. Williams’ family in Rhode Island, where he’d lived for decades before retiring to Branson, remembered him as a deeply religious man who founded a local church. “Pastor Bob was a prince of a man, loving, kind, and generous, whose loss to our family is incalculable,” said Williams’ son-in-law, Bishop Jeffery Williams, who now leads King’s Cathedral in Providence. “I truly believe in my heart that he died trying to save those people,” one of Williams’ neighbors, Charlie ‘Ray’ Revill, said at a vigil Friday night. “Bob Williams was the finest man I’ve ever known.” Hamann and Asher, a St. Louis-area couple killed in the accident, had been celebrating Hamman’s birthday earlier in the week. Her final Facebook photo was a selfie with Asher. He’s sticking his tongue out, and she’s smiling. Friend Russ McKay said he talked to Hamann the day before the accident to say they had just gone on a paddle boat and were planning to go again. He doesn’t know why they chose the duck boat instead. “I can only imagine what they were going through. They were so in love. It’s just heartbreaking,” McKay said. An email message seeking comment from Ripley Entertainment about Coleman’s comment was not immediately returned. Named for their ability to travel on land and in water, duck boats have been involved in other serious accidents in the past, including the deaths of more than 40 people since 1999. The Ride the Ducks tour begins in downtown Branson, where the vehicles take passengers on a tour while the captain cracks jokes and points out landmarks. Eventually, the boats pull up to the lake and slowly enter the water with a small splash. After a few minutes on the water, the vehicles return to land and to their home base, which features a store selling candy and souvenirs. (© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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Survivor Describes Deadly Duck Boat Accident That Killed Her Family
BURBANK (CBSLA/AP) – After a heated bidding war, Comcast announced Thursday it has dropped out of the fight for 21st Century Fox, ceding the way for Walt Disney Corp. to acquire the company. “Comcast does not intend to pursue further the acquisition of the Twenty-First Century Fox assets and, instead, will focus on our recommended offer for Sky,” the company wrote in a statement . Comcast and Disney have been upping the stakes for several months . In June, Disney made a $71.3 billion counterbid for Fox following Comcast’s $65 billion offer . Comcast would have had to offer more than $80 billion to stay competitive with Disney. Instead, it has separately bid $34 billion for Sky. Disney had initially made a $52.5 billion all-stock offer in December. The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Disney’s bid as long as Disney, which owns the national sports network ESPN, sells Fox’s 22 regional sports networks. Fox shareholders are set to vote on Disney’s offer July 27. Once the acquisition is complete, Disney will take over Fox’s television and movie studios, cable channels FX and National Geographic, along with a controlling stake in streaming service Hulu, and international properties in India and Latin America. Some Fox businesses, including Fox News Channel and the Fox television network, will remain with media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family. “Our incredible enthusiasm for this acquisition and the value it will create has continued to grow as we’ve come to know 21st Century Fox’s stellar array of talent and assets,” Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger said in a statement. “We’re extremely pleased with today’s news, and our focus now is on completing the regulatory process and ultimately moving toward integrating our businesses.” Disney is taking the big swing because it feels it needs greater scale and more entertainment firepower to compete with tech titans such as Netflix, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple, which have deep pockets, global businesses and direct relationships with consumers, according to the Los Angeles Times. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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Comcast Drops Out Of Fox Bidding War, Clears Way For Disney
BOYLE HEIGHTS (CBSLA) — Residents of a rapidly gentrifying enclave of Los Angeles tried to shut down the grand opening of a new coffee shop, saying the owner’s support of President Donald Trump’s stance on immigrants is reason alone to want him out of the neighborhood. On Thursday, protesters held signs and screamed at patrons in front of Asher Caffe & Lounge located at 945 S. Boyle Ave. in Boyle Heights, a traditionally Jewish neighborhood that is now predominately Latino. They say they oppose the cafe and the owner over his support of Trump’s immigration policies. “So what’s the connection? This is what I don’t understand. I’m confused — the connection between Donald Trump and good coffee,” Israeli-born businessman Asher Shalom told CBS2 News. The kosher cafe was set to have a grand opening on July 12, the day anti-gentrification activists were met by Los Angeles Police officers blocking the entrance. According to Eater LA , about 30 protesters associated with the group Defend Boyle Heights (DBH) showed up to speak up against Shalom, who they called “an anti-immigrant trump loving gentryfier” in a Facebook post. “They really intensely protested and accosted all the visitors that came to our grand opening event,” said son David. “It was very scary,” said Shalom’s daughter Yael. “There was a lot of people protesting outside wearing masks […] and they threw a significant amount of feces at our windows.” DBH was accused of using similarly aggressive tactics against another coffeeshop in the area last year and against an art gallery nearby that eventually shuttered. DBH showed a screenshot of a retweet of one of Trump’s messages about his proposed Muslim ban by Asher Fabrics Concept, one of Shalom’s other companies. Shalom told CBS2 he came to the United States 30 years ago and is now a U.S. citizen. Shalom showed CBS2 two proclamations honoring him from L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar and County Supervisor Hilda Solis, both who represent Boyle Heights. Shalom said his businesses employ dozens of people, including immigrants. The Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce, which had invited Shalom to join and was slated to attend the grand opening, terminated his membership days before the confrontation. In a letter from chamber president Jennifer Lahoda, she mentions a photo shared by Shalom on his Facebook page reading, “I wish Democrats would fight as hard for Americans, as they do for illegals.” Lahoda said the views expressed “are not in line with the values and objectives of the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce.” “Boyle Heights thrives because of our diverse immigrant population — The Chamber will always celebrate and support this fact. We will not support anyone who chooses to conduct themselves in a hateful manner, especially toward members of our community.” Shalom denies he is anti-immigrant or hateful, telling CBS2, “My name is ‘Shalom,’ and I love peace.” Despite the controversy, Asher Caffe was busy Wednesday with people who support Shalom and his right to his political opinions. “I don’t think politics should get in the way of good food,” said one woman. “I support him, in that I will come and give him my business,” another patron said. Neither DBH nor the chamber of commerce wished to give their remarks on camera.
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‘I Love Peace,’ Says Boyle Heights Cafe Owner Of Protest Over Support Of Trump Immigration Policies
ODESSA, Texas (CBS Local) – A Saltgrass Steak House in Texas has banned a customer after they didn’t leave a tip on a $108 bill and wrote “We don’t Tip Terrorist” on the check. The customer also circled the server’s name, Khalil, according to the Odessa American . Khalil Cavil posted what happened on July 14 on Facebook. “I was sick to my stomach,” the 20-year-old server said in his post. “I share this because I want people to understand that this racism, and this hatred still exists. Although, this is nothing new, it is still something that will test your faith. All day I’ve had to remind myself that Jesus died for these people too. I have decided to let this encourage me, and fuel me to change the world the only way I know how.” Cavil, an Odessa resident, is preparing to attend college in Dallas later this year according to the Odessa American . His post has drawn more than 2,400 comments and been shared over 6,100 times. Some people offered to pay the tip. “Khalil i will tip u mega,” said Facebook poster Kaka Bonsu. Many condemned the customer’s actions. “I am sorry that you were treated so ignorantly by these customers,” Theresa Englehardt said. “Each one of us can always be better. Stand tall and continue on your journey, you seem to have a forgiving and loving heart. I wish you the best in all things.” Cavil did not identify or further discuss who left the message on the receipt. “It’s not about them, and it’s not about me,” Cavil said to the local newspaper. “It’s about this hatred that is still going on, that is still here and prevalent. I just wanted people to understand that.” [H/T CBS DFW ]
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Customer Writes ‘We Don’t Tip Terrorist’ On Receipt For Waiter
CALIFORNIA (KPIX/CBS LOCAL) — After a woman was found alive and rescued seven days after she drove off a cliff near Big Sur , an aerial view shows just how miraculous her survival was. The wide view shot from the ocean side shows Angela Hernandez’ crumpled Jeep at the bottom of the 250-foot cliff leaves you with one thought: she could not have survived. But she did and Hernandez is recovering at an undisclosed hospital, while the story she posted on Facebook now being shared thousands of times. A closer look from a drone shot allows you to can see the faint black tire marks and chips from the stone wall where she swerved to dodge an animal on the road. The lack of skid marks likely means she never hit the brakes. Her white Jeep went airborne, slammed into the opposite cliff side and rolled down to the shore. The force of the impact knocked her unconscious, and she woke up with water up to her knees. The doors were basically crumpled shut as well, and the only way she can get out was to grab a multi tool out of her backpack and then smash the driver side window, and climb out. Janelle Solis and her daughters hiked the 2 1/2 mile roundtrip over sharp slippery rocks to see the wreckage for themselves. “Like God had to be watching her, all the way,” Solis told KPIX 5. Hernandez had broken ribs, two broken collarbones, a collapsed lung, and was barefoot, but still managed to scramble over half a mile of sharp rocks and boulders to find this fresh water runoff. Had she kept on walking another half-mile, she would have run into Kirk Creek Campground, one of the busiest in Big Sur. The next few days were spent climbing to higher ground, hoping that someone would see her. Day after day of exposure to the elements gave her a severe sunburn. Hernandez wrote, “Songs I hadn’t heard in years played on repeat inside my head. I’d daydream of food Ii get to eat once i was found, and imagine the face of the person who would eventually find me.” Several days later, Chelsea Moore and her husband just happened to be on the desolate beach. They inspected the Jeep, and because it looked rested they figured it was an old crash, and started walking away. Something made Hernandez wake up, she noticed Chelsea and cried for help. “Can’t believe you’re alive Angela, You’re a hero, that’s unreal, you made it,” Chad Moore said. “Total legend, You’re here for reason, and we were there for a reason, and we’re so glad she’s OK,” said Chelsea Moore. How is it that the Jeep crumpled everywhere except for the driver seat? How did she end up next to a freshwater spring which allowed her to drink water for the week she was missing. And what made her wake up just in time to see her rescuers? “Someone was watching over her, not only during that 250-foot plunge, but the whole seven days she was down there,” said Monterey County Sheriff Steve Bernal.
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Drone Video Shows Extent Of Woman’s Cliff Plunge Near Big Sur
CALIFORNIA (KPIX/CBS LOCAL)– After a woman was found alive and rescued seven days after she drove off a cliff near Big Sur , a view from Sky Drone 5 shows just how miraculous her survival was. The wide view shot from the ocean side shows Angela Hernandez’ crumpled Jeep at the bottom of the 250-foot cliff leaves you with one thought: she could not have survived. But she did and Hernandez is recovering at an undisclosed hospital, while the story she posted on Facebook now being shared thousands of times. A closer look from Sky Drone 5 allows you to can see the faint black tire marks and chips from the stone wall where she swerved to dodge an animal on the road. The lack of skid marks likely means she never hit the brakes. Her white Jeep went airborne, slammed into the opposite cliff side and rolled down to the shore. The force of the impact knocked her unconscious, and she woke up with water up to her knees. The doors were basically crumpled shut as well, and the only way she can get out was to grab a multi tool out of her backpack and then smash the driver side window, and climb out. Janelle Solis and her daughters hiked the 2 1/2 mile roundtrip over sharp slippery rocks to see the wreckage for themselves. “Like God had to be watching her, all the way,” Solis told KPIX 5. Hernandez had broken ribs, two broken collarbones, a collapsed lung, and was barefoot, but still managed to scramble over half a mile of sharp rocks and boulders to find this fresh water runoff. Had she kept on walking another half-mile, she would have run into Kirk Creek Campground, one of the busiest in Big Sur. The next few days were spent climbing to higher ground, hoping that someone would see her. Day after day of exposure to the elements gave her a severe sunburn. Hernandez wrote, “Songs I hadn’t heard in years played on repeat inside my head. I’d daydream of food Ii get to eat once i was found, and imagine the face of the person who would eventually find me.” Several days later, Chelsea Moore and her husband just happened to be on the desolate beach. They inspected the Jeep, and because it looked rested they figured it was an old crash, and started walking away. Something made Hernandez wake up, she noticed Chelsea and cried for help. “Can’t believe you’re alive Angela, You’re a hero, that’s unreal, you made it,” Chad Moore said. “Total legend, You’re here for reason, and we were there for a reason, and we’re so glad she’s OK,” said Chelsea Moore. How is it that the Jeep crumpled everywhere except for the driver seat? How did she end up next to a freshwater spring which allowed her to drink water for the week she was missing. And what made her wake up just in time to see her rescuers? “Someone was watching over her, not only during that 250-foot plunge, but the whole seven days she was down there,” said Monterey County Sheriff Steve Bernal.
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Sky Drone 5 Shows Extent Of Woman’s Cliff Plunge In California
GRANADA HILLS (CBSLA) – A bear made its way through a Granada Hills residential neighborhood Tuesday, and at one point decided to take a dip in a backyard pool. (CBS2) The bear was first spotted in the 16000 block of Timber Ridge Drive at 10:37 a.m. according to Los Angeles police. The bear was discovered sitting under a tree in the front yard of a home. CBS2 chopper video caught footage of the bear hopping a fence and then jumping into a backyard pool in the 13100 block of Whistler Avenue. (CBS2) After taking a swim, the bear jumped out and wandered into Bee Canyon Park. Residents were asked to stay inside during the ordeal. A little before 1:30 p.m., U.S. Forest Service officers tranquilized the bear with a dart. They will then transport it into a rural area, and safely release it back into the wild. Thee animal was seen sporting a tag on one of its ears, meaning Tuesday’s visit to a suburban setting likely wasn’t its first. (CBS2) A photo posted to LAPD Devonshire’s Facebook page clearly showed the red tag the bear was wearing.
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Bear Roams Granada Hills Neighborhood
FORT MORGAN, Ala. (CBS Local) – Wildlife conservationists in Alabama are expressing outrage after the body of an endangered type of sea turtle washed ashore with a beach chair wrapped around its neck. The graphic Facebook post documents how a discarded chair with the University of Alabama logo on it was tangled around the animal’s neck as it laid face up on the Fort Morgan beach. “The chair had barnacles on it so had been in the water for a while. So much stuff left on the beach washes into the gulf. Why we need something like ‘Leave Only Footprints,’” Debbie Harbin of Share the Beach Fort Morgan told WKRG . “Leave Only Footprints” promotes green initiatives and raises awareness about the dangers of littering in Alabama and the Gulf Coast region. Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are classified as endangered by the U.S. Federal Endangered Species Act.
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Endangered Turtle Washes Ashore With Beach Chair Wrapped Around Its Neck
FLORIDA (CBS Local) – A couple in Florida is warning other parents about food packaging labels after their teenage daughter died from eating a cookie. Kellie Travers-Stafford and her husband, Michael, lost their 15-year-old after she reportedly ate a Chips Ahoy! cookie while at a friend’s house. Alexi Ryann Stafford, who had a peanut allergy, didn’t realize the cookie she took was one of Chips Ahoy’s “Reese’s peanut butter cups” treats. Tragically, the teen went into anaphylactic shock and died shortly after eating the cookie on June 25. Her mother’s Facebook post about the tragedy on July 12 has been shared over 70,000 times. The parents are calling for greater awareness about packaging labels which may not make it clear that the products inside are harmful to people with peanut allergies. Travers-Stafford says her daughter’s mistake was caused by the cookie wrapper being pulled back and there not being a warning notice on the label for peanut allergy sufferers. “I feel lost and angry because she knew her limits and was aware of familiar packaging, she knew what ‘safe’ was,” the mother wrote. “A small added indication on the pulled back flap on a familiar red package wasn’t enough to call out to her that there was “peanut product” in the cookies before it was too late.” A memorial fund for the teen was set up by friends and family on GoFundMe . The page has raised nearly $30,000 in three weeks to cover the family’s funeral expenses.
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Teen Dies Of Nut Allergy After Mistakenly Eating Chips Ahoy Cookie
LAS VEGAS (CBSLA) — New video shows a Las Vegas police officer firing several shots through his own windshield while chasing down two murder suspects at high speed. Las Vegas police released the video on Facebook Monday of the officer-involved shooting last Wednesday. The footage was taken from the officer’s body camera. The video shows the officer driving at high speed, weaving between cars stopped at a red light, asking for assistance from a police helicopter and frantically repeating “shots fired, shots fired” to a dispatcher while pursuing a black SUV. The police cruiser’s siren can also be heard blaring loudly as he describes the suspects and his location, and yells at another police unit to “back up, he’s shooting!” The officer eventually took out his own handgun with the other hand on the wheel, and begins firing through his windshield, and out of the open driver’s side window at the SUV. The SUV, with its rear and back windows shot out, stops and drifts toward the side of a building, while the officer gets out of his cruiser and continues shooting toward it. Police say one of the suspects was killed in the gun battle, while the other was wounded but is expected to survive. They were both wanted for murder, according to police.
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‘Back Up, He’s Shooting!’ Las Vegas Officer Shoots Through Windshield At Murder Suspects
Farifax County, VA (CBS Local)- The Fairfax County Police Department said Saturday that a local driver totaled his brand-new McLaren 720S sports car in an accident just one day after the car was purchased. In a Facebook post, the department used a photo of the wrecked vehicle in an attempt to warn drivers of the dangers of speeding, warning drivers to “slow down, or it could cost you.” The driver reportedly suffered non life-threatening injuries in the crash. According to police, the accident occurred at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning in the town of Great Falls, about 15 miles northwest of Washington D.C. They estimated the car’s cost at approximately $300,000.
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New McLaren 720S Totaled In Crash The Day After It Was Bought
Springfield, Ore. (CBS Local) — Dogs are typically known as being man’s best friend, but one dog in Oregon is going to be known for a whole different reason. An Oregon man, who was flying a drone, claims a dog caused him to crash his drone and start a fire. “If nothing else I would like for this to be a cautionary tale about dog ownership and fire danger this time of year,” he said. “I know I’m going to be a lot more careful.” The video above shows the drone crashing into the ground and bursting into flames. The drone pilot, known as Cameron Austin-Connelly on social media, wrote on Facebook what happened once he was attacked by a dog. “This guy walks by with two dogs and one of them jumps on me knocking the transmitter out of my hands,” Cameron Austin-Connolly wrote on Facebook. The Eugene Springfield Fire Department arrived at the scene and cleared the area within an hour after Austin-Connelly called 911 to report the fire. This was unlike anything the department had ever dealt with. “My drone crashes and when I go to look for it I saw smoke and flames so I called 911,” Austin-Connolly wrote on Facebook. “Springfield FD quickly showed up and put out the flames. They even returned my drone and gopro. The Fire Marshall said that was their first drone fire.”
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Dog Attack Causes Pilot To Crash Drone And Start Fire
Springfield, Ore. (CBS Local) — Dogs are typically known as being man’s best friend, but one dog in Oregon is going to be known for a whole different reason. An Oregon man, who was flying a drone, claims a dog caused him to crash his drone and start a fire. “If nothing else I would like for this to be a cautionary tale about dog ownership and fire danger this time of year,” he said. “I know I’m going to be a lot more careful.” The video above shows the drone crashing into the ground and bursting into flames. The drone pilot, known as Cameron Austin-Connelly on social media, wrote on Facebook what happened once he was attacked by a dog. “This guy walks by with two dogs and one of them jumps on me knocking the transmitter out of my hands,” Cameron Austin-Connolly wrote on Facebook. The Eugene Springfield Fire Department arrived at the scene and cleared the area within an hour after Austin-Connelly called 911 to report the fire. This was unlike anything the department had ever dealt with. “My drone crashes and when I go to look for it I saw smoke and flames so I called 911,” Austin-Connolly wrote on Facebook. “Springfield FD quickly showed up and put out the flames. They even returned my drone and gopro. The Fire Marshall said that was their first drone fire.”
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Dog Attack Causes Pilot To Crash Drone And Start Fire
(KDKA/CBS Local) – Chuck E. Cheese’s is getting in on the “pay your age” deal after yesterday’s Build-A-Bear fiasco. The restaurant announced its offering a pay your age deal Friday for games. Parents can pay their child’s age for 30 minutes of ‘All You Can Play’ on Friday, July 13. Chuck E. Cheese’s posted the deal on their Facebook page, and says it’s only available at locations where a “Play Pass” is available. The “All You Can Play’ launched last month and lets parents pay for the time instead of purchasing tokens or play points. The normal “All You Can Play” deal is $9 for 30 minutes. The “Pay Your Age Day” didn’t go as expected yesterday for Build-A-Bear. The company was forced to cut off lines due to the overwhelming response.
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Chuck E. Cheese’s Announces ‘Pay Your Age’ Deal