MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP
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RESTAURANT MANAGER FIRED-ROBBERY
CHANNELVIEW, Texas (AP) — A Popeyes manager in Texas is being offered her job back — after she was fired following a robbery. Marissa Holcomb says she was canned because she wouldn’t pay back the nearly 400 bucks stolen by an armed bandit. The franchise owner said Holcomb had violated company policy, by keeping too much cash in the register. Holcomb is pregnant and has three children. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen’s corporate office says they regret the way the situation was handled. Holcomb tells KHOU-TV she isn’t sure if she’ll return.
MRS DOUBTFIRE BANDIT-ARRESTED
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Authorities in Northern California say they’ve nabbed the “Mrs. Doubtfire” bank robber. She is a he, who carried a purse and wore a wig. Police in Santa Cruz report busting Brandon Alfred Calantoc in connection with car rip-offs. Investigators say the break in the Mrs. Doubtfire case came when they found a purse and other items in Calantoc’s car. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports he is the suspect in the robbery of a US Bank branch.
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO-METAL DETECTORS
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — No keys, no phones, no loose change. Visitors to the Universal Orlando theme park will have to go through metal detectors before they can ride the roller coasters. Park spokesman Tom Schroder says it’s in response to what people are carrying in their pockets these days. He tells the Orlando Sentinel keys, phones and the like have no place on high-speed rides. Guests can store their items in free lockers at the coasters.
GIANT NUTCRACKER-OWLS
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — It’s nuts! A giant nutcracker in Oregon isn’t going anywhere. Workers were to begin dismantling the four-storey-tall nutcracker this week. But federally protected barn owls are nesting there. So, the Roseburg News-Review reports the nutcracker stays in a park for now. The massive device is used to crack coconuts during a local festival of lights.
TREE HUGGING RECORD
JOHNSTON, R.I. (AP) — Calling all tree-huggers. An environmental group in Rhode Island hopes to break the Guinness tree-hugging record tomorrow. The Rhode Island Tree Council wants at least 1,202 people to show up at Roger Williams Park. More than one person can hug the same tree, but it must be large enough so they don’t touch one another. WPRO-AM reports the current tree-hugging record was set in South Korea.
TRAFFIC STOP-BABY DELIVERY
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — What started as a traffic stop ended with a roadside delivery. A suburban Boston police officer played midwife after pulling over a car for running a red light. Brookline officer Rafaela Carlisle-Swedberg says the driver told her his pregnant wife was going into labor. The officer followed after the couple declined an ambulance. But they didn’t make it to a hospital. They pulled over and waved the officer down. Police say Carlisle-Swedberg went to the passenger door and helped deliver a baby girl. Mother and baby are doing fine. Carlisle-Swedberg tells WCVB-TV it’s the first time she’s helped in a delivery.