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Stuck on the tarmac for 8 hours. That’s what happened to Delta passengers on a delayed flight from New York to Miami. See how the airline is responding.
“Game of Thrones” author George RR Martin opens up in a new interview about how he feels “freed” since the HBO series came to an end.
And a Wisconsin family was shocked to discover a living creature bouncing around in their organic lettuce!
Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.
TOP STORY: Flight Passengers Delayed on the Tarmac for 8 Hours
Eight hours is a long time to sit in one place, with no clues as to when the plane might actually get off the ground to its destination. Delta passengers traveling from New York City’s JFK Airport to Miami ended up waiting that long on the tarmac due to bad weather on August 15 before finally taking off.
The long wait was certainly enough to get on people’s nerves. Reporter Glenna Milberg of Miami was on the flight and shared a video of Port Authority police called to the plane to break up a fight.
Another passenger tweeted that the crew had not offered the passengers food or water. A Delta spokesperson later told CBS News, “Customers were offered both water and snack service while on the tarmac and were also offered the chance to take a bus back to the terminal given the plane was parked on a remote pad for quite some time.”
But passenger Amy Riley said that she and her family didn’t want to leave the plane because they were not sure if they’d be allowed back on. She explained in a response to Milberg’s tweet, “We were allowed to leave, without checked bags (bags they made you check) and no idea as to when you can rebook. As a party of 5 that idea was not appealing.”
WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: George RR Martin Says He Feels Liberated Since the TV Version of ‘Game of Thrones’ Ended
George RR Martin enjoys writing his novels at his own pace, without the pressure of a tight deadline. In a recent interview, the “Game of Thrones” author admitted that he had aimed to stay ahead of the HBO series and finish the books. But the stress got the better of him.
Martin told the Guardian, “The very thing that should have speeded me up actually slowed me down. Every day I sat down to write and even if I had a good day – and a good day for me is three or four pages – I’d feel terrible because I’d be thinking: ‘My God, I have to finish the book. I’ve only written four pages when I should have written 40.’ But having the show finish is freeing, because I’m at my own pace now.”
Martin says the TV series finale will not impact his decisions when it comes to finishing the final two books. As for his opinion about the HBO finale, Martin offered a clue as to what he thought of it. The Guardian asked Martin if he’d watched the finale and Martin responded simply, “We shouldn’t talk about that.”
OFF-BEAT: Prairie Dogs in Colorado Are Infected With the Plague
Park areas around Denver, Colorado have been closed to the public because the prairie dogs living there have become infected with the plague. Yes, the same plague students read about in history books about the Middle Ages. Wildlife areas were first closed in late July and many will not reopen until Labor Day.
The director of the Tri-County Health Department, John Douglas, told local news outlets that officials are treating the infected areas with insecticide. But he added that “there is still evidence of fleas in the hiking and camping areas, which could put people and pets at risk, so those areas will remain closed.”
The plague is spread through flea bites and, despite its world history, is curable with modern medicine. No human infections have been reported since the current outbreak began.
DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP
- Severe storms are expected in the Midwest, Plains and along the East Coast.
- Former NFL running back Cedric Benson has died at age 36 in a motorcycle crash.
- Stunt pilot Franklin Augustus and TV anchor Nancy Parker were killed in a plane crash while filming a news story in New Orleans.
- An initial report of a possible shooter at the Kentucky State Fair was a false alarm. Police said kids set off fireworks and yelled “shooter.”
- Dueling protests by Antifa and far-right groups in Portland, Oregon on Saturday remained mostly peaceful. Check out pictures here.
- US Mobile and Palm have partnered to offer a $5 per month cellphone plan.
CHECK THIS OUT
How would you like an extra helping of protein inside your packaged salad? A family in North Shore, Wisconsin was stunned when they discovered a LIVE FROG in the Simple Truth organic lettuce they had purchased from a Pick ‘n Save grocery store.
Karlie Allen recorded video of the amphibian hopping around. The frog somehow managed to escape, but they returned the lettuce to the store and showed the video to store workers. She received a refund.
A spokesperson for Simple Truth also apologized to Allen in a Twitter message. The supermarket’s parent company added in a separate statement that “these situations happen from time to time when Organic products are involved.”
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