The California Highway Patrol officer seen in a widely distributed video punching a woman on the side of a Southern California freeway last month was relieved of duty and sent home with pay while prosecutors weigh possible criminal charges, officials said Wednesday.

Officials have stripped CHP Officer Daniel Andrew of his badge and gun, effective immediately, CHP officials said.

He has been moved from desk duty to paid time off while prosecutors review his case, said CHP Sgt. Melissa Hammond, a department spokeswoman.

CHP officials forwarded the results of a criminal investigation to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office outlining what they said were "potentially serious charges for the officer."

Civil rights activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson believes the decision to relieve Andrew from duty was a partial victory.

"The officer should be fired. And the officer should be prosecuted. One without the other is not justice," Hutchinson said.

Andrew repeatedly punched Marlene Pinnock on July 1 on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway on-ramp in Los Angeles. She was hospitalized for several weeks. She was treated for head injuries and continues to have slurred speech, according to her attorney, Caree Harper.

Pinnock's attorney, Caree Harper, said Wednesday it was about time.

"Finally," she said. "This is something that could have occurred the first week of July. There was a felonious battery that occurred with videotaped evidence. There's not much investigation that needs to be done to show that someone was rendered defenseless and this officer went beyond attempting to detain her."

In an interview after the attack, Pinnock, 51, said she feared for her life.

"He was trying to kill me," she said. "He was trying to beat me to death. He wouldn’t stop."

Pinnock filed a federal civil rights lawsuit last month. She believes Andrew should face charges.

"It does bother me cause if it had been me, I would have been charged. I would have gone to jail had it been the other way around," Pinnock said.

An investigation was launched by the CHP and the District Attorney’s Office to prepare a "thorough assessment" of what occurred that evening.

An NBC4 I-Team investigation revealed details on how the confrontation went down. According to CHP service logs, the first call to 911 came in around 7:11 p.m. According to the logs, Pinnock was on the freeway for at least 29 minutes.

"Everyone asks 'why was she on the freeway?' Why the hell did he kick her ass? Someone ask him 'why did you kick Marlene Pinnock's ass,'" Harper said.

The District Attorney’s Office will review the investigation and decide on the filing of criminal charges against Andrew, the CHP said.

District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison confirmed the office received the case, but declined further comment.

Separately, the CHP will also complete an ongoing internal administrative investigation into incident.

"The CHP understands the public’s interest in this case, and it is our desire to be as transparent as possible while adhering to the laws and due process that govern any investigation," Hammond said in a statement. "We value the public’s trust and appreciate the community’s patience as we complete this important process."

Patrick Healy and Beverly White contributed to this report.

Things may look a bit backwards in Oceanside.

Starting this week, Mission Avenue will have the county’s first- ever back-in-only parking spots as a way to make the thoroughfare safer and slow down the pace of traffic, city officials say.

Drivers on Mission Avenue are already seeing the new signs this week showing the three-part way to park by backing in.

The parking changes come after downtown Oceanside has had a makeover, creating one-way lanes on Mission Avenue.

The reaction is mixed. Drivers who spoke to NBC 7 expressed concerns about the dangers of speeding traffic passing by as drivers are trying to back in. Others said it would simply take time to get used to.

Those not comfortable with this reverse-angle parking can parallel park on the south side of the street. Still, San Diego County drivers may need to get used to this new mode of parking, as it’s part of the 25th Street renovation plan in Golden Hill.

One North County woman's suggestion is changing the way sheriff's deputies train to deal with dogs.

After the fatal shooting of a dog in unincorporated Escondido last year, Robbie Benson, President of San Diego Animals Worthy of Life, sent a passionate letter to Sheriff’s Captain Scott Ybarrando.

Ybarrando says what set Benson apart was that she proposed a solution. She committed to helping him and another sheriff’s official create a program to train all deputies at the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station.

This August, four teams completed seven classes about understanding dog behavior.

“The ultimate goal is to make deputies safer, the public safer, and dogs safer,” Ybarrando said.

The classes cover dog behavior, human behavior perceived by dogs and non-lethal means to deal with dogs, among other things. The deputies are given no less than 15 ways to diffuse an encounter with a seemingly aggressive dog before considering reaching for a firearm.

“No deputy, no police officer out there wants to shoot a dog. It’s just [the animal’s] instinct to do that, and unfortunately we’re put in positions sometimes where dogs are shot," Ybarrando said. "I think we can drastically reduce the number of situations that officers and deputies are in."

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, there have been 15 deputy-involved dog shootings since 2012. Eleven of those dogs died, and one deputy was injured.

“It is an easy fix. It’s about learning how dogs behave and what they’re trying to communicate to us, which most officers don’t know and most people don’t know, “ Benson said.

Both Escondido and Oceanside Police Departments are incorporating this training, Benson says.

NBC 7 reached out to the San Diego Police Department, and officials there say the department rolled out similar training just this month.

"Novato" is no longer just a city in Marin County. For scientists, it's a "gift from heaven."

Novato is the name given to the golf ball-sized chunk of "metallic chondrite" that hit a Marin County home in 2012 -- otherwise known as the marvelous meteorite of Marin County.

The Marin Independent Journal reports that scientists are excited over the find because it's one of the few meteorites studied that wasn't weathered by months or years outside -- instead, it went straight from falling out of the sky to falling into the hands of researchers.

Scientists believe the meteorite was once part of a much larger celestial body that collided with Earth to create the moon. That would peg the little rock in the area of 4.5 billion years old.

The rock is now in the hands of the SETI Institute, who received it after being donated by the neighbor of the woman whose roof the meteorite hit.

Some Southern California pool owners may not be able to fill their pools if a strict water-saving ordinance goes into effect in response to the state's drought concerns.

Officials estimate it takes 20,000 gallons of water to reach the top of most swimming pools. The ban would prevent new pools from being filled, refilled or even topped off if they drop a foot of water.

"The major concern is that we don’t know if we’re in the third year of a drought, or we’re in the third year of a 10-year drought,” Santa Margarita Water District official Daniel Ferons said. “And so we do have to really plan ahead what is efficient use of water.”

The ban on water for new pools applies to the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and other cities served by that water district. The new ordinance is considered one of the strictest in the state.

Pool builder Cecil Fraser builds about 100 pools a year. In some ways, pools are no more of a water guzzler than a backyard sprinkler, he said, adding that if pools are covered most of the surface evaporation is eliminated.

"I'm saying that the water loss is half what it was with grass and that half, we can solve that problem…by covering," Fraser said.

The district has 56,000 water connections in Orange County, including community pools. District officials said that about four feet of water disappears annually from both pools and lawns.

Some pool builders are concerned that the cost on conservation could run into the millions if jobs are lost and supplies aren’t needed.

"I think it’s responsible for us to look at all these issues and figure out a smart solution," John Shippy of Geoscape Landscape said.

Pool builders and homeowners who hope to change the ordinance are expected to be in attendance at a district meeting Friday morning.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego

Emeryville-based Jamba Juice Co. plans to hold a National Hiring Day on Aug. 21, recruiting in several California cities including San Diego as it seeks to add up to 1,000 new employees.

Company officials said California is the primary focus, with recruiting also taking place in the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento regions. The company is seeking workers at least 16 years old, with basic computer and data entry skills.

Officials said the company is looking to recruit team members and shift leaders, with store managers conducting interviews from noon to 4 p.m. Interviews will take place at the company’s San Diego locations at Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mission Valley, Point Loma and Carmel Valley, and also at Chula Vista Center.

More location, pre-application, qualification and other information is at jambajuice.com/careers.

Founded in 1990, Jamba Juice (Nasdaq: JMBA) sells specialty beverages including fruit smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices, with frozen yogurt and related food items. The company has more than 780 global locations, including more than 30 in San Diego County.

The Business Journal is the premier business publication in San Diego. Every day online and each Monday in print, the Business Journal reports on how local business operate and why businesses leaders make the decisions they do. Every story is a dose of insight into how to run a better, more efficient, more profitable business.

The death of a 15-month-old boy who was left in a hot car in Ridgefield, Connecticut, on July 7 has been ruled a homicide.

Benjamin Seitz died of hyperthermia due to environmental exposure, the medical examiner has determined. Detectives are in the process of meeting with officials from the state's attorney's office.

"The criminal investigation is ongoing and as such this office will have no comment on the status or details of the investigation including the autopsy report," State's Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky III, of teh Judicial District of Danbury, said in a statement.

Police said the child's father, Kyle Seitz, was supposed to drop the little boy off at daycare but instead drove to his workplace, Owl Computing Technologies, at 38A Grove Street in Ridgefield, with the baby still in the car.

According to investigators, Kyle Seitz parked his vehicle at work with Benjamin still inside and left him there for "an extended period of time," on a day when temperatures in the area reached 88 degrees.

Lindsay Rogers-Seitz, Benjamin's mother, said her husband went to the daycare to pick up Ben. When he learned his son wasn't there, he asked the staff if his wife had picked him up earlier in the day.

He was told she had not, and so he went back to his car, found Ben then rushed him to Danbury Hospital, Rogers-Seitz said.

As she deals with the grief of losing her son, Lindsay Rogers-Seitz said she forgives her husband for leaving their son in the car and has decided to channel her grief into activism.

The couple is spreading the word about hyperthermia in children and Rogers-Seitz started a blog, The Gift of Ben, to raise awareness of heatstroke in children and help others avoid the tragedy she suffered.

According to the NHTSA, hyperthermia is the leading cause of non-crash-related death in children under the age of 15. 

At least six blocks near San Diego’s busy Midway District were left without water service Thursday after a leak was discovered on a pipeline, public utilities officials said.

According to City of San Diego Public Utilities officials, the leak was discovered by a contractor working in the area. As of 8:30 a.m., six blocks were without water on Rosecrans Street and Sports Arena Boulevard.

Officials said a contractor is working to repair the leak.

There are many businesses in that area, including restaurants, gas stations and retail stores.
 

Snow was expected in sunny San Diego this Saturday – specifically 20 tons for dogs to play in – but the California drought has forced a change in plans.

Pet retailer Unleashed by Petco had planned to haul in tons of snow to Seaport Village for its annual “Summer Snow Day,” an event where dogs have a chance to play in an enclosed, off-leash dog park filled with the cool, fluffy stuff.

However, due to the historic drought impacting California, organizers told NBC 7 on Thursday that they’ve decided to cancel their snow events in both San Diego and Los Angeles.

“Both the Los Angeles and San Diego events have been in the works since last year, but out of concern for the environment and water conservation efforts statewide, the decision was ultimately made to halt the
2014 events,” Unleashed by Petco said in a media release.

Though pups in California won’t get to play in snow this year, the Summer Snow Day will still go on as planned in non-drought cities including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston.
 

A well-known reality television trickster is claiming responsibility for a prank that included changing the words on a SeaWorld exit sign along a San Diego freeway.

Back in late May, “Jackass” star Steve-O took it upon himself to scale a highway sign on southbound Interstate 5 and express his strong dislike for SeaWorld.

Using tape, white letters and some “Jackass” determination, he plastered the word “SUCKS” over the highway sign, which includes the SeaWorld Drive exit information. In the end, the sign read “SeaWorld SUCKS.”

Steve-O released a video of the prank on his YouTube channel Wednesday. As of 6 p.m., the clip had been viewed nearly 200,000 times.

The clips starts with Steve-O stating, "I'm putting my foot down for Shamu."

According to the video, Steve-O says it took him five attempts over a span of two days to pull the prank. He can be seen falling several times as he tries to get himself to the top of the sign. He’s accompanied by a group of friends, but seems to accomplish the final task on his own -- with the help of a ladder.

“If doing that was wrong, I don’t want to be right. Screw you, SeaWorld!” he says to the camera after completing his mission.

“SeaWorld sucks terribly,” he adds, asking fans to share the video on social media using the hashtag #SeaWorldSucks.

Steve-O’s stunt came just days after People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) unveiled an anti-SeaWorld sign that caused controversy at the San Diego International Airport.

Steve-O is a known animal rights activist who has posed for PETA public service campaigns in the past. Still, there was never any evidence to link PETA to the roadside prank.

It is unknown, at this time, if Steve-O will face any charges for the stunt. NBC 7 reached out to both the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans for comment on the matter.

Chief Steve Saville of the Caltrans District 11 Public Information Office had this to say Wednesday night:

“We consider defacing public property at a cost to state taxpayers an unlawful act and a dangerous distraction for motorists. We will refer all information to the California Highway Patrol.”

Meanwhile, CHP officials told NBC 7 investigators were reviewing the incident and Steve-O's video to determine whether or not charges will be filed.

NBC 7 also reached out to SeaWorld Wednesday, but the a spokesperson said the park would not be releasing a statement.
 

San Diego police are asking for witnesses to come forward with any and all videos of a controversial crash that took place during a Comic-Con Zombie Walk event last month.

On Wednesday, the San Diego Police Department said it was seeking the public’s assistance in obtaining additional videos of the incident, which happened on July 26 at the intersection of 2nd and Island avenues in downtown San Diego.

The department wants witnesses to submit those videos to police by calling (619) 531-2000 and referring the code word, “Info-T.”

On the evening of the incident, amid San Diego Comic-Con events all over the downtown area, a 48-year-old deaf driver struck a 64-year-old woman with his black Honda Accord.

The whole incident was captured on cellphone video by several witnesses.

According to police, the driver – accompanied by his girlfriend and two children – was stopped at the intersection, waiting for participants of the Zombie Walk to cross.

As the costumed group was walking, video from witnesses showed the driver’s car suddenly moved forward, rolling through the crowd.

According to the SDPD, the driver was frightened by the group in zombie costumes and was attempting to get out of the area when the collision occurred. Police said the crowd punched and shattered the driver’s window, fueling his fear.

In an interview with iDeaf News earlier this month, the driver admitted he panicked.

He described the unfortunate incident as a total “blur.”

Witnesses, however, have very different accounts of what happened on the street.

One witness claimed the driver took off with such aggression that “his tired squealed.” Another witness said the driver’s window was broken after he hit people in the crowd, not before.

According to the Twitter page for the SDZombieWalk, participants of the event had nothing to do with the incident. The woman who was most seriously injured in the crash was not a participant of the walk, but rather a passerby.

The incident remains under investigation and the driver has not been cited. The SDPD plans to interview any additional witnesses who come forward with new video of the incident.

The driver's attorney, Dan Gilleon, gave this statement to NBC 7 Wednesday night:

"I find it disheartening that the SDPD is still trying desperately to conjure up a case against my client in a corrupt attempt to deflect blame for the Chief of Police sponsoring an unpermitted parade that caused the various assaults that took place."

A teenage girl accused of starting north San Diego’s devastating Cocos Fire is competent to stand trial, a judge ruled on Wednesday.

The juvenile, who faces four felony charges and one misdemeanor in connection with the wildfire that destroyed close to 40 homes in San Marcos on May 14, had been undergoing a mental evaluation at the request of her attorney.

A spokesperson from the San Diego County District Attorney’s office confirmed the teen was ultimately found competent to stand trial. She’s slated to appear in court next on Sept. 16 for a readiness hearing.

The charges against the teenage girl include two counts of arson of an inhabited structure or property in which multiple structures were burned and two counts of arson of a structure or forest land in a reckless manner.

She also faces a misdemeanor of unlawfully allowing a fire to escape from one’s control.

At a court appearance earlier this month, a judge ordered the teen could not leave her home without
her parents and must adhere to a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

The fire that sparked near Village Drive and Twin Oaks Road forced the evacuation of Cal State San Marcos and hundreds of other homes during San Diego’s May Firestorm.

The Cocos Fire scorched 1,995 acres and cost the City of San Marcos approximately $10.4 million in damage and firefighting expenses.

A Chula Vista couple is trying to get the word out about a new law requiring California drivers to stay at least 3 feet away when passing bicyclists.

Michael and Cheri O’Neill’s passion for the change is outweighed only by grief after they lost their 33-year-old son Matthew O’Neill on August 8.

Matthew, an avid cyclist, was riding a quiet Central California road when he was hit by a teenage driver in a pickup truck hauling a horse trailer.

“There’s nothing that’s going to bring him back, but we know he is watching us and he knows that we are going to honor him in a very respectful way” said Cheri O’Neill.

The new law is intended to better protect cyclists from aggressive drivers. It states that if drivers cannot leave 3 feet of space, they must slow down and pass only when it would not endanger the cyclist's safety.

The O’Neill family hopes it will make a difference with fewer cycling fatalities, but they also believe it doesn’t go far enough.

“We’d like to see the law amended so they (drivers) can cross the divided highway when safe for passing a bicyclist” said Michael O’Neill.

Earlier versions of the bill that included that provision were vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011 and 2012. He cited concerns that it may cause more crashes or make the state liable for collisions resulting from a driver crossing a yellow dividing line.

The family started a Facebook page called “Remember Matthew: Change Lanes To Pass A Cyclist”

A memorial service is planned at Chula Vista’s First United Methodist Church at 1200 East H Street on Saturday, August 30th.

The family is encouraging people to ride their bike to the service.

A demonstration with “share the road” signs and others like it will take place along East H Street immediately after the service.

Current law requires a driver to keep a safe distance when passing a bicyclist but does not specify distance.

The proposed law was sponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, an avid cyclist who was injured in 2010 after a taxi driver abruptly pulled in front of him. It was signed into law in September 2013.

The new law goes into effect September 16.

A violation of the new 3-foot requirement would be punishable by fines starting at $35. If unsafe passing results in a crash that injures the cyclist, the driver could face a $220 fine.

Police released new details Wednesday in the boating crash that left two young men dead at El Capitan Reservoir in San Diego’s East County.

On July 31, friends Russell Mendez, 20, and Jeffry Ingram, 21, were killed when their boat collided with another vessel on the water.

Now, the San Diego Police Department has completed its preliminary investigation of the deadly crash, revealing that the vessels collided in the same lane of traffic.

According to investigators, 78-year-old Edward Davies was driving his Nitro boat southbound at about 35 mph in a lane marked by buoys for southbound traffic.

At the same time, Mendez was driving his Bayliner boat northbound in the southbound lane at about 20 mph.

Investigators believe both boaters approached one another in a section of the lake known as “The Narrows.” Though both tried to avoid hitting one another, the vessels collided.

Mendez and Ingram were killed and later recovered from the water. Davies and his passenger sustained minor injuries but survived.

“Both vessels were moving, and one was going northbound in southbound lanes,” explained SDPD Capt. Jerry Hara. “You can equate it to perhaps [driving] on a car lane. Basically, you stay in your lane and if there is another car that veers into your lane on the wrong side that would not be good. It’s a factor in causing the collision.”

Hara said the investigation has been led by officers trained in boating accidents and certified dive experts who have been on the water for weeks collecting debris and examining the scene.

Police said alcohol did not play a factor in the crash.

As of Wednesday, there are no criminal charges pending, the SDPD confirmed.

“At this point we don’t have enough for criminal prosecution or criminal charges,” said Hara.

Police said the investigation will now be submitted to the San Diego District Attorney’s Office for final review. The DA’s office will then determine if formal charges will be issued.

NBC 7 reached out to the families of both victims, but they had no comment on the investigation at this time.

Joe Marshall, a professional bass fishing guide and friend of the victims, told NBC 7 he was completely baffled by the findings.

“I’m shocked by the outcome of this investigation. It makes no sense to me,” said Marshall.

“The spot that this happened on the lake is very narrow and it’s very easy to get in the wrong area but from my previous experiences, I have no problem seeing around that turn,” he added.

Based on what he’s heard from witnesses, Marshall believes his friends were traveling at 5 mph, not 20 mph, as cited by investigators.

He believes Davies should ultimately face charges for not operating a boat in a safe manner.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued two severe weather warnings for San Diego's East County Thursday afternoon.

A stationary storm is hovering over the Pine Valley area, according to NWS.

A Flash Flood Warning was in effect until 4:15 p.m. PT with one report of flooding along State Route 94 and Shockey Road in Campo, according to the NWS.

A separate Flash Flood Warning was issued for El Centro after flooding was reported on Heber Road. The warning was in effect through 6:15 p.m. PT.

• Get severe weather alerts

NWS warned that the heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding, particularly in watersheds burned in last summer's Chariot Fire.

Witnesses told NBC 7 a lightning strike caused a fire at a tree farm in Borrego Springs. The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert for Borrego Valley Road between Palm Canyon and Henderson Canyon due to the fire.

Quarter-sized hail has been reported in Mount Laguna. Winds could reach 60 mph, according to NWS.

Stay with NBC 7 for the latest severe weather updates.

The best local bites, beer and businesses will come together Friday night for one big bash as San Diego Magazine hosts its annual “Best of San Diego” party.

The lively shindig takes place at NTC Promenade at Liberty Station from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The hot ticket gets attendees access to unlimited food samplings from top-notch local eateries paired with regional fine wine, local craft beer, specialty cocktails and live entertainment. More than 80 vendors, including food, beer, wine and liquor stations will get the party started.

Always a sellout, the bash celebrates San Diego Magazine’s popular “Best of San Diego” August issue, which highlights the businesses that have local communities buzzing.

Tickets can be purchased online for $75 per person. If available, additional tickets will be sold at the door for $85.

According to organizers, the annual event attracts approximately 2,000 foodies and sample-lovers to sip and savor the best of America’s Finest City.
 

Three vehicles were involved in an accident that left a trail of debris along a major La Jolla road Thursday, officials said.

A section of Nautilus Street known for high-speed travel was blocked off after the collision occurred around 9:40 a.m. Car parts, dirt, palm tree stems and fronds and a street sign were strewn along the street and sidewalk.

San Diego Fire-Rescue crews worked to free one man trapped inside a black BMW that was turned onto its side. He was strapped to a gurney and then loaded into a Rural Metro ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital.

Officials say it appears the black BMW was traveling westbound when it struck a dark gray Mercedes SUV near Avenida Manana.

The black BMW continued along Nautilus and struck a white BMW that was parked along the street before ending up on its side at the corner of Avenida La Reina, firefighters said.

The white BMW had rear-end damage was resting in the driveway of a home.

The Mercedes SUV was on its side with visible damage. Officials said an adult and two children were pulled from this vehicle. All were taken to nearby hospitals with what firefighters described as minor injuries.

The location of the crash was just down the street from La Jolla High School and Muirlands Middle School. The schools were not in session.

Officials aren’t sure how long Nautilus will be closed in the investigation.

Check back for updates on this developing story. 

A missing Ramona man who was found dead near his home died from exposure to outdoor elements, not methamphetamine intoxication as medical examiners first believed.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office released an amended the autopsy for Carl Salayer, 67, on Thursday.

It says his primary cause of death was probable environmental exposure, with Parkinson’s disease and Brugada syndrome listed as contributing factors.

When the medical examiner initially released Salayer’s autopsy findings in early August, they said he was killed by acute methamphetamine intoxication.

However, they discovered the meth detected in his liver was a metabolite from his prescribed medication selegiline – a drug used to treat Parkinson’s.

According to a Medscape report, selegiline can yield false-positive results, making it appear as though the patient took meth.

Salayer was reported missing on June 17 by his wife. After four days of searching and no results, deputies called off the hunt.

On June 25, a couple living on Chablis Road reported a bad odor lingering near their home, and deputies discovered Salayer’s decomposing corpse in a heavily vegetated field.

His death is still considered an accident, the medical examiner’s office says.

Chargers fans looking for a resale ticket to the last preseason game can buy one for less than the cost of a fast food meal, according to a published report.

The UT San Diego found tickets to the Aug. 28 game against the Arizona Cardinals going for 85 percent of face value on the secondary market.

NBC 7 found fans selling tickets to the game on StubHub for as low as $7. In comparison, tickets in the same section for the Bolts home opener against the Seattle Seahawks are going for about $135 on StubHub.

So why the rock bottom ticket prices?

“Starters will not take the field,” said NBC 7 sports anchor Derek Togerson. With the regular season about two weeks away, the team will likely bench star players like Philip Rivers and Ryan Mathews so they don’t risk injury, he said.

Speaking of the regular season, the Chargers will play the Cardinals in Monday Night Football Sept. 8, just 11 days after their preseason match-up. It seems some fans are choosing to just wait for the real thing.

The UT cites bundling – season ticket holders being forced to buy preseason tickets, too – as another reason for the influx of cheap seats.