Reports: Lunches seized from Utah schoolkids because of unpaid bills

Dozens of children at a Utah school had their lunches seized and thrown away because they did not have enough money in their accounts, prompting an angry response from parents, it was reported.

"She took my lunch away and said, 'Go get a milk,’” Sophia Isom, a fifth-grader at Salt Lake City’s Uintah Elementary School, told NBC affiliate KSL.com. "I came back and asked, 'What's going on?' Then she handed me an orange. She said, 'You don't have any money in your account so you can't get lunch.’”

Up to 40 kids suffered similar treatment, given fruit and milk as their lunches were thrown away, the station reported.  

Isom's mom Erica Lukes called the move “traumatic and humiliating” and told the Salt Lake Tribune she was all paid up.

"I think it’s despicable," she said. "These are young children that shouldn’t be punished or humiliated for something the parents obviously need to clear up."

Salt Lake City District Spokesperson Jason Olsen told the Tribune that parents had been notified about negative balances on Monday and a child nutrition manager had decided to withhold lunches to deal with the issue. They were thrown away because once food is served to one student it can’t be served to another, he explained.

Jitters at LAX: Car crash prompts gunfire reports

a By Christina Cocca, NBCLosAngeles.comAt the same time the sound of a car crash scared passengers into thinking shots were fired at Los Angeles International Airport Friday, travelers in another terminal were evacuated after a false report of a man with a weapon, airport officials said.Police received a call about 7:30 p.m. of possible shots fired, but upon investigation realized the loud noise of a multiple-car crash outside a parking structure between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 incited a panic, LAX Police Sgt. Ortiz told NBC4.After hearing the crash, travelers began to evacuate the airport on their own, Ortiz said. No shots were fired at the airport, he said."Part of that (reaction), we believe, is some hypersensitivity to what occurred on Nov. 1, three weeks ago," said LAX Police Chief Patrick Gannon during a news conference outside the airport.Friday's incidents come in the wake of the Nov. 1 shooting when a lone gunman opened fire near Terminal 3, killing a TSA officer and wounding four others.Aerial video showed officials investigating what appeared to be a wrecked SUV or van on the curb near a parking structure.About 8:20 p.m., crowds could be seen gathered outside as police evacuated Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 after an anonymous caller reported a man with a weapon was at Gate 45, airport officials said.At least 2,000 passengers either left the airport on their own or were evacuated by airport police, LAX officials said.About 4,600 arriving and departing travelers were impacted by the incidents, officials said. Delta Airlines (Terminal 5) and American Airlines (Terminal 4) reported a total of 60 delayed flights but no cancellations.Police found no weapon and cleared both terminals for people to return inside just before 9 p.m.Flight operations in Terminal 4 were disrupted as police cleared the airport, and slowly resumed as passengers were screened by security and returned to their gates, officials said.Ambulances could be seen lining the roadway in the pick-up and drop-off area of the airport.

Jitters at LAX: Car crash prompts gunfire reports, causes travelers to flee terminal

a Chris Heric via TwitterOfficers with assault rifles move through a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday night after reports of gunfire. The reports turned out to be unfounded.By Christina Cocca, NBCLosAngeles.comAt the same time the sound of a car crash scared passengers into thinking shots were fired at Los Angeles International Airport Friday, travelers in another terminal were evacuated after a false report of a man with a weapon, airport officials said.Police received a call about 7:30 p.m. of possible shots fired, but upon investigation realized the loud noise of a car crash outside a parking structure between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 incited a panic, LAX Police Sgt. Ortiz told NBC4.See original report at NBCLosAngeles.comAerial video showed officials investigating what appeared to be a wrecked SUV or van on the curb near a parking structure.After hearing the crash, travelers began to evacuate the airport on their own, Ortiz said. No shots were fired at the airport, he said.About 8:20 p.m., crowds could be seen gathered outside as police evacuated Terminal 4 after a report of a man with a weapon, airport officials said.Police found no weapon and cleared Terminal 4 for people to return inside just before 9 p.m.Flight operations in Terminal 4 were disrupted but will resume once passengers are screened by security and return to their gates, officials said.Ambulances could be seen lining the roadway in the pick-up and drop-off area of the airport.The incident comes in the wake of the Nov. 1 shooting, during which a lone gunman opened fire near Terminal 3, killing a TSA officer and wounding four others. NBC Los AngelesA wrecked vehicle is seen outside the Terminal 5 parking structure at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday night.