CBS News
Ferguson officer critically injured, 5 charged at protest marking 10 years since Michael Brown’s death
A Ferguson, Missouri, police officer was critically injured outside the city’s police station during protests marking 10 years since the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, a pivotal moment in the national Black Lives Matter movement, police said Saturday.
Several people were arrested at the protest and five are facing charges, CBS News affiliate KMOV reported.
Ferguson police chief Troy Doyle said Officer Travis Brown suffered a severe brain injury Friday after being knocked to the ground.
“He is in an area hospital right now fighting for his life,” Doyle said.
Two other officers also were hurt, one sustaining an ankle injury and another an abrasion. Both were treated at the scene.
The team of officers went out to make arrests Friday for the destruction of property at the police station, where protesters gathered to remember 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer in 2014.
One of the suspects was charged Saturday with assault of a special victim, resisting arrest and property damage. He was ordered held on a $500,000 cash-only bond. No information was immediately listed in online court records, so it wasn’t known if he had an attorney yet.
One of the suspects, 28-year-old Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis, is charged with first-degree assault, resisting arrest, first-degree property damage and two counts of fourth-degree assault, KMOV reported. Police say Gantt was one of many who pulled on and damaged a section of fencing around the police station. Police said body camera footage showed officers ordering Gantt to stop and telling him he was being arrested.
Jim Salter / AP
Doyle said the protesters were peaceful for the majority of the night. He said police allowed them to block the street outside the station, posting a squad car on each end, so they wouldn’t be hit by vehicles.
Police also didn’t intervene when the protesters began shaking the fence outside the station. But he said that when they broke part of the fencing, he sent out the arrest team. The suspect who charged at Officer Brown knocked him backward with his shoulder, and the officer hit his head as he tumbled to the ground, Doyle said.
Court records said the suspect then kept running and kicked two officers who tried to arrest him, leaving them with scratches and bruises.
Angelique Kidd, a Ferguson resident who was at the protest, told KMOV that police didn’t call for an unlawful assembly.
“They are supposed to notify us that it is an unlawful assembly to give the rest of the people a chance to leave, which they did not do,” Kidd said. She also said police rushed the protest.
“Police came out, rushed into a crowd. Panic, it was melee,” Kidd said.
Doyle said Officer Brown, who is Black, started with the department in January and previously worked for the St. Louis County Police Department.
He is part of a wave of Black officers hired into the department since 2014. Back then, there were just three Black officers in the department, but Black officers now make up more than half of the police force, Doyle said.
Christian Gooden//St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
“He wanted to be part of the change,” Doyle said. “He wanted to make an impact in our community. He’s the type of officer that we want in our community. And what happens? He gets assaulted. I had to look his mother in the eye and tell her what happened to her son. I’m never going to do that again, I promise you that.”
St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, who had stopped by the hospital beforehand to meet with the officer’s family, said others also would be charged.
“I always talk about you know the toughest part of this job is when we have a family that’s lost a loved one that we can’t bring justice to. And I’ve got to tweak that. The toughest thing I’ve had to do is talk and console with a mother who doesn’t know if her child is doing to make it. And for what?”
The Rev. Darryl Gray, a leading civil rights activist, urged the police chief to move with caution and “not to create an us versus them mentality.”
“Right now,” Gray added, “all of our efforts and energy need to be positive towards the recovery of the police officer. And then second to that, to do an investigation, a fair and unbiased investigation to determine what the evidence is.”
The arrests came as the St. Louis Fire Department placed a member of the department on leave after he made a social media post that the department described as insensitive.
“We take this matter seriously and do not condone such behavior,” the department wrote.
The department didn’t disclose the contents of the post, but several news outlets in the area reported that it read: “Happy ALIVE day to Darren Wilson!”
Michael Brown’s death turned Ferguson into a focal point of the national reckoning with the historically tense relationship between U.S. law enforcement and Black people.
In 2015, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice also found no grounds to prosecute Wilson. But the report gave a scathing indictment of the police department — raising significant concerns about how officers treated Black people and about a court system that created a cycle of debt for many.
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CookUnity
Looking to save some money on your weekly food budget this fall? Meal kit delivery services are already a budget-friendly alternative to grocery shopping or ordering delivery, but we here at CBS Essentials have found even more ways to save with the best deals on meal kits this month.
Unless you’re brand new to meal kits (in which case welcome to your new nutritious, affordable and hassle-free lifestyle!), you’ve probably seen a meal kit company offer up an enticing deal for first-time subscribers. These deals, which typically translate to price markdowns on one or more weekly deliveries, can be fleeting — there one week, gone the next.
To help you find the best deals that won’t slip through your metaphorical fingers, we’ve researched the absolute best deals on meal kits that are available this month.
The best deals on meal kits this month
We rounded up the best deals you’ll find on meal kits and listed our favorites below. These deals are definitely available through the end of September, but beyond that, who’s to say? Don’t wait around to see these big discounts and fun freebies vanish after this month ends — find the best meal kit delivery deal for you and sign up today.
Interested in saving money on your first meal kit delivery? How about discounts that last for several week’s worth of orders? Whether you’re looking for a great deal on first time meal kit subscriptions or simply want to hook yourself up with freebies like ButcherBox’s offer of free ground beef and wings for six months, we have the best deals you can find on meal kits this month below.
Save 50% off your first order with CookUnity
CookUnity via X/Twitter
Based in New York, CookUnity is a chef-to-consumer meal delivery service that pairs families with the works of local talented chefs. It isn’t available nationwide quite yet, but CookUnity is rapidly expanding its reach, covering most of the continental U.S. with the exception of West Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and parts of Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado.
If you’re interested in signing up for access to CookUnity’s 70+ weekly recipes, now is the time to act. For the rest of this month, CookUnity is offering a whopping 50% discount for that first weekly delivery to new subscribers.
Free ground beef and wings for six months when you try ButcherBox
ButcherBox
Sometimes you know exactly what you want in a meal delivery service, and if that’s grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork or chicken, then ButcherBox is right up your alley.
This delivery service replaces the wide variety of meals and sides that most other meal delivery services offer in place of a curated selection of meats. You can then use these as the base for your own cooking.
ButcherBox works with a group of family-owned farms and cooperatives to source its meats. ButcherBox deliveries are priced per meal. ButcherBox always offers free shipping.
All month long, first time subscribers can enjoy an impressive bonus: free ground beef and free wings each week for six months.
Enjoy 50% off your first four weeks with Blue Apron
Blue Apron
During our in-depth review for Blue Apron, we found plenty of reasons to sign up for the popular meal delivery service. Among Blue Apron’s +70 weekly recipe options, there are more than a few diet-friendly options for people to choose from.
Blue Apron also offers subscribers a choice between build-your-own meal kits that take as little as 20 minutes to whip up in the kitchen and a new line of prepared and ready meals. These nutritious offerings take no time at all to prepare, with most prepared and ready dishes ready to go in five minutes or less.
This month, Blue Apron is offering new subscribers an impressive 50% discount that is spread across their first four weeks.
Save 10% on orders over $100 with Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest has a refreshing menu full of dinners, lunches and snacks that are made from whole fruits and vegetables. If you want certified organic meals, Daily Harvest is worth considering.
Daily Harvest is extra worthy this month thanks to a simple yet effective discount: new subscribers can save 10% on orders with a total over $100.
Deliveries are put together one item at a time, so you have the freedom to build your own meal plan each week. Pick anywhere from nine to 24 items each week. Prices for Daily Harvest typically start at $7 per item.
Want half off your first box? Sign up for Factor
Factor
If you want fresh, ready-made meals that take little to no prep time, then Factor has a number of nutritious and satisfying meals for you to try out this month. Each fresh, never-frozen dinner is designed by one of Factor’s gourmet chefs.
If you’re interested in Factor’s selection of diet-friendly options — Factor serves up more than 30 dietitian-approved meals each week — then now is the time to sign up.
All through September, first time subscribers can save 50% off the price of their first box.
Get discounted meals as low as $3 per serving with EveryPlate
EveryPlate
One of the most affordable meal kit delivery services available today just got a little bit cheaper thanks to this month’s discount. EveryPlate offers a good selection of nutritious and hassle-free recipes each week, which you can enjoy for a fraction of the normal price by signing up during September.
Normally available starting at $5 per serving, EveryPlate orders are currently available to new subscribers for as low as $3 per serving.
Save $260 off your first five boxes with Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon is a meal kit company that’s all about the cooking experience. Each box contains quality ingredients and recipes based off of Martha Stewart classics, which have been pared down to be even more accessible to the average home chef.
If you’re ready to make the switch to meal kits, Marley Spoon has the perfect long-term offer. Right now, anyone who signs up for Marley Spoon can enjoy $260 in savings, spread across their first five boxes.
Get 50% off your first box, while supplies last, with Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot offers delicious, frequently low-calorie, meals each week. Every plant-based meal kit or pre-made meal is packed with nutrients — a perfect choice for vegans, vegetarians or anyone who just wants to eat healthier.
All through September, Purple Carrot is offering a 50% discount on that first weekly box for first-time subscribers.
How much do meal kits cost?
One of the biggest benefits to meal kits is the cost. Let’s face it: grocery prices can easily get out of hand, no matter how thrifty you are. The average two-person household typically spends between $450 and $800 per month at the grocery store.
Meal kit prices essentially boil down to the price per serving for each delivered meal kit. Most meal kits cost between $8 and $12 per serving, with prices going up if you choose fewer meals or servings each week (and vice versa). These prices are laid out for subscribers building their meal plan.
The good news is that first-time subscribers can usually find impressive sign-up bonuses and discounts. If you’re looking for the best deals, circle back to our list above for the best meal kit deals available through the end of September.
How do meal kits work?
Put simply, a meal kit is a subscription food delivery service that’s all about convenience. Meal kits are shipped right to your door, with ingredients prepped and pre-portioned to save you as much time as possible in the kitchen. Most meal kits leave the cooking steps up to you: Simply follow the included instructions (typically printed on recipe cards that you can save) to whip up dinner for you or the whole family with ease.
Weekly recipes change weekly so there’s always something new to look forward to. And if you ever want a break from meal kits, most meal kit delivery services make it easy to pause or cancel your subscription.
What is the best meal kit for large families?
In many ways, meal kits are one of the best solutions for anyone struggling to come up with new and nutritional dinners each night for a full house. They can help to cut down on expenses and save you time with pre-portioned meal kits that take a fraction of the time to whip up over a traditional home cooked meal.
One standout benefit that some meal delivery services offer is the option to personalize your meal plan. EveryPlate is one meal delivery service that has a meal plan perfectly tailored for larger families. EveryPlate’s kid-friendly family plan comes with dozens of weekly meal options.
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