Eyewitness News at 11, 11-22-12

Shopping carts stuffed and check-out stands packed... As some Central Georgians forgo a second serving of stuffing...to fill up on deals. \

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

I'm Frank Malloy.

Leah Johnson has the evening off.

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Tonight...we begin at a Macon shopping center... Where 13WMAZ's Austin Lewis found a full parking lot tonight.

She asked eager shoppers what kind of deals could be sweet enough to lure them out of their homes...and into the retail fray.

The Walmart on Zebulon Road..shines bright...with a full parking lot...and Central Georgians coming in and out.

What draws them here are the deals...that you can only get Thanksgiving night.

<Mel Gates, Macon:The pots and pans Paula Deen has an original 12 piece and it is 100 dollars and tonight she has a 24 piece for 100 dollars, we're getting it. >

<Maggie Greer, Macon: Well we wanted a good tv for a lot off and some birthdays are coming off on so we might get some toys or something. >

<Amanda Moore, Macon: I am trying to get an i-pad for a low price so and some earrings and stuff and some toys for my little cousin and all that. >

<

Toni Flores, Byron: Mostly electronics um, an I what is an e-reader or a little i-pad televisions just miscellaneous stuff whatever we can find at a good deal.>

And inside...those deals are what kept a sea of people waiting in long lines...for the Black Friday deals on Turkey Day.

Where they eagerly waited...until the Black Friday deals officially started at 8 pm...before they can grab what their carts could carry.

<Mel Gates, Macon: It's like a hurricane through the desert, it's chaotic absolutely chaotic. There is people everywhere and it's crazy that's all it is, it's crazy.

>

Greg Greer, Macon: There was a lot of caution tap everywhere like for people not to go because they were getting stuff ready and there were lines that said X-Box, Wii, I-pad stuff like that.

>

<Shelley Wolfe, Macon: It was chaos a bunch of people everybody having a good time, people falling on the floor ummm, it was just madness inside but it was a lot of fun. >

But for many here...it was all worth it...to get the spoils of Black Friday a day early.

<you get great deals yea it's a little crazy but I mean how many times a year do you get to do something like this?

Austin Lewis 13wmaz eyewitness news.

While Austin found everything in order at the Macon Walmart today...it's tomorrow that has some store managers concerned.

Not because of the crowds...but because of the threat of a national worker walk-out on Black Friday.

Labor groups say, they're pushing for better pay, different scheduling practices, and affordable health care.

Executives insist they won't tolerate people not showing up for work...but some of the employees believe...punishing protesters is the same thing as retaliation.

Walmart executives say the labor groups have it all wrong.

<"We have a very strict retaliation policy, anti-retaliation policy. If any associates have those concerns, we want to hear about them and we'll take action if there's merit to it. But, again, the fact is that this is a very small contingent of associates propped up by the unions to make these kind of claims." >

Walmart has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in response to the threats of strike.

It accuses the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and its subsidiary, OUR Walmart, of unlawfully organizing picket lines and other demonstrations in the past six months.

Walmart says the union is trying to force the retailer into collective bargaining... even though it's not the official union for Walmart's employees .

<"We have a very strict retaliation policy, anti-retaliation policy. If any associates have those concerns, we want to hear about them and we'll take action if there's merit to it. But, again, the fact is that this is a very small contingent of associates propped up by the unions to make these kind of claims." >

Walmart has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in response to the threats of strike.

It accuses the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and its subsidiary, OUR Walmart, of unlawfully organizing picket lines and other demonstrations in the past six months.

Walmart says the union is trying to force the retailer into collective bargaining... even though it's not the official union for Walmart's employees .

At another local retailer...it's not picketers outside...but campers.

That's right... Some shoppers so eager for a mark-down on that iPad...laptop...or flat-screen TV... Neither cold nor the lure of a turkey dinner could keep them from staking out their spot.

13WMAZ's Tom George visited the Macon Best Buy to check in on a very non-traditional Thanksgiving.

<well, I don't look at it as crazy ... Some people go camping in the woods, this is my camping...>

And for Eddie Murphy, camping means his yearly trip to first in line at the Macon Best Buy for black Friday

<we know each other, and we kind of expect to see each other every year.>

His main competition, the Alberts who duke it out for spots number 1 and 2

<you mad that this year, he beat you? No, haha we beat him last year.>

But earning that front spot means 40 hours

<I would but I have a puppy, so I cant. hahah>

of tents, dinner, and a movie... All to score some big ticket items...

< Left at 7 o'clock for $350 laptop bundle ... We got here I wanna say about 7:38 for the 40 inch Toshiba for $180 .. I got here at 6:00 for the laptop bundle, and to watch people fight... >

So far that hasn't happened ... In fact they've become friends ... But when the doors open at midnight ... it's a whole different story...

<but as soon as we get in, I don't know these people every man for himself, and God for us all ... And that's it... >

But it's not all selfish motives...

< Getting camera and the TV, and the laptop .. And I also get laptop for my family in Egypt, and give it as gift.>

And with lines around the corner ... Best Buy staff are ready...

<pretty ready to go, pretty energized and there'll be plenty of 5 hour energy, and Monster Energy going around...>

But for now, the waiting game continues.

<is it as cozy as it looks? You want to jump in? Just a blanket, you know sit here a couple hours ... Not a bad deal... >

In Macon, Tom George, 13WMAZ Eyewitness News.

If you think those are brave souls... Imagine doing *that* for three days straight. Every year. For fifteen years.

Reporter Boyd Huppert, with our Gannett Sister Station KARE in Minneapolis, Minnesota... Introduces us to a bargain hunting veteran who's done just that.

<IN THE RIGHT LIGHT THAT FREEWAY COULD BE THE ST. CROIX RIVER.

Sit back and kind of enjoy it.

WHERE JOE GEARY WOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE CASTING GLANCES....

AT HIS CAMPSITE.

Oh my God. (joe laughs)

YET HERE IS -- IN A BEST BUY PARKING LOT --

I've been since Monday.

THREE DAYS BEFORE BLACK FRIDAY -- CONTINUING HIS THANKSGIVING WEEK TRADITION FOR THE 15TH STRAIGHT YEAR.

It's been challenging at times, the temperatures have been subzero. This is unbelievable. Put the Caribbean shirt on, it's like the Caribbean.

THE CARIBBEAN DOES SERVE JERK SAUCE.

This guys crazy, all it is is stuff, it's just stuff.

We had Best Buy stores in San Diego with people in line almost eight days ago.

WHAT, ARE THEY PAYING THEM?

No no, we're not, we're being extra nice to them of course.

FOR BEST BUY THIS REPRESENTS THE BEST BUZZ...

...THEY CAN'T BUY.

I'm just being the good wife. (laugh)

CHARITY GANBAATAR IS HOLDING THIS SPACE FOR A HUSBAND WHO'S AFTER TWO 40 INCH FLAT SCREENS -- THEY'LL CART HOME AS GIFTS FOR LESS THAN 200 BUCK A PIECE.

And I gave up, we'll just have to postpone Thanksgiving, we'll do it on Saturday.

Isn't there anything you would sleep on the pavement for.

I would not, no.

Anything?

Well, I did it for Madona tickets.

I've got my little sleeping bag and a couple of pillows under there.

JOE FIGURED OUT LONG AGO HOW TO DEAL WITH THE HATERS.

Best one's I'll say it's a sale on toilet paper, two play. Great deal.

HIS WAY OF WIPING THE DOUBTERS AWAY.

Seasons Greetings. >

Joe doesn't have much longer to wait... Doors open in about fifty minutes or so.

Thanksgiving morning turned out to be a deadly one on a Southeast Texas highway.

The cease-fire allowed Palestinians to hold funerals in Gaza City for those killed during 8 days of Israeli airstrikes.

In Tel Aviv commuters are once again boarding buses. Wednesday, a bomb ripped through one, injuring more than two dozen people.

Israel's army spokeswoman says an Israeli Arab who is a member of Hamas has since been arrested.

Under the cease-fire agreement, Hamas promises to stop firing rockets. Israel says it will end air strikes... and will ease border restrictions that have crippled Gaza's economy for years.

The Obama administration is also going to ask Congress to increase funding for Israel's Iron Dome defense system that intercepted more than 80-percent of Hamas rockets headed toward crowded cities.

U.S. tax dollars also help the Palestinians.

<"WE ARE A LEADING PROVIDER OF ASSISTANCE TO THE UN ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE PALESTINIANS." >

Egypt will work to enforce the cease-fire that it played a major role brokering.

The Egyptian President's help may prompt Congress to release 450 million dollars in emergency cash for the country that it froze back in September.

We are thankful today for our Facebook Fans like Gloria Minter!

She is today's 13WMAZ Fan of the Day.

Gloria...send us an e-mail at fan-of-the-day at 13WMAZ-dot-com...

and we'll send you a coffee mug like this one.

If you'd like one too... Just like us on Facebook.

You could be randomly selected to be a future Fan of the Day.

If you're planning to take in a movie this Thanksgiving weekend, we've got a preview of what's new in theaters.

Director Ang Lee brings the adventure novel "Life of Pi" to the big screen.

It's a story about a zookeeper's son who survives a shipwreck, and is left alone on a lifeboat with a fearsome bengal tiger.

"Life of Pi" is rated PG.

Anthony Hopkins takes on the role of Alfred Hitchcock in a new movie about the famous filmmaker.

It's set during the making of his groundbreaking thriller "Psycho" in 1959, and follows his relationship with his wife and partner, played by Helen Mirren.

Also starring Scarlett Johansson, "Hitchcock" is rated pg-13.

And... You can stock up on holiday spirit to span multiple seasons with "Rise of the Guardians".

Imagine Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny,not to mention Jack Frost and the Tooth Fairy, teaming up to protect the planet.

"Rise of the Guardians" is rated PG.

Thank you for joining us...

Eyewitness News Mornin' comes your way at 5 a.m.

The news is always on at 13WMAZ dot com.

Letterman's next

Tonight... Taylor Swift.

Have a safe night everyone.