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Grapevine

Phelps defends Shark ‘race’

Don’t expect an apology from Michael Phelps to TV viewers who were disappointed with his race against a simulated great white shark for a Disco-very Channel Shark Week special.

The winningest athlete in Olympic history was bested by two seconds Sunday night in “Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White.” The race didn’t pit Phelps against a real shark, but rather a computer-simulated fish based on data on the swimming speed of sharks.

Phelps responded to critics in a Facebook Live video Tuesday. He notes that a shark doesn’t swim in a straight line and suggested that a side-by-side race with the predator would be impossible. He later added that he made it clear before the show aired that he wouldn’t be racing a real shark.

Perry gets a tax break

ATLANTA — A tax break worth nearly $2 million was recently approved for a plane owned by one of filmmaker Tyler Perry’s companies in Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Cobb County’s development authority approved the $1.8 million tax break. The deal would include the county authority refinancing Perry’s jet with a $35.3 million bond package and a 10-year tax abatement plan.

Cobb County officials say the plane at McCollum Filed will create 10 high-paying jobs. Officials say schools would end up receiving $733,000 in new property taxes from Perry’s plane.

Despite the incentives, the newspaper reports the county government would receive $400,000.

Under the code name “Project Meatloaf,” Perry’s firm would register and base the Embraer executive plane in Cobb County.

The Associated Press

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