Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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July 6, 2009

Michael Jackson Fans Celebrate Winning Memorial Tickets
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=252DE1E:A6F02AD83191E160A3443751B3EFCEC5B3350E090FE6A6E8&
 
One-point-six million people registered for online drawing for tickets
to Tuesday's ceremony, but only 8,750 lucky fans randomly selected to
receive two tickets each 
Thousands of Michael Jackson fans are celebrating after they won tickets
to the deceased pop star's public memorial. One-point-six million people
registered for an online drawing for tickets to the event, but only
8,750 lucky fans were randomly selected. Each winner receives two
tickets for Tuesday's ceremony. The ticket winners were notified by
e-mail Sunday. Although the event organizers have warned against it,
some ticket holders have posted intentions to sell their seats online.
Workers build a platform outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles,
where a memorial service for late pop star Michael Jackson is scheduled
for 7 July The international pop icon's public memorial will be held at
The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Some of the 17,500
tickets are for the neighboring Nokia Theater, where the memorial will
be simulcast. Los Angeles city officials are preparing for hundreds of
thousands of fans without tickets to attempt to reach the event. Police
say they are gearing up to maintain order. They say roads around the
arena will be closed and fans will not be allowed into the area without
a ticket. The concert promotion agency AEG has said that a television
pool feed of the memorial will be available so that Jackson's fans from
around the world can watch the service. The 50-year-old Jackson died
suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles. A cause of death has not been
determined, and authorities are investigating whether medications are to
blame. Toxicology results are not expected for weeks. 


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