Monday, October 8, 2012

ELECTION REGISTRATION ONLY IN PERSON, SINCE NO POSTAL SERVICE TODAY
Today's a federal holiday, so state offices are closed, there's no mail, post offices and most banks are closed. That means if you need to register to vote in next month's election, you have to do it in person today, at the election commission office.

ENDANGERED CHILD ALERT ISSUED FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD
The TBI has issued an endangered child alert for four-year-old Ayden Smith of Benton County in west Tennessee. Investigators think he's with his mom, who does not have custody of him... and they may be headed to Michiga. SEE PHOTOS HERE
Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.

MILK PRICES UP SOON?
The price of milk could reach $6 a gallon by January if Congress doesn't renew the Farm Bill, that just expired at the end of September. House leaders say they'll deal with it after the November elections, and it's EXPECTED to pass.
(The Farm bill is a bundle of legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy.. and it's typically re-passed...every 5 years... though House leaders say they're not going to deal with it until after the November elections. Americans already spend about 10 percent of their grocery budgets on dairy products...and dairy prices were already going up because the drought this summer has cows producing less milk. )

BE CAREFUL WHEN BRINGING IN PLANTS DURING FREEZES
With this cold weather we've had over the weekend, you may have pulled in some plants from the patio so they don't freeze. But a local nursery owner says you should go ahead and douse them with insecticide to kill any outdoor bugs that might infect your indoor plants. And be careful that your pets don't chew on them after you've sprayed them.

FIRES HIGH THIS TIME OF YEAR FROM HEATING, CANDLES, COOKING
And as soon as it got cold, a lot of people found out their heating units didn't work! We forget to do maintenance on them until we need them, or they get rusted or full of dust and debris. Firefighters say this is the time of year we have the most house-fires, from people trying to keep warm in various ways, leaving things where they can catch fire from their heat sources, or from cooking or candles. So be extra careful.

TN REPORTS 3 NEW MENINGITIS CASES
Three more Tennesseans were diagnosed with fungal meningitis this weekend, bringing the total to 32 people in Tennessee and 91 nationwide. (91 Cases in 9 states.) So far 7 people have died. Health officials say the big jump in cases over the weekend may not be from more new cases, but because they're actively looking for people who got the tainted steroid injections.
   Dr Bill Schaffner of Vanderbilt School of medicine, and who is working with the CDC on the outbreak, says the fungus, Aspergillis (asper JILL us), is very common: it's in the air. We breathe it all the time. It causes leaf mold. Your immune system usually just fights it off. This outbreak of meningitis started because the fungus was injected directly into the patients' bodies in the contaminated drug. And because the illness is so rare, infectious disease doctors nationwide are conferencing on the best ways to treat it. It's not contagious.

FLU SHOTS RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE OVER 6 MONTHS
Health officials say what you really should be worried about, is the flu. Hundreds of thousands die from it each year, and a flu shot is your best chance to stay healthy. This year's flu vaccine contains two different strains that were not included in last year's vaccine. The CDC says influenza is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S.

STUDY SUGGESTS RUNNING AWAY COMMON WITH AUTISM
A new study reports that almost half of all children with autism have run away at least once.Some try to run away several times a day. Researchers say when the kids get into a situation where they're not comfortable, or they're confused, they wander off and find a place where they can enjoy themselves or just explore. (We could learn a lot from those kids!) The study is in today's issue of the journal "Pediatrics."

BRENTWOOD TEEN INJURED IN SKATEBOARDING ACCIDENT
A Brentwood teenager is fighting for his life after a skateboarding stunt. The 15-year-old was holding on to the back of his friend's car and surfing down the street on his skateboard... when he lost his balance and fell. He's in critical condition at Vandy, with serious head injuries.

VIKINGS TAKE DOWN TITANS
The Tennessee Titans played this weekend, and they lost. 30 to 7 to Minnesota. They play again Thursday night at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. (7:20 PM CDT)

WEDDING BRAWL CAUGHT ON VIDEO
How do you ruin a beautiful wedding? Booze. Two different weddings were held at a hotel in Philadelphia and the receptions for both moved to the bar. Guests got drunk, and a huge fight broke out. Three people were arrested, and an uncle of one of the brides had a heart attack and died.  A guest who'd been disturbed by the noise posted a video of the brawl online.

CLARKSVILLE BANK TELLER ARRESTED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT
30 year-old Kristy Hodges, a head teller at Capital Bank in Clarksville has been arrested for false bookkeeping and charged with stealing more than 60-thousand dollars from the bank in the past four years.

MEN SAY THEIR WOMAN IS NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL
In a new survey, 90% of men say their wife or girlfriend is "naturally beautiful." They think their women don't do anything special to maintain their looks. They just wake up that way. (Isn't that sweet? ) The survey also asked women if they do anything secretly to maintain their "natural" beauty, and the answer was, "Yes." 94% of women say they wax or bleach their facial hair, 90% whiten their teeth, 79% use self-tanning lotions, 41% pluck their eyebrows and 36% color their hair. (Source: Daily Mail)