NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Severe Weather Possible Today
We've got some heavy storms expected to move in today. The rain could cause some flooding. The THP says every time it rains, there are people who drive too fast for road conditions and hydroplane, losing control of the car. Don't let any tailgaters bully you into going faster than you feel is safe to drive. Scoot over, and let 'em go around. Click here for the latest weather forecast.

Warning: Scammers Posing As NES Workers
The Nashville Electric Service is issuing a warning that con artists have been posing as NES employees, asking people for money and trying to get inside homes. The victims, usually someone elderly, who’s lonely, wants someone to talk to, and maybe not able to put up much of a fight. NES says all its field employees wear uniforms and carry photo ID badges, and every vehicle is marked with a Nashville Electric Service Logo. Plus, they are NEVER allowed to take cash from customers, for anything.

Spring Hill GM Plant To Start Hiring
General Motors announced Monday it will begin building its Chevy Equinox at its plant in Spring Hill, restarting production at the plant idled two years ago. The announcement will bring nearly 2,000 jobs to Maury County over the next few years. Laid-off workers will be called back before anyone new is hired.

Jack Daniels Tax Shot Down
The proposal for Jack Daniels to pay a barrel tax has been shot down. Moore County officials voted yesterday to pull the measure before a local referendum could even be considered. The effort sought to recover dwindling revenue in government coffers at the expense of the distillery.
 
Major Brentwood Development Announced Today
A major economic development project is expected soon for the Brentwood area. Mayor Karl Dean is scheduled to provide details today in a press conference at 1 p.m. "The Tennessean" reports LifePoint Hospitals is building a new headquarters there.

Tracy Lawrence Postpones 6th Annual Turkey Fry Fundraiser
Country singer Tracy Lawrence won't be hosting his annual "Mission Possible Turkey Fry" today as scheduled. A message on the singer's website says he's pushing back the fundraiser by a day, and blames "weather restrictions" for the postponement. Lawrence is now planning to hold his turkey fry on Wednesday. Tracy adds that he's still expecting a lot of people to take part in the event, but hopes those who were intending to come out on Tuesday won't be inconvenienced by the change. For the "Mission Possible Turkey Fry" Lawrence and other volunteers set up a kitchen in the parking lot of the Nashville Rescue Mission in an effort to feed the hungry and raise money for the organization. Lawrence is expecting to fry up more than 500 turkeys, which will result in over 7,000 meals.

Intruders Tie-Up Man, Babysitter In Williamson Co. Invasion
A man and a babysitter were tied up at a home in Williamson County Sunday night, as thieves robbed the place, loaded up the pickup and left. No one was injured, but police think the suspects knew the house, and knew right where to go for the valuables. You’re asked to look for a blue, 2002 four-door, Dodge Ram with a John Deere sticker in the rear window. The Tennessee tag number is 739-XSM. Call police if you see it.

Hendersonville Dad Caught Exposing Himself At M'Boro Walmart
A Hendersonville man has been arrested for exposing himself to several women, and at least one child, in the Walmart on Old Fort Parkway on Sunday. The security officer told police he watched Steven Burge, on the security camera, following women around the store exposing himself. But wait, there's more: he had his small son with him.

Gibson Selling First Guitars With Substitute Wood
After federal agents seized thousands of Indian Rosewood fingerboards from Gibson Guitar, the company says it's been forced to start making guitars with a different wood, and the change could hurt the bottom line. Federal agents raided factories in Nashville and Memphis in August, and seized the wood in question of being imported illegally. There's a criminal investigation underway, but no charges have been filed. Gibson was the subject of a similar raid in 2009 over ebony imported from Madagascar. After the 2009 raid, Gibson stopped buying wood from Madagascar. Gibson continued to use suppliers in India for ebony and rosewood. Read more about the company's history importing wood here.

Judge Rules Russian Adoption Case Will Be Open
A Bedford County judge has ruled that pretrial hearings will be open to the public in the case of a woman who sent her adopted Russian child back to his home country. Torry Hansen was living in Shelbyville in April 2010 when she sent her then-7-year-old son on a plane to Moscow by himself. She sent the boy back with a note saying she didn't want to be his mother anymore due to his psychological problems. Hansen has since moved to California. Her lawyer says Hansen would like to resolve the matter before going to trial so that she doesn't have to come back to Tennessee.

Murfreesboro Offers Online Crime Reporting
Murfreesboro Police are making it easier to report criminal activity. Officials say a new online report filing tool will make the community safer by freeing up officers to respond to emergency calls. They say the system, costing the city a one-time set up fee of $22,500, is especially effective for victims of minor incidents such as keyed cars, who can get claim information to insurance companies quickly.

Study: Tennessee Ranks No. 3 For Antiobiotic Use
A new study has found that Tennessee is third in the country for the use of antibiotics, which means over-use of them. The study (by the 'Extending the Cure' project) says West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama all use the most antibiotics. Dr. Pilkinton of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says patients often expect to walk out of the office with a prescription, for everything, but it can do more harm than good. Overuse of antibiotics can make the bacteria in your body become resistant to the drugs, so they don't work when you really need them. 
 
Penn State Lawmakers Looking At New Child Protection Laws
Lawmakers in the Senate are putting together a hearing to review child abuse laws after the Penn State sex abuse scandal. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension subcommittee on children and families called the December 13th Capitol Hill hearing to discuss whether stronger laws are needed to protect children from abuse and neglect.

More Allegations Surface For Penn State Coach
There are more accusations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Attorneys for Sandusky's The Second Mile charity are reportedly looking for Sandusky's expense records. The attorneys and looking into missing documents that were destroyed, or moved, to slow down the investigation into Sandusky's relationships with children from the charity.

Syracuse Coach Now Accused Of Two Sexual Assaults
The Syracuse, NY Police Department has received a formal request for records in the investigation of child abuse allegations against suspended Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine. Fine is accused of sexually abusing two young boys in the 1980s.

Mitt Romney Admits To 'Trying A Cigarette Once'
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has a dark side after all. In an upcoming interview with "People Magazine," the former Massachusetts governor admitted he has tried alcohol and smoking. Romney said in the interview, "I tasted a beer and tried a cigarette once, as a wayward teenager, and never did it again."

Justin Bieber Takes Paternity Test
Before he hit the American Music Awards red carpet Sunday night in L.A., Justin Bieber took a paternity test. to determine, once and for all, Mariah Yeater's claims that he's her baby's daddy. If the results prove he's not the father, the singer's lawyers have threatened to sue the Yeater for defamation.




Robin Gibb Diagnosed with Liver Cancer
Have you heard? Bee Gees brother Robin Gibb has reportedly been diagnosed with liver cancer. He went to the hospital back in October for stomach pains and received the diagnosis. Andy Gibb died in 1988. Maurice passed in 2003.

 

Congress Moves To Limit Airline Baggage Fees
Congress is moving to limit the fees airlines charge to check bags. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu has introduced legislation that would allow passengers one checked bag for free. It would also prohibit fees for regular-size carry-on bags. Airlines started charging for luggage when profits fell due to rising fuel prices and the faltering economy.

Spending Cuts Could Hurt Military?
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he's worried about what the failure of the debt reduction supercommittee might mean for the military. It could mean up to $600-billion in defense cuts starting in 2013. Panetta says that "would lead to a hollow force incapable of sustaining the missions it is assigned."

Consumers Hoping For Tablet, Not Laptop This Christmas
PriceGrabber.com conducted a survey asking nearly 4000 people, 'What do you want for Christmas? Would you rather get a laptop or a tablet?" Seventy-nine percent said a tablet, and more than 80 percent of those said they wanted an iPad. The next most popular was the Kindle, at 5%. However, consumer experts say many of us would like a Ferrari too, but we're not going to get it, and expect a lot of people dreaming of iPads will get a Kindle or other tablet, which is more affordable for many families.

Singles Wish For Love This Holiday Season
Many singles say the holiday season is a difficult time for them. More than 45-percent of the respondents in a Match.com poll admit their biggest wish is to "find a new romantic interest they could bring home for the holidays." By comparison, 29-percent are hoping to find a new job before the year is over.

Survivor Reunites With Singer Jimi Jamison
Jimi Jamison is back with Survivor. The singer has rejoined guitarist Frankie Sullivan, keyboardist-guitarist Walter Tolentino, bassist Billy Ozzello, and drummer Marc Droubay after having been away for the past five years. The band intends to release new studio material and launch a world tour in 2012.