Wednesday, Dec 21, 2011

DONATIONS HELP KEEP MURFREESBORO HOMELESS SHELTER OPEN
Let's start with some good news, shall we?
A Murfreesboro homeless shelter that was on the brink of closing has received enough money from donations, from all over middle Tennessee, that they're able to stay open. The Room in the Inn got 18,000 dollars in gifts after the story broke that they were in the red a month ago and about to have to shut down. They say, "Thank you."

NASHVILLE’S SECRET SANTA STRIKES AGAIN
And there's a man in Nashville who calls himself Secret Santa who's been visiting Goodwill stores in the Nashville area, taking to people and handing out cash. He says it makes his DAY to see the look on people's faces, when a stranger hands them a hundred dollar bill. Secret Santa says, "It just takes one random act of kindness to inspire somebody."

RAIN DOESN'T DAMPEN WOUNDED SOLDIER'S HOMECOMING
Rain didn't dampen the homecoming celebration yesterday for injured soldier Specialist Andrew Wilson. The Patriot Guard Riders and Brentwood Police led his motorcade from the Nashville airport to Wilson's home in Brentwood. Thousands of people lined Franklin Road waving American flags, and yellow ribbons were tied to trees and posts along the road to the soldier's home. The 24-year-old lost part of both legs while on patrol in Afghanistan. He said about the welcome he got, "It feels amazing." Some parents who brought their children to the event said they wanted the little ones to see that there are people sacrificing every day for their freedom. It was a wonderful sight. You can see pictures and the video HERE.

ANGEL TREE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED
Thanks to people who donated to the Salvation Army, or adopted Angels from local Angel Trees, there are nearly 17 thousand children and elderly people this year who have gifts under the tree, and food on the table (from the Kroger/Channel 4 Food Angel program). Today's the final day volunteers are helping hand out those gifts at the Angel Tree Warehouse on Cowan street, in case you want to help volunteers load those gifts into cars. The Angel Tree program has provided gifts to families in need since 1981. (242-0411 or www.salarmy-nashville.com if you want to volunteer at the Warehouse today, or if you want to volunteer to ring bells at the Red Kettles. The Salvation Army is in DESPERATE need of bell-ringers.)　

WHO WOULD WIN PRESIDENTIAL RACE?
Mitt Romney and New Gingrich are both in a statistical dead heat with President Obama in a new poll of registered voters. The Gallup poll indicates 50-percent of voters would support Obama, while 48% say they'd support either Gingrich or Romney ... if they're put in a head-to-head matchup with the president.

SCIENTISTS WARNED PUBLISHING BIRD FLU TEST RESULTS COULD GIVE TERRORISTS NEW WEAPON
A U.S. scientific advisory board is asking the journals "Science" and "Nature" not to publish details on a lab-made version of bird flu. The strain of bird flu being studied could spread more easily to people..and the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity worries that such information could be used as a potential weapon by terrorists to launch global epidemics.

PATIENCE URGED FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL
Travel booking company Travelocity www.travelocity.com is reminding you to that PATIENCE is key during the super-busy holiday travel season. An estimated 92-million Americans will travel during the Christmas holiday season, so be stocked up on snacks and books or something to do, and be ready for possible delays. They also recommend you have a 'plan b' or at least a blanket, in case you have to spend the night somewhere you weren't originally planning for.

HIGH END APARTMENT, RETAIL PROJECT AT 12 SOUTH
There's a new project in the works in the 12 South community that'll have 42-hundred square feet of retail space and 67 one-bedroom apartments. It should be finished by spring of 2013.

METRO PROPOSES FINISHING CONSTRUCTION THAT STOPPED DURING HOUSING CRISIS
Metro Council is acting on a proposal to use three-million dollars to fund subdivision projects in Nashville that were stopped dead when the housing market shut down.

HEALTH: ASTHMA GOES AWAY AS ONE LOSES WEIGHT
Here's something that may add to your motivation to lose weight: we already know that obesity increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, alzheimer's and cancer. Now a new study finds-- with kids at least-- when they lose weight their risk of asthma drops.

MAN WINS LAMBORGHINI, IMMEDIATELY WRECKS IT
A Utah man won a Lamborghini last month worth at least 400 thousand dollars. Six hours later, he's driving it around the neighborhood, showing it off, and wrecks the car. He claims he hit some gravel or black ice, though police say there were skidmarks and it appears he was speeding.

"CHUCK NORRIS KILLED KIM JONG IL"
And you heard about the online reports earlier this week that said Jon Bon Jovi had died? They were false. He's fine. And now, the latest false reports going around online are that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was killed in a daring feat by martial arts expert/action movie star Chuck Norris. http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/41548/kim-jong-ii-killed-by-chuck-n... The story is NOT true. It came from a completely unreliable source for news, the Weekly World News. The picture of the alien baby at the top of the website should have tipped off readers, but some people fell for it.

ITALIAN DRIVER CAUGHT USING TWO CELL PHONES
An Italian driver was stopped by astonished police, for talking on the phone while driving. Even worse, he was on TWO phones at the same time, and DRIVING HANDS-FREE! The 43-year-old said he was speaking to his wife when his mother called and he could not hang up on either of them. Surely police could understand that. They didn't.

THIS COULD BE CALLED CAR-MA. COUPLE'S CAR BROKEN INTO AS THEY SHOPLIFT
A Utah couple were in a grocery store, shoplifting some items, and got caught. When they were allowed to go back to their car, they found someone had been stealing from them as they stole from the store. A crook had broken into the vehicle and stolen the couple's stereo, amplifier, drum machine and cigarettes.

YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE LIED TO IN TEXTS THAN PHONE OR E-MAIL
Texting appears to bring out the liar in people. A new study shows people are more likely to lie via text message than through most other types of communication. Researchers found people lied more often while texting than they did in face-to-face conversations, video chats or audio chats.

 LAWMAKERS ON HOLIDAY RECESS: NO TAX CUT RESOLUTION
Lawmakers are leaving on a holiday recess without resolving the issue of the expiring payroll tax cut for workers. That means millions of Americans will see that tax cut end next month.

LOUISIANA WANTS NATIONAL GUARD CALLED OUT
A Louisiana lawmaker is asking for National Guard troops to help patrol and protect New Orleans. Not after some sort of natural disaster: State Representative Austin Badon [[ Buh - DOAN ]] says New Orleans is in a state of urban warfare, crime is out of control, and the police department is overwhelmed.

AIRLINE TRAVELER STOPPED FOR CONCEALING THROWING DAGGERS IN BOOK
An airline traveler could be facing penalties after security agents found a pair of throwing daggers hidden in a hollowed-out book. It happened earlier this week at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington.

TEA FOR HEART HEALTH
You probably knew by now that coffee can be good for your heart, but researchers say it works with tea as well. Drinking tea may decrease your risk of heart disease, and seems to also lower the risk of a second heart attack or other cardiac event in people who've already had one.

CANADIAN MAN DRIVES 225 MILES WITH DEAD WIFE IN CAR
A British Columbia man drove about 225 miles after his 75-year-old wife died in the car next to him, because he was uncertain whether he could cross the Canadian border with her. The 71-year-old man didn't know what to do, so he kept driving. The man was vacationing in Oregon when his wife began suffering a medical condition. They were trying to get home to Canada, but she died near Pasco, Washington, and since he didn't know whether he could cross the Canadian border for home with a dead body, he kept driving, and finally called the vehicle emergency system Onstar. They convinced him to stop at a police station. His wife was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. The man was allowed to go home.

MCGRAW SEEKS NEW LABEL
Tim McGraw is on the market for a new record label. He's been scouting options now that a Nashville judge ruled in his favor to get out of his 20-year contract with Curb Records.

FORMER SOLDIER PLEADS GUILTY TO PLANTING BOMB AT PARADE
A former U.S. soldier is facing 32 years in prison for trying to bomb an MLK parade in Spokane, Washington. Kevin Harpham pleaded guilty to the charges stemming from last January.

FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC SUED
California's attorney general is suing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to force the mortgage giants to answer questions about their role in the state's housing collapse.

NEW NORTH KOREAN LEADER SHARES POWER WITH UNCLE, MILITARY
The new, young leader of North Korea will share power with his uncle and the military. This represents a shift for the isolated communist nation, which had been the domain of a one-man government since its founding.

FIVE MILLION DOLLAR GIFT FUNDS BAPTIST HOSPITAL EXPANSION 
Baptist Hospital is planning an expansion of its wound care services unit, thanks to a five-million-dollar donation from the Deborah and C. A. Craig the Second Family Foundation. The organization established by the Nashville family raises money for hospital services, patients and workers. "The Tennessean" reports the money funds construction of a new building at Murphy Road and 20th Avenue on the hospital campus.