Monday, April 30, 2012

PREDATORS NOT YET PROFITABLE
Millions of dollars in public funds and winning records aren't helping to turn the Nashville Predators into a profitable business. The"Tennessean," reports that the local ownership group has had to put up 60-million dollars of its own money to cover losses over the last five years, while the city has fronted almost 39-million. Preds owners say they're looking for more investors and expect things will turn around soon because the Preds have been winning and people have been coming to the games.

PREDATORS PLAY AGAIN ON WED IN NASHVILLE
The Nashville Predators sure need a win this week. The Phoenix Coyotes beat the Preds last night, and now lead the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series 2-games-to-nothing. Game three is Wednesday back in Nashville.

ARE YOU IMMUNIZED? BOOSTER SHOTS AREN’T JUST FOR KIDS
Most people think only CHILDREN need immunizations, but government numbers show more than 40,000 adults die each year from vaccine-preventable illnesses, compared to 1,000 children... and a new survey finds half of adults don't know they're supposed to get any vaccines past childhood. Those include flu shots, pneumonia vaccine for people over 65, and a chicken pox booster that can prevent shingles. You can read more on the mix929.com NEWS page.

RIVERGATE MALL TO IMPLEMENT WEEKEND YOUTH ESCORT POLICY
Rivergate Mall officials have had enough of teenagers causing fights and trouble so they've implemented a Youth Escort Policy where, starting in May, anyone under age 18 MUST be escorted by someone over the age of 21 after 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

FIRST-TIME MARATHONERS WIN MARATHON
Two FIRST time competitors were the fastest finishers at Saturday's Country Music Marathon. Nineteen-year-old Ryan James and 24-year-old Erin Sutton. Race organizers say its unusual for first-time marathoners to win but not unheard of. The race drew a record 27,489 starters... and only about 300 people fell out along the way.

METRO SCHOOLS CASE COULD SET PRECEDENT
The trial starting tomorrow over Metro Nashville's 2009 redistricting plan make an impact nationally. The class-action lawsuit alleges the school system rezoned black students out of mostly white, higher achieving schools to cater to white families. School officials in other states will be watching the outcome because similar suits elsewhere never came up with a clear solution to the problem.

OBAMA STAFFER SAYS AL-QUAEDA STILL A THREAT
President Obama's top counter-terrorism advisor says terrorist organization al-Qaeda is still a threat, nearly a year after Osama bin Laden's death... although its leadership and strength have been "degraded significantly."

SECRET SERVICE HOOKER SCANDAL
They're calling it the Colombian Hooker Scandal. Secret service agents who got caught bringing 'working women' back to their hotel rooms in Colombia. It all surfaced when one Secret Service agent refused to pay one of the women and she told on him. He's been identified as a Maryland man, married and the father of two. He and two other agents have been removed from their jobs, and the Secret Service has tightened its rules ... banning overseas employees them from bringing locals back to their hotel rooms or even visiting seedy establishments.

HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN FRANKLIN LOSES SUPPORT
The push for horse drawn carriages in Franklin is on hold. City aldermen deferred a vote on it... until carriage regulations are expanded. The sticking point was making sure the horses aren't worked too long, and that they get a certain level of care.

MID TN MOTORCYCLE CRASHES UP THIS YEAR
The Tennessee Highway Patrol says the warmer weather seems to be a factor in more traffic deaths. More motorcyclists have been out on the road, earlier than usual, and more have died: 28 motorcyclists killed so far... compared to 20 by this time last year.

TOP MOVIES
For a second straight week, the romantic comedy "Think Like A Man" was the most watched movie at theaters. The new animated movie "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" came in second, and the Zac Efron movie "The Lucky One" was third.

LAWMAKERS FINISHING LEGISLATIVE SESSION
State lawmakers are trying to wrap up the current legislative session today... so they can go home. They've agreed on a budget plan but are still debating the guns in parking lots bill and and the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill.

WORLD TRADE CENTER CEREMONY TODAY
Nearly eleven years after the terror attacks on lower Manhattan, the World Trade Center will again be the tallest building in New York City. A ceremony today will mark One World Trade Center becoming the tallest building in the city and in the Western Hemisphere: at 1,776-feet and 104 floors. (It'll be 408 feet taller than the original Twin Towers. )

JESSICA SANCHEZ FAVORED TO WIN ON AMERICAN IDOL
With the "American Idol" finale just a few weeks away fans seem to agree there's a favorite. A new poll found 50% of viewers think Jessica Sanchez will win. 20% say Phillip Phillips will take the trophy. The five finalists perform again on Wednesday. (The two-part "American Idol" finale is coming up on May 22nd and 23rd.)

ROBIN GIBB MAKING PROGRESS, MAY GO HOME THIS WEEK
Bee Gee Robin Gibb may be out of the hospital soon. He's been battling advanced colorectal cancer, developed pneumonia then slipped into a coma a few weeks ago. Now, doctors say he's doing so well he may be able to go home to recover.

PATRICK DEMPSEY PULLS TEEN FROM TOTALED CAR
Patrick Dempsey to the rescue. The actor, who plays the doctor nicknamed "McDreamy" on Grey's Anatomy... got a crowbar and pried a teenaged boy out of his crashed car... after the kid flipped the vehicle several times... and landed in Dempsey's front yard in Malibu, California. The boy has a concussion but is recovering.

FAMILY CRASHES OVER GUARD RAIL INTO BRONX ZOO
New York police are investigating a crash that killed seven family members when their van plunged 60 feet over a guard rail into the Bronx Zoo. Some estimate the van was traveling 70 miles an hour.

JOHN EDWARDS TRIAL CONTINUES
Former presidential candidate John Edwards' campaign finance trial is still underway in North Carolina today. He's charged with improperly using campaign cash to cover expenses for his then-pregnant mistress Rielle Hunter.

RODNEY KING BOOK RELEASE
Rodney King says his videotaped beating that led to the Los Angeles riots in 1992 still haunts him. King is telling his story in a new book, "The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellion to Redemption" that comes out tomorrow.