Monday, July 9, 2012

ROAD FATALITIES REACH RECORD NUMBERS
That number you'll see today on the TDOT signs over the interstate today… is a new record. Even before the weekend more than 500 people had died on Tennessee roads this year. This time last year we were below 480. (477). The weekend numbers should be added in a day or so.

GEORGE JONES REFUSES LOW AUCTION BID FOR HOME
Country legend George Jones has battled alcohol abuse, a recent health scare and now his challenge is the real estate market. He tried to auction off his 78 acre Williamson county estate this weekend, which originally was priced at more than 15 million dollars. Bidders Saturday only offered 2.5, and most didn't want the house, just the land. Jones turned down the bids, and his auctioneers say they’re talking to interested parties in other states. 

WATCH WHERE YOU PARK YOUR CAR: TREES MORE LIKELY TO BREAK, FALL
Be careful where you park your car when storms are expected this week! The drought has made trees more likely to break and fall in gusty wind. The roots shrink, so they don't anchor the trees as well, and lack of water makes trees more dry and brittle. (At least 64% of Tennessee is experiencing severe drought conditions. )

JACKSON CO. WOMAN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING SUNDAY NIGHT
A 52 year-old Gainsboro woman was taken to the hospital last night, after her family claims she was struck by lightning during the storms yesterday in Jackson County.

STATE ASKS EVERYONE FOR WATER CONSERVATION
Even though we've gotten some rain, we're still under drought conditions, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is asking you to be mindful of your water use, and conserve where you can until we're back up to normal levels. (www.tn.gov/environment/dws/droughtplanning/ )

HEAT RECORDS
We finally have some cooler temperatures, but News 2 meteorologist Justin Bruce says we broke a lot of records in the past 10 days or so. Even though temperatures are cooler this week, and we're getting some rain, we're still officially under drought conditions, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is asking you to be mindful of your water use, and conserve where you can until we're back up to normal levels.
www.tn.gov/environment/dws/droughtplanning

CANCER STUDY IN NASHVILLE: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED THIS WEEK
If you've never had cancer, and you're between 30 and 65, the American Cancer Society wants you to help them in a study this week.( It's a survey, blood sample and waist measurement. They're trying to figure out why some people get, and others DON'T GET cancer.)

RINGO STAR CELEBRATES 72ND BIRTHDAY IN NASHVILLE WITH PEACE AND LOVE
Former Beatle Ringo Star celebrated his 72nd birthday in Nashville Saturday by holding a “peace and love” moment at noon at the Hard Rock Cafe'. Hundreds of fans here joined him... shouting "peace and love" and holding up the two-fingered peac sign, right at noon. Ringo then performed to a sold-out crowd at the Ryman.

POLICE INVESTIGATE HOME INVASION IN BELLEVUE
Metro police are looking for two men allegedly involved in a home invasion this weekend in Bellevue. A man was hit, tied up and robbed when he opened his door at 10 p.m. to two men who turned out to be armed robbers.

WARNING FOR WOMEN IN NASHVILLE: TWO WOMEN ATTACKED IN THEIR HOMES FOR PRESCRIPTIONS AND CASH
And two Nashville women have been attacked in their homes recently. One in west Nashville, who was napping, with her door unlocked, and someone walked in and robbed her. In east Nashville on Franklin Avenue, another woman says someone followed her home from the pharmacy, hit her as she took out the trash, and stole prescription medications and some cash.

TENNESSEE MARINAS DOUBLE-CHECKING SAFETY AFTER BOYS ELECTROCUTED JULY 4TH
Marinas across Middle Tennessee are double checking their safety procedures after two boys were electrocuted in Knoxville on the 4th of July while they were swimming near a houseboat. One of the boys died.

METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL HIRING PART TIME TEACHERS 
Metro Nashville Public Schools is hiring part-time teachers.  School spokeswoman Meredith Libbey says applicants must have at least ten-years experience, and a bachelor's or master's degree with at least 24 credit hours in the subject he or she would like to teach.  Libbey says the school system is looking for people who want to teach, but not necessarily interested in becoming a full-time teacher.

BODY FOUND IN SLEEPING BAG AT ANTIOCH TRUCK STOP
 Antioch police are investigating the discovery of a body at a truck stop.  Officials say a truck driver found the body in a sleeping bag at the TravelCenters of America.  The cause of death and the person's identity are not yet known.

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING RESEARCH MONKEY IN NORTH CAROLINA
Officials at North Carolina's Wake Forest Primate Center are playing baby monkey sounds to try to lure a missing female monkey that escaped from the facility last week.  The 16-year-old monkey has been on the loose in the Winston-Salem area despite efforts to recapture it.  There have been several sightings but the elusive primate disappears by the time animal experts arrive.  Officials say they are now trying baby monkey calls because the missing female is used for breeding at the center. 

MORE THAN 2000 METRO REPORT CARDS STILL NOT PICKED UP
Even though Metro Schools start back up in three weeks... some parents haven't gotten their kids' final report cards from last year. More than 2,000 report cards were returned to schools because of wrong addresses. If you don't have it by July 13th and you want it, you can pick up your child's Metro report card at the central School Board office on Bransford Avenue.

PFIZER PULLING BREAST, COLON CLAIMS FROM CENTRUM LABELS
You won't see the 'breast health' and 'colon health' claims on Centrum multivitamins any longer. They've agreed to drop the claims after being accused of false advertising by the consumer watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest. Pfizer says it disagrees with the complaints but will take the claims off the labels anyway. 

USHER'S SON BRAIN DEAD
The 11 year-old step-son of singer/entertainer Usher has been declared brain dead, after being hit by a jet ski on Friday. According to reports, Kyle Glover and a friend were floating in inner tubes on Lake Lanier in Atlanta when they were struck by a man on a jet ski. Glover is the son of Usher's ex-wife, Tameka Foster.

ERNEST BORGNINE DIES
Actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a shy, homely butcher in 1955's "Marty," has passed away. He also played Quinton McHale in the 1960s show "McHale's Navy,"  and was the VOICE of Mermaid Man on "Sponge Bob Square Pants." He was 95.

AT&T TO LAUNCH SERVICE TO DISABLE STOLEN IPHONES
And iPhone is launching a servive that will block stolen or lost iPhones without forcing a device wipe that would erase any unsaved data. The service starts tomorrow.

FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY CAUSES BABY BOOM? EXPERTS SAY PROBABLY NOT
While one so-called culture expert allegedly says the erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, that's become the fastest-selling book of all time, will likely cause a baby boom about nine months from now, other social experts say, probably not. 

65TH ANNIVERSARY TODAY OF ROSWELL UFO INCIDENT 
A legend came to life 65 years ago when the Army Air Force issued a press release saying a "flying saucer" had been recovered on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico.  Military officials quickly retracted the news item and said the debris was actually a routine weather balloon.  Thirty-years later, several Army officers stationed at the base in 1947 said the balloon story was a cover-up for something from another world -- an alien spacecraft with bodies.  Each July, thousands of tourists come to see the site and debate the evidence during a UFO festival.

EX-CIA AGENT CLAIMS UFO REALLY DID CRASH IN ROSWELL, NM.
Those who believe in UFOs are getting support from someone with insider knowledge of one of America's best-known alleged close encounters.  Former CIA agent Chase Brandon claims a flying saucer really did crash near Roswell, New Mexico 65 years ago.  He tells "The Huffington Post" it was not a weather balloon that came down on the Southern New Mexico ranch back in July 1947, but "a craft that clearly did not come from this planet."  Brandon says he's seen the proof, which is being stored at Historical Intelligence Collection at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.  He explains that back in the 1990s he was one of the few people who had clearance to get into the special vaulted area, and one day he found a box labeled "Roswell."  While he won't describe what's in the box, he says seeing that material "was the single validating moment" confirming the otherworldly nature of the incident.