NOVEMBER 28, 2011

Click here for MS. CHEAP'S 2011 HOLIDAY FUN GUIDE 

Surprise Snow Falls In Northwest Midstate
Residents in northwest Middle Tennessee woke up to a surprise snowfall Monday morning. Viewers from Waverly to Centerville saw snowflakes coating cars and rooftops, but so far the wintry weather hasn't caused any problems. The area with the most snowfall - Stewart County - saw about an inch. A winter weather advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for Monday evening into Tuesday morning for Decatur, Carroll, Madison, Wayne, Giles and Lawrence counties. Up to 1-2 inches could fall in these counties by Tuesday morning. About a half inch of slushy accumulation could occur in Nashville, but it's not expected to hamper travel conditions.

Salvation Army warns of imposter donation requests
The Salvation Army is warning people in Middle Tennessee after reports of scam artists in the area. The charity says they have had reports of people going door-to-door in Bellevue leaving flyers on mailboxes asking for money. The flyers state that half of the money donated will benefit the charity. The Salvation Army says they never go door-to-door and the flyers are not affiliated with their organization. Officials said they are currently trying to track down the group responsible. They say donors should stick to donating to the charity by mail, dropping off money at an area kettle, visiting the official Salvation Army website or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Black Friday Shoppers Set Spending Record, Cyber Monday Today
After Americans opened their pocketbooks on Black Friday and set a new spending record in the process, Cyber Monday is up next.   Last year on Cyber Monday, comScore.com says more than a billion dollars were spent while shopping online.  It's estimated shoppers spent $11.4 billion dollars on Black Friday compared to $10.7 billion last year, which was also a single-day record.

Titans Overcome 4 Turnovers, Edge Tampa Bay 23-17
The Tennessee Titans beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-17 Sunday. The Titans forced five turnovers and overcame four turnovers of their own. Chris Johnson ran for a season-high 190 yards. The Titans are now 6-5 for the season, the team is on the road this weekend against the Buffalo Bills. (12noon, Sunday, 12/4)

Hermitage Man Charged With Shooting Pregnant Girlfriend
Hermitage detectives charged a man Sunday with criminal homicide for shooting his pregnant girlfriend. The incident occurred around 1:45 a.m. at a home located at 421 Raintree Place. According to police, the suspect, Jordans Benoit called police and reported that his girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant, had been shot inside their home. Benoit told police Almise Derilus, 44, was shot in the neck after an argument. The 32-year-old man said the gun discharged as the pair argued. Delrilus, was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she later died.  The unborn baby did not survive. Alvarez said that Delrilus was a Haitian native and does not have any family in the area. "She was a wonderful person and mother," Alvarez said. Derilus leaves behind a six-year-old son with Down Syndrome. Benoit has been jailed with a $500,000 bond. Additional charges are expected.

Keith Urban Recovering From Vocal Cord Surgery
It'll be several weeks before country singer Keith Urban can get back to crooning again, but overall he's doing fine after vocal cord surgery. A rep for the singer said Urban underwent the procedure to remove a polyp on Tuesday and is recovering. He's not supposed to speak for the three weeks following the surgery. Urban, who is married to Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, thanked fans for their support in a video message posted on his website just one day before the surgery. He announced earlier this month that he would have to postpone several shows while under medical care. The polyp apparently developed during Urban's recent "Get Closer World Tour 2011." British singer Adele also recently underwent surgery on her vocal cords as did KISS rocker Paul Stanley.

Annual card drive for wounded soldiers begins
Middle Tennessee State University's annual collection of Christmas cards for wounded military personnel is under way. The collection, called Operation Christmas Care-Christmas Cards for Wounded Warriors, is in its sixth year, according to The Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro. Lee Ann Newton, an MTSU employee who started the program, says those who want to donate can drop cards into boxes around campus. She says since 2006, the program has sent more than 46,000 Christmas cards to hospitalized military personnel.

Well-Known Teacher, Coach, and Councilman Varallo Dies
A well-known former Metro Councilman, coach, teacher, mentor, and Nashville Restaurant worker has died. Vic Varallo died Friday at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin. Vic was a star football and basketball player in college starting at Ole Miss and playing for MTSU after World War II.  He was inducted into the MTSU and TSSAA Hall of Fame. Vic was a well-known teacher and perhaps even more well-known as "Coach Varallo" for his success as a track coach in Metro schools. Varallo was elected to two terms as a Metro Councilman at large starting in 1991. Varallo also spent many years working at the family-owned Varallo's Restaurant in downtown Nashville. Services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 at Spring Hill Funeral Home on Gallatin Pike. Vic Varallo was 89.

Radio City Rockette program to hold Nashville auditions
Middle Tennessee women will soon have a chance to audition to join the Radio City Rockette program and dance like a world-famous Rockette. Auditions for the 2012 Rockettes Summer Intensive at Radio City Music Hall in New York will be held on December 4 at the Nashville School of Ballet located at 3630 Redmon Street in Nashville. You've got to be at least 14 years old by June 22, 2012 and have at least five years of training in tap, jazz and ballet. The Rockettes Summer Intensive is a weeklong program, running June 24- August 3, 2012. It's hosted at the Radio City Music Hall, where the actual Rockettes rehearse for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Since its inception in 2001, 47 dancers from the program have gone on to become Rockettes.  For more information about the Rockettes and the summer intensive auditions, visit Rockettes.com. The "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" starring the world-famous Rockettes is celebrating its 10th season in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House. The show runs through Chrismas Eve. For information on show times and to buy tickets, visit RadioCityChristmasSpectacular2011.com.

Kentucky Lawmaker Warns Of Neck Tattoos In Military
Kentucky tattoo parlors may soon be required to post signs warning that a neck tattoo may prevent a person from enlisting in the military. Republican State Representative Ron Crimm of Louisville recently filed a bill that would require tattoo artists to warn customers that military recruiters may reject applicants if they have ink on their necks. Crimm said he got the idea after a recent conversation with an armed forces recruiter. Crimm says he was told the military is beginning to deny people unless they remove the tattoos from their necks.

Chamber study finds many relocating to Nashville
A recent study by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce found that the last half-decade has brought a wave of relocations from other parts of the U.S., and it's happening at a much higher rate than other metropolitan areas. Los Angeles was the biggest out-of-state sender from 2005 to 2009. Those relocating include about 600 who came with Nissan North America when it moved its corporate headquarters to Williamson County. But Crye-Leike relocation expert Kelly Thomas told The Nashville Ledger that many people are coming from the music industry in L.A.(http://bit.ly/ukm2ix ). And there is never a shortage of aspiring country artists. Some of the other cities sending the most people to the multi-county metropolitan statistical area of Nashville include Memphis, Chicago and Detroit. Those moving to the Nashville are generally are attracted by the good quality of life and a relatively low cost of living, Thomas said. "There is a huge corporate presence here. There is job availability, stability and no state income tax, which is huge."

The 8 'Germiest' Places In The Mall
During the craziness of the holidays, the last thing you want is to get sidelined with a cold, flu, stomach bug -- or worse. But while you're checking items off your shopping list, you may be exposing yourself to germs -- like flu viruses, E. coli, and staph -- that can make you sick. "Anywhere people gather is filled with bacteria and viruses, and a crowded shopping mall is a perfect example," says Philip Tierno, Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center. With that in mind, we asked a panel of experts to rank the worst germ hot spots at your local shopping center. Check out the ewww-inducing results -- and tips for keeping yourself in the clear.