Tues, March 6, 2012

SUPER TUESDAY
Today is Super Tuesday, with Tennessee and nine other states holding primary elections and caucuses. GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney shares a statistical tie in polls in Tennessee with Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who had a lead a few days ago. Romney also has the support of much of the state's Republican establishment, including Governor Bill Haslam and Senator Lamar Alexander, though former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has recently picked up momentum.

TEACHER RANKINGS PUBLIC THIS SUMMER
You'll be able to see how your kids' teachers are ranked starting this summer. The teacher evaluations will go online, and show their score of one to five based on their classes' learning gains and on-spot reports made by principals. Some people argue the pressure put on teachers might add stress to their jobs and distractions from the learning process.

WRITER OF CLASSIC DISNEY SONGS DIES
The man who wrote some of the classic Disney songs you grew up with has died. Robert Sherman wrote the songs "It's a Small World," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Chim-Chim Cheree," "Feed the Birds" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." He won Oscars for songs written for "Mary Poppins." Sherman died last night in London. He was 86.

INDIANA MOM LOSES LEGS TO SAVE CHILDREN

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpps/news/indiana-mom-loses-legs-saving-her-children-from-tornado-dpgonc-20120306-fc_18389453
And a 36 year-old Indiana mom is recovering after losing part of both legs .... when she shielded her children with her own body... and saved their lives. She says she picked the kids up early from school, and they were all in the family basement when the house started shifting. She tied them up in a blanket and threw herself on top of them. When she found her legs were partially gone, she says she made a video with her phone, telling her husband and family she loved them, in case she didn't make it. A neighbor came by and got her to help, and she's going to be okay.

GRANDMOTHER MOURNS LOSS OF ENTIRE FAMILY
http://gma.yahoo.com/baby-angel-babcocks-grandmother-mourns-loss-entire-family-050220787--abc-news.html
That Indiana family of five killed in a tornado Friday has been laid to rest. There's a Bank of America fund to help pay for expenses. Four members of the family were killed instantly. Angel Babcock's grandmother was with the 15 month old girl when she was taken off life support Sunday in Kentucky. The grandmother says the little girl raised her arms up as she passed away and believes the child was reaching up to her daddy to go to heaven with him.

SHERIFF'S OFFICE EMPLOYEE ARRESTED ON DUI, WEAPONS CHARGES
A Davidson County Sheriff's Office employee has been arrested in Murfreesboro for DUI after officers found him passed out in his car with his vehicle still in drive, and his foot on the brake. 45 year-old Kevin Cox also had two loaded pistols in the trunk, and it's illegal to have a weapon while you're intoxicated. Cox is the Director of Operations for the Hill Detention Center on Second Avenue.

ADVICE ON REPAIRING HAIL DAMAGED VEHICLES
http://www.wkrn.com/story/17073781/what-to-do-if-your-car-has-hailr-damage
If you still have hail damage you haven't dealt with, experts say contact your insurance companies first, to since it may be a homeowner's claim, rather than a car insurance claim... and THEN find a repair shop. Your insurance company may have one they work with regularly and get consistent results.

OCCUPY PROTESTERS DWINDLE AFTER LAW SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
http://www.wsmv.com/story/17082650/occupy-protestors-dwindle-after-law-sign-by-governor-friday
Dozens of Occupy protesters who've lived at Legislative Plaza the last few months are packing up and going home, just ahead of a government-ordered deadline. They have until Friday to get out.

WYNETTE'S NAME CHANGED ON TOMBSTONE
The name Tammy Wynette is no longer on the singer's tombstone at Woodlawn. The name has reportedly been changed to "Virginia W. Richardson," though there's no word yet on the why it was changed. ( The Country Music Hall of Famer was born Virginia Wynette Pugh, and she remained married to George Richie until the time of her death in 1998. Her tomb is at Nashville's Woodlawn Cross Mausoleum.)

INFORMATION FOR DISASTER RELIEF
http://www.wkrn.com/story/17075694/contact-information-for-disaster-relief
And the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says if you need disaster help, you should contact your local Emergency Management Agency, for whatever city you're in. You can get the list on the mix929.com NEWS page. (The contact information for individual Middle Tennessee county EMA's is listed in the link above.) 　

FDA DEFENDS SODA MAKERS OVER ALLEGATIONS OF CANCER-CAUSING INGREDIENT
The Food and Drug Administration is defending soft drink makers Coca-Cola and PepsiCo from allegations their beverages could cause cancer. The agency released a statement Monday saying the soft drinks are safe.... though the Center for Science in the Public Interest says the sodas contain unsafe levels of a chemical used to make caramel coloring... and that chemical has been shown to cause cancer in rodents.

MARYLAND CONGRESSMAN IN TROUBLE FOR MUSTACHE TAX BREAK
A lawmaker in Maryland is being criticized for trying to help push through a tax break for men who maintain their mustaches. The 250-dollar break would have been to pay for "Grooming Expenses". Once word got out he was behind such a measure, he backed down.

OPRAH TO INTERVIEW BOBBI KRISTINA, AIRS SUNDAY NIGHT
http://www.wsmv.com/story/17084181/oprah-to-interview-bobbi-kristina
Oprah says she's interviewing Bobbi Kristina Brown .. the 18 year old daughter of the late Whitney Houston. The show airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network this Sunday at 8pm Central.

UPGRADES UNDERWAY AT LP FIELD
Work is under way on the close to 27-million dollars worth of upgrades on LP Field. The arena is getting two new elevator banks on the east and west sides with six elevators each, a new control room and sound system upgrades. It's also getting high definition video boards at both end zones and fan hospitality area. The LP ticket tax will go up from two to three dollars in summer 2013.

WENDY'S REMODELING STORES
Wendy's is planning a chain-wide remodel to give each of their restaurants a higher-end look, with light wood, more natural lighting and flat-screen TVs.

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SAYS...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Speaking last night to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, Netanyahu said he will never let Israelis live in the shadow of annihilation. He said Israel must always reserve the right to defend itself.

WHITES OUTLIVE BLACKS IN THE U.S.
http://www.livescience.com/18822-white-live-longer.html
In the United States, white males live about seven years longer on average than black men, and white women live more than five years longer than black women. The researchers say the results mean we need to pay more attention to improving the health of African Americans.

TN TROOPER INJURED PURSUING MOTORCYCLIST
A Tennessee Highway Patrolman is injured from a crash while pursuing a motorcyclist in Humphreys County. Highway Patrol spokespersons say the patrolman spotted the motorcyclist riding wheelies down Highway 70 near McEwan and tried to catch the suspect. The suspect fled between two vehicles, both of which hit the patrolman's vehicle and sent it into a ditch. The trooper and four others received minor injuries and the motorcyclist is at large.

OHIO TEEN SHOOTER IN COURT
The Ohio teen accused of killing three Chardon High School students and wounding two more last week has an initial appearance scheduled later today in juvenile court. Seventeen-year-old T.J. Lane is charged with three counts of aggravated murder and will likely face two more counts of attempted aggravated murder and felony assault.

MINORITY KIDS DISADVANTAGED IN U.S. SCHOOLS
A new study indicates African-American and Latino high school students appear to suffer a major disadvantage in the U.S. school system. The study from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights indicates they're more likely to be suspended and have far less access to challenging coursework.

MAN DIES WHILE BURIED ALIVE TRYING TO SET RECORD
Investigators in Sri Lanka are looking into the death of a man who was trying to set a record for being buried alive. Reports out of the country say it happened Saturday when 24-year-old Janaka Basnayake got some help burying himself in a trench. He was under wood and dirt for about six hours when he was uncovered. He was not conscious and pronounced dead a little while later. The exact cause of death has still not been revealed.