Tuesday July 31, 2012

METRO SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW
www.mnps.org
Metro Schools start back tomorrow (Wed, August 1st). You can see the official Metro Back-to-school guide online to make sure you've done all you need to do. That includes a new round of vaccinations for kids going into 7th grade. The back to school guide is on the Metro Schools website: www.mnps.org

MNPS BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE

VACCINES RUN OUT AT NASHVILLE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
The three back-to-school shot clinics in Nashville closed Monday after the Metro Public Health Department exhausted its vaccine supply.
A new shipment is expected to arrive midday Tuesday. Parents can call 340-5616 or visit health.nashville.gov to learn when the clinics will reopen.
Seventh-grade students are required to have a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster (Tdap) and a second dose of the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine.

METRO SCHOOLS HAS RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS THIS YEAR 
School officials say we have a record number of students enrolled this year, 81-thousand kids going to Metro-Davidson County schools. Antioch and Hillsboro are both seeing population booms. 

TAX-FREE WEEKEND IS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 
Tennessee's Tax Free Weekend is Friday through Sunday, and applies to  Clothing under $100, School and art supplies under $100 , and Computers under $1,500 . You can see what else is eligible, and what's not... online.

B-CYCLE DEMONSTRATION TODAY
Nashville's new bike share program is expanding. It's called Nashville B-cycle, and between 11 and 1, you can test ride one of the retro-looking bikes, and learn more about the automated kiosk system. The expansion will bring us to 200 bikes available at 20 automated kiosks throughout the urban core. 

4 NEW STORES TO OPEN AT OPRY MILLS MALL
Four new stores are coming to the Opry Mills Mall. Mall officials announced Monday that ALDO, 50 East Shoes, Flip Flop Shoes and Janie and Jack Outlet will open during the late summer or early fall.
The sprawling shopping complex just east of downtown Nashville reopened March 29 after a nearly two-year closure following the massive flood of May 2010.
The new stores are among 200 retail stores and restaurants at the mall, which is in walking distance of the Grand Ole Opry and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
Janie and Jack Outlet specializes in children's clothing. The three other additions each sell shoes and accessories. Read more about the mall at www.Simon.com.

EXCHANGE CLUB WARNING BUSINESSES OF SCAM
A local organization that helps with the prevention of child abuse and honoring war veterans is warning businesses tonight about a woman using its name to solicit money.
It was about a week ago when a woman entered Mrs. C's Clothing on West Northfield Boulevard for a second time, claiming to be raising money on behalf of the Exchange Club.
Two checks, one for $125 and another for $60, were written to the woman, but according to Murfreesboro police her intentions were to keep the cash.
"I'm at a loss to ever understand the motives that people have in raising money, and to deface a very legitimate project for their own personal benefit," Exchange Club member John Hood said.
The Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro only solicits money for its Memorial Day Weekend Field of Flags event honoring veterans.
The Evening Exchange Club of Murfreesboro members only ask for contributions and sponsors for its Celebrity Waiters event.

GAS PRICES UP 10 CENTS PAST TWO WEEKS
Gas prices are up about 10 cents in just the past two weeks. Nationwide the average for a gallon of gas is 3.51. Here in Tennessee.. 3.27. 

LOCAL MOTHER REPORTS THREE-MONTH-OLD MISSING 
Metro Police are searching for a missing three-month-old. Police think the father took the baby after fighting with the mother Sunday night. Cops are asking you to be on the lookout for a late 90s gray Chevy Astro van with an Ohio license plate.

TITANS MOURNING TEAMMATE WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE 
The Tennessee Titans are mourning the loss of wide receiver O.J. Murdock, who apparently committed suicide on Monday. The 25 year old was found in his car outside a Florida High School where he'd been a football and track standout. Murdock hurt his Achilles tendon on the second day of Titans training camp last year and spent the whole season on injured reserve. He trained with the team in June, but then didn't show up last Friday. After hearing of Murdock's death, Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck tweeted a picture of Murdock's locker, where his No. 15 jersey waited. 

THAT 'FLU' MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN FOOD POISONING
One in six Americans will get food poisoning this year, and many will call it the flu, not realizing it was their cookout that poisoned them. Experts say you should always rely on a meat thermometer to make sure your burgers and chicken are done, rather than the color of the meat, and be careful to wash the utensils you use to put the meat on the grill, before you use them again to remove it. 

JACK DANIEL'S POLITELY ASKS AUTHOR TO NOT STEAL ITS LOGO
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2012/07/jack-daniels-very-politely-asks.html
It's hardly unusual for an iconic brand to vigilantly protect its image by having lawyers write letters to those who would infringe on their logo. The wording of such a letter from Jack Daniel's, however, is remarkable for its politeness.
As media critic Jim Romenesko reports, an attorney for Jack Daniel's recently wrote to author Patrick Wensink about his new book "Broken Piano for President," whose cover mimics the black-and-white Jack Daniel's label:
"Because you are both a Louisville 'neighbor' and a fan of the brand, we simply request that you change the cover design when the book is reprinted. If you would be willing to change the design sooner than that (including on the digital version), we would be willing to contribute a reasonable amount toward the costs of doing so," the attorney wrote.
A surprised Wensink told Romenesko that his publisher has agreed to change the cover, but is funding the change themselves.

MICHAEL PHELPS SWIMS FOR GOLD TODAY
Michael Phelps will swim for gold and history today in his signature event, the 200-meter butterfly.  Phelps will be joined by fellow American Tyler Clary. If Phelps reaches the podium, he will tie a record for the most Olympic medals with 18.

INDIA POWER GRID TROUBLES
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-07-31/india-power-outage/56600520/1
India's energy crisis has spread to over half the country.... as three of its regional grids collapsed, leaving more than 600 million people without electricity. It's one of the biggest ever blackouts in the world. Hundreds of trains stalled across the country, traffic lights went out, causing widespread traffic jams in New Delhi and other places. 
The massive failure — a day after a similar, but smaller power failure — has raised serious concerns about India's outdated infrastructure and the government's ability to meet its energy needs. 

AIMEE COPELAND USING NEW PROSTHETICS
The 24 year -old Georgia woman who lost parts of her limbs to a flesh-eating bacteria has three new prosthetics. Aimee Copeland has two hooks she uses for hands and a prosthetic leg. She's going through rehab and may be home before the end of August.  Copeland contracted the flesh-eating bacteria back in May when the makeshift zip line she was riding snapped and she fell, cutting her left calf. 

POSSIBLE SHARK ATTACK REPORTED IN CAPE COD
And a man is hospitalized this morning with severe injuries to both legs from an apparent shark attack off Cape Cod.