Wednesday, June 20, 2012

OPRYLAND HOTEL EVACUATED FOLLOWING EXPLOSION
A gas explosion at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center caused the evacuation of over 5,000 guests Tuesday night, but no injuries were reported and guests were allowed back inside early Wednesday. Capt. Ken Walburn of the Nashville Fire Department said the explosion occurred at around 8:15 p.m. in the convention center portion of the hotel away from guest rooms. Officials are investigating today to see exactly what happened.

METRO COUNCIL APPROVES PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
http://www.wkrn.com/story/18830235/metro-council-approves-budget-propert...
The Metro property tax issue passed. The Metro Council has approved the new budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes a Nashville property tax increase of 53-cents per 100-dollars of assessed value.  Much of the money raised will go toward a salary increase for starting Metro teachers.

FREE AND CHEAP FAMILY MOVIES TODAY AND TONIGHT (Wed)
There’s Regal Cinema's Family-Friendly, One-dollar summer matinee… today at 10…. At Regal Cinemas in Green Hills, Opry Mills, Providence and Indian Lake

And "Movies in the Park" is tonight. It’s a free movie at sunset at Percy Warner Park… tonight’s feature is Twilight: Breaking Dawn

HEALTH: SLEEP APNEA IN TEENAGERS LINKED TO BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
If you have a teenager who snores, you may want to make sure he's not suffering from sleep apnea. That's where his airways become so obstructed by those soft tissues in the throat that he stops breathing. Sleep apnea in teenagers has now been linked to behavioral and social problems. Kids with sleep apnea are at a much higher risk of having issues with anger management, concentration, learning, and hyperactivity, along WITH all the other potentially FATAL health problems such as heart attack.

ILLNESS FORCES KRISTIN CHENOWETH TO RESCHEDULE NASHVILLE PERFORMANCE
Kristin Chenoweth has rescheduled tonight's (Wednesday) Nashville show at TPAC for NEXT Thursday, June 28th, because of illness. Tickets purchased for tonight's show will be honored next Thursday. The tickets range in price from $35 to $99.50, are still available at www.TPAC.org or 615-782-4040.

$15M IN GRANTS AIMED AT HELPING HOMELESS VETS FIND JOBS
The U.S. Secretary of Labor says we're not going to just forget our homeless veterans. A 15 million dollar grant has just been set aside to help homeless vets find jobs, get classroom and on-the-job training and even help them get treatment for substance abuse or mental health issues so they can become employable. It'll help about 8600 vets.

ASIANS NOW OUTNUMBER HISPANICS AMONG NEW ARRIVALS IN THE UNITED STATES
There are now more Asians than Hispanics coming into the United States. The Pew Research Center says immigration from Mexico has taken a nosedive, partly because of the weak U.S. job market and an increase in deportation.

WOMAN SAYS RAT RAN UP HER PANTS LEG ON SUBWAY, SHE'S TRAUMATIZED
A New York woman says she's traumatized...and can't ride the New York Subway anymore... after a rat ran up her pants leg, as she took the subway home recently, and she had to take her pants OFF to get rid of it. The 40 year old says she's still so shaken up she can't sleep at night.

BIEBER TV SPECIAL TONIGHT
If you have Bieber Fever you can get your medicine this week: Justin's NBC special "Justin Bieber: All Around the World," airs tonight and tomorrow night.

IDENTIFY THIS CAR AND HELP CATCH A HIT AND RUN DRIVER Murfreesboro police are hoping you'll look at a video they've released of a hit and run, and help them identify the driver who hit a bicyclist, then just kept driving, leaving the cyclist lying there, bleeding on the road. The vehicle is a gold Sport Utility Vehicle, and you can see the video and what type of car some car afficionados think it is… HERE 
The 22-year-old cyclist is in the intensive care unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

POLICE SEARCHING FOR PERSON WHO GUNNED DOWN FRANKLIN DOG
Williamson County Police are trying to find out who shot and killed a Franklin family's dog Friday morning. You're asked to call your local police if you have info. (615-790-4000)

RENTAL CAR COMPANIES NITPICK SCRATCHES, DENTS, TRAVELERS SAY
As you plan your summer vacation, keep this in mind: consumers are reporting that rental car companies are becoming increasingly vigilant about damage to their vehicles, charging customers for every nick and scratch. So make sure you do a thorough walk around the car as you take it, and document the damage, so you don't get charged for it when you bring it back.

SALES OF OVERSIZED CASKETS RISE WITH OBESITY PROBLEM
Our nation’s obesity epidemic is causing us problems, even after death. Sales of oversized coffins are up drastically. The large and extra large caskets cost up to 5 thousand dollars more than regular caskets, and if they don't fit in a regular grave site, you may have to be buried someplace where you can get two sites together.

JOHNNY DEPP, VANESSA PARADIS SPLIT
Johnny Depp and his girlfriend have split up. He and Vanessa Paradis have two children. (The children are Lily-Rose, 13, and Jack, 10.)

BRIDGESTONE, NFL EXTEND SPONSORSHIP CONTRACT 
Bridgestone is extending its sponsorship pact with the NFL for another four-years.  The tire maker announced Tuesday that it will still be known as the "Official Tire of the National Football League," but instead of sponsoring the Super Bowl halftime show, will have a year-long presence.  Bridgestone has been a sponsor of the NFL since 2007.

METRO INSPECTORS COULD FACE CHARGES OVER POLICE BADGES
Several Metro inspectors could be facing charges for carrying police badges and weapons.  In April, Metro Police confiscated ten badges being used by inspectors.  A spokeswoman for the Transportation Licensing Commission says disciplinary action for the staff will be made public following their next scheduled meeting on June 28th.

TITANS SIGN MICHAEL GRIFFIN TO MULTI-YEAR DEAL
Safety Michael Griffin has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the Tennessee Titans.  The team made the announcement Tuesday, saying Griffin is a "talented and successful young player."  The deal is estimated to be worth around 35-million dollars over five-years.

PARENTS OF STARVED TENNESSEE BOY INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGES
The parents of a 28-month-old boy who starved to death last month have been indicted in Kingston, Tennessee on first-degree murder charges. 26-year-old Matthew Dotson and 25-year-old Amanda Dotson's other son, a six year old, has been put into state custody.