Wednesday, May 16, 2012

NASHVILLE TACKLES HIGH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NUMBERS
Mayor Karl Dean is recommending that Metro add two domestic violence prosecutors to the city staff to improve the city's handling of domestic violence cases. Tennessee has ranked in the top ten states since 2001 for the highest rates of women murdered by men. We only had TWO prosecutors for the more than 12 thousand cases last year.

HEALTH: AUTISTIC TEENS FACE CHALLENGES AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
A new study shows it's more difficult than previously thought for young people with autism. After the teens get out of high school, about half of them don't go to college or join the workforce within two years, even if they're high-functioning and can communicate well. (The study appears in the journal "Pediatrics.")

METRO COUNCIL PASSES BUDGET ON FIRST READING
Mayor Dean's one-point-seven-billion-dollar budget plan that includes the highly debated property tax increase has moved forward with the metro council. It'll raise 100-million dollars in new revenue, and members say passing the budget on first reading gives them time before the next reading to start working on it and looking for ways to cut the amount proposed.

FINAL THREE ANNOUNCED ON DANCING WITH THE STARS
The finalists are in place for next week's season finale of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." On last night's show singer Katherine Jenkins, actor William Levy and football star Donald Driver will compete next Monday. in the Finale. ( 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 Central time.)

MAN PLANS TO PICKET FISH FRY OVER FALSE ADVERTISING
A Wisconsin man says he's standing up for consumers who've been misled by false advertising. Bill Wisth says he's going to picket his local fish place, because they only served him TWELVE pieces of fish, and offered him 8 more to go, instead of all he could eat, as they'd advertised. Wisth is extremely obese, weighs at least 350 pounds, and the restaurant says they've had problems with him before.

BOARD TO VOTE ON FIRING MURFREESBORO TEACHER
Rutherford County school officials are expected to vote tonight on whether to dismiss a high school teacher who's being investigated for inappropriate conduct with students. Criminal justice teacher and soccer coach Richard Kimberly hasn't been officially charged with anything.

SMYRNA OFFICER FIRED FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
And 34 year old Smyrna police officer Henry Jenkins has been fired for having a relationship with a 17 year-old girl. No word yet on whether charges will be filed in that case.

HEALTH: CHILD'S HEALTH TIED TO PARENTS' EDUCATION, INCOME
A new federal report shows what you may have suspected...that poor parents or those who don't finish college ... tend to have children who have poorer health: they're inactive, obese, have ADHD and poor dental habits, and tend to watch TV more than 2 hours a day. ( The CDC's report is titled "Health, United States, 2011." )

FORMER TSU COACH NOLAN RICHARDSON III FOUND DEAD
Former Tennessee State men's basketball coach Nolan Richardson the Third has been found dead at his home in Oklahoma. In 2002, Richardson was suspended as TSU's coach and then resigned after bringing a gun into Gentry Center to confront another man. Police say his body was found on Sunday and that he apparently died of natural causes. Richardson the Third was 47.

SPRING HILL BOOK DISPLAY CREATES CONTROVERSY
A display in Spring Hill's Books-A-Million is creating a stir after a Christian Blogger says she was offended by the display for a book in the Sexuality Section. She blogged about it, got more than 2000 comments, and the store emailed an apology. But, Nancy French claims the books were still displayed the same way when she went back.

HEALTH: SLEEPWALKING MORE COMMON THAN BELIEVED
Have you ever walked or done anything weird in your sleep? A new study shows sleepwalking is more common than we thought: more than 1-in-3 people say they've had at least one sleepwalking episode. You can see some common triggers for sleepwalking IN THIS STORY. The study appears in the journal "Neurology.")

U.S. SCIENTISTS WARN, "SUGAR CAN MAKE YOU DUMB"
Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower. Scientists gave lab rats water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup... which is in many of OUR drinks... and in just six weeks, they had noticeable memory loss.

MEN SENTENCED TO READING, BOOK REPORTS
A California judge has handed out some creative justice. He's ordered three men who were convicted on gun charges and other charges.... to READ books for at least 2 hours a day, and then write book reports on them.

ONE AIRLINE NOW LETS PASSENGERS MAKE CELLPHONE CALLS
On some Virgin Atlantic planes, you'll be able to phone home from 35,000 feet in the air. The airline has announced that it will become the first British airline to provide passengers the capability to make and receive phone calls during flights. Passengers also will be able to send and receive text messages, emails and have web access via GPRS. The new service will be available in all cabins of the airline's new Airbus A330-300 aircraft and refitted Boeing 747s.

SUBWAY, PAPA JOHN'S EINSTEIN BAGELS AMONG TOP RATED CHAINS
Subway continues to dominate in the fast food industry. The sandwich chain is topping the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend list of "Quick Service" restaurants, marking its eighth consecutive number one ranking. Harris Interactive's Mary Bouchard says Subway's lengthy run "clearly indicates" that consumers really are looking for more nutritious fare from fast food establishments. Dairy Queen has second place on the list, while Wendy's just edges out Five Guys Burgers and Fries to take the number three spot. Chik-fil-A rounds out the top five. Meanwhile, Papa John's is marking its first year at number one among pizza chains. The accomplishment bumps Pizza Hut from the top spot and caps off a seven-year run at number one. Einstein Bagels is the inaugural leader among "Coffee & Quick Service" restaurants.

HEALTH: BRITISH LAWMAKERS ALARMED BY DRUG SHORTAGES
British lawmakers are demanding action as the country faces a serious shortage of key medicines. The All-Party Pharmacy Group blames European Union rules for allowing exporters to take prescription drugs from one market and sell them for higher prices in other countries. A group spokesman says diabetics and other patients with serious conditions have been hospitalized in Britain because of the problem. A weak pound is fueling an increase in exports. France and other countries are also reportedly considering a ban on the export of critical drugs.

NJ ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE OKAYS EXPANDING TEEN TANNING BAN
And New Jersey lawmakers are trying to pass a bill to raise the tanning bed BAN from age 14 to 18. This comes after a New Jersey mother was arrested this month for allegedly letting her five-year-old daughter in to tan at a local salon.