Wednesday September 19, 2012

FREE DONUTS AT KRISPY KREME FOR TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY
If you have time to stop in today, Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts today to people who Talk Like a Pirate. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day. And if you wear a pirate costume, you get a dozen donuts.

THE UNEXPECTED COSTS OF SMART PHONES
Millions of people just ordered the new iPhone 5, and will be very happy with the purchase. But a new study says there are charges well beyond the cost of smart phones and service plans, that we often don't anticipate. Over the past five years, iPhone users have spent five-point-nine-BILLION-dollars on replacing, repairing, and paying insurance deductibles on the devices. Eleven-percent are using iPhones that are cracked, and 6% say this very minute, their iphone is being held together with tape.

TODAY IS "IT CAN WAIT" PLEDGE DAY TO STOP TEXTING, DRIVING
This is one you may want to talk to you kids about. Today is AT&T's "It Can Wait" Pledge Day, to get young people to take a pledge, and commit to waiting to text, until the car is turned off.  Organizers say texting and driving should be as unacceptable as drinking and driving.
Print and sign the Parent/teen pledge HERE.

WAS JESUS MARRIED?
A little tiny scrap of ancient papyrus could stir up a GIANT controversy! There's a remnant of an ancient writing. It's about the size of a business card, and it contains text written in Egyptian Coptic, the language of ancient Egyptioan Christians. Translators and researchers say it may indicate Jesus was married, because the writing on it includes the words, "Jesus said to them, my wife..."  

HENDERSONVILLE ORTHODONTIST, WIFE KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
A well-known Hendersonville orthodontist and his wife were killed when their small, single propeller plane crashed Monday afternoon in northern Alabama…. About 150 miles south of Nashville. Dr. Gary Cohen and his wife Nancy were flying from Destin, Florida to Gallatin, when Cohen spoke with air traffic control about storms and bad weather, then they lost contact.  Dr. Cohen owned Smile Construction, an adult and children orthodontist office in Hendersonville, and Nancy worked as a pharmacist in Gallatin.
There are Facebook posts from friends, fellow church members and patients… who are just broken-hearted to hear the news.   Both Dr. Cohen and Nancy were active members at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville.  Former patient and close friend Ed Stezer said,  "As an orthodontist he was about bringing smiles, I know that wasn't just something he did in his practice, it's something he did in his life."  The Cohens leave behind three adult children. No word yet on funeral services.

NASHVILLE CHURCH, CITY TO MEET IN COURT OVER HOMELESS CAMP
A Nashville church wants to really live its mission, and help the homeless. The Green Street Church of Christ is asking permission from the city to turn the church property into a homeless camp. They've had about a dozen homeless people camped on the lawn for the past several months, but now the city says it's getting complaints and is taking them to court. The church is in a business area with car places and an electrical contractor company nearby. There's a court date set for November to figure something out.

STORMS LEAVE THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER ALONG EAST COAST
As you wake up this morning, imagine waking up in the cold, with no electricity to warm up, have breakfast, take a hot shower or even see to get dressed. That's what's going on for thousands of people along the East Coast. Storms knocked out power in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and the New York City area.... and  Airport travel was snarled by high winds for much of the day.  

AMERICAN AIRLINES LAYOFFS
No telling how this will affect your next vacation yet, but American Airlines is cutting flights and has told more than eleven thousand workers they could lose their jobs, as the airline goes through bankruptcy reorganization.

GUY WAS BURNING FLAG, DIES
A man in Pakistan was taking part in an American Flag-burning, got too close to the fire, and later died of smoke inhalation. Jay Leno commented on his show last night that we don't have to defend the flag, it can defend itself!

MISSISSIPPI RANKS NUMBER ONE ON MOST OBESE LIST, TENNESSEE NUMBER FOUR
A new report claims that by 2030 more than half of adults in 39 STATES will be obese, and Mississippi is expected to stay on top of that list. But my little chunky punkin, before you start celebrating that we're not the fattest -- with a toast of your triple chocolate mocha latte -- Tennessee is still the fourth fattest state in the country. Other states in the top five include Oklahoma, Delaware, and South Carolina.

TIM TEBOW SAYS HE MAY RUN FOR OFFICE LATER ON
New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow, the one who's known for kneeling and praying on the football field... says he may run for political office. Not now, but someday.

KY WOMAN JAILED FOR FB POST
A Kentucky woman has been sent to jail for posting on Facebook. Paula Asher was DRIVING DRUNK, and slammed into a car carrying four teenagers. She wrote on her Facebook page, that she got a DUI and hit a car, LOL. LOL meaning, Laugh out loud. When the judge heard she was LAUGHING about nearly killing some kids, the judge ordered Asher to delete her Facebook account. She didn't and went to jail for two days for it. Asher has apologized since.

SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR WILL LEAVE FLORIDA FOR THE LAST TIME TODAY
Space Shuttle Endeavour will leave Florida for the last time today.  The retired shuttle is mounted atop a modified 747 for its last journey to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, where it will be put on display.  While on its way, Endeavour will fly over the space centers that contributed to the success of the shuttle program that first launched more than 30 years ago. 

BPA CAUSING OBESITY?
New research suggests that the chemical known as BPA ... that's found in many plastic bottles and cans, could be making children obese. Researchers say they found kids with the most of the estrogen-like chemical were twice as likely to be obese. BUT... they haven't ruled out that those heavier kids may have simply consumed more food from plastic bottles and cans, causing the obesity, and exposing them to more BPA.

BOMB THREATS AT UNIVERSITIES ACROSS COUNTY ARE RELATED
A recent string of bomb threats that led to evacuations at universities across the country are related, according to the University of Texas.  On Friday, the entire UT campus was evacuated after an unspecific threat was phoned in.  The campus police chief confirmed to the Austin "American-Statesman" that his department believes the hoax is connected to others in North Dakota and Louisiana. 

TEACHERS' STRIKE IN CHICAGO IS OVER
The teachers strike is over in Chicago and kids are headed back to school today for the first time in over a week.  Teachers union representatives voted to approve a tentative contract yesterday afternoon, ending the first strike by public school teachers in that city in 25 years.  

METRO COUNCIL APPROVES MONEY FOR CONTROVERSIAL VOTING MACHINES
Some electronic voting machines at the center of a controversy will be used in the November election.  The Metro Council voted last night to uphold a contractual agreement signed last year and appropriate 400-thousand dollars for 200 machines.  Several voters reported receiving the wrong ballot when the high-tech poll books were tested at polling locations during the August 2nd primary.

TRIA CONTINUES FOR TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING 12-YEAR-OLD
he trial for two of the five men accused of killing a 12-year-old girl during a home robbery continues today.  Prosecutors say Justin Howard and Cedric Peppers shot the little girl in the early morning hours of July 9th, 2009, while they were robbing her father's house.  Jeffrey Foxx, one of the other three men charged in the girl's death, testified yesterday against Howard and Peppers.

CAB DRIVER CONVICTED IN 2009 RAPE OF PASSENGER
 A cab driver found guilty of raping a female passenger will be sentenced November 7th.  Joseph Newton was convicted yesterday of the 2009 attack on a 27-year-old Franklin woman.  Newton, who was identified by the victim from a photo lineup, was arrested several months after the attack when he returned to the United States from his home country of Ghana, Africa.

EIGHT MEN FACING CHARGES IN PROSTITUTION STING
Eight men, including six from Nashville, are facing prostitution charges following an undercover sting in Franklin.  Police say the men answered an ad for an escort posted on a well-known website, then arranged to meet a woman working as a confidential informant at a motel for sex.  All of the men are scheduled to turn themselves in on October 4th. 

TODAY IN HISTORY: CARPET SWEEPER INVENTED, LED TO FIRST WOMAN CEO IN U.S.
Today in 1876, Melville Bissell patented the carpet sweeper.  Here are some more facts about Melville Bissell and his floorcare business.
FACT:  Melville Bissell invented his carpet sweeper to help him and his wife more easily clean up the sawdust that would stick to their crockery shop floor.
FACT:  Melville Bissell founded the Bissell floorcare products company in 1883.
FACT:  Anna Bissell began running the Bissell company following Melville's death in 1889, and became the first female corporate CEO in America.

HANDS ON NASHVILLE NEEDS 500 VOLUNTEERS FOR WEEKEND PROJECTS
Hands on Nashville says it desperately needs volunteers to help with a one-day school spruce up this weekend. If you can help, go to www.HON.org