1. Liquid Stain - Immediately blot as much liquid as possible from the carpet with a soft, white, absorbant material like a towel or napkin. No carpet is completely stain proof, although most carpets today are treated with stain resistant treatments. The longer the stain sits, the more permanently it sets into it.
2. Solid Stain - Scrape away the solid or semi-solid stain with a blunt spatula or spoon (but never a knife because this can damage the carpet).
3. Scrubbing - NEVER scrub or brush a stain because this can harm the fibers of the carpet and actually have an adverse reaction, causing the stain to set.
4. Vacuum - Vacuum away as much of the solid stain as possible.
5. Spot Removal - Pretest the spot removal agent on an inconspicuous area. Follow the instructions very carefully. Apply a few drops to each color in the carpet, press a clean, white towel or napkin lightly over it for about 30 seconds. Check both the towel and the carpet for color transfer, color change, or any damage. Try another spot removal if you notice any change.
6. Cleaning Spots - Apply a small amount of spot removal agent to the soft, white absorbent material (napkin or towel) and apply it to the stain, from edges to center to prevent spreading. Continue as long as the stain is getting transferred onto the towel. Apply more solution to a fresh area on the towel and repeat process as long as stain is being removed.
7. Multiple Spot Removal Agents - When you need to add more than one spot removal agent, continue using the first one as long as there is improvement before moving on to the next one.
8. Rinsing - After the spill has been completely removed, rinse the affected area with water and blot dry to remove the cleaning agent so it does not attract soil and damage the carpet. To effectively blot up the water, use clean, dry towels weighed down by flat, heavy objects such as books. Change towels out as they become saturated.
9. Do NOT Overwet - Overwetting while cleaning can cause damage to carpets.
Information provided by Swan Floor Care in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I, personally, use Swan Floor Care for my own home and so do many of my clients. They come highly recommended! You can call them at 615-663-0045. Tell them Christopher Phillips at Keller Williams Realty in Murfreesboro, TN recommended you to them!
Despite the horrendous damage of last week’s devastating floods, the tourism industry pays many salaries and is needed to help finance the rebuilding of area homes and businesses. Tina Wright tells WGNS News that the Country Music Hall of Fame has had electricity restored and is once again open its regular hours. As you recall from earlier WGNS newscast, flood waters closed the popular tourist site on May 3rd.
Museum Director Kyle Young noted, “The museum sustained minor damage, but the exhibits and collections-located on the second, third and fourth floors of the building-are safe and dry and were never in danger.”
According to news reports, the Country Music Music Hall of Fame and Museum had five and a half feet of water in one of its basement mechanical rooms at the flood’s peak. Water also came into the street level Ford Theater that is located on the corner of Fourth Avenue South and Demonbreun Street.
Again, officials at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville tell WGNS that the electricity is back on and they are again welcoming tourists.
AWESOME! Your Order Has Been Paid For! Your special ad will be on the WGNSradio.com website for exactly 1-month! Now, all you need to do is email our Internet Guru your artwork for the special announcement ad. Email the jpeg file to “Rogers@WGNSradio.com.” Rogers will have your ad up and running within 24-hours during regular business day (Monday – Friday) between 10am and 5pm. Questions? Call WGNS at 615.893.5373 and ask for Rogers Harrison.
A special Easter Egg Hunt will be held on April 3rd that is open to the public at the Fellowship United Methodist Church. Rick Wooten, event coordinator tells WGNS…
Again, the Easter Egg hunt will be held on April 3rd from 2pm to 4pm at The Fellowship United Methodist Church. The church is located on Highway 99, down from Cason Lane.
For the “James Bond” in you - or perhaps just catering to your sneaky side, let’s talk about a fun way to encode and decode messages - or maybe important information you don’t want just anyone to see. Read more
I think most would agree that in today’s trying times being a teenager can be very challenging more so than 20 or 30 years ago. Yes there were drugs & alcohol no doubt, but compound that with the rate of fatherless and a culture that promotes drugs & alcohol use, violence and being counter culture certainly doesn’t help reduce the problems that our youth face daily. At our Smyrna Rotary club meeting I was telling those at the table that raising teenagers to me was the most challenging problem I have ever faced, not politics, personalities, customers or this current recession, but raising teenagers. I’m sure i’m not alone, but I often think of those mothers who are raising children on their own or with a step-father. I think of my own mother who had her hands full raising 5 children mostly on her own, yes I had a step-father but his job had him out of town during the week.
My childhood may be like many of divorced parents in the 70s and early 80s i would visit my father on the weekends and behave like I was a military boot camp cadet. With a father who retired from the Air Force and served in WW11 the military was in his blood. You didn’t get out of line with my Dad, i’ve been told by a few he was the “meanest man I ever met” according to one Smyrna Councilman who knew him. It’s not syrprising that I never wanted to raise my kids the same, but today I admire my late father’s strict discipline. My Dad believed in hard work, discipline and integrity, but compassion wasn’t one of his admired qualities.
The Smyrna West Alternative School seeks to provide their students opportunities for academic learning and behavioral improvement by equipping students with the necessary skills to return to their home school. Many of these students are from broken homes and often had behavorial problems in their home school. The Smyrna Rotary Club each year helps with the job shadow program. From Pilot Paul Lamb, Attorney Phillip George, Engineer Jerome Dempsey, Hardware Store owner Ginny Williams, Alice Mellett, CPA Joel Parks, Realtor Kathy Meadows, Richard Garvin Jr and many others step up to the plate and try and provide a positive role model and mentorship for these students. The two students I had were very polite and respectful. They attentively listened and were eager to learn what I had to share with them. When I asked both these students if their father was in the home both stated “no”, one hadn’t seen his father in many years. Many in our society are quick to judge and think that some kids are just bad and they would rather apply resources to those at the top. I’m reminded of the scripture in Matthew 9:11-12 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?”Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”. Many of these students do not have supportive parents and/or from a low income household. Some children are from families who do much for their children, yet those some students desire to rebel and make poor choices.
After the job shadow we had the opportunity to do the Smyrna Show with WGNS radio (100.5 FM 1450 AM) with Bryan Barrett and three Smyrna West School students. We usually host the show at the YMCA in Smyrna. Bryan has a big heart for helping others and I appreciate his efforts to always help. I was impressed with one of my job shadow students when he called into the show and shared the quote that I told them by Confucius that states ”Find a job you loveand you’ll never work a day in your life”. Thankyou to Principal Kay Davenport, her staff and the Smyrna Rotary Club for helping these young students. Below are some staggering statistics on teenagers and drugs.
The following are some statistics regarding teenage drug and alcohol abuse:
Underage drinking costs the United States more than $58 billion every year.
40 percent of those who started drinking at age 13 or younger developed alcohol dependence later in life. Ten percent of teens who began drinking after the age of 17 developed dependence.
Ten percent of teens report that they have attended a rave, and ecstasy and other drugs were available at more than two-thirds of these raves.
Teens that drink are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teens who never consume alcohol.
63 percent of the youth who drink alcohol say that they initially got the alcohol from their own or their friend’s homes.
Alcohol kills 6 ½ times more teenagers than all other illicit drugs combined.
Teenagers whose parents talk to them on a regular basis about the dangers of drug use are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don’t.
More than 60 percent of teens said that drugs were sold, used, or kept at their school.
20 percent of 8th graders report that they have tried marijuana.
28 percent of teens know a classmate or friend who has used ecstasy (Teen Substance Abuse).
Approximately 15 percent of 10th and 12th graders have used amphetamines. In a study at San Francisco General Hospital, 25 percent of seizures were found to be caused by amphetamine use. An estimated 1.8 million (0.8 percent) of youth age twelve and older are current users of cocaine.
Teen arrestees often test positive for recent drug use. The National Institute of Justices Arrestee and Drug Monitoring System (ADAM) drug testing program found that 66 percent of underage male arrestees tested positive for marijuana.
There is encouraging news from the national Institute on Drug Abuse. It appears that illicit drug use by teenagers is decreasing. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, which has been tracking teen drug use since the 1970’s, “The improvement so far is very modest, but at least the troublesome trends observed through most of the 1990’s have begun to reverse direction.” The troublesome trend is in reference to six years of steady increases in drug use among teenagers between 1991 and 1996.
The current trend relates to how young people perceive drugs. Many teens are reassessing the dangers and social acceptability of drugs. This may be due in part to the increased attention being paid to the issue of drugs by parents, community groups, the media, and the government. Many rock stars and actors no longer sing the praises of drugs as much as they have in the past (The Teen Drug Scene).
One clear change is teenager’s shifting attitudes toward the legalization of marijuana and other drugs. The vast majority of high school students disapproved of legalizing the private use of LSD (63%), heroin (71%), amphetamines and barbiturates (56%), and marijuana (39%).
The percentage of high school students favoring prohibitive laws on the private use of marijuana fell dramatically from 1990 to 1997 (from 56% to 39%). Nearly 33 percent of high school seniors in the year 2000 believed that marijuana use should be legalized, and nearly one quarter (23%), believe it should be treated as a minor violation, rather than a crime. Three in ten feel that marijuana should be treated as a crime.
Given ecstasy’s growing popularity, teenager’s lack of concern about the risks surrounding it are surprisingly low. The percentage of 12th graders who perceive any health risk in using ecstasy has risen only slightly to 38 percent from 34 percent in 1997. Even so, the vast majority of teens disapprove of experimenting with ecstasy (82%) – about the same as those who disapprove of experimenting with LSD (81%) (Statistics on Drug use Among Teenagers).
Legalization of marijuana and other drugs is not the answer. Just the medical cost of drug abuse was estimated by the National Center for Health Statistics to be nearly $60 billion, and the medical bill for alcohol was nearly $100 billion.
Parents and families face one of the most difficult battles in today’s society – that of raising drug free children. Communication is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal in keeping our kids off drugs. Yet for some reason, it is the most feared, and is seldom used. We as parents, educators, and supportive organizations, must set the tone, set the standards, and set the societal norm. We must talk to our children on a continuing basis about the dangers of drugs, and be active participants in their lives. Together we can change the face of drug addiction in our communities.
(If you’re a parent dealing with these issues I would like to hear your experience, feel free to email me at Mike_district11@comcast.net )
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee women’s tennis team opened its 2010 season with a solid 6-1 victory Wednesday against Belmont at the Nashboro Village indoor courts in Nashville, Tenn.
“It was a great win and all the girls played well,” head coach Alison Ojeda said. “I think more than anything we needed a match under our belts and we got that today. Everyone competed hard for us all day. Tomorrow will be a lighter practice schedule in preparation for our two matches later this week.”
The Blue Raiders began the match by sweeping the three doubles positions, including an 8-0 blanking at the No. 2 spot by Anna Djananova and Yuiri Nomoto against Abigail Hogan and Catherine Holliday.
Middle Tennessee’s No. 1 doubles pairing of Marietta Bigus and Natalie Araya (left photo) knocked off Abby Leatherwood and Laura Stack, 8-3. Taylor Coffey and Alex Dachos completed the sweep for the Blue Raiders, handing an 8-1 loss to Lindsay Bennett and Natalia Nunes in No. 3 doubles action.
The momentum continued in singles play with Middle Tennessee (1-0) picking up five wins in the six matches, all in straight sets.
Carla Nava, playing at No. 1, defeated Leatherwood, 6-0, 6-1, while Araya picked up a 6-3, 6-1 decision against Holiday at the No. 2 slot.
Nomoto finished off Hogan 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 4 position and Bigus earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over Bennett in No. 5 play.
Coffey completed the singles victories with a 7-5, 6-0 triumph against Nunes.
The lone Belmont (0-2) win came at No. 3 singles with Stick defeating Djananova, 6-4, 6-4.
The Blue Raiders will return to action with a pair of home matches this week, starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday against Chattanooga. Middle Tennessee will then play host to UT-Martin at 1 p.m. Saturday, instead of the previously scheduled time of 1:30 p.m.
In Proverbs it states “a foolish son is heavy on a mother’s heart”. The night’s experience was if i were in a bad dream. We received a phone call about 11:20 pm and were told there was a bad wreck and they thought my son may of been in the car. When I had to make that phone call telling the mother to come to the Emergency room. She had asked me what had happened and at that time I didn’t know her 17 year old son Nathan had passed away. I asked myself “Lord why am I being the one to make this call?”I watched the entire event unfold that evening in the StoneCrest ER. First I watched the boy’s mother get the news when my wife walked out of the ER with her, the boy’s mother had a cold blank stare I will see the rest of my life. I watched the grandmother get the news and state “she had to see him one more time!“, she later told me that was the second grandson she lost to an auto accident. I stood in outdoor ER area and tried to console many of the teenagers who were grieving profusely after hearing the sad news. I then watched a pickup pull in and a guy and walk quickly towards Nathan’s mother and ask “How is he?” she stated “He’s gone, my baby’s gone!”. I quickly learned that the only thing worse than a mother’s cries are a father’s wails.
While i’m writing this I see the images of Haiti, the destruction and the many who are grieving and starving. I think to myself how fortunate were are to be born in this great Country, have such an abundance, freedoms and opportunity. It is ironic that we have so much, but also have so many problems. My lil’ brother who graduated from the DEA Agency and graduated #1 in his class (thank God) at Quantica, Virginia where the FBI Academy is located was telling me earlier today the Agency had just made a huge bust. He told me Atlanta is now the drug capital surpassing Miami. I asked about America’s drug problem and if it was getting worse, he said “Definitely”.I asked him “How can we turn this around, when will it stop?”, he stated he doesn’t see it stopping. He gave me a history lessons and that humans have used drugs of one sort or another for thousands of years. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C.in China. I’ve watched drugs destroy marriages, families, jobs and one guy I knew I heard was homeless and living on the streets of Atlanta. “foolish son is heavy on a mother’s heart”.
I’ve seen too many mother’s (and fathers) that are burdened by sons and daughters who have had a drug addiction and make poor choices in life. I often look back at my childhood and high school years and don’t remember problems being that bad. In today’s world full of so much technology from iPods, computers, text messaging, violent video games, TV shows that portray family and fatherhood in a negative way, it seems that many mothers and fathers are fighting a difficult battle trying to instill values and discipline into today’s youth. I was just telling some fellow Rotarian members that my biggest challenge in life is not politics, buisness , marriage or anything else, but it’s raising a teenager. I am very proud of my wife who has sacrificed so much of her life to my sons and other children in their school PTO groups and teaching the youth at our Church. If anyone has ever volunteered to help in the nursery and teach the youth you know how challenging it can be.
In Proverbs 22:6 it states “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it”. I do believe firmly in that scripture. I remember my own teenage rebellious years and thinking about my mother who i never wanted hurt, but it made me rethink many of my decisions. Drugs and alcohol thank God were never a temptation for me. It seems as though our Country is not taking this problem seriously are at least helping to get to the root of the problem which in my opinion is personal responsibility and being responsible for our own actions and realizing there are consequences for our actions. America needs a Paradigm Shift now more than ever, a fresh look at where we are going, what we are doing and have the decisions and policies of the past made us better or worse as a society?
Let us remember to teach our youth that a Foolish Son is Heavy on a Mother’s Heart.
(The video pictured above was produced by Ian Arsenault whom I’m very proud of & does IT for our business. The video is from the Smyrna High school prom. My son Payton, Nathan and Zack and their girlfriends.)
Ronald Reagan once stated, “Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer”. Dr. Martin Lurther King Jr. was certainly braver years longer. His conviction, passion and fervant dedication to a just cause is something to be deeply admired. One cannot argue the pain that he must of felt as he watched people who were disenfranchised from American society. Disparities from drinking from different water fountains, attending segregated schools, being forced to use different restrooms and giving up your seat on a bus even while holding groceries it something I cannot imagine. I once heard a quote that states “Choose your Heroes wisely”. When we look at the many heroes we have from Jesus Christ, George Washington. Abraham Lincoln, William Wilberforce, Mother Teresa and Dr. King just to name a few. These were leaders who were not only brave, brilliant, compassionate, couragous, but were willing to give their lives for something greater than themselves. Dr. King in his last speech seems to give prophetic words that he would not see his hard fought efforts come to fruition. “Honey we didn’t have no school bus to ride” were the words of an elderly black lady when I asked her what school was like for her as a child. She told me “the white folks would often ride by on the bus and throw things at them”. Bryan Barrett and myself had performed the WGNS Smyrna Show from Rosenwald Park which is not far from where the old African American school once stood. I heard the stories Ms. Washington, who’s father was the Principal there and many other’s heartfelt stories of hard times growing up. Guitarist Casey Clark & his band came out and played for the reunion and FirstBank provided refreshments. I asked myself where were the Churches, Pastors and elected officials? Why were they silent? Why wouldn’t they speak up and have an impact? I’m reminded of a quote by Dr. King that states “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it”. I have often thought of what Dr. King would think about our modern day society. Would he be silent on the 70% of black children born into fatherless homes? With 85% of black children living in poverty are raised in a single parent home is something to get passionate about. Would he be silent on the almost 1 million men incarcerated in our prison system? I wish he were here, because I think he would have the same courage and conviction to speak up and impact society. Where are the “so called” black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton on these important issues? Instead of our media and leaders worried about Global warming why don’t they look to find solutions to an ever growing problem. America is in a moral crisis.
I will applaud President Obama for his public service announcement that is aired often on encouraging fatherhood. Churches, leaders, schools, teachers, media and others need not remain silent on these issues that not only cost us in billions of taxpayer’s dollars, but have emotional cost as well. Studies have shown that for every dollar spent on education it returns more than 2 dollars to taxpayers in reduced prison cost. “An ounce of prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure”.
The Old Timer’s Day Entertainment Committee is still looking for artist packages for the 2010 Old Timers’ Day festival, held each September at La Vergne’s Veteran’s Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive. This year’s event will take place Sept. 18.
Artist packages should include a CD of music, a bio and photo on CD as well. They should be sent to Old Timers’ Day Entertainment Committee, Attn: Angie Mayes, 5093 Murfreesboro Road, La Vergne TN 37086. An often-checked e-mail is also required.
The deadline is Feb. 28, 2010. The decision will be made in March. Artists who are chosen and those who are not will be notified.
There are a total of seven (7) slots on the bill, which is the main stage entertainment for the day. Times are selected by the Committee.
Average pay for the artist is $250. We will need a SSN or EIN for each artist/group chosen.
This past year of 2009, has been one of the toughest I’ve ever seen. From constant news of layoffs, Plant closings, home foreclosures, companies eliminating benefits, colossal consumer debt, home values dropping and uncertainty are just part of the problems facing many Americans. In Matthew 6:34 Jesus stated “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”.
I’ve always considered myself an optimist, but I think you have to be a realist to the facts that surround you. Being inundated with bad news daily often does not offer much encouragement and one can’t help but worry.I’m reminded of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Inaugural address “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. I often think of fear as the opposite of faith. In Hebrews 11:1 it states “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Being in business for myself, seeing local businesses close and reading that as many as 3800 auto dealerships closed in ‘09 is rather disheartening for any optimist. Faith many times is the key ingredient to elevate one’s mind above the fray.
Optimism, to me means having faith that things will turn out well in a given situation — and often, they do.. By viewing the glass half-full instead of half-empty, as the cliché goes, we reap tangible benefits. Studies have shown that optimistic people are more likely to lead longer, healthier lives than those who expect the worst.
The past year of’09 & this recession has been a blessing to me and I’m sure many others as well. When I look around and see how fortunate I am to have a roof over my head, food on the table, health, family and friends what more is there really? Money will not buy you happiness , I know a few who are wealthy and not happy. As I’m writing this I hear on the news that Ivana Trump ex wife of Donald Trump was escorted off a plane for screaming at children and that she is divorcing her 4th husband, doesn’t sound like she’s too happy with herself.
Recently one of my best friend’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer having to endure a double mastectomy. I remember my friend’s mother dying with cancer when he was 13. It seems that cancer has affected many now more than ever. It has certainly been difficult for them. Another couple we know has struggled financially and has had a difficult time selling their home.
I had probably my worst experience of my life in ’09 having to phone a mother this year and tell her to come to the ER when her only son passed away after a car accident. Seeing the boy’s father get the news, then the grandmother and friends was emotional tradegy for me. I believe it was author Napoleon Hill that wrote in his book on persistence who stated that “every situation that is bad, actually has an equal good side”. I have often struggled to find those good sides, but try hard to find them.
The past year will probably be one of my best years in the car business, I know December was my best month in almost 8 1/2 years. We sold 5 cars in one day last week when my goal is 5 in one week (thank God for it). Todao is the end of the month & i expect to sell 25 units, double of what i did last year. The car business is a tough business, but one thing that I am seeing which is very hopeful is that people are more frugal in their buying. They are doing more research online and making better decisions when spending their hard earned dollars- value is definitely in style.
I was speaking to Darlene with Heritage South Credit Union in Murfreesboro and she said her membership has grown the past year (i highly recommend joining a credit union, especially for obtaining auto loans-never allow a dealership to get your loan they mark up the interest rates). Our salon, The Vanity Zone was opened in ‘08 has picked up as well ( I finally built a sign out front which has helped the girls).
President Abraham Lincoln once stated “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my ax”. I’m guilty of not slowing down to sharpen my ax. The past year I’ve managed to increase sales all the while cutting expenses. I prayed for wisdom in making many decisions, many of which defy conventional wisdom. Case in point, I cut our advertising budget drastically yet sales increased? I don’t remember my MTSU Marketing 101 Professor teaching me that. I found savings of $2000 in reduced premiums with our insurance , saved $150 monthly when switching phone services to Comcast, do more in house mechanical repairs, priced shopped more, haggle vendors and other ideas way which helped the bottom line. Praying more, getting back to basics, seeing what is important in life and slowing down some has helped make the ’09 recession a Blessing. I hope everyone the best in 2010.
11. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low!
10. You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year!
9. Even though your house will be on the market, you still have new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture that market!
8. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture that market!
7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons!
6. Buyers have more time to look for home during the holiday’s than they do during a working week!
5. Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price!
4. Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays.
3. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home. Less demand means less money for you.
2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you!
And the Number One reason why your seller should list during during the Holiday’s
1. People who look for homes during the Holidays are more serious buyers!
The La Vergne Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place outside La Vergne City Hall on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. City Hall is located at 5093 Murfreesboro Road in La Vergne.
Featured singers of Christmas Carols will be the Ezell Harding Choir. Jimmy Carver, of Jefferson Pike Church of Christ, will give the annual prayer.
The public is welcome to attend this annual event.
A new month brings changes to the Murfreesboro City School system. The board is down to two finalists for director. They interview Dr. Linda Gilbert at 4:00 o’clock Tuesday afternoon (12/1/09). Dr. Lela Bridges from Harvey, Illinois will go before the board at the same time Wednesday (12/2/09). The Murfreesboro School Board will announce their decision in a special called meeting at 7:30 Thursday night (12/3/09). WGNS News will be there to let you know who is the new director of the Murfreesboro City School system. L-R photo ID: Dr. Linda Gilbert; Dr. Lela Bridges
Murfreesboro’s Dr. Linda Gilbert, who was formerly with the city system, is one of the final two. She is a professor in MTSU’s Department of Educational Leadership.
Harvey, Illinois Public School Director Dr. Lela Bridges is the other finalist. Harvey is a community of approximately 31,000 persons and is about 8-miles southwest of Chicago.
MTSU men’s basketball play-by-play with Chip Walters is back on the air Thursday night as the Raiders host Lamar. Pregame begins at 6:30pm with a 7pm tipoff on WGNS.
CINCINNATI - Middle Tennessee freshman Yuiri Nomoto dropped a straight-set match Saturday in the round of 32 to conclude the Blue Raiders’ participation in the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Nomoto, facing No. 98-ranked and No. 14-seeded Yevgeniya Stupak of ETSU in the main singles draw, was handed a 6-0, 6-1 loss. The Tokyo, Japan, native was the lone Blue Raider to compete Saturday in the tournament, which featured the best players from across the region.
Middle Tennessee will conclude its fall slate Nov. 6-8 at the UT St. Mary’s Fall Classic, hosted by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Spending quality time with your child is important, but one mom in Gloucester, Massachusetts is in trouble for allegedly taking her son on trips to buy and sell heroin. The Gloucester Daily Times reports Nancy Fulford pleaded not guilty Tuesday to possessing and distributing heroin. Her 23-year-old son Timothy was charged with knowing where his mom stashed the drug.
The man charged with beating his mother could face new charges. This after 81-year old Loraine VanBlarcom died Tuesday. On October 14th, police were called to 602 Independence Way after getting a call of a woman inside crying for help. When police kicked in the door, they found VanBlarcom lying in a pool of her own blood and her son, Roger VanBlarcom, standing over her. According to police reports, the elderly mother was asleep on a sofa when her son woke her and asked if she wanted to go to heaven? He allegedly then drug his mother downstairs and began beating her with a bat. Mrs. VanBlarcom told officers that her son said she was the Devil and he was punishing her for things she did to him as a child. Neighbors, who asked not to be identified, told WGNS News that Roger VanBlarcom had been terrorizing the neighborhood for several months. Police records show that in late September, he allegedly attacked a couple who owned the home across the street. That family moved away. Murfreesboro Police indicate that in addition to charges of attacking those neighbors, Roger VanBlarcom has an arrest history including stalking a female co-worker, and public intoxication. Roger VanBlarcom was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on attempted first degree murder charges on October 14th, but could now face first degree murder charges, among others, after the death of his mother.
Tulsa, Oklahoma - John Peer’s run in the ITA All-American main draw ended in a three-set battle on Friday. Peers lost a three-set heartbreaker to Stanford’s Bradley Klhan, seeded 14th in the tournament and in the ITA poll, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
“John had a great tournament. He can take a lot away from this experience knowing he can play with the ‘big’ boys,” head coach David McNamara said.
The Blue Raiders will have next week off before competing at the Regional Indoors Qualifying in Bloomington, Ind., Oct. 22-26.
Murfreesboro Police are investigating three recent incidents of a man exposing himself to women in the Aldridge Apartments area on Puckett Creek Crossing. The flashings were reported between 8-and-10 in the morning on three separate occasions. The culprit is in his late 20’s or early 30’s and about six-feet tall with brown hair. Police want to catch the man before his crimes escalate. If you have any information, contact Crimestoppers at 893-STOP.
The Rutherford County Commission was overflowing with patriotism at its Thursday, September 17th meeting. The day marked the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution, and Commissioner Phillips took a moment to remember the occasion and the importance the great document still holds today. Commissioner Bullen also added that today also marks the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, which the nation struggled through and emerged stronger from.
Vacancies were announced on the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Beer Board, and James Baker was suggested to complete the term of the late Talmadge Gilley. Commissioner Farley was elected as the new Chairman Pro-Tem, Commissioner Adam Coggin was elected as the Commission Chaplain, and as expected, Mayor Burgess was elected as Commission Chairman.
Public hearings were held to amend flood hazard district regulations and accessory dwelling unit regulations, and a resolution was passed to approve the legal services agreements for the steering committee. The property management committee also accepted land donations and property from the school board at Almaville, Rockvale, and Leanna.
Current Alderman Sherry Green has been named Grand Marshal of the 2009 Old Timers’ Day parade on Sept. 19 in La Vergne.
The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. and goes from City Hall, through Veteran’s Memorial Park to Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and back onto Murfreesboro Road.
“We chose Sherry because of her long service to the city of La Vergne,” Mayor Ronnie Erwin said. “She’s been Mayor, Vice Mayor and Aldmerman during her tenture and we’re glad to have her as our grand marshal this year.”
For more information about Old Timers’ Day, conact Angie Mayes at 287-8690 or Kim Smathers at 793-3224.
In the news
1) Comcast adds 13 new HD channels locally - BET(198), CMT(195), Comedy Central(260), G4(260), Lifetime(217), MLB Network(199), MTV(197), Nickelodeon(228), SpikeTV(218), Style(259), TVOne(188), VH1(196), and Weather Channel(185)
2) Comcast offers faster internet speeds (up to 15 MBps) for no additional charge. You might need to exchange your modem though.
Topic: How to check your RAM usage
We discussed 2 ways to make sure your computer isn’t using too much RAM.
1) Check your system tray. You can find detailed instructions at http://www.bukisa.com/articles/47806_how-to-clean-up-your-system-tray
2) Check the task manager. See http://www.simplehelp.net/2006/07/12/how-to-use-the-task-manager-to-monitor-andor-speed-up-your-pc/ for more help.
Thanks for listening! If you have any questions or topics you would like us to discuss on future episodes, please let us know by emailing info@thetechlife.net
The Rutherford County School Board will review a policy dealing with the new Central Academic Magnet School this evening at 5. The board members are expected to approve a new plan allowing for students enrolled at McFadden School of Excellence to receive guaranteed admission to the new magnet. The only catch is that the student must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and score well on the states academic testing scale.
The reason for the guaranteed admission at Central is based on the fact that once Central Middle becomes Central Magnet, the McFadden magnet school will no longer continue to be a K - 8th grade school. McFadden will drop grades 6th, 7th and 8th. Therefore, those students will be enrolled at Central.
Written by Michael Lansing · Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
(Press Release from The White House) Recovery Act will fund 48 new advanced battery and electric drive components manufacturing and electric drive vehicle deployment projects in over 20 states
Elkhart, Indiana - Further accelerating the manufacturing and deployment of electric vehicles, batteries, and components here in America, and creating tens of thousands of new jobs, President Obama today announced 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects that will receive $2.4 billion in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects, selected through a highly competitive process by the Department of Energy, will accelerate the development of U.S. manufacturing capacity for batteries and electric drive components as well as the deployment of electric drive vehicles, helping to establish American leadership in creating the next generation of advanced vehicles.
“If we want to reduce our dependence on oil, put Americans back to work and reassert our manufacturing sector as one of the greatest in the world, we must produce the advanced, efficient vehicles of the future,” said President Obama.
“For our nation and our economy to recover, we must have a vision for what can be built here in the future - and then we need to invest in that vision,” said Vice President Biden. “That’s what we’re doing today and that’s what this Recovery Act is about.”
The announcement marks the single largest investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles ever made. Industry officials expect that this $2.4 billion investment, coupled with another $2.4 billion in cost share from the award winners, will result directly in the creation tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. battery and auto industries.
The new awards cover the following areas:
* $1.5 billion in grants to U.S. based manufacturers to produce batteries and their components and to expand battery recycling capacity;
* $500 million in grants to U.S. based manufacturers to produce electric drive components for vehicles, including electric motors, power electronics, and other drive train components; and
* $400 million in grants to purchase thousands of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles for test demonstrations in several dozen locations; to deploy them and evaluate their performance; to install electric charging infrastructure; and to provide education and workforce training to support the transition to advanced electric transportation systems.
Today, President Obama visited Navistar International Corporation, in Elkhart, Ind., to make the announcement. Navistar will receive a $39 million grant to manufacture electric trucks which the company reports will ultimately will create or save hundreds of jobs when full scale manufacturing at the site commences. Overall, seven projects in Indiana will receive grants totaling more than $400 million. The applications from the companies and from one university engaged in this technology research anticipate that these awards will create or save thousands of jobs.
Vice President Joe Biden and four Members of the Cabinet, also fanned out across the country to discuss the historic announcement.
Vice President Biden was in Detroit to announce over $1 billion in grants to companies and universities based in Michigan. Reflecting the state’s leadership in clean energy manufacturing, Michigan companies and institutions are receiving the largest share of grant funding of any state. Two companies, A123 and Johnson Controls, will receive a total of approximately $550 million to establish a manufacturing base in the state for advanced batteries, and two others, Compact Power and Dow Kokam, will receive a total of over $300 million for manufacturing battery cells and materials. Large automakers based in Michigan, including GM, Chrysler, and Ford, will receive a total of more than $400 million to manufacture thousands of advanced hybrid and electric vehicles as well as batteries and electric drive components. And three educational institutions in Michigan, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University in Detroit, and Michigan Technological University in Houghton in the Upper Peninsula, will receive a total of more than $10 million for education and workforce training programs to train researchers, technicians and service providers, and to conduct consumer research to accelerate the transition towards advanced vehicles and batteries.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu, whose Department selected the 48 award winners, visited Celgard, in Charlotte, NC, to announce a $49 million grant for the company to expand its separator production capacity to serve the expected increased demand for lithium-ion batteries from manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Celgard will be expanding its manufacturing capacity in Charlotte, NC and nearby Aiken, SC, and the company expects the new separator production to come online in 2010. Celgard expects that approximately hundreds of jobs could be created, with the first of those jobs beginning as early as Fall 2009.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was in St. Petersburg, FL, to announce a $95.5 million grant for Saft America, Inc. to construct a new plant in Jacksonville on the site of the former Cecil Field military base, to manufacture lithium-ion cells, modules and battery packs for military, industrial, and agricultural vehicles.
Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation John Porcari visited East Penn Manufacturing Co., in Lyon Station, Penn., to award the company a $32.5 million grant to increase production capacity for their valve regulated lead-acid batteries and the UltraBattery, a lead-acid battery combined with a carbon supercapacitor, for micro and mild hybrid applications. East Penn Manufacturing is a third-generation family business with over 63 years in battery manufacturing.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke visited Kansas City, Missouri, to announce a $10 million grant for Smith Electric to build and deploy up to 100 electric vehicles, including vans, pickups, and their “Newton” brand medium duty trucks. In addition, Secretary Locke announced three other grants supporting manufacturing and educational programs in Missouri: a $30 million grant to Ford Motor Company supporting the manufacturing of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Kansas City and in Michigan; a $73 million grant to Chrysler, for the manufacturing of 220 plug-in hybrid and electric pickup trucks and minivans in St. Louis and in Michigan; and a $5 million grant to Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla, Missouri, to fund educational and workforce training programs on advanced vehicles technologies.
Yesterday, we had some very interesting conversation about planning for retirement in an economy like many of us have never seen before. There is no easy way to go about it, but it’s obvious that the worse thing anyone can do to get ready is “nothing”. It’s not going to happen without some planning, asset management, short term AND long term investment considerations, and a commitment to do it. It’s no secret that there’s multiple avenues to choose and numerous forks in these roads that require decisions.
How are you planning to be prepared when the time comes? I’d like to know your perspective on the best way to be prepared and not have to work until you’re 70 years old, or older. How are you going to withstand today’s economic woes and come out ahead??
USA Today recently surveyed college students, faculty and others for tips commencement speakers should remember before they deliver a long-winded address about things students can’t relate to, especially when the grads and their parents are baking under a hot sun. They are:1. Inspire us, but lose the clichés.
2. Talk about yourself, but make it meaningful to us.
3. Make us laugh, but leave stand-up routines to the pros.
4. Practice, but don’t sound practiced.
5. Make us think, but don’t make us seethe.
6. Do your homework, because details matter.
7. Hope for a sunny day, but even then, have pity on those without shade.
More apartments are being proposed in the city of Murfreesboro. The Reserve at Dill would be built on Dill Lane if the city council gives the developers a nod. A public hearing will be held during Thursday nights City Council meeting in the City Hall at 7. The gated community would be geared towards MTSU students. Most of the apartments within the 260-unit complex would be one or two bedrooms in size and would also consist of a small kitchen and living room.
The apartment complex could be built on a piece of land that is nearly 18-acres large. The land sits about 500-feet off of Mercury Blvd. Dill Lane runs parallel with Rutherford Blvd. near MTSU.
Join Jon Dinkins and Bryan Barrett for Sectional Tournament baseball this Friday night at 6:30pm. The Blackman Blaze host McMinn County. The winner will advance to the TSSAA State Baseball Tournament (Spring Fling) next week held here in Murfreesboro.
“LIVE” this Friday at 6:20pm on FM 100.5, FM 101.9, AM 1450 and streaming here on wgnsradio.com
Despite the horrendous damage of last week’s devastating floods, the tourism industry pays many salaries and is needed to help finance the rebuilding of area homes and businesses. Tina Wright tells WGNS News that the Country Music Hall of Fame has had electricity restored and is once again open its regular hours. As you recall from earlier WGNS newscast, flood waters closed the popular tourist site on May 3rd. 
For the “James Bond” in you - or perhaps just catering to your sneaky side, let’s talk about a fun way to encode and decode messages - or maybe important information you don’t want just anyone to see. 
A new month brings changes to the Murfreesboro City School system. The board is down to two finalists for director. They interview Dr. Linda Gilbert at 4:00 o’clock Tuesday afternoon (12/1/09). Dr. Lela Bridges from Harvey, Illinois will go before the board at the same time Wednesday (12/2/09). The Murfreesboro School Board will announce their decision in a special called meeting at 7:30 Thursday night (12/3/09). WGNS News will be there to let you know who is the new director of the Murfreesboro City School system. L-R photo ID: Dr. Linda Gilbert; Dr. Lela Bridges
