Tricities Local News - ABC News Radio

Man Charged in Kidnapping of 74-Year-Old Woman

2013-05-17T15:18:32Z

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- A 49-year-old man was charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted robbery after he tried to abduct a 74-year old woman.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Charles Hester III approached the elderly woman as she was loading groceries into the trunk of her vehicle. He apparently asked the woman for a ride to Nashville. When the woman refused to give Hester a ride, he threatened her with a gun and demanded she get into the vehicle.

The woman and Hester both fled, according to the Commercial Appeal.

Hester admitted to being at the scene and asking for money, but denied he threatened the woman. He is currently being held on $50,000 bond.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Problem with Phone Lines Causes 911 Delay

2013-05-16T14:30:58Z

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- An issue with phone lines may be causing delays in answering calls to emergency services.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the problem was causing delays in answering phone calls Wednesday night, and that callers should not hang up and re-dial, as this may result in a longer wait.

Police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph told the Commercial Appeal that callers can alternatively contact the Memphis Fire Department at (901) 458-3311 for fire and medical emergencies or the Shelby County Sheriff's Office at (901) 379-7625 for law enforcement emergencies.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Ga. College Sues Tenn. Over Billboard Restriction

2013-05-15T16:04:44Z

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Berry College in Rome, Ga. is suing the Tennessee Higher Education Commission because the college was not allowed to install a billboard in Tennessee because it is an entirely out of state school.

According to Inside Higher Ed, Berry College put up a billboard in Nashville. The Higher Education Commission told them that since the billboard advertised their school, they needed to register as if they were a college operating in the state or face a $500 a day fine.

Berry College filled the suit on Monday, saying that they could not be expected to pay up to $20,000 a year in registration fees to have one billboard. The suit alleges that Tennessee is illegally discriminating out-of-state institutions and is infringing on interstate commerce.

The president of Berry, Stephen Briggs, said that the billboard distinction seemed arbitrary, as there was no restriction on advertising out-of-state colleges in Tennessee magazines and newspapers.

About 150 of Berry's 2,100 students are from Tennessee.

University of Tennessee Fires Judicial Affairs Director

2013-05-14T17:07:52Z

(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) -- The University of Tennessee fired the Office of Student Judicial Affairs director amid allegations she had improper relationships with student athletes, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports.

On Thursday, Jenny Wright, a UT graduate who has worked at the school since 2008, attempted to resign over the allegations, of which little specific information has been released, but the school refused to accept it. Provost Susan Martin sent Wright a pre-termination letter instead the next day.

The letter said that Wright was invited to meet with them on Monday to discuss the issue, but she did not show up. She was officially fired later that day.

Both UT and Wright have hired lawyers.

Wright’s lawyer, Robert Kurtz, “categorically denied” Wright had done anything wrong, and had attempted to resign out of concern that the false allegations would harm UT students and overshadow her work.

Gov. Haslam Vetos ‘Ag Gag’ Bill

2013-05-13T17:18:56Z

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Gov. Bill Haslam announced Monday that he is vetoing a controversial “ag gag” bill, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.

The bill, which would have required any documentation of animal abuse to be given to law enforcement within 48 hours of being made, was the subject of much debate. The sponsors of the bill, farmers, said that it was to ensure speedy investigations of cruelty to animals and livestock investigations.

However, critics like the Humane Society said that mandating that evidence be given to authorities within 48 hours made it easy for officials to thwart investigations of animal cruelty.

It was not clear what side the governor would take in this debate until his announcement. Haslam said that while he understood the concerns of the farmers, and recognized that sometimes footage obtained into investigations of animal cruelty was obtained under false pretenses, he had to veto the bill.

He quoted a legal opinion from Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper delivered last week, who said that the bill was “constitutionally suspect” given the requirements of the First Amendment. Haslam also mentioned that it seemed to implicitly repeal part of Tennessee’s “shield law,” which protects journalists’ ability to collect information.

He recommended that a new, clearer bill be created.

Police to Charge Elementary School Student with Faking Abduction

2013-05-10T16:32:17Z

(JACKSON, Tenn.) -- Jackson police are investigating a case in which a 9-year-old girl filed a false report regarding an after-school abduction.

Earlier this week, the girl told officers that she had been at a school function at Pope Elementary School and was waiting for a ride home when a man covered her mouth and forced her into the back seat, according to the Nashville Tennessean. She said that when he drove away a police car got behind them and the abductor got scared, pulled over and let her out.

According to the Tennesseean, the girl claimed she was then picked up by a teacher from the elementary school who brought her home. After faculty members were questioned and surveillance tapes were reviewed, inconsistencies emerged.

The girl eventually admitted she had made up the story. The Tennessean reports that the girl will not be arrested, but will be called to answer to the charges of making a fraudulent report.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Hickory Hill Elementary School Locked Down After Home Invasion

2013-05-09T20:37:35Z

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- A Hickory Hill elementary school was placed on lockdown Thursday morning after a nearby home invasion.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the robbery occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on the 3400 block of King Arms Street. Nearby Newberry Elementary School was locked down while police investigated the robbery.

There have not been any arrests in the case, according to the Commercial Appeal, but the school lockdown was ended Thursday afternoon.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Former Police Chief Arrested for Stealing $10K of City Property

2013-05-08T14:57:01Z

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- A retired police chief was arrested on Tuesday after stealing more than $10,000 worth of city property, including a pair of street sweepers.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Bobby Pate, the former chief of the Memphis Police Department, was indicted after a search of his home found city equipment that had been missing for as long as three years.

In addition to the street sweepers, Pate had reportedly stolen a John Deere tractor, two laptops and a trestle hoist, according to the Commercial Appeal.

Pate, 64, retired as chief of police in 2012. He was charged with theft and official misconduct.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Southwest Airlines Coming to Memphis

2013-05-07T17:04:07Z

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines officially announced that it is entering the Memphis market, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Starting November 3, Southwest will offer flights from Memphis to Orlando, Chicago and Baltimore/Washington D.C

“We are very happy about welcoming Southwest Airlines into Memphis International Airport. November 3 will be a great day for all Memphians and the Mid-South when that first Southwest Airlines plane touches down at our airport,” said Larry Cox, chief executive officer of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.

Officials are careful to note that Southwest’s service will be limited at the start, and flights would likely be too infrequent to help frequent business travelers, though the discount airline would likely expand service if business is good.

Southwest merged with AirTran in 2011. AirTran currently offers Memphis-Atlanta trips daily, but Southwest plans to cease AirTran services out of Memphis as they move in.

Tenn. Among Worst States for Jobless Benefits in the Country

2013-05-06T16:54:02Z

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Tennessee is one of the worst states for jobless benefits, according to federal data obtained by The Tennessean.

Only 17 percent of jobless Tennesseans get benefits, the fourth-lowest figure in the country. Those who do manage to get benefits typically aren’t getting much, as the average weekly unemployment check in Tennessee in 2012 was the sixth-lowest in the country at $235.

The national average of jobless people who receive benefits is 26 percent.

Few jobless benefits can be attributed to strict eligibility requirements and questionable management of the state’s unemployment program, according to experts.