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TheNews – February 9^th, 2012
Vol. 24 • Number 6

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Rape numbers rose in 2011
Rising gas prices in January cause for worry
Sen. Joe Haynes won’t seek reelectionl
Big Band Returns to the Jazz Cave
Send One Suit weekend will collect clothing for women
Metro/State Commentary with Horace Johns
Afterschool program for middle-school students to triple in size
Nashville News Bites
Sign-A-Rama opens its doors to Belle Meade
Taxing Matters with Jim Wilson
Volt joins state electric vehicle rebate program
Nashville Christian School open house
Fund Raiser for Two Rivers Mansion
Metro is cracking down on illegally posted signs
Unified Flood Preparedness plan presented at Feb. 16 public meeting
TGHAP announces new officers for 2012 calendar year
Forest Hills tweaks municipal code, readies to replace speed humps
Oak Hill School library to honor “Miss Roxie”
Manners Edge presents Prom Prep 101
Beware of online dating scammers
Memorial service held for Susan H. Armor

 

Definition change could aid in reporting cases
Rape numbers rose in 2011, but many still go unreported

Wanda Southerland
Editor-in-chief

The number of reported rapes to the Metro Police Department last year rose by 17 percent from the previous year. Figures released show that 385 forcible rapes were reported in 2011 compared to 329 in 2010.

There is no way, however, to determine the actual number of rapes that go unreported each year and how rapes are reported also affect those numbers.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced a change in the definition of rape that is expected to increase the number of people counted as rape victims in FBI statistics, but it won’t change federal or state laws or alter charges or prosecutions.

Since 1929, the FBI has defined rape as the “carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.”

Many sexual assault coalitions and national organizations concerned about violence against women referred to the old definition as archaic and stated that it reflected gender-based stereotypes. Women’s groups have sought this change from more than a decade.

The revised definition says that rape is “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object” without the consent of the victim. Also constituting rape under the new definition is “oral penetration by a sex organ of another person” without consent.

The revised definition covers any gender of victim or attacker and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. Physical resistance is not required.

The Justice Department reported that the new definition mirrors the majority of state rape statutes now on the books.

Susan B. Carbon, director of the Office on Violence Against Women, which is part of the Department of Justice, recently told the New York Times that the message being sent to victims was that if they didn’t fit that narrow definition, their rape didn’t count.

Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson said that the FBI’s definition created a double standard for police departments because one criteria is used to prosecute and another to report.

Using the old definition, a total of 84,767 rapes were reported nationwide in 2010, according to the FBI’s uniform crime report based on data from 18,000 law enforcement agencies.

How the change will impact the number of reported rapes isn’t immediately clear, but the results could account for big increases, especially when law enforcement agencies use the federal standard.

Police spokesperson Don Aaron said that when the new definition is applied, the increase will represent an improvement in reporting rather than a jump in the number of sexual assaults.

Since 1992, the number of reported rapes in Davidson County have gone from a high of 577 in 1993 to 330 in 2010.

Davidson County has six divisions of the Criminal Court that deal with rape cases, ranging from aggravated rape, sexual battery and aggravated rape when a weapon or multiple assailants are involved. A separate division handles sexual and physical abuse of a child.

Assistant District Attorney Rob McGuire said that between 30 to 35 adult rape cases go to trial each year.

“In rape cases the victim tells us what she wants,” McGuire said. “Sometimes the victim will want the attacker to go to prison, others will want the person added to the Sex Offender List.”

Cases can be settled without a trial if the defendant accepts a plea. If the case goes to trial, the victim likely will have to testify.

“In that case, we try to make everything as easy as possible,” McGuire said.
The Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a survey in 2010 that revealed that nearly one in five women and one in 71 men in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives.

Wanda Southerland can be reached at wandasoutherland@gcanews.com

Nashville’s senior nutrition program can handle rising fuel costs
Rising gas prices in January cause for worry

Chris Brooks
Associate Editor

When the price of unleaded gasoline reaches $3.50 a gallon, most people take notice.

But organizations that rely on delivery services have to use a magnifying glass to figure out just how much an impact those price jumps make.

However, one program has made sure that a jump at the pump doesn’t leave its beneficiaries hungry.

The Meals-on-Wheels program has long been a staple of the fight against senior hunger. Many churches around the area participate in the program, although Metro Social Services’ Senior Nutrition program also undertakes the effort.

Despite the rising cost of filling up, Metro still makes sure the needy get their fill as well. A partnership with the Metro Transit Authority allows Social Services to not rely so much on volunteers, according to Senior Nutrition Program Manager Carol Wilson.

Instead, those helping hands can work at the congregate sites where the meals are delivered, saving added expenses for additional fuel.

“We have that partnership where folks can get a ride to the congregate sites,” Wilson said. “Most of our volunteers help out there. We do have two van drivers who take meals out, however.”

January's monthly average in Tennessee was $3.38, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, 28 cents more than January 2011 and 66 cents more than in 2010 when the monthly average was $2.71. The national average is expected to surpass $3.50 a gallon this week.

The price of gasoline continues to rise even as oil prices trade below $100 a barrel for the fourth consecutive week. Closed refineries are being blamed for the rise in retail gas prices after multiple refineries shut down in the Northeast, Texas and Louisiana.

Typically, refineries go into maintenance mode at the start of March to begin the switch in production from the winter fuel blend to summer blend--an occurrence that jump starts the upward trend in summer pump prices.

"February's pump prices aren't looking any better than January," AAA Spokeswoman Jessica Brady said. "As we get closer to March, more and more refineries will start to shut down for annual maintenance and to swap fuel blends. We very well could see prices rise throughout the month of February, especially if U.S. payrolls continue to increase and more positive economic news hits the market."

The national average price of regular retail gasoline is $3.47, a 6-cent increase from last week. Tennessee’s average of $3.38 is also a 6-cent jump from last week.

Chris Brooks can be reached at cbrooks@gcanews.com.

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“I will continue my fight for The American Way.”
Sen. Joe Haynes won’t seek reelectionl

By Wanda Southerland
Editor-in-Chief

After almost 40 years in public office, Sen. Joe Haynes (D Goodlettsville) announced he will not seek another term for Tennessee State Senate. He will,

however, continue to practice law in the law firm he founded in 1965.
Haynes served on the Goodlettsville City Commission for 12 years before being elected to the state senate in 1984, representing District 20.

A Goodlettsville native, Haynes, now 76, said he wants to spend time with his wife Barbara, who recently retired from the bench, and to embrace their large, loving family.

“The sweet siren call of my family, a huge stack of unread books and a little used fishing boat demand my attention now,” Haynes stated in a press release. “I will serve out my term and continue my fight for ‘The American Way.’ I will continue to practice law...”

Haynes said he has given a substantial part of his life to the pursuit of “The American Way” for those he’s represented and for himself.

“The ideas and ideals that make up this great republic have been my guide,” Haynes said. “Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, the rule of law, fairness, honesty, justice and mercy ­– these are all parts of The American Way.

“That’s always been why I ran for office. That’s always been why I served.”
Currently, the senator is a member of Education Oversight, Ethics, Finance, Ways and Means, State and Local Government, and Workers Compensation committees, and Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

The senator said he stood on the floor of the Tennessee State Senate to give a voice to the voiceless; sought to provide representations to the men and women who work hard and play by the rules; fought to create strong schools; voted for fair taxation and efficient government; helped build roads and bridges; and battled to care for the sick, feed and clothe the needy and protect the weak, elderly and infirm.

“I am proud of my service and humbled by the confidence the people have placed in me time and time again,” Haynes stated.

Wanda Southerland can be reached at wandasoutherland@gcanews.com

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Big Band Returns to the Jazz Cave

Legendary drummer Duffy Jackson will present a tribute to Woody Herman at the Jazz Cave Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. The show will feature two sets with reserved seating.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 242-5299 and are just $20 for adults/ $10 for college and high school students with ID.

Advance reservations are recommended.

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Send One Suit weekend will collect clothing for women in need re-entering workplace

With thousands of women unable to secure employment because they lack the resources to take the initial, yet vital, step of looking presentable for a job interview, Dressbarn is teaming up with the non-profit organization, Dress for Success, to gather more than 60,000 articles of clothing, as part of its S.O.S. – Send One Suit ­– Weekend donation drive March 1-4.

This year’s clothing drive marks the 10th consecutive year Dressbarn and Dress for Success have partnered to help women in need receive professional business attire. All 825 Dressbarn stores across the country, including stores in the Nashville area, will serve as drop-off sites for new or gently used professional attire including suits, dress shirts, blazers, pants, dresses and shoes that will be used to benefit women seeking to transition into the workforce.

“Since the inception of the Send One Suit‚ campaign 10 years ago, we have helped more than 125,000 women across the country gain a renewed sense of self, as well as economic-stability,” Vivian Behrens, EVP and chief marketing officer at Dressbarn said. “Ask any of those women and I’m sure they will say the donations they received were more than just gestures of good will, they were lifelines. It is our hope that now, more than ever, people will help us in our quest to turn second-hand suits into second chances.”

All of the collected professional items will be given to the international non-profit organization, Dress for Success, which will then distribute the articles nationwide to women looking to gain a job or trying to re-enter the workforce.
A complete list of stores can be found at dressbarn.com.

To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 600,000 women work towards self-sufficiency.

Visit dressforsuccess.org to learn more.

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Unemployment rate will impact 2012 election

The national unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent in January, down from 8.5 percent in December. The number of Americans unemployed in January fell by 339,000 from December, which was the fifth largest drop since January 2009 or when President Obama took office. It was also the fifth straight month that saw the unemployment rate drop. Now, that’s all good news. But, there are several caveats pointing to not-so-good news.

The monthly employment rate does not measure those without jobs who have simply given up, or to put it another way, it does not include the number of people who have become discouraged and are just not looking for a job. In fact, a shocking 1.2 million Americans removed themselves from the labor force by simply giving up looking for a job.

Therefore, the January comparison of 1.2 million dropping out of looking for a job with the 243,000 jobs created, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, puts things in a clearer perspective.

There are now almost four million Americans in this not-looking-for-a-job group and another eight million who have been forced to take only part-time work though wanting a full-time job.

Referring to the real unemployment rate – as measured by both those looking for a job and those who have given up or taken a part-time job – Austen Goosebone, former chief economic advisor to Obama, said, “I don’t think we should forget that as bad as the unemployment rate has been, the actual job situation in the country has been worse than that because of the ways they don’t get measured.”

In January 2009 when Obama took office, there were 11.6 million Americans out of work and 23 percent of them had been unemployed for more than six months. Now, three years later, there are 12.8 million unemployed and 43 percent have been out of a job for more than six months. The average length of unemployment has jumped significantly since recovery from the recession began.

Still, there is an even broader troubling number directly related to so many Americans giving up looking for a job – i.e., six million fewer jobs than there were at the beginning of the recession. This means that fewer Americans are participating in the workforce than in nearly 28 years. The current participation rate is 63.7 percent, the lowest since March 1983.

Acting Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics John Galvin said that it would take 23 more months or almost two years of growth at January’s pace of an additional 243,000 jobs per month to regain all of the six million fewer jobs referred to above.

The Congressional Budget Office (CCOYA), the nearest thing we have to a neutral, nonpartisan government numbers cruncher, provided some sobering projections last week.

The CCOYA predicted that the unemployment rate would jump back up to 8.8 percent in the third quarter of the year, ending in September and that it can be expected to hit 9.2 percent for the last quarter of 2013. If the CCOYA is correct, the 2012 elections could be significantly impacted.

Furthermore, the CCOYA cautioned that the official unemployment rate of 8.3 percent for January was actually 1.6 percentage points lower than the real unemployment rate of 9.9 percent. Hence, though we got excited last Friday about a 8.3 percent unemployment rate, we would have been more accurate to be concerned about the real rate of 9.9 percent, as caused by the explanations offered above.

Needless to say, our sluggish economy and unacceptable unemployment are not yet out of the woods.

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Afterschool program for middle-school students to triple in size

The Wallace Foundation has awarded a grant of $765,000 to strengthen and expand the Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA), an initiative Mayor Karl Dean started to provide free, high-quality afterschool programs for at-risk students in Nashville middle schools.

NAZA currently serves 400 students and the grant will allow the program to nearly triple in size by serving an additional 750 students. Nashville was among just nine cities singled out to receive grants because of its leadership and commitment to afterschool programs, according to Dean.

“We are investing in afterschool programs because we know that when middle school students have engaging experiences, they are much more likely to stay interested in school and graduate from high school – which is not only good for them, but good for our entire city,” Dean said.

“We have been expanding NAZA strategically and as our city’s budget allows,” he said. “With this grant from the Wallace Foundation, our expansion plans will be expedited greatly. Students who would have been out of middle school by the time this program reached their neighborhood will now have the benefit of participating in NAZA. We will never know just how many dropouts this grant will help us prevent, but we know its impact will be big.”

NAZA was formed in 2009 by Dean as a partnership between the Mayor’s Office and Metro Nashville Public Schools to provide free afterschool programs for students who couldn’t participate in existing programs due to cost or transportation issues. Programs are run by multiple youth-serving Nashville organizations either on-site at Metro middle schools or at community-based sites.
Currently there are 18 afterschool NAZA sites that offer academic and enrichment activities, including art and music.

The grant from the New York-based national Wallace Foundation will help underwrite the launch of a new zone each fall for the next three years, starting with a Northwest Zone next school year for students in the Whites Creek/Pearl-Cohn clusters and a Southeast Zone in 2013 for students in the Cane Ridge/Antioch clusters.

~ NASHVILLE NEWS BITES ~

Bill allowing wine in grocery stores fails again

Tennessee supermarkets are still not able to sell wine after a bill to change such a law failed in the state Senate.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Republican Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol had expected a better fate for his bill because it would require voters to approve supermarket wine sales in their city or county.

"Who could be against letting people vote?" Lundberg asked.

But David McMahan, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association, argued that local referendums would allow big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Costco to spend large amounts of money to spread what he called "misinformation."

Lundberg said that while his latest effort has failed, there are still similar measures left over from last session that could be resurrected.

GLBT Chamber of Commerce tabs Howe as executive director

The Nashville Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Chamber of Commerce hired former Belmont University women’s soccer coach Lisa Howe as its first executive director.

Howe left Belmont after telling her team that she and her partner, Wendy Holleman, were due to have a baby.

Howe began her new job on Feb. 1. She will oversee day-to-day operations, membership recruitment, corporate partnership development and creating an annual fundraiser, among other duties.

Maryland law firm to investigate proposed sale of O’Charley’s

The law firm of Brower Piven has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of O’Charley’s Inc. and other violations by the board of directors of O’Charley’s relating to the restaurant chain’s proposed acquisition by Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

The firm’s investigation seeks to determine, among other things, whether the board breached its fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value.
O’Charley’s announced Monday that it had entered into a definitive agreement providing for Fidelity to acquire O’Charley’s for $221 million. Under the terms of the merger agreement, O’Charley’s shareholders will receive $9.85 for each share of O’Charley’s common stock held.

Longtime Nashville DJ David Hall dies

David Hall, the program director and afternoon DJ at Lightning 100, died Sunday, according to a statement from the radio station.

The industry veteran spent time at WKDF and WGFX during the 1980s and ‘90s when those stations broadcast rock music.

Opry Mills to host job fair on Valentine’s Day

Opry Mills is hosting a job fair ahead of its scheduled March reopening.
Many of its tenants are searching for new employees, prompting the retail venue to hold a job fair on Valentine’s Day to fill dozens of new retail, restaurant and management positions.

The job fair is set for Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the Regal Cinemas court at Opry Mills.

Tornadoes in Tenn. set record in 2011

The National Weather Service said Tennessee had 113 tornadoes in 2011, almost doubling the previous record mark of 57, set in 1974.

It is the most to hit the state since tornado statistics began in 1916. Of the 113 tornadoes, 94 occurred in April, resulting in 34 deaths.

The 1974 mark was almost entirely due to the “Super Outbreak,” which occurred on April 3-4 of that year. Across eastern North America, 148 tornadoes were confirmed and 319 people died. Of those, 55 were in Tennessee, resulting in 47 deaths.

New Business
Sign-A-Rama opens its doors to Belle Meade

Chris Brooks
Associate Editor

Nick Snow was working in the automotive industry in 2008 when the economy turned sour. Using his family’s background in printing as a baseline, he happened upon the signage and graphics business.

“I found in talking to people about the signage and graphics business in general, there appeared to be somewhat of an opportunity in the Belle Meade/West Nashville area,” Snow said. “There had been two or three businesses that had either closed down or moved away over the past two or three years.”

Snow took his opportunity to latch on with Sign-A-Rama, a global franchise with more than 950 locations worldwide.

Sign-A-Rama is touted as a full-service custom sign and graphics center and Snow prides his business on the individual service his employees can give customers.

“We make an order to serve the customer’s needs and preferences,” Snow said.

“We offer creative design services all the way from design to delivery and installation.”

Snow said he wants to produce as much as he can in-house, but if the item cannot be made in the store, the order will be sent to one of several vendors Sign-A-Rama works closely with to ensure the customer’s needs are met in a timely manner.

“If someone came to us wanting a big LED sign, we don’t make those in-house,” Snow said, “but we do know how to process an order and we would provide an estimate for the customer.”

Snow wants to be more than just a sign printer, adding a graphic design element to give customers more creativity for increasing their exposure.

“Signage is changing, the regulations are changing all the time and there’s a lot of discussion about it,” Snow said. “There are plenty of good sign companies around. There’s also a need for signage businesses to be localized. A lot of people have concerns about ordering products online that are graphic in nature. We allow people to touch, see, feel and take part in the production of their product.”

Most orders have a 48-hour turnaround period, though some items can be done same-day.

For more information about Sign-A-Rama, call 615-891-1012 or visit the store’s website, signarama.com/store/local/bellemeade-tn.

Let’s talk about taxes:
first things first—filing status

It is tax filing season. Like the Christmas season, hunting season, fishing season and all the other seasons, it is time to prepare information for the task at hand.

Taking a look at the Form 1040 from the Internal Revenue Service, note after name, address and social security numbers, there is the block indicating the filing status of the taxpayer. People are often confused about that choice. Well, one should know if he is married or not. Maybe that is not so clear.

There are five choices for the taxpayer to choose: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household and qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. The filing status has a direct influence on the calculation of standard deduction, eligibility for certain credits and deductions and the correct tax calculation.

It is possible to qualify for more than one filing status. The IRS lists some facts about choosing the filing status. Their suggestion, and mine, is to choose the filing status most favorable to the taxpayer.

1.The marital status on the last day of the year determines your marital status for the entire year. Oh, that is easy. No. What if the taxpayer is married but legally separated? An interlocutory decree is not a final decree. According to the law, the taxpayer is married until the final decree is signed by the judge. My suggestion is: if divorce is pending, file married filing separately. That will avert problems that result when one refund check, addressed to husband and wife, becomes a quarrelsome problem trying to decide how to divvy the proceeds.

2.Single filing status generally applies to anyone who is unmarried, divorced or legally separated according to state law. Single status also applies to anyone whose spouse has died and the taxpayer does not qualify as head of household or qualifying widow(er).

3.A married couple may file a joint return together. The couple’s filing status would be married filing jointly. Beware: there are consequences to the parties if one taxpayer is not totally honest or has issues with the Service. Consider filing married filing separately.

4.If your spouse died during the year and you did not remarry during 2011, usually you may still file a joint return with that spouse for the year of death. Even though the spouse is no longer alive, the law allows married filing jointly for the year of death.

5.A married couple may elect to file their returns separately. Each person’s filing status would generally be married filing separately.

6.Head of household generally applies to taxpayers who are unmarried. You must also have paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home for you and a qualifying person to qualify for this filing status. This status also applies even if the dependent person is away from the home for educational or medical reasons.

7.You may be able to choose qualifying widow(er) with dependent child as your filing status if your spouse died during 2009 or 2010, you have a dependent child, have not remarried and you meet certain other conditions. This status is available for two years after the death of the spouse. Also, note that the year of death allows the taxpayer to file married filing jointly (see number four above).

Qualifying widow(er) does not qualify the taxpayer to claim the dead spouse as a dependent.

Jim Wilson can be reached by calling Wilson & Wilson CPAs at 615-673-1330 or by emailing him at jcwcpa@bellsouth.net.

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Volt joins state electric vehicle rebate program

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced that Chevrolet Volt purchasers are now eligible for the state’s $2,500 electric vehicle (EV) rebate. The rebate requires that consumers qualify for and participate in the EV Project, a national study on EV use and charging infrastructure deployment.

The EV Project will provide participants with a free Blink® 240V networked charge station and a credit of up to $1,200 towards its installation. To be eligible, Tennessee residents must sign an EV Project participant agreement, purchase the Volt, take delivery of the car, and have SPX Corporation install their Blink charge station by June 30.

Volt owners who have already purchased and taken delivery of their vehicles are still eligible for the rebate if they are accepted into the project. Consumers should contact the original selling dealer to inquire about retroactive rebates.

“The state’s $2,500 electric vehicle rebate provides an extra incentive to those who want to purchase a more energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle,” Molly Cripps, director of the ECD Energy Division, said. “We’ve had a great deal of interest from Tennessee consumers regarding the Volt and I am pleased it is now eligible for rebates.”

“We applaud the state of Tennessee for adding the Volt to the EV rebate program,” ECOtality North America President Don Darner said. “Tennessee is a vital market for the EV Project. The addition of the Volt into the rebate program ensures we will further our efforts to gather invaluable data from our already rich infrastructure in the Tennessee market.”

The primary goal of the EV Project is to collect, analyze and report on the use of electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them. This information includes data regarding the energy used, along with time and duration of charger use. No personal information is shared or included in the analyzed data.

Participants must maintain an in-home Internet connection to transmit the data until the EV Project concludes on April 30, 2013.

In September 2010, state officials announced that $2.5 million had been budgeted for the electric vehicle rebate program, enabling the first 1,000 Tennessee residents who purchase either a Chevrolet Volt or Nissan LEAF SL, the opportunity to participate in the EV Project and receive a $2,500 rebate. The state rebate is in addition to a federal tax rebate of up to $7,500.

For more information, visit tn.gov/ecd/CD_energy_electric_vehicle_rebates.html.

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Nashville Christian School open house

Nashville Christian School, located at 7555 Sawyer Brown Rd., is hosting an open house for prospective families to tour the campus and learn more about the school.

The open house is Sunday, Feb. 12 from 2 - 4 p.m.

Nashville Christian School President Connie Jo Shelton along with administrators, faculty and staff members will host tours of the school and answer questions regarding admissions for the 2012-2013 school year. Enrollment openings are still available.

For admissions information, call Phillip Montgomery at 615-356-5600, ext. 117. Visit nashvillechristian.org.

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Metro is cracking down on illegally posted signs

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City honors late former mayor with resolution
Forest Hills tweaks municipal code, readies to replace speed humps

Chris Brooks
Associate Editor

Forest Hills officials are considering two amendments to the city’s Municipal Code and hoping to begin work to replace speed humps on one city street.

Both amendments, one regarding the city’s zoning ordinance and another concerning the licensing of trash and recycling companies, came before the Board of Commissioners during the committee’s Jan. 19 meeting but no action was taken on either matter.

The city wants to amend the municipal code to install noise regulations against sound coming from loud parties or advertisements as well as vehicles on roadways and parked on a property.

City officials will continue to discuss how to allow special events, such as wedding receptions or temporary events such as the farmers’ market, to operate without being subject to penalty.

Forest Hills also wants to require any entities providing trash pickup service to also offer recycling services beginning July 1, 2013. The ordinance mirrors Metro’s regulations for recycling services.

Both measures were approved upon first reading and will be heard at the Feb. 16 Board of Commissioners meeting.

The city wants to remove those items from the zoning ordinance and apply them to the municipal code to allow for enforcement in the city’s municipal court, which is operating despite pending litigation between Forest Hills and Metro.

City officials are also waiting for asphalt companies to resume operations so they can adjust the speed humps on Kingsbury Dr., after they were determined to fall short of city specifications. The board was concerned that the humps could become damaging to vehicles.

City Manager Al Deck said he wants to replace those speed humps as soon as possible, but removing them at the present time was not an option, saying “we’ll create a race track there if we take them down now.”

Deck also said there was only one local asphalt plant that uses a sand mix instead of lime dust and that a sand mix was a more durable option for the city. With that plant not scheduled to open until late February, the city will have to wait until the later portion of the month to begin the process of repairing Kingsbury Dr.

The city also adopted a resolution honoring former Mayor Charles Evers, who passed away Jan. 29. Evers was the city’s mayor from 1995 until 2008.

Chris Brooks can be reached at cbrooks@gcanews.com.

 

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Oak Hill School library to honor “Miss Roxie”

Head angel, tooth puller, and dispenser of hugs and Skittles might not be a part of Roxie Gibson’s official job description at Oak Hill School, but she has endeared herself to generations of students in those roles and more.

Gibson, Oak Hill’s receptionist, has been involved with the independent, Christian elementary school in a variety of roles for more than four decades. On Feb. 12, the school library will be named for her in recognition of her years of service.

“Miss Roxie is an Oak Hill treasure,” Jennifer Hinote, head of school, said. “She loves each child who has passed through the doors of this school and, over the years, has given our students a legacy of loving and caring. It is fitting that our beautiful library be named the Roxie Gibson Library.”

Gibson, who has no plans to retire, also became Oak Hill’s resident “tooth fairy” when years ago a child came to her with a loose tooth and asked her to pull it.

Since that day, she estimates she has pulled close to 5,000 teeth.

The library dedication is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is open to the public.

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Manners Edge presents Prom Prep 101
Get the edge with good manners

Wanda Southerland
Editor-in-chief

Manners matter and having good manners may make the difference between beating out the competition for the coveted job. Plus, good manners in any setting never go out of style!

The story goes of a college graduate who was vying for a job at a major bank. He was one of two finalists but doubted his chances of being selected over the female contender. Both were equally qualified. The final interview process included the two candidates having lunch with the bank president.

The young man’s excellent manners earned him the job.

True story.

Two local women believe that job seekers in this downturned economy especially need an edge and that edge is good manners.

Denise Davis and LaRawn Scaife Rhea have pooled their talents and formed Manners Edge and will offer four-hour classes to companies that train information technology (IT) people or for those who simply want employees to be better equipped to effectively represent the company.

Additionally, the two will offer manners classes to church and school groups, as well as Prom Prep 101.

Davis is a former Miss Alabama and was the youngest contestant at age 18 to ever represent her home state. As a model and actress she has been featured in national print and TV ads, co-hosted syndicated TV shows and has appeared frequently as a fashion consultant on the Nashville NBC and CBS affiliates.
Davis has taught White Gloves and Party Manners for the past 10 years with Marjabelle Stewart. Additionally, she is a Realtor with Worth Properties in Nashville.

Scaife Rhea, who previously served as president of The Event Company, has a marketing degree from Belmont University, studied under Dorthea Johnson at the Protocol and Etiquette School of Washington, D.C., taught White Gloves and Party Manners and Seventeen Magazine’s Beauty Works classes for 15 years.
She is the former director of Seventeen Magazine’s Teen Fashion Board for the Middle Tennessee, Southern Kentucky and Northern Alabama region.
Scaife Rhea is the society editor for Culture & Leisure Magazine and a contributor to Season Magazine and New York Social Diary.

Manners Edge has partnered with Dillard’s to present Prom Prep 101 where the latest trends in all things prom will be revealed.

Participants will learn about skin care and make-up application, find their best pose for those important prom photos, walk the runway like a professional and learn or refresh those table manners.

The class is geared for girls ages 15 - 18. Cost for the two-session class, which will be held at Dillard’s Green Hills on Feb. 18 and Feb. 25, and Dillard’s Cool Springs March 3 and March 10, is $80. Classes are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A graduation prom fashion show will be at 2 p.m. after the second class.

To receive $15 off, four girls can sign up together. Be one of the first 10 to sign up and receive discounts and specials valued at $125.
Both Davis and Rhea are former models with Castner-Knott before the store sold to Dillard’s.

“This gives Dillard’s a feeling of being part of the community and being on the edge of classes that are greatly needed,” Davis said. “Parents want their children to take these classes without making them feel as though it’s punishment.”
Scaife Rhea said that parents want their children to learn good manners, but it’s often a challenge to get them interested in taking instructions seriously at the dinner table.

She said that when schools or church groups book one of the classes, having everyone in the same room learning the same standards “makes it OK. Peer pressure has its benefits.”

Manners Edge also offers one-on-one coaching for high profile individuals who may need prompting on what is and isn’t acceptable within the business world.
“People have lost sight of what good manners entail and what truly is acceptable in the business climate,” Davis said.

Improving body language, making good eye contact, dressing appropriately for the business environment and other reminders such as these, as well as table manners, may be just the edge job seekers need.

“We all need to keep improving,” Davis added.

For additional information or to schedule a class for one or a group, call 615-512-1137 or go to MannersEdge@gmail.com. Like them on Facebook PromPrep101.

Wanda Southerland can be reached at wandasoutherland@gcanews.com

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Beware of online dating scammers looking to swindle you out of cash

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and some consumers are banking on online dating as a way to hatch a serious relationship. Unfortunately, some fraud artists are also banking on online dating as a way to scam people out of their money.

Relationship scams, also known as sweetheart swindles, often follow this pattern:

You meet someone on a dating site and things get serious. You send messages, talk on the phone, trade pictures and maybe even make marriage plans. Soon you find out the person you met, who claimed to be an American professional, is going to Nigeria or another country for work. Once he or she is there, that person needs your help, asking you to wire money.

The first transfer may be small, but it’s followed by requests for more. You’re told your money is needed to cover costs for a sudden illness, surgery for a son or daughter or for a plane ticket back to the United States. The promise is always to pay you back. You even might get documents or calls from lawyers as proof.

But as genuine as the relationship and requests for money might seem, they’re part of an elaborate scam. The money that was wired – and the person you thought you knew and loved – will be gone.

Signs that you may be dealing with a scammer:

•The pictures posted on the person’s profile mostly seem to be professional quality model images instead of candid pictures from a person’s everyday life. If a picture looks too good to be true, it probably is.

•The online companion professes love way too early in your interaction with him or her.

•You are asked to send money for gifts, a sick relative or a plane ticket to the U.S.

•The person claims to be a U.S. citizen working in another country, claims to be well off or a person of important status.

•The person makes excuses about not being able to speak by phone.

•The person’s writing includes frequent spelling or grammar mistakes.
Proceed with caution with online dating. Even if you use only dating sites whose reputations are well-established, still keep your wits about you.

Consumer Affairs is a division of the Department of Commerce and Insurance.
For more information, go to tn.gov/consumer.

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Memorial service held for Susan H. Armor

A memorial service for Susan H. Armor was conducted by The Rev. Carol Cavin-Dillon Thursday, Feb. 9 at Brentwood United Methodist Church.

Armor was born October 14, 1949, in Selma, Ala. to Emmett and Kathleen Hicks. She attended A.G. Parrish High School in Selma and continued her education at Tennessee State University in Nashville, earning an Associate’s Degree in Business.

She was very passionate about sports, especially running and tennis. She loved cooking, enjoyed traveling and being with friends. She will be sorely missed by all of those who were touched by her sincerity and unconditional love.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister Charlotte Dunkin. She is survived by her husband, Manuel S. Valenzuela; daughter, Mary Elizabeth Armor and grandson, Kieran P. Kozicki, all of Brentwood; brothers, Carl (Nancy) Hicks of Atlanta, Ga. and Ted (Patsy) Hicks of Oxford, Ala.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2000 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TN 37203 or Team Karsyn Thornton, MPD Community Credit Union, 2711 Old Lebanon Rd., Nashville, TN 37214.

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