‘The biggest burglary in the history of Metro’

  by Christian Grantham - January 11th, 2008 - 11:26 am| City Government, Consumer Alert, County Government, Crime | one comment

The identification of more than 337,000 Davidson County residents was stolen on Christmas Eve, but to date no one in Metro government has been held accountable. Tune in to News 2 at 5 as Andy Cordan unleashes his anger.

And here is the symbolic sand in the eye to me. The break in happened on December 24th. Today, as I write this, it is January 11th.

I visited the Election commision this morning, and that damn window is still not fixed. A big board still marks the break in point, like an X marks a pirate’s treasure. Is there not a piece of glass in the entire city that could have been located by this time, some 18 days and counting.

To me it represents everything that is wrong with this story and the way it has been handled.
[MESSED UP METRO - That Is Messed Up - 01-11-08]

Bad hairdo gets woman shot

  by Christian Grantham - January 9th, 2008 - 2:32 pm| Crime, Weirdness | one comment

Her hair doesn’t like that bad.

Authorities said Nikeya Alston, 26, shot 25-year-old Tiffany Jackson Friday night after Jackson’s roommate refused to redo her hair. The initial styling took place on Thursday and Alston apparently did not like the do. Early Friday morning, Jackson discovered her car tires had been flattened.  She suspected Alston.  Later Friday evening, police said Alston approached Jackson and shot her in the leg.
[Woman Arrested For Shooting Another Over Hairdo - WKRN - 01-09-07]

“Please help me” - pit bulls viciously attack two women

  by Christian Grantham - December 27th, 2007 - 6:32 am| Animals, City Government, County Government, Crime, EXCLUSIVE, Public Safety | 2 comments

WKRN EXCLUSIVE: Animal control says there will likely be “vicious dog” charges in connection with two pit bulls who attacked 80 year old Miriam Coes and her neighbor Patricia Martin.

“I fell on the ground and when I fell on the ground one dog went behind me and grabbed the back of my coat and I said I’ve got to get up from here because if I don’t get up these dogs are going to kill me. I got down, I grabbed my food and I threw it to the dog and said take this, take this.  So the dog grabbed the food and he ran with the food and the other dog ran behind. That gave me enough time to get to my car and close my door before one of the dogs came back after me again,” Martin said.
[Women Recover From Neighborhood Pit Bull Attack - WKRN - 12-26-07]

5 boys take joy ride with sex offender

  by Christian Grantham - December 12th, 2007 - 6:21 am| BREAKING, Crime, Family, Public Safety | one comment

When police stopped Michael Ingram for swerving in traffic they found five boys ages 12 and 13 in the back seat. Not only was Ingram driving drunk, police say he is a convicted sex offender who met the boys on MySpace. News 2 was the first to bring you this story.

Ingram is a registered sex offender and not supposed to be with young boys.  But that’s exactly what he was doing Saturday, when police pulled him over and found the boys inside.

The mother of one of the boys in Ingram’s car said it all started outside Hermitage Elementary School. Ingram approached the boys and told them he knew a famous rock band and could get them autographs.

In an arrest affidavit from Saturday, the Metro police officer describes Ingram as drunk, saying he fell down on several occasions just standing.
[Sex Offender Spent Time With Young Boys Before Arrest - WKRN - 12-11-07]

Christmas shopping rage: “Shut up Brentwood twit!”

  by Christian Grantham - December 11th, 2007 - 6:05 am| Consumer Alert, Crime, Public Safety | 2 comments

That’s what 48-year-old Cynthia Strong of Bellevue told 32-year-old Tara Underwood after Underwood drove the wrong way while looking for a parking spot at the Cool Springs Galleria. Read the entire incident at ThatIsMessedUp complete with 911 audio.

Strong faces a maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days in jail, though she has no previous record. She is due back in court on December 20.

“She was furious,” said Underwood.  “If my five-year-old had been back here he would have been terrified.  She is banging on the window freaking out.  I am afraid she is going to break the window out.  She started yelling at me screaming nasty, ugly expletives at me.  She totally threatened me, a lot.”
[Road Rage Turns Violent In Cool Springs’ Lot - WKRN - 12-10-07]

“I at no time did i utter a curse word at underwood before exiting my car. i did comment after she started her holiday cheer lecture and how someone else had taken her parking spot that i thought perhaps she was illterate since she was going the wrong way. i then proceeded to roll up my window when she called me a bitch. at that point, i parked my car and confronted her. when she stated she couldn’t hear me, i reached in her car window, snatcher her ear buds out of her ear and asked could she hear me now?!?!?”
[Cynthia Strong - December 10, 2007 @ 11:47 pm ]

“I actually thought she was rolling her window down to offer me her space that she had just left because it was a little further up from me. She is so deranged that she is actually DEFENDING her position. Maybe Ms. Strong is the one who is “not so bright here”. If she had displayed an ounce of self control or sense; she would have never come up to my car and verbally and physically attacked me. She had NO IDEA that my little innocent son was not in that car behind those tinted windows; NOR DID SHE CARE.”
[Tara Underwood - December 11, 2007 @ 1:20 am ]

Hero fired for spying on women in a restroom

  by Christian Grantham - December 6th, 2007 - 6:17 am| County Government, Crime, Public Safety, Weirdness | no comments

Joe Reed was called a hero for being among the first responders to a national tragedy in Minneapolis in August. Now Reed has been fired from his job with the Rutherford County Emergency Management for allegedly placing cameras in the women’s restroom.

The firing comes after hidden cameras were found in a women’s restroom at the emergency center.

The hidden camera incident occurred at the Emergency Management Headquarters in Rutherford County.

After Reed was fired, the TBI was called in to look at the case.
[Rutherford Co. Official Fired, Facing TBI Investigation - WKRN - 12-05-07]

Letter claiming to be from Animal Control threatens dog owner

  by Christian Grantham - November 30th, 2007 - 6:48 am| Animals, City Government, Crime, EXCLUSIVE, Public Safety | no comments

The letter appeared to be legitimate to Patricia Russell, but the threats made in the unstamped letter left in her mailbox were fake.

Judy Ladebauche of Metro Animal Services said, “We need to get this stopped.  No one has the right to do this.  This is harassment.”

Russell’s dogs are treated very well according to Metro Animal Control officer Billy Biggs who visited the home.

Biggs said, “I don’t see anything wrong with your setup.”
[Fake Letter Threatens, Worries Dog Owner - WKRN - 11-29-07]

LEARN MORE: Animal Control notices are often placed on your door or arrive as metered mail.

LEARN MORE: It is against federal postal rules to leave any items in or on mailboxes or the mailbox support structure including coupons, solicitations from the self-employed, flyers inviting you to church and any unstamped letter. Companies or individuals that violate postal rules are first warned by the Post Master and placed on a warning list, then fined for future incidents. This rule is in place to protect you from people using the opportunity as cover to commit mail fraud or identity theft.

BREAKING: Hunters Lane student brings gun to school

  by Christian Grantham - November 28th, 2007 - 10:00 am| Campus, Crime, Education, Public Safety | no comments

WKRN received a news tip from a viewer just minutes ago that a student at Hunters Lane was arrested for bringing a gun to school. Metro Police Spokesperson Don Aaron told New 2 there was “an incident” at the school but wouldn’t say more than that. Metro Schools tells News 2 a 10th grade student brought a .25 semi-automatic weapon (similar to the one pictured here) to school with the intent to sell the gun. They also confirm there was no ammunition. The student was reported by other students.

Three weeks ago, WKRN aired a 911 tape from a caller at Hunters Lane describing violence that erupted between students.

Williamson County Sheriff defends pot smoking officer

  by Christian Grantham - November 19th, 2007 - 10:48 am| County Government, Crime, EXCLUSIVE, Justice, Law, Public Safety | 4 comments

Williamson County Sheriff Ricky Headly says officers caught using drugs under his watch “should be given a second chance” after the son of a close friend tested positive for marijuana use.

Sheriff Headly recently pled not guilty to a four count grand jury indictment on illegal prescription drug charges in Williamson county. He was arrested in late January on prescription drug charges in Davidson County accused of obtaining 1,900 painkillers within a four-month period. 

Headly, 43, is now under fire for allowing Williamson County Corrections Officer Bryan Ward stay on the job after testing positive for using marijuana. Headly told News 2’s Christine Maddela that “the sheriff has the final say” despite explicit guidelines on illegal drug use by officers.

“Policies are in place, but they’re just guidelines,” he said.  “The sheriff has the final say, and it must be done on a case by case basis.”

Officer Ward is the son of Hickman County Sheriff Randal Ward.

“His father is a dear friend, but it plays no role whatsoever,” said Sheriff Headley.  “He tried marijuana and given a drug test, came back positive for marijuana. Failing a drug test is not illegal.”

Smoking marijuana, however, is.

Sheriff Headley said, “Smoking marijuana and taking illegal drugs is a crime, yes, but failing a drug test is not a crime.  I’m a firm believer that a young person who makes a bad choice should not have their career ruined. They should be given a second chance.”
[Sheriff Defends Officer Who Tested Positive For Marijuana - WKRN - 11-16-07]

Oak Hill retains attorney to investigate City Manager Bill Kraus

  by Christian Grantham - November 16th, 2007 - 9:02 am| City Government, Crime, Property, Taxes | 2 comments

VolunteerVoters reports the City of Oak Hill has retained legal counsel to investigate the legal impact of City Manager Bill Kraus’s criminal history. Word of the city retaining Mark Peters of Waller, Lansden and Dortch came at last night’s Oak Hill Board of Commissioners meeting.

Questions raised at the meeting included how Kraus’s legal status could affect the city’s insurance, the validity of its city audits, and whether according statute a convicted felon could legally continue to serve as City Manager.
[Oak Hill Board Of Commissioners Declare The Need For Further Study On Fate Of City Manager - VolunteerVoters - 11-15-07]

The city of Oak Hill issued a statement earlier this week stating they were unaware of Kraus’s criminal past as revealed in a 1998 L.A. Times article when they hired him in 2003.

It has come to the CIty’s attention that its City Manager Bill Karus did not discuss certain real estate legal events, which occurred over 20 years ago in California, when he was hired in 2003. At the time of his hiring in 2003 adequate references and credentials were checked and satisfactory responses were obtained. At the time of his hiring Dr. Kraus was already teaching at Austin Peay State University and Vanderbilt University.
[The City Of Oak Hill Confirms City Manager Did Not Discuss Past Legal Trouble During Hiring - VolunteerVoters - 11-12-07]

Oak Hill Mayor Alsup then issued a statement in support of Kraus as city manager.

Dr. William Kraus has made enormous contributions to the City of Oak Hill since he came here in 2003. In that time, thanks to his outstanding management skills and fiduciary responsibility, the City’s financial reserves have increased significantly, the City’s business is conducted more efficiently and professionally, and security measures to protect both privacy and assets have been enhanced. He works tirelessly on behalf of the City, and I have complete confidence in him. 
[The Oak Hill Redemption: Mayor Alsup Reaffirms Support For City Manager - VolunteerVoters - 11-14-07]

Information about Kraus’s criminal history was recently brought to light by News 2’s Adam Kleinheider. Kraus is a vocal opponent to an expansion at the Governor’s Oak Hill residence. The Governor’s office has denied any role in sharing information about Kraus’s criminal record. Tennessee Republican Party Communications Director Bill Hobbs has publicly called for VolunteerVoters to reveal its source.

“How did the info surface? Did you find it on your own or did someone point you to it, and if it is the latter, who?”
Bill Hobbs - November 12th, 2007 at 12:43 pm

UPDATE 9:30a.m. - Channel 5 (WTVF) reports on this story saying the cause of the investigation is an ”undisclosed legal issue involving the city manager.” Kraus’s daughter works as an investigative reporter at WTVF.