THE SHOW: 12/04/2009 - Hard Rock Renovation / Shocking Patients / LOW I-Q KILLER EXECUTED / BAXTER'S COMING OUT

Local Buzz:
"Tenn. First Family Remembers Crime Victims"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Families gathered at the State Capitol to remember lost loved ones. The memorial is part of the annual Season to Remember.
Every year violence claims the lives of people, and on Thursday night, victim's family members shared their experience with Governor Phil Bredesen and Tennessee's First Lady Andrea Conte during the 7th annual ceremony.
"We need to remember the wonderful lives that are no longer with us," said Conte.
Alberta Harrison has attended the event for the past four years. Harrison's son, William "Bubba" Banks, was shot and killed on April 6, 2006.
"Christmas is the hardest part for us because my son is not there," said Harrison.
When she met the First Family, Harrison hugged Governor Bredesen and the First Lady and thanked them for their support.
"I told him [the event] really helps," said Harrison.
Each family also placed an ornament symbolizing their loved-one on a wreath. The wreath will be on display at the Tennessee State Capitol building throughout the holidays. ~Eric White

"Nashville's Hard Rock Cafe doubles size, adds live music venue"

*A sleek multimillion-dollar renovation, which gives Hard Rock nearly 13,000 square feet of space and offers a second floor, counts as the latest expansion on Lower Broadway, known for its crowded honky-tonk scene.

"Nashville Mayor Dean says convention center hotel will have to wait"

*Metro should start building a $585 million downtown convention center early next year but hold off on building an attached hotel, Mayor Karl Dean told the Metro Council on Thursday.
Dean said he wants to wait on the hotel until it's easier to find private investment, which has been difficult in capital markets hammered by the recession. Waiting could hurt the convention center proposal politically because some council members feel they can't support the biggest project in city history without knowing how a hotel would fit into the picture.
"The hotel seems to be the sticking point for me and a lot of people," Councilman Sam Coleman said. "It's so up in the air right now."
But the administration believes it would be even tougher to sell the council on publicly financing the hotel, which could cost $200 million or so. And consultants' revenue projections show the city could pay for the convention center from visitor taxes and fees even without a hotel in the mix.
Read more: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091204/NEWS0202/912040377/1001/NEWS

"Chattanooga hospital guard stuns patient, who dies"

*CHATTANOOGA” The TBI is investigating a Chattanooga hospital security officer in the use of a stun device on a mental patient, who later died.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported the officer, Matthew Shane Webb, was fired from the Chattanooga Police Department in 2004 after being accused of using a Taser on a handcuffed suspect.
A city police spokeswoman said 54-year-old Edward Buckner — a patient at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute — died Nov. 27 at Erlanger Hospital.
The newspaper said Buckner became unruly and officers shocked him.
The newspaper cited police records in reporting former Chattanooga Police Chief Steve Parks fired Webb five years ago after finding Webb used undue force on two men after a police chase.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in trying to reach Webb for comment.

*A convicted felon resigned her post as a nursing professor at Middle Tennessee State University on Thursday.
Pamela Holder was sentenced last month on four federal felony counts of bank and wire fraud. Holder, the former head of the MTSU nursing program who also ran the online nursing degree program for the Tennessee Board of Regents, remained at her $87,000-a-year post after she was convicted in April and sentenced to federal prison in November.
MTSU had just begun the review process that could have ended her tenure contract.
In a brief statement, the university announced: "Dr. Pam Holder has tendered her resignation from Middle Tennessee State University, which was accepted by President Sidney A. McPhee.
"This action brings an immediate conclusion to the hearing process to terminate Dr. Holder's employment with the university, which was initiated by MTSU officials directly following her recent sentencing."

*The man accused of killing federal intern Chandra Levy in Washington in 2001 has been charged with threatening a witness in the case. An indictment filed Wednesday in D-C Superior Court charges Ingmar Guandique with obstructing justice, threatening to injure a person and conspiracy. Guandique was charged in April with first-degree murder and other counts in connection with Levy's death. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

*A man whose I-Q indicates he might be mentally retarded was executed in Texas yesterday (Thursday), ending months of angry debate. Bobby Wayne Woods, whose I-Q was estimated as being between 68 and 80, was put to death just before 7 p-m, after an appeal was rejected by the U-S Supreme Court. His last words, at 6:40, were: "Bye. I am ready."

Celeb News:

*Keyshia Cole is reportedly expecting a baby with her boyfriend, Cleveland Cavaliers player Daniel Gibson. A source close to the singer tells Sister-2-Sister magazine's website that the child is due in March, although the sex hasn't been determined. Rumors of a pregnancy began surfacing after Cole was seen a number of times in public sporting a noticeable baby bump. Calls to Cole's reps were not returned.

*The Dream has taken to Twitter to vent his frustrations over being snubbed by the Grammys for a second straight year. Although his sophomore disc, Love Versus Money, was an R-&-B favorite and produced three hit singles, the album received not a single nod. Says Dream, "This time once again I've written on two [albums by artists who received nominations] -- Jamie [Foxx] and [Beyonce] -- and no nomination on a whole album of [what] got those albums considered in the first place... Maybe it's my label, maybe it's just my ass-kissing skills aren't up to par."

"DAVE CHAPPELLE: On the Comeback Trail?"

*Dave Chappelle took the stage the other night during Chappelle's Show cast-mate Charlie Murphy's stand-up set, delivered a 30-minute performance and got a five-minute standing ovation. We caught up with Charlie Murphy and asked whether this signals a comeback for Chappelle. He tells us, "Maybe there's something that would develop... Maybe that was the opportunity for me to say, 'Hey, let's go out together,' and for me to plant that seed."

*Controversial N-B-A star Ron Artest has backed off from published comments claiming he regularly drank alcohol during games. Excerpts of an interview Artest did with the Sporting News were released in advance, in which Artest said: "I used to drink Hennessy at halftime. I [kept it] in my locker. I'd just walk to the liquor store and get it." While Artest did not deny the drinking episodes, he told a Chicago radio station, "I think in order to get everybody interested in actually buying the paper, I think they just released all these power points, so to speak."

"FAMILY TIES DAD "THRILLED" WITH BAXTER'S COMING OUT"

*We now know that T-V mom "Elyse Keaton" is a lesbian. But how does T-V dad "Steven Keaton" feel about the news?
Michael Gross, who played the hippie dad on Family Ties, says he's glad Meredith Baxter finally came out of the closet. "She's one of my favorite people in the world, and I'm just thrilled that it's no longer a secret, and that's about the size of it. I'm just thrilled this has happened because now my wife and I don't have to hide this from everybody we know. Occasionally people will say to us, 'Hey, Michael, you still see your co-star? How's she doing? Is there a man in her life?'" Hopefully, we'll soon find out how next-door neighbor "Skippy" feels about this.

~Pulitzer Prize for photography awarded to Moneta Sleet Jr. of Ebony magazine. He was the first Black male cited by the Pulitzer committee. In 1969 Moneta J. Sleet Jr. became the first African American male and the first African American photographer to win a Pulitzer Prize. He served as staff photographer for the Johnson Publishing Company for over four decades, covering some of the most important events of twentieth-century history. Sleet's Pulitzer Prize-winning photographic portrait of Coretta Scott King and her youngest child, Bernice, was taken during Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. In one split second Sleet captured what words could never adequately express. Whether he was creating images of celebrities or the largely anonymous, all were "photographed with the care and sensitivity that are Moneta Sleet trademarks," in the words of an Ebony article of January 1987.

"Integrity Music artists Israel Houghton and Mary Mary were among the nominees announced this week for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards"
*Haughton received two nods -- Best Gospel Song for "Every Prayer" and Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for The Power of One. Mary Mary also compete for Best Gospel Song for their hit "God in Me." The show takes place January 31st in Los Angeles.

*J. Moss will film his first live D-V-D concert December 13th at Straight Gate Church in Detroit. Special guests include Karen Clark Sheard, 21:03 and Antwaun Stanley. The D-V-D recording follows Moss's most recent release Just James, which debuted atop the Billboard Top Gospel Albums charts.

*P-J Morton's fifth studio album, Walk Alone, will feature guest production from Warryn Campbell. The new album will be in stores and released digitally on February 9th.

*Everyone experiences loneliness at one time or another in their lifetime. You can be in a relationship and feel alone. You can be in a crowd and feel alone. Loneliness is a feeling of being excluded from a group. Loneliness is feeling unloved or alienated from your surroundings. Loneliness can mean that there is no one with whom you can share your personal concerns and experiences. Loneliness can mean you find it difficult to make friends.
Some of the Negative Effects of Loneliness are:
-Low self-esteem.
-A feeling that nobody likes you.
-Expectation of others to include you in their activities and conversations and if they don't you may become withdrawn, angry or isolated.
-A feeling that others are always evaluating you.
Eight ways to overcome Loneliness and bring more happiness into your life.
1-Do some volunteer work. Helping others will boost your self-esteem and create new opportunities to meet people with similar interests.
2-Get involved in Church or Community activities
3-Start making the first step in greeting people. Smile and say "Hello"
4-Take the initiative and call someone and ask him or her to meet you for coffee.
5-Don't judge people on the basis of your past experiences. Keep an open mind when meeting someone new and show interest in them. Don't make assumptions about how they will perceive you.
6-Take some adult education courses that are based on personal growth. For
example look for classes that teach self-esteem development, forgiveness, how to be more assertive, how to mingle, how to become a positive thinker.
7-When you are alone listen to self-help books on tape. Get some videotapes that offer seminars on personal growth. You will feel a part of the audience as you listen to the trainers and instructors on these cassette tapes.
8-There are many organizations that provide opportunities for their members to socialize and network for new friends and social companions.

*You know it's a tough fashion day when a red faux-hawk is the best part of your look.