Focused On Urban Issues, Nightlife, & Kenny Smoov

THE SHOW: 12/28/2009 - 10 Most Wanted / Recovery Fund Set Up for Burned Child / HP NEEDS A LITTLE MORE TESTING?? / TO FLY OR NOT TO FLY

Local Buzz:
"TBI Adds Prison Escapee to 10 Most Wanted List"

*CLIFTON, Tenn.- Authorities are looking for a man who escaped a Tennessee prison Saturday night and abducted a woman.
Stephen Allen Hester, 26, is wanted by the Tennessee Department of Corrections for escape after he got away from the CCA prison facility in Wayne County.
He was serving an eight-year sentence for an aggravated robbery he committed in Memphis earlier this year. Hester was discovered missing around 9:30 Saturday night during a head count at the South Central Correctional Center-Annex.
Authorities say he is now suspected of abducting a woman and stealing her car at a market in Clifton, then dropping her off in Savannah at Walmart, but he continued in her vehicle.
Authorities believe he could be headed toward Memphis. He has a criminal history that includes burglary, passing bad checks, drug possession charges and driving on a suspended license.
Hester is described as a white male with brown eyes and blue eyes. He's approximately 5'9" and weighs 230 pounds. He has tattoos on both arms and right calf.
He could be driving a 2005 silver Chevy Malibu with Tennessee license plate 575-TQT. Anyone with information about Hester is asked to call 1-800-TBI-Find. There is a $1,000 award for information leading to his capture.

"Recovery Fund Set Up for Burned Child"
*NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The family of a 5-year-old is dealing with the fact their little boy will have to spend the next year of his life in a hospital.
Dylan Snider has second and third degree burns to about 80-percent of his body. He caught fire when he poured gasoline on a bonfire outside his home right before Christmas.
A recovery fund has been set up to help the family out with medical costs. Those wanting to donate can give to the Dylan Snider Recovery Fund at any regions Bank Branch.

"Firefighters Injured Responding to Crash"

*WHITE HOUSE, Tenn.- Four firefighters were hurt when their engine turned over Sunday morning. The truck rolled over when the White House Community Volunteer firefighters hit a ditch on their way to a crash scene on Tyree Springs Road. The truck lodged into a muddy shoulder before flipping over.
The firefighters are dealing with cracked ribs, cuts, bruises and scrapes. Because another engine isn't working currently, the White House fire department will have to call on neighboring squads if there is a fire.

"Hard Rock Cafe Reopen In Time For New Year's Eve"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The downtown Nashville Hard Rock Cafe will begin a week-long grand re-opening celebration, and it kicks off Monday!
The re-opening celebration caps off three months of renovations at the restaurant to include the second floor conversion into a live music venue with a bar and outdoor seating.
The week-long live music series leads up to New Year's Eve's Music City Bash on Broadway with country artist Rodney Atkins.

Top Stories:
"HEWLETT-PACKARD CAN'T SEE BLACK PEOPLE"

*A new software system from Hewlett-Packard is designed to keep facial images centered and proportioned on the screen -- unless you're black. Two employees at a computer store posted a video on YouTube to demonstrate the flaw. The software has no problem recognizing Wanda -- who is white -- with the webcam following her face as she moves up, down, in, out and around. But for Desi -- who's black -- the camera remains completely static regardless of any movement, leading him to declare, "I think my blackness is interfering with the computer's ability to follow me. Hewlett-Packard computers are racist." Though the demonstration was tongue-and-cheek, the problem is legitimate and H-P is investigating the matter.

"AIR TERRORISM AFTERMATH"
*The friendly skies got a little less friendly over Christmas after a would-be Islamic terrorist on a flight about to land in Detroit burned his leg with an incendiary device and was subdued by fellow passengers. The British-educated Nigerian from a wealthy family was arrested and hospitalized for his burns. In the aftermath, a whole new raft of airline rules were hastily concocted, limiting the actions of fliers in the last hour before landing. Yesterday, the increased level of concern about airborne terrorism caused another Nigerian -- amazingly, on the same Northwest route from Amsterdam to Detroit -- to be detained after spending an hour in the toilet. Fears that he was also a threat turned out to be unfounded -- he was merely ill. And, on Saturday night, two passengers on a flight to Phoenix were detained and questioned because of unfounded fears arising from their Middle Eastern appearance, foreign language and the fact that one was watching a Hollywood movie that seemed suspicious.

Celeb News:
"ASHANTI: Stalker Convicted"

*Ashanti and her mom, Tina Douglas, can rest easier now that the man who sent them vulgar, harassing text messages is headed to jail. A New York jury found Devar Hurd guilty of stalking and aggravated harassment on Tuesday. Hurd, who shook his head when the verdict was read, believed the messages and pictures of his genitals were welcome. He faces up to two years in prison.

"JAMIE FOXX: More Movies & Music in 2010"

*We'll see a softer side of Jamie Foxx on the big screen in 2010. In February, he appears in the mega-ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day. In November, we'll see him with Robert Downey Junior and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) in the family road-trip comedy Due Date. But what Jamie really wants to do in 2010 is make more music.

"AMY WINEHOUSE: Arrested for Theater Incident"

*Amy Winehouse was arrested on Wednesday and charged with assault following an alleged attack on a theater employee December 19th in Buckinghamshire, England. Winehouse turned herself into local police and was released on bail shortly afterwards. She's due back in court on January 20th.

"Charlie Sheen Arrested"

*CHARLIE SHEEN ARRESTED; UNDERGOING COUNSELING-Charlie Sheen was arrested Christmas morning in Aspen, Colorado on domestic violence charges.
The Two and a Half Men star was charged with second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief after getting into a heated argument with his wife Brooke Mueller. Sources say Charlie threatened her with a knife. He was released on eight-thousand-dollar's bail.
Charlie and Brooke plan to undergo counseling, and he's also getting anger-management counseling. A source tells People, "They were fighting at a dinner in a friend's house and it continued until the next morning. Both of them were drinking and neither was supposed to be. They both have histories of alcohol abuse and have made every effort to stop. But things got out of hand."

"JON GOSSELIN'S APARTMENT BURGLARIZED"

*Jon Gosselin got a surprise when he returned to his bachelor pad Saturday afternoon after spending Christmas with his kids. His Manhattan apartment was burglarized and thrashed.
In a statement, his lawyer, Mark Heller, said, "[He] called me this afternoon...when he entered his apartment in Manhattan and was horrified, disheartened and saddened to observe the devastation of his furniture, clothing and personal belongings, which were apparently slashed with a butcher knife by a very troubled and sick perpetrator." Heller also says Jon discovered a note that was "speared" into his wooden dresser.
Radar Online is reporting that Jon's ex Hailey Glassman has been questioned in connection with the burglary. She had shared the apartment with Jon until moving out on Wednesday.

"BRITTANY MURPHY LAID TO REST"

*Brittany Murphy was laid to rest at a private funeral Thursday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.
The L-A-P-D have finished their initial investigation into the 32-year-old's death and have determined that there were no signs that a crime occurred. Murphy died of a sudden cardiac arrest last Sunday.

Black History:
Denzel Washington Born

-December 28, 1954~Actor Denzel Washington was born on this day in Mount Vernon, NY. Washington will star in such films as "Malcolm X", "Glory", "Much Ado about Nothing", and " A Soldier's Story". He will have a start in television in his role on popular show "St. Elsewhere". He will win an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in "Glory".

"Third Day of Kwanzaa-Third Day of Kwanzaa - Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)"

Healthy Matters:
"DRINKING A LOT IS GOOD FOR YOU"
*According to a controversial new study, drinking a bottle of wine -- or six bottles of beer -- each and every day is good for your heart.
Spanish researchers found that this regimen of heavy daily drinking may cut the risk of heart disease by more than half.
Unfortunately for the ladies, this sort of alcohol consumption only protected guys from heart disease.

Good News:
"Recycle Live Christmas Tree"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Now that Christmas is over a lot of people wonder what to do with their live Christmas tree!
Starting Monday, people can drop off their used Christmas trees at 10 sites across Nashville.
Metro Public Works asks people to care for the environment by recycling their live tree.
Trees can be dropped at Cane Ridge, Cedar Hill, Edwin Warner, Elmington, Joelton, Richland, Sevier, Two Rivers, Whitfield Parks, Una Recreation Center or the Bordeaux Mulch Facility.
All trees must be free of lights, ornaments, icicles, tinsel and garland. Unfortunately, no flocked trees can be accepted. The drop off continues until February 16.

Relationship:
"6 great things about being single on the last night of 2009!"
1. The delicious possibility that, at midnight, you could kiss anyone!
2. You can spend the evening with your best friend, drinking champagne and eating chocolate -- in your fanciest party dresses ... or in your pajamas!
3. You only have to go to the parties you want to go to. No bargaining with your significant other over whose friends are more fun.
4. No one will force you to watch New Year's Rockin' Eve -- or mock you if you want to watch it!
5. No dealing with a date who drinks too much and embarrasses you.
6. Best of all, as a gloriously single gal, you have the freedom to declare the year over at 10 p.m. and just go to bed right then!

Mess of the Day:
"What is black and white and red all over? Whatever the answer is, the joke is still on us.-Illinois"