KISS News Now!

TI & Wife Tiny Busted On Drug Charges In LA; Young Women On Top--In Pay; Man Asks 911 For Fresh Towels

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:22:32 -0500

TI and newlywed wife Tameka Cottle face drug possession charges in West Hollywood. Cops pulled over their Maybach last night on Sunset Boulevard after allegedly smelling marijuana coming out of it. An Atlanta lawyer, Mark Issa, says this could spell bad news for the 29-year-old if the charge sticks.

"Anytime a person is placed on probation and they violate a condition of probation--one of which being, any drug use--the court has the discretion of incarcerating him," Issa tells KISS. He also says that the term of incarceration could be for the remainder of TI's probation time--which was set at three years during his sentencing. TI served a year split between a prison and a halfway house for a conviction on trying to buy assault weapons before the BET Awards in Atlanta in 2007. He was released in March.

The 29-year-old TI, real name Clifford Harris, and 36-year-old Cottle were released on $10,000 bond each early this morning. They are due to appear in Beverly Hills Municipal Court Friday morning.

TI's movie "Takers" edged out "The Last Exorcism" for the top spot at the box office during their weekend debut. The heist film got the #1 spot by about $150,000.

Young sisters are doing it for themselves. Data shows women ages 22-30 who don't have kids or husbands are earning more money than their male peers in 39 of 50 major cities. Young women average $27,000 a year--8% higher than comparable men. Atlanta leads the trend with ladies bringing home 21% bigger paychecks. The trend is especially evident in cities with large ethnic populations, as black and Hispanic women are twice as likely to earn college degrees than black and Hispanic males. If any factor changes--for instance, if the woman gets married or has a kid--she earns less than a man. The trend does not hold true in cities with male-dominated industries, like military technology contracting or software development.
DeKalb County needs a new District Attorney. Gwen Keyes Fleming is resigning, effective immediately. She's leaving to take over as the Environmental Protection Agency's Southeast Regional Director after an appointment by President Obama. She's been DA since 2005.
Tourists along North Carolina's Outer Banks are heading for the mainland to get out of the way of Hurricane Earl, but some residents are staying behind to face the most powerful storm to threaten the coast in years. Earl is whipping toward the islands with winds of 145 miles per hour.
Police shot to death a homeless man who held three hostages at the Discovery Channel's Maryland headquarters Wednesday afternoon. James Lee had a grudge against the company; he hated shows like Jon & Kate plus 8 because he said they encouraged population growth and was angry that their programming didn't do more to help the planet.
How much money makes people happy? A new Keirsey Research study says $75,000 a year is the magic number; more than that didn't seem to have any greater effect. Who else is happier? People in good health; also, while married people are slightly happier than those who are divorced--but engaged people are the happiest of all.

Talk about abuse of 911. A homeless man breaks into an Oregon home and calls 911, claiming to be the county sheriff in need of medical help. He 'fessed up on the phone that, okay, he wasn't really the sheriff, but he was in this home's hot tub--and his towels had gotten wet. He asked that the cops send some fresh ones over, along with hot cocoa and marshmallows. No surprise, police did show up--and arrested the guy.
Reports say the band War is suing Pepsi for $10 million, claiming the soda folks used their song "Why Can't We Be Friends" in a national Pepsi Max commercial without permission. The lawsuit apparently contends War "did not consent to the use of their performance" and that therefore, the ad is a "deliberate violation" of their licensing arrangements. "Why Can't We Be Friends?" was a Top 10 hit in 1975 from War's album of the same name. That same album also produced the hit "Low Rider." The song's authorship is credited to the members of the band and to their producer, Jerry Goldstein. The commercial (below) is a remake of a popular 1995 Pepsi ad.

The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: sunny highs in the mid-90s.

Cops Hunt Kiddie Flasher; Miami Dolphin Loses Bling At Practice; Heavy Drinkers Live Longer?

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:25:56 -0500

President Obama declares the official end to Operation Iraqi Freedom. From the Oval Office, the president told the nation Tuesday night that the Americans' combat operations there are finished, and now the Iraqis have the opportunity to chart their own course. Mr. Obama says it's time to focus on America's economy, but he pledges to devote more resources to the nine-year-long war in Afghanistan.
Douglas County deputies say they need to find a kiddie flasher before he traumatizes another child. Surveillance video may help cops track down the 40-something white man, seen on tape at a Family Dollar near the Cobb/Douglas County line exposing himself to a little girl. At a Dollar General off of Annawekee Road in Lithia Springs, the same man, driving a white pickup, exposed himself to two kids in a car. One mother says her fifth-grade daughter will never forget that ordeal.
A strange twist in the case of that Lawrenceville boy who went missing after school Monday, only to turn up late Tuesday morning in Hall County. Mario Taddeo's 29-year-old babysitter, Christopher Ray, kept the 10-year-old boy overnight--but didn't bother to tell the family or police. In fact, cops say, Ray told them he didn't know where Mario was when they asked him. No motive is known.
In KISS news about your health: Bottoms up! Heavy drinkers outlive those who don't drink at all. A surprising new study finds people who abstain from alcohol die sooner than most. Researchers at UT Austin say while heavy drinkers live longer than teetotalers, folks who indulge in moderate drinking--defined as one to three cocktails a day--live the longest.
Quite a sight at Dolphins practice Tuesday: a bunch of huge football players crawling around on their hands and knees, fingers sifting through the turf. Defensive end Kendall Langford had lost one of his earrings--a two and a half carat diamond. After an hour, with teammates, groundskeepers, team officials and public relations interns all pitching in on the search, nobody found it, and Langford had to cut it short to go to a meeting. Langford, a Hampton University alum was drafted in the third round in 2008, isn't saying how much it's worth, but a Miami jeweler says depending on cut and clairty, it could be in the $50,000 range. Langford says he didn't realize he had the earrings in when he hit the field.
Authorities in California can thank pot growers for giving them the evidence. State game wardens looking for deer poachers Monday night pulled up to a spot where the marijuana farmers apparently thought the wardens' pickup truck was one of their own. The growers started throwing duffel bags full of weed into the truck. Wardens moved to round them up but three of the five men got away; the authorities also seized 127 pounds of marijuana.
A New York man jumps 40 stories off the roof of a Manhattan apartment building--and lives. The 22-year-old Thomas Magill, whose Facebook page includes the description, "I hate my life," plunged feetfirst from the West Side building, and had his fall broken by a Dodge Charger. The owner of the car fished his rosary beads out of the vehicle and said those were what had saved Magill's life. Magill suffered two broken legs and his father said his son was in stable condition after surgery.
Georgia Republican Congressman Tom Price is the target of an ethics probe over whether he traded campaign contributions for his vote against the Wall Street reform bill. The bill cracks down on lending practices and expands consumer protections. The ethics investigation appears to center on a fundraiser at a private club held the day before the vote.
Looks like back-to-school shopping was a boost to the economy, yet new data shows Americans mostly are hanging on to their money. MasterCard's SpendingPulse reports today that August spending rose on children's clothing and consumer electronics. But shoppers pulled back on most other merchandise, including women's and men's fashions and luxury goods.
The suspect in the Morrow hit-and-run surrenders to police. Alvelardo Franquez faces felony charges in the Sunday morning crash that critically injured a seven-year-old boy, who was sitting in the backseat of his mom's car when a Lexus SUV smashed into their car. Franquez has no driver's license--but a history of DUIs. The child is now in stable condition.
The state Department of Natural Resources plans to inspect Zoo Atlanta to find out how an especially venomous tiger rattler escaped last Friday. That's a violation of their permit to keep wild animals. The snake was beaten to death after a two-year-old spotted it on his family's front porch and his dad clubbed it. The man's wife later heard the report about the missing snake and called the zoo.
Hurricane Earl threatens the Labor Day holiday for East Coast vacationers. Folks on North Carolina's Ocracoke Island have begun lining up to start evacuating on ferries this morning. Earl's approaching at Category 3 strength. A hurricane watch stretches to the Virginia coast.
The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: partly to mostly sunny with a high around 92.

10-Year-Old Boy Missing; Airplane Terror Dry Run?; Bed Intruder Songster Turning Fame Into Future (VIDEO); DWTS Contestants Announced (PHOTO)

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:59:59 -0500

Police and family search for a missing 10-year-old boy. Mario Teddeo hasn't been seen since Monday afternoon in his Lawrenceville neighborhood. He disappeared after leaving a friend's house around 3:00. Police went knocking door to door in Gwinnett County, and even expanded the search to Hall County, where Mario has extended family. The child's mother now fears her son has been kidnapped. He was last seen wearing a red polo shirt and jeans.
Georgia's antifreeze killer, Lynn Turner, has died. The 42-year-old serving life without parole after two convictions on fatally poisoning her policeman husband and her firefighter lover was found unresponsive in her Metro State Prison cell bed Monday. An autopsy shows no foul play, but is inconclusive and toxicology reports are pending. Turner's mother and two children had just visited her at the prison Sunday. Both a friend of hers and some relatives of her victims speculate Turner might've taken her own life in a hopeless moment.
Police in Morrow find the SUV involved in that Sunday morning hit & run which left a seven-year-old boy in critical condition. The Lexus LX 450 was recovered behind a home on Boca Grand Parkway. The owner may now be in a black Chevy Silverado. Alvelaro Franquez didn't show up for work monday.
The formal end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq is the subject of President Barack Obama's speech to the nation tonight. Ahead of the speech, he's thanking troops at Fort Bliss, Texas, for their valor. Vice President Joe Biden is in Baghdad to mark the occasion, and is appealing to Iraqi leaders to stop their squabbling.
Suspicious items and changed flight plans apparently raised red flags about two men now being held in the Netherlands after a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Amsterdam. Among the items found in their luggage: a knife, a boxcutter; several watches taped together, and a cell phone taped to a Pepto Bismol bottle. Police are wondering if the men were testing airline security in some sort of terroristic dry run.
Antoine Dodson's ticked-off, head-shaking TV news interview about a rape attempt against his little sister has turned into a chart topper on iTunes. In 2.5 weeks, the song sold about 60,000 downloads; the musicians who put it together are splitting the money with Dodson, who says he'll use the cash to get his family out of the projects in Huntsville, Alabama.
In the war on bedbugs, which have made a comeback in some parts of the country, the Environmental Protection Agency is warning against using outdoor chemicals inside because they're too dangerous. They also caution not to use fly-by-night exterminators who make "unrealistic promises." When one unlicensed applicator in Jersey sprayed 70 homes, some people had to be treated at the hospital.

More problems have been found at the two egg farms in Iowa believed responsible for the recent salmonella outbreak. The FDA says investigations of Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms discovered rodents, seeping manure and even maggots. More than a half billion eggs have been recalled.

The new contestants for the 11th season of "Dancing with the Stars" have been announced.

The stars are:

Top Row: actor David Hasselhoff; retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner; actor Kyle Massey of the show "That's So Raven;" and retired NBA small forward Rick Fox. Show hosts Brooke Burke and Tom Bergeron round out the back row.

Bottom Row: singer Brandy; actress Jennifer Grey; comedienne Margaret Cho; Audrina Partridge of "The Hills;" actress Florence Henderson; and teen mom Bristol Palin, daughter of the ex-vice presidential candidate.

Not pictured are singer Michael Bolton and The Situation, of the TV show "Jersey Shore."

The new season premieres September 20.

Ecstasy Lab Near Georgia Tech; Missing Zoo Snake Found; 'Takers' Edged By The 'Exorcism'

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:12:04 -0500

Cops found more than a science project in a lab near Georgia Tech. Federal drug agents and Atlanta Police raided an ecstasy lab in an apparently vacant house on 10th Street near Northside Drive--just a couple of blocks from the northwest edge of the Tech campus. The setup was a detailed one, not made by kids experimenting, say authorities, although it was not operational and no one was home.
Police hunt a hit-and-run driver who critically injured a seven-year-old boy in Morrow. The driver of a '97 Lexus 450 smashed into a car waiting at a red light Sunday morning and took off; the boy was in his mom's backseat. Police are looking for the Lexus --- dark color, heavy damage and Georgia tag # BVQ-3081. The mother is getting treatment for pain in her neck and back.
The animals are normally inside the zoo. But today, the search continued near Grant Park for an escaped Zoo Atlanta rattlesnake. The venomous tiger rattlesnake was part of a shipment of confiscated snakes sent to the zoo by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and slithered away from quarantine Friday. She was found late Monday morning, some 100 yards away and across the street from the zoo. The snake had been clubbed to death by a resident, whose wife later called the zoo after hearing about the escaped reptile.
ER visits triple for kids with concussions. Doctors looking at 10 years of data call it a disturbing trend. They say it's probably due to the fact that there's more awareness about the brain injuries, along with the fact that the intensity of kids' sports has increased. Children with concussions should not return to sports until all their symptoms are gone, doctors say. They also add that most kids and teens with the brain injuries are never brought into the emergency room--so the real numbers could be even worse.
"Takers" didn't quite take the top slot of the weekend box office race, but for a moment it was too close to call. The star-studded heist film pulled in $21 million this weekend--just behind "The Last Exorcism," which made $21.3 million. An analyst says "Takers"--with stars including Tip "T. I." Harris, Idris Elba, Chris Brown, Michael Ealy and Zoe Saldana, generated disproportionately high interest among blacks, and fared best in cities with large black populations.
A University of Georgia study says Georgia's economy could be boosted if more people bought more food locally. Analysts say if every Georgia household spent just an additional $10 on food grown in-state, another $1.9 billion would be pumped into the state's coffers. That may be a bit easier to do; stats show the number of farmers markets in Georgia has increased in recent years.
It's a big week of war and peace for President Obama. Following his 10-day vacation on Martha's Vineyard, the president sits down with economic advisers today. Tomorrow night, he marks the formal end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq with a speech to the nation. Wednesday, Mr. Obama welcomes the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to Washington for peace talks. Direct negotiations start Thursday.
Free parking in Atlanta! New signs start going up today on Atlanta parking meters, letting people know that you don't have to feed the meter on Sundays and holidays. It's a clarification of a policy that was confusing when Park Atlanta took over parking enforcement. Contact Public Works if you paid for parking when you weren't supposed to.
The drop in teen smoking stalls out. The CDC says after a decade of declines in kids lighting up, the decrease is lower and leveling off among middle and high schoolers. Researchers say teens do know tobacco use is dangerous, but they decide to try it anyway as a way to assert their independence.
A hurricane warning is up for the US Virgin Islands as Hurricane Earl strengthens into a Category 3-level storm.
The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: a mix of clouds and hazy sunshine; high of 86.

Mom from Barbados Forced to Leave Her Sick Child in Atlanta; Another Toyota Recall; BET Comic from Dekalb County Arrested- KISS NEWS NOW!

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:37:05 -0500

Petra Gooding, a mother from Barbados, is here in Atlanta with her 7-year-old-daughter, who's receiving treatment for "stage four" cancer at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. For now, the two are here legally. However when Gooding applied for visa extensions, her daughter was approved but her request was denied. Gooding now has to decide whether or not to stay in the U.S. illegally to remain by her daughter's side or be forced to leave her sick child behind. Gooding's visa will expire in about a week.

A Gwinnett County girl is safe and sound after she went missing for nearly seven hours. Family members, neighbors and police all joined forces Thursday night to search for 6-year-old Aniyah Mason. Authorities say the 1st. grader at Sycamore Elementary School wasn't injured and they do not suspect foul play.

Hurricane Danielle is now major storm packing winds up to 135 mph. Forecasters are worried the Category 4 storm could cause rip currents along parts of the East Coast this weekend.

Toyota has issued another recall. This time it involves 1.3 million Corolla Sedans and Matrix Hatchbacks. There are concerns the engines could stall. This latest recall affects 2005 thur 2008 model years. GM is also recalling 200,000 Pontiac Vibe models. The Vibe was a joint effort between Toyota and GM in California.

Since October, Toyota has recalled 10 Million vehicles for a variety of reasons.

The fear of typhoid fever has prompted a fruti pop recall. Health officials say pulp imported by Goya Foods may be contaminated. There have been reported typhoid cases in both Nevada and California. Fruti pops of Santa Fe Springs California have issued a recall of its Mah-May Frozen Fruit Bars.

A Dekalb County comedian, who's been featured on BET's "Comic View" show, has now been arrested. 44-year-old Tyler Craig is accused of failing to make more than $13,000 in court ordered child support payments. Craig has opened up for quite a few big name comics, including Chris Tucker.

The KISS 104.1 Forecast: Slight chance for storms this weekend with afternoon high's in the upper 80's. Evening temperatures will dip down into the upper 60's.

Unemployment Figures Drop in Atlanta; Afro Wig Wearing Bandits Strike Again; Glenn Beck Plans Rally on Anniversary of MLK Jr.'s ``I Have a Dream'' Speech - KISS NEWS NOW!

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:28:20 -0500

Metro Atlanta's unemployment numbers dropped to 10.2 percent in July, down one-tenth of a point from June, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. However what appears to be encouraging is actually discouraging, since the dip was primarily the result of the long termed unemployed, simply giving up their job search.

Forsyth County had the lowest unemployment rate in the metro at 8.1%. Clayton County had the highest with 12.4%.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is now speaking out about Georgia's work force. The mayor says he wants to eliminate another 10 to 15 percent of state workers. While talking about an overhaul to Georgia's tax code, Reed told a panel Wednesday, the state needs to continue to reduce the number of state jobs in effort to have more money available for other projects including education.

Thanks to big conventions taking place in the downtown area, the city of Atlanta is collecting more money from hotel taxes. For the first time in 2 years occupancy rates have been up at metro hotels. So far this year, the city has collected close to $21-million in hotel taxes.

The search continues for the Wachovia bank robbers sporting Afro wigs. They struck again Wednesday at a Conyers bank wearing wigs and toting guns. The FBI thinks the men are connected to similar robberies that have taken place in Norcross and Atlanta in recent weeks. The two men are described as black and in their 20's. The authorities believe they could be driving a silver Lexus.

Atlanta police have now identified a man who was found shot to death early Wednesday morning in what could have been a carjacking. 50-year-old Durand Robinson was an organizer of the city's popular black gay pride celebration. Robinson was also a co-owner of the "Traxx" nightclub in Decatur. Police are searching for his killer.

The Atlanta University Center is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon at 2:30 to celebrate the completion of phase-one of a two-phase renovation of its Woodruff Library. The guest list is impressive with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in attendance, along with Spelman College President Dr. Beverly Tatum and Clark Atlanta President Dr. Carlton Brown. Additional funding is still needed to complete Phase Two of the renovation.

For more information visit http://www.auctr.edu/

A college student in New York is facing hate crimes charges for allegedly attacking a cabbie after the driver said he's was Muslim. Police say the assault took place in a cab in Manhattan and that the suspect was drunk at the time.

A rally Glenn Beck is planning on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech is stirring up controversy. Beck is insisting the event on Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial isn't about politics, even though Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are planning to be there. The TV personality says the timing of his ``Restoring Honor'' rally is merely a coincidence.

The KISS 104.1 Weather Forecast: Our skies will be mostly to partly cloudy with afternoon high's lower 90's.

Unemployment Figures Drop in Atlanta; Afro Wig Wearing Bandits Strike Again; Glenn Beck Plans Rally on Anniversary of MLK Jr.'s ``I Have a Dream'' Speech - KISS NEWS NOW!

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:01:20 -0500

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is now speaking out about Georgia's work force. The mayor says he wants to eliminate another 10 to 15 percent of state workers. While talking about an overhaul to Georgia's tax code, Reed told a panel Wednesday, the state needs to continue to reduce the number of state jobs in effort to have more money available for projects including education.

Thanks to big conventions taking place in the downtown area, the city of Atlanta is collecting more money from hotel taxes. For the first time in 2 years occupancy rates have been up at metro hotels. So far this year, the city has collected close to $21-million in hotel taxes.

The search continues for the Wachovia bank robbers sporting Afro wigs. They struck again Wednesday at a Conyers bank wearing wigs and toting guns. The FBI thinks the men are connected to similar robberies that have taken place in Norcross and Atlanta in recent weeks. The two men are described as black and in their 20's. The authorities believe they could be driving a silver Lexus.

Atlanta police have now identified a man who was found shot to death early Wednesday morning in what could have been a carjacking. 50-year-old Durand Robinson was an organizer of the city's popular black gay pride celebration. Robinson was also a co-owner of the "Traxx" nightclub in Decatur. Police are searching for his killer.

The Atlanta University Center is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon at 2:30 to celebrate the completion of phase-one of a two-phase renovation of its Woodruff Library. The guest list is impressive with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in attendance, along with Spelman College President Dr. Beverly Tatum and Clark Atlanta President Dr. Carlton Brown. Additional funding is still needed to complete Phase Two of the renovation.

For more information visit http://www.auctr.edu/

A college student in New York is facing hate crimes charges for allegedly attacking a cabbie after the driver said he's was Muslim. Police say the assault took place in a cab in Manhattan and that the suspect was drunk at the time.

A rally Glenn Beck is planning on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech is stirring up controversy. Beck is insisting the event on Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial isn't about politics, even though he and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are planning to be there. The TV personality says the timing of his ``Restoring Honor'' rally is merely a coincidence.

The KISS 104.1 Weather Forecast: Our skies will be mostly to partly cloudy with afternoon high's lower 90's.

Good News for Many GA Schools; Sherrod Says "No Thanks" to Job Offer; GA Death Row Inmate's Appeal Denied; Tiger's Ex Spills the Beans - KISS News Now!

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:27:15 -0500

Georgia has been selected as one of 10 states to receive federal stimulus money for education as part of the``Race to the Top'' program. The state will share $400-million with 26 school districts including Atlanta, Clayton, Dekalb, Gwinnett, Cherokee and Hall County. The purpose of the program, which is part of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan, rewards states for making ambitious changes to improve schools are that struggling.

Teenage boys in Woodstock are accused of assaulting 2 fourteen-year-old girls they met while attending a church youth group. The assaults allegedly took place at an apartment complex earlier this month. Police are now investigating 19-year-old Jonathan Carrier and 19-year-old Yancey Tanner to see if they've been involved in any other attacks. Both teens are now in jail.

A judge has denied Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis an appeal even though the Supreme Court granted the rare hearing. The judge decided Davis's defense team did not prove his innocence in the 1989 shooting death of a Savannah police officer. His lawyers argued that the witnesses in the case, recanted their statements over the years and new evidence suggested someone else was to blame.

This death penalty case has drawn international attention after claims were made that an innocent man would be executed.

Former Georgia USDA worker Shirley Sherrod said thanks, but no thanks to a job offer from her old boss. She told Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday she wasn't interested. This comes after Sherrod was fired this Summer when heavily edited remarks from a speech she gave were misconstrued as racist. Sherrod is planning to sue the blogger who posted the doctored footage.

Tiger Woods' ex-wife Elin Nordegren says she has ``been through hell'' since her husband's infidelity, according to a People magazine interview released Wednesday. Nordegren says she and Woods tried to reconcile the relationship for months. But in the end, she realized a marriage ``without trust and love'' wasn't good for anyone.

On Thanksgiving outside their home in Florida, Woods drove his SUV into a tree, setting off revelations that the golf superstar had been cheating on his wife. Nordegren tells People she never hit Woods on the night of the accident.

The couple's divorce became official Monday.

Nordegren and Woods have a 3-year-old daughter, Sam, and an 18-month-old son, Charlie. Nordegren says she is ready to start the next chapter of her life and intends to stay in the U.S. with her kids.

The KISS 104.1 Weather Forecast: It's going to be a sunny day with afternoon high's in the lower 90's.

Wanted: Ebonics Translators; Tiger is Back on the Market; Tyler Perry is Not a Thief - KISS News Now!

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:38:01 -0500

The Drug Enforcement Administration is looking to hire close to a dozen "Ebonics" experts in an effort to help them interpret wiretapped conversations in undercover drug investigations. This is once again sparking a debate if "Ebonics" is an official language or simply slang.

Back in the 1990's there was controversy over Ebonics after a California school district passed a resolution recognizing the legitimacy of what is often characterize as poor grammar or lazy English.

The DEA is now searching for translators in the Southeast, including Atlanta, New Orleans, Washington DC and Miami.

The saga involving the Georgia USDA worker, who was fired when edited parts of her speech were released onto the Internet, may soon be resolved. Shirley Sherrod plans to meet with Agriculture Secretary Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Tuesday to discuss a job offer. Sherrod was fired last month after an edited video appeared to be showing her making racist remarks, when in fact, her full speech was about racial tolerance.

A meeting will be held Tuesday about the fate of the old General Motors plant in Doraville. Commissioners will decide whether or not the county should spend 35-million-dollars in stimulus money to buy the land for use by a developer. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis is in support of the idea, saying the move could create about 9000 construction jobs and put wages back into the pockets of DeKalb County citizens.

Tropical Storm Danielle has been bumped up to hurricane status making it the second hurricane of the Atlantic season. Danielle is a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph however it's still far out over the Atlantic.

Former President Jimmy Carter is traveling to North Korea on a rescue mission to bring back an American citizen who has been held in the communist country since January. Aijalon Mahli Gomes was arrested and sentenced to eight years in prison for entering the country illegally. North Koren officials asked to speak with Carter directly about a possible release.

Golfer Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren are officially divorced. They will share custody of their two children, ages 3 and 1. This comes nine months after Woods was caught cheating on his wife with numinous women. The scandal cost Woods millions of dollars in endorsements. Soon after the world's number 1 golfer took 5 months off from the game. The divorce became official Monday.

Actor-screenwriter Tyler Perry did not steal material for his 2005 movie "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," according to a federal appeals court. This comes after jurors in Texas found actress and writer Donna West failed to support her copyright infringement claim two years ago. West decided to appeal that verdict. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled there was nothing improper in the way the trial was conducted. West had written a play titled "Fantasy of a Black Woman" and claimed Perry could have seen the script. Perry testified his screenplay was his original work.

The winner of the Miss Universe pageant is a 22-year-old Mexico woman. While wearing a flowing red gown, Jimena Navarrete told a Las Vegas audience that it's important to teach kids family values. Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps was chosen as first runner-up.

The KISS 104.1 Weather Forecast: Lots of sunshine is expected along with afternoon high's in the lower 90's. Also, a Code Orange Smog Alert is in effect.

The Summer Break for Fulton County Students Is Over; Massive Egg Recall Update; Ground Zero Mosque Debate Heats Up; Singer Faith Evans Arrested - KISS News Now!

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:32:06 -0500

There will be extra cars and school buses on our roadways this week. Over 90-thousand students are headed back to school as the Fulton County school system opens its doors. Monday is also the first day of the Fall semester at GA State, GA Tech, Emory and Southern Poly Tech.

Weekend rains are being blamed for causing a huge sinkhole in a northeast Georgia town. The rushing waters took out a storm drain in Cleveland, washing out part of a parking lot at a Sonic restaurant and a nearby car wash. White County officials say the sinkhole is 2-hundred-and-fifty feet long and 20-feet wide.

If you're in the market for furniture, you may want to check this out.......The City of Atlanta will host a week-long liquidation sale starting Monday. There will be more than 5-thousand pieces of furniture up for grabs at City Hall East on Ponce De Leon.

Officials are still trying to determine the cause of a salmonella outbreak that is being blamed for over a thousand illnesses. The recall involves over half a billion eggs. However, so far, there have been no reported salmonella cases here in Georgia.

Protests were held Sunday in New York over the proposed plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero. There were heated debates between 9/11 families and supporters of the Islamic Center being built 2 blocks away from the World Trade Center site. Many protesters say the fight is about sensitivity not about religious tolerance.

There are a couple of storms to update you on..........Mexico has posted warnings along its Pacific coast as Tropical Storm Frank gets closer. Out in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Danielle is now picking up speed and could reach hurricane strength by Tuesday night.

Kids displaced by Hurricane Katrina continue to struggle 5 years after the storm, according to a new study. Researchers find children who lived in emergency trailers and hotels for long periods of time after Katrina are far more likely to have serious emotional problems. The report shows at least 20,000 of those kids still have serious emotional disorders or behavior problems, or don't have a permanent home.

Grammy winning artist Faith Evans was arrested over the weekend for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Associated Press. Faith posted bail Sunday morning, after being held by police for a few hours. The singer tweeted, "I am on the set of my new video for my single 'Gone Already.' I'm sure by now most of you heard that I was detained on suspicion of a DUI. After completing a full day of wardrobe prep I was stopped at a random checkpoint. I'm fine and well, and thank you for your prayers, kind words and concerns."

Faith is the widow of the late Notorious B.I.G. also known as Christopher Wallace.

President Barack Obama is taking it easy during his vacation to Martha's Vineyard. The most exciting moment so far has been to a trip to the bookstore. Since arriving Thursday, Obama and his family have made just one public appearance, visiting the Bunch of Grapes bookstore in Vineyard Haven.

The KISS 104.1 Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy with afternoon high's in the low to mid 90's

Obese Kids Rescued From Filthy Cobb Home; ADHD Linked To Pesticides; Palin Defends Dr. Laura

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:42:08 -0500

A Marietta couple is out on bond and without their two daughters after police find the family living in filth. James and Anne Cardona's five-year-old weighs 158 pounds and can't walk 10 feet without wheezing; her four-year-old sister is nearly 90 pounds and still drinks from a bottle. Police say the girls were covered in spider and flea bites, lice-infested, with their teeth falling out. Their home on Dogwood Drive was infested with insects and black mold. The Cardonas were charged with felony child cruelty released on $5,000 bond each; their girls have been put into state care.
KISS news about your kid's health: children whose moms were exposed to certain pesticides during pregnancy may develop attention disorders by age five. Organophosphates are a set of common pesticides that work by attacking the nervous systems of insects. When people are exposed to high levels of the chemicals in OP pesticides, they can develop anxiety, confusion, impaired concentration, and other serious nervous-system symptoms. A study co-author at Berkeley says pregnant women worried about the findings should lower the risk to their fetuses by carefully washing fresh fruits and vegetables under running water before eating them.
A million dollars worth of cookies, crackers and chips are seized from an unlicensed Athens warehouse found to be infested with rodents which had left their calling cards and teeth marks all over the building and its food containers. FDA officials say the foods were going to a half-dozen jails and prisons around the state. No word whether criminal charges will be filed.
The court says this kid is too dangerous for regular probation. So a 12-year-old Savannah boy is ordered into state juvie for the next two years. He pleaded guilty to the shotgun robbery of a Papa John's deliveryman for two pizzas and some cinnamon sticks. The judge said if he was just a few months older, he could've faced 10 years in prison.
The Gulf oil spilled is plugged. Combat troops are out of Iraq. And Congress is on its summer break. That's giving President Barack Obama a chance to relax on his Martha's Vineyard vacation. A spokesman says he expects the president to spend time golfing, at the beach and visiting the island's numerous ice cream stands.
Dr. Laura has some big-name support in the uproar over her N-word incident: Sarah Palin, who tweeted this week that activists are trying to silence Dr. Laura. Palin urged the radio talker, "Don't retreat, reload." Schlessinger plans to pull the plug on her show at the end of the year. During the 2008 campaign, Dr. Laura criticized Palin for staying in office after giving birth to a child with Down's Syndrome.
The economic downturn leads to an uptick in Americans diipping into their retirement savings. Fidelity Investments said a record number of workers are taking hardship withdrawals from their 401(k)s and the like to fend off foreclosure, or pay college tuition.
Opposition grows against a plan to commercialize Gwinnett County's Briscoe Field. The group "Citizens For a Better Gwinnett" fears their property values will drop if they live in the path of commercial planes. 100 charter members came out Thursday, boasting an initial war chest of $1,300 to fund rallies, yard signs, bumper stickers and a website.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the government is ready to slap American Airlines with a record penalty of $25 million dollars or more for maintenance shortcomings. The failures apparently led to thousands of canceled flights in 2008.
The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: Friday through Sunday, expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with 40% chance of thundershowers, and hazy, humid highs of 88-90.

Feds: Cop Protected & Served Coke Dealers; US Combat Troops Roll Out Of Iraq, Into History; Wig-Wearing Bank Robbers

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:49:05 -0500

A Clayton County patrol officer is accused of protecting drug dealers; American combat troops roll out of Iraq, ahead of President Obama's withdrawal deadline; the FBI is searching for a pair of bank robbers who disguise themselves with wigs. Check out today's KISS News Now!

Murdering Mom 'Just Wanted To Be Free'; Dr. Laura Stops The Show; Mazda Recall

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:15:06 -0500

A South Carolina mother, berated by her own mom, confesses to killing her children; Dr. Laura says people are trying to "muzzle" her, so she's stopping her syndicated show; some popular Mazdas are under recall. See the details on today's KISS News Now!

Guilty Plea In Deadliest Crash; Spelman Tops College Rankings; Mother Kills Boys, Sends Cars Into River; Reporter Loses Job Over Hat

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:31:50 -0500

A Gainesville man pleads guilty just as his trial is about to start for a crash that killed and injured several members of one family; Spelman and other Georgia colleges do well in a national ranking of schools; a radio reporter gets fired for what she wore to a press conference. Check out today's KISS News Now!

Copper Crook Caught On Church's Roof; For Teens, Sex & School, Love Matters; GAP Band Bassist Robert Wilson, Jazz Singer Abbey Lincoln Pass Away

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:37:26 -0500

Members of a southwest Atlanta church victimized by copper thieves 17 times, including twice over the weekend, can rejoice. One of the crooks was caught Sunday night--on the roof of the Pleasant Word Christian Church on Whitehall Street. Reverend Robert Reed says thieves have repeatedly ripped out 10 air conditioning units, stripped copper wiring, destroyed the electrical system--causing the church to cancel services--and even stolen the church's security system. No word yet whether the man caught last night has any accomplices.
Parents and teachers at one of the twelve Atlanta Public Schools named in the CRCT cheating scandal are fighting for their school's rep. F. L. Stanton supporters have started a Facebook page: "We Are NOT Cheaters -- Stanton Elementary School Stand Up," and are planning a rally Monday night before the school board meeting. They want to ask that the school be cleared of any wrongdoing, saying it was "unfairly named" in the standardized test erasure scandal.
DeKalb County's top school official fires two principals and demotes two other officials after finding school funds were used to purchase books that school administrators had written. Three educators-turned-authors took in almost $100,000 in sales to district schools. One principal was accused of using her school's funds to buy more than $11,000 worth of copies of her own book.
When it comes to teens, sex and studies, love matters. Research finds teenagers who have sex in romantic relationships don't fare any better or worse in school than teens who don't have sex. But sociologists found kids who have casual sex hookups do get worse grades and have more problems in school than teens who abstain. Researchers said teens in romantic relationships may find social and emotional support in their sex partners, reducing their anxiety and stress levels in life and in school.
The "Godfather of Bass Guitar," Robert Wilson of the legendary R&B and funk group the GAP Band, died Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 53. Wilson died from a massive heart attack in his home. His publicist says Wilson's family became concerned about him when they didn't receive their regular phone calls, and his body was discovered Sunday afternoon by his adult son in Palmdale, California.

The bassist formed The GAP Band with his older brothers Ronnie and Charlie Wilson in 1967, when he was just a teenager, in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was set to headline a Tulsa concert in two weeks; now, the Timeless Music Festival will become a memorial concert.

Actress, jazz singer and songwriter Abbey Lincoln has died. Her friend, filmmaker Carol Friedman, confirms Lincoln died Saturday in New York after a year of declining health. Lincoln was 80. She appeared opposite Sidney Poitier in the 1968 film "For Love of Ivy'' and she had a small role in the 1990 Spike Lee film "Mo' Better Blues.'' Lincoln's 1991 album "You Gotta Pay The Band'' was number one on the jazz charts, and on her follow-up, "Devil's Got Your Tongue,'' she took on rappers and comics who profit from denigrating black culture.

As a young woman, Lincoln made a splash not only because of her voice, but her beauty. Early album covers featured her in slinky dresses, and she appeared in a Jayne Mansfield movie wearing the dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.''

But after falling under the influence of Max Roach, whom she married in 1962 and later divorced, Lincoln turned her back on that image, casting herself instead as a civil rights advocate, dressing in African-inspired clothing and hairstyles, and making music with a political tone.

Explaining her image makeover in 1993, Lincoln told The Associated Press, "This dress was more important than I was. People in the audience were looking at my exposed breasts and the shape of my body, and it didn't have nothing to do with the music. ... It wasn't a dream of mine to be a star, so Max came along at the right time to help save me from myself. Otherwise, I would have become an alcoholic and unhappy.''

Good luck, Bubba! Louisiana shrimpers hit the water today for the opening of the first season since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. There's concern about the low price of shrimp and how much they'll catch--as well as anxiety about how the public will perceive the catch, despite extensive safety testing.
President Obama and family had a whirlwind vacation in Florida over the weekend, cruising the Panhandle waters. To the delight of locals, he and daughter Sasha went for a swim off Alligator Point on Panama City Beach--a signal to other would-be Gulf vacationers that the water and beaches are fine.

Republicans are blasting the president for saying that religious freedom allows a mosque to be built near Ground Zero in New York. Mr. Obama adds that he's not commenting "on the wisdom" of selecting that site for the building; but some in the GOP say he's disconnected.

Didn't cha know? Erykah Badu found out the hard way that curfew means curfew at Chastain. The park pulled the plug on her amphitheater show, right at 11:01, right in the middle of "Didn't Cha Know." Badu didn't come on stage until an hour after her opening act finished, and while she got the crowd grooving right away, that didn't give her time to finish her own set. AJC's Tracy Brown says, though, for an hour and 10 minutes, Erykah was "smoldering with funk." Read her review of the show.

Foxy Brown has been indicted for violating a restraining order by mooning her neighbor. She pleaded guilty two years ago to menacing the woman with a cell phone. Prosecutors say she violated the protective order when she screamed at the neighbor, Arlene Raymond, then bared her behind and yelled an obscenity. Brown has been charged with criminal contempt in the second degree and faces up to one year in jail.

The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: hazy, hot and humid with a 40% chance of showers or thunderstorms and a high around 91.