Local News
A Robertson County man has died after falling from his roof while cleaning up debris from the recent severe storms. Officials with Robertson County Emergency Management are urging residents to use caution when climbing ladders or using power equipment to trim trees, and to hire a professional if possible. Several Middle Tennesseeans lost their lives trying to recover from last Friday’s storms.
A new poll by Vanderbilt Medical Center shows gun violence is among the issues that most concern parents in Tennessee. Researchers surveyed more than one-thousand people across the state on areas that impact their children including mental health, food security, and firearms safety. More than 80 percent of respondents said they believe schools are safer if resource officers are present. At least 70 percent said they support background checks for all gun sales, routine active shooter drills, and metal detector scans for staff and visitors at school buildings.
Triple A is urging motorists to adjust their sleep schedules with this weekend’s Daylight Saving Time switch. Travel club spokesperson Kara Hitchens says losing an hour of sleep with the time change can make drivers more tired than they realize. She suggests getting at least seven hours of shut-eye and travelling during times you are normally awake as some steps to avoid feeling drowsy on the road. Clocks move ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. Sunday.
Mental health help is expanding in Tennessee. The state’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services says there will soon be four new Crisis Stabilization Units and Crisis Walk-In Centers. They’ll be located in Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Paris and Dyersburg. The centers offer an alternative to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.
Actor Robert Blake is dead. Robertson County television watchers will remember him for his Emmy award-winning portrayal of undercover detective Tony Baretta in the 1970s TV series “Baretta.” The actor gained notoriety in 2002 when he was charged with the murder of his second wife. A jury found him not guilty. Robert Blake was 89.