Bill Penn, Asst Metro Codes Director, sent us the following Messed Up update to a story we brought you in December about an abandoned home in Madison. The owner died, and neighbors are havnig a hard time getting the city to act on the abandoned property.
The health and safety of Nashville and its citizens continues to be our priority. However, the reality of the situation makes this a very difficult case. The owner of the property is unresponsive. From all indications, the property has been abandoned, but we are unable to determine whether or not a financial institution is pursuing foreclosure. Couple this with very limited resources for demolition and we are unable to proceed in the direction we intended. We continue to work within the confines of the laws which govern these situation and we will continue to work to compel the responsible parties to be just that…responsible.
Just a note to let you know that perseverance does pay off. Had my final court date today. The dog owner has paid all my out of pocket expenses through the criminal court in restitution. He has also provided certification of vaccination status on the dog, which is still alive and kicking. It’s been a long road, but staying the course was definitely worth it.
If you see those dogs continuing to run loose on Posey Hill road, PLEASE call animal control to report them. I hope this owner has learned his lesson.
On another note, there is a workgroup meeting on Tuesday evening, Feb 9, at the county courthouse in the county commission conference room 2. The purpose of this group is to write a proposal for implementing a system to quarantine dogs that bite. This resolution will be going before the full commission, but I’m not sure when. Will know more after Tuesday. The meeting is at 5:30 if you are interested in attending. I am going to be making a statement during the comment phase. This is a first step toward overhauling the county animal control program.
We are going to get this fixed!!! Good things are happening - we just need to hang in there and stay strong!
A Kingston Springs woman pays $800 dollars for a rental home she never takes possession of.
Now she says she feels cheated.
On move in day, Nancy Deedrick says she opens the door to the small home and she says the home is “uninhabitable.” She says the stove is dirty, and the switch covers off. She says the fridge is hooked up to an extension cable that is running off a socket in the nearby bathroom.
She is frustrated and wants her money back.
The landlord says no.
Unfortunately; Deedrick has singed no lease, no contract, nothing binding with the landlord.
Nancy Deedrick ultimately moves out, but she is still out her money that includes moving expenses.
That was in early December.
Deedrick contacts Messed Up hoping we can get the landlord to change his mind.
Messed up calls the landlord and he tells a much different story.
He says the problems that bother Deedrick were easily correctable and he had every intention of fixing them.
Without a contract spelling out what should have been done and what was expected of each party, there is no way to know what the real story is.
Sadly, both parties seem to be out on this deal. Deedrick is out her money and still is looking for a place to live. And the landlord says the rental property is still empty which means he is not collecting rent.
The Better Business Bureau tells Messed Up that both sides have learned a costly lesson.
President of the BBB, Kathleen Calligan says, “Everything must be in writing. You don’t operate on just a handshake.”
The Dominoes began to fall this weekend when Seattle Seahawk head coach, Jim Mora, was fired.
Suddenly USC Football Czar Pete Carroll emerges as the next coach in the Emerald City.
Troy is stunned and saddened as top notch, five star recruits take off their SC hats, replacing them with Gators and Bama and Longhorns.
Cardinal & Gold faithful are shocked and feeling hollow.
How the mighty have fallen.
DOMINOE 2
Fast forward to Tuesday night when sneaky USC Trojans inside a figurative Trojan horse sneak attack into Vol-Land. The Trojan staff steal the renegade coach, and just like that, Lane Kiffin is now a Trojan, thank you very much.
Lane Kiffin would seem to be perfect for USC. He comes complete with Hollywood good looks and adorable wife. This is the same Lane Kiffin, who only 14 months ago sang Rocky Top and put the cross hairs on Urban Myer.
Kiffin was part of the Trojan Machine that dominated college football in the middle of the decade. He was there to hoist national championship trophies, and apparently he was willing to sell out the Rocky Top faithful to sit behind the legend’s desk in Heritage Hall.
Tuesday night, ESPN went crazy with breaking news that Lane Kiffin, and perhaps more importantly, Defensive Guru Monte Kiffin were heading West. Some would argue that even bigger than Lane and Monte is the addition of Ed Orgeron, arguably the best recruiter in the country. He too was there for the Trojan glory years. And all three Vol Coaches are going back to Exposition Blvd.
Knoxville exploded with anger. Kids protested in the Quad with signs that proclaimed: We hate Lane Kiffin.
That about says it all.
Wednesday morning sports radio was over flowing with rancor.
On 104.5 the zone.
Frank Wychek quoted ESPN articles saying “Paris Hilton has paid more dues than Lane Kiffin.”
Mark Howard questioned: “whether Kiffin ever felt comfortable as a Vol.”
A caller said “Kiffin was running as far from the SEC as he could get, to the less competitive PAC 10.”
Out on the street, the anger was just as visceral.
When asked what he thought, one man, not even a Vol fan said:
“I think Mr. Kiffin and his daddy defecated on the University of Tennessee.”
A U.T. fan full of anger said: “I think he is a worm. I hope the Smoky Mountains hit him in the ass on the way out. I never liked him. He was always squirrely.”
DOMINOE 3
Last Week USC fans felt this kind of anger and resentment and hollowness at Pete Carroll.
Now the Trojan program has caused another school’s faithful to feel the same anguish.
I’m sure it is just a matter of time, before U.T. announces its new head coach from X Y Z UNIVERSITY.
Then that school’s fan base and recruits will take the torch of displeasure and storm the quad with signs that say: WE HATE COACH SO AND SO.
And UT will be to blame.
Sadly, this is the ugly cyclical mechanism that is College football.
Maury County lawmen have a “who done it” on their hands.
Who spent hours New Year’s Night, cutting over a 1,000 wires, and removing 41 sections of fence, allowing 22 cows to escape onto Theta Pike?
Melvin Potts has lived on the bucolic 60-acre spread for most of his life.
With temperatures well below freezing, the 67 year old is notified January 2nd that his cows are everywhere on the steep and windy road.
Potts summons friends and family who spend the next 2 days repairing the fence and herding the cows back into a pen.
Potts jokingly tells me that this is a hate crime; someone who hates fences and hates cows.
“Saturday morning my neighbor came to me and said my cows was out. My first reaction was a tree blew down across the fence. Or someone ran through my fence. I got my tractor and feed for the calves, and noticed the fence all cut. I thought I had better neighbors than this, but evidently I don’t. It took a lot of time. It took a lot of energy especially as cold as it was and it was I the 20’s.”
Maury County Detective Jerry Williams isn’t laughing. The grizzled investigator has worked countless cases, but none like this, which obviously required a great deal of time.
“I never seen this many cuts. I have seen cars go through a fence, but never something like this.”
Sheriff officials say they need the public’s help finding out who did this.
The only real clues are the timing of the vandalism. Officials say it happened either late New Year’s night, or early in the morning of January 2nd. It happened on Theta Pike not far from Race Legend, Sterling Marlin’s farm.
To help expedite that informational flow, Potts tell me he plans to offer a “substantial reward” for information that leads to an arrest of the vandal.
If you have any information contact the Maury County Sheriff’s Department at 931-380-5725.
State engineer Jay Norris says his department takes pot holes seriously.
“We take a look at all pavements. We have an inventory of all pavements. We have a budget to take care of roads in Tennessee.”
Norris says the state has fixed 350 lane miles in the last two years, and it plans to fix 120 more this year. The problem is Hot Mix, which is poured at over 300 degrees, can only be put down when the weather warms up.
“A pot hole is a weak part of a pavement that forms because there is not enough compaction, or there is a base problem, or water seeps down and there’s a freeze thaw cycle, freeze thaw freeze thaw. It is cold. And the hot mix plants are shut down and won’t be open till Spring so we use a cold mix. It is like a band aid. We have to remedy it every few days. In the spring, you’ll see temporary lane closures and then you’ll begin to see barrels for mainline paving.”
Despite complaints, TDOT likes to point out that Tennessee routinely wins awards for the smoothest highways in the nation.
BJ Doughty, PIO, for TDOT supplies Messed UP with the following data:
1. TDOT was awarded the 2008 Smooth Pavement Award from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. This agency basically does research on DOT’s across the nation. It looked at overall smoothness of all interstates in the nation.
2. The National Asphalt Paving Association has given smooth pavement awards to TDOT 6 years in row. Only one other state has done that. This award is project specific though, not the overall interstate system.
3. From a January 2009 press release: ” For the third straight year, Interstate 40 in Tennessee tops the list of best roads in the country according to the nation’s truck drivers. In addition, for the 10th consecutive year truckers rated Tennessee’s overall roadway system as third best in the nation (tied with Georgia) according to a recent survey published in Overdrive Magazine. Overdrive Magazine polls more than 300 truck drivers across the nation each year asking them to rate the nation’s roads and drivers, state by state. The survey includes opinions about the quality of the roads, the smoothness of the riding surface, road markings, construction detour availability and more.
If you would like to report pot holes using the web or your cell phone, check out SeeClickFix below, a web site that reports area problems to the agency responsible for fixing them. Read more
Today’s Messed Up Email of the Day comes from a viewer who got a call from a company claiming to help credit card holders. We do not edit grammar or spelling of emails sent to us.
Why are companies constantly calling people saying they are with visa and mastercard and can reduce our interest rates. Yet, when you tell them you dont have a credit card they immediately hang up. and call yet again. When they do call, it is always a voice message at first, and then you have to hold to talk to someone. Number is on the do not call list, has been for a long time and even renewed last year. calls continue regardless even when they are informed of this fact. Number has been the same for 10 years, and no credit cards have been associated with it. Its irritating to continue to have to deal with it, and they have even been reported as violating the do not call list, with the result stating they are not in violation…. it’s frustrating. and even moreso to be receiving text messages on a prepaid cell stating the same thing, but that’s a different complaint.
When it comes to recycling, Davidson County and Williamson County have very different points of view.
Williamson County allows only Williamson County residents to recycle at the 13 satellite drop off facilities situated around the county.
Davidson County doesn’t care where you come from, as long as you recycle.
We’re not talking household waste, or garbage. We are talking recyclable materials like glass and plastic and newspapers.
The difference in philosophy across a county line is the focus of tonight’s that is messed up.
The issue was brought to our attention by a 20 year old U.T. student named Armond Agassi. The Agassi family lives in Davidson County, about 2 miles from the Brentwood city limit.
A few days before Christmas, Agassi’s mother asks her son to take the recyclables to the recycling drop off site.
The Agassi’s have always used the facility on Wilson Pike in Williamson County. But on this day, he says he is met by a man who tells him he cannot recycle there.
“He says you don’t live in Williamson County and you don’t pay property tax and so you cannot recycle. I am just trying to recycle, and do something good, instead of throwing it in the garbage.”
Agassi is frustrated by the rule, especially since he says almost everything he is recycling was purchased in Williamson County.
“So we buy most of our grocery’s and goods in Williamson so why can’t we recycle in Williamson county?,” Agassi asks. “We should be able to recycle in Williamson county or where ever it is easiest cause if you take the initiative to recycle you should not be penalized for it,” the young business student exclaims.
We go to the recycling center which is bustling with activity. Glass here, cardboard there. It’s good to see so many people being “green.”
I personally notate several out-of-county plates in the parking lot, but no one is being turned away.
One man from Hamilton County openly points out his out of county status as he carries several loads of recyclables to the bin.
I go to the sign at the entry way and there is absolutely no doubt what the rule is:
WILLIAMSON COUNTY RECYCLING DROP OFF SITE
WILLIAMSON COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY.
NO OUT OF COUNTY USE
I encounter Paul Webb who is recycling. He tells me he has lived in Brentwood for 24 yeard
“We believe in it and it is easy, the county put this out for us to use and the recycling program benefits the schools. They contribute back to the school.”
I tell Webb about Agassi’s situation. Webb has this to say.
“If everyone came down from Davidson County and started recycling it might be crazy. And you run the risk, of over burdening this facility. That is the ying and the yang of it all. We all must understand he lives in another political entity, and there is an invisible line there.”
For perspective we go to a drop off center in Davidson County. The facility is also bustling. While most of the license tags are from Davidson County I notice one from the Memphis area.
I see a lot of signs on what can and cannot be recycled here, but there are no signs that mandate Davidson County residency only.
Public Works PIO Gwen Hopkins tells me:
Davidson County has 3 convenience centers: this is a place where you can drop off household trash. Household garbage. Furniture. Appliances etc.. You have to be a Davidson County resident to leave non recyclables at these convenience Centers. You will be asked for proof of residency.
But when it comes to recycling. We have relaxed our recycling restrictions.
The reason: recycling generates revenue for us. We actually get paid for the recycling.
There is no way to police it. It is not staffed. We don’t care who drops off here. We want people to recycle. We want trash kept out of the landfill.
Our idea is: Don’t mess with mother nature. We are trying to change the mind set of people.
Think green. We want to make it easy and convenient so it is not a hassle.
If it is not convenient people won’t recycle.
Lewis Bumpus is the Solid Waste Director for Williamson County. Bumpus tells me:
Williamson County WILL accept out of county recyclables but only at one facility, in Franklin at 420 Century Court. The facility is called the Material Recovery Facility and it accepts all manner of recyclables from surrounding counties. Bumpus says if you bring materials that have value they will pay you for bringing these items to the facility. Those items include: paper, Newspaper, Aluminium cans, tin cans, office paper, newspapers, magazines, plastics.
Bumpus reiterates that out of county residents cannot drop off recyclables at any of the county’s satellite drop off sites like the one on Wilson Pike.
Bumpus adds: To help save trips and reduce congestion Williamson County offers 13 drop off sites. The tax payer pays for this.
To run that center on Wilson Pike costs several thousand dollars a year. Last year, just cardboard and plastic alone; we took 471 loads from that Wilson Pike facility. Each load goes to the recycling center.
Bumpus adds:
Williamson County has great schools. They can’t send their kids to our schools. Go to Montgomery or Cheatham, it also says do not accept out of county waste.
I ask if it is patrolled. Bumpus says:
If we catch anyone, we explain to them to carry it to the material recycling center.
I tell Bumpus about the Agassi family that purchased most of its groceries in Williamson County. Bumpus says:
The recycling sites are paid for by property tax, not sales tax. For Example: if you own land in Williamson, let’s say 15,000 acres, but you live in Davidson County, you can’t use the center on Wilson Pike. You have to be a resident in Williamson where you pay property taxes.
When the materials are picked up and then sold to the recycling center, the money generated goes to Williamson schools for environmental programs. Williamson county schools benefit.
Finally, we talk to Williamson County Resident, tim Steed who doesn’t like Williamson county’s policy:
“That is a shame. It is about mother Earth. We all share this Earth, as middle Tennesseans, Williamson county and Davidson county, there should not be a divide there. It’s about recycling.
The holidays bring back sad memories for Diana McKinney.
January 9th 2008, her 3 month old son died of what she tells me was classified as crib death.
The New Year has brought sorrow for the 24 year old. Recently the young mother lost her job. She’s about to lose her apartment. But she has not lost her will to fight.
The young mom is in the process of obtaining a criminal trespassing warrant against the Antioch apartment complex where she is being evicted.
McKinney does not contest the eviction, but she does object to the way things have transpired.
She was issued a detainer warrant in late November which cited her into court. She went to court on the 15th of December. The judge gave her the standard 10 days to vacate, which would have been Christmas.
But According to officials at the Davidson County Sheriff’s office, McKinney wouldn’t have technically had to move out till early January when she was officially issued what is known as a Writ of Restitution.
That sets the stage for this messed up story. Though she was being evicted, technically the apartment is her home till she is officially evicted. That would not happen till early January. But according to McKinney, and a police report obtained by Messed UP, on December 22nd, someone entered her apartment and moved all her things out.
Priceless photos of her deceased child were thrown away. Expensive medicines and medical equipment needed by her sick nephew, allegedly tossed in the trash. Her couch and clothes and personal belongings all removed and thrown into the trash with the care you would toss a soiled paper towel.
Lawyers for the apartment complex deny the allegation.
McKinney says her neighbors saw apartment personnel in the apartment.
If McKinney didn’t remove her own items, and she didn’t give anyone else permission to enter her apartment, then whoever threw away her stuff did so prematurely.
McKinney questioned the staff at the apartment complex. She says they denied entering her apartment. But McKinney says her neighbor is willing to sign a statement that they saw a maintenance man and a cleaning woman who work for the complex in the apartment on the day in question.
McKinney called the police who did respond and filed a report. The officer suggested that McKinney file her own charges which she is in the process of doing.
Messed Up calls the lawyer who represents the apartment complex. The lawyer tells me:
“Our records say she voluntarily vacated the premises on December 18th.”
McKinney says she told the apartment managers she hoped to be out before Christmas, and when she went back to the apartment the locks had been changed and her items removed.
The attorney for the apartment complex tells Messed Up; his client categorically denies going into the tenant’s apartment and removing anything.
The attorney also questions who else beside McKinney had keys to the apartment.
McKinney said the only keys belonged to her and her sister.
McKinney has since moved in with her cousin in a small house. She tells messed up she also has a job working security, ironically at the very apartment complex that evicted her.
She says she is fighting this case because she feels she was wronged. She says items belonging to her infant son are gone that she can never get back.
“My son passed away, and his pictures and clothing and everything were in the apartment. Sorry.” McKinney wipes a tear from her eye and fights back tears. She is standing in front of the Christmas tree in the tiny apartment she is sharing with her sister and a number of young children
“It is my son. I have one picture and that is the only thing I can remember him by. My son passed almost 2 years ago next month.”
“What would you say to whomever threw your items in the trash?” I ask.
“They are heartless,” she says. “Baby’s stuff he needs. The baby has been through enough and now has nothing, they are heartless people.”
As of 1/4/10 McKinney says she is still actively attempting to file trespassing charges. She says the court is requiring her to submit names of witnesses and apartment management.
AS of 1/4/10 the lawyer for the apartment complex tells Messed Up he is also investigating the allegations raised by Ms. McKinney. The lawyer says he would like the names of the witnesses so he too can interview them.
Another year has come and gone in the messed up department. You viewers sent us 1000’s of emails and we told hundreds of your stories.
Hello 2010.
But before we tackle the next decade, a quick look back at some of the Messed Up stories that were. The idea was to give viewers a top ten list so they could vote for their favorite messed up story.
It was hard to pick just 10 stories from an entire year. I went through each month picking entries that seemed memorable, or interesting, or where we helped someone. I easily had over 30 possible candidates for a top ten list.
So how to narrow it down? Well, I went to the people who are with me day by day in the messed up trenches.
Vince and Kinsey in Art. Christian in the internet department. Trusty photog Al Devine.
Garth Brooks: This was the story about the mother who tried to buy her daughter tickets to a Vegas show. There was a major credit card snafu and she ended up with no tickets. Messed Up got involved, called The Wynn Hotel and now the family is heading to see their favorite performer early next year.
50-dollar ticket for warming up car: A Madison mom is taking her infant son to the doctor. It’s 17 degrees outside, so she warms up her car, unattended. She gets a ticket.
Rutherford Co. Landfill. Local officials complained of constant dirt, mud, muck coming off on the road and fences near the landfill. After Messed Up gets involved the landfill pledges to hose truck tires off and clean up the surrounding streets.
Guns in state legislature: One of the more volatile issues we covered. Legislators vote on two controversial gun bills that would allow guns in restaurants and parks. Messed Up questions whether guns should also be allowed on Capitol Hill.
Wheel Chair Ramp. A Murfreesboro strip mall is built before handicap accessible ramps are required. Wheel chair bound woman complains to Messed Up and we get the property owner to fix the problem.
Music Boxes. State workers at Charlotte and 6th complain that music is too loud. Public Works turns the music off. 800 votes later, the majority of viewers say turn the music back on.
Cat Man. Maury County man baits traps to catch stray animals. The man is breaking no laws; many of you still felt it was messed up.
Black Friday. Woman purchases 700 dollar Sears Washer/Dryer on Black Friday. After months of getting the corporate run-a-round, she calls Messed Up. In a few days we not only get the woman her product, but Sears agrees to upgrade her to a more deluxe model at no added cost.
Church hit and run. Someone drove their truck into the side of a small Maury County Church. There was a lot of evidence left at the scene, but deputies were stumped. Messed Up airs the story, and the case comes together. The suspect apologizes to the community in an interview with that is messed up.
Left for dead. A man is riding his bike in Lavergne. A vehicle hits him and knocks him a cold ditch. He is found barely alive. Messed Up tries to find the hit and run driver. So far we have been unsuccessful.
This story barely beat the guns in legislature story, by the slimmest of margins, 6 votes!
The update here:
Though she was issued the citation in February, Jenn George tells me that she didn’t pay the ticket for 8 months. She says Metro lost her ticket. Hmmmmm. That was the focus of another Messed Up story, where Metro Traffic officials say, clerks hid almost 4,000 tickets.
Once found, the tickets were mailed out to everyone, including George.
Now with a 2nd baby in the house, I asked Mrs. George if she still warms up her car unattended.
She surprised me by saying; “yes,” adding she keeps her eye on the driveway now, in case a cop drives by.
You may remember at the time, area Councilman, Mike Craddock equated the ticket to a ticket quota. He vowed to pass a new law that would clarify this one issue.
By email; Craddock tells me:
We introduced a BILL and deferred it indefinitely because there were a lot of logistical problems with it such as do we allow homeowners and not apartment dwellers? Or another one is just private property? Every store or shopping center is private property. We’ll have to sort through all of those questions before we can pass a good bill.
Michael Craddock Councilmember District 4 michael.craddock@nashville.gov home
226-0521 office 862-6780
Have a safe and UN-MESSED-UP 2010 EVERYONE!!
by
Here’s a nice Messed Up Update to 
On another note, there is a workgroup meeting on Tuesday evening, Feb 9, at the county courthouse in the county commission conference room 2. The purpose of this group is to write a proposal for implementing a system to quarantine dogs that bite. This resolution will be going before the full commission, but I’m not sure when. Will know more after Tuesday. The meeting is at 5:30 if you are interested in attending. I am going to be making a statement during the comment phase. This is a first step toward overhauling the county animal control program.
A Kingston Springs woman pays $800 dollars for a rental home she never takes possession of. 
Loading …
Our idea is: Don’t mess with mother nature. We are trying to change the mind set of people. 
