NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & SportsBriefs: Sept. 25, 2008

Briefs: Sept. 25, 2008

Davidson County

Some East Nashville people are taking a stand against crime.  Several area business owners met one on one with police officers Thursday afternoon at Beyond the Edge restaurant to talk about crime in their neighborhood. This weekend, businesses will be circulating petitions asking lawmakers for stiffer sentences for repeat offenders.

Davidson County

On Saturday, there will be a living history tour at the Nashville City Cemetery. On Thursday, there was a dress rehearsal during which actors will portray the lives of well-known people buried there including Nashville founder James Robertson and Civil War general Felix Zollicoffer. The event on Saturday runs from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are $5 or $10 for the entire family.

Davidson County

Just how well is Nashville doing in the face of a sagging economy? Pretty well, according to an annual study by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean.  

Partnership 2010 released numbers Thursday showing more than 42,000 people moved to Nashville and the ten-county Middle Tennessee region in the past two years. The study aims to keep track of Nashville's economic growth and how it relates to the National trends. Experts said we continue to be above the curve in growth.

Maury County

In Columbia, counterfeit money is on the rise. Over the past two weeks, police discovered more than 20 cases of fake money. The bills are mainly showing up at local businesses. Police want workers to be sure and check any money received carefully by using a specially-designed marker. They're asking people to be careful and don't accept money from strangers. The bills currently circulating are hundreds, twenties, fifties and tens. Investigators said they're pursuing a number of leads at this time.

Rutherford County

Rutherford County Sheriff's deputies said a five-year-old girl told them two older boys tried to force her to perform sexual acts while on the bus Wednesday. The girl attends Blackman Elementary School. She told police the boys grabbed her arm and chest. An older girl saw the attack and alerted the bus driver who intervened. The boys, who are third and fourth graders, denied it happened. The school district is investigating.

Williamson County

People from the Royal Oaks subdivision in Franklin attended a planning commission all wearing red Thursday night. They were there to fight a proposed retirement community that they said would cause too much traffic and would force developers to cut down 1,800 trees. The developer could submit revised plans and try again. The neighborhood spokesperson said they would be happy to meet with developers and try to come up with a compromise.