News Briefly
Shaping up
If all the cities in the country signed up for gym class, Nashville wouldn’t be at the top of the class, but it wouldn’t be picked last for kickball either. In the latest issue of Men’s Fitness, the magazine ranks some of the major cities in the United States for fitness and, somewhat surprisingly, Nashville took the 24th spot, sandwiched between Jacksonville, Fla., and Long Beach, Calif. Houston bellied up as the nation’s fattest city, while Colorado Springs swam, ran and biked its way to the top of the magazine’s list. While such surveys can be somewhat arbitrary, the magazine took into account many factors—from fitness centers per capita to how conducive the city’s climate is to outdoor exercise.
Juvenile operators
Juvenile Court Clerk Kenny Norman is on the hot seat again after a recent audit of his office found numerous operating and management problems. One of the more serious issues involves the office’s inability to process orders assessing court costs. In a random selection of 503 such orders, the audit found that barely 20 percent of them were processed in a timely manner. Norman, who has endured many a controversy in his over-10-year tenure, faces a tough reelection next spring against Metro Council members Vic Lineweaver and Eileen Beehan.
Lights out
After three years in bankruptcy, Service Merchandise has announced it will close after a going-out-of-business sale to begin Jan. 19. The announcement surprised no one, since Service Merchandise needed spectacular Christmas sales to continue operation. With the announcement, the Brentwood-based company fired 500 employees and gave notice that another 500 will be laid off.
