In one of the more lurid trials in recent memory, Tennessee’s former chief medical examiner is being accused of all manner of wrongdoing. It’s the latest in the long, strange career of Dr. Charles Harlan, who has frequently seen trouble follow in his wake. Among other things, state prosecutors this week said Harlan had misdiagnosed the causes of death and had performed unnecessary procedures on corpses. His attorney, Dan Warlick, countered that the hearings reminded him of witch-hunts in Salem.
All this rain makes a guy depressed
If you think there’s been a lot of rain this month, you’re on the money. According to AccuWeather, we’ve gotten more than triple the average amount of rain for the month and more than 40 percent more to date than the yearly average. Prognosticators are saying the rain should ease up by the weekend. One big downside: According to the city’s morning newspaper, the rain has brought an influx of ants into area homes as they seek higher ground.
The sound of the legislature leaving
The state’s very lean budget as proposed by new Gov. Phil Bredesen is now reaching a critical moment—work is actually getting done. One proposal has the governor peeved. As reported in The Tennessean It would reduce TennCare funding by $29 million, which, because of matching federal funds, would actually mean a $82 million shortfall in the state’s health care insurance program.
Birthday cake at the Arcade
In 1903, the Arcade—a glass-enclosed structure downtown between Fourth and Fifth avenues—opened for business. A precursor to shopping malls, the structure is one of Nashville’s prized architectural and commercial establishments. Home to an array of restaurants and retail stores, it celebrated its 100 birthday this week. What a run.
Put the guy in the swimsuit issue
The Associated Press reports that a 12-year-old in Murfreesboro did 3,669 push-ups in one hour recently, which is probably a new world record. The young man, Tim Sikes, would do 75 push-ups, then rest for 15 seconds, then do 75 more, and so on. The previous record of 3,416 push-ups, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was set 28 years ago.
