Good things too have to come to pass...

Hey guys sorry I haven't blogged but this was set up for Matt and I and the morning show. Please don't be made a Matt! It was the company that we work for that let me go along with a few others. Matt was the best partner I ever had and I will always be thankful for the time we had to spend together and all the friends I made along the way.

If you get a chance give Matt a call and let him know he's doing a great job. I know it's hard to go on being happy on the air when your heart has been taken from you. Maybe things will work out so we can work together again, but until then just keep me in your prayers and know I am thinking about each and everyone of you who called into the radio station or stopped by to see me when I was hanging out at a location broadcasting live.

Live, Laugh and Love,

Dee Stevens

You can keep in touch by going to my website at www.deestevenvoice4you.com

Happy Hump Day-10/22/08

Thanks for hanging out with us this morning and please come back tomorrow for more Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee. More fun and winning will be waiting on you tomorrow morning. Until then keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

Oil Falls Below $70 on Economic Concerns

Oil prices fell below $70 a barrel Wednesday as investors shrugged off a looming OPEC production cut after company forecasts suggested the U.S. may be headed for a severe economic slowdown that would crimp demand for crude. Light, sweet crude for December delivery dropped $2.63 to $69.55 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by noon in Europe. The November contract expired Tuesday and fell $3.36 to settle at $70.89. Last Thursday, that contract had declined as low as $68.57 a barrel, the lowest since June 2007. Crude investors have followed equity markets this week, looking for signs on how the U.S. economy will weather the current global financial turmoil. On Tuesday, DuPont, Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments reported disappointing earnings and bleak forecasts, sending the Dow Jones industrials average down 2.5%. "Oil is now highly correlated with the stock market," said Clarence Chu, a trader with market maker Hudson Capital Energy in Singapore. "People are looking to the Dow for sentiment on the economy." The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which accounts for about 40% of global oil supply, has signaled it plans to announce an output quota reduction at an emergency meeting Friday in Vienna. But investors are skeptical about how much of the cut will be implemented, given the history of OPEC members exceeding their production quotas. "There should be a short-term boost to prices when they announce a cut on Friday," Chu said. "But OPEC production has always been above their quotas, so there's a credibility problem." Crude oil is down 53% from its peak of $147.27 reached in mid-July. A stronger dollar this week has also pushed oil prices lower. Investors often buy commodities like crude oil as an inflation hedge when the dollar weakens and sell those investments when the dollar rises. The euro fell below $1.28 for the first time in nearly two years on Wednesday. The 15-nation euro dipped as low as $1.2736 in morning trading before rising slightly to $1.2873, down from $1.3003 late Tuesday in New York. Investors are also watching for signs of slowing U.S. demand in the weekly oil inventories report to be released Wednesday from the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. The petroleum supply report was expected to show that oil stocks rose 2.9 million barrels last week, according to the average of analysts' estimates in a survey by energy information provider Platts. The Platts survey also showed that analysts projected gasoline inventories rose 3.0 million barrels and distillates went up 600,000 barrels last week. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures fell 6.15 cents to $2.12 a gallon, while gasoline prices dropped 6.76 cents to $1.62 a gallon. Natural gas for November delivery jumped 1.4 cents to $6.86 per 1,000 cubic feet. In London, December Brent crude was down $2.11 to $67.61 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

A survey released yesterday by Neverfail, an Austin, Texas-based software company that provides protection for businesses, found that 77% of Americans have sent and received text messages on mobile e-mail devices while driving a vehicle. Amazingly, 41% have used a mobile e-mail device such as a BlackBerry while skiing, riding a bike or a horse. The survey also found:

· 11% have used a mobile e-mail device during a romantic moment.

· 79% said they have used one in the bathroom.

· 18% have used one during a wedding.

· 16% during a funeral or memorial service.

· 37% during a graduation.

The CMA is setting up Webisodes leading up to the 42nd Annual CMA Awards, airing November 12^th on ABC. Jake Owen and Chuck Wicks, along with former Miss Tennessee Ashley Eicher, will host the Webisodes at www.CMAawards.com  beginning November 5th and running through November 13th.

Sugarland, Tim McGraw, and Taylor Swift have reached new sales plateaus.  CMT.com says Sugarland's latest release, "Love on the Inside," has been certified Platinum for sales of more than one-million copies in the U.S.  It's only taken three months for the duo's disc to achieve the sales accomplishment.  Meanwhile, McGraw's first "Greatest Hits" set, which was released in 2000, earned multi-Platinum status for sales in excess of six-million, while Swift's has a Gold certification for her single "Should've Said No," which has logged more than 500-thousand digital downloads.

Rosanne Cash thinks she should be the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate. In an article for The Nation, Cash jokingly makes an 11-point argument outlining why she would be a better candidate than Alaska Governor and current Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. The article compares the two on a variety of issues, including the environment, experience and church and state. “Starting with the sartorial, I know that it is God’s will that I have the entire Chanel collection for the fall season,” she writes, poking fun at Palin saying that it was God’s will that the Alaska pipeline be built. Cash also defended her foreign policies. “I don’t ask for English Breakfast Tea when I’m in France,” she wrote. “I never call foreign currency funny money (even though it does look funny).”

Hulk Hogan's 18-year-old son is back on the streets, five-and-a-half months after going to jail in Florida for causing a car wreck that left his best friend paralyzed. Nick Bollea, who sometimes goes by Nick Hogan, was released early from his eight-month sentence due to good behavior. His mother Linda took time out from her divorce battle with the Hulkster to issue a statement saying, "Nick went into prison as a juvenile and has experienced something that will mold and affect him for the rest of his adult life. His focus is to make a positive difference in this world, media-free."

Former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker is protesting the construction of a 40-million-dollar exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo.  Barker, a longtime animal rights advocate, joined Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas to ask the zoo to cease construction of the exhibit.  Barker says Cardenas' plan would instead create a separate elephant sanctuary exhibit which would be far more comfortable for the elephants and create a better environment for visitor and animal alike.  He says elephants need a lot of space and companionship to avoid the psychotic behavior and deaths that occur when they are in a zoo.

More than half of Americans (53%) have been interrupted by a work-related phone call or e-mail while in the bathroom, according to a survey by Nokia. The survey revealed that office-related intrusions have invaded other areas of Americans’ lives as well – 24% have allowed a call or e-mail to interrupt them while in the throes of passion. That may be because most working Americans (59%) never turn off their mobile device. Still, 75% of working Americans say technology plays a primary role in helping them balance their work and home life. The survey also showed that work seeps into leisure time more often than not – 62% of working Americans have had their personal lives interrupted by work 10 or fewer times each week. However, a similar number (65%) have had their work lives interrupted by a personal matter.

Eating Fast and Until Full 'Triples Chances of Getting Fat'

WASHINGTON — 

People who gobble down their food and eat until they feel full are three times more likely to become overweight compared with people who eat slowly and modestly, according to a Japanese study.

Researchers suggest shifting patterns of behavior, driven by the advent of fast food and cheap food, are widely to blame for the obesity pandemic.

Osaka University's Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues recruited 1,122 men and 2,165 women aged between 30 and 69 and asked them to closely track their eating habits and body mass index, a benchmark of obesity.

Around half of the men, and just over half of the women, said they ate until they were full.

Just under half of the men, and a little more than a third of the women, said they ate quickly.

Men and women who ate until full were twice as likely to be overweight compared with counterparts who did not eat until full.

Those who ate both quickly and to satiety were three times likelier to be overweight.

"The combination of the two eating behaviours had a supra-additive effect on being overweight," the team say in their paper, published online Tuesday by the British Medical Journal.

The study distinguished between people who ate until full and those who reported binge-eating. Intriguingly, it found those who ate until full had in fact a higher calorie intake than those who gorged.

In a commentary, also carried by the BMJ, Australian nutritionists Elizabeth Denney-Wilson and Karen Campbell suggested that the drive to eat quickly is a genetic survival mechanism — humans are hardwired to overconsume energy when it is available.

This mechanism has run into problems, though, with food that is cheap and instantly available and eaten swiftly, they argued.

"It may be that the changing sociology of food consumption, with fewer families eating together, more people eating while distracted (for example, while watching television), and people eating 'fast food' while on the go all promote eating quickly," said Denney-Wilson and Campbell.

"Furthermore, the increased availability of relatively inexpensive food, which is more energy-dense and served in substantially larger portions, may promote eating beyond satiety."

A Dutch court has convicted two teenagers of theft for stealing virtual items in a computer game. Only a handful of such cases have been heard in the world, and they have reached varying conclusions about the legal status of “virtual goods.” The Leeuwarden District Court says the 14- and 15-year-olds coerced a 13-year-old boy into transferring a “virtual amulet and a virtual mask” from the online adventure game “RuneScape” to their game accounts. “These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft,” the court said in a summary of its ruling. The 15-year-old was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, while the 14-year-old received 160 hours.

Actor Nicolas Cage has sold one of his many homes for almost 16-million dollars.  The "Newport Daily News" reports that Cage has sold his Gray Craig estate in Middletown, Rhode Island after buying the property a little over a year ago.  His real estate agent told the paper that Cage was barely able to spend time in the home because of his busy schedule.  The 24-thousand-square-foot manor features 12-bedrooms and ten-full bathrooms on 26 acres near a bird sanctuary and beach.  The paper says Cage still owns 13 other homes in five countries.  Cage was recently seen in the crime-action thriller "Bangkok Dangerous," which was released to theaters last month.

Remember that incident last year when a pre-rehab Lindsay Lohan hijacked a car and chased her just-fired personal assistant's mother through L-A? Three guys who were in the car are suing, claiming the ride endangered their lives. The incident led to Lindsay's second D-U-I bust in less than three months and, eventually, to less than a day in jail. The suit seeks unspecified damages. 

Donald Trump’s Miss Universe Organization has been rocked by yet another scandal. Lindsey Evans, the third runner-up at this year’s Miss Teen USA, was arrested with three friends after allegedly leaving a $46.07 bill unpaid at a Louisiana restaurant. The 18-year-old, who is the reigning Miss Teen Louisiana, faces additional charges of pot possession after officers found the drug while searching her purse.

Students at the Ohio State School for the Blind found out yesterday that they will make history at the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade. It will be the first time a blind marching band takes part in the parade in Pasadena, California. It is the only blind marching band in the entire country. The school will need to raise an estimate $1,500 in travel costs for each person making the trip, including the 17 band members.

A Halsey, Oregon, mother said her 13-year-old son will not be returning “The Book of Bunny Suicides” to his high school library, because she intends to burn it. Taffey Anderson said the book will never be returned to Central Linn High School and she intends to do all she can to ensure the school does not replace it. The book, by British author Andy Riley, features drawings of rabbits committing various forms of suicide. Anderson said that if the school replaces the book, “I’ll have somebody else check it out and I’ll keep that one. I’m just disgusted by the whole ordeal.”

George Strait is featured in the current issue of Country Weekly. Strait calls his wife, Norma, the most important person in his life and says, “if you find the partner you can stick with, you’re a lucky man or woman.” The two married in 1971. Among the other people Strait mentions are songwriter Dean Dillon, record producer Tony Brown, Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack.

Dolly Parton has cancelled her October 31st performance at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark due to a personal scheduling conflict. Refunds are available at point of purchase.

The newest version of Guitar Hero -- Guitar Hero World Tour -- features Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again."

A hacker who published provocative photos of Miley Cyrus earlier this year was busted by the F-B-I Monday at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 19-year-old Josh Holly broke into an E-mail account once used by the tween queen in order to obtain the photos -- which she'd initially sent to former beau Nick Jonas-- and post them online. Authorities seized three computers from Holly's home, but have yet to charge him with any crime

Larry the Cable Guy will appear on CMT with a 90-minute special holiday variety show called “Larry The Cable Guy’s Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza.” Taped in Nashville, the special premieres November 21st, with a DVD release set for November 25th. The show includes guest stars Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Terry Bradshaw, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Lewis Black. Appearing with Larry in sketches are Tony Orlando, Fred Willard and ventriloquist Terry Fator, among others. Montgomery Gentry, Rodney Atkins and Emily West will perform.

Despite the popularity of her Saturday Night Live impersonation, Tina Fey thinks she doesn't hold a candle to Sarah Palin -- in the looks department. The 30 Rock star tells T-V Guide, "That lady is five times better-looking than I am. She's 44? She's got none of that droopy [bleep]. She's keeping it tight!" The 38-year-old Fey says when she first got a gander at the Republican vice-presidential nominee, "I didn't think we looked alike at all. Then during the convention, I started to think, 'Okay, maybe a little.'" There is one physical difference between the two. Fey reveals, "We glue my ears down. That's one of the tricks."

An Arizona man is behind bars for allegedly breaking into a home to charge is cell phone.  Police in Mesa say Scott Boe broke into the home of a detention officer and was caught when the homeowners got back to their place.  Boe told told officials he went into the place to charge his phone because he needed a power outlet to use.  The 24-year-old was caught with tools used in burglaries and was arrested on several different charges.

A Johnson County, Iowa, judge has ordered a woman to stay away from her fiancé – two weeks before their wedding. Judge Stephen Gerard ordered 23-year-old Rucha Patel not to have contact with her soon-to-be-husband after she was charged with domestic abuse causing injury. Police say Patel drove over her fiancé’s foot and then bit his hand when he took away her keys. It was not known why he tried to stop Patel from driving.

Japanese climbers returning from a mountain in western Nepal said yesterday they had found footprints they think belonged to the abominable snowman or Yeti. Kuniaki Yagihara, a member of the Yeti Project Japan, said in Kathmandu, "We saw three footprints which looked like that of human beings." The climbers, equipped with long-lens cameras, video cameras and telescopes, said, however that they did not see or take any photographs of the creature. The Yeti is said to live in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and is largely regarded by the scientific community as a mythical creature. Yagihara and his team, supported by Sherpas, spent six weeks looking for evidence of the beast's existence.

Amber Joy Milbrodt waited 19 hours at Parkland Memorial Hospital’s emergency department for treatment of a broken leg and never did get to see a doctor – but still got a bill for $162. Milbrodt, who broke her leg while playing volleyball, received the bill two weeks after her September 24th visit to the Dallas hospital. Parkland officials say the bill was appropriate because a nurse spent time checking her vital signs to assess her level of need. But Milbrodt says, “It should have been more like them paying me for having to sit in the emergency room for 19 hours.” Amber had been waiting about 3 1/2 hours before a nurse saw her. She ended up having an X-ray taken at a chiropractic school where she is a student, which confirmed she had a fracture. Still, the hospital says, “She’s not paying for waiting. She’s paying for the assessment she received.” A few days before Milbrodt’s visit, a 58- year-old man who went to the ER with stomach pains also waited 19 hours – and then suffered cardiac arrest and died.

Getting ready for a Thursday of Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee. Join us for another day of fun and winning! Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

 *Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Foxnews.com, and Metro Networks*

Tuesday - 10/21/2008

So goes another Tuesday for Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee. Join us tomorrow for another day for a winning and fun. Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

Dead Goldfish Offered the Vote in Illinois

The only "agent of change" Princess ever supported was the person who freshened the water in her fishbowl.

So election officials in Chicago's northern suburbs want to know why voter registration material was sent to the dead goldfish.

"I am just stunned at the level of people compromising the integrity of the voting process," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, a Republican, who said she has spotted problems with nearly 1,000 voter registrations this year.

Beth Nudelman, who owned the fish, said Princess may have landed on a mailing list because the family once filled in the pet's name when they got a second phone line for a computer.

"There was no fraud involved," said Nudelman, a Democrat who supports Barack Obama. "This person is a dead fish."

The paperwork sent to a "Princess Nudelman" likely came from the "Women's Voices, Women Vote" project, which sent nearly 1 million mailings to Illinois households in August using a list that mistakenly included some pets, said Sarah Johnson, a spokeswoman for the not-for-profit group that encourages single women to vote.

The mailing list, purchased from a vendor, included names from warranties, magazine subscriptions and other sources, Johnson said. The group attempted to screen out obvious pet names.

"Fido's not going to be left on there, but if a cat is named is Polly, she may be," Johnson said. Princess could be a person's name, she insisted. "I went to high school with two Princesses."

Nudelman said the only address on the registration card was the Lake County clerk's office. She said she wrote election officials a humorous note explaining why the fish was ineligible to vote.

The Illinois mailing generated 63,500 returned voter applications, Johnson said. Applicants were instructed to fill in a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number so election officials would be able to validate their identity.

"We obviously don't want to add more work for any election official," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, our goal is same as theirs: To give as many people as possible the chance to make voices heard in our democracy."

Steve Sturm, legal counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said the mailing generated numerous complaints from residents throughout the state.

Lake County election officials contacted Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office Monday afternoon, said spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler. The sheriff's office and state's attorney's office were "already working on it," she said.

The McCain-Palin campaign has lately raised questions about the voter registration practices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN is accused of submitting false registration forms for some of the voters it has registered. The FBI has joined nearly a dozen states in investigating.*Foxnews.com*

Best/Worst County Fair Foods

It’s that time of year again – county fair time. County fairs are known for a lot of things – especially the food. StarPulse has listed the best and worst of county fair foods:

Worst:

1. Red Candy Apples

2. Deep Fried Dill Pickles with Horseradish Dipping Sauce

3. Scotch Eggs (Served at Fairs in Minnesota, Scotch Eggs are hard boiled eggs covered with a meat mix and deep fried.)

Best:

1. Cotton Candy

2. Fried Dough/Funnel Cakes/Doughboys with Powdered Sugar

3. Fried Donuts

4. Grilled Sausage with Peppers and Onions

5. French Fries with Vinegar

6. Corn Dogs

7. Pies

8. Giant Pickles

9. Caramel Apples

10. Kettle Corn

11. Soft Pretzels

12. Grilled Corn on the Cob

13. Italian Ice/Shaved Ice

14. Deep Fried Snickers Bars

When it comes to pulling practical jokes, Brad Paisley is the king. But the king was dethroned when he arrived home after the last performance of the Paisley Party Tour -- he was met at his private plane by cops with a warrant for his arrest. After being hand cuffed and pushed into a squad car, the two arresting officers told him the charges were brought by his tour mate Jewel for excessive guitar noodling. Even though Brad knew it was a joke, the experience of being handcuffed was "sobering, no doubt about it."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley cooked up a unique way to tell Brad she was expecting their second child. She sent their son 20-month old Huck into their bedroom to wake up Brad with a positive pregnancy test in hand. Brad tells us, "I looked at him and he's all happy. I said, 'You don't get it. This is really bad for you and I. This isn't going to be fun for us for the next nine months. We're in for it.'" The new little Paisley is due in April. 

Environmentally friendly activists and Willie Nelson are making water from air. Nelson has a machine installed on his property that actually makes water from air. The air-to-water machine was introduced to him through his friend Ed Russell, who is partnering with Nelson to market and sell the machines. The machine collects water from the air like a dehumidifier, filters it and treats it with ultraviolet light to rid the water of mold and bacteria. The home-sized machine stores the water in a reservoir and can produce up to eight gallons.

New in stores today is Lee Ann Womack's Call Me Crazy -- her first C-D in three years. Lee Ann took a break from music to spend time with her daughtersAubrey, now 17, and Anna who is nine.

Craig Morgan releases his fifth studio album, That's Why, today. Craig will cap off the week with his induction into the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night.

Carrie Underwood's special holiday edition of her album Carnival Ride, which includes an second disc of Christmas favorites, is available starting today exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Tim McGraw's children's book, My Little Girl, is in stores today. Tim wrote the book as a gift to fathers and their daughters.

Keith Urban is releasing a D-V-D from his Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy World Tour. The disc, which comes out on November 11th, will only be available at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and WalMart-dot-com. In addition to performance highlights, the D-V-D will also include outtakes, in-studio footage of Keith's recording session for "You Look Good in My Shirt" and exclusive photos.

Trace Adkins is bewildered by this year's presidential campaigns. He tells Muncie, Indiana's Star Press, "[It's] off-the-chart weird. Here you've got a highly celebrated, decorated, legitimate American hero who has to wake up every morning going, 'How the hell is this happening? How am I losing?'" Trace plans to cast his vote early this year -- he's worried that the polls will be crowded on Election Day.

How To Save $8,919.45 A Year

During these tough times, consumers are looking to stretch every dollar they can. According to Money magazine, here are six ways you can save:

1. Strategic shopping (potential annual savings: $5,200): Stephanie Nelson, founder of www.couponmom.com , a site that tracks deals at your local grocery store, says shoppers can save an average of $50 to $100 a week on their groceries if they spend about 30 minutes once a week planning out their supermarket trip. Nelson also advises consumers to use coupons. “It’s free money, so why not take it,” Nelson says.

2. Skip Starbucks (potential annual savings: $2,425): David Bach, author of “Go Green, Live Rich,” says it’s very easy to save a few thousand dollars a year simply by eliminating that morning coffee and a muffin. He calls it the “latte factor.” You’d be surprised how that $5 breakfast-on-the-go every morning adds up. The same goes for lunch. The average American worker who buys lunch during the workweek spends $6.60 a day. Buying enough ingredients to pack a lunch from home just three days a week can save you about $600 a year.

3. Upgrade your appliances (potential savings: $150): Using compact fluorescent light bulbs saves about $30 in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. But to really impact your bottom line, consider upgrading an old appliance like a refrigerator or dishwasher. Newer energy efficient appliances can save $50 to $150 a year in energy costs, according to Energy Star.

4. Go generic (potential savings: $161.20): Generic brands can cost 20% to 50% less than the name brand and you’re not likely to tell the difference. For example, just buying the store’s own brand of butter instead of Land O’Lakes can save about 25%. If you switch to your supermarket’s generic brand of milk as well, that will translate into about $3 a week in savings.

5. Pay an extra $1 on your credit cards (potential savings: $203.25): Everyone knows that carrying a credit card balance can be costly. But if paying off that balance isn’t in the cards, even the smallest change can pay huge dividends. Instead of buying a soda from a vending machine, put that buck toward your credit card balance. For example, if you typically pay $100 a month on a $5,000 balance with a 14% APR, try upping that payment by just a buck a day. By paying an extra $30 a month, you’ll pay off your balance in 52 months rather than 76 months, or cut your payments by two years! And you’ll save $874 in interest payments over that time

6. Sitter sharing (potential annual savings: $780): Care.com helps families find local caregivers and suggests teaming up with neighboring parents to share one babysitter. Although most providers pro-rate their fees according to the number of children they are watching, families that pool together can still save between 20% to 50% off the cost of childcare while they enjoy their weekly date night.

Police in Blue Ash, Ohio, say an 89-year-old woman is facing a charge of petty theft after neighborhood children started accusing her of refusing to give back their footballs. Edna Jester was arrested last week after one child’s father complained that she kept his kid’s ball after it landed in her yard.

A Washington state man is lucky he only suffered scraps and bruises after getting stuck in an apartment garbage chute.  Vancouver firefighters say they arrive on the scene Sunday to find the 74-year-old face down on the tenth floor chute with his wife holding his legs to keep him from falling.  They say he would have fallen all the way down if she hadn't held onto to him.  The elderly man apparently slipped into the chute while leaning over and trying to unclog it.  He suffered a few minor injuries. 

A North Carolina man is getting some recognition for his post-mortem plans.  The "Raleigh News & Observer" reports 75-year-old Grady Hunter entered his homemade coffin in the North Carolina State Fair's craft and hobbies competition.  He took home the first-place blue ribbon for his efforts.  Hunter noted that, as a homebuilder, he's never lived in a house he didn't build.  So he naturally didn't want to spend eternity resting in a box made by someone else.  Hunter's coffin features an inclined foam pad and pictures of his family.  He said of his creation, quote, "I'm tickled to death with it."

A new book reveals that infidelity might be hereditary. In “The Truth About Cheating,” family counselor and author M. Gary Neuman interviewed 200 men – 100 cheaters and 100 non-cheaters. According to the poll, 53% of the cheating husbands admitted they have immediate family members who have cheated. By comparison, only 33% of faithful men in the survey reported they have family members who have cheated. Find out more at www.truthaboutcheating.com

Delta Enterprises recalled nearly 1.6 million cribs, made in China, Indonesia and Taiwan, yesterday after it said two babies died. The company did not provide any details on the deaths and declined to answer any questions. The family-owned company that sells the cribs, strollers and other products for babies, said the cribs that are being recalled are no longer in stores. The New York-based company has contacted the Consumer Product Safety Commission and was arranging to provide replacement and repair parts to customers that bought the cribs between 1995 and 2005. More information regarding the cribs and the recall is expected to be released today by the government.

A woman decided to go to jail rather than pay her $7.45 bill at a Fort Pierce, Florida, Waffle House. Police said Maryanne O’Neill, 66, ordered coffee and a sandwich on Saturday, finished both and then left, telling a Waffle House employee she was going across the street to see a friend but would return shortly. The worker notified authorities after O’Neill refused to settle the bill before leaving. When police arrived, an officer told O’Neill to pay or go to jail. She decided to go to jail. Maryanne faces up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted.

A bikini-clad Faith Hill graces the December 2008 cover of Shape Magazine, on newsstands November 10th. It marks Faith’s first time ever posing in a bikini – and she looks HOT! Hill says the shoot was “my 41st birthday present to myself.” She recently returned to her three-times-a-week Pilates routine, saying, “I could bend in ways I haven’t been able to since I was a teenager. My husband [Tim McGraw] loves it!”

As we reported yesterday, Craig Morgan’s fifth studio album, “That’s Why,” arrives in stores today. In support of the release, he’ll appear live on ABC’s “Good Morning America” this Friday to sing “Love Remembers.” He also has interviews set up that day with ABC News Now, CBS News and Fox News. Craig returns to Nashville on Saturday, where he’ll be inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Keith Urban is releasing his new “Love, Pain and the whole crazy World Tour” DVD exclusively at all Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club on November 11th. The DVD includes Keith performing 18 songs from his recent world tour. The live DVD also includes bonus footage; exclusive outtakes, in-studio footage of Keith re-recording his No. 1 hit “You Look Good In My Shirt,” as well as exclusive photographs. Keith is currently recording an album in Nashville that will be released next year. The first single will be released in a couple of weeks.

As the father of three girls, Tim McGraw understands the challenges that face dads who want to please their daughters. So the children’s book he’s co-written with Tom Douglas has some simple advice – As long as you’re spending time with them, it doesn’t really matter what you do. “My Little Girl” will be in stores today. It tells the story of a father who spends a fun day with his little girl doing nothing. Faith Hill wrote the forward for the book. Find out more online at www.timmcgraw.com

Miranda Lambert is learning some new tricks. She writes on her blog that she’s just bought a horse named Playboy. Miranda says she has “wanted to learn how to ride for a long time” but never had the time or the right horse until now. She describes Playboy as “a redhead with a spicy personality.” Lambert hopes to get into barrel racing in the future.

A polar bear at the Milwaukee County Zoo who fell into his 17-foot-deep moat a week ago has resisted delicacies strategically placed to lure him back to his lair. The 18-year-old polar bear named Zero is in good shape, appears to be comfortable, and shows no desire to return to his former living quarters. The bear, who was born at the zoo, is having a good time rambling around the moat and has yet to be tempted by fish, lard and meat placed up the stairs to his lair. Zero, who was chasing one of his toys when he fell into the moat, was uninjured. A similar accident occurred 15 years ago.

Dorothy Peterson, of North Mankato, Minnesota, recently returned from the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah. She won the gold medal in table tennis, at the ripe old age of 85. Dorothy said the only other person in her age division is rather frail and might not compete next year, so she’s on the lookout for some worthy competition. Peterson was one of the oldest female participants of the 9,000-plus competitors.

Joe The Plumber’s Plunger

Item number: 320311328851

Bidding ends: October 23rd

With no bids at press time, starting bid: $0.99

Item location: Port Saint Lucie, FL

Seller says: “Have you seen the recent news about ‘Joe the Plumber’ during the third and last presidential debate? I have been privileged to have been given this artifact through private sources, and it even says ‘Joe’ on the handle. Own this piece of political history which has a dual purpose. Rumor has it that this ‘might’ have been used to plunge a very well-known presidential candidate’s fixture. Don’t worry, we sanitized it!”

That's it for a Tuesday, come back tomorrow for more Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee! We will have more winning and fun! Keep it rolling on Wheelz 100.5!

*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Foxnews.com, and Metro Networks*

Monday - 10/20/2008

That does it for another Monday with Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee. Make sure to come back tomorrow for more fun and winning too! Keep it rolling on Wheelz 100.5!

Brad Paisley’s new Album is coming out in:  14 days, 16 hours and 13 minutes give or take a few seconds.. and you can pre order  Play online:http://bradpaisley.musiccitynetworks.com/

It seems like poor judgement to show up intoxicated at a drunk driving hearing, but that's exactly what an Iowa man is accused of doing.  The "Iowa City Press-Citizen" reports Rodney Thompson was arrested over the summer for his third drunk driving offense but showed up last week in court allegedly intoxicated.  Police say Thompson arrived at the courthouse with bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and poor balance.  He now has an additional drunk driving charge to deal with.

An off-duty Secret Service agent helped to foil a robbery at a Virginia convenience store by throwing hot coffee into the suspect's face.  A Sheriff's Office spokesman says a masked man armed with a knife tried to rob a store early Thursday when the agent grabbed a pot of coffee and tossed the hot liquid at the suspect.  Stunned by the hot coffee, the suspect dropped most of the cash he had taken and fled.  A customer saw the suspect throw a ski mask into a trash can and took down the license tag of his getaway car.  Police later arrested the man, who faces robbery and driving while intoxicated charges.

Tim McGraw is thrilled that his dad Tug's old team, the Philadelphia Phillies, will be playing in the World Series for the first time in 15 years. He tells us, "I guess '80 was the only World Series they ever won, and Tug was pitching and it's pretty cool." Tim hopes to make it to one of the games with Tug's other sons, Mark and Matthew. 

Don't let the name of Brooks and Dunn's new single fool you -- "Cowgirls Don't Cry" is a song for all women. Ronnie Dunn explains, "It's not a cowgirl-specific song. It's about the things that women have to endure." In addition to being nominated for two C-M-A Awards, the guys are also in the running for an American Music Award, for Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group. 

Keith Urban's 2009 calendar, featuring photos snapped by fans, is available now through KeithUrban-dot-net. Proceeds go to St. Jude Children'sResearchHospital.

Rodney Atkins used to be one of those people who thought that voting didn't matter -- but now he says he couldn't have been more wrong. He tellsRedbook magazine, "It affects your community, our neighbors, our military, our leaders and ultimately our children's future." And speaking of voting, People-dot-com readers have voted Rodney the hottest country star to wear a baseball cap. He captured 53-percent of the vote, beating out Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean

Little Big Town's Jimi Westbrook turns 38 today. He tells us, "I remember earliest on, even from my first solo that I stepped out and sang in front of people, that...I never wanted to do anything else." L-B-T reissued their A Place to Land C-D on their new label, Capitol, last week. The latest single from the project is "A Fine Line."

GoVote.org, a cutting-edge voter information Web site, has launched to help voters look up early vote locations, polling locations and what they must bring to the polls to vote. Each election year, many voters, especially those casting a ballot for the first time, don’t know where to vote, when to vote or what ID can be legally accepted. GoVote.org makes the most local information available to everyone. www.govote.org

I had 3 out of 3 this weekend My Vols won 34-3 over Mississippi the Colts over Green Bay 34-14 and Jr. placed 2^nd this weekend!

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" can thank Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin for the show's highest overnight ratings in 14 years.  Preliminary estimates by Nielsen Media Research revealed that Saturday night's edition of the sketch comedy show averaged a 10.7 rating and a 24 share in 56 metered markets, making it the highest "SNL" episode since Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan hosted the show on March 12, 1994 with Aretha Franklin at the musical guest.   It was Palin's first appearance on "SNL," but she is hardly a stranger to the show.  Former "SNL" cast member and Palin lookalike Tina Fey has received much applause for her near-perfect impersonations of the Alaska Governor. 

Palin headlined an episode that capitalized on a combination of political humor and celebrity cameos.  Josh Brolin, who plays president George W. Bush in the new movie "W," hosted the show.  The movie's director, Oliver Stone, made a guest appearance, as did the star of the movie "Max Payne," Mark Wahlberg.

Colorado authorities said a woman who shot her husband in the knee won’t face charges because he begged her to do it. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office said a 35-year-old woman accused her husband of being drunk and becoming violent during an argument. She took control of a handgun during the dispute and claimed her husband begged her to shoot him and told her to “finish it” after she fired a shot. Officials said the 34-year-old man was uncooperative with deputies before he was taken into custody and hospitalized. He was being held at the Arapahoe County jail after his wife accused him of forcing her into the bathroom and holding a gun to her head before the shooting.

Throughout the ages moms have shared advice and product tips with one another, and it's no different in the Internet age.  However, one thing that has changed is how this information is spread.  Mom bloggers are becoming a strong influence, as well as a powerful force in the marketplace.  According to a new study by Mom Central Consulting, 94-percent of moms take the advice of other moms, and 96-percent say they value the recommendations they find on mom blogs.  In addition, nearly 80-percent of mom bloggers have begun providing reviews of different products and services.  The majority of mom bloggers are also realizing their importance, not only to consumers but to businesses as well.  Nearly 40-percent of mom bloggers note they've been contacted by the press as as a resource, while more than 60-percent say they'd like to have more connectivity with companies.* I’m a Mimi momma blogger!

John Rich of Big & Rich was allegedly involved in two fights in Los Angeles in two days, according to TMZ. Rich told cops he was minding his own business Wednesday night at the Saddle Ranch on the Sunset Strip, across the street from the Mondrian Hotel where he was staying. Rich said when a lady he was talking to went to the restroom he was socked in the ear by some “random dude.” John reportedly made a citizen’s arrest and when the cops showed up the alleged assailant was arrested. The next night, cops and paramedics were called to the Mondrian Hotel at 4:20 a.m. after Rich got into it with Jerry Montano, a former bassist of the rock band Danzig and, more recently, with the metal band, Hellyeah. Rich reportedly busted Montano in the nose with a beer bottle. Police were investigating, but no charges were filed because neither man wanted to press charges. Montano was reportedly heard mumbling, “The little guy hit me,” after the incident. The rocker says he is still a fan of Rich’s and boiled it all down to both men having too much to drink.

They're trying to figure out why so many bras are being stolen from two Victoria's Secret stores in White Plains, New York.  More than eleven-thousand-dollars worth of bras were ripped off last week from the store in Westchester Mall and it's the 12th time it's happened there, as well as from one other stores in the area.  The "Journal News" reports authorities have met with Victoria's Secret managers and corporate officials to suggest ways to reduce the chance of theft, but no changes have been filed.  Authorities are trying to figure out where all the stolen lingerie is going, but they believe it may be being sold on the black market.

Here is a list of the top ten films for the weekend box office:

1. "Max Payne" (18-million-dollars) I said it would be 2

2. "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" (eleven-point-two-million-dollars) I said it would be 4

3. "The Secret Life of Bees" (eleven-point-one-million-dollars)

4. "W" (ten-point-six-million-dollars) I said it would be 1

5. "Eagle Eye" (seven-point-three-million-dollars)

6. "Body of Lies" (six-point-nine-million-dollars) 

7. "Quarantine" (six-point-three-million-dollars) I said it would be 3

8. "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" (three-point-nine-million-dollars)

9. "Sex Drive" (three-point-six-million-dollars) I said it would be 5

10. "Nights in Rodanthe" (two-point-seven-million-dollars)

Picking on a curve I did pretty good right?

Considering I didn’t include movies that have been out for over a week in the predication I will have to make sure to include them next time.

Vent your anger at this site! At FlameUp.com you are finally encouraged to let out your inner flame. After all, your rant might just get you burned, and that’s a good thing. FlameUp allows users to write about what’s bothering them most, and lets the community vote on it, or “Burn” it. As each rant gets more Burns, it rises to the top of the rant list – making the angry tirade visible to more members of the community. The most highly Burned rants eventually reach the home page of FlameUp.com, where they receive the most attention. By the same token, unpopular rants can be Cooled, which lowers their visibility and sends them lower on the list. So tell your boss, tell the candidates, and tell the world how you really feel about them – release some stress, light your fuse, and vent your anger! www.flameup.com

Next time you’re headed home from work and running late, you may want to consider a stop at Long John Silvers for a healthy meal to bring home. The company said yesterday it would roll out its first non-fried fish menu items later this month in response to consumer demand for healthier food. The new menu, called Freshside Grille, is lower in fat and calories than the quick-serve seafood chain’s standard fare. Entrees and side dishes will include grilled Pacific salmon, shrimp scampi, mixed veggies and seasoned rice.

The “Saturday Night Live” audience got a chance to decide if Tina Fey or Sarah Palin does a better job as the Republican U.S. vice presidential candidate over the weekend. The show opened with Fey as Palin holding her first news conference while the Alaska governor watched her on a monitor. Palin then took over to tell reporters, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night.” The show was hosted by Josh Brolin, who plays President Bush in the Oliver Stone movie “W,” which hit the theaters Friday.

Craig Morgan’s new album, “That’s Why,” will be in stores tomorrow. Craig says tomorrow’s release is the beginning of a fresh chapter in his life. Craig Morgan's daughter Ali makes her recording debut on his upcoming C-D, That's Why, on the song "Lookin' Back With You.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton will perform together at a New Year’s Eve concert in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They’re calling it “Bootin’ Out 08 & Kickin In 09.” Tickets are on sale now.

Dressing up like a country music star for Halloween? If so, the Grand Ole Opry wants to see your costume. The Opry is asking folks to upload pictures of themselves and their friends at my.opry.com. One winner will be chosen to receive a voucher for two tickets to any Opry show in 2009 plus a Grand Ole Opry Picture History Book. People who dress up like Trace Adkins have a second chance to win at TraceAdkins.com. That site is also accepting photos and will pick one winner at random to win a prize pack.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have put their Los Angeles home on the market. The Los Angeles Times reports that the sprawling 11-thousand-square-foot home on four acres in Beverly Park is listed for 14-point-eight-million dollars. The house has six bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms, a state-of-the-art gym and skylights. Tinseltown has been good to Tim -- he's had a successful showing on the silver screen with roles in Flicka, Friday Night Lights and Four Christmases, which opens next month.

Reba McEntire doesn't talk politics much, but she does share a special bond with former president George H-W Bush that she chuckles about. She tells Pittsburgh's Post Gazette, "We E-mail each other on our Treos all the time. Nothing political, just passing jokes back and forth. He's really into E-mail and so are his buddies." The two became pals when the elder Bush invited Reba and her hubby Narvel on a cruise to the Greek islands about four years ago.

So goes another Monday and now we are aiming for Tuesday! Join Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee tomorrow morning for more winning and fun! Keep it rolling on Wheelz 100.5!

*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, and Metro Networks*

TGIF-10/17/2008

Thanks for hanging with us this week and come back on Monday to enjoy more winning and fun with Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee! Have a wonderful weekend and keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

U.S. doctors have found the 1977 Bee Gees tune “Stayin’ Alive” provides the ideal beat to follow while performing chest compressions as part of CPR on a heart attack victim. The American Heart Association calls for chest compressions to be given at a rate of 100 per minute. “Stayin’ Alive” almost perfectly matches that, with 103 beats per minute. In a small study by the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, listening to “Stayin’ Alive” helped 15 doctors and medical students to perform chest compressions on dummies at the proper speed. Five weeks after practicing with the music, they were asked to perform CPR again on dummies by keeping the song in their minds, and again they kept up a good pace.

According to the Redbox “Halloween Thrillers” survey, watching scary movies is a key part of the Halloween experience, second only to trick-or-treating. However, while 70% of respondents plan to watch a scary movie this Halloween, less than half are brave enough to do so alone (43.1%). And while 61.6% will turn off the lights to watch a scary flick, 20% of men and 50% of women admit they have turned off a scary movie because they were too scared to continue. Other findings:

Top Halloween events:

1. Trick-or-treating (22.4%) 3. Decorating for Halloween (16.7%)

2. Watching a scary movie (20%) 4. Attending a costume party (15.8%)

Best Scary Movies:

1. “The Exorcist” (15.6%) 3. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (10%)

2. “The Shining” (11.2%)

Best Villains:

1. Freddy Krueger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (20.5%)

2. Hannibal Lecter from “Silence of the Lambs” (19.9%)

3. Michael Myers from “Halloween” (15.9%)

Most Memorable Movie Quotes:

1. “I see dead people,” from “The Sixth Sense” (22.2%)

2. “Heeeeere’s Johnny,” from “The Shining,” (17%)

3. “They’re heee-re,” from “Poltergeist” (15.3%)

Taylor Swift and Kid Rock will take part in A Night for Vets: M-T-V Concert for the Brave. The show will tape Thursday in New York and air on M-T-V the following night at 8:00 p-m

Trace Adkins, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, the Eagles and The Wailers have joined the line-up of performers for the 42nd Annual C-M-A Awards. They join previously announced performers Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Brooks and Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, GeorgeStrait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. The C-M-A Awards air live fromNashville on November 12th. 

Tim McGraw is still sharing his feelings about the release of Greatest Hits Three. Tim tells us, "I wanted to let my fans know that I wasn't the one trying to screw them." Tim says his label should have released his completed album of new music first. 

The soundtrack to the movie “W.” about the life of George W. Bush, features several country music artists from his home state of Texas, including Willie Nelson “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” Gene Autry’s “Deep In The Heart Of Texas,” and Roy Orbison’s “Claudette.” Other songs include Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee,” Eddy Arnold’s “What A Wonderful World,” and Hank Thompson’s “Shot Gun Boogie.” “W.” opens in theaters today.

Carrie Underwood has some warm words of welcome to all of the pop and rock stars crossing over to country music. She tells New York'sBinghamton Press, "Country music is very open-minded to a lot of people, and I think that's great. It's one of the reasons so many people love it -- even if they don't make country music, they can appreciate it. As far as artists go, it's such a good place to be, and people are so nice. The fans are great. If I were on the outside looking in, I think I'd probably want to be a part of it, too."

Tom Cruise has not gone to join L. Ron Hubbard in the great Scientology beyond. Yesterday, rumors buzzed around the Internet that the Mission: Impossible star had fallen to his death while climbing New Zealand's Kauri Cliffs. In fact, Cruise was in New York City for his wifeKatie Holmes' Broadway opening in All My Sons. His publicist immediately denounced the death report as "erroneous and unreliable Internet garbage," just as Tom Hanks' publicist did two years ago, when Internet rumors claimed he died falling off the same cliffs!

Going into a police station to ask for help when you're a wanted man seems like a sure fire way to end up behind bars and that's the lesson a New York man learned the hard way.  Police in Fayetville say 21-year-old Richard Capozzi went into the police station looking for assistance when his car ran out of gas right in front of the place.  However, they ran a license check on him and found out he had two active suspension.  Capoizzi was arrested on the spot and has a court day now on his calendar.

Canadian woman is in hot water for allegedly drinking too much and the letting her nine-year-old daughter drive her home.  Officials in Ontario say the woman didn't think she could drive safely after drinking during a social function earlier this month so she let the child slide behind the wheel.  The girl was driving slowly along some country roads in Ontario and pulled over by police.  The woman is charged with a traffic violation. 

Eco, a London restaurant chain, has sparked fury by serving up pizzas with a topping of frogs' legs. The "Hopper" contains eight limbs on a traditional base with capers and an anchovy sorbet. The 35-dollars dish has angered campaigners who slammed it as "barbaric" --because frogs' legs are amputated while they are still alive. An Animal Aid spokeswoman urged people to boycott the chain, saying, "The animals typically have their limbs hacked off while still alive, having been captured by the bucketload from the wild in countries like Indonesia." Chef Sami Wasif came up with the idea on a trip to Paris -- and he calls it "refined."

Reba McEntire has revealed a little known secret -- she believes in reincarnation. She tells Pittsburgh's Post Gazette, "I believe I've gone both ways -- that I have been here before as a man. I will get flak from Christians who will say I can't be Christian if I believe this. That's true, and I'm sorry, but this is how I live my life, this is what I believe. I believe I have spent time with my son Shelby before. I believe I have spent time with many other people in my life before. Who knows? Maybe I'm part Buddhist." The fiery redhead is not denouncing her faith though. She also says, "My talent is a gift from God. I need to use it. If I don't, I wouldn't blame Him one bit if He took it away and gave it to someone else...When I die I want to leave something behind. I want my kids to say, 'Gee, Mom really did some good on this earth.'" 

A British pony is making news for getting drunk and falling into a swimming pool.  According to the "Daily Mirror," the animal -- dubbed "Fat Boy" -- found his way into a woman's backyard.  There he found hundreds of fermenting apples on the ground, and he began to indulge.  Eventually the pony became light-headed and stumbled around until he splashed into the pool.  Homeowner Sarah Penhaligon heard the commotion and called the authorities.  She admitted she wasn't sure what number to dial, adding, quote, "who do you call when there's a horse stuck in your swimming pool."  It took police and firefighters two hours to get Fat Boy out of the water.

A man in St. Cloud, Minnesota, was ticketed for unlawful dumping after admitting to putting dog poo in his neighbor's truck for “political reasons.” Donald Esmay, 19, told police he repeatedly found small baggies of dog do-do in the back of his pickup truck after he put a 2-foot-by-4-foot McCain poster in the bed. Esmay staked out his truck trying to catch the culprit, but didn’t have any luck until Wednesday, when his mother and brother spotted the poo dumper. They confronted the 45-year-old man, who admitted to the dirty deed and said he did it because he "hates McCain." The unlawful dumping ticket (no pun intended) comes with a $183 fine.

Unusual Pet Names

After years of tracking the most popular names for pets, Veterinary Pet Insurance set out to find the most unusual cat and dog names from among its more than 465,000 insured pets. VPI employees selected 50 unusual dog names and 50 unusual cat names, then voted for the 10 most unusual names in each category. Here are the results:

Dogs                                                               Cats

1. Rush Limbark 6. Peanut Wigglebutt    1. Edward Scissorpaws 6. Miss Fuzzbutt

2. Sirius Lee Handsome 7. Scuddles Unterfuss 2. Sir Lix-a-lot 7. 80 Bucks

3. Rafikikadiki 8. Sophie Touch & Pee 3. Optimus Prrrime 8. Sparklemonkey

4. Low Jack 9. Admiral Toot 4. Buddah Pest 9. Rosie Posie Prozac

5. Meatwad 10. Spatula 5. Snoop Kitty Kitty 10. Toot Uncommon

Thanks to Wednesday night’s presidential debate, Google was clogged with requests yesterday for information about “Joe the plumber,” an obscure handyman from Ohio. Searches for “Joe the plumber” ranked No. 7 on Google’s list of “Hot Trends,” the most sought after information on the Internet. “Who is ‘Joe the plumber’” was No. 1 on the list of “hot searchers” at AOL.com and it was all the buzz over at Yahoo Buzz. Some folks skipped the search engines altogether and simply went to www.joetheplumber.com What they got was an Amarillo, Texas-based plumber who bills himself as the “Friendliest Plumber in Town.” But the “Joe the plumber” everybody was searching for yesterday was Joe Wurzelbacher from Holland, Ohio. That Joe was the one whose fate was the focus of so much discussion at Wednesday night’s presidential debate between McCain and Obama.

The official price of Super Bowl tickets will reach $1,000 for the first time this season. The NFL said yesterday that 25% of the tickets for the February 1st game in Tampa will be priced at $1,000. It also announced it will drop the price of 1,000 tickets by $200 to $500, the first time the league has cut prices for a Super Bowl. Tickets for last year’s game were priced at $700 and $900, up from $600 and $700 the year before. Overall, the official price for 17,000 suite and club seats will be $1,000 each. Another 53,000 tickets will go for $800, with the remaining 1,000 at $500. At last year’s game, the average price of tickets on StubHub, the online resellers, was $4,300. Ticket prices for the first Super Bowl 43 years ago were $6, $10 and $12. They finally hit the $100 mark in 1988.

Doctors baffled by an unexplained rash on people's ears or cheeks should be on alert for a skin allergy caused by too much mobile phone use, according to the British Association of Dermatologists. Citing published studies, the group said a red or itchy rash, known as "mobile phone dermatitis," affects people who develop an allergic reaction to the nickel surface on mobile phones after spending long periods of time on the devices. The British group said many doctors were unaware mobile phones could cause the condition.

New Movie releases

“Max Payne” (Wide) (PG-13)

Stars Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges and Jamie Hector.

“Sex Drive” (Wide) (R)

Stars Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, James Marsden and Charlie McDermott.

“W.” (Wide) (PG-13)

Stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn and Thandie Newton.

Dee’s Pridiction of the way the movies will fall in the ranking over the weekend

1^st will be ‘W’ 2^nd will be ‘Max-Payne’ 3^rd will be ‘Quarantine’ 4^th will be ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’ and 5^th of the top five will be ‘Sex Drive’

John McCain bit the bullet and took a helicopter fight last night to appear on “Late Night With David Letterman.” The GOP presidential candidate, who famously angered Letterman when he skipped out on a “Late Show” appearance for a Katie Couric interview last month, returned to make peace. McCain admitted “I screwed up.”

Alan Jackson turns the big 5-0 today. Unlike many stars, Alan isn't shy about discussing his age. He says, "I think it's great. I'm just glad I'm healthy and happy and everything is well." Fifty must be Alan's lucky number - earlier this year he reached the 50-million mark in album sales. 

Josh Gracin celebrates his 28th birthday today. That means that while many of his peers claim to have come from the womb singing, the former Marine and American Idol finalist has only been warbling for about 16 years. He tells us, "I really, really started singing at about 11, 12-years-old. I didn't even join a choir until I was in high school." Josh dedicates his current single, "Unbelievable," to his wife Ann Marie. The couple is awaiting the birth of their fourth child.

Not only has Sara Evans performed while expecting, she shot the music video for "Suds in the Bucket" when she was four months pregnant with baby Audrey.

Martina McBride made a beautiful mommy-to-be when she appeared on the 2005 C-M-T Music Awards. Baby Ava made her debut just two months later.

Little Big Town's Kimberly Roads Schlapman gave birth to baby Daisy just a few hours after the band's July 26th, 2007 show inGlendale, Arizona.

Trisha Yearwood is featured in the November issue of the magazine Every Day With Rachael Ray.

Today I talked about my recent game of Monopoly that I am playing online and the game pieces that I am playing that McDonalds has going on. I told him how close I am on winning and what I’ve won so far! This saga will continue until the game is over!

Have a wonderful day and a great weekend. Join Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee on Monday  morning! Keep it rolling on Wheelz 100.5!

*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Fox News, and Metro Networks*

It's Thursday again- 10/16/08

That wraps up another Thursday and now moving on to a Friday! More Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee returns tomorrow! Keep it rolling right here with Wheelz 100.5!

Happy Boss’ Day

What does Matt, my boss, mean to me! It was something I did this morning and promised I would share this with you online:

B is for your bubbly personality

O is for ‘Oh you look good today

S is for selecting me for this job

S is for have a Super Day!

Valory Music is launching a promotion that gives music fans the chance to select songs, album artwork and ultimately create up-and-coming country star Justin Moore’s debut album. The 10-week promotion called “So You Want to Be a Record Label Executive” will give music fans a first-hand experience of the song selection and album packaging process for an upcoming album. Find out more at www.thevalorymusicco.com/wannabe . Moore’s first single, “Back That Thing Up,” is out now.

Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants are calling all music lovers to help the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to fund instrumental music programs in public schools. By supporting the cause, music fans will be automatically entered to win a Jimmy Buffett autographed guitar. Specially designed Cheeseburger in Paradise VH1 Save The Music T-shirts are available for purchase through November 15th at all 38 Cheeseburger in Paradise locations throughout the country. All profits will help fund a teacher’s salary and musical instruments. Music lovers can also enter online at www.CheeseburgerinParadise.com  to win the acoustic guitar with a personalized signature from Jimmy Buffett. The winner will be announced in late November.

British Couple Sentenced to 3 Months for Sex on Dubai Beach

A British couple has been sentenced to three months in jail for having sex on a Dubai beach this summer.

Judge Hamdi Mustafa Abu el-Khair sentenced Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors to the prison term, as well as a fine of $350 and deportation from Dubai after having served their sentence.

Neither defendant was in court to hear this morning's verdict, which defense lawyers have vowed to appeal.

Palmer, 36, has been suffering from severe anxiety and depression. She had been excused from appearing in court by doctor's orders.

The couple was arrested in July and charged with sex outside marriage, public indecency and drunkenness.

However, their sentence is seen as relatively light, given that they could have faced several years in jail for their crimes.

Their case has become a symbol of a clash of cultures that has pitted Dubai's Western expat majority against the conservative laws enforced by Emirati rulers.

Analysts here say their punishment is meant to strike a balance — by showing that expats must respect local laws, while maintaining the Emirate's image of being welcoming to Westerners.

Click here for more from the Times of London.

Faith Hill and hubby Tim McGraw are facing the issues that all parents raising high tech children face. The couple's oldest daughter,Gracie, is asking for her first cell phone and her own E-mail address. Faith tells Ladies Home Journal, "I don't want to be a prude, the uncool parent, but I really don't feel she needs one right now. Obviously, the girls lives are a lot different from ours growing up, but we do have rules." Gracie is 11 and will set the precedent for 10-year-old Maggie and seven-year-old Audrey.

Lee Ann Womack says she's very proud of her new album.  The singer attributes the quality of "Call Me Crazy" to a number of things, including the simple fact that she's been honing her skills as a recording artist for more than ten years.Womack co-wrote four of the 12 tracks for "Call Me Crazy," including the tune "Everything But Quits" -- a duet with George  Strait.  In addition, Keith Urban makes a guest appearance on the disc.  "Call Me Crazy," featuring the single "Last Call," is Womack's seventh studio album.  It'll be in stores on Tuesday.

As Toby Keith prepares for the release of his new album, “That Don’t Make Me A Bad Guy,” he’ll be beefing up his appearance schedule in the next few days. The album is now available for pre-order on iTunes and with that pre-order comes the video for “Big Dog Daddy” and a never-before released track, “You Might Need A Hero Tonight.” Also, Verizon is offering four brand new tracks from the album as ringtones and ringbacks.

A Nebraska lawmaker says he may appeal after an Omaha judge tossed his suit against God because the Almighty wasn’t properly served due to his unlisted home address. Senator Ernie Chambers’ suit, which was filed in September 2007, had sought a permanent injunction preventing God from bringing about earthquakes, tornadoes and other acts of natural violence. Chambers said he filed the lawsuit to make the point that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they are rich or poor.

The offer of free flu shots was enough to entice hundreds of Florida senior citizens into a strip bar for vaccinations. Jim Veigle, owner of Rachel’s in Casselberry, Florida, says he offered the free flu shots as a public service to the neighborhood’s elderly. After going through 300 vaccinations in one day, he obtained more for another round Tuesday. “People need the help,” Veigle told the newspaper, adding that twice as many seniors showed up for the shots this year compared to last, indicating times are getting harder.

Cubicle Cupids

According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Wellgate for Women, 96% of women who work in an office claim to “like” or “love” their computer, with the average woman spending nearly triple the amount of time daily with her computer than she spends with her significant other (9.3 hours compared to 3.6 hours). Computer romance is not only taking a toll on relationships but also on physical health. One in 10 female office workers feels his significant other spends too much time with her computer. More than three in five female adults who work in an office actually spend more time with their computer than they do shopping, exercising, being outdoors, with friends, taking care of personal hygiene, and with family. Wellgate for Women has created the Web site

MyCubicleRomance.com to provide helpful office health information like tips for proper body positioning and ways to stretch and strengthen wrists throughout the day.

A Florida man is facing a criminal mischief charge after he became upset over the price of crack cocaine.  TCPalm.com reports 46-year-old Gus Young Jr. was arrested Tuesday at a local mini-mart.  Young reportedly caused damage to the store's counter and a DVD case.  After cops took him into custody, Young admitted he was mad because his drug dealer was now charging twenty dollars for a rock of crack that used to cost ten dollars.  Police noted that Young smelled of alcohol, which added a disorderly intoxication charge to the matter.

Two Indonesian men are trying to figure out how they fell for a hoax that left them with dragon tattoos covering their faces.  According to Ananova.com, the victims were promised jobs as intelligence officers if they got the ink work done.  Both men are now convinced the prankster was a "mystic" who hypnotized them into following his orders.  One noted, quote, "I was half conscious when the shop owner tattooed my face, and I didn't think it was a con."  A local village chief has vowed to help the men get their tattoos removed.

Barack Obama is getting in the game – literally. His campaign has bought ads on nine video games from Electronic Arts, including “Madden 09” and “Burnout: Paradise.” The ads appear on billboards and other signs in the game – and they remind players that early voting has already begun. The ads also plug the Obama campaign site. Obama is the first presidential candidate to buy ad space in video games, EA says. The ads will run on the Xbox Live versions of the games through November 3rd, the day before Election Day.

Embracing Carrots

Item number: 140274802023

Bidding ends: October 19th

With no bids at press time, starting bid: $1

Item location: Free Soil, Michigan, United States

Seller says: “Here is a very unusual set of carrots I found in my garden today. They are real, organically grown carrots that have grown together in an intertwined manner. They look like they are embracing each other.”

Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly are expecting baby number-two next April. Kim told People magazine that she's feeling great and is more relaxed about being pregnant this time around. Though Brad loves being a dad to 20-month-old son Huck, there is one thing that he does miss about not being a parent -- sleeping in. He tells us, "I remember the days and nights when I would sleep in at 11 or 12 in the morning and stay up till four at night." If all goes according to plan, their will be a lot more sleepless nights in the Paisleys' future. Brad says, "We'd like to have more than two kids." Brad will be co-hosing the 42nd Annual C-M-A Awards with Carrie Underwood on November 12th

Sugarland is on the fence about making videos. They appreciate that they can take the song to a whole new level or even add a different twist to the story, but making them can be a pretty grueling task. Jennifer Nettles tells The Free Press of London, Ontario, Canada, "It's a long day with a lot of people touching you, which can make you crazy after a while." Jennifer and her partner Kristian Bush are in the running for a bunch of C-M-A Awards, including their first crack at the big one --Entertainer of the Year. Jennifer says, "I think it's getting us closer to our goal. You can't win if you're not nominated." The awards will be given out on in Nashville on November 12th.

Though Tim McGraw insists he had nothing to do with his greatest-hits package, his label says that it kept his camp in the loop from start to finish. In a statement, Curb Records honcho Dennis Hannon says the label had several conversations with Tim's representatives about the C-D before it was released, and he blames last week's economic roller coaster ride for poor sales. Even so, the album took the top spot on the country charts. The label is trying to get Tim's latest single, "Let It Go," to the top of the charts and hopes that as the economy improves, so will sales of the album

Wynonna will be celebrating Christmas a little early this year with an extra-special holiday show.  She'll tape "Holiday Notes from Home: A Christmas Tribute for the Troops" Thursday night at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.  Wy is slated to perform with The Band of the Air Force Reserve and The Air Force Strings.  Her audience will include special guests from the Tennessee Army and Air National Guard.  The concert will be taped for American Forces Radio and Television Services, and then broadcast to the troops during the holiday season.

Grafton Burke of Maine found out about his death in a house fire while reading the newspaper and made it known he's not dead.  Burke rented a cabin in Springfield but the place was leveled on Sunday night in a blaze.  Firefighters the next day didn't know if he had been in the cabin or not but it was believed he and his six dogs had perished.  Burke contacted them on Monday and told them he read about the fire in the Bangor "Daily News" and realized it was his home.  He made his whereabouts known but the state fire marshal's office says the flames were so extensive and the damage so severe they can't determine how or where the fire started. 

Dressing up as Batman and going to bars has left a Florida man in hot water.  Police in Ybor City say 21-year-old Walsh Ian Nichols had been given several warnings over the past few weeks about dressing up as the caped crusader and going out.  It's against the law to wear a mask on a public right away but Nichols is said to have ignored the warnings and continued his nightclub patrols in the garb.  It's a law that's hardly ever enforced and was written more than half a century ago to apparently address hooded KKK members.  He ignored it and was finally arrested last Friday night outside of a nightclub. 

It seems highly unlikely that two delivery trucks for Frito Lay would collide while traveling in opposite directions but that's exactly what happened in South Carolina.  It happened last Saturday morning in northern Georgetown County along Highway 701 when one of the drivers swerved into the oncoming lane and hit the other truck.  The South Carolina Highway Patrol says it was nearly a head-on collision but luckily only left both drivers with minor injuries.  The trucks were identical before the accident but not afterwards as one was left as a twisted metal wreckage.

Another Thursday has come and gone and tomorrow will be filled with more winning nad fun and Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee! Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Fox News, and Metro Networks*

Happy Hump Day- 10/15/2008

Thanks so much for hanging out with us this morning and make sure you come back tomorrow for more of Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee! More winning more fun and keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

A Florida man was arrested at the Tampa airport after Canadian Customs officers contacted officials in the Sunshine State about his dog.  Robert Christianson of Palm Harbor was taken into custody on Sunday when his Delta Airlines flight arrived at Tampa International Airport.  He was wanted on two outstanding misdemeanor warrants for having a dog running at large, and having no license for a dog.  Christianson is free after posting more than 300-thousand-dollars in bail.

Highway 101 in Burlingame, California, has reopened after crews cleared away a jackknifed rig loaded with 12,000 pounds of frozen chicken. The accident happened just after 2 p.m. yesterday when the poultry truck jackknifed and landed on top of a pickup truck. No one was injured, but all four lanes of southbound traffic were blocked for almost an hour.

Blake Shelton's new single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone," takes every ounce of energy he has when he sings it every night in concert. In fact, he often sings it at the end of the show because it wears him out so much. He tells us, "I love that about that song because there will probably never be a time I look back in my life and go, 'I sang that song exactly how I wanted to sing it tonight,' cause it's that hard." The song is the lead single from his upcoming Startin' Fires album, which comes out on November 18th

Gary Allan considers himself a Nashville outsider -- and he likes it that way. He tells Pennsylvania's Erie Times-News, "I never really felt like I fit into this town. I didn't want to be the most popular thing. To me, those are always the flash-in-the-pans. I wanted to come on the scene like a Willie Nelson. I wanted to still be playing when I was 70 years old." As part of his plan to achieve longevity, Gary has been pounding the road pretty hard and changing up his shows about twice a year so fans won't get bored. "I think I've been forcing myself out of my shell, by forcing myself into these big rooms and forcing myself to do things differently." Next stop on the road for Gary is tomorrow in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Alabama’s Teddy Gentry has some ideas on how we can go green. He recommends we “Turn It Off” in a new single with the same title. Gentry compiled a list of items that we should “turn off” when we’re not using them in an effort to save energy. His suggestions include unplugging small appliances, using fluorescent light bulbs, keeping light fixtures and bulbs dusted, and turning off lights, the TV and computers when they are not in use. Gentry also says we should take the stairs instead of elevators, adjust thermostat settings and use the microwave instead of conventional oven.

Jimmy Kimmel, Jesse McCartney and Julianne Hough announced the nominees for the 2008 American Music Awards yesterday. Kimmel hosts this year’s AMAs, which will be held on November 23rd on ABC. Winners will be determined by online voting at www.amavote.com. Votes will be accepted until November 7th. The country nominees are:

Male Artist: Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley.

Female Artist: Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Sugarland.

Album: “The Ultimate Hits” (Garth Brooks), “Still Feels Good” (Rascal Flatts), and “Carnival Ride”(Carrie Underwood).

 

Are Americans Too Dumb To Vote?

There’s been a lot of debate over whether Barack Obama is too inexperienced to lead the country, or whether John McCain is too old to be the next U.S. president. But one question that has been overlooked is: “Are Americans too dumb to make that decision?” The answer may lie in the newest book from National Lampoon, “How Dumb Are You? The Great American Stupidity Quiz,” on sale now. The book contains quiz questions that every U.S. citizen should be able to answer – but often can’t. Prior to publication, the questions were given to a test audience to determine what percentage of average Americans could answer each one correctly. The results were startling:

· 59% of Americans couldn’t find Iraq or Afghanistan on a map.

· 74% couldn’t explain what the Dow Jones Industrial Average is.

· 68% couldn’t identify a picture of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

· 43% couldn’t properly identify two – any two – countries in Africa.

· 48% didn’t know which U.S. document started with the line, “We the people of the United States...”

· 40% couldn’t name a language spoken in Iraq.

· 48% thought the Mojave Desert was located on another continent.

· 71% didn’t know what U.S.S.R. used to stand for.

· 43% couldn’t name the capital of Canada.

· 54% couldn’t even name the president pictured on the dime.

Colorado State Police ticketed a woman for careless driving after she rolled her car while her two cats were fighting in her lap. The cat fight broke out as the woman was driving along Interstate 70, causing her to lose control of the vehicle. The woman’s reckless driving forced another car and a semi off the road. The cats ran off after the dust settled and are still on the lam.

Top Celebrity Military Supporters

The National Defense Examiner has named the Top Celebrity Military Supporters. The list considers how many times musical artists and actors have visited military hospitals, participated in USO tours, as well as other acts that show support for the men and women in the armed services.

1. Wayne Newton, who has recruited other stars for USO tours after the death of Bob Hope. Newton has performed in USO tours in every conflict America has been involved in since Vietnam.

2. Toby Keith, who has participated in six USO tours, where he performed for over 130,000 troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Belgium, Cuba, Germany, Italy and Kosovo. While in Afghanistan this past April, mortar fire stopped one of Keith’s shows. Rather than ending the show completely, Keith returned to the stage once the fire ended. Keith also allows military members to eat for free at his Oklahoma City restaurant, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill.

3. Robin Williams, Al Franken and Drew Carey make the list for their participation in several USO tours in war zones. Carey is also a former Marine.

4. Chuck Norris, who has made several trips oversees to visit troops. Norris is also a veteran of the Air Force.

5. Jennifer Love Hewitt, for her vocal support of the men and women in the armed services. Hewitt also regularly visits wounded troops in military hospitals.

A Tennessee man is doing his part to get out the vote for this year's Republican Presidential ticket.  Mark Ciptak has named his newborn daughter Sarah McCain Palin Ciptak.  This was news to the baby's mother, according to the "Kingsport Times-News."  It seems that Ciptak and his wife, Layla, had originally decided to name the baby Ava Grace.  Ciptak tells the paper he named his third child after the candidates to "encourage somebody" and "get the word out about the campaign."  He calls the gesture, quote, "a little token to the McCain Camp."  Ciptak adds that he and his wife are big supporters of the GOP ticket. 

If you have the popcorn, Yahoo has the movies! You can let Yahoo help you pick what movie(s) to watch this weekend or what CD to buy. Just go to Yahoo.com and click on the Movie box in the navigation bar on the left side of the screen. A window offering the latest movies will pop up. Click on one of the movies and you’ll be able to see the trailer and get show times by entering your Zip code. After that, go back to the homepage and click on Music in the navigation box on the right side of the screen. Type in the name of a band or musician in the “Search All Music” box and you’ll land on a page that will let you play full tracks right from the page. You’ll also see links to videos, albums and lyrics.

Mothers across the country are up in arms over Madonna's handgun stilettos.  The pop queen wore the black pistol-heeled Chanel shoes at the screening of her directorial debut, "Filth and Wisdom," in New York City Monday night.  The shoes caught the attention of not only of the media, but the group Mothers Against Murder And Aggression, or MAMAA for short.  Group spokeswoman Lynn Costello calls Madonna "uncaring" for sporting the shoes, saying that society as a whole needs to stop the glamorization of weapons.  Costello added, quote, "Surely she reads the news and realizes that young people are dying every day."  Madonna's "Filth and Wisdom" opens in select theaters this Friday, October 17th.

Dozens of Wisconsin Motorists Get Gas for 35 Cents After Mistake

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

 

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. —  Sure, gas prices have come down lately. But to 34.9 cents a gallon?

That's what Kelly Joosten and dozens of other motorists paid at a Citgo station Monday. The sign advertised $3.43 for a gallon of premium fuel, but the pump cost read $0.349 a gallon.

"That was amazing," said Joosten, who normally spends about $100 to fill up her 1998 Ford Expedition.

Joosten proudly showed off her receipt for 25.36 gallons at $8.85. She said she saw other motorists filling gas cans, too, at the discounted price.

Station owner JP Raval says the attendant on duty couldn't figure out why the station was suddenly so busy.

Raval estimated 30 to 40 customers fueled up at the incorrect price — between 200 and 300 gallons worth — for about 90 minutes.

"People kept coming, so fast," Raval said. "Everything was crowded; it was like a fairground."

Taylor Swift, who's known for wearing flirty sundresses paired with cowboy boots, is seeing her fans copying her signature style. She tells the Chattanooga Times Free Press, "It was awesome. I was so flattered by that. I think it's the coolest thing in the world." Taylor hopes to someday design her own line of clothing -- starting with a line of sundresses. She already has an "in" with the fashion world. She's already stars in ads for L-E-I Jeans. 

Tim McGraw wants his fans to know he had no involvement in his most recent greatest-hits package. Tim has been working on a new C-D and wanted to release it this fall, but his label went ahead with the hits compilation instead to trigger an extension clause in his recording contract. Tim insists he loves the music and all those who were involved with making it, but finds it embarrassing to release a greatest-hits collection when he's only had one studio album since his last hits C-D. Tim says, "In the spirit of the election year, I would simply say to my fans, 'I'm Tim McGraw and I do not approve their message.'" One project that Tim is completely behind is his children's book, My Little Girl, which comes out next Tuesday.

Miley Cyrus has finished writing her memoir at the age of 15. The “Hannah Montana” star was reportedly paid a seven-figure sum to tell her “inspiring story.” Cyrus has also said she wants to return to the show for a fourth season, “but we’re not sure so right now we’re just getting through season three.

Miranda Lambert has always loved songs that convey emotional honesty, and that inspired her new single, "More Like Her." 'Ran says, "I feel like...everybody that hears it will know that it's me telling my story or a story that's personal to me." Miranda has two C-M-A Awards nominations -- Female Vocalist and Song of the Year, for "Gunpowder and Lead."

Mel Gibson has turned down the chance to star in another “Lethal Weapon” movie, destroying hopes for a fifth film in the franchise. Warner Bros thought they could convince Gibson and co-star Danny Glover to reprise their roles 10 years after the last “Lethal Weapon” movie. But Richard Donner, who directed the first four films, says Gibson turned down the offer.

A Sioux City, Iowa, man is paying a hefty price for stealing two cases of beer from a gas station. Evan Lyons, 29, has been sentenced to two consecutive 15-year prison terms for first-degree theft and assault while participating in a felony. In both instances, Lyons was charged as a habitual offender. According to court documents, Lyons robbed a Kum & Go in Sioux City on August 19th, assaulting a store clerk and running off with two cases of Budweiser. Lyons has also been ordered to pay $37.72 restitution to Kum & Go. He pleaded guilty to the charges as part of a plea agreement.

Forget rain, sleet or snow -- the bite of a venomous snake didn't keep mail carrier Efrain Arango from his appointed rounds. What authorities think was a diamondback rattlesnake latched onto the 66-year-old's left index finger Friday morning after Arango surprised it in a New Tampa, Florida mailbox. Arango said he shook his arm and thwacked the small snake against his car door to break its grip. Then, with his fingertip bruised and bleeding, he delivered packages for about 30 minutes before seeking help at the New Tampa Post Office, where a supervisor called 9-1-1. Arango said he kept working immediately after the bite because his symptoms developed slowly, which Pittman said is common. By the time Arango returned to the post office, "my arm was like a fire inside," he said.

Charles and Penny Carle of Cupertino, California, are hoping someone will return the missing desert tortoise that has been a family pet since World War II. Butch the Tortoise went missing from the Carle’s yard last month. He was given to Charles’ parents in 1943 as a gift. The Carles believe someone turtle-napped Butch, who is estimated to be 150-years-old.

Police evacuated part of a San Francisco high-rise Monday after a man angry that he had been turned down to appear on The Price Is Rightwalked into a law office wearing a blinking device that he described as a bomb, authorities and witnesses said. The incident began when a man walked into a law office and indicated to the receptionist that he had a bomb. Police said the man had a device made of a white tube and some sort of flashing light. Anthony McDaniel, facilities manager at the law office, said the man was holding a note and wearing a belt with a blinking light. McDaniel said the man indicated he was angry because he was passed over to appear on the T-V game show. Antonio Scardino, 44, was booked on two felony charges.

Americans are still willing to spend a hefty chunk of change when they die even thought it's getting more difficult to make ends meet while alive.  Funeral industry executives gathered in Florida this week for their annual convention and say people are still happy to dig into retirement plans or cash in a life insurance policy to bid a costly farewell to loved ones.   According to the National Funeral Directors Association, eleven-billion-dollars a year is spent on funeral services by Americans with that figure expected to jump as baby boomers get closer to their final resting place.  They say people are still spending what it takes for funeral services.  

That's it for another Wednesday but don't worry we will be back for a Thursday full of fun and winning with Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee so join us tomorrow morning! Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Fox News, and Metro Networks*