 |
|
|
WZTV FOX 17 - Top Stories
A FOX17 WASTE WATCH follow up involving the General Services Administration. The embattled federal agency has 48 staffers in Nashville tonight for a conference. Their Music City visit comes as Congress is hammering the GSA over lavish spending at frequent training sessions and hefty bonuses on the taxpayers' dime. Gaylord Opryland is the largest convention hotel outside Las Vegas, and it was in Las Vegas last year the GSA spent $800,000 on a lavish conference that led to the head of the agency's termination. GSA Manager Jeffry Neely sitting in a hot tub at his suite in Vegas. He and 9 others are now on leave.
"We just can't take it anymore," says Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Maryland). "Let us defend the employees who are good and hard workers at the General Services Administration, but not to defend this kind of garbage that's a waste of taxpayer money."
Since Las Vegas, Congress has learned the GSA spent $20,000 on drumsticks at one recent conference and another $20,000 on cooking classes for its people at another. House lawmakers who convened this hearing are hot.
"If you can't handle conference and bonuses, how do you expect that Congress is going to allow you to handle billions of dollars worth of leases?" says Rep. Jeff Denham (R-California).
Which brings us to the 3-day conference going on now at Gaylord Opryland. The GSA tells FOX17 NEWS the so-called "Smart Pay" conference, which is designed to improve management of the government charge card program, is essential. In the bigger picture, lawmakers say this department's numbers just don't add up.
"GSA has 1% of the employees of the federal government. 1%," says Rep. John Mica (R-Florida). "And they received 10% of the bonuses, to show you how dramatically out of kilter this is."
The GSA tells FOX17 it has cancelled 37 conferences. As many as 77 others are now under review by the Inspector General. The conference being held here was in Las Vegas last year. It cost the taxpayers over $830,000.
"We just can't take it anymore," says Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Maryland). "Let us defend the employees who are good and hard workers at the General Services Administration, but not to defend this kind of garbage that's a waste of taxpayer money."
Since Las Vegas, Congress has learned the GSA spent $20,000 on drumsticks at one recent conference and another $20,000 on cooking classes for its people at another. House lawmakers who convened this hearing are hot.
"If you can't handle conference and bonuses, how do you expect that Congress is going to allow you to handle billions of dollars worth of leases?" says Rep. Jeff Denham (R-California).
Which brings us to the 3-day conference going on now at Gaylord Opryland. The GSA tells FOX17 NEWS the so-called "Smart Pay" conference, which is designed to improve management of the government charge card program, is essential. In the bigger picture, lawmakers say this department's numbers just don't add up.
"GSA has 1% of the employees of the federal government. 1%," says Rep. John Mica (R-Florida). "And they received 10% of the bonuses, to show you how dramatically out of kilter this is."
The GSA tells FOX17 it has cancelled 37 conferences. As many as 77 others are now under review by the Inspector General. The conference being held here was in Las Vegas last year. It cost the taxpayers over $830,000.
Wednesday, August 1 2012, 09:42 PM CDT
Tennessee News
Arrest made in fatal shooting in Memphis
May 23, 2013 19:55 GMT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis police have arrested a man accused of fatally shooting one man and wounding another.
The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/188G97s ) reports that 21-year-old Setric Hall has been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, attempted second-degree murder and using a firearm during a felony.
He's being held in the Shelby County Jail.
Police say the shootings occurred Wednesday night. Officers found a 26-year-old man on the floor with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead there, and later identified as Devin Cox.
A few minutes later, officers responded to another location, where they found a 22-year-old man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Police believe that Hall was trying to shoot his girlfriend when the 22-year-old man intervened.
The girlfriend was not injured.
Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com
Related Stories
News Stories
Local Headlines
Arrest made in fatal shooting in Memphis
2 dead in drugstore shooting in Tenn.
Former Dyer County constable sentenced to prison
Tishomingo County voters OK beer, alcohol sales
Nashville judge permanently suspends guardian
Photographer facing child pornography charges
Federal judge dismisses charter school suit
Tennessee recoups unemployment benefits
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Business News
Bernanke signals Fed to maintain stimulus efforts
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs.
Consumer Info
BC-US--Dow Record-Three Personal Stories, 1st Ld-Writethru,1173
Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes
AP Photo FX102, FX103
Eds: With BC-US--Dow Record. Adds photos.
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
Science/Tech News
IN THE NEWS: TEEN ONLINE FAREWELL SONG ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF VIEWS
LAKELAND, Minn. (AP) -- High school student Zach Sobiech (SOH'-bee-eck) says he wanted to be remembered as "a kid who went down fighting and didn't really lose."
Get This
SWINGERS CLUB LAWSUIT-VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- David Cooper wants to bring a little more sin -- to Sin City.
IE6 Float Fix
