Top Five News Stories of 2006, Nashville, TN

This was an exciting year in the nation's Music City USA and its suburbs. From an unfortunate passing of gas to a high-profile murder case, there was always something interesting to watch on the evening news.

1. Woman passes gas and lands plane. A Dallas-bound American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Nashville's InternationalAirport after passengers reported the smelling smoke. After and extensive search of the plane and its luggage, a box of matches was found near the seat of a female passenger. It turns out that she had passed gas and lit the matches in order to mask the smell. The plane was eventually allowed to continue its journey without the woman on board.

2. The April 7^th Tornadoes. On April 7, 2006, a massive tornado outbreak struck Middle Tennessee. The worst damage took place in the Nashville suburbs of Hendersonville and Gallatin where whole neighborhoods were completely destroyed. One of the families who lost their home was recently featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Amy Hawkins threw herself on top of her two small children as one of the tornadoes ripped through her home, destroying almost everything that the family owned. Her heroic actions saved the lives of her children, but left her paralyzed from the waist down. The Extreme Makeover team built this family a beautiful, wheelchair-friendly home that they will enjoy for many years to come. As tragic as the Hawkins's family story is, they were lucky compared to some. In all, 12 people lost their lives in Tennessee that April day, and there was $650 million in damage reported.

3. The MusicCity Star. Tennessee's first commuter rail service ran its first passenger-loaded train on September 18, 2006. It currently makes stops in Lebanon, Martha, Mt.Juliet, Hermitage, Donelson, and Riverfront. It is the hope that the Music City Star can alleviate some of the heavy traffic problems on the East side of Nashville, and help improve the city's air quality. If the Music City Star is successful, the Regional Transportation Authority will build more commuter rail services to Nashville's suburbs.

4. Steve McNair leaves the Titans. On June 7, 2006, long-time Titans quarterback, Steve McNair, was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2007 fourth round draft pick. It was suspected that the Titans might be ready to part ways with McNair when he was asked not to workout with the rest of the team during an off-season conditioning camp. The Titans claimed that they were worried that the injury-prone McNair might hurt himself and then they would be liable for his $23.46 million salary cap. Also, McNair and his agent were given permission to start talks with the Ravens not long after that incident. Now the Titans hopes ride on the shoulders of rookie quarterback Vince Young.

5. The Perry March Trials. In 1996, Janet March, a beautiful, young artist and mother, vanished. For years people searched for this woman who, at a glance, seemed to have it all. Her husband was suspected in her disappearance, but her body was never found. Perry March eventually moved to Mexico and remarried. With mounting evidence against him, March was extradited from Mexico last year and brought to Nashville to stand trial not only for the death of his wife, but conspiring to kill his former in-laws, Carolyn and Larry Lavine, and theft from Lavine's law firm where he worked during his marriage to Janet. After many months of trials and grueling testimony, March was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 56 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years.