The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • A1

CYANMAGYELBLK TennesseanBroadsheet Master TennesseanBroadsheet Master 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 TennesseanBroadsheet Master TennesseanBroadsheet Master 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 To subscribe call: 242-NEWS or (800) 342-8237 1A www.tennessean.com CONTENTS Sections: Local 4C Brad About 3A 4D, 2E 2D Dear 2D 5B 12-13A 3D Sports 9C Predators feel new kind ofpressure to win it all SPORTS, Page 1C LOFTY GOALS Five-day forecast on Page 6B 88 63 WEATHER Louisiana Philharmonic triumphant at TPAC LOCAL NEWS, Page 1B HIGH NOTES Conservation effort may bring down gas prices BUSINESS, Page 1E RELIEF AT PUMP? NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE A GANNETT NEWSPAPER VOLUME 101, NO. 278 6 SECTIONS COPYRIGHT 2005PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID IN NASHVILLE, TN WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2005 By LEON ALLIGOOD StaffWriter A move is afoot to save most visible Air National Guard unit by getting it some new airplanes to replace the ones it may lose. The 118th Airlift Wing, which flew its huge transport planes in Iraq and Afghanistan, looked like it was down for the count last month; a Pentagon commission had recommended that it be stripped of its eight C- 130 Hercules aircraft. But a renewed future may be in the works for this unit that displays the headstock of a guitar in its insignia. The head of the Tennessee Air National Guard, Brig.

Gen. William R. Cotney, yesterday confirmed that the chances of getting a new fleet of cargo and troop-transport aircraft really And representative in Congress said to know what that airplane will be, but I feel sure going to get it because the BRAC commission left our manpower intact. going to be pretty tough for them not to have us doing Cotney said. If the 118th gets equipped with newer planes, they probably will be one of three models, the general noted.

All three are cargo planes, so the overall mission of flying troops, supplies, equip- ment and the wounded in and out of the combat zone change. The models are: The C-17, a jet engine aircraft that, like the C- 130s, is built to carry troops and cargo. also larger than the C-130. The C-130J, the newer model of the C-130 the 118th now flies. A light transport aircraft slated for future purchases by the Army and the Air Force.

probably know something in another couple of months. Right now, no way of knowing until the congressional people and the Air Force figures out what going to buy and how New planes may save air base Guard commander pins hopes on new transports for Nashville unit Bush courts conservatives leery ofMiers nomination the most qualified, change course, he assures By DAVID JACKSON The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON President Bush delivered a message yesterday to conservative supporters: Trust me on Harriet Miers. Calling the Dallas lawyer the most qualified person he could find for the Supreme Court, Bush used a news conference to repeatedly reassure conservative skeptics that she shares their philosophy. will not legislate from the Bush said of his White House counsel. The president spoke a day after nominating Miers, amid complaints from some conservatives about her qualifications and questions about her judicial philosophy.

They wondered whether she could help push the court to the right on such issues as abortion rights and affirmative action. White House officials called the criticism from talk radio and conservative magazines and predicted that Miers would have solid support where it counts: the U.S. Senate. can opine all they want, but the final opinion is on the floor of the United States Bush said. The president said he hopes Miers will be confirmed by Thanksgiving.

She would AP PHOTOS President Bush takes questions from reporters in the Rose Garden of the White House, a day after conservative talk radio and writers attacked the credentials of his Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers. Memphis rated deadliest city for kids on foot By CHARISSE JONES Gannett News Service The Memphis metropolitan area was the most dangerous for young pedestrians in a ranking of data compiled by Safe Kids Worldwide, an international organization focused on preventing accidental injuries to children. Austin, Texas, was ranked as the safest. The report based its rankings of 47 metropolitan areas on the population ages 14 and younger, the average number of such pedestrians killed each year and the estimated percentage of trips children make on foot. Nashville ranked 19th among the most dangerous areas for young pedestrians.

Pedestrian deaths among children are dropping. The number of children 14 and younger who died as pedestrians dropped from 768 in 1993 to 390 in 2003 a decline of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says. One reason for the drop is that proportionally fewer children are walking to school: in 1995 from nearly in 1969, according to the Safe Kids study. The study found that major cities are often less dangerous than communities where people are more spread out. a culture of walking in cities so you establish a practice with your said Alan Korn, director of Major offensive starts in Iraq With a powerful air assault, the U.S.

military yesterday launched Operation River Gate, intended to take back towns near the Syrian border and put down insurgents before the Oct. 15 vote on constitution. On Page 7A new gear As 101st Airborne Division soldiers return to Iraq, they are bringing new tactics, better body armor and other new tools to fight what they say is a radically changing war. On Page 7A 3 names raised in March case Recently filed court papers name three men as possible witnesses or co-conspirators in the disappearance of Janet March. Suspect Perry defense attorney calls the reference inappropriate.

On Page 1B Caucus offers spending details A financial summary provided by the legislative Black Caucus gives details of how its money is spent, including covering two rent for a legislator recuperating from a fall. On Page 1B Heartburn for Pacman Following custom for top draft picks by picking up the tab for a team dinner proved more than the Adam Jones bargained for: $14,240 at a West End steakhouse. On Page 1C Reeling from Rita Tire companies are rationing their supplies after production of synthetic rubber was disrupted by Hurricane Rita. On Page 1E More women enter auto repair Change is coming to a male bastion: The number of women working as auto service and repair technicians has doubled in the past 15 years, the U.S. Labor Department says.

On Page 1D INSIDETODAY Nashville 19th; study points to hazards as fewer children are walking to school Developer warned in time to halt demolition at Reeves site, worker says By CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF StaffWriter The executive director for police union yesterday said the group will formally ask Police Chief Ronal Serpas to return Tasers to Metro patrol officers, just days after the chief took the electrical shock weapons away following the death of a 21-year-old man. The union also issued a statement saying that removal of Tasers from patrol officers the already difficult job of keeping us safe from the criminal element even more difficult for our FOP Executive Director Brock Parks, who is also the attorney, yesterday came to the defense of two officers who shocked Patrick Lee, 21, up to 19 times as he was unarmed and naked outside a Nashville nightclub on Sept. 22. Lee died two days later. Parks, however, said he had few details about what had led officers to shock him so many times.

He said he was not representing the officers. Nashville attorney Tommy Overton, who is investigating the death on behalf of family, said the family views the request by the FOP as insensitive. a slap in the face, and a slap to the citi- Spring Hill Cemetery Isaac Litton Middle School STAFF 155 Former site of Jim Reeves Museum Map area 31E .25 mile By LEE ANN StaffWriter The developer who last month demolished one of the oldest houses in Davidson County knew that Metro had ordered him to stop working, but tore it down anyway, according to a contractor who worked at the site. Before any bulldozers touched the house, developer Robert N. Moore Jr.

knew that Metro Codes Department officials were revoking his demolition permit on the historic Evergreen Place in Inglewood, accord- ing to Camille Therrien, an environmental worker who was working for Moore. In an affidavit, Therrien said he called Moore around 2:39 p.m. on Sept. 22 to tell the developer heard a stop-work order was in the making. About hours later, the house on Gallatin Pike was torn down, ending its more than 200 years of existence, first as a private residence and later as a museum to country singer Jim Reeves.

Moore, who plans to put a Home Depot store on the site, said claims are not true. recall any conversation with him saying that a demolition permit had been Moore said he learned of the revocation the next day, less than 24 hours after Metro initially issued the go- ahead for demolition and the morning after the dogtrot- style house was razed. smells to high Councilman Mike Jameson said of the matter. He has Police union wants Tasers returned to Metro patrol cops Dead family calls request a LARRY MCCORMACK STAFF A contractor who worked on Evergreen Place says in an affidavit that the property developer knew of the order to stop demolition but went through with it anyway. While Bush defended his selection of Harriet Miers to replace Justice Sandra Day the Dallas lawyer met with Sen.

Jeff Sessions, left, and other Judiciary Committee members. Inside Miers has kept to the middle of the Texas road, showing sympathy for some gay rights, as well as anti-abortion efforts. On Page 2A Bush, stirring debate on the possibility of a bird flu pandemic, suggests dispatching U.S. troops to enforce quarantines in any areas with outbreaks of the killer virus. On Page 2A Please see BUSH, 2A Please see TASER, 6A Please see AIR BASE, 6A Please see WALK, 2A See EVERGREEN, 2A.