Nashville airport to offer limited free wi-fi, charging stations

By G. Chambers Williams III • THE TENNESSEAN • September 29, 2010 Nashville International Airport said today that it plans to add limited free wireless Internet service and 14 complimentary charging stations for portable electronic devices in its terminals. The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority board approved the additions during its September meeting, modifying a 2004 concession agreement with CCG/Boingo. Travelers will be able to connect to the wireless system free for up to 20 minutes in the food courts, meter/greeter waiting areas and some restaurants, and members of the airport’s frequent-parker program will have 15 minutes of compemetary Wi-Fi access anywhere in the terminals, the airport said. For those who need longer periods of service, Boingo is available for $7.95 a day or $9.95 a month for unlimited access. The monthly subscription can be used at more than 30,000 wi-fi hotspots in North America, including those in many airports and hotels. At least two of the new charging stations will be in place by the end of the year, the airport said.

Mayor Karl Dean launches Nashville Impact for education, flood recovery

Michael Cass • THE TENNESSEAN • September 30, 2010 Mayor Karl Dean launched Nashville’s first comprehensive plan to get citizen volunteers involved in addressing the city’s pressing needs with an event at an elementary school today. The plan, titled Impact Nashville, outlines service initiatives related to education and environmental recovery from the May flood. The city received a two-year, $200,000 grant in January to develop the program, and Dean is one of 17 founding mayors of Cities of Service, an umbrella organization spearheaded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.“What I did not realize (when Cities of Service started) was that volunteerism would become Nashville’s biggest asset and biggest source of community pride as we faced a historic natural disaster,” Dean said in a news release. We need to harness that spirit of volunteerism to tackle some of our city’s other great challenges, and that’s what this plan sets out to do.” Students and parents at Glendale Elementary helped construct a rain garden on the school property today to help absorb and divert water during future rainfalls. Impact Nashville also calls for recruiting reading tutors to work with students in Nashville’s most high-need schools in kindergarten through second grade. For more information, see www.nashville.gov/volunteer or www.impactnashville.net.

Fire investigation will likely will take several days

Hickory Woods Apartment building still unsafe for full inspection By Andy Humbles • THE TENNESSEAN • September 30, 2010 The Metro Fire Department says it will take several days before a complete investigation can done and conclusions drawn about Wednesday’s fire that destroyed a 24-unit building at Hickory Woods Apartments off Nolensville Pike. The building is not safe enough to do a complete investigation immediately, said District Fire Chief Charles Shannon of the Nashville Fire Department. The fire has displaced over 100 people, according to reports.